What to expect in Week 4 of Virginia's preseason football camp

it's within sight now: Virginia's season opener on Aug. 29 against N.C. State at Scott Stadium is less than two weeks away. For one more week, though, the Cavaliers will continue their preseason preparation before focusing exclusively on the Wolfpack.

The news out of summer camp has been largely positive for coach Tony Elliott, who has arguably his deepest, most experienced, and most talented squad as he enters his fifth season in charge.

Still, though, there are plenty of issues to sort through. Here are five things to watch in the final full week of camp:

1. Wide receiver pecking order

Offensive coordinator Des Kitchings admitted last week that not one of the candidates in his deep receivers room has consistently distinguished himself through the first three weeks of camp.

That's a concern because until Kitchings decides on a two-deep roster, the eventual starters won't be able to get extensive practice time with quarterback Beau Pribula. Trust and sync are crucial factors in a successful passing game, and it takes time and repetition to establish them.

Deciphering comments from Elliott and Kitchings, it appears that transfers Rico Flores Jr., Jacquon Gibson, and Da'Shawn Martin are the leading candidates for starting jobs. Clearly, high-quality competition benefits everyone, but it seems as if those three -- and the many teammates trying to unseat them -- are still working toward consistency. This would be a good week to show it.

2. How ready are several key performers?

Elliott got some potential good news 10 days ago when graduate students Jacob Holmes and Cazeem Moore were declared eligible by a judge who ruled on an appeal related to the NCAA's new "five for five" rule.

With ample depth along the defensive line already in camp, the Cavaliers don't have an urgent need for Holmes and Moore. But if they can get back into game shape, their talent and experience would be helpful. This is an important week for defensive coordinator John Rudzinski to determine whether either or both will be ready for spot action against the Wolfpack -- and if so, how their presence would affect the rotation of players along the line.

Meanwhile, all-ACC linebacker Kam Robinson and running back Xavier Brown have been rehabbing after ACL tears prematurely ended their 2025 seasons. Their workload has gradually increased through camp. By this time next week, Elliott would like to know just how much he can count on his two veterans against the Wolfpack.

3. Peyton Lewis -- forgotten man?

It looked like a coup when Elliott got a transfer commitment from Peyton Lewis, a former four-star recruit from Salem High School who spent two seasons at Tennessee. The former high school track star seemed like the heir apparent to 1,000-yard rusher J'Mari Taylor.

Fellow transfer Jekail Middlebrook seems to have taken a clear lead in the competition, though, thanks to his versatility and superior pass-catching ability. And coaches have been complimentary of both Brown and senior Noah Brown throughout camp.

Elliott and Kitchings have spoken often of hoping to have a dominant run game behind the nation's most experienced offensive line. There should be carries to go around, but this would be a good week for Lewis to prove he's worthy of more than just the scraps.

4. Backup battles

No team ever survives a full season without injuries. Virginia saw Robinson and Brown, among others, go down last fall and still made it to the ACC championship game (and the Gator Bowl).

Elliott and his staff have qualified backup candidates at almost every position. This week, they'll try to determine who will step in if one of those veteran blockers goes down -- and whether anyone will need to shift positions if so. There are also battles at cornerback and along the deep defensive line.

5. Specialty situations

Having spent three-plus weeks (and two intrasquad scrimmages) evaluating his talent, the coaches have begun getting more detail-oriented lately. This week will offer one of their last chances to drill down on specialty situations.

Who'll be the blocking back on short-yardage and goal-line plays? Who's the fifth defensive lineman when opponents face those situations? How often will Kitchings use tight ends Dakota Twitty and John Rogers on the field together? What tricks will Keith Gaither have up his sleeve for special teams?

This is the final week to come to conclusions on those questions, so the players will be comfortable during the season when coaches reach deep into their playbook.

Add us as a preferred source on Google