Three things we've learned about Virginia's offense in training camp

With the season opener against NC State barely three weeks away, there are still plenty of questions about Virginia's offense. An almost entirely new set of skill position players will be asked to replicate or improve on the production from last year's 11-3 squad.

After a week of camp, a few answers are beginning to come into focus. Based on coaches' comments, here are three things we've learned from the first six days of workouts.

1. A lot of receivers will see action

Starting positions are still up for grabs, but this much is certain: it won't be the same three receivers on the field for four quarters. A deep, experienced roster should allow offensive coordinator Des Kitchings to keep fresh legs on the field at all times.

"As a former receiver myself, we all think we could play every snap," Kitchings said last week. "But to play 75 snaps at the caliber we need you to play for an extended period of time, that's really just not doable, honestly.

"So those guys, just every day we challenge them. Everybody's been challenged. The coaches have been challenged. Because again, for us to take the next step as a program is about what's going to be our winning edge, how can we gain these next inches. We talked about [how] as you try to climb the mountain top, the air gets thinner. So the details, the precision in everything you do becomes even more magnified.”

UCLA transfer Rico Flores Jr. appears to be the leader for the X starting position, and UMass grad Jacquon Gibson has received praise from both Kitchings and head coach Tony Elliott and could be the favorite at slot. But returnee Kam Courtney, transfers Da'Shawn Martin and Tyson Davis plus freshmen DaMari Carter and Dylan Cope all figure to see time.

That's why coaches are watching practice closely. Martin, who caught 33 passes at Kent State last season, found out just how important reps are when Elliott challenged him for not going full speed on a corner pattern last week. Elliott said Martin responded by raising his intensity for fear of falling behind in the competition.

2. Beau Pribula's taking his leadership role seriously

The mobility and arm strength that made Pribula attractive first to Penn State and then to Missouri are obvious. But after beating out fellow transfer Eli Holstein for the starting job, Pribula has begun to take charge off the field, as well.

Last season, Chandler Morris quickly won over his new teammates with his toughness. Pribula is striving to become that same kind of leader.

"You start to see him being a little more vocal with the guys in the locker room.," Elliott said. "Then I observe how he interacts with the guys in the dining room, and he sits with a lot of different people engaging with different position groups, which tells you that, hey, this guy understands as a quarterback, you've got to galvanize the entire team, not just one side of the ball or your skill guys. You've got to be able to sit down and talk to D-Linemen, you've got to be able to engage with defensive backs, right? So they'll all follow you."

3. The line is still a work in progress

With five graduate students expected to start up front, newly promoted offensive line coach Joey Orck should have the easiest job on the staff, right?

Think again. Besides taking over for the highly esteemed Terry Heffernan (who's now Stanford's offensive coordinator), Orck has to blend that experience into a cohesive unit. He has a lot of talent to work with, but aside from McKale Boley and Noah Josey on the left side, it might not exactly be plug and play.

Right tackle Monroe Mills missed all of last season with an injury. Maklian Thomas is sliding over to right guard after playing almost exclusively tackle at Arkansas State. Both will be making their Virginia debuts against the Wolfpack. And Drake Metcalf is getting comfortable at center after spending most of his career at guard before moving to the middle for part of last season.

"I think externally there's a ton of expectations and I don't go on social media, so I don't know exactly what all they are, but I know there's a lot of talk about those guys," Elliott said. "I think internally the expectation is consistency in performance on the field and then leadership off the field, right? ... So it's like, ah, it's a, for us it's come together first right? And then we'll focus on all of the other stuff. But the biggest thing is the leadership is probably the biggest expectation from the people in the building, but also from that group internally. They want to lead, and now they kind of have the credibility to be able to do it."

Orck also has to develop backups like Alex Payne, Ryan Brubaker and Grant Ellinger to be ready at a moment's notice in case injury strikes one of the starters.

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