Virginia Postgame Quotes That Matter From Tony Elliott After Win Over Norfolk State

No. 25 Virginia has strung together back-to-back wins in blowout fashion. The latest one, albeit against an FCS opponent, was full of significant moments. Coach Tony Elliott said so himself. Here is what the Cavaliers head coach had to say about the game — and its highlights.

On extended playing time for reserve players

Twelve different players caught a pass. Three different quarterbacks threw for touchdowns. Many first career touchdowns were scored. The list of firsts goes on and on.

“It was really, really good to play as many guys as we did,” Elliott said postgame. “I think structurally coming into it with their eight-man front, being that they're a 4-4 defense, they're going to have more hats around around the box, and we knew that they were they were probably going to try and sell out to to stop the run, the effectiveness we had the week before, so I thought they had a good job.”

Last time out, Elliott said that the offense was capable of adapting. It did. While Xavier Brown was the headlining running back against NC State, this time it was Xay Davis — and Beau Pribula threw the ball a bit more.

Will Bettridge is now Virginia’s all-time leading scorer

Elliott called it fitting.

Bettridge broke the program scoring record wearing the jersey of the late D’Sean Perry, with Perry’s name on a patch. It was also the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.

“The significance of the anniversary, the amount of adversity that this program is going through, and for him to etch his name in the record books as the all-time leading scorer in school history on this night — I mean, it's only fitting,” Elliott said. “You can't make that stuff up, right? And that's what I keep trying to remind the team. And I know they're young and they're just living life and happy to just kind of be where they are. But man, today wasn't a coincidence, and it wasn't a coincidence that it was him.”

“And so I'm just thankful that not only is he being recognized, but the number 41 is also you know being recognized because they both mean a lot to us as a program.”

Reflections on the game, and the path ahead

Elliott said that his guys were a little hungry for more. Some players focused on plays they didn’t make.

“It's hard to win in college in college football,” Elliott said, “but just proud overall of the defense and the mindset that they're showing up every single day with, and preparing the level of communication and really scheme to scheme, but to be that effective, it comes down to the Jimmies and the Joes. It's not the X's and the O's. It's the guys believing in what we're doing, believing in each other, and taking pride, and then also believing in the concept that our strength is in numbers, so that we can play a ton of guys and maintain the standard, but it's only two games.”

Strength in numbers is crucial for Virginia. It dominated week zero without Kam Robinson, Corey Costner and Rico Flores Jr. The Cavaliers might be missing different contributors Sept. 19 against West Virginia, as Jason Hammond suffered an elbow injury in Friday’s win.

But before thinking ahead to the Mountaineers game, Elliott reinforced previous comments of praising Michael Vick — now the Norfolk State head coach.

“It was a real honor to to share the field with with with Michael again, and and I'm hopeful that going forward, we'll be able to to build a relationship because if early indications of what he's doing there is you know a predictor of what's going to happen in the future, they're going to win a lot of football games, and he's going to be a very successful head coach in the future,” Elliott said.

Elliott said his 2-0 Virginia team has had a good start to the season but that they have to continue building upon said start.

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