Seasoned Signal-Caller Chandler Morris Has Virginia Rolling Ahead of Wazzu Match Up

Oct 4, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) looks to pass against the Louisville Cardinals during the second quarter at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images
Oct 4, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) looks to pass against the Louisville Cardinals during the second quarter at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

OPPONENT QB SCOUTING REPORT: Chandler Morris - Virginia

Height: 6’0
Weight: 192
Class: Graduate Student
Hometown: Highland Park, TX
High School:  Highland Park HS
Previous Schools: Oklahoma / TCU / North Texas

STATS

  • Career (Oklahoma / TCU / North Texas / Virginia) : 656/1008 (65%), 7,635 yards, 58 TDs, 21 INTs | 818 rushing yards, 14 TDs
  • 2025: 130/186 (70%), 1,428 yards, 11 TDs 4 INTs | 176 yards rushing, 4 TDs

AT A GLANCE

Chandler Morris brings a wealth of experience from several stops into Saturday’s matchup with the Cougs. Morris began his collegiate career in 2020, appearing in five games as a true freshman for Oklahoma. After the COVID season, he returned home to Texas, transferring to TCU in 2021, where he made his first two collegiate starts and showed major promise early.

In his first start, he earned Big 12 Player of the Week honors after totaling 531 yards of offense (461 passing, 70 rushing)—the second-best single-game outing in school history. His 461 passing yards were the fourth most in a game by a Horned Frog and the third most in Big 12 history for a player making their starting debut.

Unfortunately, his 2021 season was cut short due to injury—a trend that continued into 2022 after starting the season opener and appearing in only four games. In his final year at TCU (2023), Morris played in seven games, starting six, and threw for 1,532 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 249 rushing yards and three scores.

It was in 2024 that Morris produced his first full season of major success. After transferring to North Texas, he started all 13 games for the Mean Green and served as the catalyst for an offense that ranked third nationally in total offense, averaging 489 yards per game. Morris passed for 3,774 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, while also rushing for 242 yards and four more touchdowns. He finished as the AAC’s leading passer by a wide margin and earned Second Team All-AAC honors.

Along with those accolades, Morris ranked top-10 nationally in several major statistical categories in 2024, including completions per game, total offense, passing yards, and passing yards per game. Following that breakout campaign, Morris transferred once more—this time to Virginia—to finish his career in Charlottesville.

Now leading the Cavaliers, Morris has them sitting at 5–1 and ranked No. 18 in the country heading into Saturday’s home matchup against Wazzu. Through six games, he’s completed 70% of his passes for 1,428 yards and 11 touchdowns to four interceptions, while also adding 176 rushing yards and four more scores.


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TOP TRAITS

Quick and Effortless Release

On film, Morris consistently plays on time. Mechanically, he’s as sound as they come—playing with a strong base and clean footwork on a consistent basis. However, one aspect of his mechanics truly jumps out on film, and that’s his release. Frequently, his throwing motion looks like just a flick—no matter where on the field he’s delivering the ball. From underneath to downfield, his release always looks the same: quick and effortless.

Ball Speed and Trajectory

The perfect complement to Morris’ quick release is his ability to change up his ball speed and trajectory. He can make several different kinds of throws—whether it’s a frozen rope from 20+ yards out (1:08 mark in the video below) or a pass thrown with perfect touch and arc, placed just over a defender and into his receiver’s hands within a confined space (2:30 mark in the video below).

Accuracy and Precision

It’s no surprise that Morris has completed 70% of his passes so far this season, given how his accuracy shows up on tape. He has a knack for placing the ball in ideal locations and threading the needle into windows most quarterbacks wouldn’t dare attempt. Check out the 3:53 mark in the video below to see for yourself.

Athleticism

As a Passer

As a passer, Morris displays the same effectiveness in terms of quick release, accuracy, and ball-speed or trajectory control on the run or off-platform as he does when throwing from a clean pocket. We get a glimpse of this at the 3:15 mark in the video below, as Morris escapes the pocket to his left and delivers a touchdown pass on the run against Memphis. What stands out in this clip is how easy and efficient his release looks when rolling to his non-dominant side—completely effortless.

As a Runner 

On the ground, Morris can gash defenses both on designed quarterback runs and when escaping a collapsing pocket. Not only does he have the ability to quickly move the chains as a rusher, but he can also go the distance if he isn’t accounted for—as seen at the 3:03 mark in the video below, where Memphis is in man coverage with no quarterback spy in place. Once Morris recognized this, he immediately took off, going untouched en route to a 49-yard touchdown run.


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