Tony Elliott: "Nobody's Job is Safe" at Start of Virginia Football Fall Camp

Matt Newton | Aug 2, 2024

Tony Muskett and Anthony Colandrea are battling for Virginia's starting quarterback job, but what other starting positions are up for grabs during fall camp? / Virginia Athletics

Tony Muskett and Anthony Colandrea are battling for Virginia's starting quarterback job, but what other starting positions are up for grabs during UVA football fall camp?

Well, according to head coach Tony Elliott, every single position on the field.

On the first day of fall camp on Wednesday, Elliott was asked if there were any players he was confident would start when Virginia opens its season on August 31st against Richmond. Elliott gave an answer that on the surface seems bold, but is actually quite diplomatic and intended to motivate his entire team during camp.

"Oh man, it's hard to say today, alright, cause everybody's competing and nobody's job is safe," Elliott said. "And that's the mindset that we have to have. As we get closer to that first game, you know, about a week, week and a half out, then we'll start to really identify that. But right now, we're letting them all roll."

It's fairly common for a team to wait until pretty close to the start of the season to clarify the starting lineup. But with the amount of solidified starters coming back for the Cavaliers this season, the statement that "nobody's job is safe" is probably a drastic exaggeration. Yes, it's true that Virginia's quarterback job is up in the air between two quarterbacks who each started six games last season. And, as Elliott also pointed out, there are other positions on the roster, such as the offensive line, where there is room for competition in fall camp.

"Like the quarterbacks, both of them are getting first-team reps. We're letting the second group of quarterbacks compete," said Elliott. "Same thing with the offensive line, we're letting some of the younger guys get some first-team reps. So, everybody's battling right now. So, it's hard to say where we'll be."

With that said, there are several positions on the depth chart that are nearly guarantees when it comes to who will start for the Cavaliers when the season begins. The front seven will almost assuredly feature some combination of Kam Butler, Chico Bennett, Jahmeer Carter, Kam Robinson, and James Jackson, while preseason All-ACC selection Jonas Sanker is a lock to start at safety in an otherwise crowded and competitive defensive back room.

On the other side of the ball, Brian Stevens, McKale Boley, and Noah Josey should start on the offensive line assuming health, while Kobe Pace, Chris Tyree, and Malachi Fields should headline the skill position spots.

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Of course, there's no harm in giving the players some extra juice in practice by telling them that their jobs are not safe and that's exactly what Elliott is doing.

"I don't want these guys to have the mindset that jobs are secure right now cause the only way that we're going to get to where we're going is that we have competitive practices," Elliott said. "And to have competitive practices, the guys gotta know that they're competing. And that's what they're doing."

Sure, there might be a few surprises on the depth chart when it's released ahead of the Richmond game, but this idea of universal competition at every position is little more than extra motivation to get the guys going as the season approaches.

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