UVA Football: Could Tony Muskett Start At Some Point this Season?

Muskett has delivered in garbage time against Clemson and North Carolina, building a case that could propel him back to QB1.

Muskett has impressed in relief in the last two games, making a case to be the starter moving forward. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Virginia football season has taken a turn for the worse; three straight losses have turned what was once a promising bowl season into potentially another year of disappointment for the Cavaliers. When analyzing a football team, the quarterback is the first player evaluated. So, how has Anthony Colandrea performed over the last three games? 

Over the last three weeks, Colandrea has thrown for 594 yards (only one game over 200 yards passing), three touchdowns, and two interceptions. The two interceptions came against North Carolina, ending his four-game streak without an interception. Colandrea's statistics are not entirely attributable to his performances, with the sophomore being sacked nine times last week against the Tar Heels. To add, without Trell Harris, who has missed the last few games due to injury, the Virginia wide receiver corps, minus Malachi Fields, has struggled to create separation, leaving Colandrea nowhere to go with the football. 

In relief of the blowouts, Tony Muskett has had significant playing time in the last two games, throwing for 244 yards and three touchdowns, playing flawless football, and taking full advantage of his limited minutes. The former Monmouth transfer has also thrown for 65 and 68-yard touchdowns, both longer than any pass Colandrea has thrown in 2024. 

So, the question facing Tony Elliott during this bye week is: should Tony Muskett be given a chance? How could that happen and will it happen? 

Beginning with why Muskett should start, the Cavaliers have lost their last three games, and with a brutal remaining schedule that is the 11th toughest in the FBS, it is likely that Colandrea and the offense continues to struggle against these tough opponents, potentially leading to Tony Elliott choosing to give Muskett one last shot in his collegiate career. In addition, from an eye test, Muskett appears to have more zip on his passes than Colandrea, which may be of benefit as these Virginia wide receivers have struggled to create separation. 

So we've determined the possibility that Muskett could start; the question is, will it happen? 

The simple answer is it is extremely unlikely; with Elliott picking Colandrea to be the starter at the beginning of the season, it makes the most sense for the Cavaliers to stick with the future of their program. Benching Colandrea could damage his confidence moving forward and could have even more disastrous effects moving into the offseason.

Despite this, if Colandrea continues to get battered like he did against UNC, where he was sacked nine times, putting Muskett in to protect the sophomore may not be the worst idea. Further, after the loss to North Carolina, Elliott implied that no one's job is safe moving forward for the rest of the season, and every position will be evaluated. 

With that, the graduate transfer from Monmouth's collegiate story may not be over yet.

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