Cavalier Corner

April 2022

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APRIL 2022 17 transfers — defensive linemen Kameron Butler (Miami [Ohio]) and Paul Akere (Co‑ lumbia) and offensive linemen John Paul Flores (Dartmouth) and Mac Hollensteiner (Georgetown) — but they won't enroll until after the semester and so aren't participat‑ ing this spring. That'll mean extra reps for the Cavaliers' returning linemen on both sides of the ball. Garett Tujague is back as UVA's offensive line coach, and he faces a monumental rebuilding project. Gone are his top six O‑linemen from last season: Olu Oluwatimi, Chris Glaser, Ryan Swoboda, Ryan Nelson, Bobby Haskins and Joe Bissinger. Their understudies included Derek Devine, Ty Fur‑ nish, Jestus Johnson III, Noah Josey, Jona‑ than Leech, Charlie Patterson, Logan Taylor and Zach Teter. Those returning linemen haven't played much for the Cavaliers, but many of them figure to be in the rotation in the fall, and this is a pivotal spring for them. "It's a great opportunity for those guys to be able to show what they're capable of," Elliott said, "because there was a lot of ex‑ perience on the offensive line last year that walked out of the program, whether it was graduation or it was transfers. I think there are some young, intriguing guys, but we've gotta see them in action. So I'm excited about that. "Right now there are two [graduate trans‑ fers] coming that we know of, and we're still chasing another grad transfer on the offensive line. If you're projecting that those guys are going to be able to come in and play, you've still need three other guys that have to step up. You've got to make sure that those guys get reps and stay healthy [this spring], but at the same time, too, that they can be evaluated fairly by being given opportunities." The Hoos are deepest and most talented at wide receiver, where such players as Billy Kemp IV, Keytaon Thompson, Dontayvion Wicks, Lavel Davis Jr. and Malachi Fields are back, along with their position coach, Marques Hagans. There's less experience at running back, where Mike Hollins, Ronnie Walker Jr. and Amaad Foston return. At quarterback, Armstrong is coming off a record‑setting season in which he passed for 4,449 yards and 31 touchdowns in 11 games. (He also had nine rushing touch‑ downs.) There's no mystery about what Armstrong can do, but offensive coordinator Des Kitchings and quarterbacks coach Taylor Lamb, both new to the program, need to learn more about the others at that position this spring: Lane, Jay Woolfolk and Jared Rayman, who ran the scout team offense last year. Woolfolk, who as a true first‑year backed up Armstrong last season, is also a gifted pitcher who's playing for UVA head coach Brian O'Connor's baseball team this spring. Woolfolk won't be a full‑time participant with football during baseball season, but that's OK with Elliott. "He's been tearing it up in baseball, and as long as he's contributing and helping Coach O'Connor and those guys, we'll figure out a way to get him some [football] work," Elliott said. "We'll practice in the mornings, so we'll have to work around his classes, but I don't want to hurt baseball, especially because he's contributing. I wouldn't want to hold him back there." The Hoos ranked first among ACC teams in total offense and fourth in scoring offense last season, but they were last in rushing offense. Elliott and Kitchings want a more balanced attack. That doesn't necessarily mean "we're gonna be 50 percent run, 50 percent pass," Kitchings said. "But we'll be balanced enough where if the game requires us to win the game running the football, that we're ca‑ pable of doing that, and obviously if we have to win the game throwing the ball more, that we're still capable of doing that as well." VIRGINIA'S 2022 COACHING STAFF Tony Elliott, Fralin Family Head Football Coach Des Kitchings, Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends John Rudzinski, Defensive Coordinator/Secondary Marques Hagans, Associate Head Coach/Wide Receivers Garett Tujague, Recruiting Coordinator/Offensive Line Keith Gaither, Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs Taylor Lamb, Quarterbacks Kevin Downing, Defensive Tackles Curome Cox, Secondary Chris Slade, Defensive Ends Clint Sintim, Linebackers Elliott, who had the opportunity to lead his team through practice for the first time on March 22, entered the spring with a "clean state" and was eager to see how his players responded to his staff's coaching style and the schemes they planned to install. (Photo by Jim Daves/courtesy UVA)

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