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AUGUST 2023 19 That spirit has been omnipresent through- out a largely rebuilt roster on both sides of the ball. The squad is full of talented newcomers, a number of whom were able to participate fully in spring activities. When the Cavaliers enter camp in early August, nearly 40 new faces will look to make their mark on the 2023 season. "We got great evaluation over the spring," Elliott said. "But the biggest thing for me is, core value-wise, just continuing to instill the mindset, the mentality, the attitude, the processes in the way that we work, and then find ways to continue to find joy and fun in doing those things." In terms of familiarity with the coaching staff, the culture and on-field schematics, in the second season of the Elliott era in Charlottesville the program is already ahead of where it was a summer ago. "I think where we are now is you're just seeing that the guys are a lot more comfort- able and they're not thinking about the basic things," Elliott said. "Now they are in a situa- tion where it's part of their DNA. I think last year was more just figuring out what we're doing, now you're starting to see the growth of why you are doing what you are doing." OFFENSE The Cavaliers' quarterback room will look vastly different from a year ago, with the program looking to replace the production of the school's all-time leading passer Bren- nan Armstrong. After the departure of Armstrong and the decision by Jay Woolfolk to shift his focus to baseball only at UVA, the coaching staff is sure to lean on transfer Tony Muskett this fall. The Springfield, Va., native returns back to the Commonwealth after a highly produc- tive career as a three-year starter at FCS Monmouth where he finished as the pro- gram's all-time leader in pass efficiency and was a two-time All-Big South selection. The staff is also high on true first-year Anthony Colandrea who threw for 218 yards and a touchdown in the spring game. The St. Petersburg, Fla., native enrolled at UVA in January and was able to fully participate in spring ball as well as get acclimated to being a college student. The Cavaliers return three starters on of- fense, including Perris Jones. The sixth-year ball carrier heads a loaded running back room that also includes graduate student Mike Hollins and rising second-year Xavier Brown. UVA will also have back a healthy Amaad Foston and Cody Brown in the mix, both of whom are third-years. The coaching staff also utilized the transfer portal to pick up fourth-year Kobe Pace, an original recruit of Elliott's at Clemson. He brings 28 games of college experience and 793 career rush- ing yards to go along with 9 touchdowns. DEFENSE The strength of the 2022 team will return eight starters and a total of 22 lettermen. The starting defensive line will be back in its entirety for the upcoming season, including All-ACC honorable mention selectees Chico Bennett Jr., a graduate student, and Aaron Faumui, a sixth-year. The Cavaliers ranked 12th in the country in taking down the op- posing quarterback in 2022, averaging 3 sacks per game. Three of the team's top five tacklers — third-year safety Jonas Sanker, third-year linebacker James Jackson and fifth-year safety Antonio Clary — will anchor a Cavalier front that allowed 24 points per game last season, down more than a touch- down from its average the year before. With the departure of stalwarts Nick Jackson, a linebacker, and Anthony Johnson, a cornerback, the Cavaliers supplemented their outstanding depth on the defensive side of the ball with transfers Tayvonn Kyle (a cornerback from Iowa State) and Sam Westfall (a cornerback from SMU) who bring a combined 23 starts at the FBS level with them to Charlottesville. SPECIAL TEAMS The Cavaliers return three specialists from their 2022 rosters, including All-ACC punter Daniel Sparks. The 6-foot-6, Gadsden, Ala., product tied the UVA single-season punting average record at 45.9 yards per kick, matching Russ Henderson's 1976 mark. Sparks put his name on the ACC map against Pitt where he accumulated 409 yards on 8 punts that included three 60-yarders. He became the first Cavalier punter with three 60-yard punts in a single game. Second-year Will Bettridge is expected to get the majority of the kicking duties for the Cavaliers. As a true first-year last season he converted 7 of 10 tries with a long of 47. Bettridge will don jersey No. 41 in honor of his former high school and UVA teammate D'Sean Perry this season. Both Sparks and Bettridge will benefit from the consistency of Aidan Livingston, who enters his second season as UVA's primary long snapper. The graduate student was a three-year member of Boston Col- lege's football team prior to transferring to Virginia. The Cavaliers lose a staple in the punt return game in Billy Kemp IV, who led the team in punt returns and punt return av- erage for each of the last four seasons. Graduate student transfer Malik Washington (Northwestern) and incumbents Demick Starling, a fourth-year wide receiver, and Ethan Davies, a third-year wide receiver, will have the opportunity to make an impact in the return game. " The players have come back with a great spirit. I mean, they have an unbelievable spirit." FRALIN FAMILY HEAD FOOTBALL COACH TONY ELLIOTT Sixth-year running back Perris Jones is one of only three return- ing starters on the offensive side of the ball. He is UVA's leading returning rusher after compiling 365 yards and 2 touchdowns last year. (Photo by Pete Emerson/courtesy UVA)