The Virginia football team opened spring practice without much attention on a potential quarterback race. Not much has changed five weeks later. As the Hoos close in on its annual Spring Game this Saturday, they still remain focused on improving the position generally vs. a name your starter derby specifically.

That’s one advantage born out of necessity last season. Both Tony Muskett, the opening day starter, and Anthony Colandrea, then a true freshman reserve, logged plenty of snaps in 2023. Both started six games as well. As a result, Virginia returns two experienced options at QB.

Based on the injury luck from last season, Cavalier quarterbacks coach Taylor Lamb reiterated that UVA likely needs both players to win games this fall. Thus the coaches have repeated the mantra this spring that both need to push each other through competition. The duo has taken on that challenge with a positive approach, Lamb said, even while knowing that the official starter’s title will be up for grabs at some point before the opening kickoff on August 31.

“That’s something Coach [Tony Elliott] met both of us and we have a great relationship and he was very open about it, he said this spring we’re not really going to focus on that, we just want to see you guys go out and play football,” Muskett said. “That’s kind of been my mindset. Whether I’m taking reps with the first team, second team, third team, or all freshmen, my mindset has just been to compete, do what I can, do my best and whatever happens happens. It’s a blessing just to even be playing football at this point after my surgery and all of that. I’m just taking it day by day and being really grateful for all the reps I’m getting. Then come the fall, Coach E said he would have more info on that. So I’m just playing football for now and enjoying being out there.”

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