In Virginia football fans' first glimpse at the team attempting to follow a program-record 11-win season, the UVA defense defeated the offense 59-40 in the program's annual Spring Game on Saturday.
Understanding the scoring system might take a minor in mathematics, especially on a day without official stats being kept. The defense could score 6 points for a turnover, fourth down stop, and defensive touchdown, while they were also rewarded points for three and outs and forced punts. The offensive scoring remained the same as any other game.
The Cavalier defense started the afternoon strong with four straight stops against three different Cavalier offenses led by Beau Pribula, Cole Geer, and Eli Holstein. But the Virginia offense finally found a breakthrough on its fifth series with the first team offense finding success on the ground. First, Tennessee transfer Peyton Lewis broke off a 51-yard run only saved from being a touchdown by the effort of defensive end Fisher Camac chasing him down, but Middle Tennessee transfer Jekail Middlebrook finished the drive off with a 12-yard touchdown for the first offensive score of the day. Pribula led the Cavaliers to scoring drives on two of his three series on the day, connecting with tight end Dakota Twitty to help set up a Will Bettridge field goal on his third and final possession of the day.
Holstein found rhythm after Pribula’s day was done, first finding Kent State receiver Da’Shawn Martin for a 49-yard catch-and-run play where Martin juked past a defender. The drive was finished off by a 4-yard Solomon Beebe touchdown run. Then Holstein led the 2-minute offense, throwing a 20-yard dart to Martin, who made a leaping catch towards the sidelines, and then connecting with TyLyric Coleman for a 29-yard gain. Holstein capped the drive off with a 13-yard TD pass to Beebe, who finished the day with a team-high 2 touchdowns.
The Virginia defense's win was buoyed by 4 interceptions from Josiah Persinger, Jalen McNair, Justin Rowe, and Kevon Gray, who returned his pick for a touchdown to start the second half. Converted defensive tackle Chase Morrison had 5 sacks on the day, although quarterbacks are called down when a defender gets near them in the Spring Game setting.
Overall, Tony Elliott felt his team may actually be in a better position coming out of the spring than even last year's historic team.
"This spring in particular, we maximized every day that we were out there," Elliott said postgame.
Here's a look at the starters for both the offense and defense on the day, as well as three more takeaways from the action at Scott Stadium on Saturday.
The Starters
Offense
- QB: Beau Pribula
- RB: Peyton Lewis
- WR: Rico Flores Jr.
- WR: Da'Shawn Martin
- Slot: Kam Courtney
- TE: Dakota Twitty
- LT: McKale Boley
- LG: Ben York
- C: Grant Ellinger
- RG: Makilan Thomas
- RT: Monroe Mills
With All-ACC guard Noah Josey and projected starter at center Drake Metcalf unavailable for the day, this is largely what was expected for the first team UVA offense. Peyton Lewis and Jekail Middlebrook split most of the reps at running back for the first unit.
Defense
- DE: Fisher Camac
- DT: Anthony Britton
- DT: Jason Hammond
- BANDIT: Matthew Fobbs-White
- LB: Caleb Hardy
- LB: Myles Brown
- CB: Jacobi Henderson
- CB: Jam Jackson
- SPUR: Donavon Platt
- FS: Christian Ellis
- SS: Brandyn Hillman
Injuries played a big part in how the first defensive unit looked on Saturday with projected starters like linebackers Kam Robinson and Maddox Marcellus, and defensive backs like Ethan Minter, Corey Costner, and Omillio Agard out with injuries. UTSA transfer defensive end Nnanna Anyanwu and ECU transfer Zion Wilson subbed in as part of Virginia's third down pass rush package. Second-year defensive tackle Sichan John also played into the early rotation on the
defensive line.
Beau Pribula Brings a New Dynamic to the UVA Offense
Most fans in attendance on Saturday were intrigued to see what Missouri transfer quarterback Beau Pribula looked like in orange and blue. Pribula took snaps with the first team offense as expected and led the offense to two scoring drives in his three possessions.
What stood out most, despite the conditions of quarterbacks being off limits for contact, was Pribula's ability to take off and create plays. Although not fully free to create as officials had a quick whistle any time No. 7 stepped forward in the pocket.
"I always do," Pribula laughed postgame. "The whistle's always a little early."
Reports during spring practice have indicated Pribula has given the Virginia defensive front trouble with his ability to move in the pocket and scramble when needed.
"There are some plays where I know the defense might have tagged off, but that's probably another 10 or 15 yards," UVA offensive coordinator Des Kitchings said.
Pribula has always been labeled as a plus-runner at the position, but by taking that part from his game for the most part coaches got to see a little more about their new quarterback. In his first season as a starter last year with Missouri, Pribula threw for 1,941 yards, 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
This spring, and Saturday especially, were about seeing what Pribula could do as a passer in the Virginia offense.
"I think he's a dynamic athlete that has a lot of confidence extending plays," Elliott said. "I thought he did a solid job too of trying to sit in there and find his progression and driving the ball when he needed to. So that's an area where we're going to help him continue to evolve and develop because we know he can run and we know that he likes to run and is a dynamic guy and has a lot of confidence in doing it."
When asked to throw on Saturday, Pribula looked comfortable in the pocket and going through progressions. On a run heavy first drive, the Virginia quarterback connected with wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. for a 29-yard catch-and-run, while also converting a third down with his legs. Pribula's third drive started with him finding tight end Dakota Twitty over the middle for 12 yards, which eventually set the offense up for a field goal.
"A lot of things can happen when you're live, but you just gotta be efficient, get the ball out, because if the lineman gets close to you, they're probably gonna call it a sack," Pribula said. "I think it helps you become more efficient in the way your check downs are, so you can get rid of the ball, because you're not gonna have that ability to escape in the spring."
Pribula looked especially capable of making big plays in the play-action game, which will be a crucial component of the offense next fall due to the Hoos' strength on the offensive line and at running back.
"We want to run to win, but you've got to be able to throw to score," Kitchings said.
Virginia Running Backs Shine
UAB transfer Solomon Beebe seemed taken back by the amount of media in his first postgame interview, but he gave people plenty to talk about after his Scott Stadium debut. Beebe scored 2 touchdowns, one a 4-yard touchdown run and the other a well-run out route to glide into the end zone for a 13-yard score on a pass by Eli Holstein.
"Really showcasing what I can do and it really felt good providing for the team and all the coaches," Beebe said.
It seemed on Saturday whoever Virginia put in at running back, a big play was coming.
Tennessee transfer Peyton Lewis had the first big play of the game with a 51-yard run that looked like a near touchdown before veteran defensive end Fisher Camac chased him down. Elliott said postgame that Lewis was dealing with a stomach bug, which is why Lewis left the game shortly after the run.
"I think you saw what he's capable and when he's at full strength he probably finishes that run," Elliott said.
Later it was Middle Tennessee transfer Jekail Middlebrook who finished that drive with a 12-yard touchdown run, capped by a thunderous hit around the goal line. The run was a perfect example for what coaches had seen from the versatile back all spring.
"He's probably been the most consistent throughout the course of spring ball, in terms of generating the big play," Elliott said.
A few drives later, second-year running back Xay Davis picked up where he left off after impressing in the Gator Bowl. Davis broke outside for a 34-yard run and quickly followed with a shifty 8-yard run up the middle. Virginia put four running backs on display with a unique ability to make plays and that's without returners like Xavier Brown and Noah Vaughn, who missed the game recovering from injuries.
"Not a ton of drop-off between any one of them," Elliott said.
The question for offensive coordinator Des Kitchings will revolve around how does he use four to six running backs? For one, while knocking on wood, Kitchings said attrition historically has depleted his running back rooms. But if given a healthy group, Kitchings sees no reason why multiple running backs could not share the field at the same time.
"We're going to have five offensive linemen and one quarterback and then there's five skill guys that comprise the 11," Kitchings said. "That's kind of the fun part."
Kitchings said all six backs show ability as runners and pass catchers, a unique feature for this Virginia backfield. The next great separator will be who can provide something in pass protection. But all six will be looking to get a share of the backfield snaps.
"Throughout this season, I look forward to being a major part of the team," Beebe said.
Wide Receivers Make Enough Plays To Carry Intrigue
While most eyes were on the new quarterbacks, the biggest question mark for the Virginia roster this spring and beyond is who those quarterbacks will throw to this fall.
Transfers Rico Flores Jr. and Da'Shawn Martin started outside, while returner Kam Courtney manned the slot receiver position. Those three stuck with the first unit on offense throughout most of the game and even spent time together playing with Holstein and the second unit. Elliott says he anticipates 11 wide receivers being part of the travel roster when UVA opens in Brazil against NC State on August 29 with at least eight an active part of the rotation at the position.
"What you know with wideouts is because they run so much," Elliott said. "There's generally a soft tissue here and soft tissue there and they might be down for a week or two."
Through the spring there has been little separation in a room that lost six of the top seven pass catchers from a season ago. But on Saturday, transfers like Flores and Martin were able to show off their playmaking in spurts. Martin caught two highlight reel passes, one that he turned into a 49-yard gain and the other a leaping sideline catch. Meanwhile Flores had his biggest play of the day on the game's opening drive with a 29-yard catch-and-run play, but was also just missed on an open deep ball.
Kitchings has been most impressed with the group of transfer receivers so far, including Flores, Martin, and UMass transfer Jacquon Gibson.
"They play fast," Kitchings said. "Might not be foot speed fast, but they play the game fast, which means they have learned what we do system wise and applying that so they're not thinkers."
Virginia will now move into the summer phase of its offseason work, which now allows for 16 additional practices (10 voluntary player-led workouts, 6 coach-led sessions). Martin feels this could be a big opportunity for the receivers to further grasp the offense as the group looks to separate themselves.
"I think we still can be better just all around," Martin said. "So, I would say, definitely could have been dominant."
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