Virginia Cavaliers Tony Muskett
Tony Muskett makes a throw during a Virginia preseason scrimmage. ~ Photo by Kris Wright/TheSabre.com

While the Virginia football team wrapped up the training camp portion of its preseason practices this week, one popular question remained unanswered. At least publicly. Who will start at quarterback against Richmond and beyond?

The two candidates there are well known by Cavalier fans. Both Tony Muskett and Anthony Colandrea started 6 games last fall as the team compiled a 3-9 record. Offensive coordinator Des Kitchings joked that you know a Tony will be the starter. UVA coach Tony Elliott said in separate interviews this week, first with the assembled media Monday night and second on the first of his weekly coaches’ shows, that it’s possible that both QBs will play this season regardless of the decision on a starter.

In other words: wait and see.

The statistics have been recounted many times, but it stacks up fairly even. Muskett (6’2″, 213) posted 1,031 passing yards (93-147/63.3%, 7.0 yards per attempt), 6 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions plus 66 rushing yards with 1 TD and 21 sacks taken. Colandrea (6’0”, 183) tallied 1,958 passing yards (154-246/62.6, 8.0 yards per attempt), 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions plus 225 rushing yards and 21 sacks taken.

The Intangibles vary. Muskett brings experience as a starter first at Monmouth and then at Virginia. He’s more likely to throw the ball away, take some rushing yards periodically, and provide a steady hand approach. He also has some injury concerns. Two separate injuries - shoulder and ankle, the shoulder requiring offseason surgery - opened the door for Colandrea last fall, but Muskett also saw his 2022 season at Monmouth end early with a knee injury.

Colandrea brings undeniable energy and flair that fans attached to quickly. He’s more likely to make an off-script play, create some rushing yards out of nothing, and provide a risk-and-reward approach. He’s shorter in the pocket and does not have a huge frame at 183 pounds.

All of that - production and intangibles - must be weighed with the other big question for the offense too, though. Will the offensive line be better? Virginia ranked 123rd in the Football Bowl Subdivision last season for sacks allowed (43) and for rushing yards per carry (3.12).

That, of course, brings pocket presence into play ...

Virginia Pocket Presence

Both players made that a focal point during the spring. Virginia QB coach Taylor Lamb said in a preseason media luncheon that the two have made some strides there. Here’s how he broke down pocket presence.

Lamb on Muskett: “A bunch and that’s just more of his movement skills, being able to move his skills up. That’s going to help protect him too, more or less hits. ... You’ve got to move and create your lanes. He did a good job this spring using the butt of his blocks, helping those guys out with his movement in the pocket.”

Lamb on Colandrea: “Colandrea’s got bigger movements in the pocket if that makes sense. Muskett’s more refined, like here, here, here and Colandrea’s got a little bit longer reach with his leg, a little bit longer stride so his steps are a little bit bigger and he’s also a little bit shorter, so he’s trying to find his throwing lanes. That’s just been who he is as a player throughout his career.”

Lamb also talked about another part of the puzzle at quarterback and that’s eye discipline. When distractions are flying around the pocket via a pass rush, can a quarterback stay focused and keep his eyes going through progressions? The Cavaliers have used a GoPro type camera attached to the helmet more this offseason, which has helped the quarterbacks and coaches get an idea of what’s happening in this phase of the game.

“Eye discipline is huge - what you’re looking at, what triangle are you looking at, what progression are you looking at,” Lamb said. “Used to be you’d put stripe on the practice helmet and see where the helmet was, but at the same time they can look the other way and that camera right above their forehead is a huge piece. That is your sight line. That’s a huge game changer in our opinion quarterback wise.”

And What About Turnovers?

A previous article on the site looked more at turnovers, but as mentioned above the quarterbacks combined for 14 interceptions last season with 9 from Colandrea and 5 from Muskett. Eye discipline comes into play there too. Kitchings talked about quarterbacks keeping their eyes up when under pressure as a factor in ball security. He also said keeping two hands on the ball when moving within the pocket is important.

All of that precedes decision-making - where does the quarterback throw the football. Muskett was a little bit better with ball security last season with fewer interceptions and fumbles (he had 1 fumble, while Colandrea put the ball on the ground 5 times, though the team only lost 1 of those). That is frequently discussed as a differentiator between Muskett and Colandrea.

What hasn’t come up much, though, is how Colandrea improved in that regard. In its preseason preview, Pro Football Focus noted that “he committed 10 turnover-worthy plays in his first four appearances but just four in his final four appearances.” PFF also stated that 11 of 14 turnover-worthy plays by Colandrea came after the 2.5-second mark of the play. That’s an indicator of hanging on too long trying to make a play, but as PFF showed, he reeled that in more later in the season.

Virginia tracks “ball in jeopardy” plays in practices too so that’s been part of the evaluation this preseason. For quarterbacks, that can include off-script plays or called plays but things like throwing into double coverage for example are dinged for putting the ball in jeopardy.

“Then it’s just putting the ball in jeopardy,” Kitchings said. “We want to extend plays, we want to scramble, and do all those things, but are we putting the ball in jeopardy down the field? Risk vs. reward. Yes, we want some big plays but let’s be smart with the right [ones] as long as we can still advance the football and not put it in jeopardy.”

Kelley Ford Ratings - Virginia

This week’s episode of The Preferred Walk-Ons Podcast - listen here - featured college football data guru Kelley Ford as a guest. With the ACC kicking off the college football season with its Florida State vs. Georgia Tech game in Ireland on Saturday, it’s a good time to look at Ford’s projections for the conference.