CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW)- The preseason competition is over, and Saturday Virginia Head Coach Tony Elliott announced that second year quarterback Anthony Colandrea will get the start against the Richmond Spiders.  Colandrea was locked into a close competition with 5th year senior Tony Muskett.  Coach Elliott had acknowledged there was a possibility that both quarterbacks would play during the season and indicated that the team would need both to be successful.  Ultimately, it was Colandrea who put together enough of the intangibles and trackable data that the coaches were looking for in practice that caused him to get the starting nod.  The release from the University is below:

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Fralin Family Head Football Coach Tony Elliott announced that sophomore Anthony Colandrea will be Virginia’s starting quarterback week one against Richmond. The Cavaliers open their season at home on Saturday, August 31 at Scott Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. on ACCNX/ESPN+.

As a true freshman last season, Colandrea started six of the eight games he appeared in. The St. Petersburg, Fla., native completed 63 percent of his passes (154-for-246) with 1,958 passing yards and 13 touchdown passes. He set UVA single-season freshman records for completions (154), passing yards and total offense (2,183). Colandrea’s 1,958 passing yards were the most of any true freshman Power-5 quarterback in 2024

Colandrea’s first start in 2023 came against James Madison on Sept. 9, when he went 20-for-26, 377 passing yards (UVA freshman single-game record) along with two touchdown passes. The 377-yard passing effort was the fifth highest of any ACC quarterback in 2023. He earned the first of two ACC Rookie-of-the-Week honors for his week two performance. He tallied his first collegiate win over Duke at Scott Stadium on Nov. 18. Colandrea finished 21-for-30 with 278 yards passing and three touchdowns in the 30-27 victory over the Blue Devils.

Colandrea ranked ninth in the ACC in passing yards and passing touchdowns. He threw a touchdown pass in seven of his eight games he played.