CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – One of the biggest question marks facing Virginia football this offseason, and, in fact, through the first three games of the year, was whether the roster had enough – or any – playmakers at the wide receiver position.

Highly-touted UCLA wideout Rico Flores Jr. missed the first two games with a hamstring injury, then had one catch in the loss to West Virginia. Kam Courtney caught 11 balls through the first three games, but didn’t find the end zone or have a reception go for more than 29 yards. Jacquon Gibson and Da’Shawn Martin had combined for just six catches, though three of those went for scores.

So, going into Saturday’s 42-3 win over Delaware, the proverbial jury was still very much out on whether UVA had playmakers or just pass-catchers. Given the way the Cavaliers had run the ball against North Carolina State in the opener, there was reason to believe that the play-action game would get some people open downfield. But did Virginia have the athletes to do that on their own? To get separation and catch passes in obvious throwing downs?

Against the Blue Hens, Cavaliers wideouts combined to catch 23 passes for 353 yards.

Flores had a breakout game with nine catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.

“I think that’s what we thought that he could provide for us offensively,” UVA coach Tony Elliott said. “It’s good to get him going.”

Courtney had a breakthrough outing, scoring twice, including busting a screen pass 52 yards to pay dirt.

“I think he’s got a ton of potential, a ton of upside,” Elliott said. “And we got to see what that can be tonight. And we’re going to need that.”

Backup slot receiver Josiah Abdullah turned in the night’s longest play, a 74-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter from backup quarterback Eli Holstein, capping the scoring.

As it heads to Tallahassee to face a Florida State team that ranks second-to-last in the ACC, allowing 290 yards per game and eight touchdown passes to date, Virginia should be feeling a lot better about its rebuilt receiving corps.

Here are three other takeaways from Saturday’s win.

UVA’s pass rush isn’t getting (all the way) home

The Cavaliers have done a decent job pressuring opposing quarterbacks so far this season. And, with a pair of sacks on Delaware’s first possession of the second half, linebacker Sichan John and defensive end Matthews Fobbs-White essentially buried the Hens.

But, on the season, UVA has totaled just eight sacks through four games, ranking tied for ninth in the ACC.

“We always want to finish the plays. We always want sacks as a d-lineman,” Fobbs-White said. “The sacks will come.”

Elliott said the defense has been effective keeping opponents in front of it and limiting big plays.

“At the end of the day, we just want to play good defense,” Elliott said. “If that means it’s being disruptive and forcing the ball out to get out earlier without getting them on the ground, I can live with that.”

Elliott said that as star linebacker Kam Robinson continues to get fully healthy from knee surgery, UVA will have more versatility with its blitz packages.

Another missed field goal

If there was a blemish on Saturday’s win it was a second-straight missed field goal by veteran kicker Will Bettridge. A week after missing a key 39-yard field goal in the third quarter against West Virginia, Bettridge missed a 37-yarder in the first quarter against Delaware. Before that, Bettridge had hit on all three of his kicks this year, connecting from 47 and 42 in the season-opening win over North Carolina State and from 30 against Norfolk State.

Still, Elliott didn’t sound overly concerned when asked about the misses after Saturday’s game.

“Bettridge is the all-time leading scorer in school history,” Elliott said. “He’ll figure it out.”

One thing Elliott said he wouldn’t be doing is getting too hands-on correcting anything about Bettridge’s approach.

“I’m not a kicking guru,” Elliott said. “I’ll do more damage if I jump in there and start messing with that.”

Backing up Beau

Holstein started his college career redshirting at Alabama before transferring to Pittsburgh for the 2024 season. He became the Panthers’ starting quarterback, throwing for 2,228 yards and 17 touchdowns in 10 games. But after throwing five interceptions in the first four games of the 2025 season, Holstein found himself benched by the Panthers. He’d throw just 11 more passes all year, ending up in the transfer portal.

UVA plucked Holstein out of Pittsburgh to back up Missouri transfer Beau Pribula, and so far, the results have been encouraging. The 6-foot-4, 234-pounder went 12 of 18 for 180 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in second-half action against Norfolk State and Delaware. Saturday, late in the game against the Blue Hens, he hooked up with Abdullah for his longest passing play since connecting on an 82-yard scoring strike at Pittsburgh against Youngstown State in 2024.