CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The Virginia Football team was one of only a handful of college football teams in the country to hold a full-length spring football game.  While a number of notable starters were out including linebackers Kam Robinson and James Jackson as well as offensive tackle Monroe Mills who is lost for the season due to a reported knee injury, a number of players did show positive signs.  The first thing that was apparent was that Virginia has established more depth at the quarterback position.  Graduate student Chandler Morris (North Texas) was on display as the projected starter (unofficially, no word from UVA) as well as transfer sophomore Daniel Kaelin who was previously at Nebraska.  Both quarterbacks got all of their work in during the first half.  Chandler Morris quarterbacking the White team was 12 of 15 for 155 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.  Conversely, Kaelin quarterbacking the Blue team was 6 of 12 for 67 yards.

Although Morris is on his fourth school and has been playing college football since 2020, and Kaelin only has one year of collegiate experience, UVA Head Coach Tony Elliott contends it is an open competition to be the team’s starter.  “I’m excited as we continue to progress through this competition,” Elliott said. “I really, really like having both of them. They’re a little bit different, but what you also saw is that within the system, they can do everything that we need them to do and more. Danny, right out the gate, was moving the ball and making some throws. Then things kind of hit a little bit of a lull, and Chandler came on. But you saw both of them are really good outside the pocket.” (quote credited to Jeff White, Virginia Athletics).  Regardless of who wins the competition, Virginia has upgraded the position at least in recruiting rankings as both Morris and Kaelin were more highly recruited than the previous two Virginia starters Colandrea and Muskett.

The next time we see the Cavaliers in action will be August 30th as Scott Stadium when they host Coastal Carolina, which of course will be carried on Newsradio WINA and the Virginia Sports Radio network.