CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Tony Elliott said he doesn’t just want to be a head coach for the UVA Cavaliers, but rather an old head coach. He said it’s a role he’s been ready to step into for a few years. Now his challenge … create a champion brand on and off the field in Charlottesville.
“I wanted to be somewhere where I could build what I believe is the model program that shows you can win at the highest level,” Elliott said. “But you don’t have to compromise anything from a character standpoint, an academic standpoint, and player development standpoint.”
“He has brought a different energy to the program that I’m excited to keep doing,” linebacker Nick Jackson said. “Bringing back old traditions with the Wahoo Walk and different things like that.”
With a shift in the culture, Wahoo nation hopes for a shift in the number of wins in seasons to come.
“We have a lot of guys working hard offensively and defensively, and I feel like a lot of that hunger comes from the lack of success last season,” wide receiver Keytaon Thompson said. “Really want to improve on that this season.”
That was a 6-6 campaign in 2021 for the Cavaliers.
For Virginia Tech Head Coach Brent Pry, there are five weeks before the regular season, and there are certain things he wants to check off the list.
“We don’t understand exactly, collectively as a group, how much we have to invest and pour into this thing to win a championship,” Pry said. “We’re going to get there but this is what we have to do in phase three, in camp, we have to improve on, get established, and put a checkmark by it and say okay here we go, I feel pretty good about that. We still have a lot of work to do.”