BREAKING: Muskett starts for Virginia tonight at Tech: Jerry Ratcliffe

On December 1, 2024By Littum

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Photo: UVA Athletics

One of the biggest questions heading into tonight’s 105th meeting between Virginia and Virginia Tech in Blacksburg is whether the Cavaliers can protect their quarterback.

UVA is a 5-point underdog (open at 7) in the contest (8 p.m., ACC Network), likely because oddsmakers think Tech will start redshirt freshman Pop Watson at quarterback. Collin Schlee appears to be a gametime decision, and star running back Bhayshul Tuten is also listed as questionable for the Hokies.

Regardless of who does or doesn’t play for Tech, UVA coach Tony Elliott has a more important issue to attend to: protecting quarterback Tony Muskett. Muskett will apparently start tonight in place of starter Anthony Colandrea. According to team officials, Colandrea is with the team in Blacksburg.

The Hokies also have a strong pass rush, maybe not as good as SMU, but can put a lot of pressure on opposing QBs.

Tech enters the game ranked No. 20 nationally in quarterback sacks with 31, the fourth-strongest pass rush Virginia has faced this season. Pitt is ranked No. 4 in the country (37 sacks), Carolina no. 6 (35) and SMU no. 14 (32).

After facing those defenses, Virginia ranks second last in the entire nation in sacks allowed with 42. Only Hawaii has given up more.

That’s a real problem for Elliott and the Wahoos. Or is it?

Elliott said this week that the issue is fixable, that he and the coaching staff have hopefully resolved the issue.

“So it wasn’t like it was all broken,” Elliott said of Virginia’s pass protection vs. SMU. “When you look at it, it wasn’t as bad as it felt in the game. All things are fixable. It’s fixable with guys just trying a little bit more fundamentally and then having the right mindset collectively to go out and play their best game.”

The coach said it wasn’t a case of a lot of broken assignments, but rather his linemen need to get a little better technically, young backs need to grow up and learn to pick up rushers and Colandrea needs to throw the ball away or throw it to a security recipient in the apartment.

Easier said than done.

Commonwealth Clash “Everybody wants to focus on the sacks, and rightly so,” Elliott said. “That’s the biggest stat that everybody looks at. You look at the sacks, it was, OK, we slipped a little bit too far on a base four-down front. That shouldn’t happen. We can fix that with proper communication .

“If it was discombobulated, guys going on all over the place, it’s a much harder one-week fix.”

Elliott said the coaches made a few calls that put his players in bad situations, so those mistakes can be fixed as well.

One Hokie that Virginia wants to find before every snap is Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Tech’s most effective pass rusher.

“He’s a smooth guy,” Elliott said. “Man, he’s got really good pass-rush moves. Get a good spin. He has a good departure. You can’t get caught up trying to outplay him. You have to trust the fundamentals and the technique, the design of the scheme.”

Powell-Ryland is not the only threat. Elliott believes Tech’s defensive line is comparable to the best in the ACC because it has depth and can roll more players into those four positions up front.

Tech moved Caleb Woodson to linebacker to become more athletic and has three rangey linebackers, all-conference cornerbacks and physical safeties.

“You can tell defensively they’re playing good ball for the most part,” Elliott said. “They run well, they’re healthy, athletic and deep up front, which gives them some challenges and keeps them fresh. If they get you behind the chains, they can turn all the pass rushers loose.”

And that is the big question. Can UVA’s O-line keep Muskett clean? If not, it could be another long night in Blacksburg.