They could turn things around.
David Pollack Names Struggling ACC Program Finally Investing in Talent and Trying to Win originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The new era of college football has pushed teams to adapt or risk falling behind. With the emergence of the transfer portal and the introduction of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals, there’s a growing emphasis on spending to remain competitive.
While utilizing these tools is crucial for team building, some programs have been hesitant to embrace this new era and have faced negative consequences as a result. On his podcast, "See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack," college football analyst David Pollack discussed the upcoming ACC season.
He highlighted one particular team that has historically been reluctant to spend money but is now starting to adapt. This shift could lead to surprising results for them in the upcoming season.
"Here's the one thing I'll say about Virginia and Tony Elliott: they've not been good, but they, for the first time, are spending resources now and bringing guys in," Pollack said. "(They're) trying to win. For a while, it was like, 'No, I'm not going to do that.' But they are actually trying to bring people in and trying to make it work."
To Pollack's credit, the Cavaliers have been very active in the transfer portal this offseason. Virginia signed 31 players from the portal and finished fourth in the ACC transfer portal rankings, behind the Miami Hurricanes, Florida State Seminoles and North Carolina Tar Heels.
The most significant signing was former North Texas quarterback Chandler Morris, who threw for 3,774 yards, 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season. He was among the most sought-after quarterbacks in the portal.
Elliott served as the offensive coordinator for the Clemson Tigers from 2015 to 2021, during which time he helped develop star quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence.
If he can achieve similar success in developing a quarterback at Virginia, the Cavaliers could achieve their first winning season in the Elliott era. They open the season against Coastal Carolina at 6:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
