Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong addresses the media ahead of Saturday's season-opener against Richmond.
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00:00 >> I mean, it's been night and day, honestly.
00:02 At first, it was just trying to understand everything.
00:06 It wasn't a on the field stuff.
00:07 It was just trying to get the formations down, work on the run game, and
00:11 then work on here and there a little bit of passing game.
00:14 Until now, now we got mid, we got intermediate throws, short game,
00:19 or quick game.
00:20 We got our shots down the field.
00:22 It's from the start to now, it's a totally different feeling for
00:28 me at least running the offense.
00:31 Yeah, and like I said, I think it's just gonna be exciting to finally go out there
00:34 and play, finally play a game not against our defense.
00:37 >> Brennan, coach was saying that the O-line is ahead of where he thought
00:42 the O-line would be.
00:44 What's the assessment of the group, especially seeing a first year,
00:46 Mikel Bolle, kind of move up the dump truck so quickly?
00:49 >> Yeah, I mean, I'm wearing with Coach E.
00:51 You never know how those guys are gonna adapt, and they've gotten a lot of reps.
00:55 The big thing for us was trying to get a solid five out there,
00:58 consistently playing with each other and building that chemistry.
01:01 When Mikel's out there right now, and he's doing a great job.
01:05 I remember Coach E challenged him on practice yesterday.
01:09 You ain't no freshman anymore.
01:11 You're out here playing, this should have been one of your dreams,
01:15 coming in and starting as a freshman.
01:16 You've got the opportunity to do it.
01:18 And so for Mikel, just taking advantage of it.
01:22 He's probably busy with classes, being a first year, but
01:26 we also gotta get football and get extra time in with football.
01:28 So that was a big point for us.
01:31 Coach E too, just talking with a lot of guys.
01:33 Like, I know classes are going, but you gotta find time for more football.
01:37 For me, I'm a lucky one.
01:38 I don't have too many classes, they're all online.
01:40 So I got plenty of time for football.
01:42 But yeah, I'm really excited where they are.
01:44 Like I said, I think everyone's just excited to go play a different team.
01:49 >> And the idea of playing an FCS opponent, and Coach talked about,
01:53 you focus on yourselves, doing what you can to the highest level.
01:56 But as a veteran player, do you have a message to maybe some of the younger guys
02:00 about not overlooking or taking lightly an opponent that we're not gonna build up
02:05 as much?
02:06 >> Yeah, I mean, the younger guys should realize that, hey,
02:09 this is another game, this is a game.
02:12 I mean, that's how I always phrase these type of games.
02:16 It's another game, I don't care who it is.
02:18 Coach G tries to put it that way too to our team.
02:21 It doesn't matter who it is, we gotta win this game, and
02:25 you gotta take it one game at a time.
02:27 So for me, and the first game's easier.
02:30 If you get into the season, you might play a FCS team.
02:34 That's where you really gotta buckle down, cuz you played,
02:37 you've kinda got a good feel of what you're gonna be doing on offense.
02:40 Shoot, your record might be really good, and you take a week off.
02:44 Your mental game takes a week off.
02:47 So first game, I don't think it's gonna be a problem.
02:50 I know a lot of guys are really excited for this one.
02:53 But yeah, throughout the year, I think when those things come up,
02:56 you just can't take a game off.
02:57 I mean, I've said it so many times, this league, each year with Virginia that I've
03:03 been with, there's no time to take a game off.
03:05 >> Coach Elliott's debut as a head coach is Saturday, and it's offseason.
03:10 It felt like it's been the long build toward it.
03:13 I'm sure you guys felt the offseason transition.
03:16 What's it mean to kinda get to this point where you guys can finally show off
03:20 exactly what you've learned, what you've accomplished,
03:23 during the time that nobody got to see behind the scenes?
03:26 >> Yeah, no, I'm excited.
03:28 I mean, that's just honestly the word for it.
03:29 I think the people are excited, the fans are excited, the players are excited.
03:33 I mean, shoot, like I said, we've been going against our defense.
03:37 It's finally time to go against another team and
03:39 just kinda get into that game feel, game rhythm.
03:43 Scoring touchdowns, hearing the crowd, just get back into it,
03:45 get back into it all.
03:46 I just think it's gonna be a really exciting Saturday for us, and
03:51 just the crowd, the fans, and everyone that's coming.
03:54 >> Along those same lines, Coach Elliott said that this group has got a chance now
03:59 to set the standard for what his program is gonna look like.
04:03 Obviously, one game doesn't make your year, doesn't make his program, but
04:07 how important is it to start setting that standard in game one?
04:11 >> 100%, I mean, that was one of, once the seniors sat down,
04:15 just talking about team goals, bottom line, first game, win it.
04:19 We have multiple goals throughout, but our first goal as a team,
04:22 focus on this first game, win it.
04:24 That's a great start to the season, great start to Coach Elliott's career here.
04:29 I mean, there's no other option besides winning the game.
04:33 So yeah, I think that's just our main focus right now, and
04:39 that's all we're really ready for.
04:40 >> Brandon, a lot of talk about the offensive line,
04:44 the defensive line is somewhere where people are very excited,
04:47 a lot of good transfers there.
04:49 What have you seen in practice?
04:50 Obviously, not going live much at all, but what have you sort of felt in terms of
04:54 pressure there, and what can you expect on that side of the ball?
04:57 >> Yeah, I do lie.
04:58 I mean, like you said, we got a lot of transfers, we got some good depth there.
05:01 Those guys are working hard.
05:02 I know Coach Downey's been coaching them hard.
05:05 We got some good bets up there too from our transfers and
05:08 just guys that's been in Virginia.
05:10 I've been here at Virginia with Aaron, Jameer, we got Cam, we got Paul,
05:17 some of those guys, Ben Smiley is in the mix too.
05:19 Like there's a lot of guys on that D line that, we've heard of Jameer and Aaron, but
05:25 a lot of guys that people haven't seen, a lot of guys that are stepping up this
05:27 offseason, and yeah, I'm actually really excited to see what they can do and
05:32 hopefully get after the quarterback a little bit.
05:33 >> Yeah, Brandon, just how do you kind of, there's been so
05:37 many firsts this year with Tony Elliott coming in and everything.
05:40 And now it seems like kind of this week, you kind of just,
05:42 you get to go play it out and get to see it.
05:44 How exciting is that for just the team, just to push all that other stuff,
05:48 outside noise aside, and just get out there and play?
05:51 >> Yeah, I mean, there's always outside noise.
05:53 Coach, he does a good job of, if we're not gonna crack, we gotta be inside out.
05:58 We gotta keep all that noise outside and keep all of our stuff inside.
06:01 So just making sure that that's how much where our minds are with all the media
06:05 stuff, and then also just, like you said, the excitement, just to go out there and
06:10 play, I mean, it's been a long time.
06:12 We had a sour taste in our mouth last season.
06:15 We're just excited to go back out there and
06:17 give it a go again and start the season off right.
06:19 >> Olu was your center for two years.
06:23 You guys built a really good chemistry with each other.
06:25 What's the process been like for you with Ty Furnish?
06:29 >> It's been good, it's been smooth.
06:32 Like we talked about earlier, the O-line has made tremendous jumps compared to what
06:36 we actually thought or how we were gonna expect things would go, especially with Ty.
06:40 Ty's a smart player, you gotta have your center to be smart.
06:44 Me and him have started developing a really good communication with just
06:48 protection calls and things like that.
06:50 What he's seeing, what I'm seeing, and just the cadence.
06:53 So he's gotta be, we're able to do different things with our cadences.
06:57 He's a smart dude, and he's actually came a long way.
06:59 And I'm excited, and also just under center snaps working on those too.
07:04 So we've got to know each other pretty well, yeah.
07:07 >> How has it been having Lavelle back on the field as a target?
07:12 >> Man, it's been great.
07:13 Are you kidding me?
07:14 Add another person in there.
07:15 Yeah, Lavelle's came a long way too, obviously.
07:18 There's a lot of stuff that he's still working on.
07:20 There's tons of stuff we could all still work on.
07:22 But just having him back in the mix, him being a threat, him being on the field,
07:26 just for a defense to see, hey, how are you gonna play this guy?
07:29 And you got Shubhapar, there are four or three guys out there too.
07:32 So I feel like defenses are gonna have to either figure out,
07:36 either take away somebody, not take away somebody, try to play everything even.
07:39 Figure out if they're gonna roll to the field, cover the field,
07:43 cover the boundary.
07:44 Kind of whatever they decide, we're gonna probably figure it out.
07:46 And that just makes us even harder to guard.
07:49 So yeah, I mean, it's a good thing that he's back out there and rolling 100%.
07:54 >> Vernon, you're on track to break several school passing records this
07:57 upcoming season.
07:58 What are your expectations do you have for yourself in running this team?
08:03 >> Just wins, I really don't mean, wins are gonna get you whatever those records
08:06 are, so just going out there and playing as hard as I can.
08:11 Being a quarterback that distributes the ball well, quickly,
08:14 just being at high completion percentage.
08:16 Getting the ball out, getting those guys moving,
08:18 letting the guys make the plays out there once the ball's out.
08:21 That's just my job and that's all I'm really gonna be focusing on to do this
08:24 whole entire season.
08:26 >> Right, you spend the spring and
08:28 the off season essentially getting ready for the first game.
08:31 In your career, how well has preparation translated in game one?
08:36 Like has this team done kind of what you expected in openers from an execution
08:41 standpoint, or have you found that openers are a little wild and
08:45 who knows what's coming your way?
08:46 >> Two openers I've been in were Duke and COVID year and
08:49 then obviously William & Mary last year I think, right?
08:52 You have a good sense, you never know,
08:56 like you're game planning off last year's film.
08:59 You're looking at that, hey,
09:00 they could come out with something completely different.
09:02 And that's just what it is, we can only prepare for one thing and
09:07 that's what we're doing, and we'll adapt on the way.
09:09 I mean, it's not that big of a deal, we're able to adapt pretty easily.
09:11 Our coaches are prepared for everything.
09:15 We're prepared for a certain thing right now, but
09:17 we know what's gonna happen if something changes or whatever it may be.
09:20 But yeah, that's every game.
09:23 They could, you prepare for one thing, they could be doing another thing.
09:25 So, no, I'm excited.
09:28 For most part, I mean, my first two home openers were pretty solid, I think.
09:35 I mean, I felt like they were pretty good games.
09:36 We kind of figured out what they did and we found rhythm throughout that.
09:40 >> How about crowd wise, what have you seen?
09:43 You've had some good crowds, some kind of marquee games here.
09:47 Where do you think fan support is at for this program?
09:49 And where do you maybe wanna see it get to?
09:51 >> I'm excited to see, right?
09:54 I mean, there's a lot of buzz around our team with Coach E,
09:56 just team coming back, most of the guys coming back.
09:59 We're gonna find out, and then I can tell you after that.
10:04 Say we want more noise, want more people or not.
10:05 But I really truly do think that a lot of people are gonna be coming out.
10:08 I think they're excited for us and this year for this team.
10:11 And yeah, we're just looking forward to it.
10:14 Just having them be there, be loud.
10:16 Yeah, I'm just super excited for that.
10:17 >> What do you think an increased commitment to the run does for you,
10:21 does for the passing game?
10:22 How do you see it playing out in terms of what it can do to help you guys?
10:27 >> Managing the game, obviously, I've talked about that quite a bit.
10:29 When you're able to run the ball, you can determine a lot of things.
10:34 Keep the defense honest.
10:35 We got great, everyone talks about our receivers, which obviously they're great.
10:38 But when we're able to run the ball and keep everyone honest,
10:40 keep those backers tucked in a little bit more,
10:42 gives those guys a little bit more space.
10:43 Just a small thing to line it for a defense.
10:46 If they think we're gonna be passing it all the time,
10:48 they can easily just play that.
10:50 So us being able to run the ball, we'll just open up the pass game easier.
10:56 Under center play action stuff, all that good stuff.
10:59 I mean, that stuff's wide open for us.
11:01 And just see how they play it.
11:03 I mean, throughout the game, you'll start to feel it out.
11:05 And if something's working, we're probably gonna keep doing it.
11:08 If something's not, we'll probably switch it up.
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