ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL KICKOFF

July 21, 2022

Tony Elliott

Brennan Armstrong

Nick Jackson

Keytaon Thompson

Virginia Cavaliers

Press Conference

Q. I'm curious, how valuable has Brennan been in establishing kind of your program as a returning starter with a new coaching staff?

TONY ELLIOTT: Great question. He brings initial credibility to me by making a decision to stay. Obviously, he had opportunities to move on and transition to the next level. So he brings that immediate validation because he believes -- showing his belief in me to the rest of the locker room.

Then just having a guy that's battle-tested, that's worked and developed. I have been a fan of his before ever having a chance to work with him, just watching him develop from afar through our games with Virginia when I was at Clemson.

Then just now to be around him, to see how he operates, how he conducts himself. I think we have a lot of similarities. We're both blue-collar-mentality guys. Team-first guys. One of the points that he wanted to illustrate to me early on is, Coach, this ain't about stats. This is about winning. I want to win. I want to come back. I want to win. I want to develop, and I want to prepare myself for the next level.

He has been instrumental in me establishing the foundation of the program.

Q. At what point -- Dabo said yesterday, you've had other opportunities to be a head coach, but at what point in this process with Virginia did you say, I'm ready? Number one, I know I'm ready. And, number two, this is the perfect fit for me?

TONY ELLIOTT: I think you've followed my career, and we've had a very good relationship over the years, and we went through this starting in 2015 every year with the calls coming and the opportunities.

I think there were some programming that I was a part of with the Champions Forum that humbled me and showed me that I wasn't ready to be a head coach.

So in 2015 was when I really started to say, okay, I want to make this transition, but I knew there were things that I wanted to do. Going through the experience with another school the previous year and getting close to possibly transition is when I knew I was really ready to be a head coach, but I just needed to find the right place.

With Virginia, everybody knows it came down to Duke and Virginia from a decision standpoint, and I think for me it was really solidified with the -- not the initial conversations with Carla, but it was the follow-up conversations with Carla because you know me, David, that I'm very intentional. I'm about relationship. I was looking for alignment. That was the number one thing I was looking for. We were able to have a couple of conversations off the record that solidified that UVA was the right place for me. It already fit the profile, what I was looking for, because you guys know that academics for me is the most important thing. I was a ballplayer just like these guys, and I had dreams of playing in the NFL, but it was my aunt's persistent and consistent messaging to me about my education. Now my life and the lives of my children has changed because of education.

It started there. The alignment was established through those off-the-record conversations, and then there's a lot of similarities between where I was coming from and UVA. It's a college-oriented town. It's in the ACC, and I believe that this is the best conference in college football. I've experienced it at the highest level, so I knew I had a chance to compete for championships.

Then the last thing is 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 but you don't have to compromise anything from a character standpoint, an academic standpoint and player development standpoint.

Q. Dabo Swinney said yesterday that he felt this was the right fit for you. That when he had the conversation with you, he felt like this was the one, and you had to take it. I know you've spoken about the why for Virginia, but just your relationship with Coach Swinney, what you can say about that and that connection with him that as much as he wanted you there, he respected you enough to say, hey, this is a good fit.

TONY ELLIOTT: Coach Swinney's relationship has kind of changed over the years, but it kind of started as father-son type of relationship, being that he was my position coach for my senior year. I was coming off of three years of playing for Rick Stockstill. Then there was a transition, and I was asked to come back, and I already graduated from Clemson with an engineering degree.

There was a lot of uncertainty because I was a walk-on. I didn't know what was going to happen, and here comes Coach Swinney. We had similarities in our background. Our values that we had already aligned.

Then over the years when I became one of his coaches, that father relationship -- father-son relationship was still there, but it kind of now transitioned into more of a mentor/colleague. I aligned with a lot that he was doing at Clemson. I also valued his opinion on a lot of things. I would seek advice to him. A couple of things he told me is he wanted me to be an old head coach, not just a head coach, which means that you go somewhere where it's the right fit.

I learned a lot about how to build a culture and what protecting and establishing a culture will do for a program if you want to sustain it.

I learned a lot of things about just how to run the day to day, and that's what's so awesome about Coach Swinney is he is very inclusive. He includes a lot of people. Sometimes people use that as a knock, but to me that's one of his greatest assets is he values people and incorporates people, and he allows people to develop.

He was instrumental in helping me develop, but he also taught me that, hey, you don't have to be in a rush. You can enjoy the moment, be present where your feet are as you prepare, and then look for confirmation. Again, the objective is to be an old head coach, not just a head coach.

Q. You've got these incredible athletes on offense. All these skill players. They've developed very quickly and very fast and there's a lot of promise there. The million dollar question is, can you explain how the offensive line is going to develop this summer to get ready for the season?

TONY ELLIOTT: Right. That is the biggest question, and the only regret that I have is that I didn't do a good job of recruiting those guys that left when I first got to UVA.

I'm excited about the opportunities that we have, so we have guys that have some experience. Just not a lot of it. Leech is a guy that we've been really, really counting on, and he had a great -- he had a great offseason, great spring. He showed some versatility.

Logan Taylor is a big body that's very, very talented coming off of injury. He was limited in the spring.

Then we have Devine. Devine is an older guy. A veteran guy. He hasn't played as much, so there's three guys that have some experience. Just not a lot of it.

Then we bring in John Paul Flores, as a grad transfer. Jestus Johnson at center. I think that we have a solid seven or so. Charlie Patterson has really, really transformed his body. Noah Josey is a very talented young player. I think we have a good seven bodies that are ready to go. In this offseason they worked really hard. They transformed their body. I'm excited to get back and see exactly where they are. We worked with the coaches a little bit with the rule changes, and that's been very positive.

The challenge is can we develop the depth? We brought in some ready-made guys that we believe can transition quickly, and we have some developmental guys on the offensive line that we think over time are going to be really good players.

So the key is can we get two or three of those guys that we brought in this summer to be ready to be depth guys, so that the guys that are starting don't have to play every single snap? But they're going to have to grow up fast.

Then we have to create some more depth at Ty Furnish at center as well.

Q. How long did it take from the first time you set foot in Charlottesville for someone to mention the importance of the Virginia Tech rivalry, and in your first year how quickly have you become immersed in that? I know that game is far into the future, but very important when it's in Charlottesville.

TONY ELLIOTT: Yeah, it happened before I stepped foot in Charlottesville. It was made very, very clear that that's the one we have to win. My response to it is every game is the most important game on the schedule.

In order to be a champion, and I tell these guys all the time, you have to become a champion before you ever get to a championship moment.

We understand the importance of winning that game versus Virginia Tech, and a lot of respect for Coach Pry and the program and what they're doing over there.

For us it's not focusing on Virginia Tech. It's focusing on Virginia and understanding that if we come out the gate and we make Richmond the most important game on the schedule and we take that one-game-mentality mindset that is a season of its own, then when we get to Virginia Tech, then we'll be prepared to put forth our best effort in a championship moment and then let the cards fall where they fall.

I've also been fortunate to be a part of a very similar rivalry in Clemson and South Carolina. It's 365 days. There's dividing lines even in the household. There's dividing lines.

It was refreshing to see because I think that every champion, and we're talking long-term that's what we desire to be, a championship program, needs a very worthy rival.

THE MODERATOR: From the podium, you were born in California, but you've spent your entire career hugging the Atlantic coast. What is it about this part of the country that keeps you here?

TONY ELLIOTT: First of all, it's a lot slower pace of life than living out in the concrete jungle in California. Just some of the Southern values I've grown to love. Football. I mean, football is very, very important here in this region.

I just like the geography. I like the green. Even though the sinuses kill me when the pollen comes out, I still just -- I just love this area. It's home for me. I was embraced in my aunt's household down in Charleston. Embraced throughout my time in South Carolina. I coached my entire career in the state of South Carolina in the ACC for 11 years, so it's just home to me.

Q. Tony, where is Keytaon grown the most as receiver since you arrived? Obviously, he was in the kind of in a do-it-all role last year. Where has he grown the most?

TONY ELLIOTT: Great question. He has grown the most in that he is understanding that Coach Elliott is going to be on him every single day. Every single day, and now he is accepting that challenge. (Smiling).

I'm fortunate to play wide receiver. I coached wide receiver for five years, and then I was at Clemson for 11 with a head coach who was a wide receiver guy. Wide receiver is in my blood. He is an extremely, extremely talented football player.

He has an additional sense that not every football player has. He has a sense of just how to make plays. Right? Where he needed to improve was just the technical aspect of the position because at his size there's going to be some times where he may not have the advantage. Right? He might be playing against a smaller, quicker guy, and he might not be able to be in a position where you is off the ball. Now he has to be able to be in a different skill set to create space.

The biggest area I've seen him grow is just accepting the challenge to become a technician at the position. I already know you are a great football player. You have a great football mind. He started as a quarterback. He just has that sense. He has that knack. Now can we add the technical aspect of it to complete your game?

He has everything he needs to be dominant and successful at this level, but I desire for him to accomplish his goals beyond the University of Virginia, and I don't just want him to get to the NFL. I want him to stay in the NFL. He needs to just continue to improve the small technical aspects because he has all the big things.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for the time, Coach. You can switch places with Brennan now. We'll get the senior quarterback to the podium.

Q. Brennan, I'm curious how you viewed your role in terms of helping Coach establish his program as a returning starter, and if you could kind of give you a little insight into why you decided to stay and play for him when the change happened?

BRENNAN ARMSTRONG: I think my role now when Coach Elliott came in was just hearing what he has to say and what he wants this program to be like. I just take that into the locker room. He talks about us being a player-led locker room, and I think that's where the great teams are formed.

So understand what Coach Elliott wants for his team and the culture, and then me taking that into the locker room and pushing that for the guys.

Then just coming back I just thought, unfinished business. Kind of wanted to play with the guys one more time. Yeah, just didn't really like how the season ended. I wanted to end it better and just hang out with the guys one more year, play some more ball.

Q. If you can, describe your first meeting with Coach Elliott where you guys actually just kind of sat down and discussed offensive philosophy, and did you have a moment during that meeting where you were, like, man, this guy really knows what he is talking about, and it made you excited about what could come with this group?

BRENNAN ARMSTRONG: I had a lot of questions because, obviously, the offense we ran last year was a lot different compared to the offense that he ran at Clemson. I had a lot of questions. He knew what he was talking about. I was very confused, but now I have a pretty good grasp of the offense and the concepts and things that we were trying to accomplish. I think just the biggest thing in this offense is I can play within an offense. I felt like last year there was a lot of plays that had to be made, and this offense, you know, there's plays already -- we're calling a play, and I can just play within the offense.

I think that's a big transition for me as a quarterback and my mindset of how to play the quarterback position.

Q. Brennan, first of all, thanks for representing us southpaws. There's not many quarterbacks that do that. Secondly, great season last year. A little bit of injuries. Of course, new coaches, new stuff. What is the goal? I mean, you came back. I know Coach Elliott is amazing, but as far as what else do you have to accomplish? You're getting close to the passing record, things like that.

BRENNAN ARMSTRONG: It's not personal for me. No personal goal. That's not the reason why I came back. It was always the team goal stuff. I feel like we just have more to give, more wins, to have more of a better season I feel like.

I just feel like it was a team thing that we didn't accomplish that I thought what we could accomplish, and I wanted to give it one more shot.

It didn't matter about who was the coach. In all honesty. Obviously, I trust Coach Elliott, but I just wanted to do it one more time, be with the guys. When we're out there on the field, the players are playing, and it's just us out there. I feel like we have the pieces to do it, and with Coach Elliott here now, with his knowledge and what it looks like and the players he has been around and everything that he brings to the table for us, I think we have the opportunity to be something special even in his first season here as a head coach.

Yeah, there was no personal gain for me. It was just all team-oriented stuff.

Q. Your quarterback coach Jason Beck is at Syracuse now. What can you say you learned and took away from him, and how are you adjusting to the fact that he is not there?

BRENNAN ARMSTRONG: I grew up with him four straight years of my college career. He taught me a lot, but I think with Coach Lamb now it's more of a partnership. I think the relationship I have with Coach Lamb is a lot better in a sense because I feel like it's a partnership. I'm an old guy.

His energy that he brings is great, but yeah, like I said, Coach Beck has been great for me. I wouldn't be in the position I am without him there and the staff that was there, but I'm just fortunate that I get to have a different person now with Coach Lamb and gain more knowledge from someone else. That's the only thing you can really do is just keep getting more knowledge at playing the position.

Yeah, overall it's been great.

THE MODERATOR: From the podium, your last question, I am curious. In high school you accounted for nine touchdowns in a loss against Tiffin Columbia. Final score was 83-82. You lost by a point. What was it about that marathon football game that taught you about football and maybe you lean upon now here in college?

BRENNAN ARMSTRONG: Yeah, I remember specifically my freshman year in high school we weren't the greatest team ever. Obviously, you could tell, we were giving up 83 points. We were 2-8, whatever ended that. I think the resiliency that I showed as a 14-year-old kept going. We were down pretty badly, and then we fought back, and that's when we made it into a double-overtime game, which was insane.

Yeah, just I remember my head coach there at the time was, like, you know, forget about this. You did great, blah, blah, blah. Just keep fighting. Always keep fighting, keep fighting. That's what I bring, and I think that's what I bring now to this table in college.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you. You can switch places with Nick. We'll bring the senior linebacker up a little bit for about five minutes or so.

Q. Hey, Nick, what is it about the new defensive scheme and the mentality that Coach Rudzinski has brought that you like that you feel fits your personnel?

NICK JACKSON: It's really multiple. What Coach Rud has been doing has been great. He has been getting everyone on the same page. Last year was last year, and now that we have Coach Rud, he is just pushing the envelope. He is making us better every single day. A lot of individual work. A lot of tackling work. Just helping us get better at our craft individually and collectively with the team teach segment.

Q. Just what do you say about having Coach Elliott in the building? What type of energy he brings and what the atmosphere has been like and that maybe how animated he gets at times?

NICK JACKSON: Getting Coach Elliott has been electric, honestly. You can feel the buzz around campus on the grounds, and just having him, he has changed a lot. Different things around the campus, different things around our even facility.

He has brought a different energy to the program that I'm excited to keep doing, bringing back old traditions with the Wahoo Walk and different things like that. Coach Elliott has been great for us, and I'm really glad that we got him.

THE MODERATOR: From the podium, there's a picture of you as a toddler wearing a UVA bib. Did you have any other choice other than Charlottesville?

NICK JACKSON: Yeah, so my dad went here. He was really adamant about just going to a highly academic school. Virginia was pretty much in my ear since day one, but he was able to give me whatever option I wanted to, but I ended up going to Virginia.

Q. Nick, playing in the middle of the field like that calling the signals on most plays, what have you learned in addition to that to help your teammates play better?

NICK JACKSON: You've got to know everything. You have to know what the back end has and what the front end has. Just because you have to make those calls really quick. You have to know what coverage we're in. You have to know what the front stunt is. You have to know everything.

Really getting in the playbook and helping everybody out so when everyone has questions, you can tell them on the field what they have. You can communicate the play faster because you know plays go by fast. Down in Miami, they're up tempo sometimes, and play is coming in quick. You just have to get everyone ready and get everybody on the same page so we can all execute.

THE MODERATOR: Again from the podium: You had seven double-digit tackle games last year, most of them against ACC teams. Are there some schools that just fit your eye better than other schools?

NICK JACKSON: No. Just going out there every single day. I've been thankful with great teammates and great coaches that just put me in great scenarios.

Just film study and preparation has really gone into all of that.

Q. You led the league in tackles last season, so how do you plan to improve your other stats for this season?

NICK JACKSON: Kind of going off what B.A. said. It's not really about me individually this year. It's not really about stats. I think stats just come with the game, but just leading my team, just trying to get to the Coastal Championship, each game at a time, and then get to the ACC Championship. That's the goal. Just every single day just helping to be a leader, just being a resource to my teammates so that we can all improve and collectively perform as a defense and take it to the next level as a defense.

THE MODERATOR: We appreciate the time, Nick. You can switch places with Keytaon, and we'll spend the last six minutes or so with him.

Q. Keytaon, kind of similar to I asked Brennan, but what has been kind of your adaptation to Coach Elliott? And you played a very unique role for the previous coaching staff. What is the vision for this coaching staff on how they're going to use you?

KEYTAON THOMPSON: You know, just start off with the first question. Me and Coach Elliott have a great relationship. I know we're going to have a blast in fall camp, and I can't wait on it.

It's been great, and like I mentioned earlier, I just really want to prepare myself for whatever the case may be. Football is a crazy game. Guys go down. All type of things happen. I just really want to be prepared to play wherever the coaching staff needs me to play at. Right now I'm focusing on wide receiver and just really developing my skills there, but I'm definitely working athletically just to be ready for whatever the coaching staff throws at me.

Q. You said last season when you were standing up there that you were willing to do whatever it takes. You just heard your coach say that he doesn't want you to just make the NFL, but to stay there for a long time. Your thoughts on that, and also your thoughts on Coach Elliott saying he is on you every day?

KEYTAON THOMPSON: He is not lying about that. He is on me every day for sure. Now, like he said, I really can appreciate it and see where it's coming from.

The guys you've seen go to the NFL and have successful careers, you know that's something that I want to do. With him just pushing me to be great, it's really helped me. Especially this past offseason throughout the summer. Just really focusing and trying to get better each and every day, and I think as long as I do that, everything else will take care of itself.

THE MODERATOR: From the podium, you don't find too many 6'4" wide receivers that play chess. Who introduced you to the game?

KEYTAON THOMPSON: Excuse me. Say that again.

THE MODERATOR: You play chess, right?

KEYTAON THOMPSON: Yes.

THE MODERATOR: You don't find too many 6'4" receivers that play chess.

KEYTAON THOMPSON: I guess you can attribute that to the transition. I used to be a quarterback. I'm sure there's some receivers out there that play chess.

Man, I love it. It's a great game. It's a great game. A lot of moving pieces. You never really get the same outcome, but you just try to make your next move your best move, and that's the name of the game.

THE MODERATOR: Who introduced you to the game?

KEYTAON THOMPSON: Excuse me?

THE MODERATOR: Who introduced you to chess?

KEYTAON THOMPSON: Oh, actually my little brother. My little brother played chess competitively in the state of Louisiana. He won a few championships, a few state championships. I didn't know how to play, and him just looking for somebody to play around the house. He kind of taught me the rules, but didn't teach me how to play, if that makes sense. So I had to go and do my own research and figure out how to actually play. Then probably after about a month of doing research, reading books, and playing other people, I finally beat him. I took a break from playing him after that. (Laughing).

Q. We've talked in the locker room after a game or two about the mindset of sometimes you look like a running back and sometimes you look like a quarterback, and sometimes you look like a wide receiver. How are you training yourself now to be truly a wide receiver?

KEYTAON THOMPSON: Just going in and focusing on that every day. I feel like route running is a big part of that. You know, hand fighting, the whole nine. For the most part I feel like the running back and quarterback thing just kind of comes naturally, running the ball and thinks this like that just from playing quarterback so long.

Just working on a lot of the unnatural things, like coming in and out of breaks, sinking my hips, and things like that. I really just have been focusing on that, the receiver part of it and technicalities of it.

Q. You're a senior, and you have been known for so much, but what's the most important things that you wanted people to know about you?

KEYTAON THOMPSON: One of the most important things, I guess I would have to say I'm just -- I pride myself on being a really good teammate and being there for my guys and trying to make a play for them whenever need be.

Also, off the field as student-athletes we go through a lot and a lot of people don't necessarily get it or understand it, but you know student-athletes are under stress a lot of times, and I try to be there for my guys off the field as much as possible just to try to make sure that they're having a good experience and that they're happy and in a good space mentally because I've been in college a long time, and I have seen a lot. I've been through a lot. I just really want to be there for my guys.

THE MODERATOR: Virginia, thank you. Have a great season.