Is this the year Virginia finally breaks through with a running game?

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia’s struggles with the running game have been well documented for years now, but Tony Elliott is hoping this year’s ground attack will put that discussion to rest.

Armed with four capable, experienced running backs and the program’s most solid offensive line since the Coastal Division championship team of 2019, Elliott says his backs are ready to go to football war. Results from UVA’s most recent scrimmage at Scott Stadium only solidified Elliott’s belief.

“That was something that was positive about the scrimmage, us being able to establish some efficient run game,” the coach said this week. “I think we’ve got a chance to be much bigger than we’ve been in the past with the additions up front, so we have a little more size where we can lean on some people with some double teams and create a new line of scrimmage.”

UVA has four solid running backs in returnees Xavier Brown and Noah Vaughn, along with two transfers in J’Mari Taylor (NC Central) and Harrison Waylee (Wyoming).

“J’Mari shows a little something, a little bit different, and then X (Brown) is as good as X has been, and I’m really happy for him and proud for him because he’s been there, available every single day,” Elliott said.

Brown was plagued with durability issues in the past, and the catch phrase for 2025 in football camps across America is “the best ability is availability.”

Elliott reported that Waylee and Vaughn have both been solid in camp, so he has plenty of options to choose from and to keep fresh legs in the game.

As Coach Al Groh once said to this reporter, “All backs run the same when there’s no hole,” so the offensive line, which has been the program’s weakness since that Orange Bowl year, should be the best it has been since that season, thanks in part to some experienced returnees and a plethora of experienced transfers to add unprecedented depth.

“With Josey (left guard Noah Josey) and Boley (left tackle McKale Boley) on the left side, I mean, you just feel like that left side has been kind of steady for us the last couple of years,” Elliott said of those veterans. “Then, Brady (Wilson) has been a great addition.”

Wilson is a sixth-year center transfer from UAB, where he took 863 snaps last season in 12 starts and received the No. 4 offensive blocking grade among all FBS centers. With Wilson’s athleticism, it allows Elliott to run the wide zone.

On the right side, there’s Ethan Sipe (6-5, 320, sixth year), along with Wallace Unamba (6-6, 348), although Elliott is hoping Big Wall drops a few pounds.

“So we’ve got some size, and now we’re athletic enough to be able to reach some people with our flexibility,” Elliott said. “So I like the potential that we have now. We’ve got to go see it against other people in different schemes. All of those guys have taken ownership of this scheme.”

The coach also likes the fact that the wide receivers have bought into the downfield blocking aspect, which should create more explosive plays with the run game. UVA has had some explosive runs from different backs in the two scrimmages, which tells Elliott there’s more consistency up front.

“I’m really encouraged about our ability to effectively run the football as opposed to years past,” Elliott said.

The Cavaliers haven’t featured a 1,000-yard back since Jordan Ellis in 2018 (1,026 yards). No one else has cracked the 770-yards in a season mark since. In fact, quarterbacks have picked up the bulk of rushing yardage since Bronco Mendenhall’s “Thorterback” philosophy kicked in with Bryce Perkins and Brennan Armstrong.

Kevin Parks reached 1,000 (1,031) in 2013 and Alvin Pearman cracked 1,000 in 2004 (1,037) while splitting time with Wali Lundy.

Perhaps this is the year for a breakthrough.

Brown led UVA backs in rushing last season with 488, but 171 of that came on only 9 carries against Coastal Carolina.

At NC Central, Taylor posted 1,146 last season, fourth-best in school history, when he became the Eagles’ first 1,000-yard man since 2005. Taylor is 5-9, 204, and in his fifth year of football.

Waylee is 5-10, 212, in his sixth year of college, has 24 combined starts at either Wyoming or Northern Illinois, and 36 appearances. He has 13 games with at least 100 yards rushing, including a career-high 230 vs. Ball State in 2022 while playing at NIU. Waylee also posted a 75-yard run at Texas last season (he had 110 yards rushing in the game) and a 191-yard day against New Mexico.

Quarterback Chandler Morris said earlier this week that Virginia has been working hard on successfully running the ball in the Red Zone, particularly down inside the 10- and 5-yard lines where several Cavalier drives stalled last season, unable to physically punch the ball in with the run.

That could prove to be the difference in some of the close ACC games the Wahoos are expected to engage in this fall.

In addition, a good running game will allow Morris to do more things with this offense, particularly with the play-action, which will prevent defenses from loading up the tackle box and open up the playbook for the experienced QB.