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Previewing Virginia Football's 2025 Quarterback Room

Originally posted on Virginia Cavaliers on SI
By Henry Pallatroni | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 4:51 PM ET

With the departures of both Anthony Colandrea (UNLV) and Tony Muskett from the University of Virginia after a disappointing 5-7 2024 season, UVA's quarterback room is home to a coalition of fresh faces heading into the fall. After a busy offseason in the transfer portal for Tony Elliott, the biggest talent coming to Charlottesville is fifth-year quarterback Chandler Morris.

Morris joins the Cavaliers to play his final season of college football after one year at Oklahoma, three years at Texas Christian University, and one year at North Texas in 2024. The 6-foot-tall, 190-pound Texas native arrives in Virginia after a career-best junior campaign at North Texas. Morris threw for 3,774 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2024, with those two statistics ranking 5th and 4th in the nation, respectively. Despite his smaller stature, which perhaps will remind UVA fans of the Anthony Colandrea era, Morris is a proven gunslinger at the highest levels of collegiate football who brings an above-average, NFL-ready arm under center. His legs can be a weapon too– he rushed for 242 yards and added four touchdowns last year.

With Morris' four-year journey in college football now making its final stop in Charlottesville, he set a lofty goal for himself at his first press conference a few months ago. Morris said, "I didn't come all the way to Virginia as a Texas boy to win five, six games," Morris said. "I want to win the conference championship. So, that's my goal, coming all this way." In a season that will likely be make-or-break for Tony Elliott's head coaching career at Virginia, this honest ambition from Morris is a refreshing sign for a QB room that needed an upgrade this offseason. Morris has the talent to produce at a level Colandrea and Muskett never could, and if given solid protection from the offensive line, could very well "help Virginia take that next step" in his one season donning the orange and blue.

The second major addition to the QB room is an entirely different quarterback addition in Nebraska transfer Daniel Kaelin. Unlike Morris, who has amassed over 800 career passes, Kaelin has yet to throw a pass at the collegiate level after a redshirt year at Nebraska. Kaelin possesses a larger, stronger quarterback build at 6-3, 218 pounds. In his senior season at Nebraska, Kaelin completed 187 of 319 passes (59%) for 2,225 yards and 17 touchdowns. Like Morris, Kaelin has a very strong arm with the ability to "launch the ball 50+ yards" according to his scouting report. He won't be a running threat, but he has all the intangibles to be a solid starter for Virginia after one to two years of further development.

Kaelin will slot in at QB2 come Virginia's first game against Coastal Carolina on August 30, but the sophomore QB with four years of remaining eligibility will vie for the starting role in the 2026 season. For now, he can look to develop under Morris while providing some healthy competition at the position in the lead-up to the Hoos' first game this fall.

Outside of the two biggest names in the Virginia QB room, three other athletes will work the quarterback position for the 'Hoos this season. UVA added two high-school prospects in Cole Greer and Bjorn Jurgensen. Greer was the #1 quarterback out of Massachusetts, and Jurgensen was a three-star recruit from Orlando, Florida. Both will likely redshirt the 2025 season in preparation for the post-Morris quarterback battle in 2026.

Virginia also has another young QB in it's locker room in sophomore Boone Lourd, who redshirted last season. Lourd threw for over 2,000 yards in his senior season of Football in Los Angeles, CA, in 2023, and introduced himself to Virginia fans with some action, including a touchdown pass, in this year's spring football game.

The last name to round out the quarterback depth chart is one Virginia fans know, and maybe even love– Grady Brosterhous. Grady has made a career in Charlottesville as an elite QB sneaker, using his size at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds to serve as an asset for the UVA offense in goal-line situations. The "QB" has just one pass attempt in his career with the 'Hoos, but punched in four rushing touchdowns during the 2024 season.

Between Brosterhous' knack for getting the ball across the goal line and Morris' lofty goals for his one year in Charlottesville, the Virginia quarterback position is trending in the right direction after its sudden collapse with the departure of 2024 starter Anthony Colandrea. Morris will likely make his debut for the 'Hoos against Coastal Carolina at Scott Stadium on August 30, with Kaelin patiently waiting for his turn to steer the ship in 2026.

This article first appeared on Virginia Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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