The Virginia Cavaliers have catapulted themselves into the Top-25 rankings, and face another test this week with the Washington State Cougars. Before the team's afternoon contest against the Cougars, he spoke to the media about the upcoming contest.
Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott has led his team to a fantastic start to 2025, and has them in the middle of the ACC's top standings. Before the team's afternoon contest against the Cougars, he spoke to the media about the upcoming contest.
"Yeah, the overall approach very similar, but I think with each team, you have to evaluate where that team is. And you also have to evaluate where the bye falls. Like if it's earlier in the season, it may be different than later in the season. But this one being halfway through the season, I felt it's like very similar structure, but I did modify a little bit, just because of the health of of the team. So the practice structure was very similar, but the the amount of contact at the practices was different than past bye weeks""I know that obviously Old Miss missed a couple opportunities early in the first two drives, but a lot of credit to Washington State. Man, they play extremely, extremely hard. They're very, very well coached. Coach Rogers does a really, really good job and you look at his background, he's a national champion, right? And he's used to winning and so he knows what it looks like and what it takes and they pride themselves on on effort. So, we're going to have to match that." "And that's what is really cool about this matchup and in this particular game because I think a lot of people say that Virginia plays hard. Like when they watch the games, it's like, man, these guys play hard. Well, when you watch Washington State, they play extremely hard in all three phases. So, it's going to be a battle of who can play the hardest, but at the same time, who can play sound and under control, and that's going to be the challenge. So, you know, we have to do a good job of communicating.""I think with success there's always challenges and so was a great reset for us as a football team and I think if you just watch the course of the first six games you can see, with success sometimes, there's a tendency to think 'oh I got this and it's not quite as important to focus on the little things,' but it impacts play. And so this was a really good opportunity for us to reset midway through the season to say, 'Hey, when we when we are really focused on the little things, we play complimentary football and we make it hard on the on the opponent.' When we don't have quite the sense of urgency and the focus, complete focus on the little things, then we, you know, create opportunities that make it much more difficult for us." "So, it's going to be fun to see how the guys respond to this off week because there was some transparency, right? It's not chasing success. It's when it happens now all the distractions come. And that's really what keeps you from focusing on the little things, it's when you get distracted by everything else and maybe you start to see the big picture too much and not in the microscope. So a great opportunity to teach and learn.""Yeah, I think that, and, I'm just speaking from my perspective, my point of view. I think when they changed quarterbacks and they went to , I think he brought a just a calming presence and then they didn't turn the ball over as much. He's got a moxy to him. He can run the ball. He can make all the throws. He's looked like he just has a swagger that kind of mellowed him out and defensively, each week they seem to be getting better and better and better as a unit. I think it was really the quarterback change from my perspective, is what I think has made the difference and they've gotten better each week as a team."Ian Harper is a student journalist and broadcaster studying at Rowan University. He is also the founder of Poolesville Sports Web with previous bylines covering college football, Major League Baseball, the NFL, and NFL Draft for Athlon Sports and Last Word On Sports.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Tony Elliott Focuses on What’s To Come During Week 8 Matchup vs Washington StateVirginia is favored to win against Washington State, but that doesn't mean that it will come easy.
Read more »
SP+ Predicts Virginia-Washington State Final ScoreVirginia is coming off their first bye week of the season and is going to try and clinch bowl eligibility this Saturday when it hosts Washington State at home.
Read more »
Virginia Faces Washington State in Crucial Matchup for Bowl EligibilityVirginia, coming off their bye week, hosts Washington State with bowl eligibility on the line. Despite being favored by sportsbooks and ESPN's advanced metrics, the Cavaliers anticipate a tough challenge from a well-coached Washington State team that nearly upset Ole Miss. Coach Tony Elliott highlights Washington State's strong effort and coaching, emphasizing the need for Virginia to match their intensity and maintain control.
Read more »
Three Washington State Players to Watch Against No. 18 Virginia In Saturday's MatchupVirginia is riding high off their bye week, earning their highest ranking in the AP Top 25 since 2019. UVA moved up one spot to No. 18 this week, tying their ra
Read more »
Amazon Unveils Plans for Nuclear Energy Expansion in Washington StateAmazon provides new details and visual renderings of its project to support the development of advanced nuclear reactors in Washington State. The Cascade Advanced Energy Facility, a modular nuclear plant, is designed to generate significant electricity, create jobs, and offer a smaller footprint compared to traditional nuclear plants. Construction is anticipated to commence by the end of the decade.
Read more »
Transfers Lead the Way For Washington State at Forward in 2025Similar to their situation at guard, WSU doesn't have much starting experience in the forward rotation. However, the Cougars will arguably have more potential a
Read more »