Virginia is turning to a new quarterback again, and this time the Cavaliers are betting on Beau Pribula to be the one who settles things down.
For the fifth straight season, Virginia will open with a different starter at quarterback. This year’s choice came from a pair of experienced transfers, and the Cavaliers landed on the Missouri grad transfer after weighing what he brings beyond the basic stat line.
On paper, the numbers may not jump out. On the field, Virginia sees a player with real talent, injuries and opponent quality considered.
Tony Elliott said Pribula won the job because of the way he carries himself.
“I think there's just been several moments [when he impressed],” Elliott said. “His poise, the way he engages with folks, how he handled himself at ACC Media Days, out at practice after the determination that we're going to go in this direction, and I made that announcement to the team.”
Pribula’s approach fit what he had already said about leadership. As a transfer joining a team that had just won 11 games, he didn’t try to walk in and take over with his voice. He started by showing up early for training and building relationships with teammates.
Once he was named the starter, that changed. The quieter presence became a more vocal one.
“I observe how he interacts with the guys in the dining room,” Elliott said. “He sits with a lot of different people engaging with different position groups, which tells you that this guy understands as a quarterback, you've got to galvanize the entire team, not just one side of the ball or your skill guys.
You've got to be able to sit down and talk to D-Linemen, you've got to be able to engage with defensive backs, right? So they'll all follow you.”
That same presence has made an impression on the other side of the ball too. Defensive coordinator John Rudzinski described Pribula as “a lot to get ready for.”
Rudzinski pointed to Pribula’s athleticism, arm talent and command of the offense as traits that can effectively “eliminate [defensive] scheme.” He also highlighted the processing ability that drew praise from Pribula’s previous coaches.
“And so, goodness, he's a lot to get ready for,” Rudzinski said. “I tell you what, he makes us really, really good on defense because he'll stress us and he'll come into the meeting room or come on the chalkboard and go, ‘hey, Rud, just FYI, your corner's doing this, your safety's doing this, and I know this call's coming.’ And that's good for me as a coordinator to know so that when we're getting ready for these other opponents, we'll make sure to try to fix some of those issues.”
Virginia is feeling good about what it has under center with Pribula. The hope now is that he can help the Cavaliers keep things rolling in 2026 and push them a step further.
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What makes Carrere especially intriguing is the possibility that he could end up easing some of the pressure in the backcourt. Virginia does not look especially deep behind Chance Mallory at point guard, and that could push the Cavaliers toward leaning on bigger, multi-skilled options to help start offense. If Carrere can handle the ball well enough to serve as a secondary initiator, it would give Odom a flexible answer to a roster question that may matter all winter. [Read more 🡒]