Virginia’s offense may already have two transfers pushing toward major roles, and offensive coordinator Des Kitchings didn’t sound like a coach trying to hide it.
After Friday’s practice in Charlottesville, Kitchings spoke glowingly about running back Jekail Middlebrook and receiver Jacquon Gibson, two newcomers who have made strong early impressions. There are still four weeks before Virginia opens the season against N.C.
State in Scott Stadium, so nothing is locked in yet. Injuries happen.
Other players can surge. Preseason depth charts have a way of changing fast.
But the early read is clear enough: Middlebrook and Gibson both look like real candidates to be central pieces of the offense, even if they don’t end up as full-time starters.
Middlebrook comes to Virginia after piling up 1,228 all-purpose yards last season at Middle Tennessee State, including 752 rushing yards, 412 receiving yards and production on returns, plus seven total touchdowns. He’s competing with Tennessee transfer Peyton Lewis for the starting job at running back.
Lewis arrived with the bigger recruiting profile and the more impressive school pedigree, but Middlebrook’s versatility is making a strong case. Kitchings made that part of the appeal obvious.
"I like Jekail as a runner, and from my history of coaching the backs too, man, you love guys that are three phase guys, runners, pass catchers, and pass blockers," Kitchings said on Friday.
"And Jekail, in my time being around here him for now eight, seven months, I don't think the guy's ever had a bad day, right? And just being around him in the building.
But his versatility, right, his ability to get skinny and when he needs to, he's shown some physicality when he needs to. He reminds me of a young man I coached back at NC State called named Matthew Dayes, who was a really good running back for us back then.
"So, and the thing about Jekail, the man, he just, he appreciates the opportunity. Every day is a great day, which I appreciate that about him, and I'm excited for what he brings to us this fall."
“Getting skinny,” for anyone unfamiliar with the phrase, means squeezing through narrow running lanes created by blockers.
Tony Elliott has already chimed in as well. Earlier in the week, Virginia’s head coach praised Middlebrook, who is listed at 5-10 and 198 pounds. Lewis is 6-1 and 212.
"He's just unassuming, kind of flies below the radar a little bit," Elliott said of Middlebrook. "But then when he steps on the grass, he's just steady; he just makes plays, he just finds a way, right? And this is kind of where evaluations can be very important tricky, right?
"Because you see tape and I saw some really good things on tape, but until you get them and you get to work with them, you don't really realize what you had. And so this was one that I'm like, man, I knew there was something there, but man, he's got even more than what I was anticipating."
Gibson’s path to Virginia was different, but the buzz around him sounds just as strong. He had 63 catches for 616 yards last season at UMass, a team that finished 0-12 and was outscored 463-133. That kind of season can bury a receiver’s numbers in the wreckage, but it didn’t stop Virginia from going after him once he entered the portal.
Kitchings used the word "flash" to describe Gibson, and he used the same term for presumptive No. 1 receiver Rico Flores Jr. and slot man Kam Courtney. Gibson appears likely to challenge Courtney for the starting slot role.
"I tell you what, I like about and appreciate with Jacquon. Obviously his experiences, but you can tell he's a football mind. He loves football," Kitchings said.
"I don't know what production he's going to have this year, so not to project anything, but his personality traits, his work habits, his positivity is very similar to Malik Washington, to Cam Ross, guys that played in the slot for us that have done very well for us here. I just think his DNA of him and his competitive spirit that he's going to do some good things for us this fall."
For context, Washington set a school record with 110 catches for 1,428 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023, his lone season at Virginia, before moving on to the Miami Dolphins. Ross had 53 receptions for the Cavaliers in 2024 and is now in Denver Broncos training camp.
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