Virginia heads into its 2026 preseason camp with real buzz around the program, but the biggest question hanging over Tony Elliott’s team isn’t on offense or in the secondary. It’s the defensive front six, where the Cavaliers are trying to protect themselves against the kind of depth issues that can wreck a season fast.
That concern is easy to miss when the broader picture looks so strong. Virginia is coming off the first 11-win season in school history and has its eyes on getting back to the ACC championship game and making a run at a College Football Playoff berth that slipped away last fall. Even so, the staff knows the margin for error is thin, and the front seven is where that margin looks tightest.
The secondary appears solid if the new pieces click, but the bigger worry is up front, especially if injuries start to pile up. Virginia’s defense was second in the ACC in points allowed at 19.6 per game and third in yards allowed at 310.1 last season, even though star linebacker Kam Robinson played only eight games. Still, only five starters are back from the Gator Bowl win over Missouri, and several of the players expected to step into larger roles either have limited experience or are moving up in competition.
The biggest setback came with Zion Wilson. Virginia believed it had landed a major answer at nose tackle after Wilson posted seven sacks last season at East Carolina, but the NCAA ruled him ineligible. He is now preparing for training camp with the Philadelphia Eagles, leaving a major hole in the middle of the line.
That loss matters because the interior defensive line was already short on proven bodies. Jason Hammond gives the Cavaliers a reliable returning starter at one spot, but Anthony Britton has work to do after losing his starting job a year ago. Britton was the team’s most improved defensive player in 2024, and Virginia needs that version of him back.
The Cavaliers were tough against the run last season, allowing just 3.4 yards per rushing attempt, and a big reason was the presence of Carter and Hammond inside. But that kind of production only holds if the rotation stays intact.
Position coach Kevin Downing now has to sort through Johnathan Allen, Sichon John, Darrion Henry-Young and Kervins Choute to find enough depth to survive the season. John, a sophomore, brings upside, but he still has not shown the consistency needed to lock down a rotational role.
The edge spots bring their own uncertainty. Fisher Camac returns after a 4.5-sack season, but he could draw more double-teams if Virginia doesn’t find another end who can command attention.
Matthew Fobbs-White enters camp as the likely starter at Bandit after playing at Tulane and Baylor, though his production has not matched the experience. Ezekiel Larry, who transferred from Yale, and Nnanna Anyanwu, who came from UTSA, both had success at the Group of Five level but now have to prove they can carry that over against better competition. Devon Baxter, meanwhile, arrives from Michigan after not seeing the field in two seasons.
The linebacker group may be the thinnest part of all, and everything there starts with Robinson. He is working back from season-ending ACL surgery in 2025, and even if he is healthy, he is not expected to be at full speed or ready to play a full game right away. No one on the roster can change a game the way Robinson can, which makes his return both vital and complicated.
Maddux Marcellus is the likely starter alongside him after seeing reserve duty last season following a strong 2024 at Eastern Kentucky. Landon Danley had some moments as a backup, but the depth behind those two is limited. That leaves linebackers coach Mike Adams with a clear assignment: find one young player, or ideally two, who can step in without a major drop-off.
In Other News...
Virginia Tech Added A Nonconference Game Fans Will Debate Fast
Virginia Techs nonconference calendar picked up a little more shape this week, with contracts obtained by The Roanoke Times confirming matchups against Central Florida and Mercer for an upcoming season. The additions give the Hokies another chance to test themselves outside league play, and the UCF pairing stands out immediately because the Knights are coming off a 2026 NCAA Tournament appearance.
The details around that game make it especially interesting for fans trying to gauge the schedules true value. It will be played at a neutral site at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida, and it also marks the first meeting between Virginia Tech and UCF since 2000, while Mercer has not faced the Hokies since 2006. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Roussell Just Delivered An Early Virginia Win Fans Needed
Virginias womens basketball program picked up a noteworthy addition with the commitment of a four-star recruit, a top-100 national prospect who gives Aaron Roussell another sign that the roster-building in Charlottesville is moving in the right direction. The news matters not just because of the talent involved, but because Virginia has been trying to stack enough high-end pieces to keep pace in a league where recruiting momentum can change a programs ceiling quickly.
There was also a bit of scheduling news that should appeal to longtime followers of the program, with Virginia set to renew its nonconference rivalry with Old Dominion in a home-and-home series in the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons. It is the kind of matchup that carries some history behind it, and for a Virginia team looking to sharpen itself before league play, getting a familiar regional opponent back on the calendar adds a little extra edge to the early years of Roussells tenure. [Read more 🡒]
Virginias Next Season Rides On Chance Mallory Becoming More Than Steady
Chance Mallory gave Virginia exactly what a freshman guard is supposed to give a team trying to stay steady: dependable minutes, sound decisions and a defensive edge that showed up in the numbers as well as the eye test. He averaged 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals, and his place near the top of the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio said plenty about how quickly he handled the college game.
Now the question is whether that reliable foundation can turn into something bigger. Virginia is counting on Mallory to grow into a more assertive presence as a sophomore, and the next step is not just about keeping the offense organized. It is about whether he can become the kind of lead guard who forces defenses to adjust and gives the Cavaliers a clearer direction for the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]