Virginia vs. Coastal Carolina: What to Watch in the 2025 Opener

The wait is over. Fall camp is in the books, the depth chart is out, and the first Saturday night at Scott Stadium is almost here. When these teams met last season, Virginia pounded the ground game and ran away, 43–24. The formula was simple: 58 rushes for 384 yards and 3 TDs, including 171 yards on just 9 carries from Xavier Brown. With an upgraded offensive line and a backs room that runs three-deep, that identity is front and center again.

Coastal’s roulette depth chart (and the QB question)

Coastal Carolina’s roster is in flux. The Chanticleers lost 49 players to the portal and brought in 33, and their first depth chart reflects the churn: every position but left tackle is listed with an “or.” Nowhere is that uncertainty louder than quarterback.

San José State transfer Emmett Brown—the projected starter out of the offseason—is out for the season. The Week 1 depth chart lists MJ Morris, Samari Collier, Tad Hudson, and Jon Hunt with “or” between them. If there’s a lean, it’s toward MJ Morris getting the most run. The junior transfer (Maryland/NC State) threw 61 passes last year, completing 36, with 5 TDs, 5 INTs, and one rushing score. With that much rotation everywhere, expect Coastal to search for rhythm early.

Virginia’s offense: back to the blueprint

Offensive coordinator Des Kitchings wants to run it, and this may be his best chance to do it consistently behind a new-and-improved offensive line. The backfield is set up for a true rotation:

• J’Mari Taylor (NC Central transfer) is listed first.
  
  

• Xavier Brown is No. 2, with an “or” next to Wyoming transfer Harrison Waylee.
  
  

Plan on all three seeing multiple series—inside zone and gap runs sprinkled with screens and passing-down work for X to keep the group fresh.

Tight end should be a weekly storyline. Sage Ennis is listed as the starter with an “or” for Dakota Twitty, the wide receiver turned tight end. Like I have said all offseason, Twitty’s 6'5", 245 frame plus legit speed creates a matchup problem. Don’t be surprised to see both on the field together in select formations.

And, of course, this is the debut of North Texas transfer Chandler Morris as the trigger man. Elliott’s camp notes on Morris were consistent: leadership every day, extend plays, direct traffic on the move. Tony Elliott: “He has the ability to extend plays… to scramble with the ability to run or pass… and the leadership he brought every single day.”

Virginia’s defense: depth and a couple of key next-men-up

Two important injuries linger, but both players are on track to return soon:

• LB Kam Robinson
  
  

• S Antonio Clary
  
  

In Clary’s absence, the plan is Devin Neal at strong safety and sophomore Ethan Minter at free safety. Elliott echoed that: “Of all the freshmen last year, he picked it up the quickest… now his physicality is really starting to show.”

At corner, the surprise on the two-deep: Cincinnati transfer Jordan Robinson starts alongside Arizona transfer Emmanuel Karnely. Many expected Donavan Platt there; the staff views the top three as heavy-rotation pieces.

Up front, the word is depth. It’s a real rotation at defensive end with Fisher Camac and Cazeem Moore, and the interior mix of Jahmeer Carter, Jason Hammond, Hunter Osborne, Jacob Holmes, and Anthony Britton. Add edge help from James Jackson (WILL) and Mitchell Melton (Bandit), and Virginia finally has bodies to stay fresh. “The ability to rotate defensive linemen changes everything… you don’t see the speed drop off late,” Elliott said, adding he’s encouraged by the defense’s ability to get pressure with four.

The opponent fit: Air Raid answers and Week-1 unknowns

Coastal’s new coordinators add another layer of mystery. Elliott described Week 1 as a “cat and mouse” game given all the “ors” and new personnel on both sides. “You have to prepare for a lot of unknown… it’s about scheme early, then adjusting once you see who’s actually out there.”

On Coastal’s offense: “They can get the ball out quick, stress you with mesh vs. man, spread you to run it if needed, and use condensed sets to create edges.”

Elliott’s checklist for Saturday

Elliott was clear about what he wants to see in Game 1:

• Start fast. Control momentum. Finish the fourth quarter.
  
  

• Play clean: no pre-snap penalties, protect the football, align and substitute crisply.
  
  

• No excuses.
  
  

“Nobody wants to hear excuses. They want to see results.”

He also put out the call:

“We really, really need a big crowd to be there early, be loud, and create an imposing atmosphere.”

Three keys

1. Re-run the run script. Last year’s 58 for 384 didn’t happen by accident. Behind a sturdier OL and a three-back rotation, Virginia’s best path is still owning the line of scrimmage and setting up play-action and TE mismatches.
   
   

2. Tight ends as the cheat code. With Ennis/Twitty interchangeable and Twitty’s WR background, UVA can force base/ nickel conflicts, win the seams, and help in the run game vs. the 3-3-stack structures UVA expects to see.
   
   

3. Make Coastal pick a QB. With their four-man “or” at quarterback and “or”s across the depth chart, early defensive pressure and clean tackling can disrupt rhythm and push the Chanticleers into constant adjustment mode.
   
   

What a “win looks like” for UVA

• 30+ rush attempts with efficient yards before contact.
  
  

• At least two chunk plays in the passing game created by TEs or screens to X.
  
  

• Four-man pressure shows up on tape (hits, hurries, moved launch point).
  
  

• Clean sheet on avoidable errors: pre-snap penalties, substitution issues, and ball security.
  
  

If Virginia hits those marks, Week 1 sets the tone Elliott keeps preaching: start fast, control momentum, finish strong—and do it without beating UVA.

Go Hoos.