Winning Still the Focus in Brennan Armstrong's Return to Virginia

In his three seasons as Virginia's starting quarterback, Brennan Armstrong rewrote the school's quarterback record books. Upon entering the transfer portal last December, Armstrong ended his UVA career as the program's all-time record holder in single-game, season, and career passing yards and total offense and several other quarterback statistical categories. When Virginia hosts NC State on Friday night, one of the greatest players in UVA football history will play his final game at Scott Stadium, but his first as a member of the opposing team. 

The ACC opener for the Cavaliers and Wolfpack will reunite not only Brennan Armstrong - but also offensive coordinator Robert Anae and offensive line coach Garett Tujague - with their old football program. Armstrong was on UVA's roster from 2018 to 2022, spending three seasons as the starting quarterback, while Anae and Tujague came to Virginia in 2016 as part of Bronco Mendenhall's coaching staff. Anae left the program when Mendenhall resigned in 2021, but Tujague stayed on for Tony Elliott's first season before joining Anae and Armstrong at NC State last December. 

With all of the personal connections between these two teams and coaching staffs, there is plenty to distract from what is a vitally important game for both teams as Virginia and NC State look to start conference play on the right foot. But when Brennan Armstrong and Tony Elliott were asked about the additional storylines, the quarterback and his former coach gave similar answers about focusing on the task at hand. 

"I'm looking forward to it. I'm super excited. It's going to be a unique experience for me. But at the end of the day, my job is to try to go win a game," Armstrong said on Tuesday. 

"For me, there's nothing personal about this game when it comes to [Brennan Armstrong] other than he's the opposing quarterback," said Tony Elliott. "And I would never use that as motivation with his teammates because at the end of the day as we're learning and I'm teaching this football team, emotion doesn't win the football game."

There is a great deal of mutual respect between Elliott and Armstrong, as Elliott was very complimentary of the way Armstrong handled his departure from the program last year and Armstrong said that, despite his struggles in adapting to Elliott's pro-style offensive system, he learned a lot last year that has made him a better quarterback. 

"I think a lot of that stuff was super beneficial for me," Armstrong said of playing in Virginia's pro-style offense. "Getting that experience. No year is a waste year. I think I learned a lot last year and it's helped me."

"What I will say about BA [Brennan Armstrong] is I'm grateful for BA for two reasons," Elliott said. "One, for everything that he did for the University of Virginia and this football program as a player here. I'm grateful for how he handled his departure. He handled it the right way with me. And when he was here, man, he made an effort. He made an effort to transition, to help myself and this coaching staff with this team."

As for facing his former team on the field, there is mutual excitement between Armstrong and his old teammates about the opportunity to compete against each other again with nothing held back. 

"It's an opportunity I've never experienced before," Armstrong said of facing his former teammates. "You do compete with them in practice, but when it's in a game scenario it's a lot different than practice. Like you said, they don't get to hit me ever so this is their chance to try to get a piece back at me." 

On that last statement, Virginia sixth-year defensive back Coen King is in complete agreement. 

"I never really got to hit him in practice, but if I get the chance, I'm gonna let him hear it if I do," King said of Armstrong. "He's a great player. I'm excited to see what he can do and it's really just pure excitement to play against him."

King and Armstrong lived in the same apartment complex in Charlottesville for a few years, so both players view this game as a special opportunity to battle a familiar face. 

"Coen was a really good buddy of mine," Armstrong said. "We lived in the same apartment area so I was always hanging out with him and Grant [Misch] and those guys."

"Brennan was one of my best friends here," said King. "He lived right behind me for like three years. I've gone against him for like five years in practice every single day."

While there is no doubt that Armstrong and his former teammates will battle with intensity and respect on the field, what remains to be seen is what kind of reception Armstrong will receive from the UVA crowd when he makes his return to Scott Stadium. 

"I don't know. I put blood, sweat and tears into that place for five years. Hopefully they're not too hard on me," said Armstrong. "If they are, it's no big deal. I'll be ready for it. It'll be interesting. I really don't know. Maybe they like it, maybe they boo me. You don't know what you're going to get. That's not why I'm there. I'm there to win a game. That's where my focus is."

When asked the same question, Coen King said he's hoping there will be some recognition from the UVA fans for what Armstrong gave this program and community in his time here. 

"What kind of welcome do I expect Brennan to get? Let me just say - if it was me and I was a Virginia fan, I'd give him the warmest welcome," King said. "You know he's done so much for Charlottesville. He was here for five years. You can't hate the guy. But at the same, we are playing against him, so I don't know what to expect."

In the end, the only lasting effects of this reunion game will come from the final score and there is no question that both Armstrong and his former team have winning this game as their one and only focus. 

"It's a cool week for me, going back and playing in Scott Stadium. Like I said, I think I'll have a bunch of emotions when I get out there and start running through, when we hit the field," said Armstrong. "Like I said, I'm going to refocus and do my job. My job is to go in there and win.

"For me, I want to win because it's the first ACC game," said Tony Elliott. "It's the goal on our goal board, to win our ACC opener. It's a really, really good football team that's coming into Scott Stadium. That's why I want to win the football game."

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