Tony Muskett in the running to become UVA’s new starting quarterback

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The UVA football team wraps up spring practice in a couple of weeks, and the team is looking for a new starting quarterback.

It’s an open competition, but the guy with the most playing experience is northern Virginia native Tony Muskett.

Muskett is one of the new guys on the team. He was a 3-year starter at quarterback for Monmouth. Muskett says he’s eager to prove he can play in a Power Five conference.

“I’ve always had the utmost confidence in myself. Coming out of high school I thought I was under-recruited. I went out and proved myself at the FCS level,” Muskett said.

Muskett started 23 games at Monmouth with 51 passing touchdowns. Last year, playing in the Colonial Athletic Conference, he threw for almost 2,000 yards in 8 games before a knee injury ended his season.

“A guy like that is kind of like a free-agent quarterback. He just has to transfer the terminology. He’s played at a high level where he was at and it’s been a pretty easy transition,” Coach Tony Elliott said.

“It’s very similar to what I ran back at Monmouth. It’s a pro-style offense, we like to push the tempo. I’m used to it, I’m comfortable in it,” Muskett said.

Muskett says he grew up watching UVA football while he was a star quarterback at West Springfield High School. When he decided to transfer from Monmouth, he had a handful of offers, including offers from Missouri and Coastal Carolina, but he wanted to return to his home state.

Muskett’s main competition in the quarterback running comes from 2-sport start Jay Woolfolk, who was Virginia’s backup last season, and splitting time this spring between football and baseball.

“No matter who it is, there’s no #1 or #2 right now, we’re just working. I’m really comfortable with all the quarterbacks out here.” wide receiver Malachi Fields said.

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