We were talking recently with a person who would know the details of how much the money people spent on the UVA Football roster, and the number that he gave us blew us away.
Let me rewind here: the offseason started with whispers about Tony Elliott working with a $10 million talent budget, and then in the spring, word got to us about the total approaching $20 million.
In our casual conversation on the football team with the person who would know, that $20 million figure came up.
The response: a thumb pointing upward.
So, more?
“Try, $30 million,” was the response.
Yeah, jaws dropping to the floor.
ICYMI
- UVA Football: Tony Elliott has a team, and no more excuses for not winning
- Mo’ money, mo’ problems: What’s the over/under for UVA Football coach Tony Elliott?
- UVA Football: Tony Elliott acknowledges ‘impact’ of investments in NIL
To recap: the $10 million baseline was the talk after word leaked out about a single donor committing $100 million to football over the next 10 years.
Money attracts money, and the people who write the checks decided to go all in on the 2025 season based on a few assumptions.
All centered around, we need to see what we have in Tony Elliott, in Year 4 of his six-year deal.
With just two years left on his deal, the buyout – full freight for those final two years, a ballpark of around $8 million – is chump change for a program funded by people who can just decide to throw $30 million at a roster for one season.
The NIL budget is basically a message to Elliott: no more excuses, you need to win now.
And, no, we’re not talking 6-6 and a cold-weather bowl on a Tuesday afternoon between Christmas and New Year’s.
You don’t put up $30 million for one year to win one more game and get a bowl invite to play a MAC school.
Thirty mill brings with it expectations of eight, including, you’d damn well better beat Virginia Tech in the finale.
The pressure on Elliott, the staff and the roster is obvious.
They can’t afford a slow start, because, let’s say they’re 3-3 going into the first bye week in October, and it could be time to cut bait on Elliott to jumpstart the search for the next coach.
No hiccups, basically.
Now, that said, I like what Elliott was able to do – he got himself a QB for now and one for the future, improved and built depth on both lines, at wideout and the secondary, at running back.
On paper, this is the most talented group we’ve had since the 2018 and 2019 Bronco Mendenhall teams that won eight and nine games in back-to-back seasons.
The money people wanted to see if we have a coach in Tony Elliott.
We shall see.
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Chris Graham
