When he decided late in the fall of 2017 to switch his commitment from Minnesota to UVa, Brennan Armstrong knew he would be heading to Charlottesville early. It was assumed that spring that he would serve as the backup to Bryce Perkins and then take over the reins in two years.

That moment should have arrived last month as spring ball was scheduled to wrap up recently. Of course, that wasn’t the way things played out.

Now, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound rising redshirt sophomore heads into the summer not only with the uncertainty of how the coronavirus pandemic will impact football season but also without having had those critical practices to help get him ready for what’s ahead.

“That’s a huge thing,” he said recently of not having spring ball. “That was going to be a big thing for us with some receivers leaving and obviously me coming in as a quarterback and Bryce leaving. I think that would’ve been a huge step for us just to connect with our wide receivers and get real-time reps instead of just going out there and throwing.”

To this point, Armstrong has played in 11 games, though the four he played as a freshman in 2018 allowed him to retain his redshirt. He’s currently 17-for-25 passing for 258 yards with a pair of scores as well as two INTs while also rushing for 98 yards.

Needless to say, he’s going to have to produce a whole lot more if the defending Coastal champs have any shot at making it back to the ACC title game.

This past year, with Perkins nursing a knee injury in fall camp and then various other maladies throughout the season, Armstrong was able to get some first-team reps during practices. That experience helps him somewhat going forward.

“I got a decent amount, especially in fall camp because he got banged up a little bit and I kind of just took over,” Armstrong said. “I think those first-team reps are huge. I learned a lot just working with the guys that are going to be out there with you…Taking those reps was huge.”

Still, he’s very aware that UVa fans certainly haven’t seen the “real” Armstrong yet.

“I play with emotion,” he explained. “I would say that I’ve never really broken my shell yet how I actually play football just because of the circumstances I’ve been in. I’ve never actually been in the action for a decent amount of time. Most of the time it’s been one or two series. Once I get into it, I get into it. I do play with emotion and I think the team will see that eventually.

“A lot of people haven’t seen that yet so it’s going to be a new thing,” Armstrong added.

When OC Robert Anae spoke with media members recently, he was very clear about a number of things, including the fact that while Armstrong has experience in the system the lack of spring practice means the needle hasn’t moved at that position.

“There’s nothing we’ve done since the bowl game with a football with our players,” Anae said. “So, dang, a quarterback pretty much does lots of things with the football. So, have we been able to develop our quarterbacks since January? No, we haven’t. Usually to develop your quarterback, you have to do that in an 11-on-11 setting. That’s where the biggest growth takes place and there’s been none of that since the bowl game.

“So, yes it’s a challenge [not having spring ball] but I will say this: Brennan Armstrong has not started his development in January,” he added. “No. Brennan came early, so he’s been in the program. He is a program vet and again, if we can deliver on what we claim to be, which is a developmental program, then that applies to the quarterback. Dang, I just take a look at the huge questions when Kurt Benkert came into the program. ‘What are we gonna do? Can we manage that position?’ He developed. The same question was asked of Bryce Perkins.”

It’s hard to think about this spring and not focus on just what the loss of that seat time will mean for the Ohio native.

“It was huge for us,” he said. “With the receivers coming in, guys leaving, guys stepping up, me stepping up into the QB position. It would have been huge. Like I said, it’s different from just going out throwing with the guys and actually getting live reps with a defense out there. Just creating a connection, chemistry building. It sucks but we’re just going to work with what we’ve got and just go forward.”

Though he learned a great deal watching Perkins during the week and during games, Armstrong is now in a very different position and he fully understands it.

“My mindset is a lot different,” he explained. “Like I said, I always prepared to be the guy. I was always preparing to be the guy. Now that I am stepping into a role where I’m the guy, a little bit’s changed in terms of the role and stepping in and being more of a leader. Other than that, I’m preparing, I’m doing what I do like I’ve always done.”

Anae also said recently that while UVa’s offense won’t be the same without Perkins, it won’t be dramatically different. To Armstrong, much of how the offense takes shape must play out on the practice field.

“That’s something to be found out,” he said. “We would’ve found out a little bit more in spring ball. We still have our offense. I’m not sure if they’re going to tweak anything more towards my style. We’ll see, though. I’m actually really excited to see how it works.”

“So, we have not named a starting quarterback,” Anae pointed out. “Obviously Brennan is a prime candidate. Whoever that quarterback will be when we play Georgia, I’m confident that he will be a player that represents the University and I think our fans will really look forward to breaking in this new group.”

For now, Armstrong is home working out every day thanks to a family friend’s home gym as he prepares for the season ahead, whatever that may end up looking like this fall or beyond.

“I keep talking to as many people as I can,” he said. “I want them to know that everybody’s working. I’m working, I hope you are, and just keep it rolling and not just get down on the situation.”

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