Editor’s Note: This is the sixth installment in an our annual series of position breakdowns as we look at the depth, players in the mix to start, and potential breakout candidates heading into UVa’s 2024 season. You can read the previous breakdowns by clicking the links below:

Quarterback

Running Back

Safeties

Wide Receivers

Cornerbacks

UVa’s offensive line was slightly more consistent last year than it was in the 2022 season but the group was still far from where the Wahoos want to be. The line had some turnover across the board but ultimately settled on a group of starters and perhaps that experience will pay dividends this fall.

Last year, UVa’s line allowed 43 sacks in 12 games, finishing near the bottom nationally in that category for the third consecutive year. The ground game didn’t really get going, either, as the Hoos averaged just 3.12 yards per carry with 12 rushing touchdowns. The pass and run blocking leave quite a bit of room for improvement heading into fall camp and the line is going to need to show a big jump in productivity for the offense to be productive in year three of the Tony Elliott era.

McKale Boley (Tackle)

Now in his third year with the program, it’s safe to pencil in Boley as the starting left tackle heading into camp. After playing some as a freshman in 2022, Boley developed into one of UVa’s most trustworthy blockers last year, starting all 12 games at left tackle and finishing the season with the second-best blocking grade of all regular starters on the line. He is physically a different player than he was when he arrived in Charlottesville two years ago, and if he can take the next step mentally as well, he could be a critical part of an improved group.

Blake Steen (Tackle)

A year ago, it would’ve been downright shocking to have Steen slotted into a starting tackle spot, but his 2023 season puts him in the catbird seat heading into camp. Steen played throughout his sophomore season, having a breakout game against UNC and starting the subsequent five games to end the season at right tackle. Offensive line coach Terry Heffernan admitted at last week’s media luncheon that he wasn’t sure Steen would be good enough to play at UVa at any time when the coach arrived from Stanford and that Steen’s rise is credited to his hard work and physical development.

Brian Stevens (Center)

Stevens is an example of the transfer portal doing wonders for a program if they can find the right fit. He came to UVa from Dayton and started playing at guard before transitioning (rather unexpectedly) to center following some issues at that position. Stevens ended up being UVa’s best lineman throughout the 2023 season, and his play at center fixed a lot of the snap problems the Cavalier quarterbacks dealt with in the first two games of the season. He is the starter at center heading into camp but has the ability to play guard as well, should something unexpected arise.

Noah Josey (Guard)

After missing spring practice recovering from surgery, Josey should start fall camp among the starters at one of the two guard spots. He is an experienced player at this point, having started all 12 games for UVa at left guard last year, playing 870 snaps. Josey seems pretty well entrenched into the starting lineup at this point and if the starting five can stay healthy through camp, he and the four others will have a good chance to have built some chemistry by the time the opener rolls around.

Ty Furnish (Guard)

The final spot in our projected starting line goes to Furnish, who started the season at center after winning the competition for the job, but was ultimately flipped for Stevens and played the rest of the season at guard. Furnish started all but one game last season, and credit to him for being able to slide over to guard after being replaced at center and finding a way to stay on the field. It’s fair to pencil Furnish in for now but of all five starting spots on the line, this is probably the one that’s most up for grabs, should he not play well or get banged up.

Jimmy Christ

While UVa has a somewhat settled starting five, the Cavaliers do have a few lineman that have played a decent amount, starting with Christ. The former Penn State lineman saw action in seven games last season, playing most of his snaps against William & Mary at right tackle. He has struggled to stay healthy at times, but is a solid backup option who could compete for playing time or at least be the first tackle available to come in if someone is injured.

Ugonna Nnanna

The former Houston Cougar is another experienced depth option that could certainly come in if called upon and do a serviceable job. Nnanna started last season at right tackle after coming to UVa as a guard, and that experiment didn’t work out particularly well.d started the first six games of the season at tackle, eventually losing his place to Steen but did play some at guard down the stretch, a role he could take on again if need be.

Houston Curry

After the first two depth options mentioned, the experience level dries up a bit as we go further down the depth chart. Curry is a candidate to slot into the second-team line at tackle, meaning he could be an injury away from a starting spot. He played just four offensive line snaps last season but has been complimented for his work in practice at various times by the staff.

Charlie Patterson

Patterson is another depth option who has played very sparingly on Saturdays. He played just 10 snaps last year, all in the season opener against Tennessee. Patterson has been running with the 2s and 3s for most of his career in practice and has a few years of experience under his belt.

Cole Surber

After being the first commit in UVa’s 2023 recruiting class, Surber redshirted as a freshman but could work his way into the two deep this year. He is listed at 6-foot-4, 300 pounds and could factor in at either guard spot.

Noah Hartsoe

A walk-on that always ended up in the conversation to be in the two-deep, Hartsoe did end up playing in four games last season, either at center or right guard. He played no more than 10 snaps in any game, but with injuries in spring practice had a chance to get more reps than he would have otherwise, and could certainly end up on the two deep.

Drake Metcalf

The former Stanford and UCF product figured to have a chance to compete for playing time on the interior line but was injured during spring practice, and because of that, his status for the 2024 season is in doubt. It’s quite likely he ends up not playing at all.

Blake Steen

The most obvious candidate given his late-season surge, the offensive line will be far better off if Steen gets closer to his potential this year. Having Boley at one tackle spot and Steen at the other could give the offensive line its most solidified tackle combo in some time and, paired with an experienced interior line, could give UVa the boost its need to both protect the quarterback and open up the run game.

How many spots on the starting line are truly up for grabs in camp?

Last year’s fall camp competition was viewed as wide open by the staff, and there was very little clarity as to who would play and where. Now, for the first time since this staff arrived in Charlottesville, it feels like everyone knows who should be playing at each of the five spots and none of those players lack experience playing against ACC competition.

Still, injuries (as UVa saw losing transfer addition Metcalf in the spring) and performance issues do happen, so it will be interesting to track whether any of these five spots opens up during camp, and who is in a position to grab one of them.

The hope is that the presumed starters play well and stay healthy, and that the competition for the second-team line is more robust but history says that we’ll be in for a surprise starter at some point up front.