1. UVa continues to battle injuries, and now, attrition.

Last week Tony Elliott said that UVa was healthier heading into its game at Maryland than in the two previous contests. In the first half of that game, however, injuries piled up. And now, with NC State up next on Friday night, the Wahoos look like they’ll be down a few key players once again.

Elliott updated the media on his team’s injury situation heading into Game No. 4 on Tuesday. Safety Antonio Clary had to have surgery on his ankle after working his way back from a camp injury and will miss about six weeks. Fellow safety Lex Long returned briefly from a concussion last week but got banged up again and is out for this week. Defensive end Ben Smiley remains in the concussion protocol. And it sounds like starting quarterback Tony Muskett is still working his way back from an injury picked up in the season opener (more on that in a bit.) There wasn’t a lot of positive injury news, but Elliott did say that tackle Jimmy Christ is cleared to play this week, as he works his way back from a knee injury.

Elliott also dropped a bit of attrition news in this week’s presser. Receiver Demick Starling has decided to forgo the remainder of the season to preserve his redshirt, which would give him two years of eligibility to play elsewhere. Elliott clarified that he does not expect Starling to return to UVa, indicating that the Tennessee native will enter the transfer portal at season’s end and move on. In two games this season, Starling had just two targets with no catches.

2. It sounds like it might be Anthony Colandrea again on Friday night.

Elliott said on Tuesday that Muskett is still improving on his road to recovery, but it seemed that he stopped short of saying that he’ll be ready to go for this week’s game. Muskett is working hard to be able to get back on the field and it sounded like he could be used more than in an emergency capacity at this point.

There were a lot of questions yesterday about Colandrea’s play this season and against Maryland, and as Elliott answered those questions he sounded like a coach that would have Colandrea back out there again this game too. We’ll see, though, as UVa’s staff seemingly made an effort to make it seem like Muskett would return against Maryland only to have him sit out the game. All bets are off at this point but we know that Colandrea is healthy and able to play and the same cannot be said of Muskett at least right now.

3. Elliott wants the focus of Friday’s game on football, not on the drama and storylines surrounding the contest.

Friday’s game against the Wolfpack is littered with storylines and easy talking points for the crew announcing the game for ESPN. When the Pack come to Charlottesville to take on UVa, they’ll feature former Cavalier quarterback Brennan Armstrong, former offensive coordinator Robert Anae, and former offensive line coach Garett Tujague. All three have very recent histories with the Hoos and in Charlottesville; Armstrong and Tujague were here a year ago, and Anae faced the Hoos as the offensive coordinator at Syracuse.

These storylines will surely be in the minds of the players, as well as the UVa fans in the stands on Friday night. But Elliott said he’s not interested in using them as a motivational tool and would rather focus on what his team needs to do to beat a favored NC State team. He said in his weekly press conference that emotion alone cannot win a game and while the Wahoos may come out fired up and motivated to beat their old friends, eventually they’ll settle into a regular football game, which will be decided by execution.

1. Will UVa’s defense be able to contain Armstrong’s ground game?

Speaking of Armstrong, UVa’s defense will need to be ready to contain the dual-threat quarterback on Friday night. NC State’s offense has been a bit more run heavy through three games under Anae than UVa’s offenses were when he and Armstrong were here. The Cavaliers will need to be ready to defend the pass game, something they’ve struggled with over the past two weeks, but they’ll also need to find a way to keep Armstrong from beating them with his legs.

UVa allowed scrambles that hurt last week in Maryland and, as Elliott said, Armstrong is a more capable and violent runner than Taulia Tagovailoa. UVa’s defense has struggled to get pressure and at times, to get off the field on 3rd down. If they give Armstrong too much time to make a play, he’s going to make the Wahoos pay.

2. Can UVa find secondary receiver options?

Elliott was asked on Tuesday about the amount of targets his top two receivers, Malik Washington and Malachi Fields, have received this season. Fields and Washington have accounted for almost all of the receiver production, and 70 percent of the targets through three games. UVa needs to diversify its passing game a bit to keep the defenses honest, and Elliott said that starts with getting backs and tight ends involved.

UVa has seldom used tight ends Grant Misch and Sackett Wood in the pass game, but both players are solid options in this offense and could be critical check-down options in the pass game no matter the quarterback.

We’ll see this week and beyond if UVa is able to work the tight ends into the passing game more, and if that helps keep the defense honest and open things up a bit more for Fields and Washington.

UVa’s defense will force its first turnover of the season on Friday night.

They’re due, right? The Hoos haven’t forced a turnover on D this season and have failed to force one in the last six games, dating back to the overtime loss to Miami last fall.

Armstrong and State have played relatively clean in their wins over VMI and UConn but struggled with turnovers against Notre Dame, in their lone loss of the season. Elliott downplayed Armstrong’s tendency to create turnovers, but the numbers speak for themselves: He struggled with turnovers and fumbles a year ago, and perhaps the UVa defense can force him back into some old habits on Friday.

Regardless of whether it leads to success in the game, we think UVa’s defense finally breaks the turnover-free streak with at least one takeaway against the Pack.