The University of Virginia found its signal caller for the class of 2023 in the Sunshine State, as head coach Tony Elliott picked up yet another pledge on July 8 when three-star QB Anthony Colandrea committed to the Hoos.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound quarterback hails from St. Petersburg. As a junior, Colandrea passed for 3,300 yards and 41 touchdowns. He led his Spartans to a 10-3 record and finished the season in the third round of the Florida 4A playoffs.
Colandrea’s stats were impressive, but what else are the Wahoos getting?
“As a football player I bring everything that you expect from a quarterback,” he told CavsCorner. “The leadership on and off the field, matched with the work ethic. I bring the demand for excellence within myself and those around me. The standard is the standard.”
The standout QB also talked more about his leadership skills and the abilities to get his teammates to play above themselves.
“I believe another strength I have is the ability to demand a higher level of play from those around me,” he said. “My demand for excellence on and off the field has a contagious effect on the entire program.”
In terms of his skill set, the Lakewood High School standout brings plenty.
“As far as my strengths go, off top I believe I can make any and every throw,” he explained. “I have the ability to learn, master, and flourish in any offense due to my understanding of football as a whole,”
“I’m a film junkie,” Colandrea added. “Pre-snap and post-snap reads are something I worked on all spring, and I can add that to my toolbox as an efficient passer.”
On his recent visit Colandrea, who also had offers from Bowling Green, Hawaii, Kentucky, and Richmond, among others, connected with quarterbacks coach Taylor Lamb after months of recruiting.
“Coach Lamb and I have built a relationship over the past five months,” he said. “After camping [at UVa] and seeing how he coaches, I knew he was a coach I would want to play for.”
Colandrea expects to bring some heat in short order to the UVa offense. With an offensive minded head Colandrea seems to fit right in with what Elliott wants to bring to this program. How did the head coach connect with him about his vision going forward?
“I realized that Coach Elliott will be building the model program at Virginia,” Colandrea said. “I’m excited about his plans and I’m glad to be a part of it. Coach Elliot talked about building his football players to be great men and helping us develop leadership qualities on and off the field.”
Colandrea also talked about how Elliott feels about this 2023 class, his first full recruiting class at the UVa.
“Coach Elliott wants me to be the leader of this class,” he said. “He thinks the 2023 class will make a big impact on Virginia Football going forward.”
Colandrea added that he plans to be back on Grounds later this month for his official visit, which promises to be a big recruiting weekend for the staff.
