Law School Transplant

Virginia quarterback Jay Woolfolk throws a pass during UVA fall camp. — After a successful spring with the UVA baseball team, Jay Woolfolk is refocusing his quarterback skills at Virginia Football’s fall camp.

Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics

On April 23, when the Virginia football team was playing a spring game at Scott Stadium as the Cavaliers defeated North Carolina in a thrilling walk-off, Jay Woolfolk met the UVA baseball team a mile away at DeSharon Park. We were together

For Jay Woolfolk, that was most of spring and early summer. While Tony Elliott and his staff began laying the groundwork for his new era in UVA football, Jay Woolfolk played a key role in his Virginia bullpen.

In his first year, Woolfolk took on a challenge that few student-athletes dare to attempt in their entire college careers. The feat of playing two sports is even more unusual and impressive considering Woolfolk was in a Power Five school where he played in two major programs. The Chesterfield, Virginia native completed the challenge in an unprecedented way.

Last fall, Woolfolk became the first true freshman to start a game at UVA at quarterback, the first since Brian Schmock in 1977. With Brennan Armstrong injured and Virginia set to host his team in the top 10 Notre Dame, Woolfolk started brilliantly, completing 18 of 33 passes. 196 passing yards is the most by a true first-year starting quarterback in the history of the UVA program. Unfortunately, Virginia’s offense was unable to finish the drive, losing 28-3 to the Fighting Irish.

After appearing in five games as Virginia’s backup quarterback, Woolfolk turned his attention away from the ballpark to the Diamonds.

Woolfolk proved to be Brian O’Connor’s dependable arm early in the season, appearing in 28 games out of the Cavaliers’ bullpen as they tied for first place. In 37.2 innings pitched, Woolfolk had a 3–0 record, he struck out 55 batters and posted an earned run average of 2.87. College baseball voted Woolfolk its Freshman All-American, and the UVA athletic department voted Woolfolk the Foos Rookie of the Year in his Choice Awards.

This summer, UVA had Jay Woolfolk recreate the iconic photo of Bo Jackson, posing on a soccer pad with a baseball bat.

Now entering his second year at UVA, Woolfolk is focused on football again and is looking good so far into the first week of fall camp.

“It’s going well,” Woolfolk said after Wednesday’s practice. “But I love the intensity that coach Elliott brings. I am grateful that you are doing this. [Taylor] The same goes for lamb. “

During the spring, Woolfolk was in fairly frequent contact with Tony Elliott and Virginia quarterback coach Taylor Lamb.

“We talked quite a bit,” said Woolfolk. “Coach Elliot said to me, ‘Get out there when you can. That was the biggest thing for me.’ He didn’t force me to be there. Coach Lam didn’t force me to be there… Coach Lam was sending me everything. Every day I study the drama that I experienced that day.Obviously you have to come here and do it.But even if I am not there, they still know me. It was great to see you care.”

With just a few weeks left before the season opener, Woolfolk is doing his best to make up for lost time as he tries to secure a backup spot on the UVA quarterback depth chart behind Brennan Armstrong.

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When asked if he would continue playing football and baseball at the University of Virginia, Woolfolk said, “That’s going to be the plan until I can’t physically do both.”

For a full post-practice interview with Jay Woolfolk, watch the video below.

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Jay Woolfolk readjusts at football camp after successful baseball season