Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Brennan Armstrong has made the 2023 Shrine Bowl 1000 list. For over 90 years, the East-West Shrine Bowl has hosted elite college football talent in support of Shriner’s Hospitals for Children and its mission. The Shrine Bowl is the longest-running college football all-star game in the nation.
Recap: Brennan Armstrong’s Rockstar Season
Brennan Armstrong spent the 2021 season shattering school records for UVA. Armstrong threw for 339 yards in the season opener against William & Mary. He threw for a career-high five touchdowns against Illinois and set the UVA single-game passing record of 554 yards. Armstrong became the first quarterback to throw for 400+ yards in three consecutive games for UVA. He threw for 405 yards against Illinois, 554 yards against UNC, and 407 yards against Wake Forest.
Among the most notable games of the season is the Louisville matchup. The Louisville game was the second-highest single-game passing total in program history, with 487 passing yards recorded for Armstrong. It was in this game that Armstrong erased a 17 point deficit in the 4th quarter for a 34-33 victory against the Cardinals.
Though he only played in three quarters against Duke, he threw for 364 yards and two touchdowns against the Blue Devils.
Armstrong suffered an injury against BYU after accounting for six touchdowns, 337 passing yards, 94 running yards, and another school record broken with an 8 yard completion to Jelani Woods in the final quarter. This 300+ yard performance at BYU was Armstrong’s ninth, breaking Matt Schaub’s record of eight.
During the 2021 season, Armstrong served as one of Virginia’s four team captains, making him the first two-time team captain for the Cavs since Micah Kiser.
As a starter in all 11 games for UVA, 2021 was a rockstar year for Brennan Armstrong. Armstrong will return to the Cavaliers for his senior season in 2022.
Looking Back: 2018-2020
During the 2018 season, Armstrong was one of 13 true freshman to see playing time. He was one of eight true freshman to make his college debut in the season opener against Richmond. During this debut, he rushed three times for 11 yards. In the ACC opener against Louisville he ran for 50 yards. Armstrong retained redshirt status under new NCAA Rules.
In the 2019 season Armstrong saw more playing time, appearing in seven of Virginia’s 14 games. He was 9-of-10 passing for 103 yards against William & Mary, and was 3-of-4 passing for 73 yards and one touchdown in the Cavs’ win over Liberty University.
In 2020, Armstrong was named one of UVA’s four team captains. He tied for the FBS lead with six single-season games with 200+ passing yards and 45+ rushing yards. Armstrong was No.3 in the ACC and No.18 in the nation with 296.6 yards of total offense a game. He became Virginia’s first ever quarterback with 400+ yards of total offense in back-to-back games. In week 14, Pro Football Focus graded him as the top quarterback in the nation. He started nine of UVA’s 10 games for the 2020 season.
Is Brennan Armstrong NFL Bound?
There is a strong possibility that Armstrong will have an opportunity to play at the next level.
Among Armstrong’s strengths are his overall accuracy, the ability to spread the ball among different receivers, and his athleticism. Armstrong is capable of throwing the ball anywhere on the field. He is a quick and agile player and a capable runner, with consistent improvement in his mechanics.
In regards to weaknesses, Armstrong needs to improve communication with his teammates to optimize his effectiveness in this position. Armstrong is an instinctual player for sure, but he needs to continue working to become a more detail-oriented player.
Virginia’s new head coach Tony Elliott has said he’s challenging Armstrong to grow in the area of game management this year. If Elliott is successful in his goals for Armstrong, his NFL dreams may just become reality.
2023 East-West Shrine Bowl
The East-West Shrine Bowl is an opportunity for the most elite college players to show up and show out for NFL scouts. A strong performance in the Shrine Bowl can impact a player’s NFL prospects when draft time comes around. Because Brennan Armstrong has made the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl list, it seems safe to bet Armstrong will deliver a strong case for the NFL draft in 2023.
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