Transfers 'really value' chance to return home, play at Virginia

And it’s the appreciation for the chance to finish up their time in school closer to home at Virginia.
“I really value being able to represent my state in the best way possible and I feel like it was time,” cornerback Malcolm Greene, a former standout at Highland Springs, said last week about his move to depart Clemson and join the Cavaliers earlier this summer.
“I was hoping UVa would be in the bunch and they came through,” said Jimmy Christ, an offensive lineman who starred at Dominion High ahead of beginning his career at Penn State.
Christ transferred to UVa after the spring.
Quarterback Tony Muskett, the ex-West Springfield High signal-caller, expressed similar sentiment this past March upon arrival on Grounds from FCS Monmouth where he threw for 5,687 yards and 51 touchdowns over three seasons with the Hawks.
“It was at the top of my list,” Muskett said then. “It’s my home school. It’s my home state.”
Muskett, Christ and Greene are a trio of Commonwealth natives whose return to the state is expected to provide the Hoos a boost in key positions. These were in-state players UVa coach Tony Elliott and his staff needed to solidify the roster.
Muskett is the clear-cut favorite to win the Cavaliers’ starting quarterback job while Christ is likely to step in at one of the two tackle spots on UVa’s offensive line. Greene, a four-star prospect by the recruiting services prior to signing with Clemson, should be an immediate starter in the secondary considering the Cavaliers must replace two All-ACC cornerbacks.
All three players could’ve began their careers in Charlottesville — Christ originally committed to UVa before flipping his pledge to Penn State. Greene had an offer from the Hoos and Muskett earned a preferred walk-on opportunity — but each opted to head out of state.
This time around they had other offers, too, including ones at Power Five programs, but ultimately decided on UVa.
“It means a lot,” Greene said. “Being able to represent your state is something that not many people can say they’ve done, and being able to be not too far from home if something happens at home you can go back and be a helping hand in any way possible. So, this is an experience that people don’t come across and after being at Clemson and that far from home, it made me grow up and grow a great understanding for what it means to be at home.”
He said he hopes the decisions he, Christ and Muskett made to transfer to UVa has an influence on the state’s high school prospects and for them to consider the Cavaliers seriously.
“I feel like it does,” Greene said. “And I’m seeing a lot kids go to Virginia Tech. I want them to be here, but I feel like that being able represent your state when you’re the best guy is something that you really don’t have the chance to do.”
Adams found trust, comfort at UVa
It isn’t a frequent occurrence for Virginia to reach into Connecticut in order to add to its recruiting class.
But the Cavaliers had reason to do so to land Avon Old Farms (Avon, Conn.) safety KeShawn Adams, a three-star prospect who made his pledge to UVa last month.
Hoos defensive backs coach Curome Cox, Adams’ lead recruiter, and Avon Old Farms coach Jon Wholley worked on staff together at UConn when Cox led the Huskies’ defensive backs and Wholley coached UConn’s linebackers.
“They always kept in touch,” Adams explained.
“And I know from the second Coach Cox watched my film with some of the other grad assistants and [defensive] coaches, the rest is history and they reached out to Coach Wholley,” Adams continued. “… Coach Wholley made me really look at them and then as soon as I got offered by them, I started doing research on them.”
Adams said what appealed to him was UVa’s strong academic reputation and a feeling that he’d be set up for life after football. Additionally, he said his connections with Cox, defensive coordinator John Rudzinski and Cavaliers coach Tony Elliott were strong. He said Rudzinski made him the offer and that both Elliott and Cox do a great job of checking up with him regularly.
“They made me feel like a priority,” said Adams, who chose UVa over Duke, UConn and West Virginia. “And then ever since I stepped on campus there, it was an at-home feeling and a great relationship with the coaches. They always showed me the most love and always reached out to me the most.”
He said the plan for him is to concentrate on playing safety, but also develop skills as a nickel cornerback.
“One thing they say they’ve seen on my film is how versatile I am,” Adams said. “So I think they’d want me to be in the box some because they know I can hit also, but being back at safety I can play the deep-half of the field or middle-high, so I think I’ll be versatile there.”