Coach Tony Elliott focuses on leadership development. It can fuel a program. It is no coincidence that Virginia features an expanding cohort of coaches (and players) who have spent time at military academies.
On the 2026 Cavaliers roster, there is representation from Army, Navy, Air Force and VMI. Here are those individuals:
John Rudzinski — Air Force
Before becoming Virginia’s defensive coordinator in 2022, Rudzinski was on the Air Force coaching staff for 14 seasons. His roles included recruiting coordinator, defensive coordinator, defensive backs coach and outside linebackers coach.
Rudzinski graduated from Air Force, going on to serve at the Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina from 2007 to 2010. He then returned to the Academy as a graduate assistant and worked his way up to become defensive coordinator in 2018.
Des Kitchings — Air Force
The Cavaliers offensive coordinator overlapped with Rudzinski at Air Force for one season. They shared a sideline back in 2011, when Kitchings was the running backs coach. The Falcons ranked third nationally in rushing yards and touchdowns that season.
Keith Gaither — Army
Virginia’s special teams coordinator and running backs coach spent two stints at Army. Gaither was the Black Knights’ receivers coach in 2015 and 2016, plus 2020 and 2021.
Kevin Downing — Navy
Before becoming a member of Elliott’s inaugural Virginia staff, Downing spent three seasons as the defensive ends coach at Navy. Downing now serves as the Cavaliers’ associate head coach and defensive tackles coach.
ShaDon Brown — Army
Brown has made multiple FBS stops. One of them was at Army in 2016 — where he met Gaither. Brown served as the cornerbacks coach, leading the nation’s sixth-best pass defense. After working in an assistant role in 2025, Brown is now Virginia’s cornerbacks coach.
Curome Cox — Air Force
When Rudzinski came to Virginia, he brought Cox with him. Cox had been serving as Air Force’s defensive backs coach in 2020 and 2021. He is currently the Cavaliers’ safeties coach and defensive passing game coordinator.
Donavon Platt — Army
Platt played at Army from 2022 to 2024, contributing to a formidable Black Knights defense. He intercepted Chandler Morris (then at North Texas) in a 2024 matchup. Before Platt played for Army, he spent his senior year of high school at the United States Military Academy Preparatory School.
Justin Ross — Navy
Ross transferred to Virginia this offseason after two seasons with Navy. His Midshipmen defeated Platt’s Black Knights in 2024. Ross spent the 2023-24 academic year at the Naval Academy Preparatory School.
Patrick Ashford — VMI
Virginia’s assistant tight end coach came to Grounds in 2025 after spending four seasons with VMI. He was the Keydets’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks for the previous three seasons.
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