AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. — During his first season as Virginia’s head football coach, former Clemson assistant Tony Elliott could have never anticipated nor been fully prepared for the unspeakable tragedy that would transpire on Nov. 13, 2022.

That night, a mass shooting occurred at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where three people lost their lives and two others were wounded. The three victims who died were members of UVA’s football team — Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis and D’Sean Perry.

Elliott, his football program and the University of Virginia community as a whole are still grieving and healing as they continue to move forward with each other from the horrific events of that night.

Faith has provided a strong foundation for Elliott’s life, and he spoke with The Clemson Insider at the ACC spring meetings this week about how he handled the tragedy and how he feels that he is where he’s supposed to be at Virginia.

“I think anybody that is a person of faith ultimately understands that everything happens for a reason, and no more’s going to be put on your shoulders than you can bear, but you don’t necessarily walk around like that all the time,” Elliott said. “You have your own ambitions, your own desires, your own plans, but ultimately there’s going to come different circumstances and situations that are going to challenge your core and what you’re truly standing on.

“So, I’ve heard that a lot, but I believe that I’m where I’m supposed to be. I don’t know if I fully had the preparation for what transpired, but all I knew to do is to lean on what I believe in and focus on the people that are around me and they’re looking to me for leadership. And even though I may not have had the answer, it was my job to go figure out the answer as quick as I possibly could to be able to support them as they navigate those difficult times.”

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families of the victims as well as Elliott and the UVA community as they move forward together.