ACC football team previews: Virginia

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I hope you enjoyed another look around the ACC and learned something before the season. Getting back into sports/college football mode has been tough with everything going on, but submersing myself in information about the other ACC schools helped and maybe it worked for you as well.

Last but not least, our Wahoos are finally set to take the field this weekend. Here's my preview for UVa. 

Virginia Cavaliers 

Last year: 9-5 (6-2 ACC), lost to No. 3 Clemson, 62-17, in ACC championship; lost to No. 9 Florida, 36-28, in Orange Bowl Best win: vs. No. 24 Virginia Tech, 39-30 Worst loss: at Miami, 17-9
Coach: Bronco Mendenhall (fifth year, 25-27, 124-70 career)
Starters returning: 17 (7 offense, 8 defense, 2 specialists)


Offensive players to watch: QB Brennan Armstrong. The time has come for Armstrong, a redshirt sophomore, to take up the mantle from Bryce Perkins as the starting quarterback of the Cavaliers. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Ohio native has not started any games, but he has gotten a decent amount of time in two years as Perkins' backup, a few times in big situations, leading scoring drives against Louisville and Georgia Tech in 2018 and executing a fake punt pass for a first down against North Carolina in 2019. Overall, Armstrong has completed 17 of 25 passes (68 percent) for 258 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He has rushed for 93 yards.

Armstrong doesn't have Perkins' speed, but he is elusive and broke off a nice run against Louisville two years ago. He can put a little more zip on the ball than Perkins and thus, it is said that he can throw the deep ball better than Perkins. By all accounts, Armstrong is a good leader, and he has been chosen one of this year's captains.

Armstrong doesn't have to put as much of the offensive burden on his shoulders as Perkins did. It would be unfair to ask him to do that, especially in his first season starting. And of course, Perkins' production is nearly superlative in Virginia history. Armstrong is stout and can take a hit, and I'm sure he will do plenty of scrambling around. But with a bevy of returning offensive linemen, Virginia could turn to a more traditional running game in 2020, though depth is an issue in the backfield (more on that in a bit). Armstrong just needs to avoid costly mistakes, get the ball into his playmakers' hands, and maybe surprise us time to time with a nice deep ball or sizable rush.

Brennan Armstrong talks with QB coach
Jason Beck at this year's camp.
(Jim Daves/UVa Athletics Media Relations)

WR Terrell Jana. The senior had a breakout year in 2019 after catching just 11 balls in 2018. Jana, a Canadian that went to Woodberry Forest School near Charlottesville, recorded 73 catches (just behind Joe Reed's 77 and Hasise Dubois' 75) for 878 yards (12 ypc) and three TDs. Of the trio, though, no one caught more passes over the season's final seven games than Jana, 49, compared to 39 for Dubois and 35 for Reed (Reed missed the Clemson game). Jana also had the most productive single game when he caught 13 passes for 146 yards at UNC.

Jana, 6-foot and 200 pounds, is also known as a good leader and was named the other offensive captain. Despite his somewhat small size, I recall specific catches against UNC and Florida where Jana went up and made catches in the air with defenders nearby. He can be physical and has enough speed. Jana is a super reliable target at this stage of his career. Neither Reed nor Dubois were as productive in their junior years as Jana was, so that bodes well for his final collegiate campaign.

Defensive players to watch: LB Noah Taylor. With the group of LBs, it is likely senior Zane Zandier will lead the unit in tackles, and senior Charles Snowden gets more hype as one of the faces of the team and a big, hulking disruptor, but Taylor was arguably more disruptive than Snowden last year. Taylor, a 6-5, 225-pound junior, tallied 57 tackles, a team-leading 13.5 for losses, seven sacks (second behind Jordan Mack's 7.5), two INTs (both against VT, one of which didn't matter at all and one of which was one of the biggest picks in UVa history), four breakups, eight QB hits, one forced fumble, and one blocked kick. After really coming out of nowhere -- to me at least -- in 2019 and being such a significant player, I'm expecting even more from Taylor in 2020. He's good in pass coverage, almost acting like another safety on the field at times. And he of course creates issues with his length, though he is not quite as rangy as Snowden. But defensive coordinator Nick Howell can really move Snowden and Taylor around to pose problems for opposing offenses.

LB Noah Taylor runs off the field with the ball
after his fourth-quarter INT against Virginia Tech
last season. (Getty Images)

S Joey Blount. Blount, a senior, was an all-ACC third-teamer last season after totaling 95 tackles (behind only Zandier's 108), 6.5 for losses, 3.5 sacks, a team-leading three picks, three breakups, and a QB hit. Blount is not overly big at 6-1, but he is now listed at 205 pounds after playing under 200 last season. Nevertheless, he loves to throw his body around and has been laying hard hits on opponents for two seasons since becoming a surprise starter in 2018. Blount's solid-to-great play the past couple of seasons has probably been overshadowed by players such as Juan Thornhill and Bryce Hall, who received more attention for what they did. But Blount is poised for another big year as one of UVa's last lines of defense.

Special teams players to watch: K Brian Delaney. Delaney, a senior, was honorable mention all-ACC after converting 20 of his 24 field goals, including a season-long 49-yarder against Florida State. Also, he made his final 13 in a row, which included the biggest kick of his career and one of the biggest in UVa history, the game-winning 48-yard boot against Virginia Tech. Oddly, Delaney was actually more accurate from 40-49 yards (4 for 5) than from 30-39 yards (8 for 11). He did miss two extra points in two of the biggest games of the season against FSU and VT, but luckily, the Cavaliers won both. Even with those misses, Virginia's kicking has a come a long, long way since Mendenhall's first season.

KR Shane Simpson. Simpson is one of six graduate transfers looking to have a great final season, and the Wahoos hope he helps out as an RB and on special teams. Simpson transferred from Towson when the CAA decided to cancel fall football. The 5-11, 200-pound sixth-year senior has dealt with injuries throughout his career but has proven to be a dynamic kick returner when healthy. In 2018, he averaged 24 yards per kick return and scored once and was named an FCS All-American as an all-purpose back. In 2016, he averaged almost 27 yards per kick return, scored once, and landed on some All-America teams. Simpson's 2019 campaign was cut short, but he averaged 27.3 yards on four kick returns.

Schedule: vs. Duke, at Clemson, vs. N.C. State, at Wake Forest, at Miami, vs. North Carolina, vs. Louisville, bye, vs. Abilene Christian, at Florida State, vs. Boston College, at Virginia Tech.

Outlook: First off, a couple of notes that are important to keep in mind for this season before diving into a further breakdown. First, every player in college football is allowed to opt out because of the COVID-19 pandemic without losing a year of eligibility. So a junior opting out of 2020 could come back in 2021 as a junior. Mendenhall has been staunch in his support of players who have chosen this path. I believe there are six. They are (most significant 2019 contributors listed first): junior DT Aaron Faumui, sophomore RB Mike Hollins, sophomore CB Tenyeh Dixon, redshirt freshman WR Dorien Goddard, senior OL Alex Gellerstedt, and possibly sophomore LB Jairus Satiu, though I don't think COVID opt out has been confirmed as a reason for him. The first five players are still listed on the VirginiaSports.com roster, but Satiu is not. I wish all of these players well in making this personal decision and hope they can play for UVa in 2021. Second, and related to that point, the NCAA ruled that this season actually doesn't count against any player's eligibility. So Armstrong, for instance, will still be listed as a redshirt sophomore next season, I suppose, even though he will presumably play a full season (weird, I know).

OK, hopefully that frames this preview and crazy season a little more.

Mendenhall likes to speak of unbroken growth in the Virginia football program. He tweeted out that motto after the Cavaliers defeated the Hokies in November for the first time since 2003, earning the team its first ACC Coastal crown.

Mendenhall has improved UVa's win total in each of his first four seasons: two, six, eight, nine. A program cannot do that year after year. If a team goes undefeated, it is impossible for it to improve its winning percentage the next season. While the thought is nice, I don't know if any reasonable Wahoo expects 10 victories this year. Even if there were 12 games like normal, a 10-2 record would be a big ask, and 10-1 is an even bigger ask. Mendenhall has always said the players set their own goals. He's not going to say "No" to a goal of 10 wins. The players should absolutely aspire to be great. But deep down, I'm sure he knows that 10 victories would be a stretch this season, one in which the Wahoos must deal with life post-Perkins.

So what would unbroken growth look like for the Cavaliers in 2020 if it doesn't translate to 10 wins? There's no right answer -- every fan can come at this with a different perspective -- but some answers are more reasonable than others. Simply making it to another bowl game? Winning a bowl game, even if it is just a lower-tier bowl? Seven wins, eight, nine again? For historical perspective, looking at the regular season only, in Al Groh's fifth year in 2005, the team went 6-5 (54.5 winning percentage). That was a step back from an 8-5 regular season in his second year (61.5), 7-5 in his third year (58.3) and 8-3 in his fourth year (72.7). In his sixth year, Groh went 5-7, which was the beginning of the end of his tenure, though he did have the fairly lucky nine-victory campaign in 2007. Groh was fired after going 3-9 in 2009. His sustained peak was from 2002-04. He was relieved of his duties because the valleys became intolerable. A program is defined just as much by its valleys as its peaks. Clemson has made the College Football Playoff five straight seasons. The Tigers have two championships. Their valley, right now, is losing in either the national semifinal or the final. It is almost assumed by now that they'll be one of the nation's four best programs.

Bronco Mendenhall has kept a close eye
on his players in the preseason. (UVa Athletics)

Mendenhall has a sustained peak now, too, with eight victories and now nine, similar to Groh's trajectory going into the 2005 season. Mendenhall's tenure will be made or broken by what comes next. While plenty of critics and some fans think this will be a "down" year, what might that look like, especially in such a weird year where many coaches will get passes due to the unusual circumstances? Some critics say Virginia will have a losing season. Some fans who say they are expecting a down year just mean they don't think the 'Hoos will get to nine wins again -- that doesn't mean they think the team will have a losing record. If Mendenhall can begin to define his program's valleys as seasons in which the team still wins more than it loses, then he can enjoy a long career in Charlottesville. As I referenced, things really began to fall apart for Groh in year six, so that will come in 2021 for Mendenhall. But despite several returning starters, this does feel like a new era for Mendenhall on the dawn of his fifth season. What can he do now, after beating the Hokies, winning the division, and getting to the Orange Bowl? Can he truly sustain a winning program at UVa? My point is the program has gotten to this point before, about 15 years ago. So we still need to see what life is like after a peak under Mendenhall.

Analysts expect Virginia to be a fairly middle-of-the-pack ACC team. ESPN's March Schlabach picked the Cavaliers 11th. The Richmond Times-Dispatch's David Teel pegged the 'Hoos eighth. The official ACC media poll voted them ninth. My colleagues and I at HoosPlace.com, obviously a bit more bullish, predicted a sixth-place finish. For what it's worth, my vote in that poll was seventh. Seventh place in a 15-team ACC could mean finishing with a few different records. I am cautiously optimistic. I believe there are plenty of reasons to think this will be a successful season.

As I said, I feel good about Armstrong. Can he do everything Perkins did? Probably not. But I think he can do a lot. And with an experienced offensive line back, a star wideout, a stout defense, and several transfers to fill the holes, that should mean Armstrong won't have to produce as much through the air or on the ground as Perkins.

I felt good about Armstrong when he was a backup to Perkins. I also feel good about UVa's No. 2 QB this season. Mississippi State transfer Keytaon Thompson, a junior, is a big kid at 6-4 and 215 pounds (listed at 225 pounds when he transferred) that can really run the ball. Thompson rushed for a combined 268 yards and four TDs in the 2017 Egg Bowl against Ole Miss and the TaxSlayer Bowl against Louisville, beating Lamar Jackson's Cardinals that year. He needs to be a more accurate passer, sitting at just 47.6 percent for his career, but UVa could do worse at backup QB than someone who has won some games for an SEC team. There's also the possibility Thompson could see some time, especially in rushing situations, within the regular flow of the game (with Armstrong on the field at the same time??). I'd trust the staff to deploy him in this way, particularly at the goal line. I don't think the coaches would cause a QB controversy or create issues that aren't there. But using Thompson strategically because of his great strength as a runner? I'm here for it.

I think Wayne Taulapapa has what it takes
to be a more productive running back.
(UVa Athletics)

Junior running back Wayne Taulapapa, 5-9, 210 pounds, anchors a thin running back position that lost Chris Sharp to graduation, Jamari Peacock to transfer, and the promising Hollins to COVID opt out. PK Kier and Lamont Atkins also graduated and left the program. Taulapapa recorded only 473 yards last season on 4.1 ypc, but finished fourth in the ACC with 12 rushing TDs. I think he can get the ball a lot more. I thought he looked good at times and is thick enough to take the pounding. With a more experienced offensive line, the lack of other backfield options, and the presumed decline in rushing expected from the QB spot, I expect Taulapapa's usage to climb. Simpson is another option after racking up 1,925 rushing yards and 13 TDs across 35 games at Towson. He also is a weapon in the passing game, having accumulated 67 catches and six TDs. Sophomore Perris Jones, 5-8, 175 pounds, is the only other player listed as a running back on the depth chart. Despite his small stature, he has generated some offseason buzz since entering the program last season, and it looks like he will get a real shot to shine. As of now, Indiana transfer and Richmond-area native Ronnie Walker, 5-11, 210 pounds, still isn't eligible, despite the NCAA seemingly handing out endless numbers of waivers so transfers can play in 2020. Mendenhall said he is optimistic regarding Walker's eligibility, but Walker is now in the final appeals process. Obviously, UVa could really use him. Walker is practicing, so I imagine he will be ready to go if given the green light. Don't be surprised if someone else pops up as a running back due to the lack of depth.

At wideout, yes, the loss of Reed and Dubois hurt, but Jana is as solid as they come, and UVa has another transfer ready to step in here. Senior Ra'Shaun Henry, 6-3, 190 pounds, caught 90 passes at the FCS level for St. Francis (Pa.) last season. With combined 2019 totals of 152 catches, 1,741 yards, and 13 touchdowns exiting with Reed and Dubois, I'd say the door is wide open for Henry to catch a ton of passes, and Mendenhall has praised Henry during camp. Junior Billy Kemp, 5-9, 170 pounds, is ready to step into more of a starring role after recording 35 receptions and one score last year. Junior Tavares Kelly, 5-8, 160 pounds, has 24 catches his first two seasons and has a chance to break out. Two promising players are out for the season, one I already mentioned. Goddard was expected to battle for a spot on the two-deep but opted out, and sophomore Dontayvion Wicks, who had three catches and one score in 2019 and was really expected to contribute, suffered a season-ending injury in August. So other than Jana, Henry, Kemp, and Kelly, the receiving corps is filled out by players who have yet to prove themselves at the college level. The initial depth chart includes true freshmen Demick Starling and Lavel Davis Jr., senior Jalen Harrison, and junior Hayden Mitchell. Mitchell is a former walk-on who recently earned a scholarship and caught three passes last season. Harrison, a Charlottesville-area native, joined the team in 2019 after being a member of the Virginia baseball team his first two years of college. Wide receivers coach Marques Hagans said a few weeks ago that sophomore Ugo Obasi was working back from an injury. Obasi has sparked conversation in the past about his performance in practice, but he has yet to make a catch. But still, remember his name.

Terrell Jana celebrates after scoring
a TD against Florida in the Orange Bowl.

The lack of proven wideouts means tight end transfer Tony Poljan has an even bigger opportunity. The 6-7, 265-pound former Central Michigan standout tallied 33 receptions and four TDs for the Chippewas last season and was named second-team all-MAC. He's considered a future NFL tight end. Sophomore Grant Misch is the only other TE with experience. He caught one pass in 2019, a TD at UNC. Joshua Rawlings is a promising true freshman but may get to redshirt now with Poljan on the squad. Remember, redshirting now means players can play up to four games without losing a year of eligibility, but with the NCAA ruling that 2020 does not count against any player's eligibility, I guess that is a moot point, so Rawlings could still play every game and be a "true" freshman in 2021.

As I've referenced, the offensive line has a lot of starting experience back. This week, the listed starters are junior Ryan Swoboda at LT (6-10, 325 pounds), junior Ryan Nelson at LG (6-4, 325 pounds), junior Olusegun Oluwatimi, who was honorable mention all-ACC in 2019, at center (6-3, 310 pounds), senior Chris Glaser at RG (6-4, 305 pounds), and senior Dillon Reinkensmeyer at RT (6-6, 315 pounds). Mendenhall said several days ago that junior Bobby Haskins (6-7, 280 pounds), who started 13 games last year at LT, is working back from an injury. Penn State transfer Gellerstedt was expected to provide quality depth at tackle after missing the 2019 season with an injury but decided to opt out.

The defensive line is hurt by the opt out of Faumui, who collected 33 tackles, eight for losses, four sacks, two breakups, and nine QB hits, and longtime staple Eli Hanback has graduated. But the group is still solid. Sixth-year senior Richard Burney, 6-4, 280 pounds, is back at one DE after collecting 21 tackles, 2.5 for losses, a sack, a breakup, and six QB hits. He's one of the defensive captains and is a true picture of perseverance. Early in his career, he switched from tight end to defense to fill a team need. In 2018, he was just beginning to bud as a defender when he suffered a season-ending injury. At DT is 6-1 sophomore Jowon Briggs, who started as a true freshman, finishing with 19 tackles, three for losses, and one sack. He's up to 310 pounds now after playing below 300 last season. At the other DE is senior Mandy Alonso, 6-2, 280 pounds, who pulled down Virginia Tech QB Hendon Hooker in the end zone. Alonso recorded 23 tackles, 6.5 for losses, two sacks, two breakups, four QB hits, and a forced fumble (the Hooker one). Listed behind Burney is redshirt freshman Ben Smiley III, 6-4, 260 pounds, who had opted out but then decided to join the team near the beginning of September. He saw time in two games. True freshman Jahmeer Carter, 6-2, 305 pounds, is listed behind Briggs. Carter has received some preseason hype. And backing up Alonso is the first of two JMU defensive transfers, senior Adeeb Atariwa, 6-3, 280 pounds. In 2019, he tallied 52 tackles, 13 for losses, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a pass breakup, and a blocked kick for the Dukes. I believe the only player to not be listed on the depth chart for the DL that has seen time the past two seasons is redshirt sophomore Jordan Redmond, so watch out for his name.

Anybody remember this play by Mandy Alonso?
(John Markon)

The linebacking unit is expected to be the best group on the team. It is loaded with experience, size, and versatility, all of those good things you hear about. It is so good that I could not help but talk about three LBs in the "Defensive players to watch" section. One of the men in the middle is Zandier, 6-3, 230 pounds, who led the Cavaliers in tackles with 108, 12.5 for losses, five sacks, one pick (he took it back for a TD against Old Dominion), five breakups, and two QB hits. Beside him, sophomore Nick Jackson, 6-1, 235 pounds, will get the start after seeing lots of time as a true freshman behind the banged up Mack, who has graduated. Jackson notched 28 tackles, one for loss, half a sack, and two QB hits. I've already mentioned Taylor as one OLB, and the 6-7, 235-pound Snowden as the other was named honorable mention all-ACC in 2019 after finishing with 72 tackles, 11 for losses, five sacks, four breakups, and 11 QB hits. He's the other defensive captain and was one of UVa's most vocal players this summer in the fight to end racism. The depth at inside linebacker includes senior Rob Snyder, 6-2, 230 pounds, who is working back from an injury he suffered last year just four games in. In 2018, he had 53 tackles. A pair of redshirt freshmen, Josh Ahern and Hunter Stewart, also are names to watch, and also sophomore T.C. Harrison. Backing up Snowden is senior Matt Gahm, who finished 2019 with 36 tackles, 5.5 for losses, 1.5 sacks, one INT, three breakups, and three QB hits. Listed behind Taylor is another rangy senior at 6-5, Elliott Brown, who had eight tackles last year.

Charles Snowden (11) and Zane Zandier
key a dangerous linebacking corps.
(Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) 

A quartet of seniors form the frontline for the secondary. At one CB is Nick Grant, who was thrust into a starting role last year after Darrius Bratton went down with an injury in August. Grant performed pretty well, tallying 51 tackles, 1.5 for losses, half a sack, two interceptions (including a pick-six against William & Mary), and eight breakups. At the other CB is De'Vante Cross. His inclusion at corner rather than safety on the depth chart is surprising, as he seems to be a more natural fit at safety and did better there in 2019 than at corner. He finished with 60 tackles, four for losses, one sack, two picks, six breakups, and one QB hit. I mentioned Blount at one safety spot, and slated beside him is Brenton Nelson, who was forced out of action after only eight games last year. He recorded 19 tackles, one for loss, one pick, and two breakups. Bratton, a junior, is back this year and listed behind Cross. In 2018, he had 16 tackles and seven breakups. Listed behind Grant is junior Heskin Smith, who recorded 28 tackles and two breakups. More depth at CB includes sophomore Jaylon Baker, junior Darnell Pratt, and true freshman Elijah Gaines. With Hall going down with his ankle injury midway through last season, Cross, Smith, Baker, and Pratt have all seen time at corner in the past. The defense should be used to life without Hall by now. Backing up Blount is the other JMU transfer, senior D'Angelo Amos, who was first-team all-CAA last year after recording 57 tackles, five for losses, 1.5 sacks, two INTs, five breakups, one forced fumble, and three blocked kicks. Listed behind Nelson are sophomores Coen King and Antonio Clary. King is a hardworking kid and former walk-on who earned a scholarship recently. Clary saw action in five games before getting hurt and is now getting back into playing shape.

Senior Nash Griffin returns at punter. Kemp is still listed as the primary punt returner, despite Amos finishing No. 2 in career punt return yardage at JMU and scoring five TDs, so we will have to see if that changes.

Got all that? It's a lot to digest and quite a few moving pieces -- and the Wahoos haven't even taken the field yet. They've already had three different opening games -- Georgia, VMI, Virginia Tech -- get canceled or postponed, so hopefully fourth time's the charm with Duke. There have already been a lot of moving pieces for UVa, and that's with Mendenhall and the staff managing the virus really well. The Cavaliers haven't recorded a positive COVID test since July.

Fans will need to be patient this year. Coaches are dealing with things they haven't dealt with before. More games could be postponed or completely taken off the board for UVa. It wouldn't be that surprising if the team looks a little more ragged than usual going into its first game, but then again, this is the latest Week 1 for UVa that I can ever remember. So in a way, the players should be really prepared and itching to go, and I'm sure they are and want to hit people other than their teammates.

All told, I feel like at this point, fingers crossed, UVa has made it through the opt out phase of the preseason fairly unscathed. Faumui was a significant contributor, and Hollins certainly could help in the backfield, but thus far, there hasn't been a case of, say, a first, second, or third best player not playing. The most annoying thing regarding the roster is the NCAA refusing to make Walker eligible. It seemed like a given a couple of months ago that he would eligible, and he still is not.

The depth is concerning at a couple of spots, namely wide receiver, running back, and defensive line, but each of those position groups does boast at least two players that have made significant contributions in college, even if on the FCS level (Henry at WR and Simpson at RB). The returning experience at most every unit is evident. Mendenhall has built a veteran, solid, smart squad, even if it doesn't boast many top recruits. The defense, if it can stay healthy, should be very strong and should be ahead of the offense, especially in the early going. The defense was just as strong if not stronger at the beginning of last season, but by the end, the secondary seemed like it was holding on by a thread due to injuries, and the offense had hit its stride. I think the 2020 offense has the potential to be more than adequate enough to win several games.

In addition to just the raw talent and experience on the team and how that factors into the possible success of this season, Virginia possesses a coaching staff that can ably manage the many obstacles that might be thrown its way. The staff continuity is remarkable. DL coach Vic So'oto left for USC in the offseason and was replaced by former Wahoo star LB Clint Sintim. Otherwise, these coaches all know each other and have been with each other for years, going back to their time at BYU.

Mendenhall, as we know, is a master organizer and planner. The guy reads books about organizational psychology for fun, for crying out loud. And, lest you forget, he has written one. He said recently he has been reading about how the military trains soldiers and deals with problems as they arise. Sports isn't war, but Mendenhall can still manage his team and prepare his players as if they are going into a battle. Cross-training at positions has been a big buzzword in the preseason, meaning multiple players are practicing at multiple spots in case they are needed due to injuries, COVID opt outs, and positive cases. I think UVa can be one of the teams that thrives in this crazy season because of Bronco's superior leadership, the program's stable culture, and his strong organizational skills.

Despite the loss of Perkins and program stalwarts such as Reed, Dubois, Hanback, Mack, and Hall, I think UVa and its fans can definitely enjoy a good year. For this season, to me, that would mean finishing at least 6-5. A 5-6 record would be understandable given the strange circumstances but would still be disappointing. But the potential for 6-5 and an even better mark is there. It shows how far we've come to even believe we can lose one of the best QBs in the program's history and still feel like our chances of finishing with a winning record are pretty good.

The ACC looks like it has maybe taken a step up in competition level through the first two weeks of the season, and there are definitely some tough games on UVa's schedule, but there are plenty of winnable ones, too, if the 'Hoos play up to their potential more often than not. So I could be slightly reaching on my prediction, but I guess this is what it feels like to be a bit more optimistic as a Virginia football fan. Who knew?

Win-loss prediction: 6-5 or 7-4

Comments

  1. JP StromanSeptember 27, 2020 at 11:04 PM

    I can't read Mandy Alonso's name anymore without hearing the MANDY ALONSO! radio call of the fumble touchdown in my head.

    ReplyDelete

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