Virginia Cavaliers: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats
Virginia Cavaliers: Key To The 2022 Offense
The offensive line has to pass protect.
Four Cavalier offensive linemen are now key starters for big teams, but can this new group do more to keep defenses out of the backfield? That, and the line will be asked to do more for the ground game that should get more work.
Here’s the weird part about the Virginia offense – it was loaded with talent on the line, but it gave up a ton of sacks. To be fair, this was an all-passing attack that threw it 553 times, but the O allowed over three sacks per game.
That was a problem after star QB Brennan Armstrong got hurt.
Only 14 teams gave up more sacks per game, and now the Cavaliers have to tighten up all while figuring out the right combination.
Virginia Cavaliers: Key To The 2022 Defense
Start doing more to get into the backfield.
The defense got rocked, the secondary got ripped apart, and the run D was the worst in the ACC. Just about everything has to be fixed under defensive coordinator John Rudzinski, and that all starts with getting behind the line.
The Cavaliers managed just 18 sacks, and seven of them came in the last two games. That was coming off a 2020 with 32 sacks in just ten games. The 52 tackles for loss were among the fewest in the nation with the 4.3 per game ranking 114th.
More third down stops, more control, more takeaways – that starts with generating more pressure.
Virginia Cavaliers: Key Player To The 2022 Season
OT Logan Taylor, Soph.
The entire offensive line needs reworking and tweaking, and it starts with coming up with finding a starter in place of new Michigan Wolverine Olusegun Oluwatimi at center, and replacing new USC Trojan Bobby Haskins at left tackle.
Pass protection was a big, big problem, and now the pressure is on Taylor, a 6-7, 332-pound strong recruit who has a great frame and the right upside to grow into the job. He saw a little bit of time late last year, and now he’s about to be thrown into the fire.
Virginia Cavaliers: Key Transfer
DE Kam Butler, Sr.
One of the best players in the MAC, the three-time All-MAC star is exactly what the team needs – a pass rusher.
The 6-3, 250-pound hybrid playmaker made 114 tackles with 16 sacks and 31 tackles for loss over the last three seasons, and now it’s his job to be a game-wrecker for one of the worst defenses in college football.
If he does for the Cavaliers what he did for the RedHawks, everything should change around fast.
Virginia Key Game To The 2022 Season
at Virginia Tech, Nov. 26
Sometimes there are early statement games, and sometimes there are games a team has to win to have a shot at a truly huge season. And sometimes there are games that need to be won, just because.
Coach Elliott, this is the game you have to win – as if he isn’t being told that 136 times a day.
The importance of rivalry games might be overblown, but in the first season of a new coaching era at Virginia, and the first season in a new coaching era at Virginia Tech, this is even more of a huge deal than normal.
The Cavaliers have lost two straight in the series and 17 of the last 18.
Virginia Cavaliers: 2021 Fun Stats
– Sacks: Opponents 40 for 232 yards – Virginia 19 for 115 yards
– On-side Kicks: Opponents 2-for-2 – Virginia 0-for-0
– Points Per Game: Virginia 34.6 – Opponents 31.8
Virginia 2022 Preview
Offense, Defense Breakdown
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Virginia Top 10 Players | Virginia Schedule & Analysis