Note: Chandler Morris isn’t included because it’s in a separate article.
Cam Ross Big Play Ability
Cam Ross had himself a game.
Ross had seven receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown, including a 46-yard catch and run that set up a touchdown. The answer to the question of “who will replace Malachi Fields” was loudly answered.
Not that anyone thought Coastal Carolina was coming back, but any ounce of a thought went out of the window when Ross returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.
Ross finished with 224 all-purpose yards.
What was the most impressive about his performance was how Ross navigated open space. There was no wasted motion going east-west. It was ball-in-hand, get-up-field.
His performance will open up opportunities for Trell Harris, who didn’t have a bad game by his own standards. Harris finished with three receptions for 93 yards.
Secondary Wasn’t Bad
The Cavaliers’ secondary had nine pass breakups and an interception.
Donovan Platt led the team with three passes broken up, and he was every bit as good as the numbers.
Ethan Minter got the interception, and it could have been a bigger play. Minter initially returned it to the one-yard line, but a block in the back put the ball back on Virginia’s 40.
Red Zone Offense
Virginia finished 5-6 in the red zone.
The success came in different ways. J’Mari Taylor might not have had an impressive yards-per-carry (3.2), but he powered in two short-yard touchdowns on the ground, along with Harrison Waylee’s one-yard touchdown.
Chandler Morris also had a two-yard touchdown pass in the red zone.
