Head coach Tony Elliott will never say it, but I will.
Saturday’s game against William & Mary (1-1) is a “get right” opportunity after a tough loss to North Carolina State.
For that to happen, the Cavaliers must take control of the game in the first half and give the Tribe no chance to get enough confidence to make it a four-quarter game.
Run, Run, Run:
J’Mari Taylor was a pain in the side of the Wolfpack in terms of chewing up yards and making big plays in the running game. If I’m Xavier Brown or Noah Vaughn, I use this game to make sure Elliott thinks about me the following week against Stanford.
Taylor looked like a 15-20 carry back on most Saturdays, but that shouldn’t be needed against the Tribe.
Mixing in Brown and Vaughn in the first half will wear down William & Mary’s defense.
Keep Penalties Low
After having seven penalties against Coastal Carolina, the Cavaliers cut it down to three last week.
There’s no reason to get behind the chains, especially those of the pre-snap variety.
William & Mary’s offense isn’t anything to write home about and shouldn’t be able to extend drives without help for Virginia’s defense. If the Cavaliers’ defense remains disciplined, the Tribe should have a hard time getting anywhere near the red zone.
Don’t Look Ahead
Virginia could have been undefeated going into the Friday night showdown (September 26) against Florida State.
That’s over, but this week marks the start of a two-week stretch where the Cavaliers should take care of business and be in rhythm when the Seminoles come to town.
