(Photo Credit: Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Brennan Armstrong, RB Wayne Taulpapa, WR Lavel Davis, WR/PR Billy Kemp, OC Olusegun Oluwatimi, OG Chris Glaser, OG Joe Bissinger, OT Ryan Nelson, OT Ryan Swoboda, LB Nick Jackson, LB Noah Taylor, CB De’Vante Cross, CB Nick Grant, FS Joey Blount, SAB Brenton Nelson, and KR Tavares Kelly.
Key Players Departing:
WR Terrell Jana, TE Tony Poljan, NT Jowon Briggs, LB Matt Gahm, LB Charles Snowden, LB Zane Zandier, S D’Angelo Amos, PK Brian Delaney, and PT Nash Griffin.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: DL Bryce Carter (Colonial Heights, Virginia), DE Josh McCarron (Everett, Washington), and OT Logan Taylor (Alexandria, Virginia).
3 Star Recruits: ATH Jacob Rodriguez (Wichita Falls, Texas), OG Noah Josey (Brentwood, Tennessee), ATH West Weeks (Watkinsville, Georgia), OT Hugh Laughlin (Athens, Georgia), WR Michael Green (Williamsburg, Virginia), QB Jay Woolfolk (Richmond, Virginia), and DL Michael Diatta (Antioch, Tennessee).
2020 Results:
G01 DUKE W 38-20
G02 at #1 Clemson L 23-41
G03 NC STATE L 21-38
G04 at Wake Forest L 23-40
G05 at #11 Miami (FL) L 14-19
G06 #15 NORTH CAROLINA W 44-41
G07 LOUISVILLE W 31-17
G08 ABILENE CHRISTIAN W 55-15
G09 BOSTON COLLEGE W 43-32
G10 at Virginia Tech L 15-33
Misc. Team Information:
2020 Record: 5-5 (9th in ACC)
Home: 5-1
Away: 0-4
Neutral: 0-0
ACC: 4-5
Non-AAC: 1-0
Head Coach: Bronco Mendenhall
Virginia: 21-27
Career: 120-70
Bowls: 7-6
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Brennan Armstrong (157-268, 2117 yards, 58.6%, 7.9 avg., 18 TD, 11 INT)
Rushing: Brennan Armstrong (126 car., 552 yards, 4.4 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Billy Kemp (67 rec., 644 yards, 9.6 avg., 1 TD)
TDs Scored: Keytaon Thompson (6)
Sacks: Noah Taylor (3)
Tackles: Nick Jackson (103)
Tackles For Loss: Noah Taylor (8.5)
Interceptions: De’Vante Cross/Nick Grant (2)
Pass Deflections: De’Vante Cross (4)
Forced Fumbles: 4 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Tavares Kelly (11 ret., 247 yards, 22.5 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Billy Kemp (14 ret., 71 yards, 5.1 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 5 Brennan Armstrong (RS JR)
RB: 21 Wayne Taulapapa (SR)
WR: 3 Dontayvion Wicks (SO)
WR: 17 Ra’Shaun Henry (GR/TR)
WR: 4 Billy Kemp (SR)
TE: 00 Jelani Woods (GR/TR)
LT: 54 Ryan Nelson (RS SR)
LG: 52 Joe Bissinger (RS JR)
OC: 55 Olusegun Oluwatimi (RS SR/TR)
RG: 69 Chris Glaser (SR)
RT: 72 Ryan Swoboda (RS SR)
KR: 82 Derrick Starling (SO)
PK: 66 Justin Duenkel (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 95 Adeeb Atariwa (GR/TR)
NT: 00 Aaron Faumui (JR)
DE: 91 Mandy Alonso (SR)
LB: 7 Noah Taylor (SR)
LB: 6 Nick Jackson (JR)
LB: 53 Hunter Stewart (RS SO)
LB: 43 Elliott Brown (SR)
CB: 1 Nick Grant (RS SR)
CB: 8 Darrius Bratton (RS SR)
FS: 29 Joey Blount (SR)
SB: 15 De’Vante Cross (RS SR)
PR: 4 Billy Kemp (SR)
PT: 00 Brendan Farrell (RS SO)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/04 WILLIAM & MARY TRIBE | Virginia leads the series 29-6-1. The Cavaliers won (52-17) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
09/11 ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI | Virginia trails the series 0-2. The Cavaliers lost (21-63) the last meeting between schools in 1999.
09/18 at North Carolina Tar Heels | Virginia trails the series 57-64-4. The Cavaliers are 4-6 since 2011, and their last series loss (14-35) was in 2016.
09/24 WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS | Virginia leads the series 34-16. The Cavaliers lost (23-40) lost season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (17-16) was in 2007.
09/30 at Miami (FL) Hurricanes | Virginia trails the series 7-11. The Cavaliers are 4-6 since 2011, and their last series win (16-13) was in 2018.
10/09 at Louisville Cardinals | Virginia trails the series 4-5. The Cavaliers are 3-4 since renewing the series in 2014, and their last series loss (21-28) was in 2019.
10/16 DUKE BLUE DEVILS | Virginia leads the series 39-33. The Cavaliers are 7-3 since 2011, and their last series loss (13-20) was in 2014.
10/23 GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS | Virginia trails the series 20-21-1. The Cavaliers are 4-5 since 2011, and their last series loss (27-30 OT) was in 2018.
10/30 at BYU Cougars | Virginia leads the series 3-2. The Cavaliers lost (33-41) the last meeting between schools in 2014.
11/13 NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH | Virginia trails the series 0-3. The Cavaliers lost (20-35) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
11/20 at Pittsburgh Panthers | Virginia trails the series 4-8. The Cavaliers are 2-5 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series loss (13-23) was in 2018.
11/27 VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES | Virginia trails the series 38-59-5. The Cavaliers are 1-9 since 2011, and their last series win (39-30) was in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 1-6
Road: 0-5
Neutral: 0-0
ACC: 0-8
Non-ACC: 1-3
Overall: 1-11 (7th in ACC Coastal)
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