Virginia’s offense making a splash in national rankings

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia’s offense has been a statistical success after only two games this season, one of them against No. 1-ranked Clemson.

The Cavaliers are ranked No. 28 nationally in total offense, just behind Notre Dame, as UVA has stacked up an average of 433.5 yards per game.

A good chunk of that is due to the success of quarterback Brennan Armstrong, a redshirt sophomore who is in his first year as a starter for the Wahoos. Virginia is ranked No. 25 nationally in passing with 266 yards per game, good enough for a No. 6 ranking in the 15-team ACC.

Armstrong is No. 36 in the NCAA in passing yards (ninth in the ACC), No. 16 in passing yards per game, No. 25 in passing touchdowns, No. 44 in passing yards per completion, and No. 57 in passing efficiency (he would be ranked higher if not for his four interceptions).

While UVA has not been known as a good rushing team for the past several years, there was optimism in the preseason that the Cavaliers would be much improved.

Virginia is ranked No. 34 nationally in running the football and seventh in the ACC, with 167.5 yards per game. The Wahoos have two rushers ranked in the nation’s top 70 in rushing: Armstrong (No. 69 nationally, No. 15 in the ACC), while junior tailback Wayne Taulapapa is 49th nationally and 11th in the ACC) in the rushing yards per carry catagory.

Taulapapa is No. 87/18 in rushing yards and Armstrong is No. 94/21.  In rushing yards per game, Taulapapa is No. 43/9, while Armstrong is No. 48/10, and Shane Simpson is No. 168/35.

Virginia ranks No. 38 nationally in scoring offense at 30.5 points per game, which is middle of the pack in the ACC at No. 8; and No. 46 in Red Zone offense nationally, 11th in the ACC.

When it comes to third-down conversion percentage offensively, the Cavaliers rank No. 57 nationally, 36.4 perent (12 of 33 opportunities). They are No. 18 in the country in fourth-down conversion percentage (4 of 6), 66.7 percent, with most of that success coming at Clemson.

Freshman receiver Lavel Davis Jr. has already made a splash in the national and ACC rankings. He is No. 28 in the country in receiving touchdowns and sixth in the ACC.

Davis is also No. 77 nationally, 18th in the ACC in receiving yards, just behind teammate Billy Kemp IV, who is No. 71 in receiving yards, 16th in the ACC.

In terms of receiving yards per game, Kemp is No. 24 nationally (83 per game) and second in the ACC, while Davis is 29/5 at 79.5 per game. Terrell Jana is No. 129/28 with 42 yards per outing and transfer tight end Tony Poljan is No. 169/42 with 34.5 yards per game.