Mendenhall, Cavaliers Take Giant Step Forward

By Jerry Ratcliffe

CHARLOTTE — A year and a day ago, Virginia football wasn’t a thing of beauty. The Cavaliers had been annihilated in their first bowl game in six years in a 49-7 embarrassment at Navy.

As soon as they returned to Charlottesville, those returning players determined that 2018 would not end that way.

On Saturday, the Cavaliers made a significant statement and what Bronco Mendenhall described as a GIANT step forward with a stunning, 28-0 upset over South Carolina in the Belk Bowl. Virginia not only won the game, it dominated the Gamecocks in a highly-touted ACC-SEC matchup.

All week long, Wahoo players absorbed the trash talk from South Carolina players who said they wanted to flex their SEC muscles over a foe from a weaker conference. But it was the Gamecocks who ate crow.

UVA’s defense, playing with only four defensive linemen (freshman end Aaron Faumui missed the game after being diagnosed with mononucleosis), not only posted a shutout of South Carolina — a team that had only been held to less than 24 points twice all season — it shut down the Gamecocks’ vaunted passing game.

USC quarterback Jake Bentley was a mere 17 of 40 for 218 yards and was intercepted twice.

Meanwhile, the Bryce Perkins-led Virginia offense stacked up 413 yards of total offense and controlled the clock with a staggering time of possession of 42 minutes, 35 seconds to South Carolina’s 17 minutes, 25 seconds. The oft-criticized play-calling of offensive coordinator Robert Anae was not in question on this day as he kept the Gamecocks’ defense off balance and on their heels all game long.

Along the way, Belk Bowl MVP Olamide Zaccheaus (12 receptions, 100 yards, 3 TDs) and running back teammate Jordan Ellis, both reached the 1,000-yards plateau for the season.

South Carolina’s defensive focus during its bowl preparation was to contain UVA’s Perkins, a dual-threat, and make him beat them with his arm. The Gamecocks didn’t accomplish anything on their checklist.

Perkins also played MVP-worthy or at least Blimp Worthy football. He rushed for 81 yards and did beat the Gamecocks with his arm, completing 22 of 31 passes for 208 yards and three scores (no interceptions), and scrambled out of several potential sacks only to complete a big throw.

Afterward Mendenhall was overwhelmed with joy in ending with an 8-5 season (including two overtime losses), Virginia’s first bowl win since 2005, and keeping the Cavaliers undefeated in Charlotte where they won the first two bowls here (then the Continental Tire Bowl) in 2002 and 2003.

“I’m so proud of our football program, the coaches and players, and the progress that we’ve made in a three-year span,” Mendenhall said. “Our team worked tirelessly from our last overtime loss to this game. We clearly weren’t satisfied with our loss to Virginia Tech (at season’s end) and we had a lot to play for.”

Mendenhall enforced a fierce practice schedule in preparation for South Carolina, so much that he and his staff were concerned that their players might not have enough left for the bowl.

The Cavaliers had plenty left and it showed from wire-to-wire.

“I want to give Coach Mendenhall and Virginia credit,” said South Carolina coach Will Muschamp. “They got after us. It goes to a 21-0 game, it changes our approach a little bit and they go to some exotic pressures and some different things and some double edge pressure and they did a nice job of designing some things there. When you get into a 21-0 game against their defense, I knew it was going to be a difficult deal.”

Virginia’s defense was short-handed with Faumui’s absence, causing the Cavaliers to go with what he called “a two-down” the majority of the game, meaning two down linemen, “and that gave us a two-deep,” he chuckled.

“We lost a player (Faumui) at a position where we couldn’t afford to lose another player,” Mendenhall said.

Didn’t matter, they controlled the line of scrimmage for the most part and kept South Carolina’s potentially explosive passing game on the sidelines.

The Gamecocks converted only 2 of 13 third downs and 2 of 5 fourth downs (which Mendenhall considers the same as a turnover). Meanwhile, UVA converted 11 of 17 third downs and its only fourth-down attempt.

“[Virginia] was schemed up and did a really good job of disguising their coverages,” USC’s Bentley said.

Mendenhall told his players that the best Christmas gift he could give them would be to work them hard enough to earn a win that they would never forget.

“Our defensive coaches knew what the challenge was ahead of them for this game,” Mendenhall said. “They watched USC vs Clemson. They knew what was capable and they knew we weren’t going to win unless they played well. They played exactly as they prepared.”

South Carolina, in a losing effort, posted 600 yards of offense on No. 2 Clemson in the regular season as Bentley threw for 510 yards.

For Mendenhall, going from 2-10 in his first season (2016) to losing a bowl last season (6-7 record) to 8-5 and a bowl win is a significant gain for Virginia.

“We are significantly closer (to arriving),” Mendenhall said. “When you play late in the year with high-stakes games, that requires a different level of maturity, performance and execution. A bowl victory is significant, especially when you put it in contrast to a year ago, you can’t be more striking in this setting.”

Reminded that he has eight starters returning on defense and seven on offense, including All-American corner Bryce Hall, who announced after the game that he’s coming back after being rated as a potential first-round draft choice, Mendenhall was asked about building expectations for 2019.

“Yeah, maybe we won’t be picked last,” he cracked.

The Cavaliers were picked to finish dead last in the ACC’s Coastal Division this season and ended up tied for second.

“This was a huge leap for our program,” Perkins said. “We’re not done. This is the first step. Next year we want the Coastal and the ACC Championship.”

Zaccheaus Named Belk Bowl MVP to End on a High Note

Belk Bowl MVP Olamide Zaccheaus poses with a fan after Virginia’s 28-0 win over South Carolina Saturday.

CHARLOTTE — When Virginia senior wideout Olamide Zaccheaus spoke to the media Friday morning leading up to Saturday’s Belk Bowl matchup against South Carolina, his formula for victory was pretty straightforward.

“It comes down to our execution versus theirs — that will determine the game,” said Zaccheaus, who went on to claim Belk Bowl Most Valuable Player honors after matching his career high by snagging 12 Bryce Perkins passes for exactly 100 yards and three touchdowns in the Cavaliers’ 28-0 blanking of the Gamecocks.

“There was more urgency during bowl prep than there was last year,” said Zaccheaus. “Obviously we didn’t have the best result last year, 49-7 losing to Navy, we just knew that we weren’t here for vacation, and this was a business trip and we wanted to win this game.”

Zaccheaus’ 12 receptions were the most for any Virginia player in a bowl game, and he extended his streak of games with at least one reception to 42, spanning all the way back to the 2015 season against Miami. The three receiving touchdowns are also good for a Virginia school record in a bowl game.

But despite all the accolades, the records and awards, the big plays, the yards after catch, the touchdowns — Zaccheaus remains humble and sticks with a team-first mentality.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the team,” he told reporters after his final game as a Cavalier Saturday. “We came here to get the win, that was the expectation. We did what we came out to do here.”

In terms of execution Saturday, we’d say mission accomplished for the school’s all-time leading receiver, who finishes his Wahoo career with 250 receptions for 2,753 yards and 24 total touchdowns (22 receiving, 2 rushing). The 250 career catches puts him 40 ahead of the legendary Billy McMullen on the all-time list. McMullen still holds the program’s receiving-yards record with 2,978. Zaccheaus’ 22 receiving touchdowns puts him at fourth all-time in school history.

Saturday marked the 50th game of Zaccheaus’ illustrious Virginia career, joining senior linebacker Chris Peace as two of only 13 Wahoos to play in 50 games or more at UVA.

“It still hasn’t hit me yet to be honest,” Zaccheaus said of playing his final collegiate contest. “I’m just excited to get this win with my brothers and this organization. We’re moving in the right direction.”

The name Olamide is Nigerian for “the blessing has come.” For Wahoo Nation, the blessing certainly came and may now be moving on, but Zaccheaus’ contributions will live forever in program history.

Zaccheaus, a 5-foot-8, 190-pound All-ACC first-team selection from Plainfield, N.J., finished his senior year with a school-record 93 receptions for 1,058 yards — which ranks third all-time for a single season at UVA — and nine touchdowns.

He joins another Wahoo legend, Herman Moore, and McMullen as just the third Virginia player in history to register a 1,000-yard receiving season.

On Virginia’s first scoring drive Saturday, Zaccheaus was instrumental. He rushed for 10 yards and a first down on the second play of the possession, his only carry of the contest, and then hauled in four catches during the march for 30 yards, including the first touchdown of the game from 6 yards out, setting the tone for a big day for the Wahoo offense.

With time winding down in the first half, Zaccheaus caught his longest pass of the day, a 13-yarder from Perkins, to set Virginia up in the red zone. Fellow senior Jordan Ellis trotted in for a score two plays later to give the ‘Hoos a 14-point halftime edge.

Zaccheaus’ second TD grab came midway through the third quarter, right in front of the South Carolina band, to extend the Cavalier lead to 21, and then his final trip to the end zone wearing the orange and blue was the ultimate dagger with under seven minutes to play, a 12-yard catch that silenced the Gamecock faithful for good and sent Wahoo fans into a frenzy at Bank of America Stadium, all but assuring the team’s first postseason victory in 13 years.

When asked if he will be leaving the program in a better place than he found it, Zaccheaus’ response was golden.

“Honestly I wish I had another year, because I know next year is going to be better than this year,” he said. “I’m just happy… I was able to leave this place better than I found it. I’m appreciative for Coach Mendenhall and his staff for everything that they’ve done for me, and my teammates and just everybody who’s involved with this organization and this program. I’m just so thankful for everyone.”

Wahoo fans everywhere will forever be thankful for Olamide Zaccheaus.

Belk Bowl Tale of the Tape: Virginia Battles South Carolina

Inside the numbers for Saturday’s Belk Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, pitting the Virginia Cavaliers (7-5) of the ACC versus South Carolina’s Gamecocks (7-5) of the SEC.

UVA coach Bronco Mendenhall will measure how his team stacks up against a team with a similar record from the nation’s top football conference, while aiming to break the Cavaliers’ bowl drought.

The Wahoos will be relying heavily on an offense led by dual-threat quarterback Bryce Perkins, who broke the program’s total offense and touchdown responsibility single-season records in 2018 against an injury-plagued South Carolina defense that has struggled mightily.

Meanwhile, the Gamecocks hope to flex their SEC muscle against an underdog from the ACC. Coach Will Muschamp hopes QB Jake Bentley’s golden arm can deliver a win with Carolina’s pass-happy offense.

Belk Bowl Eve Notebook: Hall’s Future, Wild Rides and a Desire to Finish

UVA coach Bronco Mendenhall fields a question during Friday’s media availability.

CHARLOTTE — Virginia All-American cornerback Bryce Hall revealed during a Belk Bowl media event at the Charlotte Convention Center Friday morning that he has made a decision regarding his future as a Cavalier, but he’s keeping it to himself for now.

Hall said his mind is made up, and several of his teammates are already aware of his intentions, but he does not want to be a distraction to the program’s ultimate goal of knocking off South Carolina Saturday afternoon.

“The more I’ve had time to think about it, the more I’ve confirmed that that’s the way it’s going to be,” Hall explained.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder from Harrisburg, Pa., is considered by many as a solid candidate to be taken early in the NFL Draft in the spring, but Wahoo Nation will have to wait a bit longer to find out whether he’ll enter his name or return to Charlottesville for one more season.

Vroom-Vroom

It’s been an exciting, action-packed week in the Queen City for the ‘Hoos, who got to experience everything from riding in a race car to enjoying a Belk shopping spree and participating in a food drive, among other bowl-week activities.

“Our team has handled this experience really well,” said Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall. “They are appreciative, they’ve been mature, and they’ve been respectful, and I think they really want to have a strong showing — not only for themselves but for all those that support the University of Virginia, and I’m proud of them for that point.”

Wednesday, the team enjoyed an outing at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, where they got to ride in race cars provided by NASCAR through Richard Petty’s Driving Experience.

“That was pretty wild,” said third-year defensive tackle Eli Hanback. “I think we got up to they said 160 miles an hour, which is the fastest I’ve ever been in a car, and they say that those banks are almost vertical when you go around those turns.

“For me, it gives me a whole new appreciation for NASCAR, because when you’re in that thing and you’re going around that turn, you can feel that car wanting to fight and just go right into that wall and it’s just gripping the road and keeping it straight. So just imagine 40 or 50 other cars around those guys racing. It was very fun and it definitely gave me a whole new appreciation for that sport.”

Not everyone was so excited initially.

“It was nerve-wracking for me,” said senior wideout Olamide Zaccheaus. “I didn’t want to do it at first, just because I didn’t like not being in control of the car, but I said you really only live once, so might as well just take advantage of this opportunity and I’m glad I did. It was really fun.”

Hall, who said all he really previously knew about NASCAR was from the Will Ferrell comedy Talladega Nights, added that teammate Tim Harris had a certain request for his driver.

“[Harris] told me when he got in the car he had to tell them to slow down a little bit because they were going so fast,” Hall laughed.

On Thursday, the team visited the Second Harvest Food Bank in the morning and then took part in the hour-long shopping spree at the South Park Mall.

“Just giving back to kids, that’s a big part of our program and just giving back to the community,” said senior running back Jordan Ellis, “and that’s something that kind of humbles you just to know that you’re giving food to kids that don’t have the necessary resources to get everyday food.”

In addition to the shopping spree, team members received watches, sweatsuits, shoes, and a $400 VISA gift card from Belk, the bowl sponsor.

“I’ve just been so thankful for how Belk has just treated us ever since we got here, they’ve lavished us with a lot of nice things, treated us,” said Hall. “So this whole experience has been nice and it’s been pretty awesome.”

Sending the seniors out in style

After tough back-to-back overtime ACC road losses to conclude the regular season, the Cavaliers are eager to get back on the field one more time to get that bad taste out of their mouths and send the seniors out on a high note.

Everyone agrees that the mindset is drastically different from a year ago when the ‘Hoos were embarrassed by Navy in the Military Bowl.

“We expect to win,” said Ellis. “We want to win this game, and that’s something that last year, we were just happy with being there.”

Added Zaccheaus: “A lot different approach than last year — way more intentional, way more urgent, way more efficient as far as scheduling and preparation, and we’re all just eager to get back on the field and play, especially for these seniors, our last game. We’re just excited for the opportunity.

“It would mean the world to all of us. It would just help the program move forward and take another step in the right direction as far as getting to where we want to be. … It all comes down to our execution versus theirs — that will determine the game.”

Ellis eyes 1,000

Ellis needs just 80 more yards to become just the third UVA back to rush for 1,000 yards or more in a single season since 2004, joining Alvin Pearman (1,037 yards in 2004) and Kevin Parks (1,031 yards in 2013).

“Definitely, that’s the goal. I want to see him get [1,000 yards],” UVA quarterback Bryce Perkins admitted. “Anything I can do to get him to 1,000 would be great, especially for his senior year, send him out right.”

If Ellis reaches the elusive plateau, he would become the 15th player in program history to do so, eight of those occurred between 1990-2004.

“It hasn’t set in yet,” Ellis said of suiting up for his last game as a Wahoo, “but I know that going through the game-day routine tomorrow it’ll probably set in, and definitely after the game it’ll set in and I’ll be able to reflect back on my career and just know I gave it everything that I’ve got.”

Bronco on Bentley

Mendenhall, who was sporting a bit of stubble at Friday’s media session, continued to have high praise for South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley.

“He’s an effective decision maker and I think he’s tough,” Mendenhall said of Bentley, who threw for a career-high 510 yards against Clemson last month, the most passing yards the Tigers have ever allowed in a game. “I think he’s competitive and I think he can make all the throws they ask him to make.”

Mendenhall noticed that Bentley came on strong as the season progressed, despite some bumps in the road along the way.

“Especially in the second half of the season, it seems like there was just momentum and a confidence growing week in and week out, and so I think he’s coming into this game playing his best football,” he said. “I think the tempo and the pace in which they play, and some of the unique things they do, adds an element that’s intended to have the defense be reactionary and on their heels — and then when you’re confident and assertive at that position, with good skill around you, then you’re able to score a lot of points, which is what they do.”

When asked if he was growing a “playoff beard,” Mendenhall chuckled.

“Either that or Santa Claus,” he smiled. “You can make your own choice there.”

A different kind of postseason for Perkins

Although this will be Perkins’ first true bowl-game experience on the field, he is familiar with postseason atmosphere. As a freshman at Arizona State, the Sun Devils participated in the Cactus Bowl against West Virginia at Chase Field in Phoenix in 2016. Fast forward to last year, when Perkins played for the National Junior College Championship with Arizona Western Community College.

“It was fun,” he recalled. “It was kind of like this, doing a dinner and a banquet, we had both teams on both sides. We were on the beach in Mississippi so that was fun, kind of getting into a bowl atmosphere for the junior-college level. That was a fun time.”

Perkins said he has been watching bowl games for years, noting one game in particular that really drew his interest as a kid.

“Growing up, the Fiesta Bowl was at Arizona State, was at ASU Stadium, and we used to go to the Fiesta Bowl all the time,” said Perkins. “That’s probably the most significant bowl that I’ve watched growing up until I got a little bit older, then it was the Rose Bowl. I’ll never forget the very first Rose Bowl I watched was with Reggie Bush and Vince Young, that memorable bowl, and ever since then, college football has been a really big part of my life and my family.”

One thing is for sure — Perkins’ family, who he said arrived in Charlotte on Thursday, wouldn’t miss it for the world.

“They’re going to find a way to make it to the game,” said Perkins. “If they can’t fly, my dad would literally — if he had to — he would drive here, like 20-30 hours just to get here.”

Short yardage

Turns out South Carolina coach Will Muschamp is not a fan of recruiting rankings, as he explained Friday: “I have never in my life, and nor will I ever, look at a recruiting ranking. I don’t care. I know a lot more than the people who are [putting the rankings together].” … It may not be a picture-perfect day weather-wise in Charlotte Saturday, but it will certainly be better than last year’s frigid contest in Annapolis. It has rained off and on the past two days, but tomorrow’s forecast looks a little better, with a game-time temperature in the low 60s and small chance of precipitation. … Perkins was asked if he looked up to another QB who makes his living at Bank of America Stadium on Sundays in the fall, Cam Newton, who took a similar path from the junior-college ranks to Division I: “I love watching Cam Newton and his game. Definitely similar. He’s bigger than me, bigger stature than me, but his game is definitely something that I idolize and kind of take, watch and kind of just try to resemble a little bit on the field.”

Perkins Poses Dangerous Threat In Belk Bowl

Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins takes questions from the media Friday in Charlotte.

By Jerry Ratcliffe

CHARLOTTE —South Carolina’s defensive game plan is as simple as cornbread when it comes to stopping Virginia in Saturday’s Belk Bowl: don’t let Bryce Perkins run wild.

Easier said than done.

Perkins has been the key for the Cavaliers all season long, often making something out of nothing. Ask Bronco Mendenhall and he’ll quickly tell you that UVA would not have had the season it has enjoyed had it not been for Perkins, who clearly exceeded all of the coaching staffs expectations.

Consider that in his first true season of FBS football, coming in cold to a new program clear across the country, Perkins broke two Virginia records:

• Single-season total offense, 3,314 yards, passing Kurt Benkert (2017) and Matt Schaub (2002).
• Single-season touchdown responsibility, 31, besting the previous mark held by some Wahoo legends … Bill Dudley (1941), Shawn Moore (1990), and Schaub (2003).

“Without him being able to do that, we don’t have the season we’ve had, we don’t score the way we have, and we don’t move the football,” Mendenhall said Friday at the Belk Bowl press conference. “Bryce’s ability to improvise and innovate and create has allowed us to be in the position we’re in.

“Without that, the rest of our offensive players and our current execution would not have been strong enough to get to this point,” Mendenhall said.

Hailing from the football-rich SEC, regarded as the best football conference in the land, it didn’t take South Carolina very long to recognize that how goes Perkins, goes Virginia. The Arizona native and a product of Arizona Western Community College, has clearly been the focus of the Gamecocks’ bowl preparation, at least on the defensive side of the ball.

“As a defense, our whole thing has been trying to make [Perkins] play quarterback,” said Carolina linebacker T.J. Brunson. “Because he is a mobile quarterback that can make things happen, we want to make him throw the ball and try to beat us with his arm.”

The Gamecocks’ entire linebacker group has practiced hard on keeping Perkins in front of them and for the ‘backers to stay in their area and not drift. They are keenly aware of the damage Perkins can cause with his running ability.

Virginia’s junior QB has rushed for 842 yards this season and nine TDs. He is the first Wahoo to rush for 100 yards in a game at least four times in a season since running back Kevin Parks (six times) in 2013. Parks was UVA’s last 1,000-yard rusher.

“They’re going to use him as a running back at times,” Brunson said. “We need to get him before he gets going.”

Because Perkins is a quarterback with size at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, the Gamecocks realize he isn’t easy to bring down. Carolina coach Will Muschamp has emphasized that Perkins has a big lower body, so the Gamecocks have to wrap up and keep their feet moving when tackling, or attempting to tackle him.

Brunson and some of his teammates said Friday that Perkins reminded them of Kentucky dual-threat quarterback Terry Wilson, Jr., 6-3, 205, junior-college transfer.

The Gamecocks have had difficulty stopping dual threat QBs this season, including a close loss at Florida when the Gators overcame a 17-point deficit in the second half to come back and win 35-31. Much of the damage came from South Carolina’s inability to deal with a running quarterback.

That fact was not lost on Perkins when studying game film of the Gamecocks’ defense.

“I definitely remember seeing that,” Perkins said when the Florida tape came up. “We definitely took that [game] under consideration and molded our game plan around the kind of teams they played with mobile quarterbacks and how [South Carolina] played in those games and what we can exploit in their coverages.”

Virginia paid particular attention to Carolina’s game tapes of Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, and Clemson, and took note of what those teams did against the Gamecocks’ defense and incorporated certain things into the Cavaliers’ offensive game plan.

Certainly Muschamp did the same in exploring ways to contain Perkins. He wouldn’t be the first.

Perkins noted that late in the season several opponents attempted to pinch the pocket to contain him and forced him to throw the football.

“You can tell because it’s kind of like a barricade or wall right here that slowly creeps in,” he said about opposing defenses attempting to pin him down. “You can definitely see it, and feel the pressure. I definitely have to get more comfortable and perform better in the pocket.”

Muschamp has spoken ad nauseam about the threat Perkins poses.

“When you have a quarterback that has designed runs, that creates an extra gap in the run game,” Muschamp said. “You have to have an extra hat for that because they can overload you at times with some things they can do in the run game because their quarterback becomes a runner.

Most of Perkins’ runs are designed, but there’s plenty of what Muschamp calls “off-rhythm” plays (Perkins calls them “off-script”) where the Virginia quarterback drops back, his receivers are covered, but UVA has some run-pass option (RPOs) plays built in, pocket-movement RPOs, and Perkins just takes off on a run. Some of those, Muschamp complimented, are “very well designed.”

And, very dangerous. Perkins is not only big and physical, but also f-a-s-t.

“That’s how a lot of Virginia’s big plays happen,” linebacker Brunson said. “Our secondary has to double-cover guys because Perkins will scramble to run. But sometimes, he’ll scramble to launch it deep and a lot of times it’s a big play. We have to make sure we eliminate those big plays.”

The Cavaliers worked hard on what they call the “Scramble Drill” during August training camp. Essentially, it’s when either Perkins’ protection breaks down or his receivers are covered and he has to improvise, and as Brunson aptly pointed out, Perkins has the talent to either take off on the run or to scramble around until he finds an open receiver downfield.

“Robert (Anae, offensive coordinator) and our offensive staff have worked a lot with [Perkins] and there are certain plays where the timing is: it’s look and run; or look and read; or at all costs, throw,” Mendenhall explained.

The offensive coaches basically put those plays or options into different buckets for Perkins so he can categorize them and make necessary decisions, so that it’s not always ‘if it’s not there, run.’

“Things break down and so you just make things happen,” said Perkins, who possesses an instinct to do just that. “We have our Scramble Drill so that when things do break down, then our receivers adjust. This receiver goes here, this receiver goes there. We never know when the play is going to break down but we’re ready for it at all times.”

Because Perkins knows his receivers have great football IQs, the repetition of the drill in practice helps immensely.

“I’m still working at it,” he said of the drill. “There are some plays where I can keep it up instead of tucking it. There’s a fine line of trying to do too much.”

Olamide Zaccheaus, UVA’s record-breaking receiver, has been the benefactor of many of those broken plays and has exploited defenses that weren’t prepared for Perkins’ ability to turn potential disaster into magical moments for the Cavaliers, particularly buying time with his feet until he can find an open receiver downfield.

“When the first read is not there and the second read is not there, Bryce can make something happen with his feet,” said Zaccheaus, who has 81 receptions this season (four short of tying his own single-season record), including a single-game record of 247 yards vs. Ohio this season.

“You want to help the quarterback out,” Zaccheaus said of the Scramble Drill. “You don’t want to make that throw dangerous, so you want to always protect the throw for the quarterback. We’re really good at it. Sometimes it can be covered up, and kudos to defenses for that. As far as finding open space and not being in the same spot as each other, we’ve done a good job with that aspect.”

If Virginia is to prevail against the Gamecocks, break its bowl win drought, and remain undefeated in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, then it’s largely going to be because Perkins does his thing.

Having surpassed Mendenhall’s expectations (Bronco said he didn’t think he would get this kind of efficiency from Perkins until next season), Perkins has been a better passer than projected. He has competed 64 percent of his 318 attempts, the best UVA pass rating since Matt Schaub in 2003 (69.7).

It’s no wonder that South Carolina’s entire focus will be on not letting Perkins beat them by extending plays with his feet. Then again, there is a pretty good arm to contend with, too.

Perkins’ passing abilities hasn’t received the notoriety of his Gamecocks counterpart in Jake Bentley, who has thrown for 2,953 yards this season, but the UVA QB looks at that as another challenge to overcome.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t [want to be better than the opposing QB],” Perkins said Friday. “I try to outplay the opposing quarterback every game. I compete my heart out and play to the best of my ability at all times.”

It’s that fire that likely has Muschamp and the Gamecocks worried going into the game. Mendenhall is hoping Perkins’ impassioned play is contagious.

Gamecocks Confident Without Samuel

Deebo Samuel | Photo Courtesy GamecocksOnline.Com

By Scott Ratcliffe

South Carolina’s talked-about, up-tempo, pass-happy offense will be missing a key piece in Deebo Samuel for Saturday’s Belk Bowl against Virginia Saturday, but the Gamecocks are downplaying the star receiver’s absence.

Samuel, a 6-foot, 210-pound redshirt senior who announced Dec. 3 that he would be preparing for the upcoming NFL Draft and therefore would not be participating in the bowl game, was the top weapon through the air this season for SC junior quarterback Jake Bentley.

Samuel, also the team’s leading kick returner who averaged 123.2 all-purpose yards a game, led the Gamecocks in receptions (62), receiving yards (882), receiving touchdowns (11) and receiving yards per game (73.5). He scored on a 90-yard kickoff return and even threw a touchdown pass this season.

Still, without Samuel, South Carolina has complete and total confidence in Bryan Edwards, Shi Smith and the rest of the receiving corps to collectively step up at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte this weekend in his stead.

“Obviously it’s different just because he’s not there,” Edwards said of Samuel, “you kind of just miss him being him, and being in the meeting rooms and being that presence.”

Samuel’s reason for skipping the Belk Bowl is simple: a projected early-round draft choice, he was concerned about the possibility of reaggravating the fibula injury that limited him to just three games last season, hindering his chances to ultimately play professionally and provide for his family. He also played just five games while battling with hamstring issues in his redshirt freshman season in 2015.

His coaches, teammates and even the opposition have all stated that they understand Samuel’s decision and respect it.

Virginia senior DB Juan Thornhill feels there won’t be much of a dropoff, despite Samuel’s talent.

“Watching film on him, he’s a heck of a player,” Thornhill said of Samuel, “so it’s going to affect them just a little bit, but it’s not going to have that much of an effect on them because they’re a good team and there’s always someone that’s willing to step up and make the same amount of plays that he was making, so we don’t think it’s going to be any different.”

So who will step up for Will Muschamp and his NASCAR-style offense come Saturday? As mentioned, Edwards and Smith are both capable options, as is freshman Josh Vann, while tight ends Kiel Pollard and K.C. Crosby should both be considered dangerous as well.

“I think the first day it was strange to everyone not having [Samuel] out there for sure and kind of missing that piece to us, but I think all the guys responded well, and it’s looked good,” Bentley said of what practice has been like without Samuel. “Guys are getting open, Josh is stepping up and playing some more plays and then I think Kiel and K.C. have also stepped up and taken over some slot reps, and moving Shi outside. So a lot of guys have stepped up and have played really well.”

Edwards was not far behind Samuel in terms of numbers this season. The 6-3, 220-pound junior had just 10 fewer catches than Samuel and also eclipsed the 800-yard plateau with 809 on the year. He caught seven touchdown passes and averaged 15.6 yards per reception (Samuel averaged 14.2) and 67.4 per contest. Edwards’ season high came against Georgia when he racked up 111 yards.

Smith, a sophomore, caught 39 passes for 597 yards and four TDs. Pollard and Crosby combined for just 26 catches for 282 yards on the season, but the ‘Hoos must keep an eye on both. Vann didn’t see a ton of action but added 18 grabs for 118 yards and a score, and his role is expected to increase moving forward.

When asked if Samuel’s absence will shift the defense’s focus onto him, Edwards said that “only time will tell.”

“Each team has different gameplans for things, how they scheme it up and things like that,” Edwards said. “I don’t think it particularly makes me a bigger target, just because we’ve got a lot of weapons on our offense and we spread the ball around anyway.”

Bentley struggled at times throughout the season but completed 64 percent of his passes for just shy of 3,000 yards and 27 touchdowns on the season. He was recently asked about going up against Bryce Hall and the Virginia secondary.

“He’s a great player,” Bentley said of Hall. “He’s very instinctual. You’ll see a receiver kinda get open and him just close the distance and go make a play. That’s what great DBs do — they find a way to get back in the play and you see that time and time again from him, and then their defense as a whole, they do a lot.

“A lot of different coverages, they do a great job of mixing it up and understanding how to disguise different coverages, so it’s going to be a great challenge for us, in preparation, to get a feel for what they want to do.”

Thornhill said he’s been watching all the film of Bentley and the Gamecocks he can — particularly the Clemson game when the Tigers gave up a school record with Bentley’s career-best 510 passing yards and five touchdowns — ever since the loss to Virginia Tech a little over a month ago.

“I’ve been watching [that game] all the time because Coach told us they threw for 500 yards on Clemson,” Thornhill said. “It kind of shocked me and I was like, ‘Whoa.’ So I started watching that game, just started watching every pass play, every run play, so I can pretty much know what’s going on when I’m out there.”

Samuel went for 210 yards and three TDs in that 56-35 loss to Clemson, and then followed it up with two more receiving touchdowns and a fumble recovery in the end zone for six in the make-up win over Akron on Dec. 1.

The Gamecocks don’t throw it a ton to running backs, but that could possibly be a wrinkle used to catch the Wahoos off guard. Rico Dowdle, the team’s leading rusher, caught just 13 passes all season, while backfield mate Ty’Son Williams hauled in nine.

For UVA senior linebacker Chris Peace and the Cavalier defense, the focus and top priority will remain containing the ground game. As Peace pointed out, Virginia struggled in defending the run in each of the team’s five losses.

“I would say every game we lost this year, I would blame it on the run game,” Peace admitted.

While Carolina’s rushing numbers may not necessarily wow anyone on paper, Peace says the ground game cannot be overlooked.

“First, we’ve got to stop the run, that’s been a point of emphasis the whole year,” said Peace. “[The Gamecocks’] run game is real capable, they definitely capped off a few long runs on the year. Their O-line is strong at the point of attack. If you’re not careful, they can run it down your throat just as easy.”

Back in July, Peace talked about the importance of not only getting back to a bowl game, but winning one when he spoke to the media at Charlotte’s Westin Hotel for ACC Kickoff, just down the street from where he’ll play his final game as a Wahoo Saturday afternoon. There’s no other way he and the other seniors would want to close out their UVA careers.

Moore Talks Belk Bowl, Perkins, Importance of Finishing Strong

Shawn Moore | Photo Courtesy Roanoke Valley Sports Club

By Jerry Ratcliffe

When Virginia takes on South Carolina in the Belk Bowl in Charlotte on Dec. 29, it’s another one of those ACC vs. SEC games that fans from both conferences love talking about.

Former UVa quarterbacking great Shawn Moore recently visited “The Jerry Ratcliffe Show” on ESPN Charlottesville and talked about the bowl, Bryce Perkins and how the Cavaliers need to finish the season.

“I love the matchup,” Moore said. “Honestly I was privately and selfishly hoping for a Purdue or Missouri matchup because of two guys on those teams I love.”

Moore was referring to Anthony Poindexter, the former Wahoo great free safety, who is now defensive coordinator at Purdue, and to former UVa wide receiver Derek Dooley, who is now offensive coordinator at Missouri. Moore said that after conversations with each, neither wanted a matchup with Virginia for whatever reasons.

“It would have been fun to see Virginia’s offense go against Dex’s defense, and conversely, our defense go up against Derek’s offense,” Moore said.

Instead, we’ll see Virginia’s defense, featuring a strong secondary, taking on pass-happy South Carolina, and a Cavaliers’ offense led by quarterback Bryce Perkins facing the Gamecocks’ defense, which surrendered huge chunks of real estate to No. 2 Clemson in the next-to-last game of the regular season.

“South Carolina will be a tough challenge,” Moore said. “It’s battle tested from the SEC East, and this is like a home game for South Carolina. They’ll have at least 40,000 fans there. Hopefully, we turn out for that game. We need to show up.”

Columbia is an easy drive from Charlotte, where there is a large Gamecocks fan base and a place that Carolina coach Will Muschamp likes to recruit. In fact, Muschamp was kidding around the other day at the Belk Bowl press conference, calling Charlotte a love/hate thing.

Muschamp said he loved Charlotte for the aforementioned reasons, but hated it because every time he’s on a recruiting trip and calls his wife, she tells him that she’s shopping in Charlotte.

“Where everything is expensive,” Muschamp said with a chuckle.

The main thing that Moore would like to see from his alma mater is for the Cavaliers to learn how to finish, something they failed to do in the final two regular-season games, overtime losses at Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.

“I keep seeing the stat about our November record the last three years and it has been tough,” Moore said.

Indeed it has.

Tough as in 2-10, the two wins coming against Liberty this past season, and at home against Georgia Tech last season (a 40-36 shootout win).

Virginia’s George Welsh, the Hall of Famer, used to say all the time, “They remember November.”  George was talking about fans and sportswriters.

There hasn’t been much good to remember the past three Novembers around here. This season, UVa lost to the two Techs and to Pitt. In 2017, the Cavaliers lost to Virginia Tech, Miami, and Lamar Jackson-led Louisville. In ‘16, they lost to both Techs, Miami and Wake Forest.

“I hate to use the term pressure but I think it’s extremely important to finish this season with a win against South Carolina in terms of moving forward,” Moore said. “I think the kids were resilient to be down and came back against Virginia Tech. But they have to finish, gotta find a way to finish.”

Virginia is now a consensus 5-point underdog from the various oddsmakers to a South Carolina team that finished with the identical overall record as the Cavaliers at 7-5.  Both teams lost close games that could have advanced their respective records to 8-4 or possibly 9-3.

A lot will be riding on Bryce Perkins, UVa’s dual-threat quarterback, in the bowl game. He is the difference-maker that the Cavaliers have been lacking in years past.

Moore, along with this columnist, have been high on Perkins ever since he transferred in from Arizona Western.

“I remember going back to the preseason when we were all talking about what this kid might be like,” Moore said. “I know I made some bold predictions. I still hear from people talking about [those predictions], my comparison to him as a Michael Vick type player.

“If you really think about it, maybe he didn’t carry Virginia to a national championship game, but he did put the team on his back and he was more valuable to his team than anyone else in the ACC this year,” Moore said. “Next year he’s going to have a target on his back, but he’s going to be the key.”

Moore, who quarterbacked UVa to two of its greatest seasons — the school’s only 10-win season in its history in 1989, and a Sugar Bowl appearance in 1990 — is excited about Perkins’ upside.

“He took a beating this year,” Moore said. “I absolutely believe he will be the key to the Belk Bowl. To me, the key is that Virginia has to keep the ball a little longer than South Carolina does and keep the ball in [Perkins’] hands because he’s the playmaker.”

Moore, who also coached on Mike London’s staff prior to Bronco Mendenhall taking over the program, realizes as much as anyone how important the extra 15 bowl practices mean to players. Not just the little-used players, but to guys like Perkins.

“He needs ‘em,” Moore said of Perkins and the extra work. “We’re talking about a kid who is playing college football for the first time at this level.”

While Perkins was a newcomer to FBS football this past season, he made a huge impact on Virginia’s team and the state of Virginia. The junior quarterback from Arizona won the prestigious Dudley Award, which goes annually to the top college player in the state. The award is named for the late, great Bill Dudley, a former Cavalier and a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“I was happy to see that,” said Moore, who was actually the first recipient of the Dudley Award. “Bryce definitely separated himself this year and showed he’s the true leader of this team.”

Moore cherished the honor of being the first to claim the Dudley, particularly because of the relationship he had with the former star.

“One of the best pictures I have in my house is a picture of us [he and Dudley] on the Lawn my senior year,” Moore said. “Being the first winner of that award meant a lot to me. Seeing Bryce winning it, seeing the award coming around from me to now him, I was very proud. Bill Dudley meant the world to me.”

While the careers of Moore and Perkins are separated by 28 years, their numbers are surprisingly comparable. Of course, we have to consider that Moore ran an offense that featured several future NFL stars such as wide receiver Herman Moore and running backs like Terry Kirby and Marcus Wilson.

This past season, Perkins was 203 for 318 passing for 2,472 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions. Moore, in 1990, was 144 of 241 for 2,262 yards and 21 TDs (eight picks).

Moore finished with 6,629 career passing yards and 7,897 total yards — still a Virginia record — and was responsible for 55 career TD passes.

Perkins isn’t finished with this season yet and can add to his numbers thanks to the Belk Bowl.

And maybe, just maybe, he can help Wahoo fans Remember December.

“The Bullet” Would’ve Been A Huge Perkins Fan

Photo Courtesy UVA Sports Media Relations

By Jerry Ratcliffe

It was no surprise that Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins won the Dudley Award this week, an award named for arguably the greatest football player that ever came from the state.

I knew Bill Dudley well, spent a lot of time with him over the years, and I’m confident that “The Bullet” would have loved Perkins. Because Dudley was a multi-dimensional player who could run, throw, receive, kick (yes, kick), play defensive back, and return kicks, he would have loved watching the dual-threat Perkins help the Cavaliers to a 7-5 season heading into the bowl game.

One thing, though. Dudley would have been really envious of Perkins’ speed.

“The Bullet” once told me about his speed — or lack thereof: “I was very slow,” he laughed. “My best time in the 100 was about 11.2. I had a good start. For 40 yards I could keep up with anybody. In fact, I could lead a lot of people at 40 yards. After that I kind of wore down.”

Maybe so, but not many people caught him in a career that put him in both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

Perkins seemingly dropped out of the sky for Virginia. Pennies from heaven, perhaps.

Actually, it was UVa quarterbacks coach Jason Beck who stumbled upon Perkins through an old contact at one of Bronco Mendenhall’s alma maters, Snow Junior College in Utah.

With two-year starter Kurt Benkert having finished at UVa, Mendenhall sent Beck out to find someone who could come in and start at quarterback. Certainly the ideal guy was a dual-threat QB, someone kind of like BYU’s Taysom Hill.

Beck scoured the land for possibilities and heard about a guy at Snow. That quarterback was good, but he wasn’t Perkins, who had made a huge impression on Snow’s head coach when Perkins’ Arizona Western Community College team came to Utah for a big showdown game late in the 2017 season.

When Snow coach Paul Petersen — a former Boston College quarterback under Tom O’Brien — told Beck about Perkins, Beck was immediately intrigued and wanted to see more.

Later on, this columnist was intrigued about Perkins when he first arrived in Charlottesville about a year ago, and I called Petersen to find out more. Perkins had put on a show in that game, which Arizona Western pulled out a close win. Perkins had told me that was his best game, and I wanted to ask Petersen about his impressions.

This is what Petersen told me:

“There are guys who can avoid the rush and there are guys who have abilities to make plays with their feet, and then there are guys that when they make those plays, instead of going eight or nine yards, they’re going to get 20 or 30 … the Lamar Jackson type,” Petersen said.

He immediately had my attention.

“I don’t know if [Perkins] is quite the athlete as Lamar, but he has ability to get to that next level as far as running the ball goes,” Petersen said.

We all saw that athletic ability this season when Perkins hurdled a couple of players, one particularly memorable in the Louisville game against Jackson’s old teammates. We saw Perkins’ speed and his ability to take it to the house in an instant.

Remember that this was Perkins’ first year playing FBS football, even though he is a junior. A lot of this stuff was new to him, not to mention a new team, a new coach, and new conference, a new part of the country.

Petersen wasn’t finished, by the way.

“Man, he can sling it,” he said of Perkins. “I thought he wasn’t as polished throwing the football as some guys I’ve seen at the level he’s playing, but he had all the ability. He’s got some strong form in making all the throws on the field.”

When UVa offered Perkins a scholarship and flew him and his family to Charlottesville, they fell in love with the place and with Mendenhall and his staff. When Bronco showed Perkins film of Taysom Hill as an example of what they wanted him to do as a Cavalier, Perkins was sold.

Once I started snooping around and found out Perkins’ bloodline, I believed Virginia had itself someone special. I talked to his dad, who was an NFL running back, and I talked to his brother, who is an NFL running back (Paul Perkins of the NY Giants). Then I found out another relative was Don Perkins, who is in the Dallas Cowboys’ Ring of Honor from back in the day when they truly were America’s Team.

I asked Mendenhall who Perkins most reminded him of out of all the QBs he had coached and he didn’t blink. It was BYU’s Hill.

“The closest comparison, and it’s far from identical, would be Taysom Hill in terms of athleticism, the leadership, the competitive spirit,” Mendenhall said. “It’s too early to say yet in terms of the yield and the outcome that he’s able to produce, or the durability. But in terms of athleticism, and style of play, that’s probably the closest comparison.”

The competitive spirit?

Remember the Louisville game, when Perkins went out on a pass pattern and dislocated his pinkie? He came out for a series or two, then returned and didn’t skip a beat.

Remember Georgia Tech? He was sacked in the end zone and was injured. It looked bad. Even Mendenhall figured his QB was probably done for the rest of the season, only to discover that two series later, Perkins was out of the medical tent, testing his ankle on the sidelines, throwing the ball and ready to return.

This guy just doesn’t quit and he won’t allow his teammates to quit either, the sign of a true leader.

Oh, and that statement from Bronco about being too early to say about the yield and production? That was before the season.

I decided to look up Hill’s senior season at BYU, a program he had been in for his entire career, and compare his numbers to Perkins’ junior year in Charlottesville.

As far as rushing, Hill had 137 rushing attempts compared to Perkins’ 197. Hill gained a net 603 yards compared to Perkins’ 842. Perkins actually gained 1,095 but in college football, sack yardage is subtracted from a players’ rushing yards.

Hill had a 4.4 yards-per-carry average to Perkins’ 4.3. Perkins had nine rushing TDs to Hill’s eight.

In terms of passing, Hill connected on 222 of 372 attempts for 2,323 yards, completed 60 percent of his passes for 12 TDs and threw 11 interceptions.

Perkins was 203 of 318 for 2,472 yards, completed 64 percent of his attempts for 22 TDs and nine interceptions.

Having watched Perkins closely, analyzing what people said about him, I predicted before the season that if Virginia could keep the QB healthy, the Cavaliers would win six or seven games and get to a second consecutive bowl.

Well, as good as I thought Perkins would be, he was even better. In fact, there was a conversation with some knowledgeable TV people in the Georgia Tech press box a few weeks ago that went like this:

“Heck if y’all (Virginia) had won another game or two, Perkins is looking at ACC Player of the Year,” a veteran TV guy said.

He was right. The award was there for the taking with a bunch of really good players lumped together. Makes one wonder what might have been had UVa won both of its two regular-season ending overtime losses to the two Techs, both on the road.

Wahoo fans are just hoping that the nagging ankle that occurred that night in Atlanta continues to heal, and that Perkins will be close to 100 percent when the Belk Bowl showdown with South Carolina rolls around in a couple of weeks.

Perkins, raised in Arizona, of course had no clue who Bill “The Bullet” Dudley was up until a few days ago. When he learned that he was a finalist for the award, he brushed up on the Bullet rather quickly and was very respectful to the Dudley family (which made the presentation) upon his acceptance speech.

The great Shawn Moore, who is arguably the greatest QB in UVa history, raved about Perkins before the season began and made some interesting comparisons about Perkins making a similar impact on Virginia’s program as Michael Vick made on Virginia Tech’s.

Moore hasn’t backed off that statement. Without Perkins, I don’t know where this program would be, but it wouldn’t be going to a bowl game, pretty certain about that. And wouldn’t be as fun to watch.

While I’m at it, I have to take a poke at the people who organize the Dudley Award, who generally do a great job with the entire program.

I think it was a big mistake not to invite Shawn Moore to the festivities this past week, a great oversight on someone’s part. Moore, who lives in Richmond, was the award’s first recipient and was very, very close to Bill Dudley.

Hey, maybe next year. Hoo knows what Perkins might accomplish by then.

Mendenhall, Muschamp Discuss Belk Bowl Matchup

South Carolina coach Will Muschamp and Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall pose with the Belk Bowl trophy Thursday in Charlotte.

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Bronco Mendenhall said his Virginia football team is “wildly excited” about the opportunity to face South Carolina in the Dec. 29 Belk Bowl at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, and that he believes the Cavaliers will be well represented by their fan base.

Those comments came during a Belk Bowl press conference in Charlotte on Thursday afternoon, attended by Mendenhall and Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp.

Both teams finished the season with 7-5 records, and both coaches agreed after reviewing game film of the two bowl opponents that either could have finished with eight or nine wins. UVa lost two overtime games to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech to end the regular season, while South Carolina dropped close contests to Florida (35-31) and Texas A&M (26-23).

Mendenhall said the Cavaliers view their matchup with the Gamecocks as an “occasion to rise to.”

“We know about the SEC brand,” the UVa coach said. “So many times bowl games give a chance for comparison. Not only are you playing against a football program and a team, but you get a glimpse of what style of play or what another conference might be. It’s the next chance to learn and discover, and grow our program.”

Muschamp said with the proximity of Columbia to Charlotte, he expects the Gamecocks to have strong support at the game from a very passionate fan base. In addition, South Carolina has one of its strongest alumni bases in Charlotte, fertile recruiting grounds for the Gamecocks.

Mendenhall believes that with Virginia appearing in back-to-back bowls for the first time since 2004-2005, that his program is gaining momentum.

“I think our fan base is coming alive, I think they’re becoming passionate, I think they are starting to believe, which is moving on from hopeful,” the Wahoos’ coach said. “I think they will turn out for this game and the support will reflect that.”

Both coaches traded compliments about the respective programs, with Muschamp particularly impressed with UVa quarterback Bryce Perkins.

“You turn on the tape and [Mendenhall’s] guys play tough and physical,” the Gamecocks’ coach said. “That’s the greatest compliment you can give a coach. Perkins makes a lot of off-rhythm plays and causes some issues [defending] the run game. There are some unique things they do in the run game and Jordan Ellis is a quality running back.”

Mendenhall was equally impressed when asked about facing South Carolina.

“I love the tempo, I love the stress [South Carolina’s] offense puts on a defense, and I love the [Gamecocks’] schematic design defensively,” Mendenhall said. “It takes every second of every day to prepare for a team like this.”

Carolina will be missing some parts when the bowl rolls around. Muschamp said Thursday that Javon Kinlaw (defensive lineman) and Keisean Nixon (defensive back) will be out for the Belk Bowl. Kinlaw suffered a labral tear of a hip and will have surgery, while Nixon has a fracture of his neck.

The Gamecocks were already missing their most prolific playmaker offensively in All-American wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who decided to bypass the bowl in order to prepare for the NFL Draft. Samuel, who has a history of injuries, did not want to risk his health in the bowl game.

On the good-news side for Muschamp, he reported his team will have Bryson Allen-Williams (linebacker), Jaycee Horn (defensive back) and Jaylin Dickerson (defensive back) all back from the injured list.

Carolina was already missing defensive lineman D.J. Wonnum with a severe ankle injury. He is not expected to play in the bowl game.

Mendenhall said that he expected his team to be healthy coming into the game and that the break between regular season and bowl practice should give some of his players, particularly his secondary, a chance to recover from being banged up late in the season.

“While we haven’t crossed paths before, it’s fun to see a defensive-minded head coach [Muschamp] … and that shows up on film along with an offense that is fast and furious and plays with a dynamic, explosive mindset,” said Mendenhall. “I think the two programs have had similar seasons with close games.”

Mendenhall was asked about a statement he made earlier this month about bowl games, when he said he believes the hungriest team usually prevails in postseason play.

“I do stand by that,” he said. “Many times, based on a team’s perception of a [bowl] game, and if it fits what they think where they stand or what they deserve, sometimes effects chemistry and motivation.”

Mendenhall said often a coach can impact the motivation by how high he sets the bar for demanding practices.

“I think there will be two very motivated teams [in the bowl],” he said.

Speaking of motivation, Mendenhall added, “I think you’ll find two hungry football teams, and eight [wins] looks a lot better than seven. When I look at all the bowl games, I think [the Belk] is one of the most intriguing matchups.”

Perkins Wins 2018 Dudley Award

Bryce Perkins

Courtesy UVA Sports Media Relations

Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins was named the winner of the 2018 Dudley Award as the state’s top Division I collegiate player. The announcement was made at the annual Dudley Award Banquet in Richmond on Wednesday night. The other finalists were cornerback Jimmy Moreland of JMU and defensive lineman Ricky Walker of Virginia Tech.

In addition to winning the Dudley Award, Perkins was honored by the Touchdown Club of Richmond as the state’s Offensive Back of the Year. Also honored by the Touchdown Club of Richmond on Wednesday night were Bryce Hall (Defensive Back of the Year), Chris Peace (Linebacker of the Year), Olamide Zaccheaus (Offensive End of the Year) and Lester Coleman (Co-Humanitarian Award winner).

Perkins is the ninth Cavalier to win the Dudley Award. Previous UVA winners include quarterback Shawn Moore (1990), quarterback Matt Blundin (1991), defensive end Mike Frederick (1994), tailback Tiki Barber (1996), safety Anthony Poindexter (1997), wide receiver Billy McMullen (2001), defensive end Chris Long (2007) and inside linebacker Micah Kiser (2017). With Kiser winning in 2017, UVA has back-to-back winners for the first time since 1990-91 with quarterbacks Shawn Moore and Matt Blundin.

Perkins (Jr., Queen Creek, Az.) is No. 2 in the ACC and No. 16 in the nation with 188 points responsible for. His 3,314 yards of total offense is a UVA single-season record and it currently ranks No. 2 in the ACC and No. 18 in the nation. Perkins and Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray are the only players in the nation with at least 2,400+ passing yards and 800+ rushing yards. Perkins is the only ACC player with at least 20 passing touchdowns and nine rushing touchdowns.

Perkins also set a UVA single-season record with 31 touchdowns (22 passing, nine rushing) responsible for. He was clutch on third down passing (65 percent) and rushing, where he averaged 7.6 yards per rush with 15 first downs and four rushing touchdowns. Perkins rushed for 1,032 yards when you adjust for sacks. Perkins also earned honorable mention All-ACC honors.

The Dudley Award is named after former University of Virginia standout “Bullet” Bill Dudley and has been presented annually since 1990 to the player of the year at a state school. Each football-playing school in the Commonwealth is allowed to nominate one player. In 2004, a separate award was created for players at Division II and Division III schools. The Richmond Times-Dispatch sponsors the awards. A panel of 15 voters is used to select the Dudley Award winner.

Hall Named to the Walter Camp All-America Team

Bryce Hall (34) knocks a potential TD pass from the grasp of Liberty receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden.

Courtesy UVA Sports Media Relations

Virginia cornerback Bryce Hall was named to the Walter Camp All-America team Thursday during the ESPN/Home Depot College Football Award Show. The Walter Camp Football Foundation made the announcement at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Hall was a second-team All-America selection.

The Walter Camp All-America team, the nation’s oldest college football All-America squad, is in its 129th year honoring the nation’s best college football players. Hall is the 13th Cavalier all-time to be recognized on the Walter Camp All-America team and gives UVA a Walter Camp All-American in back-to-back seasons. Last year FS Quin Blanding and ILB Micah Kiser were also named second-team honorees. Hall is the first UVA cornerback to be recognized by the organization, previous defensive backs were safeties (Blanding, Anthony Harris – 2013).

Hall (Jr., Harrisburg, Pa.) leads the nation with 20 pass breakups and is No. 2 in the nation with 22 passes defended. He boasts 59 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, forced two fumbles and recovered another fumble. Hall was named ACC Defensive Back of the Week after making five tackles, breaking up three passes and intercepting another at Duke. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks him No. 4 in the nation among defensive backs in regards to forcing an incompletion and he is the highest graded ACC cornerback through 12 games, per PFF.

Previously Hall also been first-team All-ACC and was named an honorable mention All-American by PFF.

Five Cavaliers Honored By Touchdown Club of Richmond

Bryce Perkins

Courtesy UVA Sports Media Relations

Five Virginia Cavaliers have been named College Award winners by the Touchdown Club of Richmond. Quarterback Bryce Perkins has been named the Touchdown Club’s offensive back of the year, linebacker Chris Peace has been named the linebacker of the year, cornerback Bryce Hall has been named the defensive back of the year, receiver Olamide Zaccheaus has been named the offensive end of the year and punter Lester Coleman is the co-humanitarian award winner.

Perkins is one of three finalists for this year’s prestigious Dudley Award, presented to the state’s top player.

Hall (Jr., Harrisburg, Pa.) leads the nation with 22 passes defended and 20 pass breakups. He boasts 59 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, forced two fumbles and recovered another fumble. Hall was named ACC Defensive Back of the Week after making five tackles, breaking up three passes and intercepting another at Duke. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks him No. 4 in the nation among defensive backs in regards to forcing an incompletion and he is the highest graded ACC cornerback through 12 games, per PFF. Hall also earned first-team All-ACC honors.

Peace (Sr., Newport News) leads the ACC’s linebackers with 6.0 sacks, which also ranks No. 9 among the nation’s linebackers.  He is second on the team with 63 tackles and leads UVA with 13 quarterback hurries. Peace ispart of a pass rush that assists the UVA secondary, which ranks No. 3 in the ACC and No. 16 in the nation with 180.1 passing yards allowed per game. Peace also earned third-team All-ACC honors.

Perkins (Jr., Queen Creek, Az.) is No. 2 in the ACC and No. 16 in the nation with 188 points responsible for. His 3,314 yards of total offense is a UVA single-season record and it currently ranks No. 2 in the ACC and No. 18 in the nation. Perkins and Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray are the only players in the nation with at least 2,400+ passing yards and 800+ rushing yards. Perkins is the only ACC player with at least 20 passing touchdowns and nine rushing touchdowns. Perkins also set a UVA single-season record with 31 touchdowns (22 passing, nine rushing) responsible for. He was clutch on third down passing (65 percent) and rushing, where he averaged 7.6 yards per rush with 15 first downs and four rushing touchdowns. Perkins rushed for 1,032 yards when you adjust for sacks. Perkins also earned honorable mention All-ACC honors.

Zaccheaus (Sr., Plainfield, N.J.) is No. 2 in the ACC and No. 11 in the nation with 81 receptions. He is also No. 3 in the ACC with 958 receiving yards. Zaccheaus is the only ACC player to have at least 70 receptions in 2017 and 2018. He set a UVA single-game record with 247 receiving yards against Ohio, which also serves as the most receiving yards in a game this season by an ACC player and is tied for No. 3 in all of FBS in 2018. Zaccheaus needs only 42 receiving yards to become just the third Cavalier to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Zaccheaus also earned first-team All-ACC accolades.

Coleman (Sr., Martinsville) is No. 4 in the ACC with 42.1 yards per punt. His 43.1 career average ranks No. 3 all-time at UVA. In the community, Coleman is involved with everything from UVA’s Green Dot program (Not on Our Grounds), to working with the One Love Foundation, Relay for Life, Student-Athlete Advisory Council and Student-Athlete Mentors. He also is a regular when the UVA football team makes Children’s Hospital visits.

Richmond’s John Yarbrough was named the offensive lineman of year, Virginia Tech’s Ricky Walker was named the defensive lineman of the year and JMU’s D’Angelo Amos was named the specialist of the year. Coleman shares humanitarian man of the year honors with JMU’s Grant Westbrook.

The Dudley/Lanier Award Banquet is open to the public and will be held Wednesday, December 12, at the Hilton Richmond Hotel, 12042 West Broad Street, 6 p.m. Tickets cost $50.00 each and may be purchased by calling Ron Axselle at 804-310-0222, or by emailing tdclubofrichmond@verizon.net.

Also at this event, the Dudley Award and the Lanier Award will be presented to the top collegiate player in the state with the Dudley Award going to a NCAA Division I player and the Lanier Award presented to a player from a NCAA Division II, IIII, NAIA and IUSCAA college.

The Dudley Award is named for the late Bill Dudley, an NFL Hall of Famer who starred at Virginia while the Lanier Award is named for Willie Lanier, also an NFL Hall of Famer who graduated from Richmond’s Maggie Walker High School. The Touchdown Club of Richmond is a sports-social organization that serves to promote the best interests of the American game of football and sports in general, under the guidance of elected officers with the predominate purpose being to recognize worthy athletes for their accomplishments and to encourage them to continue their education and athletic careers.