Bryce Perkins Was As Special As Everyone Thought He Would Be

All year long, we heard about what a special player Bryce Perkins was going to be. Saturday night we found out.

Name your own adjective: electric, exciting, elusive, f-a-s-t. Perkins was all of that and more. His debut was spectacular as he rushed for 108 yards, passed for 185, and had a hand in four touchdowns to lead Virginia to a season-opening, 42-13 win over Richmond at Scott Stadium.

“I mean the dude is quick,” observed Richmond coach Russ Huesman, whose Spiders had no answer for that speed over the course of the contest. “He is really electric, and they did a great job of putting him in positions to utilize his legs.”

Overcoming an early pick-six on Virginia’s opening series of the game, Perkins settled down and showed the 40,000-plus fans what he was all about. The transfer from Arizona Western darted 36 yards for the first of two, first-quarter scoring runs. The second, from 22 yards out, put the Cavaliers up 14-10 and UVa never looked back.

The lopsided win was a measure of revenge for the 2016 opener when Richmond ruined UVa coach Bronco Mendenhall’s debut after leaving Brigham Young after a lengthy reign in Provo.

Mendenhall didn’t have the offensive firepower then. He didn’t have a mobile quarterback either.

On Saturday night, Perkins reached several milestones in his first appearance in a Virginia uniform.

He became the 13th UVa quarterback to rush for at least 100 yards in a game; became the first Cavalier quarterback since Jameel Sewell in 2009 to rush for at least 100 yards in a game; became the first since Sewell to rush for at least two touchdowns. We could go on, but you get the picture.

As far as Mendenhall was concerned, Perkins gave him exactly the same thing in a game as he has given in practice all training camp. No surprises, good runs, decent passing.

Perkins responded that games are actually less hectic than Mendenhall’s practices.

“Obviously I would like to have the pick back,” Perkins said. “A couple other plays I wish i had back, but for the most part it’s pretty good for the first game. Next week is Indiana and we have to improve.”

Saturday night in Charlottesville was a long way from Chandler High School in Arizona. Recruited by Arizona State by Todd Graham, Perkins suffered a broken neck in practice and was told he’d never play football again. He declined surgery, decided to rehab and leave thing in the hands of the man upstairs.

He recovered, played well at Arizona Western Community College last season and caught the eye of Virginia’s coaching staff.

“It felt great coming out of that tunnel,” Perkins said after the game. “I had a sigh of relief. I was like, ‘Wow, I’m here now.’ It’s been a long journey.

“Two years ago I didn’t know if I was going to [play] again, but God had different plans and I thank him every day for it, and it’s the first of many to come.”

The entire Perkins clan flew in for the game, parents and family from Arizona, grandparents from Iowa, brother Paul (a running back for the New York Giants), from New York.

During a chat at a tailgate before the game, mom, Lynette, said that “Bryce is a playmaker. He’s a leader. He’ll get it done.”

Her analysis was spot on. Mom’s know best.

The first touchdown run was a run, pass option (RPO), the second was a designed run.

“We knew that [Richmond] was going to drop on the formation that we had called, so when everybody dropped, it was a draw play and everybody on our side did a great job of picking it up,” Perkins said of the 36-yard dash.

It was a called pass play, but the run option was there if the pass wasn’t. It developed into a draw play and it was too easy.

“It was wide open,” Perkins said. “I was kind of surprised and took advantage of it.”

Meanwhile, Perkins showed a good passing aptitude. He completed 13 of 24 passes for 185 yards, two scores, and the pick. He was sacked three times but did a good job of not forcing things except for the early pick.

Richmond’s Dale Matthews took the interception back 72 yards for a score on a play that Perkins would like to have back. He was trying to make something happen and it backfired on him.

“I came to the sideline, took a deep breath, and said, ‘I got it out now. Let’s just go play.”

And play he did.

“Their offensive staff did a great job of scheming and how to get leverage on us and all those things,” UR’s Huesman said. “Perkins … especially with his legs.”

The passing game will improve as the season moves along. Perkins said after a while he got on the same page with his receivers with the routes, and that’s a good sign.

Certainly, the Cavaliers will have to be more effective through the air to escape Indiana with a win next Saturday.

One of the good things that Perkins did was distribute the ball to his playmakers, running back Jordan Ellis with a career-high146 rushing yards, and wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus with101 receiving yards.

Overall, it was a great debut. But there’s more to come.

Having his family on hand to witness his win, meant everything to Perkins.

“Some of them I haven’t seen for a long time,” Perkins said. “To show the support that they believe in me meant so much. A lot of them haven’t seen me play sine high school. I love them for it.”