It wasn’t perfect, but Virginia’s defense showed life in spring game

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Last season, Virginia fielded one of the worst defenses in program history. The ultimate embarrassment was a 66-49 loss at BYU, which piled up 734 yards of offense in that win.

The Cavaliers abysmal performance was one of many as they finished near the bottom of NCAA defensive statistics:

• No. 123 (out of 130 FBS teams) in rushing defense (225.8 yards per game)
• No. 104 in scoring defense (31.8)
• No. 87 in passing yards allowed (240 per game)
• No. 121 in total defense (446 yards per game)

All of this led to the eventual firing of defensive coordinator Nick Howell as the coaching staff dismantled less than a week after its regular-season finale defeat to Virginia Tech.

Along came offensive-minded Tony Elliott as Bronco Mendenhall’s replacement. Elliott came with no promises other than to work hard. The new boss came from Clemson, and while he was involved on the offensive side of things, he knew what good, even great defense looked like.

If nothing else, Virginia fans who showed up for the Cavaliers’ Spring Game Saturday had to be encouraged by what was happening on the defensive side of the ball. With record-breaking quarterback Brennan Armstrong and a handful of lethal receivers returning, we all knew the offense would be in good hands going forward.

It was the defense that had everyone concerned, even Elliott. That’s why he found John Rudzinski, the somewhat-unheralded defensive coordinator at Air Force, where Coach Rud had fielded some of the stingiest defenses in all of America over the past few seasons.

In Saturday’s 23-0 win by the Blue squad over the White, there were a few things apparent. For the most part, it appeared that the defenses for both teams were lined up right, that the run fits were appropriate and there weren’t many screwups in coverage assignments for the secondary.

The White team had 20 yards rushing and the Blue posted 166, but 75 of that came on a perimeter rush by little-known senior Perris Jones on the first play of the second half. Other than that, the front sevens on both defenses kept the running game pretty well contained.

In the passing game, with Armstrong playing the first half for both teams, the veteran completed 23 of 42 attempts for 212 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

Putting things in perspective, Coach Rud wasn’t about to surrender massive chunks of Scott Stadium turf and set his coverage at 8 yards deep so that receivers found it difficult to get behind them. Armstrong, for the most part, had to take what the defensive coverage gave him, which was mostly dinks and dunks.

Also, because the game was televised by the ACC Network, UVA offensive coordinator Des Kitchings said beforehand that he wasn’t about any flavor but vanilla so as to not give away hints of what the Cavaliers may look like offensively come fall, just in case any opposing spies might be watching.

Still, it was promising that Rudzinski put a defense on the field Saturday that didn’t make fans reach for the Pepto. Had Virginia fielded any kind of defense last year, oh the possibilities.

“I thought [the frontline] defense was in a good position for the most part,” Elliott said in assessing the day. “I thought on the outside we were in position probably a little bit better than some of the same action where the big players were coming from, but overall, those guys have, like I said from the beginning, their confidence has come back for the most part.”

Certainly, that is a huge statement by Elliott about the collective defensive players’ confidence returning.

All of a sudden, defense is fun again at Virginia. As 319-pound nosetackle Jahmeer Carter (Blue team) said with a smile in postgame, “We were all flying around the football.”

Ask the old coaches and they will readily tell you that it’s difficult to be a good defense against the run if you don’t practice against the run every day in practice. In UVA’s pass-happy offense the past few years, a real running game was just a rumor.

Not with Elliott. He understands the importance of balance, i.e. Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne.

“We talked about that just the other day,” said UVA’s best defensive player, senior linebacker Nick Jackson from Atlanta (two sacks, one tackle for loss and a PBU on the day). “Iron sharpens iron.”

Even in Armstrong’s one slip-up on the day, when he tried to force a pass and was picked off by senior corner Jaylon Baker, Elliott took solace in that the White defense didn’t break after the Blue had driven to a first down inside the 10-yard line.

“I was trying to encourage [the White defense] that you gave up a drive down to the eight, but man, you held them to three points,” Elliott said. “I mean, that’s a victory. You’ve gotta celebrate the little victories. I was proud of that sequence there.”

The secondary, thin on depth with only three healthy safeties at the end of spring drills, has held up mostly because some of the defensive backs are versatile enough to play more than one position while necessary.

“It might not be competitive depth all the way through, and so those frontline guys have got to push themselves a little bit harder if somebody’s not behind them to push, but I thought they made strides this spring,” Elliott said. “Lex Long (sophomore safety from Woodbridge) is a guy that looks like he’s becoming more comfortable. I heard him all day getting guys lined up, communicating, and so with what they really take from Coach [Curome] Cox and Coach Rud, just understand the scheme and the flexibility with the safeties being able to play multiple spots.”

One experienced defensive back, corner Darrius Bratton from Roanoke, was sidelined for the game.

“I’m pleased where the D-line has progressed and to see where (defensive tackle) Ben Smiley is, considering where he started and wanting to lead, compared to when I first showed up here,” Elliott said. “(Defensive end Michael) Diatta, I think he’s got a chance to help us. (Linebacker) Chico Bennett, I was pleased with the spring he had. Mike Green (linebacker) is another one that I’m trying to get both feet in the water because he’s as talented an athlete as we have on this football team.”

Elliott believes his linebacking corps is solid.

Now, it’s a matter of players developing somewhat on their own between now and training camp, blending with a host of newcomers and putting something better on the field defensively when the bullets start flying.

If Armstrong & Co. can put up the numbers offensively, this could be a good football team … if the quarterback can get just a little bit of help from this friends – his defensive friends.

Highlights from the Blue-White game 🔶⚔️🔷#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/jywQGS7rmA

— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball) April 24, 2022