Key To Unlocking Virginia Offense Is Getting Another WR To Step Up

Scattershooting around the ACC, while pinpointing the key for unleashing Virginia’s offense …

I asked Bronco Mendenhall earlier in the week about Evan Butts, Virginia’s reliable tight end, and how differently opposing defenses are playing him. Mendenhall revealed that defenses are definitely more aware of Butts and that coverage on him is tighter.

Because Butts is getting more attention, and obviously slot receiver Olamide Zaccheaus is getting tons of attention, wideout Hasise Dubois is getting less coverage.

“Hopefully we can get all that going at the same time,” Mendenhall said.

What I wasn’t expecting is what the Virginia coach said next.

“If we can get production from one more outside receiver at the same time as the rest of that, that’s more of what we’re hopeful for,” Mendenhall said.

That means, the key to unlocking the full Virginia offense is getting another wide receiver – Joe Reed, Tavares Kelly, or Terrell Jana – to step up their games.

It’s not surprising that Kelly isn’t quite there yet. The speedy freshman from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., is just that, a true freshman. Sometimes it takes longer for a rookie to adjust to the speed of the game or for things to fully click in.

Reed is somewhat of a mystery to me. The 6-1, 215 junior, has great speed as evidenced by some of his kickoff returns. Why he hasn’t become more of a go-to receiver, I can’t figure out.

Apparently, Virginia’s coaching staff is somewhat dumbfounded why Reed hasn’t come around, too.

“Sometimes as a teacher, as an educator, there is a student or students in the class that you’re just really working and you haven’t connected with or found their learning style, or why all of a sudden has that light bulb come on,” Mendenhall explained.

“Man, we had a lot of nice design for Joe in the game against Miami,” the coach said. “It’s not an issue of capability nor desire on his part. For whatever reason, we’ve just struggled finding the right niche, the right presentation, to have everything click for [Reed] to become who he is.”

Reed, who is averaging 21.5 yards per kickoff return, has caught only 11 passes in six games for 160 yards (26.7 yards per game) and a touchdown. Zaccheaus and Dubois have combined for 62 receptions, nearly 800 yards and 8 scores.

Butts has nine catches, Kelly five, Jana and Chris Sharpe (a fullback) three each.

With Virginia playing so many Coastal Division rivals down the homestretch, many of which are expected to be close games, it would be a huge bonus for the Cavaliers if Reed can become more involved in the offense and help loosen up things for some of the other receivers.

Bronco gets Mucho Respect From Duke

Blue Devils head coach David Cutcliffe has a lot of admiration for Mendenhall’s skill as a defensive-oriented coach, and the UVa coach heaps equal praise on Cutcliffe for his offensive brilliance.

“Bronco Mendenhall is one of the better defensive coaches I’ve known,” Cutcliffe said this week. “We’ve known each other quite some time. I studied what they did when they were at BYU because I thought they were good at what they do.”

In studying video of Virginia’s upset win over Miami last week, Cutcliffe wasn’t surprised at how well the Cavaliers’ defense shut down the Hurricanes.

“It almost seemed as if [Virginia] was one step ahead the entire game,” Cutcliffe said. “They do a great mixture of their defenses, a great blend of different types of things, different personnel, use their personnel well.

“I think you have to have a very focused offensive team, you have to have a team that can handle [Virginia’s] versatility. You got to be proactive. If you become reactive to what Virginia is doing, you’re going to be a step behind.”

The Textile Bowl

If you asked me, ESPN dropped the ball on not showing up at Clemson for GameDay.

Two of the nation’s eight undefeated teams clash in Death Valley when the Tigers host N.C. State in a huge Atlantic Division matchup. Given that the Wolfpack has had two great chances of upsetting Clemson the past two years, the game deserved prime time.

Instead, ESPN decided to GameDay the Oregon and Washington State matchup. Really?

Clemson and State was relegated to a 3:30 p.m. start.

In a game dubbed the “Textile Bowl” from the ACC’s early days, it could be a heck of a game. Two years ago, State missed a chip shot field goal late that would have handed Clemson a surprising loss. Instead, the Tigers went on to win the national championship.

Last year, State QB Ryan Finley directed the Wolfpack to 491 yards of offense and 31 points, but it wasn’t enough to dethrone the eventual ACC champion Tigers.

Clemson is favored by 17 points to win the game and should win at home. However, if State manages to pull off the upset, the Wolfpack would own the tie-breaker over Clemson in the Atlantic race.

Our pal, Joe Giglio of the Raleigh News & Observer, pointed out this fact during our interview on Ourlads’ ACC radio show this week. Clemson has played 26 games against Top 20 teams over the last seven years, and is 14-2 in those games the last three years, with both losses coming against Alabama.

Meanwhile, State has played very few such games in recent years.

The question is, is the moment too big for State? Does the Wolfpack have enough playmakers to match Clemson?

Could be a fun game to watch, even though the oddsmakers say probably not.

Even if State pulls off the upset, and goes on to finish as an undefeated ACC champion, it still has only a 44 percent chance of making the College Football Playoffs according to Playoff Predictor. The fact that the Wolfpack game against West Virginia was cancelled by hurricane weather, has really hurt State’s chances because the Wolfpack otherwise plays a rather weak nonconference schedule.

State did not play a Power 5 nonconference opponent, beating JMU, Georgia State, and Marshall.

Short yardage …

• Things are not looking so good on The Flats in Atlanta, where Georgia Tech has fallen to 1-3 in the ACC and 3-4 overall. The Yellow Jackets fumbled six times in their home loss to Duke last week, and lost three of those balls. Duke QB Daniel Jones quickly converted all three turnovers into Blue Devils touchdowns all within a three-minute span. Meanwhile, GT QB Taquan Marshall left the game in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury. Tech has a bye week before playing at Virginia Tech next Thursday night.

• Louisville’s defense is a mess. The Cardinals gave up 430 yards in a loss at Boston College last weekend, after giving up 542 rushing yards the week before to Georgia Tech. Louisville is now 0-4 in the ACC.

• Speaking of the Cardinals, tight end Kemari Averett is indefinitely suspended after being charged with putting a gun to his girlfriend’s head and threatening to kill her, as if Louisville needed any more problems, right?

• We had a feeling that Boston College could rest star running back A.J. Dillon last week and still beat Louisville, which the Eagles did just that. Dillon has missed the last two games with an ankle injury and now gets a bye week to heal before hosting Miami. BC is 4-0 at home.

• After getting beat in Charlottesville again last weekend, Miami coach Mark Richt said he is going to stick with experienced QB Malik Rosier over redshirt freshman N’Kosi Perry, who was pulled after throwing two interceptions on his first six throws vs. the Wahoos. While Richt said he would still play Perry some to get him experience, Rosier seemed to have a better grip on things when he finished the game for the Hurricanes.

• Wake Forest seems to be struggling on defense, too. The Deacs, who host Florida State on Saturday, have lost three of their last four games (only win was over Rice during that stretch), and are giving up too many big plays to be legit. Wake’s defense has given up 17 touchdowns of 20 yards or longer.

FSU’s Streak May End

Florida State, which has participated in 35 consecutive bowl games, is going to have a difficult time making it 36.

The Seminoles, 3-3 overall (1-3 in the ACC), have to win three more games to become bowl eligible. But Willie Taggert’s crew will face one of the toughest challenges in the nation to get there.

According to the NCAA, FSU has the toughest remaining schedule in the FBS, facing four Top 25 teams among the six games left. Those four teams, Clemson, N.C. State, Notre Dame, and Florida, are a combined 24-1 right now.

The other two opponents are Wake Forest and Boston College, both home games for the ‘Noles.

ACC Stat of the Week

Miami, which lost 16-13 at Virginia last week, is still ranked No. 1 in the nation in total defense, giving up 236.4 yards per game, ahead of third-ranked Clemson (261.2). The Hurricanes are also No. 1 in third down conversion defense and tackles for loss.

Virginia managed 231 yards of total offense against the ‘Canes and converted 3-of-10 third downs.

ACC Quote of the Week

UVa tight end Evan Butts told media covering the team that Coach Bronco Mendenhall often invites the players over to his home, which always features some horse riding activity.

Asked if his equestrian skills have improved over the span of visits, Butts didn’t hesitate with his answer.

“No,” Butts said. “I fell off.”