Third-Quarter Blues keeping Virginia in the hole

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia football has a bad case of the Third-Quarter Blues, and that has sent Tony Elliott on an intense search for an immediate cure.

For the record, UVA has been outscored by a combined 65-16 in the third quarter this season, a factor in the Cavaliers’ 4-3 start and perhaps a key for Elliott’s team if it wants to taste success over the next five games.

The Wahoos have emerged from the locker room at halftime M.I.A., a big no-no in football, and going against the grain of what Elliott stresses to his team about winning “the middle eight,” the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half.

“As a matter of fact, I got after the guys a little bit [in Tuesday morning’s practice] because we try to structure our practice the same way we approach a game,” Elliott said.

In fact, Elliott designs practice to simulate a game: get off to a fast start, then goes with some physicality with the inside run drill as if the team is approaching halftime. They take a break, refuel and come out for typically some more competitive action.

“I really challenged them today in practice, to practice so that we can come out fast after the half,” Elliott said. “So, yes, we have put that under a microscope. This last game (Clemson) was lost in the middle eight. You look where we were offensively the last few minutes of the second quarter when we had three possessions and really didn’t do anything with it.”

Elliott was spot-on. Tied at 10-10, Virginia punted on its last three possessions of the first half, failing to even get a first down on the first two of those three possessions, then fizzling out on the third, also punting. Meanwhile, Clemson scored for a 17-10 halftime lead.

Third quarter? Fuhgeddaboudit.

The Tigers reeled off 21 unanswered points to blow the game open, which is somewhat of a disturbing trend.

Here is the third-quarter count in each of Virginia’s seven games thus far:

Richmond 7, UVA 0

Wake Forest 10, UVA 0

Maryland 10, UVA 0

UVA 10, Coastal Carolina 7

UVA 0, Boston College 0

Louisville 10, UVA 6

Clemson 21, UVA 0

Certainly, Elliott’s efforts to stress fast stars have been effective and finishing strong, as Virginia has collectively outscored opponents in both the first and fourth quarters. But the third? Not so much.

“So really trying to evaluate the mindset that we have during that portion of practice where we’re approaching halftime the right way,” the coach said. “Not like, okay, it’s just a break. It’s an opportunity to go refuel, to get the adjustments and then have an attacking mindset.”

Elliott said he’s evaluating everything considering the middle eight, how he’s structuring practice.

“Evaluating everything so that we can have a better mindset,” Elliott said. “I’ve got to change the mindset that when we say middle eight we think about the middle eight just like the mindset with the fourth quarter. That’s what I’ve got to do. Where I have to get better is I have to continue to push and prod and research and look for ways to help from a mental-toughness standpoint.

“Really that’s what that is. Because you’re going into halftime, there is a tendency to just relax. Okay, it’s halftime. I am going to take a break. Really you’re taking a break from play, but mentally you’re not taking a break. It’s an opportunity to refuel with your hydration, get some carbs in your system to boost your energy, but you can’t check out mentally.”