What Do Writers Know? UVA Will NOT Finish Last In Coastal

I’ve always had a problem with preseason polls. Voters are usually fairly accurate about the top of the polls but after that it’s a crapshoot, and in the case of last week’s ACC Football Kickoff with hundreds of media attending, anyone can vote.

By anyone, I mean anyone as in the voter who gave North Carolina a first place vote in the Coastal Division. Really?

I totally agree that Miami and Clemson should be the preseason favorites in their respective divisions. Florida State will be interesting with a new coach inheriting a load of talent. Boston College is my darkhorse. The Eagles have a lot of experience back.

As usual, the Coastal Division will likely be up for grabs. Miami has made strides under Mark Richt, but we have all seen how the Hurricanes seem to transform into a tropical storm at season’s end.

Here’s where I think the ACC media voters missed on Virginia, which was picked to finish dead last in the Coastal behind two teams the Cavaliers finished ahead of last season (Pitt and UNC).

UVa has eight returning starters on offense, eight starters back on defense, and arguably the best punter in the ACC. Yes, the Wahoos lost three key players on defense in Andrew Brown, Micah Kiser, and Quin Blanding, but several players received key experience last season and Virginia returns also arguably the best secondary in the conference.

Offensively, this could be the fastest UVa team in a long time with Bryce Perkins, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Joe Reed.

Bronco Mendenhall has adjusted his offense to take advantage of this speed and added some option to keep opposing defenses honest.

The biggest difference? In my mind, it’s Perkins, the mobile transfer quarterback from Arizona State/Arizona Western.

When I talked to Marques Hagans back in the spring and quizzed him on Perkins, he told me that Perkins is the fastest and most explosive quarterback Virginia has had in a long time. How long?

I teased Hagans, known as “Biscuit” amongst his peers, and said, “since, uh, you…?”

Hagans smiled a huge smile.

For those of you too young to remember, Hagans came as close as it comes to making legendary Florida State coach Bobby Bowden cuss. Hagans had led Virginia’s upset of the fourth-ranked Seminoles with the Cavaliers’ quarterback’s quickness and shiftiness, which left FSU tacklers grasping for a ghost all night long.

Will never forget Bowden muttering “We couldn’t stop that dadgum No. 18. I’ve never seen a quarterback make as many one-man plays as he made tonight.”

Bowden, of course, was referring to Hagans, who tore up the Seminoles.

Without putting too much pressure on Perkins, I believe he is going to be that kind of quarterback for Virginia, a difference-maker, the kind of quarterback who can win games and be the deciding factor in close contests.

Mendenhall is no dummy. He hasn’t won more than 100 games in his career without knowing how to take advantage of a mobile QB, the kind he likes, the kind he describes as a “Thorterback,” in reference to the the brawny thunder god of Norse mythology.

While the classic dropback passer is the way of the NFL, to me, a mobile, dual-threat quarterback is the most effective way to win in college football. There are exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking, a guy who can create with his feet is a huge bonus to an offense.

I know, I know. There are questions about the offensive line, which was a big problem last season. Mendenhall’s scheme this time around should help negate that and force defenses to respect the edges and not allow linebackers and safeties to crowd the tackle box.

All this is dependent upon whether Perkins is as good as advertised. I’m convinced he is, plus he’s proving to be a leader who displays smarts and confidence, exactly what this team will need.

UVa tied for fourth in the Coastal with Duke last season, and while the Blue Devils have a potential NFL QB on their roster, have they advanced that far in a year? Georgia Tech has one of those running QBs as well, but the Jackets had problems last season, too. The Hokies? Lost eight starters on defense.

The Coastal could be the usual mad scramble. Virginia’s schedule is a little lighter, although the Cavaliers handled Boise State last season and lost to Indiana. Boise is no longer on the schedule, replaced by either Ohio or Liberty, which join Richmond and Indiana (Hoosiers on the road) as UVa’s nonconference schedule.

Last year, I predicted Virginia would win four or five games, and that if it didn’t have any catastrophic injuries that the Cavaliers could possibly win six and qualify for a bowl. Pegged that one.

While the season ended on a sour note with a butt-kicking in the bowl game at Navy, if I had asked you before the season if you’d take six wins and a bowl trip, I’ll bet you would have taken it.

Year three of the Bronco era is almost upon us. They won’t finish last.