Football’s ascending start to the season fell back down to earth Saturday with a loss to Maryland. A 2-1 start isn’t bad, especially considering how fortunate this team was to escape Wake Forest with a win. But Saturday was a step backwards on a path this team hopes will lead to a bowl game. Here is everything we know about the Cavaliers a quarter of the way through the season.
Colandrea — the right choice, but still growing
In week one against Richmond, even the most cynical Cavalier fans had to notice sophomore quarterback Anthony Colandrea’s improvement from a season ago. He was poised, accurate and aggressive without being careless. He notched zero turnover-worthy plays, per PFF, and scored three touchdowns in a convincing win over the Spiders.
But so far this season, there has been a direct and stark correlation between his level of play and the level of competition he faces. After his clean game against Richmond, he totaled two turnovers against the Demon Deacons and three against the Terrapins. Coming into the season, ball security was Colandrea’s biggest concern — and five turnovers in the past two weeks have reignited these worries.
A turnover isn’t always the quarterback’s fault. The receiver could have run the wrong route, the offensive line could have mishandled a stunt, et cetera — but against Maryland, all three of Colandrea’s mishaps fell on him. In fact, the three form a nice triumvirate of how not to play quarterback. The first was a fundamental error — Colandrea held the ball with one hand as he tried to escape the pocket and had it poked out for a fumble. The second was a physical error — Colandrea misfired and sailed a ball well over his receiver’s head into the chest of an opposing safety. The third, a mental error — Colandrea rolled out and lofted a ball late toward a covered receiver on the sideline, where a Maryland defensive back easily stepped in front for the pick.
As tough a day as it was for Colandrea, there can be no doubt he is the answer for Virginia at quarterback. Successful quarterbacks know who they are, what they can do and most importantly, what they cannot. Caleb Williams, for example, the number one overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, is finding this out for himself right now. He is still trying to make college plays against professional athletes, and he’s taken the most sacks in the NFL through two weeks. Colandrea has not played an entire season of college football yet. He still needs to find out who he is.
The run game is a problem
Believe it or not, this Virginia run game is better than it was last year — through three weeks anyway. The numbers aren’t horrible — 132 rushing yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry as a team — but they are misleading. First of all, the rushing stats are skewed by a 200-yard outing versus Richmond. Second, this team cannot run the ball when it matters. The Cavaliers got into Maryland’s redzone four times Saturday and only scored a touchdown once. Virginia’s offensive line lacks brashness. This run game has no “you know what’s coming, but you can’t stop it,” in it — except for the “Grady Bunch” sneak play by junior quarterback Grady Brosterhous.
In the first half against the Terrapins, the Cavaliers ran the ball 21 times and went into halftime with a 13-7 lead. The run game was not spectacular by any stretch — hence the pedestrian 13 points — but it at least kept the defense fresh. In the second half, however, Virginia abandoned the run game, only calling nine rushing plays. The Cavalier offense had a trio of three-and-outs, scored zero second-half points and gave Maryland a lengthy second-half time-of-possession of 21 minutes and 39 seconds.
Virginia will never be able to close out games without an improved run game. Their red zone offense will continue to struggle if teams do not respect their rushing attack. At the same time, the struggles on the ground are not a reflection of the Cavalier running backs, either. Graduate student Kobe Pace has been solid if nothing else. And junior Xavier Brown posts an explosive 5.1 yards per carry but has only received 24 carries through three games. I understand the strength of this team is its passing attack, but that doesn’t mean it is smart to neglect the run game.
The receivers have lived up to the hype
Colandrea has no shortage of capable pass catchers at his disposal. Senior receiver Malachi Fields was the household name coming into the season, but junior receiver Trell Harris and graduate tight end Tyler Neville stand out as fantastic transfer acquisitions. Harris and Fields are both in the top 10 in ACC receiving yards, while Neville is fifth among ACC tight ends. Harris’ and Fields’ skill sets complement one another well — Fields wins with strength, size and physicality, while Harris excels at speed and explosiveness. The Terrapins did a solid job of limiting Fields, but Harris was able to find success deep down the field.
What is most exciting about the receiving corps is that they have only begun to scratch the surface. Graduate receiver Chris Tyree showed the type of speed he has on his 65-yard screen — although the play was unfortunately called back due to a holding penalty. And if junior receiver JR Wilson can get healthy and look anything like he did in the spring, this lineup becomes monstrous. Imagine an offense where Fields and Wilson, two 6-4 giants, dwarf opposing cornerbacks while Harris runs by them and Tyree works out of the slot as the space player. The passing offense is still finding its rhythm, but it’s already proven to be one of the most dynamic in the ACC.
The defense is better than in 2023
Virginia’s defense has not been dominant, but they have been better than they were a season ago. The 27 points allowed against Maryland was pretty impressive considering the horrible positions they were put in by the offense. The unit is yet to record an interception, but they’re tied for first in the ACC with three forced fumbles. They’ve also been much better at rushing the quarterback, averaging two sacks a game, up from less than one per game a year ago. Tackling has been noticeably better from 2023, and pass coverage has looked pretty good as well. The transfer acquisitions of graduate cornerback Kempton Shine and junior cornerback Jam Jackson have been much-needed reinforcements. Jackson has had two tough matchups against junior Demon Deacon receiver Donavan Greene and senior Terrapin receiver Tai Felton, and as a result, had a more up-and-down go of things, but Shine has yet to allow anything big. It’s been refreshing to see a Cavaliers defense that does not evoke dread every time they take the field.
A quarter of the way through the season there’s plenty of reason for optimism. Squeaking out four more wins will be tough, but the team has shown enough grit to believe it is possible. Colandrea still must prove he can control himself against stiff competition, but on the whole, he has had an encouraging start to the season. If all the strengths of this team can coalesce to mask a few rough spots, Virginia could make considerable progress under Coach Tony Elliott.
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