Virginia Cavaliers: Improvements to Be Made on the Gridiron

The South's oldest rivalry produced an entertaining football game on Saturday.  North Carolina won the game 28-17, but what the score doesn't show is how the Cavaliers were not only in the game, but outplaying the Tar Heels for much of it.  Here's a look at three things Virginia did well, and three things that they didn't.  

Starting on the down side.

1:  Missed opportunities: In the first half, Virginia dominated in time of possession and drove the field methodically.  However, three drives ended with no points. The Cavs missed a 45 yard field goal, were stopped on a fourth down and fumbled a snap for a turnover.  Even field goals would go a long way in not only changing the score, but also building momentum for the offense. There is nothing that breaks the spirit of the offense, while boosting the opposing defense, than strong efforts with nothing to show for them.

 2:  Run Defense: The Tar Heels torched the Cavalier defense for 222 yards on 41 carries.  Red shirt freshman Giovani Bernard ran for just over 100 yards.  When the Tar Heels were able to get the running game moving, it opened up the passing game for Bryn Renner.  You could see the defense getting tired in the third and fourth quarter, and they couldn't get off the field on 3rd down. The Cavs also gave up several big runs that led to Tar Heel touchdowns. After giving up almost no yards on the ground to Indiana and William & Mary, Saturday showed defensive coordinator Jim Reid has some work to do before Southern Mississippi comes to town.

3:  Capitalizing on Breaks: In the game of football, teams get good breaks and they get bad breaks. Whether it's a fumble bouncing the right way or a call from the officials, breaks are simply a part of the game. In Saturday's contest, the Tar Heels took advantage of breaks, the Cavaliers did not. For example, in the third quarter, the Cavaliers just made the score 21-10 and needed a defensive stop.  On second down, a Cavalier defensive end looked like he was held, flags were thrown, and it seemed like the Heels would be in a deep hole. However, the hold was missed, and the call went against  Virginia. Instead of second and 25 from about the 15, it was first and ten from midfield. The Tar Heels went on to quickly score a touchdown and build their lead. Mike London's crew will have to do a better job of playing through bad breaks, especially as the competition gets better.

What went right:

1.  Offensive Production: The Cavaliers had more yards than the Tar Heels, compiling 468 yards in the air and on the ground.  Quarterback Michael Rocco threw for 287 yards, and the running game piled up 170 yards on the ground. In many cases, these are winning numbers. If the Cavaliers can put up these kind of statistics and finish drives, good things are on the horizon.

2.  Senior Leadership.  Wide receiver Kris Burd had his first 100 yard game of the season.  He caught seven passes for 110 yards, and was a reliable target for Michael Rocco. With a largely young team, Mike London needs his older players to lead by example. Burd and running back Perry Jones both provided big plays and solid, consistent leadership on offense. When these players step up, others will follow.

3.  Scoring First: For the third time this year, the Cavaliers drew first blood on the scoreboard.  Even though it was only a field goal, the first score goes a long way for a young team. It helps keep their confidence high, but more importantly, it lets the coaches stick to the game plan.  With a young team, London wants a game plan to cater to his players strengths, which are the running game and short passing game. Scoring first certainly allows the team stick to that plan.

As in any game, there are things the Cavaliers did well against North Carolina, and there are things the team needs to work on. Overall it was a tough loss, but there are some big positives moving forward. For example, it's much easier for a team to figure out how to finish drives then it is to get the drives started in the first place.