You think you have expectations? UVA Football has more

It could be pressure, hearing everybody around you say things like, You guys should win the Coastal Division.

UVA senior quarterback Bryce Perkins is aware of what the everybodies are saying, and shrugs.

“It doesn’t matter what anybody else’s expectations are, because they’re not higher than ours. We really look at every game and say, why not? Why should we lose this game? So, our expectations for ourselves are greater than a lot of outside expectations. As a player and as a team, when you expect more of yourself than other people, that’s when you start performing the best,” Perkins told reporters this week at the ACC Kickoff.

The Clemson folks carry themselves around with that kind of swagger. Why should we lose this game? But at UVA, the swagger is something that is still coming to guys who were recruited to a program that was in the midst of a long stretch of losing seasons.

Senior cornerback Bryce Hall seems to be doing well with the whole learning how to carry expectations thing.

Asked by a reporter what his message to fans would be hearing into the season, he had a ready answer.

“Believe. I want you to believe. That’s my message. Believe,” said Hall, before being asked to expound on the theme of expectations that us media types like to play up for clicks and giggles.

“I try not to play too much into that,” Hall said. “When you get too caught up into that, the thing is, this is a new season. Anything can happen. Whatever has happened in the past, you can’t carry that to the next season. If you get too complacent, if you get too caught up in what the hype is, it can hinder you from moving forward. That is why we always say, stay humble. Don’t get caught up in the moment. Remain focused. And everything will take care of itself.”

Perkins played a similar tune.

“If we truly believe that we’re the best team in the Coastal, and we truly believe that we can win the ACC championship, then we’re going to attack every practice and every summer workout like we deserve and we need and we have to win the Coastal,” Perkins said. “This summer has been intense. Everybody is trying to get bigger, faster, strong. We’re going to see when camp rolls around how many guys are on board to win the championship.”

Story by Chris Graham