UVA football’s Olamide Zaccheaus, Chris Peace talk with reporters at the 2018 ACC Kickoff.
Q. With Kurt Benkert having graduated, you have a new quarterback. How important is it for you to be even more of a playmaker, running and catching the football, to try and take some pressure off this guy?
OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS: It’s important for me because I’ve been in the system for two years now, and just to make the transition easy for our new quarterback, Bryce, just to make plays anywhere I can, whether it be in the backfield or outside receiver or inside receiver, slot. I have a lot on my shoulders, and I’m ready to take that load.
Q. Just what you can say about Bryce Perkins, your new quarterback. Is this offense more exciting for you? How different is it knowing that he’s a different style of quarterback and he provides that dual threat?
OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS: It’s different for me because it forces the defense to play a lot more man to stop the option that the quarterback has to run the ball. It’s just a lot of one-on-ones for me, and it gives me a lot more opportunities out at receiver.
Q. Talk about how your role has evolved over your career. Did you come in as a kind of all-purpose guy like you are now?
OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS: Sort of but not really. Came in as a running back, switched to receiver my first year, and then just evolved into more of a guy that can do it all. I have a background in running back, background in receiver, and it’s just really gotten to the point where I need to develop both as far as a running back and a receiver, and also leadership throughout the years. I’ve kind of been a quiet guy, but this year especially I have to be more vocal because the team needs me to talk and be able to uplift and motivate my teammates.
Q. It’s difficult to argue with the numbers you put up last year; what do you think you need to do or how do you improve on those numbers? Do you want to do more big plays, be more explosive, that type of thing?
OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS: So that’s something I looked at right after the season ended with our wide receiver coach, Coach Hagans, what could I do to get better. One thing we really emphasized was yards after the catch, I can improve on that, and not taking any catch for granted. I had a lot of drops last year, a lot of missed opportunities, to even have a better season, so just taking advantage of every opportunity that I have.
Q. Last year someone called it your breakout season, you made the Second-Team All-ACC. What are some of your big goals for this year?
OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS: Personally, I want to be First-Team All-ACC and an All-American, and I feel like I’ve been putting in the work to do that. And as a team our goal is to beat Virginia Tech and not only go to a bowl game this year but win one, as well.
Q. Last season you had a huge game against Boise State. What was different about that game? You set some NCAA records, some school records, and certainly career records in that game, and carrying that forward, how does that help you for this season?
OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS: Just knowing what I’m capable of doing and just being consistent and always playing at that level no matter what adversity, whether it be internal or external. Just always being able to perform at a very high level because my teammates need that.
Q. Just what can you say about life under Bronco Mendenhall, what he’s meant to this team? You’ve obviously seen this team go through some strife and adversity, just what he’s done to change the culture, change the climate for you at Virginia?
OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS: Really just — I mean, when he first got here, he just got rid of a lot of people just by holding the standard up really high, and other people just couldn’t uphold that standard or they just chose not to. So just getting rid of those people was huge for us because now we know who’s really in it and who really wants to work; and just building upon that and trying to do better and get better each day.
Q. Last year you win five of your first six games and then drop six of your last seven. How do you process that over the off-season?
OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS: So one thing I was really thinking about was just through adversity or accomplishment, we have to be the same. We can’t be — just because we were doing well, we were 5-1 at one point, we can’t let off the brakes or the gas. We have to keep pushing, keep striving to find ways to get better. And I feel like when we got to that point in the year, we got complacent, and you could see it in our play, especially the following week against Boston College. Just through accomplishment and adversity, we need to push through and hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Q. We’re going to bring up Chris Peace. What is it like practicing again the defense that he’s done?
OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS: It prepares you for every circumstance. The defense does a lot of different things and gives us a lot of different looks, and when we’re in the game, it’s like — it’s kind of simplified. It’s like, okay, we’ve seen — we go against a defense that’s way more complex or a defense that’s very aggressive. It just prepares us for the game, and it’s really helpful.
Q. Chris, you only lost three players, eight guys return, and you have a lot more depth now, but the guys that you replaced, have to replace, are among the greatest in Virginia history. How do you replace their presence?
CHRIS PEACE: Those three guys, they’re pretty good players. They taught a lot. We’ve definitely grown off them. But now it’s a matter of everybody stepping in now, guys like Joey Blount, Brent Nelson, Chris Moore back there, along with Juan, those guys just pick it up where he left off at. I mean, Quin, Micah, me, J-Mack, we have to step in, fill in a bigger role this year. And then guys on the D-line, Mandy, Bernie, Eli all have to step in one more notch.
Q. When you were invited to come to this affair, what did it mean to you? You haven’t really — you’ve kind of been in the shadows at times. Does it signal anything to you as far as leadership?
CHRIS PEACE: Yeah, you could say that. Just a bigger leadership role this year and just an honor. Coach Mendenhall and the University picked me to come and represent the school this year.
Q. You guys kind of took that first step last year, got to a bowl game and kind of found some success. What’s it going to take to kind of go to that next level, compete for an ACC coastal and go even farther?
CHRIS PEACE: Just pick up on all cylinders this year. We all have to get stronger, bigger, faster again this year. You know, a big goal this year, not only to return, we have to actually win the bowl game now.
Q. Last year you led the linebackers for the ACC with the most sacks, 7.5. What is it about you that allows you to be that explosive?
CHRIS PEACE: I think the play calling definitely helps. Coach Mendenhall is pretty aggressive with the play calling and that allows me to actually get more chance to go after the quarterback. So that’s a big credit to the play calling.
And the guys around me, the D-line, they help make pressures, help the quarterback step up into me. So it all just clicks together.
Q. Not that you’re not excited during the course of the game, but when the play comes in and you hear that it’s really focusing on your side of the ball, does that amp you up even further for that one play?
CHRIS PEACE: Yeah, it gets you a little bit — just a little bit more pumped, a little bit more edge on you.
Q. Y’all kind of coined the phrase new standard last year, but how do y’all kind of improve on that? Is it a changing standard every season?
CHRIS PEACE: I wouldn’t say complete change, just pick up where we left off last year. I know one thing that’s really been emphasized this year is the bowl game and beating Tech and part of the new standard is to know we have to beat Virginia Tech to make that next jump forward in our program, along with returning to postseason play and winning, as well.
Q. How have you seen this team yourself? With Bronco Mendenhall, how has this team evolved and changed for you for the better?
CHRIS PEACE: I would say everyone is completely bought in. I would say this year is — this year and last year I’ve never seen so many guys bought in. When I first came here, it was just a lot of half and half here, half and half there, and just a lot of people dragging their feet. I don’t think anybody on this team is holding anyone back or this program.
Q. I wanted to ask you about Olamide and his skill set. When you’re scrimmaging ones against ones, how hard is it for you guys to get off the field when he’s out there darting through holes, catching the ball in the backfield and extending plays?
CHRIS PEACE: He’s really explosive. When he’s on the field, you have to be aware where he is, where he lines up at. And just take, for example, whenever you’re covering him, make sure you get 10 yards back. He’s pretty fast.
Q. This is your fourth year, this is Coach Mendenhall’s third year. What has he taught you, and what do you think you’ve taught him?
CHRIS PEACE: I think Coach Mendenhall has taught me to be a better man, all aside from football. He’s definitely developed my character a lot further, and of course football added on. He’s definitely made me a better player, and I’ve definitely started working harder because of him.
As far as what I’ve taught him, I’m not really sure. Hopefully he’s learned I just come to work every day. I don’t expect anything, just head down, grind hard.
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