Greg’s Grades | UVA Football report card from Week 3 win over W&M

When a football program breaks a 67-year-old total offense record, that’s a fairly good day for that program. Over the first three games of the season, one thing is apparent, the Cavaliers are a different team, with different personnel and a different vibe. UVA Football is faster and more physical than any team I’ve seen over the last six to eight seasons.

It’s not because of Saturday’s manhandling of the Tribe that I say this, it’s because since game one the increased level of speed and much improved tackling is evident.

Even in the NC State game, despite the missed tackles, assignment errors, and poor technique, they were simply better and more physical football players than other teams of recent memory. They offer the exact speed, physicality, and balance that the coaching staff has been seeking.

What else is evident and in high demand is a group of young men who desperately want to win and have a chance to compete for post season hardware.

Operations Breakdowns

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Offense Game Recap & Game Grade: 94.33 (A)

Obviously, when you put up 55 points in a football game, especially when 75 percent of it is accrued in the first half, that’s championship level play. Two things that grabbed my attention were how efficient the UVA offense was and the agility, power, and balance of the running backs.

Let me start with backs. I thought all of them were very quick to read and hit the running lane and their jump cuts, then got vertical. They also did an excellent job of pushing the pile and gaining additional yardage.

With respect to efficiency, last season the Cavaliers were 113th in the nation in points per play with a 0.292 mark. This statistic goes to the effectiveness of the offense and how well it maximizes each play. Through the first three games, the offense has performed at a much higher level this year, currently ranked 28th in the nation with 0.513 points per play.

Every unit of the offense received a championship level A grade for their efforts on Saturday. The running backs with a 95.73 led the offense with their 360 yards rushing, 8.6 yards per carry and five touchdowns. Paving the way for the backs, the road graders up front had a solid afternoon sporting a 95.01 with excellent initial push and quickly veering off to seal the defenders for the back.

The quarterbacks and wide receivers were close to the line and backs with a 93.5 and 93.11, respectively. The receivers not only had a big day with receptions but were also leading the way on many of the sweeps and wide zones for the running backs. As a whole, the four units combined for a 97.57 in the running game.

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Defense Game Recap & Game Grade: 90.37 (A-)

The defensive front was responsible for the top grade defensively with a 91.89. Coming in a close second was the defensive backs with an 89.65 and the linebackers trailed by just mere percentage points at 86.56.

The three units overall were excellent in run defense, holding the Tribe to 59 yards rushing and 2.5 yards per carry. The defense’s run grade was 91.44. They were excellent on third downs, claiming a 98.43 championship level mark and also earning an 88.58 in pass defense.

My one element of stress at the moment is the fact that while the defense has only allowed six possessions in the red zone, the opponents have scored five touchdowns in those possessions. I really would like to see some tightening of the red zone defense.

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Special Teams Recap & Game Grade: 82.73 (B-)                     

Very few of the special teams’ units had much to do Saturday.

The place-kicking operations were the busiest with two field goals and seven PATs.

The kickoff return operation had three plays, only five of UVA’s 11 kickoffs were returned by the visitors and the punting operation had a day off with zero punts.

Virginia returned three of the Tribe’s nine punts.

William and Mary Grades & Notes  

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Offense – Grades: 94.33 (A)

• Quarterback: 93.5 (A)
• Running backs 95.73 (A)
• Wide receivers & tight ends: 93.11 (A)
• Offensive line: 95.01 (A)

Offense – Quick Takes & Notes

Highlights: Breaking the total offense record with 700 yards is a huge highlight and should encourage fans, team members, and coaching staff. Also, Harrison Waylee’s 97-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter is now the longest TD run in UVA history.

Not so bright: The number of offensive players that were injured Saturday is something to suggest some level of concern. Hopefully, the walking wounded will be back for the Stanford contest.

Notes & Stats

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  With his sixth TD score of the season against W&M, J’Mari Taylor is 11 TDs away from tying Wali Lundy’s (2004) modern era record of 17 TDs in a season.

• UVA has opened the 2025 season with three consecutive games of 150+ rushing yards. The last time that occurred was in 2021 against Duke (164), Georgia Tech (240), and BYU (216). The ‘Hoos last had a streak of four straight outings producing over 150 yards rushing in 2020 when Virginia posted 150+ against Wake Forest (218), Miami (185), North Carolina (210), and Louisville (165). Virginia’s next opponent, Stanford, held Boston College to 56 yards rushing.
• In 2024, the Cavaliers recorded 14 rushing TDs in 12 games. In the first three games of the 2025 season, UVA has recorded 12 TDs. That mark will likely be eclipsed next Saturday. Virginia last notched more than 20 TDs in a season in 2021 (21 TDs).
• The Wahoos continued their excellent third-down proficiency, both on offense and defense, with another strong conversion performance Saturday. The offense has not converted less than 50% in any of the first three games. Last season, UVA hit the 50 percent mark once in the season and never exceeded it. In 2023, they hit 53.85 percent at Maryland, but never hit 50 percent or above the rest of the season.
• The ‘Hoos are one of five NCAA teams who have yet to surrender a sack. Virginia is also eighth nationally in fewest tackles for loss (TFL) allowed.
• Virginia’s 30 first downs against the Tribe were the most for a Cavalier offense since the Hoos posted 32 on 10/23/21 against Georgia Tech.
• The offense has dramatically improved its play in terms of Point Per Possession inside the Plus 40-yard line. Last year the Hoos averaged a 2.92 PPPi40. This season, they have boosted that number to 5.05 per PPPi40. A team’s chance of winning a game with a 2.92 PPPi40 is 23.1%. The chances of winning with a 5.05 PPPi40 is 68.4%.

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Defense – Grades: 90.37 (A-)          

Defensive line: 91.89 (A-)

Linebackers: 89.56 (B+)

Secondary: 89.653 (B+)

Defense – Quick Takes & Notes

Highlights: The 59 rushing yards by William and Mary was the lowest rush total allowed by a Virginia defense since 2022 against Georgia Tech. The Hoos held the Yellow Jackets to 56 rushing yards on October 10th.

Not so bright: The 79-yard and 39-yard pass plays left a bad taste. Those plays, one the result of a safety not covering his deep zone and the other a result of a double team getting beaten by the receiver. I’m glad it happened in a 39-point victory.

Notes & Stats

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  UVA limited the Tribe to seven first downs. That is the fewest first downs a Cavaliers team has allowed since 1979 when they limited VMI to four. The ‘Hoos won that contest 19-0.

• John Rudzinski’s defense has allowed 366 rushing yards thus far in 2025. That is the lowest total rushing yards allowed by a Cavalier defense in their first three games of a season since 2019. That units’ three game total was 300 yards.
• With its 37:36 time of possession against William and Mary, the ‘Hoos have won the time of possession category in all three of their games. Virginia had 33:33 minutes of TOP against Coastal Carolina and 32:35 in the loss at NC State. The Wahoos’ 37:36 number ranks 14th
• The Cavalier defense has held two of its first three opponents under 55 percent in pass completion percentage. Costal at 54.1 and the Tribe to 52 percent. From 2024-2021, Virginia held only two of its opponents each season to less than 55 percent. From 2024 to 2020 the most teams the ‘Hoos held under 55 percent in a season was three (2023 and 2021). Stanford will come into Charlottesville next Saturday ranked 125th in completion percentage with 53.6 percent.
• The ‘Hoos held the Tribe to a 2-of-13 conversion effort on third down. The defense has not allowed a single 2025 opponent to exceed 16 percent in third-down conversions this season.

Defense Rankings

• 1st fewest opponent 4Q points per game
• 2nd in defensive third down conversion rate (11.76%)
• 10th in passes defended (15)
• 16th in defensive fourth down conversion rate (50%)
• 22nd in opponent first downs allowed (14/game)

W & M HAVOC Info

• PBUs – 5
• QBH – 7
• TFL – 3
• Sacks – 3
• Runs Stuffed – 8

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Special Teams – Grades: 82.73 (B-)

Kickoff return: 78.93 (C+)

Kickoff coverage: 78.92 (C+)

Place kicking: 97.47 (A)

Punt return: 75.61 (C)

Punt coverage: N/A

Special Teams – Quick Takes & Notes

Highlights: Placekicker Will Bettridge finished with 13 points (2-2 FG, 7-7 PAT) to move into sole possession of seventh on UVA’s all-time scoring list. He now has 228 points in 34 career games.

Not so bright: The 23-yard loss on Virginia’s final punt and the additional two points award to William and Mary for safety was frustrating. Good news is it could have been a touchdown.

Notes & Stats

There has been a long lull since UVA Football had consistently, well performing special teams’ operations. While it’s early in the season, I see some potential for better and more consistent special teams play in 2025.

With that, let’s take a look at the current special teams’ operations that are ranked among the top 25% currently in college football.

• Ranked 3rd in kickoff returns (45.5/YPR)
• Ranked 16th in punting (47.8 YPP)
• Ranked 21st in touchback % (76.92)
• Ranked 25th in punt coverage (39.05)
• Ranked 35th in kickoff average (63.77)