How They Graded Out: Deep dive into UVA player ratings vs. NC State

My postgame grade for the Virginia offensive line was a solid D. Pro Football Focus saw things differently.

(They’re the experts.)

Four of the five members of the O line had their best game grades of the season – led by left tackle Ryan Nelson, who graded out at 78.6.

The only lineman to grade out below his season average was left guard Dillon Reinkensmeyer, who was only a smidge below average, grading at 65.7 on Saturday.

(His season average: 69.9.)

The O line as a whole graded out at a season-best 80.8 on pass blocking, and a season-best 72.9 on run blocking.

The three sacks and 82 rushing yards, then, not their fault.

Sorry, guys.

Passing game

QB play was a big issue.

Brennan Armstrong, after two solid starts (74.4 grade for Duke, 77.3 grade for Clemson), graded at a miserable 52.3 for the NC State game, before leaving midway through the second quarter after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit on a scramble.

Backup Lindell Stone, in his first extensive action in this, his senior season, graded out at 44.7.

Stone was 30-of-54 passing for 230 yards, three TDs, one INT, on 72 snaps.

Four of his incompletions were drops.

Armstrong was 6-of-9 passing for 57 yards and two INTs, and was sacked three times.

The top passing-game targets had modest numbers, in terms of their grades.

• Terrell Jana, who had nine catches for 111 yards, graded out at 67.5 (season: 63.0).
• Billy Kemp IV, who had 10 catches for 82 yards, graded out at a season-low 62.8 (season: 70.2).
• Tight end Tony Poljan, who had seven catches for 31 yards, graded out at a season-low 55.5 (season: 61.4).
• Big 6’7” freshman Lavel Davis Jr., who had three catches for 51 yards, graded out at a season-low 54.0 (season: 66.0).

Running game

After a couple of big weeks, Wayne Taulapapa (12 carries, 35 yards; 5 catches, 17 yards) and Shane Simpson (7 carries, 37 yards, 1 catch, 4 yards) took a step back.

Taulapapa graded out at 56.0 (season: 65.8). Simpson graded out at 55.4 (season: 61.4).

Defense

The D clearly missed not having senior strong safety Joey Blount (season: 73.3) available on Saturday.

His replacement, JMU grad transfer D’Angelo Amos, put up a respectable 63.4 (season: 57.8), while leading the team in tackles (10, 1 solo) and recording a pass breakup.

Nice efforts also from:

• Free safety Brenton Nelson (73.1 grade vs. State, 76.3 season grade). Highlights: seven tackles, three stops, State was 2-of-4 passing for 18 yards when throwing at him.
• Corner De’vante Cross (72.8 grade vs. State, 66.3 season grade). Highlights: two tackles, one stop, State was 2-of-6 passing for 50 yards when targeting him.
• Corner Nick Grant (69.9 grade vs. State, 68.5 season grade). Highlights: two tackles, and State didn’t even target him once.
• D lineman Richard Burney (69.8 grade vs. State, 64.2 season grade). Highlights: three tackles, two stops, two hurries, one batted ball.
• Inside linebacker Nick Jackson (68.0 grade vs. State, 66.1 season grade). Highlights: six tackles, five stops, one QB hit.

Not grading out well:

• Nose tackle Jowon Briggs (58.8 grade vs. State, 63.4 season grade). Highlights: one tackle, one stop, one hurry.
• Inside linebacker Zane Zandier (58.0 grade vs. State, 62.2 season grade). Highlights: seven tackles, three missed tackles, three stops, one hurry.
• Outside linebacker Charles Snowden (48.6 grade vs. State, 60.7 season grade). Highlights: two tackles, two missed tackles, two stops, no stats in QB pressure.

Story by Chris Graham