A Louisville defense that had been giving up 445 yards per game had just held UVA to 311 yards in a 28-21 ‘Hoos loss on Saturday, a week after the offense generated 307 yards in a big win over Duke that the Blue Devils made easier with five turnovers.
Poring through the box scores of Virginia’s 2019 opponents, you see defense after defense putting in these kinds of efforts.
ODU, 1-7 on the season, held UVA to 244 yards, its best defensive effort of the season, which is about to get its coach fired, for whatever that’s worth.
Looking back at that ODU game, a come-from-behind 28-17 Virginia win back on Sept. 21, you have to wonder if the Monarchs figured out something that the Cavaliers’ future opponents were able to learn from and use to their advantage.
In UVA’s first three games, wins over Pitt, William & Mary and Florida State, the ‘Hoos averaged 412 yards per game.
Since ODU: 320.5 yards per game.
This, you would think, would be looming over the weekly Monday presser for coach Bronco Mendenhall, whose team’s season would seem to be on the brink heading into this weekend’s Coastal Division showdown with rival North Carolina.
Remember the preseason expectations that had UVA the favorite in the Coastal? A loss Saturday night in Chapel Hill, and the ‘Hoos are road ‘dogs in this one, and you can kiss the Coastal goodbye.
It won’t be because of the defense, ranked second in the ACC and 11th nationally in total defense (281.5 yards per game).
Won’t be because of the special teams. ESPN’s Football Power Index rates Virginia’s special teams fourth-best nationally.
It will be because of: yeah, you knew already.
The UVA offense is 13th in the ACC and 108th (of 130 FBS teams) nationally in total offense (345.3 yards per game).
It’s the millstone on this team’s chances in 2019.
The offensive line can’t block. The run game is almost nonexistent – 14th in the ACC and 123rd nationally (105.5 yards per game).
And the regression of quarterback Bryce Perkins has been … shocking.
Perkins threw for 2,680 yards and 25 TDs with nine INTs in his first year as a starter in 2018, completing 64.5 percent of his passes, and he gained 923 yards and added nine more TDs on the ground.
In 2019, he’s thrown for 1,803 yards in eight games, which would actually put him on pace for 2,930 yards full-season.
But he has just nine TD passes, eight INTs. His completion rate is down slightly (to 62.7 percent).
His passer rating is down significantly (147.5 in 2018, 122.5 in 2019).
And his run numbers are way, way down: 275 yards through eight games, a 447-yard pace, not even half of what he did on the ground in 2018 (923 yards).
So, you have all of this as the backdrop for this week’s presser.
The season is on the brink, and the offense is why.
You’d think, maybe, there’d be a question, maybe two, maybe a few, about the offensive coordinator, what he’s doing to correct for the issues with his unit, what he’s being directed to do to get things moving.
His name didn’t come up, not once.
There was talk about Perkins’ status after having to leave the game in the first half upon taking yet another hard hit, which is what happens when the offensive game plan each week could be boiled down to, hey, Bryce, do something.
Some talk about Jordan Mack’s ejection.
Turnovers, the O-line.
Excuses about losing on the road.
Player availability, some feature-y questions.
You’d think Virginia was 7-1 and cruising to Charlotte.
I’m beginning to think I’m the bad guy for pointing out what seems to me to be obvious here.
You’ll notice that I’m not mentioning the name here, either.
This is the emperor has no clothes on story come to life.
I’ll just pretend like everybody else that I don’t notice.
Column by Chris Graham
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