Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
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FEBRUARY 2020 21 sity of Virginia. We were a few plays short today in our execution to win the game, but it was not because of a lack of belief or confidence or ability." The Wahoos relied on a small group of fourth-years that Mendenhall said will be a cornerstone of the program going forward, even if the team is positioned to fill some of those gaps in 2020. "I'm thankful to the senior class, those that came, most of whom I didn't select but honored their commitments when I came to the University of Virginia, that started with a 2-10 season and now find themselves on the verge and a great chance to have won the Orange Bowl," he said. "They set a founda- tion and I consider them a legacy class in terms of establishing what UVA football really is." No player among that group personified that change quite like quarterback Bryce Perkins, who came to UVA after a junior college stint that happened in part because of a neck injury at Arizona State that threat- ened to end his career. Instead, he exited Charlottesville with 17 wins under his belt and as the all-time leader in total yardage (7,910). He also ended his Virginia career as the single-season record holder for pass- ing yards (3,538) and total offense (4,307). At 307.6 yards per game, he was the ACC's leader in total offense, the first Hoo to do that since Shawn Moore in 1990. "I continue to be amazed and impressed by Bryce Perkins," Mendenhall said simply. "It meant the world," Perkins said when During the early signing period for college football recruits Dec. 18‑20, Virginia inked 13 players — including a pair of pass rushers who had not previously verbally committed to the school. Among the 13 players that joined the Virginia football family was the pro‑ gram's highest‑rated player of the Bronco Mendenhall era — four‑star offensive tackle Andrew Gentry. The No. 8 offen‑ sive tackle and No. 68 overall player in the class of 2020 per Rivals, the Colum‑ bine, Colo., native is the highest‑rated offensive lineman to sign with Virginia since Morgan Moses a decade earlier. "Wow, I really love these players," Men‑ denhall said during a press conference Dec. 18. "It's hard to say that authenti‑ cally, and I'm not talking about ability, even though I think they're all very good football players. The relationships we have with the [players] that are listed here, those relationships go really deep. And they are, I would say, almost com‑ pletely aligned with the principles, goals, values of not only our program, but of UVA, and so I think they're excellent fits. "The fit, meaning the dynamic of aca‑ demics and character. And then cham‑ pionship‑caliber football or NY6 [New Year's Six] caliber football has now com‑ bined into a more formidable narrative for the University of Virginia." The focus of the class was in the trenches and in the defen‑ sive backfield. UVA not only signed the 6‑7, 300‑pound Gentry — whose offer list was a who's who among college football royalty, including Alabama, Clemson, LSU and a host of others — but also Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga three‑star center Jestus Johnson III. The 6‑3, 330‑pound Johnson is listed as the No. 9 recruit in the D.C. area. Virginia also signed another "DMV" (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) prospect in Severn (Md.) Archbishop Spalding three‑star de‑ fensive tackle Jahmeer Carter. The 6‑2, 300‑pounder was the program's first commit in the class and is rated as the No. 41 defensive tackle in the country by Rivals. Defensive end Su Agunloye and outside linebacker/defensive end Jonathan Horton both inked with the Cavaliers on the final day of the early signing period. Agunloye, a 6‑6, 240‑pounder from Lindenhurst (N.Y.) committed and then signed with the Hoos unexpectedly, while Horton — a 6‑4, 215 pounder from Louisiana — decided against waiting and signed early, too. Ri‑ vals ranks Agunloye as the No. 42 strongside defensive end in the land and pegged Horton the No. 19 weakside defensive end nationally. Away from the line of scrimmage, UVA had a really nice group in the second‑ ary led by a trio of three‑star signees. The last of those commitments came from New York native and three‑star Episcopal (Va.) High cornerback Elijah Gaines, who picked the Cavaliers follow‑ ing his official visit in December. Rivals' No. 55‑ranked corner helped boost a group that already included Louisiana's Donovan Johnson (No. 49 safety) and Florida's Dave Herard (No. 38). The 6‑2, 180‑pound Johnson stuck with the Hoos despite a late push from Arkansas. Elsewhere in the class, linebackers Brandon Williams and Sam Brady helped to give Virginia a solid group in the mid‑ dle. Brady — a 6‑3, 200‑pounder from Lincolnton (N.C.) who is listed by Rivals as the No. 37 prospect in North Caro‑ lina — was recruited by some schools at wide receiver. The 6‑3, 200‑pound Williams, the No. 38 outside linebacker nationally per Rivals, is a native of New Orleans and continued UVA's recent pipeline from "The Boot." The steal of the class is likely to come down to one of three other prospects: three‑star wide receiver Lavel Davis, three‑star tight end Joshua Rawlings or dual‑threat quarterback Ira Armstead. Davis, a South Carolina native who is rated as the No. 14 player in the Palmetto State, checks in at 6‑7, 205 pounds and is one of the most intriguing playmakers that the Hoos have signed at receiver since Mendenhall's arrival. Rawlings, the No. 12 recruit in Pennsylvania per Rivals, is the first true two‑ way tight end prospect the program has brought in over the past couple of classes and fits perfectly with their needs. And then there's Armstead, a raw two‑star prospect who has a very Bryce Perkins‑like skill set that has the coaching staff excited about his potential. Armstead, Rawlings and Johnson are already enrolled at Vir‑ ginia for the spring 2020 semester. — Brad Franklin CAVALIERS ADD BULK ON BOTH LINES Rivals rates Andrew Gentry as a four-star talent, the No. 1 prospect in Colorado, and the No. 8 of- fensive tackle and No. 68 overall player nationally. The 6-7, 300-pound Columbine, Colo., native is the highest-rated offensive lineman to sign with Vir- ginia since Morgan Moses a decade earlier. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM