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14 CAVALIER CORNER 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW seventh among ACC teams, and their offense could well take a step forward this fall. Topping the list of returning players is Armstrong, who led Virginia in rushing (61.3 yards per game) and threw 18 touch- down passes last season. He expects to be more productive this fall. "I'm just more comfortable back there now," Armstrong said. It helps that he's operating behind one of the nation's most experienced lines. Among them, fourth-year tackle Ryan Nelson (37), fourth-year guard Chris Glaser (32), fourth- year center/guard Olusegun Oluwatimi (23), fourth-year tackle Ryan Swoboda (14), fourth- year tackle Bobby Haskins (13) and third-year guard Joe Bissinger (three) have made a com- bined 122 career starts for Virginia, and third- year Grant Misch provides capable blocking from the tight end spot as well. Also back are five of UVA's top six rush- ers from 2020, including fourth-year quar- terback/wide receiver Keytaon Thompson, who may be as versatile as any player in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Virginia used Thompson at running back, wide receiver and quarterback at various times last season. "It's just a hard thing for teams to prepare for," Armstrong said of Thompson's array of skills. A graduate transfer from Mississippi State, Thompson carried 39 times for 234 yards and three touchdowns for Virginia last season. At wideout, he caught seven passes for 98 yards and three touchdowns. Against UNC, he ran for a first down on a fake punt in the final minute to seal UVA's victory, and he's also capable of throwing the ball. "I can do whatever you need me to do," Thompson said. Offensive coordinator Robert Anae would like to lessen Armstrong's load in the running game, and the Cavaliers have several other attractive options in the backfield. Thompson is a threat whenever the ball is in his hands, and UVA is well stocked at running back, with fourth-years Wayne Taulapapa and Ron- nie Walker Jr., second-year Mike Hollins, true first-year Amaad Foston and Devin Dar- rington, a graduate transfer from Harvard. Taulapapa, who has started 20 games for the Cavaliers, rushed for five touchdowns and averaged 4.5 yards per carry last season. Armstrong completed 157 of 268 passes for 2,117 yards in 2020. Three of his favor- ite targets — tight end Tony Poljan, wide- out Terrell Jana and running back Shane Simpson — are gone, and a fourth, big-play second-year receiver Lavel Davis Jr., is ex- pected to miss most, if not all, of this season while recovering from a knee injury. Even so, the Cavaliers believe they'll again have a potent passing games. Fourth- year Billy Kemp IV, who led Virginia with 67 receptions last season, is back, and he's as reliable as receivers come. "Billy Kemp is going to always be there," Armstrong said. "I can always trust in him." Kemp is listed at 5-9, 175 pounds. At the other end of the spectrum is third-year tight end Jelani Woods, a 6-7, 265-pound transfer from Oklahoma State who dazzled during spring practice. At the ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte, N.C., the UVA contingent's ex- citement about Woods was readily apparently. "[Woods is a] really good fit and a really good player," Mendenhall said. "We've al- ready seen that." In addition to Kemp and Thompson, re- turning players at wideout include fourth- years Ra'Shaun Henry and Hayden Mitch- ell, and second-years Dontayvion Wicks, Demick Starling and Nathaniel Beal III. Henry, a graduate transfer from Saint Francis University of the Football Cham- pionship Subdivision (FCS), caught four touchdown passes in his first year as a Cavalier, and he's expected to have a larger role in the offense this season. The 6-3, 190-pounder might have been the team's most improved player during spring practice. "Ra'Shaun surprised a bunch of us in spring ball," Armstrong said. "He made a lot of big plays." Wicks, who missed the 2020 season with a foot injury, should help the Cavaliers offset the loss of Davis. The 6-1, 210-pound Wicks, who caught three passes for 61 yards and one touchdown as a true freshman in 2019, showed off his size and speed this spring, and the Hoos are thrilled that he's healthy again. "We always knew he was special," Arm- strong said. A newcomer to watch is wideout Artie Henry III, a graduate transfer from Marshall who joined the Cavaliers this summer. For the Thundering Herd, Henry caught 22 passes for 308 yards and three scores last season. DEFENSE Given an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic, defensive linemen Mandy Alonso and Adeeb Atariwa, linebacker Elliott Brown, and defensive backs Joey Blount, De'Vante Cross and Nick Grant — who were listed as fourth-years in 2020 — all chose to return to UVA for another season. Throw in the return of havoc-wreaking third-year lineman Aaron Faumui, who opted out last season, and defensive coordinator Nick Howell has reason to feel good about his group. Still, the coaching staff went into the offseason knowing it had issues to address. Among ACC teams, Virginia ranked last in pass defense in 2020. The Cavaliers allowed an average of 304.4 yards per game through the air last season, considerably more than 14th-ranked Georgia Tech (270.1). Blount, an All-ACC candidate at safety, raves about the defense's "collective leader- ship," but he's realistic, too. "I think we have a lot to prove," he said. As had been the case in 2019, injuries hammered UVA's secondary during the sec- ond half of last season, and that contributed heavily to "a significant drop-off in our defensive performance," Mendenhall said. For the coaching staff, the past two sea- sons have been blunt reminders "that inju- ries matter and that [the] secondary controls points," Mendenhall said. "We haven't been quite deep enough. "So we looked to the grad transfer market to add some depth and stability, knowing CAVALIERS AT A GLANCE Head Coach: Bronco Mendenhall, 30‑32 at UVA (6th year) and 129‑75 career (17th year) 2020 In Review: 5‑5 overall, 4‑5 ACC (9th) Last Bowl Appearance: 2019 Orange Bowl vs. Florida (L, 36‑28) Total Wins 2016-20: 30 (2‑6‑8‑9‑5) Lettermen Returning/Lost: 49/21 Returning Starters: 17 (10 on offense, 7 on defense) RETURNING LEADERS Passing: QB Brennan Armstrong (2,117 yards, 18 TD) Rushing: Armstrong (552 yards, 5 TD) Receiving: WR Billy Kemp IV (67 recep‑ tions, 644 yards, 1 TD) Tackles: LB Nick Jackson (105) Sacks: LB Noah Taylor (3.0) Interceptions: Nick Grant and De'Vante Cross (2) Fourth-year wide receiver Billy Kemp IV reeled in a team-high 67 catches last season. PHOTO BY PETE EMERSON/COURTESY UVA