Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
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AUGUST 2017 ◆ 23 poised to be one of the surprises this season in ACC play. Running Back — The Cavaliers will be without Mizzell and Albert Reid, and will turn to third-year Jordan Ellis and fourth- year Daniel Hamm as well as a pair of first- years who enrolled early in Lamont Atkins and Jamari Peacock. Though the Wahoos will be looking to replace a lot of production at running back, the group assistant coach Mark Atuaia has at his disposal (if the spring is any indica- tion) seems ready for the challenge. Inside Linebacker — With Kiser back in the middle, UVA already has a signifi- cant piece of the pie figured out. Replacing Zach Bradshaw from a year ago (as well as first-year contributor Landan Word, who transferred) will be significant, though. There is plenty of depth to pick from, in- cluding second-year Jordan Mack. Though he played primarily on the outside as a rookie, Mack played inside this spring and should he catch on he could give the Cava- liers a nice one-two punch in the heart of the defense. Secondary — With Blanding returning, the Cavaliers look both deep and experi- enced in the defensive backfield. Fourth- year cornerback Tim Harris, who took a medical redshirt following a shoulder in- jury he sustained during camp last summer, is back and looked impressive this spring. Though he played primarily at corner last fall with Harris sidelined, third-year Juan Thornhill will move back to safety and line up next to Blanding. And it appears Mendenhall and defensive backs coach Nick Howell will have plenty of depth to choose from both at the other corner spot, where 6-3 second-year Bryce Hall looks to build on his two-interception season, and at safety, where young play- ers like second-years Nick Grant and Chris Moore look poised to contribute. Offensive Line — Virginia returns fourth-year tackle Jack English as well as classmate guard Jack McDonald. Yet, even with third-year Jake Fieler locked in as the heir apparent at center, it looks like the Wa- hoos will once again have to do a lot of de- veloping in a short amount of time in order to get right in the trenches. Graduate transfers John Montelus (Notre Dame) and Brandon Pertile (Oklahoma State) should help, but beyond them, offen- sive line coach Garett Tujague is going to need more from guys like third-year guard Steven Moss, second-year tackle Ryan Bischoff, and redshirt first-years Dillon Re- inkensmeyer and Ben Knutson. The Wahoos also signed five offensive line recruits in the 2017 class, a group that is most likely to redshirt if possible. TOP IMPACT FIRST-YEARS Running Back Lamont Atkins — The Gatorade Player of the Year in Virginia last season, the Burke (Va.) Lake Brad- dock standout graduated early and enrolled at UVA for the second semester. And he looked right at home throughout the spring, building on that bit of experience with an impressive performance in the team's spring football festival. Atkins is in line for touches, and he'll be a two-way threat offensively for offensive coordinator Robert Anae. Wide Receiver Shawn Smith — One thing the Cavaliers lack is a home-run threat that can use pure speed to get behind a de- fensive back and take a deep ball to the end zone. Smith, a 5-11 dynamo with speed to burn, could be in line for such a role. The Georgia native and former South Carolina commit picked UVA late in the process, but seems like someone who could work his way into early contributions this fall. Cornerback Germane Crowell — Also a January enrollee, the Virginia legacy has a name that invokes both his uncle Angelo, a linebacker who is third all time at UVA with 420 career tackles, and of course his father, Germane, who ranks ninth all time in receptions (122) and sixth in receiving yards (2,142). But the younger Crowell, who chose UVA over offers from Notre Dame, Vir- ginia Tech, Florida, Georgia and a host of others, will look to make an impact in the secondary. The 6-3 athlete was slowed by injury this spring, but is still likely to see time this fall. Defensive Back Darrius Bratton — Speaking of rangy defensive backs, Bratton is set to finally arrive in Charlottesville this summer after having committed to UVA in the class of 2016 and doing a post-grad year at Fork Union. The 6-1 Roanoke native could play a number of positions at Virginia, but appears headed for corner. K/P Brian Delaney — It's not common to see special teamers in this section, but in Delaney — a Chantilly native who was chosen to the Under Armour All-American Team — the Cavaliers have one of the best two-way kicker/punter prospects in the na- tion. He helped Westfield win a state title last fall and should factor into the pecking order at both positions this season, something the Wahoos desperately need. TOP QUESTION MARKS ENTERING FALL How will the OL shake out? Tujague has a challenge on his hands perhaps even bigger than last year, replacing multiple starters on an offensive line that didn't pro- duce consistently on the ground in the fall. Adding two graduate transfers helps depth, but both guys will have to get used to a new program and system quickly. It remains to be seen who UVA's starters will be or even where guys will be slotted once camp begins. The one known fact with this group is that they must consistently perform at a high level in order for Virginia to have success. How will the depth at QB and on the O-line hold up? UVA expected Missouri graduate transfer Marvin Zanders to help with depth at quarterback, but he won't be enrolling. That leaves Benkert to be backed up by redshirt first-year De'Vante Cross (who has been working primarily at wide receiver) and true first-year Lindell Stone, who is in line to be the No. 2 guy. Any way you slice it, that doesn't invite confidence. Though the Wahoos have more bodies on the offensive line than they had this spring or last fall, they'll have to avoid the injury bug again in order to stay away from issues. How will the Cavaliers defend through the middle? As talented as Virginia's defense is, the area where it is the most susceptible is in the middle. With Donte Wilkins graduating, Mendenhall must find a new nose tackle in addition to hoping Mack (or someone else) fits in well early on at inside linebacker. Even with Kiser returning, the Hoos are going to need to develop quickly in the middle of the 3-4. ◆ Fourth-year quarterback Kurt Benkert started 10 of Virginia's 12 games last season and threw for 2,552 yards, which ranked sixth on UVA's all-time single-sea- son passing list. PHOTO BY MATT RILEY/COURTESY UVA