Virginia gets a chance Saturday night to answer a few questions.
The Cavaliers, sitting at 2-1, host Delaware at 6 p.m. at Scott Stadium, and the feeling around the matchup is pretty clear: this is the kind of game that can tell you whether Virginia learned anything from the West Virginia loss. The offense has to show more through the air after that passing game went missing against the Mountaineers, and the defense is looking for a sharper response.
Virginia still isn’t going to reinvent itself as a run-first team, but this is a useful spot to show progress. Back at home, the Cavaliers have an opportunity to clean up some of the issues that showed up last week and head into ACC play against Florida State with a convincing result.
There’s also a real sense that Delaware won’t make this easy. The Blue Hens have looked strong on offense, and one staff prediction pointed to the challenge of handling quarterback Nick Minicucci, especially if he starts connecting early with Sean Wilson and Da'Wain Lofton. If Delaware hits on those plays, Virginia could be forced out of its comfort zone fast.
Still, the expectation from the staff leans toward a Virginia rebound. One prediction called for the defense to deliver a better outing than it did a week ago, while the offense, led by Beau Pribula and a productive run game, should be efficient enough to keep the Blue Hens from finding much traction.
Another view sees this as the sort of game that could stay close for a half before Virginia pulls away. And another frames it as a classic trap spot - a talented but not especially proven opponent tucked between a tough loss and a major ACC road test next weekend.
The path for Virginia is straightforward enough: get after Minicucci with a stronger pass rush, lean on the ground game, control the clock and keep Delaware’s offense watching from the sideline. If the Cavaliers do that, the day should go their way. If they don’t, it could get a lot more uncomfortable than expected.
In Other News...
Virginia Basketball Is Back And Both Programs Are Taking Shape
The first real signs of basketball season are back in Charlottesville, with both Virginia programs officially into practice mode and the calendar now starting to tighten around meaningful games. The mens team is set to work through three preseason exhibitions, while the womens side is building toward an opener on Nov. 2 against Maryland Eastern Shore, giving the program plenty of time to sort out roles and rhythm before the games count.
There has also been some movement around the womens staff, with Aaron Roussell adding Damin Altizer as director of player development, another indication that the roster-building and development work is happening well before tipoff. And around the broader Virginia basketball scene, former mens coach Tony Bennett has been making recent public speaking appearances, a reminder that even as the next chapter begins, the programs recent past is still very much part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Gets An Early Stress Test For Ryan Odom's New Core
Virginias next version will get an unusual early-stage gauge in Charleston, where the Cavaliers are set for an outdoor exhibition against Vanderbilt at Credit One Stadium. It is the kind of game that can reveal a lot before the calendar even turns, especially for a program beginning to take shape under Ryan Odom after last seasons 30-6 run.
For Virginia, the spotlight will fall on a mix of returning pieces and newcomers trying to settle into roles, with Chance Mallory among the players to watch as the backcourt starts to sort itself out. The matchup should also give Odom and his staff a first real read on how this new core handles a power-conference opponent in a setting that is anything but routine. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Needs A Sharper Showing Before ACC Play Begins
Virginia closes out its non-conference slate Saturday at 6:00 p.m. at Scott Stadium against a Delaware team that has made a smooth jump from FCS to FBS and comes in at 2-1. For the Cavaliers, this is less about the opponents pedigree than about finding a cleaner rhythm before ACC play begins, with the offense and defense both still carrying some uneven stretches from the first part of the schedule.
The spotlight is on Virginias offensive line, passing game and overall defensive sharpness, because those areas will shape whether the Cavaliers head into conference action with confidence or more questions. There is at least a possibility of help up front, with left guard Noah Josey potentially nearing a return from an ankle issue, but Virginia still needs a more polished all-around showing against a Delaware team that has already shown it can handle the step up in competition. [Read more 🡒]