Virginia’s special teams might end up being more than just a supporting act this fall.
The Cavaliers already have a few proven pieces in place, and that gives Keith Gaither a real chance to make the kicking game a weapon. Virginia returns its kicker, punter and kickoff specialist, a rare luxury anywhere. Will Bettridge, Daniel Sparks and Elijah Slibeck are all back, and Gaither didn’t hide how much he likes that setup.
"We have three guys that are pretty elite when they're at their best," Gaither said "We're very fortunate."
Bettridge is coming off a school-record 24 field goals in 30 tries and landed on the preseason watch list for the Lou Groza Award, which goes to the nation’s top place-kicker. Sparks, a seventh-year senior, was picked as a preseason all-ACC selection after setting a school record with a 47.2-yard gross punting average. Slibeck, meanwhile, produced 42 touchbacks on 69 kickoffs.
That kind of stability matters, especially after what Virginia saw last season against Wake Forest, when Carlos Hernandez’s 88-yard punt return accounted for the game’s only touchdown in a 16-9 loss.
The bigger question now is who fills the return-game void left by Cam Ross. Virginia needs someone who can handle both kickoffs and punts, and Solomon Beebe has put himself in the mix before ever taking a snap for the Cavaliers.
Beebe, a junior who spent two seasons at UAB, is already on the preseason watch list for the Paul Hornung Award, which honors the nation’s most versatile player. He earned that spot after posting 1,222 all-purpose yards last season for the Blazers - 338 rushing, 284 receiving and 600 on kickoff returns.
He may not be headed for a huge role at running back, where Virginia has plenty of depth, but special teams could give him a path onto the field. Gaither said Beebe flashed in Saturday night’s scrimmage.
"He had a great return in Saturday night's scrimmage," said Keith Gaither, who sees a lot of Beebe, since he coaches Virginia's running backs and oversees its special teams.
Beebe has already shown what he can do in the return game, including a 96-yard kickoff return touchdown against Akron last season. He also broke loose for an 81-yard scoring run against No.
18 Memphis. Gaither said Virginia can move him around and use him in different spots.
"We'll line him up as a slot receiver, put him in the backfield. He can cover kicks, he can return kicks," Gaither said.
Still, nothing is settled. Gaither named Jacquan Gibson, Da'Shawn Martin, Jekail Middlebrooks, Peyton Lewis and Noah Vaughn among the possible kickoff return options, with Josiah Abdullah and Kam Courtney in the mix for punt returns. Ross was valuable last year because he handled both jobs, and that kind of two-way return threat is hard to find.
Virginia also wants more than just a highlight play or two from its special teams unit. Gaither pointed to the need for players who can block, cover and tackle, and he expects the Cavaliers’ depth at linebacker, defensive back, receiver, running back and tight end to help there.
The NCAA’s new "five for five" rule could expand that depth even further on special teams, since freshmen can now play without losing a redshirt season. Gaither mentioned linebackers Derek Uran and Dallas Brannon and receiver Dylan Cope as first-year players who could contribute on special teams while also getting work on offense or defense.
"You want to play as many young guys as you can because if you don't play them, they're going to leave [via transfer]," Gaither said.. "So we've got the luxury, we've got a ton of depth."
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There is also reason to think the group can keep rising. Virginia brings back many of its key defensive players and has added new contributors Jacob Holmes and Cazeem Moore, both of whom were responsible for a significant share of last seasons sack production elsewhere. And with a schedule that looks friendlier than what some of the other top ACC defenses will face, the Cavaliers have a real chance to turn last years breakthrough into something even more durable. [Read more 🡒]