Virginia Cavaliers 2022 College Football Preview
August 2, 2022
2021 Recap
Record – 6-6
ATS – 7-5
Our DEEP ACC INSIDERS turned out to be spot on when they opined the following in the MEGALOCKS 2021 Virginia preview…..“This team looks like the POSTER CHILD of 6-6.” The Cavaliers did indeed finish at 6-6 but they didn’t get there in the normal fashion. They scooted out to a 6-2 record but then dropped their final four games to finish at .500. Sadly, the season came to a conclusion when their bowl game with SMU was cancelled as a consequence of the PANDEMIC of the VACCINATED. Sometimes four death jabs just isn’t good enough.
Former Clemson OC Tony Elliott comes to town for his first head coaching gig. Let’s see what he has to work with in 2022.
Virginia Cavaliers 2022 Outlook
OFFENSE
Virginia didn’t have much of a ground game to speak of LY but they moved the ball like a TREMENDOUS MACHINE thru the air thanks to the great play of QB Brennan Armstrong (4,449, 31 TD) and a devastating set of THROW GAME weaponry. Armstrong is back along with his top-three targets who combined for and impossible 2,918 yards and 16 TDs in 2021. WR Dontayvion Wicks averaged 21 YPC (57, 1,203, 9 TD) and WR Keytaon Thompson came close to a 1,000 yard season (990, TD) whilst rushing for 247 yards and 4 TDs in his spare time. The Cavs lose leading rusher Wayne Taulapapa but he bagged a measly 324 (!) yards on the ground LY. We don’t have high hopes for the RB room, particularly given an offensive line that returns ZERO starters, but maybe they can catch lightning in a bottle with transfer Cody Brown from YOUR Miami Hurricanes? Virginia has allowed 40+ sacks in each of the last two full seasons so maybe a complete OL reconstruction is a good thing? Armstrong and friends will put up impressive yardage at times but we don’t think they’ll come close to being the #2 FBS passing offense like they were in 2021.
DEFENSE
Job #1 for Virginia is to fix a run defense that was an absolute joke in 2021. They yielded 226 YPG on the ground (#123 FBS) and the opposition averaged a ridiculous 5.8 YPC (#123). The good news is that they’ll be much more stout up front as they added a ton of DL talent thru the portal and return star LB Nick Jackson who led the team in tackles LY (6 TFL, 6 QBH). We’re worried about the secondary as they lose a pair of talented and experienced safeties and don’t appear to have a lockdown CB. We’re also not sure where the pass rush is gonna come from (18 sacks LY, dead last ACC). Hopefully, Miami Ohio transfer Kam Butler (6 sacks LY) can be a difference-maker. At best, this appears to be an “average” defense.
SPECIAL TEAMS
We’ve got mixed feelings about Virginia’s special teams. It’s handy to have a veteran presence at KR/PR in Billy Kemp but he didn’t provide much explosiveness in 2021. The Cavs will have to work in a new punter and hope that highly-touted freshman PK Will Bettridge can dominate on FG attempts.
Schedule Analysis
Overall – It sets up well for the Cavaliers. The non-conference schedule is BUTTERY SOFT and they have a good draw from the Atlantic (Cards, Orange). Four of their final five games are at home.
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – November 19 – Coastal Carolina
This contest in sandwiched between a pair of ACC challenges (Pitt, Hokies) and you have to think this game means more to a Sun Belt team playing Power 5 opposition.
Season Win Total
per BetOnline Aug 2
Over 7.5 +145
Under 7.5 -175
MEGALOCKS says:
Lean: Under
There are several winnable games on the docket but eight wins would be an impressive feat given the overall talent on the roster.
MEGAmazing Tidbits
The Cavaliers have lost 17 of the last 18 games vs Virginia Tech, and that includes 11 consecutive losses in Blacksburg.
Virginia has a dismal mark of 9-41 (.180) in true road games over the L10Y.
MEGALOCKS Outlook:
Can a THROW GAME carry a team on it’s shoulders to a season that exceeds expectations? Well, we’re about to find out. It’s hard to see the offense having a high level of consistency with a completely rebuilt offensive line and the defense is lacking in ‘star’ power. We’ll go out on a limb ** and call for a .500 season and a minor bowl bid.
** not really
Want more Virginia Cavaliers football ?
WEBSITE
https://virginiasports.com/sports/football
FORUM
http://chat.virginia.sportswar.com/message_board/football/
https://247sports.com/college/virginia/Board/Virginia-Cavaliers-Message-Board-Forum-16
https://virginia.forums.rivals.com/forums/hoos-next.6/
NEWS
http://www.streakingthelawn.com/
https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/258/virginia-cavaliers