šŸˆ Virginia at Wake Forest, W, 31-30, 2-0 (1-0 ACC), Saturday, 7 September 2024, 1900, ESPN2

Maryland will be another big game, I had them as a loss in the preseason and would probably still have them as a loss even after yesterday but it’s definitely a closer matchup than I originally thought. They are more talented than us and have a pretty stout defensive line but there is hope we’ll be able to attack their secondary. They gave up 363 yards passing to Michigan State, 190 of which went to a freshman WR.

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Watched a little of that game this AM and my first thought was UVA can attack that. Mds pass rush is real but not overwhelming. The wideouts should find space to roam

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Does UVA win 6 or more games this season?

  • yes
  • no
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I was about to say make a bowl game but then I remember there are more bowls than qualifying teams these days.

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Yeah if Aidan Chiles and MSU can throw for 360 on them AC10 will have a heisman worthy day. Their roster overall is probably more talented and definitely deeper than ours though so we’ll have to play a tough game and hang in there. Line is Maryland -2.5 but it’ll at the very least be a pick em by Saturday.

It’s fun though because now we confidence. Players believe in the program and got their ā€œprogram winā€ yesterday. Keep the good times rolling.

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Or 3 from the first batch and steal one from the second batch. Today, I’m at 6 wins plus a bowl win. In the 3rd quarter, I was at 4 max.

Hey Maryland is next! Those guys suck. Like UNC but more Drakkar (all my cultural references are 20+ years old)

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We should be favored against Coastal, UNC and from what I’ve seen atleast SMU. Of course have to play it out but that would be 5 wins which probably gets a bowl but even past would just need a win over 1 of Maryland, BC, Pitt.

I like the odds.

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Love the fact that even at a 2.5 dog it feels loke the Hoos have a fighting shot. That’s what I really want let me go into the games thinking they have a chance to win and then Ill enjoy the Rollercoaster ride

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Overthinking things, glad we’re opening as dogs, extra motivation for the boys, good for refocusing after the emotional win.

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But we … weren’t.

First half — 27 pass attempts, 14 rushes (8 by the QBs).

Second half — 16 pass attempts, 14 rushes (8 by the QBs).

Only one sack in the game (can’t remember if that was in the first half or second).

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Not all QB rushes are designed play calls though… and we probably shouldn’t act like we have a running QB (meaning we’re designing our offense around the idea of him running) That’s only 6 running attempts per half for our running backs. That’s bad. Especially when the mantra has been establish the run.

Would like to see fewer designed runs by the QB. AC is developing well but we don’t need him sidelined. In a game where we’re playing from behind the entire game, the number of passes thrown don’t bother me too much, but I would like to see a balanced attack as the norm.

That being said, the defense seems undermanned and I suspect we’re going to have to score a lot of points to win. The defense has a lot of fight in them, but I think there is talent gap.

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I do think part of the issue with there being so many QB runs is AC making bad reads on option plays. A recurring theme for him is he rarely pitches the ball to his backs, for instance on our second drive when he had Pace on a toss sweep option for what would have been a walk-in TD he kept it himself and got stopped for no gain. I’m not sure all of these are necessarily designed to be QB keepers.

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They were last night. Only twice did Colandrea escape the pocket for yardage.

All his other runs were designed QB runs or zone reads.

Point stands.

But agree that our backs should have had more carries. I probably posted that 3-4 times last night. However, we weren’t pass-happy after that initial Wake drive in 2H. We were in the first.

To be fair 3 of those were situational rushes. QB sneak TD and then the runs to make wake burn their timeouts.

Which holy cow what on earth was that first down call? Why are we running AC straight across the field instead of trying to get someone (I prefer an actual RB, but even just AC would’ve been better) going up the field to try and get the first down and put the game on ice?

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It seems Pace is trying to do too much! He keeps going east to west as Brown is going north only…. That’s my take on the run game.

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I noticed that in the2nd half he pulled an option that was a clear give. I question ACs ability to make the correct read in those situations

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Anyone heard about Thomas or Kams injury?

Rud did a good job scheming up a rush last night. Front 4 aren’t cutting it. If Smiley is healthy, he needs to be starting. Chico had a better game thankfully and Kam is constantly getting double teamed. It really comes down to Jahmeer and Hammond not being able to win 1 on 1 battles.

I feel good about the Secondary and love our LBs we just don’t have enough of them. I had hoped we would be as good as 2022 defensively but that seems unlikely. I still think the D is good enough to help us win games, though. They’re not likely to get steamrolled like a Howell defense.

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I still don’t believe that we won. Like, literally I don’t believe you. Liars.

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