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Virginia needs to have one focus: finishing

<p>Defensive tackle David Dean, a team captain, is one of many Virginia seniors preaching the importance of finishing games.</p>

Defensive tackle David Dean, a team captain, is one of many Virginia seniors preaching the importance of finishing games.

Since ACC Kickoff this July, the Virginia football team has proclaimed a very distinct mantra focused around one word: finish.

“Finish, just finish everything,” senior captain defensive tackle David Dean said in Pinehurst at the kickoff events. “Everyday come in with the mindset that you are going to work; you're going to bring great energy; you're going to come in with a mission to get better at something that you were not as good at the day before.”

Despite the emphasis Dean, his fellow captains and the entire team have placed on finishing everywhere from the weight room to preseason camp, they have focused most on finishing games.

"I think as a team, finishing down the stretch that's what we're really focusing on — finishing, finishing, finishing," senior wide receiver Canaan Severin said in July. “As you know, last year we had [a few] games [where] we were right there, we were right there for the win and to take it. So that's what we're really focused on, finishing and getting the wins."

Last season, the Cavaliers, who went 5-7, lost four games by eight points or fewer. Winning any one of those games, including the heart-breaking loss against North Carolina by one point, would have made the Cavaliers bowl-eligible for the first time since 2011 — and the second time in Mike London’s fifth year as head coach.

This season, the Cavaliers currently stand 1-4, and two of the games have been lost by one touchdown. In both games, Virginia’s fate was not sealed until there were only 30 seconds or less left on the play clock.

As the Cavaliers begin their ACC schedule with this loss against Pitt, both their bowl hopes and the fate of Mike London’s coaching job rest on the team’s ability to finish.

Following the tough loss at Pitt, London stated, “The W is what we are after. We have to be obsessed with it. The guys have to want it and we will continue to keep working to get that done."

Saturday at Pitt, the Cavaliers’ last drive ended following four incompletions from junior quarterback Matt Johns.

“The key word was incompletions,” London said. “If those balls are completed then guys are still running and the chains are still moving […] we obviously didn't utilize the situation.”

Despite focusing on finishing these games and not falling prey to the stress and pressure the team falls under in those final minutes, the Cavaliers still fail to get completions, first downs or wins.

The Cavalier offense has shown its ability to make big plays when needed. Against Pittsburgh, junior running back Albert Reid was able to come up big with a 71-yard run that led to a field goal. Senior wide receivers T.J. Thorpe and Severin both had 32-yard receptions and junior running back Taquan Mizzell caught one for 34 yards.

However, the passing team needs to make completions in these key moments in order to win the game. But it isn’t all on them. The offensive line needs to work better to prevent the pass rush, as they allowed for four sacks at Heinz Field Saturday.

The defense also needs to work on containing the opposing offensives in these tight win-or-lose situations in the final moments. The Cavaliers lost their upset win over Notre Dame with a 39-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds on the clock.

Bottom line: Virginia has let wins slip out of its fingers with moments left on the clock, time and time again. If they want to play in the post-season this year, they need to dwell on a single word that two of their captains have emphasized since this past summer — “finish”

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