The Virginia football team will kick off its season Saturday with a game against in-state rival William & Mary at Scott Stadium. With a long offseason, it’s been awhile since the players have returned to the field since tallying a 2-10 record last season. The CD Sports Staff takes a look at some players and keys to watch out for this weekend.
Players to watch
Quaterback Kurt Benkert
Celina Hu — The Cavalier Daily
Kurt Benkert
Entering his senior season, quarterback Kurt Benkert will look to lead Virginia’s offense this Saturday against an FCS team in William & Mary. Despite a loss in last year’s season opener, Benkert played well — throwing for 264 yards and three touchdowns, tossing up only one interception and completing 76.5 percent of his passes. It will be interesting to see if Benkert can start the season off in similar fashion.
Courtesy Virginia Athletics
Jordan Ellis
Tailback Jordan Ellis enters the season as Virginia’s lead back after tallying only 61 rushing yards all of last season. The junior has a bruising frame at five-foot-10 and 215 pounds and slimmed down his figure during the offseason in an effort to add speed to his game. Without graduates Taquan Mizzell and Albert Reid in the backfield this year, Virginia will look to Ellis first to grab the starting job. The William & Mary game gives him a chance to prove himself early.
Kiley Lovelace — The Cavalier Daily
Micah Kiser
The senior leader returned to Virginia this season to get his degree and address some unfinished business with Virginia football. The inside linebacker finished out last season first in the ACC and No. 3 in the nation with 11.2 tackles per game. Look for Kiser’s name on many defensive award watch lists. He’ll be the linebacker to watch this Saturday and going forward in the 2017 season as he leads the Cavalier defense.
Keys to the game
Experience on defense
Virginia struggled on the defensive side of the ball at times throughout last season. With many first-time starters, experience was lacking. However, with a year under their belt and heading into their second season, this group has come back more seasoned and experienced, and will look to make an impact in this game as they try to showcase the improvements they’ve made as a unit.
Revamped offensive line
Coach Bronco Mendenhall aggressively sought out transfer options to build his offensive line this year, and found two pieces in two graduate transfers — guard John Montelus and tackle Brandon Pertile. Last year’s group allowed 36 sacks and struggled to open up holes for runners on short yard situations, which killed far too many drives. The new-look O-line must hold back William & Mary’s pash rush and win third-and-short situations — both crucial aspects for keeping the Virginia offense in rhythm.
Passing game
Mendenhall and offensive coordinator Robert Anae will be looking to have Benkert throw the ball early and often. The passing game is certainly one of Benkert’s strengths — evident in the 421 passing yards he recorded against Central Michigan last season to break a Virginia program record. Look for Benkert to frequently match up with junior halfback Olamide Zaccheaus, who will try to fill Taquan Mizzell’s shoes this season.
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