Virginia football came out and impressed in their first ACC contest at Scott Stadium, dominating Louisville 27-3. It remains to be seen if they can do the same in a hostile road environment. The Cavalier Daily sports staff takes a look at the Cavaliers’ matchup with undefeated N.C. State in Raleigh.
Players to watch
Virginia safety Juan Thornhill
Juan Thornhill has been a playmaker this year. He leads a Virginia secondary that has played inconsistently at times, but has come on strong, especially recently. The secondary allowed only 148 passing yards against Louisville and came up with two interceptions. Thornhill, selected for the All-ACC Third Team last year, was a big part of that effort. A week after making nine solo tackles against Ohio, Thornhill played lockdown defense Saturday in the Cavaliers’ dominant conference victory. He was commended by Pro Football Focus for allowing zero receptions on three targets. Thornhill has come up with big plays this year, especially in the Indiana game, in which his PAT block and return for points and interception kept the Cavaliers in the game. Against N.C. State star quarterback Ryan Finley, Thornhill will need to come up with plays to slow down one of the best players under center in the ACC. Virginia’s offense was fueled by its strong defensive performance Saturday, and will need the same performance from the secondary this weekend.
Virginia linebacker Zane Zandier
Against Louisville, Zane Zandier had one of the biggest stops of the game. After Louisville got to Virginia’s three-yard line, Zandier had two solo tackles and one assisted tackle to keep Louisville from getting into the end-zone. Zandier finished the day with eight tackles, which tied Charles Snowden for a team-high. Zandier has been steadily improving throughout the season, starting off in the season opener with one tackle against Richmond and then, in his first career start against Ohio, getting a game-high 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks. With linebackers Malcolm Cook and Jordan Mack both out with injuries, it’ll be crucial for Zandier to continue to step up and make a difference on defense.
Keys to the game
Get to the quarterback
Virginia’s defensive line has been gradually improving, especially since the Indiana game in which they allowed true freshman running back Stevie Scott to gain over 200 yards on the ground and cement the Hoosiers’ lead. The Virginia defensive line is very young. Freshmen Jordan Redmond and Aaron Faumui have had to step up alongside veterans like junior Eli Hanback. The defensive line is doing a better job with the run and with getting to the quarterback, which will be critical Saturday. N.C. State quarterback Ryan Finley can pick the Cavaliers’ defense apart if he has time. Fortunately, Virginia’s pass rush has stepped up in recent weeks. Totalling just two sacks in the first two games, the Cavaliers piled up seven in the last two weeks, including four against Louisville. This young defensive line will be key in dialing up the pressure, along with the linebackers. Linebackers Zane Zandier, Chris Peace, Jordan Mack and Charles Snowden all have sacks this season.
Get more players involved offensively
While Bryce Perkins has clearly been effective on offense, against a better ACC team like N.C. State, the Cavaliers will need more players contributing to and diversifying the offense’s options. Against Louisville, Perkins led the team in rushing yards, while senior running back Jordan Ellis only had 68 rushing yards. However, Ellis has put up numbers like 146 and 171 rushing yards this season. Additionally, senior receiver Olamide Zaccheaus only had 29 receiving yards against the Cardinals, whereas against Richmond he had 101 yards and against Ohio he had 247 yards. With Ellis and Zaccheaus performing well, it gives Virginia more options on offensive and puts less strain on Perkins. Considering N.C/ State’s offense is strong, the Cavaliers need to put up big numbers to keep up with the Wolfpack — getting Ellis and Zaccheaus involved could be the key to doing that.
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