The University football program is making several changes to its gameday presentation, which fans will be able to experience for the first time Saturday in its home game against the University of Richmond.
Without straying too far from what fans have become accustomed to, Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia football’s new head coach, said in a press conference Monday that the new pregame rituals will better represent the direction the program is currently going.
One of the biggest changes is the elimination of the “Adventures Of Cavman” — animated shorts played before games, depicting Cavman vanquishing the away team’s mascot. This series will be replaced with a pregame video that has a more serious tone.
“I hope that what we’ve chosen to do with the video shows now that, again, there are elements that we’re acknowledging what’s been done, but now adding elements that show that we’re moving, hopefully, in a more productive and more successful era of U.Va. football,” Mendenhall said in the press conference.
David Chapman, a fourth-year College student and club rugby player who has been attending games in his hometown of Charlottesville his whole life, said he is not concerned with the loss of the animation.
“It was always fun, people always liked it, but I don’t think the older kids will care about it too much,” Chapman said. “It was a fun thing, but I’d rather not have the adventures of Cavman and win games than have the Cavman and lose games.”
Emma Fass, a third-year Engineering student who has also been attending games all her life, had an opposite reaction to the news.
“When I was little I only went to the games to watch the cartoon in the beginning. My parents would dress me up in the cheerleading outfit and everything and I would pay attention until the cartoon ended and then would draw or play a game or something,” Fass said.
For Mendenhall, tradition and highlighting an institution through the game of football is important. While the loss of the adventures of Cavman may be upsetting to some, those in the program have decided to bring back other elements that represent the football team’s history.
Mendenhall was inspired by an image of one of the team’s greatest moments — an upset of No. 4 Florida State in 2005, when the endzones featured the letters that make up “Virginia” inscribed in diamonds. This logo will be implemented into Scott Stadium for Saturday’s game.
“The diamonds in the end zone to me were captivating — I saw a picture of not an empty seat, UV.Va. beating Florida State. I thought that would be a cool thing as a symbol,” Mendenhall said.
One of the main tenants of Mendenhall’s philosophy involves the principle “earned not given,” which manifests itself in the players’ new field entrance.
Players of different positions will walk onto the field hand in hand in unison, before engaging in a walk up. The walk up will involve players stepping while chanting “U.Va.,” before touching their hands to the ground and engaging in a full-on sprint.
“When they walk up, they are walking up to perform for the institution. They take the field at a sprint, meaning that they’re lucky they get to play, and they’re lucky they get the chance to do something difficult together,” Mendenhall said in a Virginia Sports TV video. “We’re not going into it easy, we’re going to charge into it lucky to have the opportunity.”
Although there is purpose and meaning to Mendenall’s decisions, Chapman’s hopes are more singular.
“I don’t care what Bronco does to the presentation as long as we win games. Once you get to any league above a kid’s league, it’s all about winning. He’s trying to change the culture,” Chapman said.
Dylan Sims, the newly named field goal kicker and Arts and Sciences graduate student, said the changes help foster a more winning attitude.
“I think the changes are the best thing that could happen to the program in all honesty. It’s not that you get used to losing but it becomes a habit, and the minute that Bronco came in was like a new start,” Sims said. “He says he’ll never demand stuff from us but he’ll ask more from us than anyone has ever asked, and it’s up to us whether we want to live up to that standard or not.”
Other minor changes include the elimination of the “Wahoo walk,” which involved the players preceding to the field two hours before each game, as well as the inclusion of free game programs.
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