From our Virginia site here at Rivals.com:
The 3-2-1: Clemson
By: Justin Ferber
Three Things We Know
1. Tony Elliott is focused on Saturday’s football game rather than his return to Clemson.
Saturday’s game at Clemson won’t just be a tall task for the Wahoos, going up against a top-10 team on the road. But it’ll also be a return home for Cavalier coach Tony Elliott, who spent his college career and most of his professional life with the Tigers. Saturday’s game will also be the first meeting between Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and a former assistant of his, and he and Elliott had a mentor/mentee relationship before becoming peers in the ACC.
Even though this probably won’t feel like just another game, Elliott said on Tuesday that his focus is between the lines and between the whistles, as he tries to avoid distractions in the run up to the weekend road trip.
“To be honest with you I haven’t had a ton of emotion going into it,” Elliott said in Tuesday’s presser. “There’s so much that goes into preparing for a game, that’s really all I’ve been focused on.”
Saturday’s game feels a bit like Bronco Mendenhall’s return to BYU in 2021, though less time has passed since Elliott left Clemson. But Elliott doesn’t expect to receive any quarter from his opponent on Saturday, regardless of the shared history.
2. Virginia’s injury report featured some both good and bad news.
Elliott updated the health status of a few key players who either missed the Louisville game, or exited it with some sort of injury. And while the report wasn’t all good, there was a bit more clarity in this week’s update than in previous weeks.
The good news is that receiver Chris Tyree is back practicing after missing the last two games, and is expected to be good to go for Saturday’s game. Tackle McKale Boley also returned to practice on Monday, after leaving the Louisville game a couple of times after getting banged up during the game.
As for the negative, Elliott informed the media that receiver Trell Harris ultimately opted for surgery to repair a small bone fracture in his knee, and will be out for the next few weeks. Harris has been missed during his three-game absence, and they’ll need to get him back ASAP for the stretch run. Safety Antonio Clary missed Saturday’s loss to the Cards, and while Elliott said he’s making a push to return, this week seems doubtful. If he can’t go, Caleb Hardy and freshman Ethan Minter will have to pick up the slack in the secondary. .
3. Malachi Fields and Jonas Sanker have developed from local products into stars at Virginia.
UVa hasn’t turned out a ton of players from Charlottesville in the last few decades, but this year’s team is headlined by a pair of local stars who are making good in the orange and blue. Malachi Fields played quarterback at nearby Monticello High School, and had an under-the-radar recruitment. Jonas Sanker played at The Covenant School, and UVa wa able to lure him away from a commitment to Boston College and convince him to play close to home.
So far this season, both Fields and Sanker are proving to be great finds for the program, right under their nose. Both players are operating at an All-ACC level, and have been a big part of UVa’s 4-2 start to the season. Elliott credited their success to the work they’ve done both on their bodies, something that Elliott said is underrated in a player’s development, and also in their fundamentals and skills. With six games to go, Virginia will continue to rely on heroics from their hometown heroes.
Two Questions
1. How will UVa handle a truly hostile road environment?
Virginia will head out of town for the first time since September 21st for Saturday’s clash in Death Valley. But this road trip should be a bit different than the previous two, to Wake Forest and Coastal Carolina. UVa will face the first truly daunting road environment, in what should be a full house of 80,000+ at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium. UVa passed their first two road tests, but Saturday will be a different animal, both in terms of the talent they’ll face, and also in the crowd they’ll have to play in front of.
Elliott said on Tuesday that he tells the team “don’t lose to the logo, don’t lose to the environment.” The idea there is a good one, to focus on executing the gameplan and not get overwhelmed by the surroundings. But given how the Tigers have looked of late, and the amount of talent they have on the roster, it’s obvious that the Hoos will have to play their best game to date, and then some, to pull a stunner.
2. Can UVa replace Trell Harris’ explosiveness?
As we stated above, UVa will be without Trell Harris this weekend at Clemson, and for the immediate future. It sounds like he won’t be back until at least after the next bye week, as he recovers from a minor surgery. Harris was off to a great start to the season, and UVa’s offense hasn’t quite been as dynamic without him. The former Kent State product has 13 catches this season for 201 yards and two touchdowns. In his absence, UVa has continued to rely on Malachi Fields, but production outside of him has been relatively unpredictable. Getting Tyree back this weekend could be a boost, but UVa hasn’t quite figured out how to unlock the former Notre Dame receiver just yet.
Virginia needs to be able to spread the ball around to players other than Fields in the passing game, and also find ways to create big plays. Until Harris is ready to return, they’ll have to find other options to keep the defenses honest.
One Prediction
1. Kobe Pace will find the end zone in his return to Clemson.
Tony Elliott won’t be the only Cavalier heading back to familiar territory this weekend. Running back Kobe Pace started his career with the Tigers before transferring to Virginia, and will also be looking to play well against his old program. In 2021, Pace recorded 104 carries for 641 yards and six touchdowns, also the last year that Elliott was the Tigers’ offensive coordinator. Elliott said on Tuesday that he’s happy to see Pace starting to blossom in Charlottesville, even if its taken a bit longer than they’d like. UVa has struggled in the red zone, and perhaps this would be a great week for Pace to punch one in from the goal line, into a familiar end zone.
