As is the case with so many college teams this April, the Cavaliers are forging ahead without spring practices to help provide a lot of critical reps and outline where different guys stand in their development.

Prior to the weekend, UVa’s coordinators spoke with media members via videoconference to share some thoughts on their respective units.

We dove deep into the 40-minute session to break out five key quotes and points about the Hoos.

“Well that’s a good question,” OC Robert Anae began when asked what would be different this year on his side of the ball. “There’s Bryce, there’s Haas, from the skill standpoint, and there’s Joe Reed. And dang, with that group you’ve got to lump in Olamide Zaccheaus so, dang, within the past two years that group is completely out of the door. So, what’s going to be different? Well, the whole time those guys have been in place we’ve also been training and developing players behind them. We have a pretty good idea of what guys now in the program can do what those could do. But nothing lines up exactly from top to bottom. Nothing will totally be exactly the same from top to bottom. But I will say there are things that guys in the program have demonstrated a pretty good competency in. So, there will be things that look a little different next year but we are not changing the offense from top to bottom. Similar, but not exactly the same thing, is I guess the best way to answer that.”

“Definitely those reps are valuable,” co-DC Nick Howell explained. “We have a bad taste in our mouth right now. We’ve been able to watch the Clemson game multiple times as a staff and with our players. We’ve been able to watch the Florida game multiple times with staff and players. We did some good things but we did some things where we didn’t put our best out there and we left a lot out there. So, we’re going like crazy right now and using that as motivation to fix that. There’ll be some tests early in the season, with Georgia right there and Clemson and North Carolina, all those guys early in the schedule. So it’s good. One thing that benefits us with this experience too, if handled correctly, we can use that to an advantage defensively. Get in [to camp], guys know our scheme, and we should be able to go fast once we get back together.”

“It’s tough, because the run game is all about being physical and you’ve got to develop your pad level,” Anae said of not having spring ball to help the rushing attack. “You’ve got to be able to master your assignments to multiple things, movements and alignments. You need all of that to be better in the run game. However, I will say this: Yes, we do need a better balanced run attack, I do believe that’s the direction we’re headed, but that too has got to be something that is earned. Just to run the ball just to run the ball is pointless unless it actually is contributing to the team. So I will say this: We have spent four years recruiting and developing our offensive line and going into this season, we’re at the best spot in that regard, [No. 1] with depth. There’s still going to be competition for the guys up front. And No. 2, they now have a couple of years of experience in doing what they’re doing. I think with those two things, the run game will have a bright prospect.”

“There’s no replacing Joe Reed,” special teams coordinator Ricky Brumfield explained. “Joe Reed is one of a kind. There probably will never be a Joe Reed at UVa again. The only thing we can do is try to get someone or a couple of people to try to replace the numbers that he was able to put up. But Tavares Kelly right now is a guy that we can feel can do a great job to help lead us to winning the conference championship at the kickoff return position. Look at the numbers last year, I think he only averaged 22 yards per return but one of those returns he made a little freshman mistake, stepping out of bounds when he caught in the Louisville game. If that wasn’t the case, he would’ve average about 25 yards per kick return. So, Tavares Kelly I think is in a good position to help lead at kickoff return.”

“Darrius is doing well,” Howell told reporters of the corner from Roanoke, who suffered a knee injury in fall camp last year. “I see him on a daily basis. Before we left, he was I would say ahead of schedule. He was running full speed. He’s big and strong. He was still in progress. We weren’t going to give him any reps in spring ball. If any, it would’ve been limited no-contact for sure. The end goal was to have Darrius completely healthy and ready for the season. So, being very precautionary with him. We’re still going to go that direction all the way through the summer. I’m going to err on the side of being precautious with Darrius. You’ve got to get him to the game. But he will be healthy. Our guys who are injured are meeting through Zoom calls and doing their physical therapy that way. So, Darrius should be 100 percent and ready to go and we’re excited about having him back.”

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