For UVa's running backs, health and experience must grow
UVa has a number of areas to improve this spring, and on offense, finding a consistent running game is one of the most important goals.
It hasn’t been easy going, though, for running back coach Keith Gaither and his position group. The Wahoos have a young stable of backs after two key players finished their eligibility and two veterans transferred out of the program.
On top of that, UVa hasn’t been particularly healthy at the position . Xavier Brown played some as a true freshman in 2022 but missed all of last year after suffering an injury in camp and is still working his way back. Brown is participating in individual drills this spring but hasn’t been cleared for contact yet. Jack Griese is also missing this spring, but should be good to go for the fall.
The losses prompted the staff to move walk-on QB Landon Spell, who ran the ball quite a bit in high school, to the running back room for depth. After Spell and redshirt freshman Donte Hawthorne got banged up and missed some practices, the staff also moved over former quarterback, safety, and wide receiver Davis Lane to try and bolster the room.
Still, according to Gaither, the bar is high for his group as they seek more on-field production.
“The numbers are down, the production and the expectations are the same,” Gaither explained.
Virginia’s running back room doesn’t just lack healthy players that are on scholarship; they’re also light on game experience. Perris Jones and Mike Hollins have exhausted eligibility, so the Cavaliers turn to senior back Kobe Pace, who was second on the team in rushing last year with 382 yards and one rushing touchdown. Pace came to UVa after three seasons at Clemson and has more game experience than the rest of the running back room combined.
“I feel really good about KP,” Gaither said. “He’s stepping into that role pretty good.
“Kobe’s got more in him. I think part of it is Kobe just having full confidence in himself,” he continued. “This is going into year two in the offensive system, we want him to emerge and take the next step in his game. We’re trying to get him to let go and let loose, so it can be way more consistent than the highs and the lows.”
For Pace, spring ball has given him an opportunity to stake his claim on the starting job but he’s also stepping into a more active leadership role.
“I’m learning how to take on that role, being the older guy; learning how to lead more, it’s something I’ve tried to work on because I’m not a very loud guy,” the senior back said after practice on Tuesday. “I just try to do as much as I can, by my actions.”
As it is for most transfers, the second year with the program brings a greater understanding of expectations and scheme, which allows players like Pace to play freely on the practice field and on Saturdays.
“It’s been different, just knowing the offense more,” he said.. “Knowing the bigger picture and the why, and the whole offense and just learning my teammates and know what they’re going to do, and stuff like that. That’s what helped me the most this spring.”
While Pace is the experienced back that the UVa staff is leaning on, he’s not the only rusher turning heads this spring. Redshirt freshman Noah Vaughn didn’t play at all last year but has seemingly been one of the young standouts of spring ball. Vaughn suffered an injury late in his senior season and then had to have surgery after arriving at UVa, which kept him from excelling as a true freshman. But given the lack of experience at the position, Vaughn is in a spot to leap into a meaningful role this year.
“The surprise of the group is Noah Vaughn,” Gaither said. “He’s flashed quite a bit, and if he continues to get better with the offense and do a better job of learning and straining on a consistent basis, he should have a chance to help us in the fall.
“He has a body sort of like Mike Hollins, short and stocky,” he added. “He’s got tremendous vision; of all the running backs he probably has the best vision. He’s got tremendous feet, he’s able to make those short cuts and able to make people miss in small spaces and be able to get vertical. He plays with an edge and he has some breakout speed.”
Vaughn has impressed Pace as well, who said the young player has a promising future ahead of him.
“I’ve seen flashes from Noah,” Pace told media members on Tuesday. “I know he can be a great back. He’s just got to come out and be precise every day, stay consistent, do the right things on and off the field and that will take him a long way.”
While UVa is working through depth issues in the running back room, the coaching roster got a boost this offseason with Hollins asking to take on a student coaching role in the spring. Gaither said that when Hollins asked if he could help the team, his response to the former Cavalier back was “say less.”
“First off, we’re happy to have Mike Hollins out there student coaching, and he’s been a great addition,” Gaither said. “Mike has been a big help. I hope he just hangs in there and every day gets better; I hope he gets the bug, and it sticks to him.
“It was good having him over there,” he added. “Anytime we have him over there it’s good, we know we’re going to get good work in. Just the same old Coach E., I think he missed being a running back coach. Coach E asked me Thursday ‘how’s Mike Hollins as a coach?’ I said ‘Coach, he gets better every day.’ He’s assertive every day, and gets better. Not just a running back, he’s helping a lot on special teams.”
“I’ve learned a lot from him, even when he was here (playing),” Pace said of his former teammate, now coach. “He gives me ideas that I don’t see on the field when I’m making the plays. He gives me more information, just things to improve my game, and the other backs in the room.”
