The Cavaliers rolled to a 40-point win over Abilene Christian on Saturday, improbably beating the point spread on the game’s final play. And as much excitement that came from the victory and the chance for a host of guys to see time that don’t normally play, there was a cost.

Head coach Bronco Mendenhall confirmed yesterday that OLB Charles Snowden is done for the year after breaking his right ankle against the Wildcats. He’s already had his surgery and his focus is forward. For the Wahoos, their focus right now is on trying to replace one more stalwart on a defense that has been dealing with personnel losses all season.

Now at 4-4 on the year heading to Tallahassee for a night game at Doak Campbell on Saturday (8 p.m., ACC Network), Virginia will have to contend with a talented albeit struggling FSU team this weekend.

The Noles (2-6, 1-6 ACC) haven’t had a very good year thus far in Mike Norvell’s first season at the helm. They’ve lost the last three in a row and four of their last five. Most recently, Florida State has lost by 24 at home to Pitt and then by 16 at NC State before last weekend’s much-publicized postponement against No. 4 Clemson.

So, as we do each week during the season, we’ve looked at the depth chart and Mendenhall’s comments in order to break down some things we know, some questions on our mind, and one prediction we have for the week ahead.

Here’s our latest installment of the 3-2-1:

1. The Cavaliers have faith in the guys behind Snowden.

The first question to Mendenhall on Monday wasn’t if Snowden was lost for the reason but rather how UVa would attempt to fill that void. And he was clear in discussing the potential and ability of outside backers Elliott Brown and Matt Gahm

“Elliot is a dynamic athlete, really skilled in space,” Mendenhall said. “A fast and effective pass rusher. I think that those things manifest on Saturday night. He is a compliment, and more of the similar skill set to Noah Taylor than Matt Gahm. Matt Gahm is more of our pass rusher and more a better fit to the boundary and our Will position. So Elliott can play either, but he’s more suited for our Sam position which is our field player, and his role just became greater and more impactful and his number of snaps per game just went up, as it did this past game. So I think Saturday was a pretty good indication of what he’s capable of and, and most likely what his role will be.”

2. Brennan Armstrong continues to impress.

One of the consistent things we’ve heard from Mendenhall all year has been his assessment of Armstrong’s development and how things are coming together for the redshirt sophomore. After putting up some gaudy numbers against ACU—Armstrong is the first UVa quarterback with three 50-yard+ TDs in the same game—there is every reason to expect he’ll continue to have success. That’s especially true given the familiarity that he’s developed with his coaches and the level of understanding on both sides. The key going forward is the consistency of wins.

“We’ve had Brennan Armstrong for six of our eight games, and I really like the way he’s played,” he said. “And I like our team and the chemistry we have with him as our leader. Having lost to Clemson and Miami with him completing the games, I think he’s growing, maturing, and developing every week.

“Great quarterbacks have anticipation and great quarterbacks are really fast decision makers,” Mendenhall added later. “And so I think Brennan’s accuracy of decisions without compromising speed is improving. One of the great things is he’s so decisive and so competent. But like any of us, we can be fooled on occasion by an opponent or by a situation. His ability to discern what he’s seeing with accuracy and speed is improving each and every week. That’s what I see. He’s already a good athlete. He already has a strong arm. He already is a great leader. But I would say just the speed and accuracy of his decisions is what I see improving consistently.”

3. Mendenhall isn’t talking about 2021….yet.

One of the odd dynamics of this season given the NCAA’s decision to allow student-athletes an extra year of eligibility is that seniors don’t necessarily have to be “seniors.” In some cases, like Gahm’s, players have already lined up jobs or are making decisions that don’t include football. In others, the chance to move on to the next level will be too real to pass up. But some players may like the idea of coming back to use that last of eligibility.

As of yet, those conversations aren’t being initiated by Mendenhall.

“I’ve chosen not to address it from the head coach’s seat, the eligibility of any of our players until after the year is over,” he said. “They’re having conversations with their position coaches and that’s been happening off and on probably for a while, as players are asking ‘What do you think about me coming back?’ etc. So, I’ve left it at kind of position coach/player level, at this point, without formally addressing it.

“I like the focus being on here and now,” Mendenhall added. “Knowing that any distraction usually impedes performance, it doesn’t help. We’ll approach that after our last game with each and all of the players that have exhausted their eligibility. That’s the primary issue is the players that have exhausted eligibility, are they going to come back or not? And they won’t count, so it really doesn’t affect anyone else in terms of urgency or immediacy.”

1. What other personnel concerns might there be by Saturday?