The 3-2-1: Pitt

1. Several players who had breakout games against UNC should continue to play more.

The Wahoos were dealing with a rash of injuries on Saturday against North Carolina, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. That forced players further down the depth chart into larger roles, and for the most part, those players stepped up and performed well.

At running back, Perris Jones was out so UVa went with an RB-by-committee approach, with Mike Hollins, Ronnie Walker, and Xavier Brown splitting the load. Walker and Brown found the end zone for the first time this season, as the Wahoos exceeded 20 points against an FBS opponent for the first time this season. Walker’s emergence was certainty encouraging, as he has worked his way back from an injury suffered during spring practice. While Walker could provide a boost to the backfield going forward, UVa has also received a good effort from Brown throughout the season.

At receiver, Keytaon Thompson, Dontayvion Wicks, and Lavel Davis were all sidelined with injury, something the UVa players and staff had confirmed just 48 hours before kickoff. Normally that kind of loss at a critical position would spell doom, but UVa had a few players step up, namely freshman receiver JR Wilson. The NYC native was banged up through fall camp but came along as the season began, and started to earn more snaps. His increased role led to a five-catch, 61 yard effort on Saturday against the Tar Heels. And while the starting receivers should be back at some point soon, Wilson has earned his way onto the field at this point.

2. Timeout management was a major issue for the coaching staff last week.

Virginia scored with more than three minutes remaining in Saturday’s game, cutting Carolina’s lead to 31-28 on a Brennan Armstrong touchdown run. The Hoos then had to attempt an onside kick, as they were out of timeouts. An unenviable situation, UVa’s timeout issues were certainly avoidable, and Tony Elliott broke down each one in his Tuesday presser.

The first timeout was taken on 4th and 1 by Armstrong. Elliott stood by that decision as the correct one, and UVa did ultimately convert that 4th down after the timeout. The next two stoppages, however, came on avoidable special teams mistakes. Elliott saw something he didn’t like before one punt snap and called timeout as he needed to stop the play from happening. The final timeout again came on a punt, this time due to a substitution issue. An irate Elliott was seen on the sideline after that third timeout was called, and he said Tuesday that he was mad at the staff, not the players, for the error.

Needless to say, clock and timeout management is an area that Elliott and Co. can improve going forward. UVa certainly still could’ve lost to UNC even with the timeouts, but perhaps it could’ve made the game far more interesting late if the Hoos could’ve forced a stop.

3. Virginia’s defense will need to bottle up Pitt’s ground game.

UNC’s offense put UVa’s defense in some rough spots on Saturday, as the Heels have done with virtually every opponent this season. On Saturday, John Rudzinski’s group will face a far different challenge than what they faced last weekend. Pitt comes to Scott Stadium led by a formidable ground game, a far cry from Carolina’s wide open offense that exploited the Hoos for 31 points.

Through nine games, the Panthers have rushed for 1,618 yards (4.51 per carry) and 23 touchdowns, to just seven passing scores. They are led by running back Israel Abanikanda, who is expected back after missing last weekend’s win over Syracuse. Abanikanda already has 1,086 yards and 16 touchdowns on the season, and has been tough to stop all year long. Virginia’s defense has done a decent job against the run this season, allowing opponents to average just 3.74 yards per carry. Holding Pitt under four per rush is a really tough task, but if UVa can force Pitt into passing situations, they can lean on their cornerbacks to make plays.

Elliott said that Saturday’s game will be a physical one that will often come down to individual matchups, ones that the Cavaliers will have to win often enough to pull off a victory.