Armstrong etches first in UVA win
Daily Globe Sports Editor
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia — There have seven games where a University of Virginia quarterback has accumulated 400-plus yards in total offense.
Going into Saturday’s home game against Boston College, it had never happened in consecutive games.
Cavaliers quarterback Brennan Armstrong became the first signal caller in the program’s history to rack up better than 400 yards in back-to-back games during a 43-32 victory at Scott Stadium.
The Shelby graduate finished with 417 yards of total offense. In his last outing against Abilene Christian, he accounted for 435.
UVA coach Bronco Mendenhall said it best about the 6-foot-2, 215pound sophomore.
“Brennan Armstrong continues to be exceptional and continues to get better and better and better,” lauded Mendenhall.
Armstrong agrees with his coaches assessment.
“I think I’m getting better every game. That just goes with preparation and just playing a lot more,” said Armstrong who missed time after a vicious targeting hit that knocked him out of the game with North Carolina State and cost him the next one against Wake Forest. “I’m finally getting the hang of it. Knowing what I’ve got to do. Knowing what I’ve got to improve on.”
Armstrong ran for a career-best 130 yards and is the first Virginia back to do it this season. His longest jaunt of the contest was a 60-yard touchdown run with 9:44 showing on the third quarter clock to give the home team a 27-17 lead.
Through the air, Armstrong completed 19 of 27 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown — a 47-yard strike to Ra’shaun Henry to give the Cavaliers the lead for good at 13-7 with 7:39 remaining until halftime.
In all, Virginia rolled up 549 yards in offense for their second straight outing with 500-plus yards. They had 518 against Abilene Christian.
Coming out of the weekend, Armstrong had the highest quarterback rating in the country with a 93.7 to edge out Mac Jones of Alabama (93.4), Sam Howell of North Carolina (93.1) and Davis Mills of Stanford (91.6).
The victory was the fourth in a row for the Cavaliers, who are 5-4 on the season with a trip to in-state rival Virginia Tech next Saturday night. The win was also the first ever against Boston College, which was 6-0 in previous meetings.
On the other side, BC quarterback Dennis Crosel completed 32 passes for 520 yards and four scores, but was haunted by three interceptions.
Armstrong feels the team has momentum.
“Whatever happens, happens. Just keep rolling. Our defense got a little banged up two weeks ago, and what else can you do? We just keep rolling through it. The season has been hard, everything’s been tough, mentally, physically, so just keep rolling. We know our last game is next weekend, so we’re going to go out there and finish it off strong,” said Armstrong, who extended his 2020 FBS lead to eight games with 180-plus passing yards and 40-plus rushing yards.
Mendenhall
has
seen progression in Armstrong “step-by-step” and “in a positive trajectory the whole way.”
“He’s met expectations at every step. I couldn’t be happier with who he is, how’s he playing, how he’s competitive, his unselfish nature and his production. He’s leading this team his own way,” said Mendenhall.
For the season, Armstrong has thrown for 1,858 yards and 16 touchdowns in eight starts by completing 132 of 222 passes. He’s also rushed 111 times for a team-best 529 yards.