The takeaway: Cavs’ defense shines in annual scrimmage
CHARLOTTESVILLE — As fans cheered for offensive touchdowns and defensive interceptions Saturday at Scott Stadium, there was a necessary suspension of disbelief that required them to forget the fact that if the offense is scoring or the defense is creating turnovers, somebody messed up on the other side of the ball.
Such is the nature of spring games, and the dichotomy extends to college coaches.
Bryce Perkins threw two interceptions and Jordan Mack returned one for a touchdown near the end of a 78-69 win by the Cavaliers’ defense over its offense in the team’s annual spring game.
No, there weren’t a combined 147 traditional football points scored. Fourth-year U.Va. coach Bronco Mendenhall uses his own modified and complex scoring system to reward individual plays and unit accomplishments.
But what was clear is that the Cavaliers committed three turnovers, including the pair of picks thrown by Perkins. And Mendenhall, whose team is coming off an 8-5 season that included a Belk Bowl win over South Carolina, couldn’t decide to think the turnovers reflected well upon the defense or poorly upon the offense.
“Both, because you have to be in spring when you’re going against each other,” he said. “The defense played stronger and with more intent and culture and passion than our offense did today. More physical. And the takeaways were forced.”
Perkins, who had surgery shortly after the bowl game in December to repair ligaments in his right (throwing) pinky finger, struggled with accuracy — especially early.
His first possession with the first-team offense ended when he was intercepted on a bomb into coverage down the left sideline.
Because Mendenhall doesn’t issue jersey numbers until fall camp, the two sides’ blue or white jerseys were blank. That made it hard for observers to tell who was doing what.
Only Perkins, the only one of U.Va.’s quarterbacks with long dreadlocks dangling from his helmet, was easy to spot.
Pop music ranging from Pharrell Williams to Taylor Swift to Ozzy Osbourne played on the stadium’s P.A. system for the duration of the workout, which took place on a mild and glorious vernal afternoon.
Near the end of the session, backup quarterback Brennan Armstrong — easily identifiable because he’s lefthanded — connected with Terrell Jana over the middle for a 64-yard touchdown.
The versatile Perkins, who passed for 2,680 yards and 25 touchdowns while running for 923 yards and nine more scores a year after transferring from an Arizona community college, said the two picks were on him.
“Just got to be better,” he said. “Can’t have those, especially.”
Points were awarded internally for touchdowns and field goals, but also for plays covering a certain number of yards, first downs, sacks and tackles for loss. Points were deducted for penalties.
Mack, a senior from Lithonia, Ga., said keeping score fans the team’s flames.
“It just adds to the competition,” he said. “We all want to win when we come out here, so it just enhances the competition level.”
After a week of rest, the Cavaliers will begin voluntary workouts that will take them into summer sessions and fall camps.
Twenty-five players missed the spring game, including injured receiver Joe Reed, free safety Joey Blount and tailback PK Kier, but Mendenhall expects the entire group to trickle back into full health by the fall.
Mendenhall said he typically notices that the defense is more developed than the offense in the spring. U.Va. opens the season on the road Aug. 31 with an ACC game against defending Coastal Division champion Pittsburgh, so there’s little time for anyone to be behind.
“That’s something we’re going to certainly have to address symbolically of the season as well,” Mendenhall said. “We don’t have time to warm up when you’ve got to start playing.”
Note: During Saturday’s game, former U.Va. cornerback Tim Harris was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round (198th overall) of the NFL draft.
Harris, a Richmond native, made 36 passes, recorded two interceptions and broke up four passes last season. David Hall, 757-446-2367, david.hall@pilotonline.com
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