Final Score: UVA 14, W&M 26. And, W&M could have put at least 21 more points on the board.
With 12:15 left in the first quarter, UVA quarterback Vic Hall, a converted cornerback, ran untouched for a 34-yard touchdown. It seemed as though the rout was on.
Well, no one told the Tribe.
W&M and proceeded to dominate UVA, on both sides of the ball. W&M defensive back B.W. Webb had three interceptions, that last of which he returned for a 50-yard touchdown with a little over 2 minutes left that sealed the game. In all the Tribe forced seven turnovers.
The turnovers were part a larger defensive beat down W&M put on a UVA offense that was supposed to be dynamic. The story coming into the game was all about UVA’s spread offense and athletic quarterback Hall. The Tribe’s defense reduced this to a poor imitation of an option offense. They tried a lot of fake hand offs, misdirection, and options. It didn’t take long for W&M defense to learn to stay home and not over pursue. UVA never adjusted on offense. After the first touchdown Hall proved ineffective, so UVA brought in Jameel Sewell, who was not much better. Sewell led one scoring drive in the second quarter, but eventually he was also replaced under center, by third stringer Marc Verica. UVA did not score again after that Sewell led drive.
The star for W&M on offense was QB R.J. Archer. He played with poise. He had almost perfect decision-making. Most importantly, he had great timing. UVA’s QB’s could have taken a lesson from him in having an internal clock, feeling the rush, and getting rid of the ball. The only mistakes he made were one interception and two overthrown passes to wide open receivers that, had they been caught, would have been touchdowns. His receivers were behind the secondary and would have waltzed into the endzone untouched. Running Back Jonathan Grimes only had 46 yards, but they were punishing. He consistently broke the first tackle attempt and always seemed to be dragging Cavaliers with him.
W&M kicker Brian Pate had two misses and one block in his first four field goal tries, but settled down and made three more field goals in the game.
If you combine Pate’s misses and Archer’s overthrows, that’s at least 21 points that W&M could have had that they did not.
There is no other way to say it; UVA was outplayed and outcoached. The coaches refused to adjust their offense, or stop playing a zone defense. W&M simply stayed home on defense and poked at the holes in the zone. Hall and Sewell weren’t making reads and were staring down receivers on the few passes they did throw. UVA simply got dominated by a team that, at least for today, was better.
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