Nov 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) runs after a catch against Virginia Cavaliers linebacker Kam Robinson (5) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

UVA's Defense Faces A Peculiar Challenge In Their First Five Games

Originally posted on Virginia Cavaliers on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Aug 14, 2025 7:30 PM ET

Virginia Football is almost two weeks away from their first game of the season, a matchup at home with Coastal Carolina. Coastal Carolina has undergone some changes this offseason, but they share one thing in common with some of Virginia's opponents.

They have a new offensive coordinator.

Each of Virginia's first five opponent's is going to have a new playcaller and that is a bit of a unique situation. It is one that defensive coordinator John Rudzinski has been prepping for though:

" Yeah, I think that's every year because you just don't know, particularly early in the season, people's identity, what's really unique is with so many personnel changes throughout college football, you're also trying to evaluate who's going to be the quarterback, which I think really drives what people want to do offensively. From that coordinator standpoint, you have to do some digging, you have to go back a few years sometimes, you have to project, And then you have to be ready for a ton of different contingencies and you know, that's really our job as coaches is to put our guys through tough scenarios and so when they get out there and they see something that maybe we didn't practice or they haven't seen in a few weeks that they're ready, they can you know adapt and and frankly go be able to make plays"

Coastal in particular is going to present some challenges.

"Yeah I think you have to you always look introspectively first. You got, you got to look at hey in our self scout, what are areas that people potentially want to expose or areas that hey maybe we didn't you know that screen and go or maybe there's a run concept that showed up a few times that we weren't we didn't fit as well as we'd like um so you first look at yourself second piece is, is then uh you know what but like a group like that, golly, you they can do so much you know they got talent, they got talented personnel. they have the ability with again their head coach he's got unbelievable offensive experience um match with the tremendous coordinator So, you know, we'll have our hands full in preparation, you know, as we really dive into that this weekend."

Virginia is going to have quire a few new pieces on defense, particularly in the secondary. Will that be a problem going against these teams? It could, but the nice thing about these new players is that they have experience, particularly Louisville transfer safety Devin Neal:

"Yeah again, you know it's your blessing you to work with those guys that are college graduates and you know he's just physically, I mean he's a, he's a grown man as far as I mean, he's one of those guys, we didn't have to create a great foundation for him. He already had a great foundation and now it's for us, it's honing his skills, you know, Coach Cox and Coach Brown, they're doing an unbelievable job as far as, you know, continuing to build on his football intelligence, but super intentional with how he prepares and, you know, he's a guy that, you know, he has proven with with ACC accolades already and schematically you know what he can do a lot for us as far as you know holding the disguise you know playing man coverage and like you mentioned he you know he loves to tackle he wants to be on the ball he's a guy that plays with great effort."

How will UVA's defense fare? That is one of the keys to the season for a team that is hoping to at least make a bowl game.

The first five weeks should tell us a lot.

This article first appeared on Virginia Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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