Hoos seek to solve run-defense issues after loss at NC State

There is urgency from fourth-year Virginia coach Tony Elliott to fix the glaring issue that surfaced this past Saturday during the Cavaliers' loss at NC State and not let it become a long-term problem.

The Hoos surrendered 216 rushing yards and four scores on the ground against the Wolfpack.

Last year, UVa gave up 200 rushing yards or more in a game only twice, and one of those was to eventual national runner-up Notre Dame.

"First, it starts with high-level accountability," Elliott said Tuesday.

He said players and coaches took ownership of the woeful run defense during meetings on Monday, and began crafting a plan to correct what went wrong in Raleigh.

NC State had rushing touchdowns of 30 yards, 14 yards, 12 yards and 9 yards.

Wolfpack running back Hollywood Smothers averaged 8.2 yards per carry while racking up 140 rushing yards and two scores.

He had a 57-yard run in the third quarter.

"On the big plays in particular, we took a couple of bad angles," Elliott said.

"The guys who fit [the run], forced it to where it was supposed to go, but we were a little bit late to trigger [on the angle].

We gave that running back way too much space and I think we all know how good Hollywood is.

"Then, there were a couple of times when we had three defenders at the point of attack and we didn't down the football," Elliott said, "and we allowed him to spin out, dive forward and turn potentially a zero-yard gain into a 5-yard gain or a 2-yard gain into a 7-yard gain." Simply put, UVa defenders took poor or slow paths while pursuing Smothers or NC State quarterback CJ Bailey, and they didn't tackle well enough when they were in the right spots on the field.

Pro Football Focus gave eight of the Cavaliers' starting defenders a tackling grade worse than 60% against NC State.

Of the starters, only linebacker James Jackson (82.9%), defensive end Fisher Camac (73.4%) and defensive tackle Jahmeer Carter (73.4%) had tackling grades above 60%.

The other eight defenders combined for 14 missed tackles.

Elliott and his assistants have, "put together a plan throughout the course of the week to address it in the drills we're doing with tackling," he said, "and then in the drills we're doing with our rush angles to make sure we stay leveraged on the football and force it back inside.

"So, the guys they're going to take ownership of it," Elliott continued.

"And the coaches, we've got to help them get better and we've got to always be evaluating our drill work and making sure it relates to on-the-field production." Elliott said there were plays in which NC State had UVa blocked well, but others in which, "we left a couple of plays out on the field defensively where we had solid calls, guys in position and we just didn't down the football like we did in the first game [against Coastal Carolina]." In the opener, the Hoos yielded just 91 rushing yards to the Chanticleers.

So, this Saturday marks the chance for UVa to return to the form it displayed in Week 1.

This Saturday's opponent, FCS William & Mary, will use the quarterback in the running game, too.

Signal-caller Tyler Hughes rushed for 73 yards in the Tribe's win over Maine this past Saturday and is their leading rusher on the campaign.

Notes: Elliott said linebacker Trey McDonald is being cross-trained at bandit (defensive end) and hasn't played linebacker this fall because there is more competition at the position this season.

Third-year linebacker Landon Danley has emerged into a starter next to Jackson and Eastern Kentucky transfer Maddox Marcellus has been the first linebacker off the bench.

McDonald has played exclusively on special teams after starting five games at linebacker for the Hoos in 2024.

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Third-year standout linebacker Kam Robinson (collarbone) is due back in practice this week, Elliott said, while right tackle Wallace Unamba (knee) is doubtful for Saturday's tilt with the Tribe.

Unamba got hurt in the opener against Coastal Carolina and did not play against NC State.

Veteran Jack Witmer started in Unamba's place.

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Seventh-year safety Antonio Clary (knee) is waiting on the results of one more test before he can fully cleared, according to Elliott who said, "and hopefully within the next couple of weeks, you'll see Clary back out there." Greg Madia [email protected] @GregMadia on X.

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