Having sense of what to avoid did not aid Spiders early at UVa (2024)

CHARLOTTESVILLE – Best intentions mixed with a sense of what’s coming seemed not to matter early in the University of Richmond’s34-13 Saturday night loss at Virginia.

The bullet points Russ Huesman enunciated during his midweek media meeting were defense-based, how to contain Virginia, UR’s opening opponent. Huesman, the Spiders coach, emphasized limiting the running of Cavaliers quarterback Anthony Colandrea.

“They hurt us two years ago with the quarterback run stuff, whether it’s scrambles or designed quarterback runs,” said Huesman, whose team trailed 34-7 midway through the third quarter. “And we can’t let that happen.”

During UVa’s 34-17 win over UR in 2022, Cavs quarterback Brennan Armstrong carried 10 times for 105 yards. On the Cavaliers’ first snap Saturday at Scott Stadium, Colandrea ran for 35 yards, a tone-setting message to the FCS visitors, 19.5-point underdogs who quickly trailed 7-0.

Huesman on Wednesday also noted the importance of completing tackles.

“When we’ve got an opportunity to get somebody on the ground, we can’t let it be a pitch and catch at seven yards and then a 60-yard touchdown,” Huesman said. “We have to make sure we’re chasing the ball and getting them on the ground.”

Soon after UVa gained possession via a near-midfield fumble by UR receiver Nick DeGennaro – “We’ve got to make sure we hang onto the football,” Huesman said Wednesday — Colandrea tossed a short pass to the left flank. Missed tackle. Gain of 32 by UVa’s Malachi Fields to get the Cavaliers in position for a field goal. Then came a 57-yard Virginia TD on a reception and run by Jack Griese, another fairly short toss to the flank by Colandrea. UR defender slipped and fell.

UVa led 20-0 early in the second quarter. Facing a Power Four opponent is “kind of like defending the option,” Huesman said. “You never know the speed of the game until you’re actually out there. You try to simulate it. It’s hard.”

After the game, Huesman said, "I think they outran us quite a bit."

The FCS challenger, UR in this case, would probably be better served playing the Power Four opponent later in the season. But the Power Four opponent chooses the date and the FCS team goes along, according to Huesman.

UVa. led 20-7 with 4:48 left in the second quarter when Scott Stadium was cleared due to weather concerns. A 2:17 delay followed. Heavy rain fell.

Injury risk? Less, coach says

Richmond's only injury was one slight hamstring issue, said Huesman. He believes FCS teams suffer fewer injuries in games against Power Four opponents because they are so fundamentally sound.

Bounce-back mode

No harbinger of doom is a loss to a Power Four team when it comes to UR’s goals of a CAA Football championship in its final season of conference affiliation (Spiders shift to Patriot League starting next year) and a third consecutive advancement to the FCS playoffs.

Richmond was handled by Virginia in that 2022 meeting, went 6-2 in CAA Football, and reached the second round of the FCS playoffs. Last year, the Spiders were defeated 45-14 at Michigan State and shared the CAA Football title and again reached the second round of the FCS playoffs.

UR, picked second in the CAA Football preseason poll, was aiming Saturday for a repeat of 2016, when the Spiders left Scott Stadium with a 37-20 win in Bronco Mendenhall’s debut as coach at UVa.

Wickersham at QB

The Spiders kept the Cavaliers – and everybody else — guessing as far as the identity of Richmond’s starting quarterback until redshirt junior Kyle Wickersham trotted out for UR’s first series. Wickersham competed through the spring and August camp with sophom*ore Cam Coleman, who Huesman hopes to redshirt. Both played extensively last season.

On deck

The Spiders in their home-opener Saturday at 3:30 p.m. host Wofford (1-0), which won 21-20 at Gardner-Webb on Thursday night. Wofford last season went 3-8, 3-5 in the Southern Conference. The Terriers were picked eighth among nine in the SoCon preseason poll.

The programs met once, in the 2007 FCS playoffs. UR won 21-20 at Wofford, located in Spartanburg, South Carolina.