Virginia hopes Orange Bowl appearance continues the ‘new era’ of Cavaliers football
Charles Snowden, a 6-7 linebacker from the Washington, D.C., area, had just football scholarship offer coming out of high school in 2017.
The University of Virginia.
For a basketball player, that would be a big deal.
But to play football? The prestige wasn’t exactly there.
Snowden thinks that’s changing. The 24th-ranked Cavaliers, led by fourth-year head coach Bronco Mendenhall are playing in the Orange Bowl for the first time in program history and are an upset away from securing a 10-win season — something Virginia only did once before back in 1989.
“There will be longevity to the change,” Snowden said. “So to be able to look back and say I was one of the people that started that, I think that’s one of the coolest things in the world.”
But the national relevance still isn’t there. Virginia (9-4) is a two-touchdown underdog to the No. 9 Florida Gators (10-2) for Monday night’s game at Hard Rock Stadium.
So do the Cavaliers feel the disrespect?
“Definitely,” Snowden said, “but we understand the history Virginia has had. We were not a big name in college sports. So we hear a lot of what people say. ... A lot of us just kind of laughed it off. If I had heard the name Virginia a couple years ago, I’d have probably had the same reaction. So we’re going to go out there and prove that it’s a new team and a new era.”
Added defensive coordinator Nick Howell: “You hope the kids are ready to go and play, and yeah, you hope they’re ready for this situation and that they learned from that experience. That’s the hope for sure.
‘Do your 1/11th’
So how will Virginia, beaming from one of the best seasons in program history but coming off a humbling 62-17 loss to No. 3 Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, keep its emotions in check as it prepares to play in a New Years Six Bowl.
They have a mantra: Do your 1/11th.
It’s a phrase that defensive line coach Vic So’oto used the phrase during one of the team’s pre-game speeches this season, and it stuck.
In short: All Virginia wants is for each of its 11 players on the field to do his job. Nothing more. Nothing less.
“Don’t try to do too much,” Snowden explained. “Just because it’s a big stage, don’t try to be the star. Just make plays within your job and execute to the best of your ability.”
Pass rush
One of Virginia’s strengths this season: Getting to the quarterback.
The Cavaliers rank seventh nationally with 45 sacks this season and has six players this year with at least four sacks apiece: Jordan Mack (7.5), Noah Taylor (7), Zane Zandier (5), Eli Hanback (4.5), Snowden (4) and Aaron Faumui (4).
“We just send a lot of guys,” Snowden said. “We kind of just don’t send edge rushers on our D-line. We do a lot of shaking and moving. You never know who’s coming on any given play. We have a lot of athletic guys who can be the block and get to the quarterback. Even if we’re not sacking the quarterback, we’re trying to get in his face, hitting him after the throw, getting our hands up and knocking balls down. We have good DBs on the back end that allow us to send a little bit more pressure, too.
This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 11:29 AM.
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