“I just found a seam that I didn’t expect to be there. It was actually wide open.”

That is how senior linebacker Daquan Romero described his blocked field goal on Saturday. That’s exactly what happened too.

Virginia didn’t have any sort of special scheme installed on the play. It didn’t overload a gap. It didn’t even come full boar after the kick. No, Romero just played hard and took advantage of what unfolded.

UVa aligned in what appeared to be a field goal “safe” variation where both safeties, Quin Blanding on the right side of the defense and Anthony Harris on the left, took the second spot from the end in the formation. At the snap, both players stood up and stayed home, giving no rush at all but remaining in position to deal with any potential fakes. Two rushers, Tim Harris and Maurice Canady, sped around the end as the outside rushers on each side. Generally, this is a standard alignment with a standard rush on a basic 34-yard attempt.

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