Mikell Simpson scored UVa’s only offensive TD of the day, but had a tough time piling up yards.

Simply put, the Virginia football team is struggling to run the football. And it’s not just because the first opponent of the year ruined the average because it happened to be Southern California. No, the Cavaliers’ running game is M.I.A. because they’re missing blocks, lacking physicality, and struggling to create enough holes.

Look no further than Saturday’s 16-0 win over Richmond for proof. UVa produced just 91 yards rushing on 38 carries, a paltry 2.39 yards per carry. Take out two Peter Lalich sacks and two team kneel downs and things still don’t get much better – a whopping 2.9 average on 34 carries. Even the fourth quarter, a period when Virginia seemed to move the ball better on the ground, only shakes out to 2.92 yards per carry with 38 yards on 13 carries.

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