Greg’s Grades And Trends: UNC, Virginia Tech

It somehow seems fitting that Virginia’s fleeting postseason hopes would end in a game that was a microcosm of the Cavaliers’ inconsistent play in 2012. For 45 minutes, the Hoos made a game of it but the issues that have plagued UVa all season continued in game 11.

It was the same old song we’ve been humming all season long. Dropped passes at key moments, inexplicable interceptions, bone-headed and ill-timed penalties, special teams’ lapses, missed tackles, unimaginative play-calling on offense, no finishing kick in the red zone, no pass rush, and continued inconsistency on the offensive line. In short, the Cavaliers continue to do the things bad teams, and losing teams do.

Against a defense that had given up 14 first downs in 24 short yardage plays this season and 216 yards rushing on average over their last four games, UVa was stuffed on a 4th-and-Goal at the Carolina 2-yard line on a play that could have tied the game late in the third quarter. Minutes later a dropped pass by a wide open Darius Jennings could have made it a one score contest with more than 10 minutes to play. Those two plays helped seal Virginia’s fate and ended the remote hopes of a bowl berth.

As we look at the grades, both the offense and the defense netted big drops from last week, and, for the first time this season, both operations failed to obtain a “C” mark in the same game. On the bright side, each special team operation surpassed 70% for the first time in a single game since Georgia Tech. Let’s drill down into the numbers and trends as UVa prepares for the season finale against Virginia Tech.

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