Coach Bill Lazor’s pro-style offense gave Virginia a spark this season.

In addition to a brand new defense, head coach Mike London started his tenure at Virginia with the goal of introducing a new offensive scheme. It was a welcome change after the Hoos had languished near the bottom of the FBS in offensive production. After finishing the 2009 season ranked 118th out of 120 teams in total offense, Virginia jumped to No. 56 in the nation in 2010 under first-year offensive coordinator Bill Lazor.

Abandoning the spread offense experiment implemented under predecessor Gregg Brandon, Lazor favored a more pro-style approach. He seemed like the perfect candidate to introduce this particular system; Lazor has seven years of NFL experience under his belt with the Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins, and Atlanta Falcons. The Cavaliers had the luxury of a few returning veterans, as well as a host of young talent ready to contribute. After two seasons of abysmal offensive performance, there was really nowhere to go but up in Charlottesville.

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