The Virginia football team ramped up its preparations for the Fenway Bowl this week as it tries to send departing coach Bronco Mendenhall out on a high note. The Cavaliers face Southern Methodist University on Wednesday, Dec. 29 at 11 a.m. in Boston.

While game prep under Mendenhall is a familiar task for the current team, and it’s a welcomed distraction from the coaching change underway, there’s at least one thing that’s a little different for the final game of the Mendenhall era. The offense is under different direction. Offensive coordinator Robert Anae departed the program before the bowl game.

“Coach Anae is a great guy,” Cavalier receiver and hybrid back Keytaon Thompson said. “I love Coach Anae. He’s funny, he’s everything. He’s my position coach and of course I’m going to miss him. I’m going to miss him for sure. I wish he could coach with us this last game, but I’m going to go out there and play my heart out for him.”

With Anae not in the coordinator role, quarterbacks coach Jason Beck has stepped in to spearhead the preparation duties for the offense. He’ll call the plays for the Fenway Bowl and is acting as the offensive coordinator in the lead-up practices. Mendenhall said this is a “great opportunity” for Beck to show his level of “preparation and readiness” as a coordinator.

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