One point of emphasis since John Rudzinski arrived in Charlottesville has been tackling. Last season, the Virginia football team struggled to keep teams off the scoreboard (ranked No. 104 out of 130 teams, allowing 31.8 PPG) and run defense (No. 123 with 225.8 YPG). In as the Cavaliers new defensive coordinator, Rudzinski and the rest of the staff are looking for improvements in tackling mechanics, which they believe will help improve the defense overall.

It’s certainly been a focus in the early stages of spring practice.

“The practice structure is set up where you have the focus on fundamentals,” UVA linebackers coach Clint Sintim said. “Earlier on in practice, footwork, pad level, hand position, all of those things that ultimately make a good football player, we work them, and we drill them, so now when you do implement the scheme, you got guys who are capable of doing that. I’m excited about that, kind of building it from the ground up and then watching these guys flourish and just be ball players.”

The linebacking corps at Virginia is made up of many younger players. Of the 15 linebackers currently listed, 10 are freshmen or sophomores. That likely means that some of the contributors will be young player expected to come in on crucial plays at times. Sintim does have confidence in his young group that they will have what it takes.

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