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Offense remains primary issue

I think the offense looked better at times yesterday (certainly at the QB position but for the one INT by Johns). However, if you look across the top 25 yesterday winning teams generally put up 30-35+++ points. There was an exception or two, but this is generally the type of offensive prowess it takes to win. We played a very, very good UCLA teams versus some of the cupcakes that others scheduled. That being said, if we don't manage to start scoring a lot more points it is going to be a very long season again. Not sure what we have on defense yet as I think UCLA was a very, very talented team that we could very well see in the Final Four given what I saw from Stanford, ASU and others yesterday.

Should we move Mizzell to WR?

I think some of his issues at RB stem from the OL failing to block, but also saw some of the same tendencies Mizzell had last year too. He finished the day with 45 yards on 16 carries (for only 2.8 yards per carry).

Meanwhile, as a passcatcher, he finished with 100 yards and 1 TD on 7 receptions (12.5 yards per catch). I don't know how many of those were out of the backfield, or remember if he had any drops, but seems like his skillset matches that more....

Thoughts anyone? What am I missing?

I know the season isn't over but?

Same poor playing after a decent start.

Poor tackling, bad coverage and still not turning heads on passes.

I do feel bad for the kids, but London at this point will not turn this around. Blast if you want, but the writing is on the wall. Maybe we can turn it around, but even if we did, we have had 6 years of poor coaching, penalties at the wrong time, a schedule that never gave the coach a chance, and lack of playmakers on offense. Even if UCLA has a tough front 7, we should block a little better, still trying to power run the football.

11 more games, 11 more games.

On bright side, Rainey, Kiser, Quin, CS on offense, Smoke did a good job today.

At least cut the power football stuff and just have a free flow offense and let the kids play.
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I feel bad

For these kids. We were outcoached once again. No adjustments. Unimaginative playcalling! Essentially No Balls!

If things don't loosen up and change! I'm all for a complete HC, DC, OC overhaul! Keep Beatty and Biscuit that everyone else walk!

This was the most disappointing performance by the D since Tenuta arrived!

Here's the thing about losing to UCLA

We have heard for years that it's not realistic for U.Va. to field a decent football team because of all the barriers that other P5 teams don't face. UCLA has destroyed this myth to the extent anyone still believes it.

UCLA is at worst equal to U.Va. academically at the undergraduate level, and superior to U.Va. at the graduate level. Yet it somehow has found the will and the way to field a top-20 team.

Like U.Va., UCLA is a hoops first school (although its hoops tradition puts the Hoos to shame), and yet it figured out how to put a competitive football team in play.

UCLA has an incredible non-revenue sports program -- over 100 NCAA team championships. And yet somehow football isn't an afterthought.

UCLA is competing in a conference that is stronger top to bottom in football than the ACC, but still wants to win the conference.

Littlepage and Oliver need to stop making excuses, because there are none. I can accept the argument that Virginia will never be Auburn or Alabama, but when a school like UCLA totally punks you on the football field, your academic snobbery argument appears to denude the emperor.

Few more thoughts

Pass rush? Where will it come from?

Why is Reid returning kicks? OZ looks to have some speed. Put him back there.

Why are we running wildcat with Reid?

Do our coaches not know how to teach the DB's to turn their heads and play the ball?

How many times will our kickers kick the ball out of bounds?

How many times do we attempt to not run the ball up the middle?

Different year, same results.

London bridge is falling down...

Yes it was on the road against a top-15 team, but we had every chance to keep this close and even win this game. It would have been great for the program, not because UCLA is some power (really), but because what we need is the media heads to start praising us and not criticizing us. A victory in this game was absolutely a possibility, but everyone who sees the score will say "yeah right." I am so sick of "yeah right" and being close. UVA has an athletic program that thrives on uncompromised excellence, but it took me less than 2 quarters to throw in the towel. London has to go. He is not the answer.
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Team speed on offenseP

As I said in the spring, Thorpe gave us something we haven't had- speed on the outside. Good teams will stack the box and dare us to throw. OZ looks like Brad said, just can make things happen. He may need to touch the field more with Smoke out wide and Reid in the backfield just to give teams another look or Johns wil be out by game 6 and the same thing over and over again will happen. Tech will beat us by 30 then they bring back London for another year. At that point I might :)

Noel Mazzone

Noel Mazzone isn't a great OC, he isn't the most innovative offensive mind in the game, but if you want to know what a competent offensive coordinator looks like, then look no further than him. He's schemed UVA and Tenuta perfectly today.

Coming out with a true freshman QB, all the world thinks UCLA will rely on it's veteran OL and all-PAC12 RB to let the young guy settle in. Instead, he comes out slinging close to 25 times in the first half, including a first play bomb that should have been a TD.

In the second half, he turns to the run game, catches the D unprepared, and draws up a perfect smashmouth TD drive. Next goal line opportunity, he brings back out the same smashmouth package with Myles Jack, gets the entire D to bite, and goes misdirection to the friggin' D-lineman who's "just in to block" for a TD pass.

Everything designed against expectations. Great cat and mouse gameplan. Kudos to Mazzone. We have no such intelligence in the playcaller's box.

Lack of play makers

I have been told what playmakers Eldridge and OZ are and how we need them since Thorpe is out. My main issue is if London has said they're play makers why arent they playing? I saw OZ on O for 3 players and DE for 1. Wouldnt you want your play makers to play? I mean we ran so many 2 TE sets with nothing to show for it. We are not close to a running football team. Scrap it and move to a spread team.

I hate Mike London
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