https://virginiasports.com/news/2018/12/28/jeff-white-belk-bowl-report.aspx
A few of the good quotes...
"I think it just catapults us into next season with confidence, with strength," said redshirt junior Eli Hanback, a three-year starter on the defensive line. "I know it's going to help recruiting, it's going to help our fan base, it's going to help everything about the Virginia program, and I think with both Bryces coming back, it's going to be huge for our offense, huge for our defense."
[I swear we have more mono than any other school]... None of that fazed a Virginia defense whose depleted line lost a starter, true freshman Aaron Faumui, to mononucleosis this month. The Cavaliers lost another starter, sophomore linebacker Zane Zandier, to an injury in the first half Saturday, but they still posted the shutout.
The seniors, Hanback said, "all played like it was their last game in a Virginia uniform, and when you have your leaders and your best players play with everything they have in their hearts, for one last time, for everyone on this team and for everything that has to do with this program, we get the result that we got today. They left it all out there."
"I'm just very fortunate that he [Perkins] chose UVA," Mendenhall said. "I'm very lucky that he's here, and we don't have an eight-win season without him, and the optimism for the future and hope for our program isn't the same if he's not here."
"Coach Howell is one of the most energetic coaches I know," Hanback said. "He loves, loves, loves football, and he loves us too, and he wants us to play to the best of our ability every game, and he has supreme confidence in us every game, and he gives us a fantastic game plan to win. But at the same time he holds us accountable when we don't perform up to par."
Perkins said: "We had two goals in the beginning of the season -- beat [Virginia] Tech and win the bowl game. We accomplished one, and for the seniors it means the world."
"It's always been on my heart," Hall said Saturday. "The last couple weeks have made it more clear, mostly because I feel like I want to finish what I started here. This program gave me so much, and before I leave I want to give everything I have to them. I want to develop also as a leader, and when that next phase of life comes, I want to be prepared...."I feel like I can compete at that level. I really believe there's just more things I want to work on, prepare, as far as developing as a person, a leader, also my game as well. I believe I can do that further. The league's always going to be there, so I'm not as concerned about that. I'm more focused on how can I give and share everything this program's given me, these coaches, this culture, and help build and leave it in a better place than where I started."
LOOKING AHEAD: Media members who cover the ACC picked Virginia to finish last in the Coastal Division this season. The Cavaliers tied for third, and they figure to be one of the preseason favorites in the Coastal in 2019.
Mendenhall, smiling, said: "Maybe we won't be picked last [next year]."
* Hanback: "I think Bryce Hall is one of the most selfless players we've ever had. He cares about his team more than himself … He has unfinished business, he said, and that's more important to him than going to the NFL."
A few of the good quotes...
"I think it just catapults us into next season with confidence, with strength," said redshirt junior Eli Hanback, a three-year starter on the defensive line. "I know it's going to help recruiting, it's going to help our fan base, it's going to help everything about the Virginia program, and I think with both Bryces coming back, it's going to be huge for our offense, huge for our defense."
[I swear we have more mono than any other school]... None of that fazed a Virginia defense whose depleted line lost a starter, true freshman Aaron Faumui, to mononucleosis this month. The Cavaliers lost another starter, sophomore linebacker Zane Zandier, to an injury in the first half Saturday, but they still posted the shutout.
The seniors, Hanback said, "all played like it was their last game in a Virginia uniform, and when you have your leaders and your best players play with everything they have in their hearts, for one last time, for everyone on this team and for everything that has to do with this program, we get the result that we got today. They left it all out there."
"I'm just very fortunate that he [Perkins] chose UVA," Mendenhall said. "I'm very lucky that he's here, and we don't have an eight-win season without him, and the optimism for the future and hope for our program isn't the same if he's not here."
"Coach Howell is one of the most energetic coaches I know," Hanback said. "He loves, loves, loves football, and he loves us too, and he wants us to play to the best of our ability every game, and he has supreme confidence in us every game, and he gives us a fantastic game plan to win. But at the same time he holds us accountable when we don't perform up to par."
Perkins said: "We had two goals in the beginning of the season -- beat [Virginia] Tech and win the bowl game. We accomplished one, and for the seniors it means the world."
"It's always been on my heart," Hall said Saturday. "The last couple weeks have made it more clear, mostly because I feel like I want to finish what I started here. This program gave me so much, and before I leave I want to give everything I have to them. I want to develop also as a leader, and when that next phase of life comes, I want to be prepared...."I feel like I can compete at that level. I really believe there's just more things I want to work on, prepare, as far as developing as a person, a leader, also my game as well. I believe I can do that further. The league's always going to be there, so I'm not as concerned about that. I'm more focused on how can I give and share everything this program's given me, these coaches, this culture, and help build and leave it in a better place than where I started."
LOOKING AHEAD: Media members who cover the ACC picked Virginia to finish last in the Coastal Division this season. The Cavaliers tied for third, and they figure to be one of the preseason favorites in the Coastal in 2019.
Mendenhall, smiling, said: "Maybe we won't be picked last [next year]."
* Hanback: "I think Bryce Hall is one of the most selfless players we've ever had. He cares about his team more than himself … He has unfinished business, he said, and that's more important to him than going to the NFL."
