UVa opens season with 48-7 throttling of Coastal Carolina

After a long offseason of cautious optimism, UVa took the field for the first time this season on Saturday, defeating Coastal Carolina decisively 48-7.

Despite the final score, things started slow for the Hoos. The game remained scoreless well into the first quarter, as UVa’s first three drives ended in a missed field goal attempt from 52 yards out, a turnover on downs, and a punt.

But the defense stepped up. Following the turnover on downs, the Chanticleers started at UVa’s 47 and drove down to the 13 before the Hoos jumped on a bad snap to snuff out Coastal’s only red zone trip of the half.

The Wahoo offense couldn’t capitalize on the ensuing drive, but finally found the end zone on the next with a 52-yard series highlighted by a 46-yard reception by wide receiver Cam Ross that put UVa at the 1-yard line. From there, running back J’Mari Taylor punched it in with one second left in the half to put the first points on the board.
Then the floodgates opened.

The Hoos scored a touchdown on four of their next five drives, all while the defense continued to shut out the Chanticleers well into the third quarter. Those touchdown drives included some highlight-worthy plays, including a 48-yard reception by receiver Trell Harris which he managed to perfectly haul in while falling, setting up the Hoos at the two-yard line.

Up 28-0 at the break, the Cavaliers started the second half strong, with safety Ethan Minter hauling in an interception on the first play from scrimmage that would’ve been a 60-yard pick six if not for an illegal block in the back penalty. Instead, UVa took over at its own 40-yard line, with Chandler Morris putting the Hoos on the doorstep once again with a 28-yard rush to the 2-yard line.

But at the end of the play, Morris took a shot to the shoulder that left him down on the field. After getting checked out by the trainers, he jogged in the medical tent, then was taken into the locker room. Daniel Kaelin stepped in under center, and Morris returned to the sidelines in street clothes later in the fourth.

Postgame, head coach Tony Elliott said Morris would be evaluated in the morning, but the team was very hopeful he would return next week.

“He even said it on the ground, ‘Man I should’ve gotten down,’” Elliott said, “but that’s the kind of competitor he is. He also said, ‘Coach I saw the end zone, I wanted to score.’”

Coastal ended the shutout on the next drive with a 14-play, 79-yard touchdown drive. The UVa offense wouldn’t reach the end zone after Morris’ departure, but Cam Ross provided one last highlight for the night: The transfer receiver had already hauled in a 29-yard touchdown reception and a 46-yard reception to the 1-yard line earlier, but showed off his talent as a kick returner. His 100-yard return for a touchdown, just the fifth in school history, helped him finish 224 all-purpose yards.

The Chants were kept scoreless down the stretch while UVa’s Will Bettridge hit two fourth quarter field goals just for good measure. 

With the win, UVa starts its season 1-0 and will head on the road to face NC State in a non-conference matchup next Saturday at noon.

“This is just in our minds the floor of where we start,” Elliott said, “but several things to improve upon, but overall, just really happy for the guys to experience victory in the locker room, because I know how hard they’ve worked all summer and offseason, and how much they’ve had to sacrifice their own personal goals and ambitions to come together and perform at a high level.”