Virginia defense will face stiff test at Miami

Players were lost, some looked lazy and mistakes were piling up in what was considered a glorified walk through.

Virginia defensive coordinator Jim Reid had a bad feeling about where his unit was after watching the first post-game practice following the Georgia Tech win and prior to the North Carolina State contest.

“We had a hard time in the beginning of the week getting into the flow of who we were before the Georgia Tech game,” said Reid, now in his second year at Virginia. “It was shocking, a little bit. They forgot detail.”

Blame the added time to prepare that came with a bye week before tackling the Georgia Tech triple-option offense, one that rarely puts the ball in the air. Virginia (4-3, 1-2 ACC) passed the test defensively against then-ranked No. 12 Georgia Tech, winning 24-21, but it took almost the entire week leading up to the game with the Wolfpack to get the defense back on the needed page.

Whatever Reid and head coach Mike London did worked with the exception of a handful of plays in Virginia’s 28-14 loss at Scott Stadium, a setback that included a defensive touchdown in the fourth quarter for N.C. State.

Wolfpack junior quarterback Mike Glennon threw three touchdown passes, but threw for just 231 yards through the air and the Cavaliers intercepted two passes and forced nine punts by stopping N.C. State 12 of the 19 times that it faced third-down opportunities.

“I think the last couple of games, particularly where the defense had to make their holds, their stands, they have done a really nice job of playing defense, of coming up with big stops, of coming up with turnovers and providing an opportunity to shorten the field offensively,” London said.

Entering Thursday night’s nationally televised tilt at Miami (4-3, 2-2), Virginia ranks third in the ACC in total defense (314.3 yards per game) and fourth in scoring defense (23.0 points per game).

London would still like to see the unit that is in its second season running the 4-3 scheme provide more sacks and turnovers.

“I think we can play better defensively because, if we give up three turnovers, we have to create one more than they had,” London said. “That is got to be the mindset, whatever it is. If they are running the ball, we have to stop the run. If they are throwing the ball, we have to stop the pass.”

London singled out linebackers Steve Greer and LaRoy Reynolds for playing “excellent” thus far this season, but focused more on the unit as whole and how that gives Virginia a chance to win two of its final five games and advance to a bowl game for the first time since the 2007 season.

“Coach Reid and the defensive staff have done a nice job,” London said. “Now we just have to put everything together, put it all together. One side doesn’t get points because of the other side. We all have to play together to win the game, and everybody understands that.

“That’s why I think our team is stronger and more resilient and more focused now than we were last year. Last year is a different story. You see some maturity, you see some guys still playing hard. Those are the things that you hope just keep tipping the scale for you and give you a chance.”

The area of concern against Miami, as was the case against several foes last year, centers around Virginia’s pass defense, which ranks second in the ACC.

“We had some miscues against State and we created some turnovers, but we can play better,” Virginia safety Rodney McLeod said. “This is a great challenge for us on the road against a great quarterback. I think we can step up.”