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The Cavalier Daily Vol. 132, Issue 7 - Amazon S3
The Cavalier Daily
Vol. 132, Issue 7           Wednesday, November 17, 2021
                      KHUYEN DINH & DOMENICK FINI | THE CAVALIER DAILY
The Cavalier Daily Vol. 132, Issue 7 - Amazon S3
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                                                                                                                                                                 THE RIVALRY ISSUE
              Virginia looks to take back the Commonwealth Cup
                                                                 After up-and-down seasons for both teams, who will come out on top?

                                                                                                   Ben Anderson | Associate Writer

                                                                                                                                                                                                   AVA PROEHL | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Virginia’s run game will be crucial to its success against Virginia Tech, especially if Armstrong is not leading the offensive charge for the Cavaliers.

    Even after a disappointing but not completely unexpected loss against Notre Dame, Virginia                                   Virginia Tech — although coming off of a victory against Duke — is once again not living up to
football still finds itself able to control its destiny on the way to an ACC Championship. If the Cav-                       the standards of its fans, with yet another season close to .500 that put former Head Coach Justin
aliers (6-4, 4-2 ACC) win both of their upcoming games against Pitt and Virginia Tech, the Coastal                           Fuente squarely on the hot seat before recently parting ways with the program. The offense in par-
Division crown is theirs. While it may seem like a simple task at first, the Hokies (5-5, 3-3 ACC)                           ticular has struggled to find its footing, scoring just over 24 points per game — good for just 13th
always serve as a roadblock Virginia can never seem to get past.                                                             in the conference. Everything could be forgiven, however, if the Hokies travel two hours north on
                                                                                                                             Thanksgiving weekend and bring the most important trophy of the year back home to Blacksburg.

                        PLAYERS TO WATCH                                                                                                               KEYS TO THE GAME
Virginia junior quarterback                       his team than Virgnia’s star quar-                Keep the passing attack at bay                    Feed the ball to the running back    better to take advantage of a sub-
Brennan Armstrong                                 terback, and the importance of                        The Hokies have not been                      corps                                par Virginia Tech rush defense.
    Perhaps the best thing Arm-                   whether or not he watches from                    known for their passing prow-                         Should Armstrong not play        If the Cavaliers are able to rush
strong could have done to prove                   the sidelines cannot be under-                    ess over the 2021 season, averag-                 against the Hokies, there is still   for 200 yards, which they have
he is the best quarterback in                     stated.                                           ing less than 200 yards per game.                 absolutely a way to score on the     been proven to be able to do, the
the conference was to not play                                                                      But junior quarterback Braxton                    Virginia Tech defense. While the     game absolutely becomes possi-
against Notre Dame. With true                     Virginia Tech junior running                      Burmeister has shown the ability                  run stop struggles the Cavaliers     ble for Virginia to take its second
freshman Jay Woolfolk at the                      back Raheem Blackshear                            to extend plays and keep drives                   have had themselves are evident,     straight home victory over the
helm, the Cavalier offense sim-                       On the Hokies’ side, no play-                 alive both with his arm and legs.                 the Hokies have not been exactly     Hokies.
ply could not get anything to                     er has been improving as the                      In order for Virginia to have                     the most solid on offense either,        In a statistic that is sure to
work correctly, leading to a 28-3                 season goes on more than Black-                   a strong day on defense, one of                   averaging the fourth most rush-      make even casual Virginia fans
loss with a scoreline that was                    shear. The junior from Phila-                     the units has to play well, and it                ing yards per game given up in       wince, Virginia Tech has won 16
generous to Virginia. Woolfolk                    delphia was spectacular against                   could very well be easier to stop                 the ACC. Although senior run-        out of the last 17 Commonwealth
absolutely showed promise, but                    Duke, rushing for 117 yards on                    the Hokies through the air rather                 ning back Wayne Taulapapa was        Cups, with the lone victory com-
no one could replace the con-                     9.8 yards per carry in a blowout                  than on the ground. Burmeister                    also out against Notre Dame          ing in 2019 on the legs and arm
nections Armstrong has formed                     of the Blue Devils. Even in loss-                 has completed just 54 percent                     due to a head injury suffered        of former Cavalier quarterback
throughout the season to make                     es, the Rutgers transfer has been                 of his passes on the season, and                  against BYU, the rest of Virgin-     Bryce Perkins. If history is to be
the Virginia offense function                     terrorizing defenses lately, aver-                the Hokies’ offense has general-                  ia’s running backs have really       on Virginia’s side, then the of-
like a well-oiled machine. Unfor-                 aging seven yards each time he                    ly struggled to put up points in                  come into their own as the sea-      fense has to be operating at full
tunately, Coach Bronco Mend-                      has been handed the ball over the                 that manner. Virginia may give                    son progressed. Graduate student     strength come Nov. 27. If every
enhall was still unable to give                   last three games. To make mat-                    up some yards on the ground —                     Devin Darrington has shown his       piece is there, there is no doubt
an update on Armstrong in the                     ters worse, Virginia’s run defense                as noted previously, Blackshear                   explosiveness — a trait running      that Virginia’s offensive attack is
postgame press conference of                      has been a struggle all season to                 is going to get his yards. But by                 backs have needed at Virginia        the best unit on the field, but if
the Notre Dame game, so it is                     say the least, most recently giving               winning the battle in the air, the                for years — the past few games,      that is not the case, prepare for a
still unclear whether the Davey                   up nearly 250 yards to sophomore                  Cavalier secondary — a unit that                  and sophomore Mike Hollins has       low-scoring slog that could still
O’Brien Award semifinalist will                   running back Kyren Williams                       is already depleted due to the loss               become a more complete player        go either way.
be able to suit up in either of the               and Notre Dame in a loss. Black-                  of senior safety De’Vante Cross                   this season, even though he has          The two teams will match up
last two games. However, one                      shear has been playing his best                   to an injury — can keep the game                  also dealt with injury troubles.     in Scott Stadium Nov. 27. The
thing is for certain — no player                  football as of late, and if he gets               winnable for the offense in the                   If Armstrong is unable to play       kickoff time and TV broadcast
in potentially all of college foot-               going, it could be a scary sight                  fourth quarter, no matter who is                  against the Hokies, the talent       are both yet to be determined.
ball means more to the success of                 for the Cavaliers.                                behind the center for Virginia.                   around Woolfolk has never been
The Cavalier Daily Vol. 132, Issue 7 - Amazon S3
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 | 3
THE RIVALRY ISSUE
                                            Two coaches, two different trajectories
                         The arrivals of Bronco Mendenhall and Justin Fuente in 2015 have led to a rivalry more competitive than it has ever been

                                                                                                       Joe von Storch | Senior Associate

   Within a five day span in late-November and early-December of 2015, Virginia football Coach Bronco Mendenhall and Virginia Tech Coach Justin Fuente were hired to their respective programs. Both
coaches were hailed for their success in bringing national attention to traditionally lesser-known programs — Mendenhall with BYU and Fuente with Memphis. However, the circumstances for their arrivals
and the resulting trajectories at each school could not have been more different — a fact now made plainly obvious with Fuente parting ways with Virginia Tech Tuesday morning.

                                       MENDENHALL’S REBUILD                                                                                     FUENTE: FRANK BEAMER’S SUCCESSOR
    Mendenhall was brought into Charlottesville                   son at Virginia, there was a buzz created around             Fuente, on the other hand, took over the          Virginia Tech needed a win against Marshall in
by former Athletic Director Craig Littlepage                      Cavalier football that simply had not existed for        coveted position in Blacksburg as the successor       its last game of the season to just barely keep its
with the daunting task of reviving a despondent                   nearly a decade. While Virginia lost to Florida          to college football legend Frank Beamer, who          incredible streak of 26 consecutive years with a
football program and bringing energy to a fan-                    in a hard-fought battle, the national attention          amassed 238 wins across 29 seasons in his time        bowl game appearance intact.
base that had all but given up on its Cavaliers.                  Mendenhall garnered for his transformation of            with Virginia Tech. While it appeared Beamer’s             The Hokies showed improvement in 2019,
Under the direction of former Head Coach Mike                     the program was crucial in establishing a name           run with the Hokies had begun to lose some            with former quarterback Hendon Hooker taking
London, Virginia put together a disappointing                     for the program.                                         steam by the end of his career, Virginia Tech re-     over the starting job and leading the team to sev-
record of 27-46 in six seasons. Game attend-                          After a down season in a year impacted by            mained an established name in the college foot-       eral key conference wins. However, Fuente lost
ance was poor, and a program that held strong                     COVID-19, the Cavaliers have returned to form            ball landscape, and Beamer’s replacement would        an important piece of program pride when his
through the mid-2000s had seemingly hit rock                      in 2021 on the back of an electrifying season from       no doubt face immense pressure to maintain            team lost to Virginia for the first time in 16 years.
bottom. It was Mendenhall’s job to fix it.                        junior quarterback Brennan Armstrong. It is              what had already been built.                          Despite cruising to a victory over the Cavaliers
    As it soon became evident, this process re-                   clear that Mendenhall envisions future progress,             Fuente has led the Hokies in nearly an oppo-      the following year, it seemed like with the Vir-
quired Mendenhall to completely strip the pro-                    but from when he started in 2015 to now, the pro-        site trajectory than Mendenhall with the Cava-        ginia win, the dynamics of the rivalry had shifted.
gram down to its bare bones before slowly and                     gram is light years ahead.                               liers. Following a stellar 19 wins in his first two   For the first time since 2003 it was possible that
steadily building a foundation and culture that                                                                            seasons — an improvement from Beamer’s last           a shift of football power occured in the state of
would lead to success on the field. It revolved                                                                            two years with              Virginia Tech — that      Virginia, and many around the Virginia Tech
around establishing a program known for de-                                                                                led to two                       bowl appearanc-      program pinned Fuente as the scapegoat.
veloping young men off the field before their                                                                                                                 es and a Belk           A season with under six wins in 2020 — albeit
development on the field could be realized. This                                                                                                               Bowl win in       in a season shortened by a game — for the first
approach was to the dismay of those who sought                                                                                                                 2016, the Hok-    time since 1992 certainly did not help Fuente’s
an overnight turnaround, and the growing pains                    Virginia football                                                                             ies have grad-   case. Currently, the Hokies sit at 4-5 and many
                                                                  Coach Bronco
involved in the rebuild were on full display in                   Mendenhall (left) and                                                                         ually faded.     have Virginia Tech pegged near the bottom of
Mendenhall’s first season, as the Cavaliers went                  now-former Virginia                                                                                 In 2018,   the conference in ACC power rankings. This ul-
2-10 and lost to rival Virginia Tech in an embar-                 Tech football Coach                                                                                            timately led to the dismissal of Fuente early Tues-
                                                                  Fuente (right) have
rassing 42-point blowout.                                         led their respective                                                                                           day morning with a positional coach J.C. Price
    However, little by little, Virginia clawed its                programs in different                                                                                          taking over as interim head coach — ushering in
way back to relevance. Mendenhall’s team put                      directions since both                                                                                          a new era of Virginia Tech football.
                                                                  joining in 2015.
together a six-win season in 2017, earning a bowl                                                                                                                                     Regardless of whoever will be Fuente’s even-
appearance for the first time since 2011. Despite                                                                                                                                tual replacement — whether it be Price or, more
being blown out by Navy 49-7, it was evident                                                                                                                                     likely, an outside hire — it is clear that the battle
the Cavaliers were moving in the right direction.                                                                                                                                for the Commonwealth Cup is more competitive
The following season, Virginia reached bowl el-                                                                                                                                  than ever. With Mendenhall at the helm, Virgin-
igibility before the end of October, and Mend-                                                                                                                                   ia has ascended to what appears to be a higher
enhall recorded the program’s first bowl game                                                                                                                                    baseline for success, with potential for growth
win since 2005 in a 28-0 dominant performance                                                                                                                                    in the future. Gone are the days that Virginia
over South Carolina. Additionally, the Cavaliers                                                                                                                                 Tech is consistently one of the top teams in the
came remarkably close to ending the 15-year los-                                                                                                                                 nation, and the combination of these two trends
ing streak to Virginia Tech, falling in overtime. It                                                                                                                             has brought the in-state rivals to a level playing
just felt as if Mendenhall and his staff were on the                                                                                                                             field — it is hard to imagine that either school
verge of a breakthrough.                                                                                                                                                         will embark on a 15-game head-to-head winning
    That breakthrough came in 2019. Virginia                                                                                                                                     streak. As much as Hokie fans may not like it,
went 9-5, defeated the Hokies for the first time                                                                                                                                 Mendenhall and Fuente have contributed, in
since 2003, won the ACC Coastal Division and                                                                                                                                     their own ways, to a rivalry that is as healthy as
earned the right to play in the Orange Bowl                                                                                                                                      it has ever been.
against football powerhouse Florida. Led by
former quarterback Bryce Perkins in his last sea-                                                                  AVA PROEHL | THE CAVALIER DAILY & COURTESY ANDREW ROGERS

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                                                                                                                             THE RIVALRY ISSUE

                                 LOOKING AT THE COMMONWEALTH
                                    CUP’S IMPRINT ON THE NFL
                                          The rivalry has had new chapters written on the biggest stage, either allowing for
                                                             competition or collaboration with old rivals

                                                                          Aidan Baller | Associate Writer

                                                                                                                                                          ANISHA HOSSAIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

   Virginia and Virginia Tech         career high. Additionally, Kiser    defensive back, Clark registered        wealth Cup, he made it count —       face off twice against the Las Ve-
football have played almost an-       had 14 tackles, a pass deflection   12 tackles and one interception         recording 162 rushing yards and      gas Raiders, who have two for-
nually since 1895, battling for       and a forced fumble in 2016.        in the 2015 edition of the rivalry,     a touchdown.                         mer Hokies in linebacker Divine
bragging rights in the Common-        On the other hand, Fuller had       where Virginia Tech won 23-20.             The two rookies look to make      Deablo and cornerback Brandon
wealth and, since 1996, com-          17 tackles, two pass deflections        On the Ravens, Poljan has re-       an impact for this Bears team,       Facyson. The Chargers already
peting for the Commonwealth           and one forced fumble from the      mained a tight end on the prac-         with Herbert already recording       defeated the Raiders 28-14 in the
Cup. During this time, both           three games he participated in      tice squad after signing as an          a touchdown against the Green        first meeting on Oct. 4, and the
teams have seen some of their         — though he played on the team      undrafted free agent this year,         Bay Packers and his first 100-yard   two teams will face off a second
top players continue the rivalry      from 2010-2014.                     while Clark has moved to safety         rushing game against the Tampa       time on Jan. 9.
in the National Football League.         The two have joined forces in    after being drafted by the Ra-          Bay Buccaneers. Alternatively,           Along the same lines, for-
While a few players from each         Denver after garnering accolades    vens with the 186th pick in the         Snowden is continuing to battle      mer Virginia cornerback Bryce
school have found their way           with their previous teams — Kis-    2017 NFL Draft. The duo looks           for a spot on the roster and has     Hall and former Virginia Tech
onto the same team, others have       er won an NFC championship          to continue to help this Ravens         yet to record his first tackle.      wide receiver Isaiah Ford will
seen themselves compete against       with the Los Angeles Rams in        team battle in a competitive               There have also been a few        play each other twice this sea-
each other on opposing teams,         2019, and Fuller earned All-Pro     AFC North division.                     instances this season where          son. Hall is now a starter at the
with each player looking to se-       honors during the 2018 season           The Chicago Bears also con-         a former Virginia Tech play-         cornerback position for the New
cure football’s greatest prize — a    when he played for the Chicago      tain a pair of former rivals —          er and former Virginia player        York Jets, and Ford is a key wide
Lombardi Trophy. Currently in         Bears. Kiser and Fuller have gone   former Virginia Tech running            faced off against each other in      receiver for the Miami Dolphins.
the NFL there are three teams         from rivals to teammates and        back Khalil Herbert and for-            the NFL. For example, former         The two AFC East rivals will
that contain a pair of former Vir-    now work in unison to help bol-     mer Virginia outside linebacker         Cavalier wide receiver Olamide       play each other on Nov. 21 and
ginia Tech and Virginia players.      ster a Broncos defense led by de-   Charles Snowden. As a Cavalier,         Zaccheaus helped the Atlanta         Dec. 19.
   The first pair is lineback-        fensive mastermind Vic Fangio.      Snowden is tied for 15th on the         Falcons to a 27-25 win against           While some old rivals have
er Micah Kiser and cornerback            Another pair of rivals turned    all-time sacks list with 15. In 2020,   former Virginia Tech placekick-      learned to collaborate as team-
Kyle Fuller, who are defensive        teammates are former Virginia       Snowden was 15th in the nation          er Brian Johnson, who now plays      mates and others have reignited
teammates on the Denver Bron-         tight end Tony Poljan and for-      for tackles with a loss with 10.        for the New Orleans Saints.          the flame of the Commonwealth
cos. Kiser attended Virginia and      mer Virginia Tech defensive back    Unfortunately, Snowden did not          Zaccheaus recorded 58 receiv-        Cup on football’s biggest stage,
played inside linebacker, while       Chuck Clark, who now play for       play against the Hokies in 2020         ing yards and two touchdowns,        seeing former Cavaliers and
Fuller played cornerback at Vir-      the Baltimore Ravens. During his    due to injury, but he managed           while Johnson made two field         Hokies in the NFL is a special
ginia Tech.                           time as a Cavalier in 2020, Pol-    one sack and four tackles in 2019       goals — one of them being a ca-      sight and brings about a whole
   Both players had major con-        jan registered six touchdowns in    when Virginia won the clash. In         reer-long 52 yards.                  new meaning to the Common-
tributions in the Commonwealth        his one season at Virginia, which   2018, Snowden had two pass de-             Furthermore, the Los Ange-        wealth Cup. Although Virginia
Cup games during their college        ranks him eighth all-time in re-    flections, one interception and a       les Chargers have two former         and Virginia Tech only play once
careers, each serving as anchors      ceiving touchdowns as a tight       forced fumble in a 34-31 overtime       Cavalier players in guard Oday       a year, both schools’ stellar alum-
for their respective defenses.        end at Virginia. Against Virginia   loss. With the Hokies, Herbert          Aboushi and wide receiver Joe        ni give us the chance to witness
Kiser elevated his game record-       Tech, Polijan recorded 66 receiv-   garnered second-team All-ACC            Reed — though Reed is currently      new chapters of the rivalry every
ing 19 tackles in his final game of   ing yards and one touchdown in      honors in 2020, and although            on the practice squad. This sea-     NFL Sunday.
the rivalry in 2017, which was his    a 33-15 loss. Alternatively, as a   he only played in one Common-           son, these former Cavaliers will
The Cavalier Daily Vol. 132, Issue 7 - Amazon S3
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 | 5
THE RIVALRY ISSUE
          Quin Blanding talks Virginia, the NFL and the rivalry
                                      Former Virginia standout safety and current team scout reflects on his years since being drafted

                                                                                           Jacob Tisdale | Associate Writer

     Quin Blanding remembers ex-                                                                                                                                                           “[Mendenhall] really does stay
actly where he was on Nov. 29, 2019                                                                                                                                                    in contact,” Blanding said. “All our
— the date of Virginia’s Common-                                                                                                                                                       coaches do. Once you step into that
wealth Cup matchup against Vir-                                                                                                                                                        program and form those relation-
ginia Tech two years ago. The Cava-                                                                                                                                                    ships, it’s ‘Family First Always.’ And
liers had dropped the last 15 games                                                                                                                                                    that’s the truth.”
in the rivalry series, but that didn’t                                                                                                                                                     Blanding joined the recruiting
matter to Blanding. The Hampton                                                                                                                                                        staff for the football team in 2021
Roads native and former star safety                                                                                                                                                    and had one small complaint upon
for Virginia was a member of the                                                                                                                                                       returning to the program he helped
Carolina Panthers practice squad                                                                                                                                                       build.
at the time, but even in Charlotte,                                                                                                                                                        “Yeah, [Mendenhall] softened
N.C., he always made time for key                                                                                                                                                      up,” Blanding said. “We used to go
matchups concerning his alma ma-                                                                                                                                                       through it. I don’t know if these
ter.                                                                                                                                                                                   kids could handle what we went
     “One thing about me is that                                                                                                                                                       through, but that’s all part of the
when we played Tech, wherever I                                                                                                                                                        culture too. Now that you guys are
was in the league, I was watching                                                                                                                                                      good you don’t gotta go through all
that game,” Blanding said.                                                                                                                                                             of that because we did. He still gives
     Blanding was playing video                                                                                                                                                        them work but it wasn’t our type of
games in his Charlotte apartment                                                                                                                                                       work. It’s nice ... I wish they still
that day leading up to the highly                                                                                                                                                      had what we had though.”
anticipated matchup and when the                                                                                                                                                           Blanding’s new role puts him
game began, he started to live tweet.                                                                                                                                                  in an unfamiliar position — one
However, not everything went ac-                                                                                                                                                       working from behind a desk. He
cording to plan for the Cavaliers.                                                                                                                                                     scouts the areas where he grew up,
A nerve-racking game down to the                                                                                                                                                       including Hampton Roads as well
final seconds made for an extremely                                                                                                                                                    as North and South Carolina for
difficult viewing experience for all                                                                                                                                                   homegrown talent and spends most
Virginia fans, Blanding included.                                                                                                                                                      of his time analyzing film, getting
     “I literally cut the game off five                                                                                                                                                information on recruits and sitting
times,” Blanding said. “Like I cut                                                                                                                                                     in meetings with the coaching staff
it off saying ‘I can’t watch this any                                                                                                                                                  to share his findings.
more ’... It’s so hilarious to me now.                                                                                                          CHELSEA BENGSON | THE CAVALIER DAILY       “I love it,” Blanding said. “I
I started playing Call of Duty at                                                                                                                                                      wouldn’t trade it for anything … It’s
some points of the game, because I        In his third season at Virginia, Blanding recorded 29 stops —the highest number of all draft-eligible safeties in the conference.            fun to watch the kids I watched play
couldn’t watch it. Then I’d say ‘You                                                                                                                                                   little league football in the process
know what, let me watch. I can’t do                                                                                                                                                    of getting recruited. It’s amazing
it.’”                                     ment. Despite receiving offers from              record while Blanding was on the                  is proud to have done what many           that these kids have the opportuni-
     Blanding’s and thousands of          top programs around the country,                 roster. However, by the time Bland-               thought was impossible.                   ty to change their lives and I’m glad
fans’ perseverance was rewarded           the decision to attend Virginia                  ing was a senior, the Cavaliers were                  “When you’re a bubble guy, you        I get to help them with it.”
when then-junior defensive end            and stay close to home was easy for              bowl eligible once more, and it was               never know what can happen and                Whether it’s on the field or be-
Mandy Alonso strip-sacked Hokie           Blanding.                                        clear to see that the program was on              every day you’re fighting for some-       hind a desk, Blanding is proud of
quarterback Hendon Hooker with                 “It meant a lot to me honestly,             the rise. Blanding knows he was in-               thing …” Blanding said. “People can       his home state and takes even more
a minute remaining in the game            to know that my family and friends               strumental to the changes that put                say ‘You didn’t do this or that in the    pride in his role at Virginia. When
and Eli Hanback recovered the ball        could come see me play whenever,”                Virginia back on the map, but he                  league,’ but I made it in the league. I   asked about whether he would
in the end zone for the Cavaliers         Blanding said. “Most importantly,                made sure not to take all the credit              made it to points no one could ever       change anything he was unequivo-
to seal the streak-ending victory. It     it’s where I’m from and where I take             for it.                                           think ... People know what’s real.        cal.
felt like a new chapter in Virginia       pride in … I wanted to change the                    “I helped generate everything                 I validate myself, not the league. I          “I don’t regret anything,” Blan-
football history. However, Blanding       program around.”                                 you see now, but I wouldn’t be able               was more than willing to go, and I        ding said. “I don’t regret anything
remembers the fallout from the win             Blanding burst onto the scene               to do that without the people who                 was ready to enter this new journey       I’ve done, and I don’t regret com-
on social media vividly.                  for Virginia in 2014, recording 123              came before me,” Blanding said.                   and new season [with Virginia]. I’ve      ing to the University of Virginia.
     “When we won, I promise I got        tackles, three interceptions and a               “I’m proud of where the program                   embraced it with joy and happi-           If I had to do it all over again, I’m
the most hate in America,” Bland-         sack — stats good enough for ACC                 is, even if that’s where it should’ve             ness.”                                    coming back to Virginia. I made a
ing said. “Tech fans hate me. They        Defensive Rookie of the Year. He                 been when I was playing ... but I                     Blanding says the door was al-        stamp that no one could ever make
hate my guts for no reason. I didn’t      went on to receive three consecu-                laid the groundwork for [the cur-                 ways open for a return to the Vir-        ... I’m back home to Virginia and
do anything wrong to them, but            tive First Team All ACC nomina-                  rent team] and they get to main-                  ginia program on account of the           that’s what it’s all about.”
they hate my guts.”                       tions to close out his four-year col-            tain that culture and make sure it                current coaching staff.                       As for his return to the side-
     Blanding was confused by this        lege career. Although his high level             doesn’t go down again.”                               “I contemplated it for a while,”      lines for this year’s rivalry matchup,
reaction because Virginia never           of play was consistent, the circum-                  After graduating from Virginia                Blanding said. “ A lot of people          Blanding’s nerves and excitement
beat Virginia Tech in his four years      stances surrounding his time with                in 2017, Blanding set his sights on               don’t know, in 2018 when Washing-         will be as high as they were in his
playing for the program. However,         the Cavaliers were not.                          a professional career and signed                  ton let me go, I almost gave it all       Charlotte apartment in 2019, miles
he views himself as the catalyst for           “I had two different coaches,               with Washington as an undrafted                   up. The conversation started then         away from the action with Twit-
the change in culture that allowed        four different position coaches and              free agent in 2018. He was waived                 in a sense. I thought football was        ter and Call of Duty helping him
for the first Cavalier victory against    2.5 defensive coordinators,” Bland-              later that same year, but landed                  done for me … But they’ve always          through.
the Hokies since 2003. Fans view          ing said. “You [have to] understand              a few hundred miles south at the                  said that whenever I was ready,               “I’m ready,” Blanding said. “I
Blanding as one of the faces of “The      that culture shock ... You have to               Carolina Panthers, fluctuating be-                something would be available [at          can’t wait to see what’s in store this
New Standard”, the era of football        understand what each of them                     tween reserve/future contracts and                Virginia].”                               year.”
initiated by the hiring of current        wants out of you. It’s hard. But                 eventually signing with the practice                  Mendenhall was instrumental to
Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall.             you also have to understand that                 squad. He was waived in 2020 and                  the program’s ability to retain con-
     The program was in desperate         no matter what you have to go out                made the decision to walk away                    nections with alumni and maintain
need of a new standard at the time        there and perform.”                              from the NFL. His time in the                     an atmosphere of family that Blan-
of Blanding’s high school recruit-             Virginia never had a winning                league was never easy, but Blanding               ding values.
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                                                                                                                                            THE RIVALRY ISSUE
    The 757: A breeding ground for college football prospects
          An extensive talent pool has given rise to stars for both the Hokies and Cavaliers, but the battle for recruiting dominance has yet to stop

                                                                                        Will Smythe | Sports Writer

    The “757” — the area code for the       been a topic of contention between        the country in only his second year on   ginia. Despite having a rough career
                                                                                                                            cruits, even though the four and five-
Tidewater region of Virginia — has          the schools, as both the Cavaliers and    the job— 4-star and No. 50 overall       for the Cavaliers, Nicholson avoided
                                                                                                                            stars haven’t been coming in waves like
long held a reputation for producing        Hokies have landed, and missed, on        prospect Demetrious Nicholson. The       the journey west and saved London
                                                                                                                            they used to.
some of the most prolific athletes in       highly touted recruits from the region.   cornerback from Bayside High School      from seeing the enemy — Virginia
                                                                                                                                Tech — the school which boasts
both the Commonwealth and the                   If we fast forward from Vick and      in Virginia Beach, Va.          would    Tech’s Frank Beamer — gain traction
                                                                                                                            the likes of Norfolk native and safety
nation. You might remember the              current Houston Texans quarterback        be the first of three                          in the 757.
                                                                                                                            Kam Chancellor along with Vick and
names of former NBA players such as         Tyrod Taylor’s commitments to Vir-        high-level prospects                                In 2012, London managed
                                                                                                                            Taylor — has a longstanding tradition
Allen Iverson and Alonzo Mourning           ginia Tech, the archives reveal that      from Bayside to                                        to nab the No. 7 defensive
                                                                                                                            of bringing out the best in 757 players.
or football legends like Michael Vick       Virginia has had the upper hand over      commit                                                    end in the country and
                                                                                                                            Chancellor, Bruce Smith and former
and Bruce Smith. Yes, whether it be         the Hokies in garnering commits from      to Vir-                                                    No. 43 overall pros-
                                                                                                                            cornerback DeAngelo Hall — a Ches-
Hampton, Norfolk or one of the other        the 757. Coach Mike London — who                                                                     pect in Virginia Beach
                                                                                                                            apeake native — all enjoyed success in
five cities that comprise the 757, all of   coached the Cavaliers from 2010 to                                                                  native Eli Harold. Har-
                                                                                                                            Blacksburg and later in the NFL. On
these stars had their roots in South-       2015 — starred in the recruiting                                                                       old attended Ocean
                                                                                                                            the offensive side of things, Vick and
eastern Virginia.                           landscape despite not faring so                                                                              Lakes High
                                                                                                                            Taylor perhaps were “the ones that got
    A region with such a deep talent        well on the field.                                                                                                School
                                                                                                                            away” from the Cavaliers as each quar-
pool has naturally pitted the state’s           London jumped out of                                                        terback thrived in their new home. a n d
two rivals — Virginia and Virginia          the gates by landing the                                                            The edge has now shifted to themade
Tech — against one another in               No. 1 cornerback in                                                             Hokies, as the end of the London   an
a yearly clash for the new                                                                                                  era also saw the rise of former coach
cream of the crop.                                                                                                          Frank Beamer, former coach Justin
Football has                                                                                                                Fuente and now-interim coach J.C.
especially                                                                                                                  Price in the southeast part of the State.
                                                                                                                            In 2015, Beamer signed two three-stars
                                                                                                                            — defensive end Trevon Hill from Sa-
                                                                                                                            lem High School and running back
                                                                                             ROXY YUAN | THE CAVALIER DAILY Deshawn McClease from Oscar Smith
                                                                                                                            High School — thus turning the tides
                                                                                       immediate impact for the Cav- on London in his last year. Hill would

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                                                                                   757, Harold heard his name called in two years at Virginia Tech.

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THE RIVALRY ISSUE
    A guide to the University for visiting Virginia Tech students
            As the long-anticipated Virginia Tech versus U.Va. football game looms, here’s an insider’s guide to navigating our beautiful university

                                                                                          Jia Williams | Features Writer

   Despite being a student at the University for almost two-and-a-half years — one-and-a-half if you exclude the entirely remote COVID-19 year — I’d never really given much thought to what specific
aspects of the University contributed to my appreciation for all it is and all it can be. Or at least, that was the case until I was given the opportunity to collaborate with Emanda Seifu, an Assistant Lifestyles
Editor for Virginia Tech’s Collegiate Times. In preparation for the upcoming Commonwealth Cup, we sat down and came up with some of the key traditions and places that make us love our universities.

                                             University community’s interest in a        making it a popular spot for newer
                                             cappella and gives first-year students      Hoos. Beyond these three locations,
                                             an opportunity to get to meet other         there are countless hidden gems, such
                                             Hoos.                                       as the Music Library hidden under-
                                                  Soon after this event comes Trick-     neath Old Cabell Hall and the Claude
                                             or-Treating on the Lawn. Students and       Moore Health Sciences Library by the
                                             Charlottesville community members           University hospital.
                                             come to the Lawn rooms, dressed in              Aside from libraries, the Univer-
                                             Halloween costumes. Another pop-            sity has three multicultural student
                                             ular event at the University is the         centers, including the LGBTQ Center,                                      The
                                                                                                                                                                          Rot
                                             Lighting of the Lawn — a light show         the Latinx Student Center and the                                                   und
                                             projected onto the Rotunda that takes       Multicultural Student Center — all                                                         a
                                             place every year on the last Thursday       located in Newcomb Hall — that stu-
         AVA PROEHL | THE CAVALIER DAILY
                                             before the end of classes. It originally    dents are welcome to study in. Each
    Center of Grounds                        began to promote unity and remem-
                                             brance after the events of September
                                                                                         provides resources and a safe space
                                                                                         for students of diverse backgrounds to
                                             11, 2001, but has since morphed into a      connect and study.
    Before beginning the conversation
                                             celebratory event that encourages uni-
about hot spots around campus, we
                                             ty between the University and Char-
should get one thing straight — most
                                             lottesville communities through vi-
University students call our campus
                                             brant light displays and upbeat music.
“Grounds.” Now that we’ve cleared
that up, one focal point of student ac-
tivity on Grounds is undoubtedly The
Lawn. On any given day, students can
be found lounging around on the grass
doing schoolwork, eating lunch with
friends, playing ultimate frisbee or
petting the many fluffy companions
being walked around Grounds.
    At the head of The Lawn is the                                                                                                                                                      MARTHA WILDING | THE CAVALIER DAILY
Rotunda, the signature building of the                                                                                                An aerial view of Central Grounds. The dots correlate with the borders of the photos and
University. It proudly overlooks the 54                                                      JARED GINGRICH | THE CAVALIER DAILY      their respective locations.
lawn rooms inhabited by exceptional
fourth-year students and the Statue of
Homer at the other end of The Lawn.
                                                                                                         Food                         Ben & Jerry’s, and a Bento Sushi.            Blue Ridge Mountains paired with
                                                                                                                                                                                   live music or polo matches and good
On the other side of the Rotunda is                                                                                                                                                company makes for the perfect week-
                                                                                                                                      Student Hot Spots in
                                                   TESS GINSBERG | THE CAVALIER DAILY
                                                                                              The University’s location in Char-
the Corner, another focal point of                                                       lottesville — an up and coming food-                                                      end day-trip for older students.
student life. Students walk the sev-         Student Spaces                      on      ie’s dream city — makes it difficult to          Charlottesville
en-block stretch of restaurants, bars,
apartments and local businesses on                 Grounds                               pinpoint just a few places to highlight.
                                                                                                                                          Beyond the University bubble is
                                                                                                                                                                                   Game            Day Brunch
                                                                                         However, there are a few locations
their way to classes or to grab a bite to                                                that are pinnacle to the University          the vibrant Charlottesville commu-                           Spots
eat. It’s also a central location for stu-        Each study spot on Grounds has its                                                  nity. A couple of blocks down from
                                                                                         Student’s experience. The first is Root’s
dent nightlife on weekends.                  own atmosphere. One of the primary                                                       the Corner is the Downtown Mall,                 For those looking for a place to
                                                                                         Natural Kitchen, which was started by
                                             study locations for students is 1515. As                                                 where students can find a host of lo-        grab a bite to eat before the football
                                                                                         University graduates in 2015 and is lo-
                                             one of the most desired study spots on                                                   cal businesses. Scattered among the          game, a few notable brunch locations
                                                                                         cated on the Corner. The fast-casual
                                             Grounds, it’s more difficult to snag                                                     many restaurants are used bookstores,        stick out from the rest. One particular
                                                                                         style place serves customizable grain
                                             a spot on a weekday afternoon, but                                                       clothing boutiques, the Paramount            location, loved among all members of
                                                                                         bowls and salads, with an emphasis
                                             it’s more casual, café-like atmosphere                                                   Theater, other concert venues, and           the University community, is Bodo’s.
                                                                                         on natural foods. On a typical day, the
                                             appeals to all students. The spot also                                                   even confectioneries. There are plenty       The famous bagel place is exclusive to
                                                                                         line for this University staple is out the
                                             has a game and lounge area on the                                                        of shops to explore with both friends        Charlottesville and offers cheap, yet
                                                                                         door, but the wait is well worth it.
                                             bottom floor with a pool table and ar-                                                   and family.                                  delicious, cream cheese schmears and
                                                                                              Also on the Corner is Christian’s
                                             cade games, perfect for an impromptu                                                         Also near Grounds is the IX Art          bagel sandwiches. The extensive menu
                                                                                         Pizza, which sees its busiest hours after
                                             study break.                                                                             Park, where events are held dozens of        offers something for everyone, and is
                                                                                         11 p.m on weekend nights. The pizza is
                                                  More central to Grounds are                                                         times a year showcasing a range of im-       perfect for large families looking for a
                                                                                         warmed fresh for every order, making
                                             Clemons, commonly known as Clem,                                                         mersive art experiences, such as black       casual meal prior to the game.
                                                                                         it the perfect late night snack to have
                                             and Charles L. Brown Science and En-                                                     light body paint parties and a kaleido-          Another student favorite is FIG,
                                                                                         with friends. For those less willing to
                                             gineering Library, commonly known                                                        scope cave.                                  located on the Corner. The quaint res-
                                                                                         trek off-Grounds for a meal, the Ob-
                                             as Clark for its location in Clark Hall.                                                     Another favorite spot for students       taurant has a cozy outdoor alleyway
                                                                                         servatory Hill dining hall, or O’Hill for
      SOPHIE ROEHSE | THE CAVALIER DAILY     Clem is the most modern feeling li-                                                      is Carter’s Mountain Orchard, popu-          that families can request to be seated
                                                                                         short, is a great option that accommo-
                                             brary and is split into four floors.                                                     lar among students and community             in to enjoy their brunch of Southern
           Big Events                        Each floor boasts a different feel and
                                                                                         dates most dietary needs. Within the
                                                                                         dining hall is a vegan bar, a pizza and      members for their Sunset Series every        or Mediterranean cuisine.
                                             has something to offer every student,                                                    spring through fall. At the event, stu-          Further down West Main Street
                                                                                         pasta bar, a breakfast yogurt bar and
   Among some of the bigger events           whether they’re looking for a silent,                                                    dents can pick apples, enjoy some            on the Downtown Mall is Bizou, the
                                                                                         salad bar, in addition to the main meal
at the University is Rotunda Sing,           high-concentration zone, or a lively                                                     fall treats and watch the sunset over        former diner now offers a modern
                                                                                         items offered each day.
which kicks off the fall semester with       location to chat and catch-up while                                                      a bird’s-eye view of Charlottesville.        take on classic American cuisine. No
                                                                                              The University also has many res-
an a cappella showcase performed             working on assignments.                                                                  Even further from Grounds are the            matter what families are looking for,
                                                                                         taurants on Grounds like the Pavilion
by over 15 talented a cappella groups             Clark is a more traditional library,                                                various wineries in the surrounding          Charlottesville’s foodie culture offers
                                                                                         XI, which acts as a miniature food
on Grounds. The event exhibits the           and is the closest to first-year dorms,                                                  counties. The beautiful scenery of the       something for everyone.
                                                                                         court and hosts a Subway, Chick-fil-a,
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                                                                                                                                           THE RIVALRY ISSUE
            The Cavalier Marching Band takes on Virginia Tech
                                              The wind section is ready to ignite the stands, which are likely to be the most packed in two years

                                                                                             Tanner Rowe | Staff Writer

    On game days the low rumble                   absolutely packed.”                      marching band career. Siebers          students recognize, and it brings      for the pregame show.
of the Cavalier Marching Band’s                       The Virginia versus Virginia         reflected on a time when he was        a lot of school spirit to the game,”       “I think everybody’s really
drumline can be heard throughout                  Tech rivalry reaches far beyond the      unaware that masking restrictions      Siebers said. “It kind of reminds      looking forward to hearing the
Charlottesville’s hilly landscape,                football field. The marching band        would be lifted in time for the        us who we are as a community and       roar of the crowd when we run
resonating against the brick fa-                  and the football team share a sim-       Tech game, saying “I actually had      why we are so excited about this       out the tunnel and having it be,
cades of the University’s academic                ilar sense of pride, family connect-     texted my other fourth-year bari-      game.”                                 like, 60,000 people and engaging
buildings.                                        edness and competitive spirit.           tone friends and I was like, ‘I love       The CMB often has three re-        with them,”said Campbell John-
    No football game is com-                          “I think it’s always kind of like    you all, I’m so glad that we got to    hearsals on Tuesdays, Thursdays        ston, first-year College student
plete without the crisp, percus-                  the battle of the bands — who can        have this time together. I’m sorry     and Fridays before games to mem-       and trombonist. “It’s rewarding. It
sive soundscape radiating from                    play louder,” Siebers said. “It’s kind   that it’s ending like this.’”          orize sheet music and intricate        feels good to know that the effort
the marching band. The Cavalier                   of like a personal pride thing. But          The game will be a bittersweet     drills — the steps and positioning     that we put in is recognized and
Marching Band’s wind section was                  I don‘t think it’s anything like a       moment for the Class of 2022 as        that make up the fluent forma-         appreciated by the crowd — we’re
benched from playing in the stands                football rivalry, you know like,         they line up alongside each oth-       tions performed at halftime shows.     making them happy which is a very
due to mask requirements until                    ‘We absolutely need to beat them         er for their last halftime show at     In preparation for the Tech game,      good feeling. Just getting people
Oct. 23 when restrictions were lift-              because I think the marching band        Scott Stadium.                         however, section leaders are in-       fired up is a lot of fun.”
ed. With the CMB unable to play                   is unique in that it’s very, very co-        Fourth years in the CMB had        structed to familiarize themselves         The CMB treasures its role of
stand tunes as a full unit for the                operative.”                              the opportunity to provide input       with the music weeks in advance.       serving as the audible spirit of
majority of their season, energy                      The sense of camaraderie in the      on which songs to play for the             On game days, the band meets       University pride, narrating the
has fallen flat in the stadium.                   marching band community over-            halftime show. Siebers himself         four and a half hours before kick-     sonic energy of the stadium for
    It is for this very reason that               rides any rivalry, no matter how         pitched the song “22” by Taylor        off at Carr’s Hill Field where they    such a historical rivalry. Banging
CMB members are particularly ex-                  deep-rooted.                             Swift to celebrate the class of ‘22,   rehearse for an hour and a half.       drums, crashing cymbals and blar-
cited about the upcoming football                     “I’ve known since I was a first      which ended up making the cut.         After dropping off instrument cas-     ing trumpets fuel fans with antic-
game against Virginia Tech.                       year that my last ever game in           The CMB will also be playing a         es and hat boxes, and assembling       ipation and school spirit as they
    “The energy is so electric dur-               Scott Stadium was going to be the        rendition of “INDUSTRY BABY            their uniforms at Slaughter, the       enter Scott Stadium.
ing Tech games compared to every                  Tech game,” Siebers said.                (feat Jack Harlow)” by Lil Nas X       CMB snakes around the stadium              “That’s like the best part of
other game,” said Rob Siebers, a                       Not only is the Virginia versus     and a mashup of “The Gambler           singing chants and songs to hype       marching band and why playing in
fourth-year College baritone play-                Virginia Tech game the pinnacle of       / Will the Circle be Broken” as a      up fans as they approach the game.     the stands is so important to us,”
er and CMB section leader. “It just               the football season for many Vir-        “thank you” to Hunter Smith who            20 minutes before kickoff, the     said Siebers. “I think music really
gets super loud, especially during                ginia fans, but it also serves as the    donated money to start the CMB.        band gathers in the tunnel and         brings people together.”
Tech games ‘cause the stadium is                  culmination of the Class of 2022’s           “We play a lot of songs that       prepares to run out onto the field

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                                                                                                                               THE RIVALRY ISSUE
The Cavalier Daily X

               ROUNDTABLE
   With the Commonwealth Clash right around the corner, the sports staffs of The Cavalier Daily and The Collegiate Times came together to give readers a look at some of the
biggest storylines in the matchup. What seniors will have big games, can Virginia’s offense be contained and most importantly, who’s going to win? Let’s find out.

   Who will be the most impactful senior for each team?
                                                          Jacob Knapp, Cavalier Daily Sports Columnist: When Virginia senior football player
                                               CD:    Keytaon Thompson steps on the field, defenses must watch out for the big play. That’s
                                                      not a typo — the roster simply lists Thompson as “football player.” As a quarterback
                                                      transfer to Virginia in 2020 who, paradoxically, is second on the team in receiv-
                                                      ing yards and third in rushing yards, the listing fits Thompson perfectly. Stand-
                                                      ing at 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 210 pounds, Thompson is almost built
                                                      more like a linebacker, presenting a nightmare to tacklers in the open field.
                                                      Thompson’s collegiate football career has been far from typical to say the
                                                      least. As the No. 1 quarterback prospect in Louisiana, Thompson com-
                                                      mitted to Mississippi State but failed to carve out a starting spot. After
                                                      transferring to Virginia, he also lost the starting job to junior quar-
                                                      terback Brennan Armstrong. What might’ve been disheartening for
                                                      most was motivation for Thompson, and he opted to stay with the
                                                      Cavaliers and now serves as one of our primary offensive weapons.
                                                          On the other side of the ball, the Hokies only have four sen-
                                                      iors, all of whom are previous transfers. Of them, the only current
                                                      starter is senior placekicker John Parker Romo. While not the
                                                      flashiest pick for this answer, Romo has made 100 percent of his
                                                      extra point attempts and hit a 52-yard field goal, tied for the
                                                      19th longest in the nation this season. However, the Cavaliers
            KHUYEN DINH | THE CAVALIER DAILY          have had a knack for throwing opposing kickers off their game.
                                                      Whether through dumb luck or a genious scheme, opposing
                                                      kickers have missed field goals in four of Virginia’s last five
                                                      games, starting with a game-losing doink in Virginia’s win
                                                      over Miami.

 CT:
               Devin Shepard, Collegiate Times Sports Editor: One of the most underrated stories of the Hok-
            ies’ season has been the play of senior center Johnny Jordan when he’s on the field. The Maryland
            transfer has been a brick wall as a pass blocker and a solid run blocker, upgrading an already very
            solid offensive line. Though he’s only really received starting snaps in two games this year, Jordan
            looks like he’s going to start for the rest of the season due to junior offensive lineman Brock Hoff-
            man’s injury. He will be keeping the Hokie offense rolling in Charlottesville.
               For the Cavaliers, graduate student tight end Jelani Woods is a dangerous mismatch against Vir-
            ginia Tech. The 6-foot-7, 265-pound tight end has been an impactful player all season and should be a
            handful for the Hokie defense. Between strong sophomore safety Nasir Peoples and the Virginia Tech
            linebackers, the Hokies really don’t have a good matchup for Woods. The huge tight end is likely to have
            a big game for Virginia, and he may be the reason the Cavaliers take the Commonwealth Cup back to
            Charlottesville this year.

  Who will win and why?
                                                           Andrew Cho, Cavalier Daily Associate Writer: While the Cavalier defense
                                                CD:     may not be able to stop anybody, their offense with a strong quarterback run-
                                                        ning the show will carry the team to victory. Virginia Tech has struggled on both
                                                        sides of the ball, and with Virginia’s “Fourth Side” in place rocking Scott Stadium, the
                                                        Cavaliers will find a way to finish near the top of the ACC Coastal Division, pending
                                                        the results of the conference game against Pittsburgh the week before. The Cavaliers have
                                                        too many playmakers on offense for the Hokies to keep up and will be fighting for the Coastal
                                                        Division title come Thanksgiving weekend. Virginia will not only take the win but will also lock
                                                        up its division in the process.

                                                       CT:
                                                                    Margaret Allocca, Collegiate Times Sports Staff Writer: Strong and consistent defense is
                                                                 arguably more meaningful in the long run. The Hokies will put up a fight against the Cavaliers, taking
                                                                 home the win to Blacksburg on Thanksgiving weekend. Virginia Tech leading as a team in rushing yards is a
                                                                 key advantage that will help carry over the win at Scott Stadium. While the Cavaliers have had more success overall of-
                                                                 fensively, their tactics will be no match-up against Virginia Tech’s defensive play. Junior quarterback Braxton Burmeister
                                                                 throwing for 215 yards and three touchdowns against Duke is the momentum the Hokies need to maintain heading into
                                                                 matchup against the Cavaliers.

            KHUYEN DINH | THE CAVALIER DAILY
editor@collegiatetimes.com                                                                                                                       November 17, 2021 PAGE 11
                                                                     collegiatetimes.com

Rivalry reflections from both sides
  Three Cavaliers and three Hokies answer important questions about this year’s rivalry game

    Will a strong Virginia Tech defense be able to contain an electric
         Cavalier offense?
                                   CD:        Connor Lothrop, Cavalier Daily Associate Writer: As explosive as the Cavalier offense has been,
                                         it’s possible the Hokies can keep it under 30 points. By Football Outsiders OFEI metric, Virginia
                                         has the eighth-most efficient offense in the country — Virginia Tech’s defense is ranked 55th
                                         in DFEI, the defensive version of the same metric. The Cavaliers have also posted ridiculous
                                         traditional numbers — first in the country in total yards, second in passing yards and 12th
                                         in scoring. But those numbers have come against a lot of bad defenses. Of the teams Vir-
                                          ginia has played in 2021, only Wake Forest and Miami have comparably ranked defenses,
                                              and those two held Virginia’s offense to 17 and 30 points, respectively. If Virginia
                                                Tech’s secondary can match up with Thompson and junior receiver Dontayvion
                                                  Wicks, Virginia’s explosive passing game would be kneecapped. Very few teams
                                                    have managed this effectively, but never count out a motivated Virginia Tech
                                                      defense.

                                                             CT:
                                                                            Claire Castagno, Collegiate Times Sports Editor:
                                                                        Virginia Tech has shown this season that its defense is ca-
                                                                        pable of making big plays and can play at a very high level.
                                                                        Opponents playing the Hokies have averaged 21.3 points,
                                                                        and as such, their defense ranks No. 4 in the ACC. Against No-
                                                                        tre Dame, Virginia was only able to put up three points in its KHUYEN DINH | THE CAVALIER DAILY
                                                                        25-point loss. Junior defensive back Jermaine Waller has picked
                                                                        off quarterbacks four times this season, and if Virginia’s quarter-
                                                                        back is not extremely accurate with his throws, it’s likely that Waller can find himself catching
                                                                        the ball again. Additionally, Virginia Tech’s defensive line has recorded 23 sacks on the season,
                                                                        and the Cavalier’s offense must make sure they can execute plays quickly because the Hokie
                                                                        defensive line has no problem breaking into the pocket and stirring up trouble.

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                                            “The Cavalier Daily”                                                    “The Collegiate Times”

                                    @cavalierdaily & @cavdailysports                                           @CollegiateTimes & @CTSportsTalk

                                                  @cavalierdaily                                                          @collegiatetimes
THE RIVALRY ISSUE                                                                              collegiatetimes.com                                                                November 17, 2021 PAGE 9

                                                                                                                          ’

                                                                                                                                                                Ever wonder what life is like as
                                                                                                                                                                 a Hokie? Here’s our assistant
                                                                                                                                                                   lifestyles editor’s guide to
                                         ES
                                IATE TIM
      MARIA M
              ARTINEZ
                        / COLLEG                                                                                                                                  navigating our Blacksburg
                                                                                                                                                                             campus.
                                                                                                                                                                            EMANDA SEIFU,
                                                                                                                                                                                  assistant
                                                                                                 SYDNEY JOHNSON / COL
                                                                                                                     LEGIATE TIMES                                           lifestyles editior

         EMANDA SEIFU                         day. One of the most unique things           Hokie community gathers to                silent floors (the odd-numbered        to go with friends as a midnight
     assistant lifestyles editor              about the Drillfield is the under-           remember the 32 students and              ones) and group study floors (the      stroll.
                                              ground waterway, Stroubles Creek,            faculty members who were lost on          even-numbered ones), Newman is
   As the long-awaited rivalry game           that runs throughout the field. Over         April 16, 2007. Through the 3.2           a great place to find resources, get      Student Hot Spots around
between the University of Virginia            the years, there have been rumors that       for 32, Tech’s community comes            tutoring help or just get away from    Blacksburg:
and Virginia Tech arrives, UVA’s Jia          Drillfield is slowly sinking because of      together to honor the lives that          all the noise.                            D ow nt ow n Bla ck sbu rg is
Williams and I wanted to share about          the waterway. Although many don’t            were taken from the community                                                    perfect for when you want to walk
our unique and beloved colleges, so we        believe the Drillfield will ever sink, the   and reminds us all that we can               Food:                               around. With countless boutiques
put our heads together to create a guide      myth still exists!                           prevail in even the darkest hours.           When it comes to food, no one       like Hello Gorgeous and 310
to UVA and Virginia Tech.                                                                                                            does it like Tech. With 11 locations   Rosemont, restaurants of all
                                                  Big Events:                                 Study Spots:                           and over 40 dining venues, there is    cuisines, and the Lyric Theatre,
   Center of Campus:                              With over 800 student orga-                 When midterms, finals or               always something new to try.           downtown has it all. Just down the
   With over 200 buildings spanning           n i zat ions, Te ch’s sense of               even just major project deadlines            Te ch’s food t r ucks, T he         street from Squires Student Center
2,600 acres, an airport, a drone park         community is an essential part               roll around, it’s essential to find       Grillfield and Periodic Table,         is Main Street, where you can find
and more, Virginia Tech is home to            of campus. At the start of each              a quiet area to work. Luckily for         keep students on their toes with       all this and more.
over 30,000 students and faculty.             year, Virginia Tech’s organiza-              Hokies, with a campus as large as         their ever-changing menus. The            The Cascade Falls Trailhead is
   At the center of Virginia Tech             tions take the Drillfield by storm           Tech’s, there is always a study spot      Grillfield features Latino-fusion      a fun place to go with family and
stands Burruss Hall. Built in 1953, the       as they promote their unique clubs           somewhere.                                meals, while the Periodic Table        friends. This waterfall includes
six-story building can be seen from           at GobblerFest. GobblerFest is a                Although           the     Hahn        serves Asian-fusion foods. The         a 4-mile hiking trail with some
almost anywhere on Virginia Tech’s            fun way to meet new people, find             Horticulture Garden can feel a            food trucks can generally be found     gorgeous views and is one of the
campus and is a centerpiece that              cool clubs and get more involved             bit detached from campus due              underneath Torgersen Bridge, but       most popular outdoor recreation
catches everyone’s attention. Burruss         as a Hokie. Along with all these             to its distance, the garden is a          don’t be surprised if you spot them    activities in the area. Located in
contains an auditorium that can               amazing opportunities, you can               great outdoor study space where           elsewhere.                             Pembroke, Virginia, this desti-
accommodate over 3,000 people and is          count on having fun with perfor-             students can enjoy the weather and           Turner Place is one of the more     nation is roughly 30 minutes away
generally used for major events such as       mances, free goodies and carnival            do homework in peace. The stroll          popular dining halls, located just     from campus by car.
presidential speeches and shows. If you       rides.                                       to Hahn Horticulture Garden is a          behind McBryde Hall on the                The Blacksburg Farmers Market
have ever visited Tech, chances are that          On Blacksburg’s first snow day           perfect way to destress and get in        academic side of campus. With          on the corner of Roanoke Street
you have heard the chiming bells of           of the year, you will find students          the zone to get work done.                eight separate restaurants, Turner     and Draper Road is a great place
Burruss. This ringing sound is from an        gathered at the Drillfield for the              Pamplin Hall, home to Virginia         offers a combination of brand          to find fresh produce, pick out
electronic carillon located in Burruss        annual snowball fight. This Hokie            Tech’s Pa mpl i n Col lege of             names like Bruegger’s Bagels and       flowers, listen to live music and
and plays five to seven times a day.          celebration is a competitive but             Business, is another great study          Qdoba with others that are unique      destress with friends. The market
   Directly in front of Burruss Hall is       playful match between cadets                 space. With expansive overhead            to Tech, such as Origami and 1872      is open on Wednesdays from 2 to
the famed Drillfield. Splayed across          and civilians that started over a            windows and amazing greenery,             Fire Grill. Regardless, there is       6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.
an expansive 22 acres, the Drillfield         century ago, making this one of              Pamplin Hall is one of the more           something for everyone at Turner       to 2 p.m.
connects the residential side of campus       the college’s oldest traditions.             modern and chic study spaces at           Place.
with the academic side. This historic         While there is no scorekeeping,              Virginia Tech.                               When you need a late-night
greenspace is a popular gathering             everyone’s a winner at this beloved             Newman Library is the most             snack or a pick-me-up after an
space where you can find students             Hokie event.                                 well-k nown study a rea and               exam, you can always count on
playing games, studying or just                   The 3.2 for 32 Run in                    one of the most dependable.               Deet’s Place to have what you
hanging out. It is also not uncommon          Remembrance is arguably one of               When you are looking to get a             need. Located at Dietrick Hall,
to see clubs and organizations with           the most important events hosted             long day’s worth of studying in,          Deet’s Place is open until 2 a.m.
                                                                                                                                                                                     @CollegiateTimes
stands on the Drillfield during the           at Virginia Tech. Every year, the            Newman is the place to go. With           most days, making it a great place
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