His team clinging to a 44-41 lead with 2:02 remaining in the fourth quarter, Virginia football head coach Bronco Mendenhall turned to Keytaon Thompson on 4th and 3 from the Cavalier 42. On the fake punt, the junior took the direct snap and gained five yards for a game-clinching first down.

Thompson, a graduate transfer out of Mississippi State, transferred to UVA this past summer in hopes of replacing Bryce Perkins as the Cavaliers’ starting quarterback. An injured throwing shoulder in the preseason derailed those hopes. Healthy enough to play, he moved to wide receiver.

Thompson primarily played wide receiver in UVA’s first three games of 2020, mostly handling blocking duties although he did have a touchdown catch against Clemson. Over the course of the last three games he started to take on more responsibilities including quarterback (primarily as a runner) and tailback. Thompson has continued to play wide receiver as well.

Per Pro Football Focus, Thompson played 20 offensive snaps against Wake Forest, 22 against Miami and 39 in the win over UNC. He opened the season with 20 offensive snaps against Duke but played only nine snaps and 17 snaps, respectively, in losses to Clemson and NC State.

“He’s becoming one of the cultural stories or cultural examples that we can present when a player comes into our program,” Mendenhall said of Thompson. “Bill Belichick has a saying, ‘The more you can do the more you can do.’ I added my own sentence to that, ‘The more that you can do, the more valuable you are.’ Keytaon, he does everything. At one point I heard a former player of mine, Taysom Hill, who plays for the Saints and he plays multiple positions, and I think there was a commercial. Someone was asking him what position he plays and he said, ‘Football.’ And so that’s what we’re saying for Keytaon. When you list a position, it’d be smart just to put ‘Football’ underneath. He might be setting a record for the most different positions played in a game each and every week, and we’re so thankful he’s here because we need him.”

Thompson rewarded the staff’s confidence with 71 yards rushing against Wake Forest, 24 yards rushing and 11 yards receiving – including an impressive first down catch on the sideline - against Miami, and 43 yards rushing and a touchdown against North Carolina.

Keytaon Thompson runs left after taking a handoff from Virginia football quarterback Brennan Armstrong. ~ Photo courtesy Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics Media Relations

The 6’4”, 215-pound junior is averaging 5.52 yards per carry for the Hoos in that 3-game span. Thompson, who has said he “just wants to win” and is willing to play wherever needed, is adding more than production, though. While he is new to the program, he has been encouraging and trying to lead his teammates, a role he sought out during the 4-game losing streak.

“You can lead in a lot of different ways,” Thompson said following the Wake Forest game. “Leadership can be shown in a lot of different ways. For the most part, right now I’m just trying to keep everybody’s energy up and keep everybody positive. It can get pretty non-energetic in that stadium without a whole lot of fans, and it’s quiet, and things not going your way maybe guys hanging their head, so I just try to keep everybody positive and keep everything upbeat.”

UVA Grad-Transfers Sparked The Victory Over UNC

Thompson wasn’t the only graduate transfer to shine in Virginia’s win over the No. 15 Tar Heels.

On just nine touches, running back Shane Simpson totaled 141 yards and a touchdown. The former Towson star rushed for 70 yards – including a 29-yard scamper - on eight carries. His lone reception went for 71 yards and a touchdown, boosting the Cavaliers to a 13-10 first quarter lead – the team’s first first-quarter lead of the season.

Simpson has 178 yards rushing on 31 carries for the Hoos in 2020. The all-purpose performer has added seven catches for 100 yards and two kick returns for 18 yards.

“I'm just doing my 1-11,” said Simpson, who has performed well behind primary running back Wayne Taulapapa, who has more than double the amount of carries Simpson has. “That’s what has been my motto my whole life. I actually have a tattoo on my hand that says ‘patience’, so I’m just waiting for my moment and I have the guys around me, to help me do it.”

Of his 71-yard touchdown catch, Simpson said: “Right before the play started, we saw that the corner was about to come and usually when they bring a corner, the safety rolls over the other side. Me and Brennan [Armstrong] talked in the huddle just to turn my head around real quick and expect the ball. As soon as I got the ball, I made sure nobody was able to catch me even though I was running out of gas towards the end. Thankfully, I got in there.”

Central Michigan graduate transfer Tony Poljan recorded two catches for 33 yards and an impressive 17-yard touchdown in traffic on Saturday night. The 6’7”, 260-pound senior has had no fewer than two receptions in every game and has recorded a touchdown in four of the last five contests.

Poljan has 24 receptions for 205 yards and four scores in 2020.

Wide receiver Ra’Shaun Henry, who transferred to UVA after graduating from St. Francis (PA) this past spring, also had a touchdown catch against Carolina. The 6’3”, 185-pound senior has two catches on the season, and both were touchdowns – a 35-yard score against Miami and an 18-yard score against the Tar Heels.

According to Pro Football Focus, Henry was targeted four times on Saturday night. He had one drop.

James Madison graduate transfer Adeeb Atariwa adds needed depth to the Virginia defensive line. ~ Photo credit: Jim Daves, Virginia Athletics Media Relations

James Madison transfers D’Angelo Amos and Adeeb Atariwa continue to play significant roles on defense. Amos received his second straight start at safety. The Cavalier secondary in general had a night they’d like to forget, surrendering 443 yards and four touchdowns to UNC quarterback Sam Howell, although Amos did record a tackle-for-loss within his eight total tackles.

Atariwa, a defensive lineman, received his highest workload as a Cavalier as he played 38 defensive snaps versus the Tar Heels. Per Pro Football Focus, he responded with his second-best overall defensive grade (70.8) and second-best rush defense grade (71.8) of the season. PFF reports that the 6’3”, 280-pound senior, who was credited with three tackles (one solo), was involved in five “stop” plays - plays that “constitute a ‘failure’ for the offense.”

Atariwa figures to be a consistent figure in the defensive line rotation moving forward, especially if Richard Burney is sidelined. The sixth-year senior did not play against North Carolina, and in his postgame preference Coach Mendenhall stated he would likely address Burney’s status on Tuesday. That’s an ominous sign as the standout senior missed most of 2018 due to blood clots. Here’s hoping for good health for the team captain.

Pro Football Focus Storylines: UNC

Offense Grades

Right tackle Bobby Haskins (77.2), Simpson (76.3), center Olusegun Oluwatimi (74.7) and quarterback Brennan Armstrong (71.4) were the Cavaliers who graded out over 70 in the win. (PFF grades of 70 or more are considered above average).

Virginia did well in terms of pass-blocking according to PFF. Haskins (86.9), left guard Joe Bissinger (83.8) and left tackle Ryan Nelson (80.9) graded out over 80 in the pass-blocking category. Four more graded out over 70, including running back Wayne Taulapapa (79.2), tight end Grant Misch (74.2), Poljan (70.9) and guard Chris Glaser (70.7).

Meanwhile, three players graded out over 70 in run blocking: Oluwatimi (75.3), tight end Grant Misch (71.7) and Haskins (71.3).

Heading into the UNC game, Virginia receivers had 14 drops on the season according to Pro Football Focus. Henry’s drop was the only one on Saturday as Armstrong completed 12-of-22 passes for 208 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

Virginia football outside linebacker Charles Snowden earned ACC Linebacker of the Week for his performance against UNC. ~ Photo courtesy Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics Media Relations

Defense Grades

Defensive linemen Jowon Briggs and Atariwa had the highest PFF marks in terms of overall defense. Briggs’ grade was 72.4 and Atariwa’s was 70.8. Outside linebackers Charles Snowden and Noah Taylor were next, coming in with marks of 69.6 and 69, respectively.

Snowden, who had a single game career-high four sacks and 10 tackles, earned a tackle grade of 82.9. This was his best tackle grade of the season, edging out his 81.6 mark against Wake. He has not reached 70 in this category in any of Virginia’s other four contests.

Snowden led the defense in tackle grade and pass-rush grade (79.4). Inside linebacker Zane Zandier also scored in the 70s in pass rush, earning a 75.6 mark according to PFF. Zandier did not have a sack but was credited by PFF with two QB hurries.

In a reserve role, Coen King had the best overall defense grade (68.8) and best coverage grade (68.6) of any UVA defensive back. Every other DB graded below 60. King, who had two tackles, played 29 defensive snaps according to PFF.

Notables

- Anyone else nervous when Brian Delaney missed the extra point on Virginia’s first touchdown? Admittedly, UVA’s placekicking struggles early in the Mendenhall era crept in my mind, as Delaney missed two of three against Wake Forest and Miami. Fortunately he returned to form, drilling a 35-yard field goal with 4:07 remaining in the fourth to put the Hoos up 44-34. A miss and the Heels tie the game on the next drive.

- You don’t see many 6’4” running backs, but Keytaon Thompson is an intriguing option at the position in my opinion. He seems comfortable there, has good vision and running ability. I’m guessing he’ll continue his role as a “football player” utility-type, but playing him at running back could be a good fit in my opinion.

- Junior running back Ronnie Walker Jr. dressed but did not play.

- Virginia’s offensive line rotation has been as follows:

The starters - Olusegun Oluwatimi at center, Dillon Reinkensmeyer and Chris Glaser at left and right guard, and Ryan Nelson and Ryan Swoboda at left and right tackle.

The primary reserves have been Joe Bissinger at guard and Bobby Haskins at tackle. Gerrik Vollmer has spelled Oluwatimi at center at times the past two games.

Swoboda and Nelson have graded out the best according to Pro Football Focus, receiving marks of 70.2 and 70.1. They are followed by Glaser (69.9), Reinkensmeyer (68.8) and Oluwatimi (66.6).

Glaser leads the entire offense in snaps played with 487 according to PFF. Oluwatimi has 481, Nelson has 470, Swoboda has 453 and Reinkensmeyer has 349. Bissinger has 159 snaps and Haskins has 80, while Vollmer has 21.

- On the injury front, as mentioned Richard Burney did not play. Neither did starting safeties Joey Blount and Brenton Nelson.

Quarterback Brennan Armstrong was helped off the field with an apparent leg injury on UVA’s final drive. He spoke to the Virginia Athletics Media Relations and broke the rock, which hopefully means the injury isn’t serious. Bronco Mendenhall had no update postgame.

Offensive tackle Ryan Swoboda went down with an injury against Miami but returned to play against UNC. He played the majority of the snaps at right tackle (58) according to Pro Football Focus, while Haskins played 31.

Virginia was without Lavel Davis Jr. for a second straight week. Backup quarterback Ira Armstead did not play, either.

- UVA reported zero players in quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19 related issues ahead of the UNC game. One full-time coach recently tested positive and was in isolation.

- UVA is 2-0 when long snapper/special teams performer Tucker Finkelston recovers a fumble.

Finkelston fell on a muffed punt by North Carolina late in the second quarter, setting up Thompson’s 1-yard touchdown run, which gave UVA a 27-20 lead. He also recovered a fumble in the Hoos’ season opening win over Duke.