When the Virginia football team picked up its first ACC win last week, the defense earned plenty of headlines for its play. The Cavaliers allowed just 3 points on defense and forced a pair of turnovers to lead the way against Georgia Tech.
That, of course, added to one of the season's biggest storylines to date as the UVA defense is playing significantly better in essentially every category across the board. The Hoos ranked 121st nationally in total defense (466.0 yards per game allowed), 103rd in scoring defense (31.8 points per game allowed), 123rd in run defense (225.8 yards per game allowed), 88th in pass defense (240.2 yards per game allowed), 113th in sacks per game (1.5), and 93rd in turnovers gained (14) in 2021. They rank 39th in total defense (350.3), 43rd in scoring defense (22.6), 73rd in run defense (147.7), 36th in pass defense (202.6), 15th in sacks per game (3.3), and 29th in turnovers gained (13) in 2022.
One player with a key role in the turnaround has been cornerback Fentrell Cypress II. He started 6 games last season before injuries sent him to the shelf, but he's been a rock solid starter in 6 of 7 games this season. He has posted 26 tackles and 9 pass breakups. According to the Pro Football Focus data, Cypress and fellow corner Anthony Johnson and Fentrell Cypress II rank 11th and rank 12th nationally for coverage grades this season by players in on half of the nation-leading 350 coverage snaps. Cypress' current 83.9 coverage grade for the season represents a massive jump from a 52.3 in his shortened 2021 season.
Virginia defensive coordinator John Rudzinski praised the work of Cypress at corner.
“He’s done a great job,” Rudzinski said. “He’s playing sudden. He’s got really good feet. He’s tackling really well. ... Does an unbelievable job and has an unbelievable football future.”
TheSabre.com caught up with Cypress for a "Quick Take" interview this week.
Quick Take
How do you feel different as a player? Do you feel better as a player than you did a year ago? What do you think you’re doing better?
Fentrell Cypress II: First, I just feel more confident - give credit to Coach Cox and Coach Rud talking about fundamentals and technique. Then on top of that, I feel more healthy and that plays a big role. Playing, it’s hard, definitely with my hamstring injuries in the past, it was hard to run full speed and cover guys like I wanted to. So just being healthy and learning new things about the defense, your position, that just builds a lot of confidence for each player and just how I feel confidence this season.
Is there a technique specific thing that you improved you think?
Fentrell Cypress II: Off man coverage. I feel like honestly everything. (laughs) I feel like I’ve got more knowledge of the game, how you’re supposed to play, how you’re supposed to look at things when it comes to the offense and a lot of offenses are similar and they want the same thing. Learning the offense really helps a lot when you play corner. You know their intentions and you’ve just to got react to it and trust your ability.
I remember preseason with the coaches, Coach Cox was like “It’s all about the eyes” - how many times have you heard “Get your eyes right” from Coach Cox?
Fentrell Cypress II: Yeah, we talk about having disciplined eyes because if you’re looking at the quarterback too much sometimes, you can get a double move or stuff like that. You just have to have your eyes in the right spot because that’s what’s going to tell you what’s going to happen and if you have them in the wrong spot, most likely you’re going to mess up. It’s just a big emphasis on having your eyes in the right spot and that’s just part of technique and fundamentals as well that connects. So we talk about it every day. It’s a big emphasis on that.
Virginia Units Swap Praise
“Obviously, the secondary is playing their tails off,” Akere said. “As a defensive lineman, you love to be in a system like this where the secondary is not letting anything fly and making the quarterback struggle a little bit so definitely a lot of credit to the guys in the back end because without them there really isn’t as much for us.”
“It’s like a defensive back’s dream where a quarterback doesn’t have much time, throws get out fast, and you know if you can cover your guy for three or four seconds, the quarterback’s going to be sacked,” Johnson said. “It’s just a luxury to have. Defensive backs and D-Line go hand in hand with pass rush and coverage, not a lot of people know that but it is a great thing.”
Dontayvion Wicks Reflects To Reset
Virginia receiver Dontayvion Wicks posted record-breaking numbers in 2021 as he recorded 1,203 receiving yards to become the Hoos single-season leader in that category ahead of the legendary Herman Moore. With high hopes and expectations entering a new season, Wicks got off to a slow start this fall. That included 8 dropped passes in the first 6 games as the Cavalier offense struggled to find any consistency.
The UVA junior said he wanted to hold himself accountable for those mistakes and took time to reflect during the Virginia bye week. That included a little time away from football as well as some time with film study.
“It was just clearing my mind, letting everything go, putting everything behind me,” Wicks said. “Just focusing on what’s next, having to get better, not worrying about what happened, what’s going on. I’ve got to play, I’ve gotta go out and be different for the team to help our team win because we can change the game. We can change the whole season around. So just a little reflecting, thinking a lot to myself, getting away from it, taking a few days off just to think about it, and watch the videos from the season, plays, and correct some things.”
Wicks started to shows signs of finding his footing in the game against Louisville before the break when he had 4 catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. While he did have another drop in Atlanta, he followed that up after the bye with 4 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown against GT. Those numbers, including a highlight reel catch-and-run touchdown play from 44 yards out, have given Wicks a little confidence boost he said as a four-game home stretch awaits.
Virginia Looks At All Options
One of the most interesting nuggets from the weekly media rounds this week was when coach Tony Elliott revealed that the Cavaliers had plans to use Jay Woolfolk in the game at Georgia Tech before an injury kept him out of action. Elliott indicated that they wanted to give the back-up quarterback a look at punt returner and possibly use him on offense in a non-QB spot as well.
Virginia offensive coordinator Des Kitchings elaborated a little bit on the thought process there for the Wahoos.
“Here we are, we’re sitting with five games left, all five in-state, four of them at home, and our goal is still to get to a bowl game so however we can manipulate and score points - if that means Jay Woolfolk’s got to come out there and play another position, he’s going to play another position. If he needs to return punts - we’re trying to exhaust every opportunity to go win these games to get us bowl eligible,” Kitching said Wednesday.
One way he could help on offense is to provide an alternative option at receiver even if it's just for jet sweep or bubble screen types of plays where the Hoos get the ball to him quickly and see if he can make a play. Rolling all the way back to the team's first preseason scrimmage in August, Elliott called Woolfolk "electric" with the ball in his hands so with the offense struggling to create points, getting a potential big play threat on the field could provide a jolt. Woolfolk, remember, broke off a 31-yard run in late-game action at Illinois.
“We’ve got to create an explosive play somewhere, not live the hard life of trying to drive it 12 plays and somebody false starts or whatever the case may be that’s happened for seven games," Kitchings said before adding with a laugh, "I like it when Wicks catches one and breaks a couple of tackles for a touchdown. Everybody on the sideline, life is good.”
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