Virginia Football 2022 Season Preview: Defense

Breaking down the UVA defensive unit for the 2022 football season

Author:
Matt Newton
Publish date:
Sep 2, 2022 4:44 AM EDT

In this story:

Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia senior linebacker Nick Jackson celebrates after making a tackle against Duke. — With a new coordinator, a new scheme, and an influx of talent and depth, the Virginia defense looks to right the ship in 2022.
Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics

As the final installment in our 2022 Virginia football preview series, today we're breaking down the UVA defense.

Check out our breakdown of the Virginia offense here: Virginia Football 2022 Season Preview: Offense

Check out our breakdown of the Virginia special teams unit here: Virginia Football 2022 Season Preview: Special Teams

Check out our breakdown of the 2022 Virginia football schedule here: Virginia Football 2022 Season Preview: Schedule

The 2021 season was one the UVA defense would like to forget. Out of 130 FBS teams, Virginia ranked 121st in total defense, yielding 466.0 yards per game, and 103rd in scoring defense, allowing 31.8 points per game. In what should have been marginal victories given the output of the offense, the Cavaliers gave up 48 points to Pittsburgh, 59 points to North Carolina, and 66 points to BYU, all losses. Virginia failed to get to opposing quarterbacks, failed to stop the run, missed tackles at an alarming rate, and gave up several big plays in every game.

Now, the Cavaliers have a clean slate and a massive chip on their shoulders entering a new season. And that's where we can provide some good news as there are many reasons why UVA can and should have a much improved defense in 2022.

From a personnel standpoint, Virginia has a good mix of solid returning starters, some potential breakout stars from among the players who didn't get much playing time last season, and a batch of transfers that bring experience, talent, and depth, particularly on the defensive line.

UVA did lose some key contributors from last year's unit, namely Joey Blount, Nick Grant, Mandy Alonso, De'Vante Cross, West Weeks, and Noah Taylor. But, their departures are providing opportunities for some new names to step up and be the driving force behind the resurgence of the Virginia defense. The exciting additions of Kam Butler, Jack Camper, Paul Akere, and Devontae Davis will give the Cavaliers a level of depth up front that they have not had in a few years.

The most importance change experienced by the UVA defense this year had nothing to do with player personnel. Nick Howell, the defensive coordinator under Bronco Mendenhall, is off to Vanderbilt and has been replaced by former Air Force defensive coordinator John Rudzinski. After spending the last 12 years on the coaching staff at Air Force, including the last four seasons as defensive coordinator, Rudzinski comes to UVA with an impressive resume. In 2020, Rudzinski's Air Force defense gave up just 15.0 points per game, the third-lowest scoring defense in all of college football that season. Last fall, the Falcons ranked No. 4 in the nation in total defense, yielding just 296.5 yards per game.

Along with the other defensive assistants Kevin Downing (defensive tackles), Curome Cox (defensive backs), and former UVA football greats Clint Sintim (linebackers) and Chris Slade (defensive ends), Rudzinski and company look to reform the Virginia defense back into being a strength of the team, not a weakness.

Rudzinski hasn't told us much about his intended scheme for the UVA defense. But from what we can gather from his comments and the released depth chart for the Richmond game, Virginia will be running a five-defensive back system. The Cavaliers will have a few versatile positions on the field that will serve as hybrids that can shift from linebacker to safety or from down lineman to linebacker depending on the situation. We'll get into the details of which specific players will be filling those versatile roles a little later on.

The combination of new personnel, a new coaching staff, a new defensive scheme, and the mentality that the Cavaliers are out to prove themselves ought to be a recipe for significant improvement this season.

With that in mind, let's take a look at Virginia's defensive roster for the 2022 season:

Defensive Line

The defensive line could the strength of the UVA defense in 2022 based purely on the number of players who can line up in the trenches and provide quality reps. Rudzinski and company want have a deep rotation of defensive linemen so they can keep everyone fresh and always have three or four high-energy rushers battling at the line of scrimmage on every snap.

Two transfers occupy the defensive end position on the UVA depth chart. Kam Butler from Miami (Ohio) shot up to the front of the position group early during fall camp and never looked back, earning and maintaining a starting job. Butler was twice selected to the All-MAC Second Team at Miami (Ohio) and was named to the All-MAC First Team in 2021 after posting a remarkable statline of 53 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three forced fumbles, three quarterback hits, and an interception. According to the UVA coaching staff, Butler's work ethic has stood out from day one and he is expected to be a playmaker all season long.

Joining Butler at defensive end is Columbia transfer Paul Akere, donning the No. 1 jersey for Virginia. Akere made the All-Ivy League Second Team last season, recording 42 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five sacks, and a forced fumble. The one-two punch of Kam Butler and Paul Akere could be a major issue for opposing offensive tackles this season.

Virginia has a couple of big-body disruptive forces of nature at the nose tackle spot. Jahmeer Carter is a serious candidate to have breakout season in 2022. The 6'2", 313-pound junior started in 10 games last year and made 23 tackles. His ability to plug the gaps will be crucial to UVA's run defense. Devontae Davis, a transfer from South Carolina, is listed at 6'4", 306 pounds. After a summer spent with new UVA strength and conditioning coach Adam Smotherman, Davis reported during fall camp that he feels he is in incredible shape and is excited to make a difference on the interior of the defensive line. Virginia also returns junior Olasunkonmi Agunloye, a veteran with some solid experience after appearing in nine games last season.

At defensive tackle are Aaron Faumui and Ben Smiley III. Faumui initially entered the transfer portal during the coaching change, but decided to come back to UVA after meeting with Tony Elliott and the new Virginia coaching staff. The 6'2", 282-pound senior Faumui appeared in all 12 games last season, recording 23 tackles 3.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. As for Ben Smiley III, he has also gotten a lot of love from the UVA coaching staff as a player who is primed for a breakout season. Smiley was very highly-recruited coming out of high school and held offers from Alabama, Oklahoma, Clemson, Texas A&M, and several other Power Five programs. He has dealt with significant injury and health issues throughout his career, including asthma attacks, but now he appears to be in great shape and is doing very well both on the field and in the classroom. The coaching staff is very excited about Smiley reaching his potential this fall.

Bandit is a versatile position that can serve as a fourth down lineman while also being able to drop back into coverage like a linebacker. At that critical spot, Virginia is looking to senior Chico Bennett Jr. and Michigan State grad transfer Jack Camper. The 6'4", 252-pound Bennett transferred to UVA from Georgia Tech in 2020 but didn't appear in any games last season, but this has been a career-changing offseason for him, as he has thoroughly impressed the new UVA coaching staff and earned a starting job in fall camp. Similarly, the Virginia coaches have liked what they've seen from Jack Camper, with John Rudzinski even noting that it didn't seem like Camper was a transfer given how well he has integrated himself into the program this year. Camper's Big Ten experience playing in 27 games over the last four seasons at Michigan State will be very valuable.

Linebackers

At the MIKE or middle linebacker position sits Virginia's defensive leader, Nick Jackson. A two-time All-ACC selection and a member of the preseason watch lists for both the Bednarik Award (best defensive player) and the Butkus Award (best linebacker), Jackson returns after leading the ACC with 117 tackles last season. Virginia has high expectations for Jackson this season and that also goes for junior linebacker Josh Ahern, another breakout candidate for the upcoming season. Ahern has appeared in 22 games over the last three years, including 11 games last season, and recorded 25 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in 2021. Ahern will have to sit out the first half of the Richmond game due to a targeting penalty called against him in the Virginia Tech game last year, but the Cavaliers are hoping for him to take a big leap this year.

Sophomore James Jackson will start at the WILL or weakside inside linebacker position. A 6'3", 228-pound sophomore, Jackson had a strong fall camp and the UVA coaching staff likes what he brings in the middle of the defense. Joining Jackson at WILL are juniors Hunter Stewart, who recorded 37 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks last season, and D'Sean Perry, who played in seven games in 2021.

Secondary

As part of John Rudzinski's five-defensive back scheme, the usual two cornerbacks and two safeties will be supplemented by the SPUR position, a hybrid player who can fulfill both the roles of a safety and a linebacker. Fifth-year Darrius Bratton has been pegged as the starter at SPUR. A veteran with 43 career appearances, Bratton was tied for fifth on the team with 26 solo tackles last season.

Junior Chayce Chalmers is also listed at SPUR. Chalmers had a strong offseason, including a notable performance in the spring game, where he led all players with ten total tackles.

At the cornerback spots, Virginia will go with junior Fentrell Cypress II on the left and graduate Anthony Johnson on the right. Cypress started in six games last year and had an interception in the North Carolina game, picking off Sam Howell. Anthony Johnson is the biggest personality on the team, but he also brings it on the field. A very experienced player with 45 game appearances in his career, which he began at Louisville back in 2017, Johnson had three interceptions, nine passes defended, and 44 tackles last season. Sophomore Elijah Gaines will back up Cypress on the left and senior Jaylon Baker will backup Johnson on the right.

A couple of sophomore Virginia natives occupy the safety positions for the Hoos. Starting at free safety is Lex Long, who hails from Woodbridge, Virginia and played in eight games as a true freshman. The starter at strong safety is Charlottesville native Jonas Sanker, who also got a lot of playing time as a first year, appearing in nine games last fall. Both Sanker and Long impressed defensive backs coach Curome Cox during camp and earned their starting jobs in August. Sophomore Donovan Johnson backs up Long at free safety while Sanker's strong safety backup is senior Antonio Clary, who had 42 tackles last season. Expect to see Clary on the field quite a bit as well.

Conclusion

After a disastrous 2021 season, there really is nowhere for the UVA defense to go but up. With the weapons Virginia has returning on offense, even marginal improvement on the defensive end should result in a more successful season this fall. With the influx of talent from the transfer portal and from a few breakout candidates as well as the scheme adjustments from the new coaching staff, there's a chance the Cavaliers experience more than just marginal defensive improvements in 2022.

Follow CavaliersNow on Twitter
Follow CavaliersNow on Facebook

See more Virginia football news and content: Virginia Football on Sports Illustrated

See more Virginia sports news and content: Virginia Cavaliers on Sports Illustrated