The key to stopping every QB on the rest of Virginia’s schedule

CJ Bailey is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the nation. Virginia made him look completely clueless last Saturday in a 34-8 victory over his NC State team.

For the rest of this 2026 regular season, the Cavaliers will face many quarterbacks far inferior to Bailey — but there are also a few immensely talented signal-callers. Here is what defensive coordinator John Rudzinski can do to shut them all down.

Deljay Bailey, Norfolk State

There is almost nothing Bailey can do in this situation. He performed well against the likes of Winston-Salem State, but he will now play a Friday night road game against an ACC contender. The Spartans are going to get obliterated — the only question will be if Bailey can remotely salvage his statistics.

Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia

Hawkins’ key to success lies in the run game. The Mountaineers have Cam Cook, one of the nation’s top running backs. If Virginia can stuff the box and force Hawkins to test stingy defensive backs, the Cavaliers are likely to win. Hawkins is unproven and will be facing a vicious defense.

Nick Minicucci, Delaware

Similar to Deljay Bailey, there is almost nothing Minicucci can do to steal a win. That scenario is not as rough given the Blue Hens are a better program, but even so, it would take a miracle for Delaware to come within 21 points of the Cavaliers.

Ashton Daniels, Florida State

This is a game where Virginia’s high-end talent needs to dominate. Players like Kam Robinson, Brandyn Hillman and Fisher Camac will be crucial in winning a game in a difficult road environment. Daniels has little to no experience defeating teams with the type of NFL talent found on the Cavaliers defense.

Steve Angeli, Syracuse

Controlling the pace of the game will be essential against the Orange. When Angeli led an upset over Clemson last year, he did so by forcing the Tigers to play from behind. This game will be put in the hands of Beau Pribula and his offense — long, methodical drives will allow Virginia to seize full control of the game.

Kevin Jennings, SMU

It sounds like an impossible task against the elite SMU offensive line, but the key is simple. If Virginia can pressure Jennings with only a few rushers while dropping most players into diverse zone coverage, then the Cavaliers have a real shot at swiping an upset in Dallas. Jennings often has all day to throw, or can rely on the run game. What happens if Virginia removes both of those factors?

Walker Eget, Duke

A healthy dose of Robinson should pay massive dividends. Duke’s offense was able to turn the tables and hold the ball all evening against the Cavaliers in the ACC title game — but Robinson is a turnover-forcing machine and can be used as a versatile chess piece. Eget has never had to face a player like Robinson.

Gio Lopez, Wake Forest

The Cavaliers should simply repeat the strategy they used against Lopez when he started for North Carolina last year. Lopez is not the most accurate deep passer, so constant varied blitzes should throw him off-schedule and wreck the Demon Deacon offense.

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele

The CJ Bailey treatment would be the play in this situation. Virginia needs its offense to thrive against a so-so defense, and the Cavalier defense needs to steal an extra possession or two. If Virginia generates one or two turnovers, it can drain several minutes off the clock and keep Sagapolutele on the sidelines. He is the most talented quarterback the Cavaliers face this year.

Billy Edwards, North Carolina

Rudzinski can differentiate looks against Edwards and make him uncomfortable. Rudzinski has seen Edwards when he played for Maryland and beat Virginia in 2024. If Edwards builds momentum and finds open receivers, he is capable of making big plays. The solution is to show various coverages.

Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech

Virginia must control the line of scrimmage. The Hokies have an underrated offensive line and a promising run game — and on top of that, Grunkemeyer is a talented passer. However, he is a poor runner and should struggle if the Cavaliers defensive line sheds blocks with ease. If Grunkemeyer has to scramble and survive off-platform, Virginia should be the victor.

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