Des Kitchings, offensive coordinator of the Virginia Cavaliers, has never hidden his desire for a running-focused offense. His roots are all in the running game, having coached running backs for NC State, South Carolina and most recently the Atlanta Falcons.
The problem is that in his first two years in Charlottesville, the ‘Hoos were never able to rely on a workhorse who could move the chains consistently. In fact, they never had anyone who even managed 400 yards on the ground in either season. It was the exact opposite of what Kitchings wanted, which was an offense carried almost exclusively by the quarterback.
In 2024, that has to change. And the responsibility for that lies largely with one man: Kobe Pace.
The Georgia native played in all three seasons at Clemson, performing particularly well in his second year before being forced to leave the club in his third year due to injuries.
As part of a 2023 running back roster at UVA, Pace was disappointing to say the least, rushing for just 382 yards on 125 carries (3.1 per attempt) and scoring four total touchdowns. Excluding the William & Mary game, his season-high was a measly 54 yards on 21 carries against Duke.
Quite simply, it’s either go for it or shut up. We’ve definitely seen what he’s capable of. The 5’10”, 215-pound player may not be incredibly explosive, but he still has good vision and can block runs on the outside or squeeze through tight gaps. As long as the offensive line can hold up its end of the bargain, Pace’s numbers should skyrocket.
In fairness to Pace, he was productive as a receiver last year, especially in the vertical passing game. Perhaps the team can further exploit his potential as a route runner and expand beyond wheel routes, especially in a scenario where they are trying to replace Malik Washington altogether. The bottom line, however, is that the Hoos need a great season of pace on the ground.
Another important factor is Xavier Brown’s health. Brown had an amazing freshman season, rushing for 210 yards and a touchdown. UVA probably doesn’t survive the 2022 Old Dominion shock without his 88 yards on nine carries. After missing almost all of 2023, Brown is battling a new shoulder injury that will extend his training camp.
Brown’s return to the field sooner rather than later will be crucial to take some of the pressure off Pace. He’s not necessarily a short-yardage running back, but someone who fits well into the zone scheme with his added quickness and breakaway speed.
If Brown isn’t good enough on the opening kickoff, former walk-on Jack Greise will be slotted in as RB2. (For those of you who don’t know, this is actually the grandson of former NFL HOF QB Bob… add that to your televised bingo card.)
2023 was Griese’s second year in the UVA program and he rarely got on the field, gaining 34 yards on 11 touches. Unlike Pace and Brown, Griese is a powerful hitter and will definitely be valuable at the goal line.
Looking further down the rankings, you’ll find Noah Vaughn and Donte Hawthorne, both of whom redshirted their first season at Grounds. It won’t surprise you if either of them gets some work next season.
To add a few more players to the roster, former three-star quarterback Davis Lane (2022), who originally switched to safety, is now listed as a running back. Former walk-on Landon Spell has also switched from his original position as signal caller.
