Postgame Notes - William & Mary Game

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Sept. 2, 2017

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Virginia Game Notes

Virginia 28, William & Mary 10
Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017
Scott Stadium

Team Notes

• UVA won its first season-opening game since 2013 (19-16 vs. BYU)
• UVA has won nine of its last 10 meetings vs. William & Mary and improved to 29-6-1 all-time vs. the Tribe
• The Cavaliers improved to 75-21-7 all-time in home openers and 81-38-9 all-time in season openers
• Head coach Bronco Mendenhall improved to 9-4 in season openers (1-1 at UVA & 8-3 at BYU)
• UVA did not commit a turnover, breaking its 42-game streak of having at least one turnover (Oct. 12, 2013 at Maryland)
• UVA held an opponent to 10 or fewer points for the first time since shutting out VMI on Sept. 21, 2013
• Virginia First Time Starters: Offense: John Montelus (OG), Dillon Reinkensmeyer (LT) and Ben Hogg (WR); Defense: Malcolm Cook (OLB) and Brenton Nelson (FS)
• Reinkensmeyer is the first freshman, true or redshirt, to start a season-opening game on the offensive line for UVA since R-Fr. Will Barker started at RT in 2006 vs. Pitt.
• Reinkensmeyer is the first freshman, redshirt or true, to start a season-opening game at LT since D’Brickashaw Ferguson (true freshman) in 2002 vs. Colorado State.
• Reed Kellam (ILB), Ben Knutson (OG), Lester Coleman (P), Jamari Peacock (FB)**, Brenton Nelson (FS), De’Vante Cross (WR), Nick Grant (SS), PK Kier (RB)**, Joey Blount (FS)**, Germaine Crowell (CB)**, Nash Griffin (Holder), Matt Gahm (LB)**, Terrell Jana (WR)**, Mandy Alonso (DL)**, Brian Delaney (K)** and A.J. Mejia (K)** made their collegiate debuts

** – denotes true freshmen

Player Notes

• QB Kurt Benkert went 27-of-39 for 262 yards and three TDs
• Benkert has thrown three or more TDs in five games at UVA
• HB Olamide Zaccheaus tallied his ninth career receiving TD with a 17-yarder in the third quarter
• Zaccheaus (5 catches, 56 yards) extended his reception streak to 17 games
• RB Jordan Ellis set career highs in rushes (20) and rushing yards (80)
• Ellis added a pair of TDs (1 rushing, 1 receiving)
• Andre Levrone’s 34-yard TD reception marked his third career receiving TD (first since freshman season in 2014)
• Ben Hogg had his first career reception, coming on UVA’s first play from scrimmage
• Doni Dowling extended his reception streak to six games and finished with team highs in catches (6) and yards (76)
• S Juan Thornhill had a career-high 10 tackles
• OLB Malcolm Cook had his first career sack and a career-high 13 tackles
• OLB Chris Peace recorded his first career interception
• FS Quin Blanding (14 tackles) moved past Randy Neal (367 tackles, 1991-94) into eighth on UVA’s all-time tackle list with 372
• Lester Coleman had a 63-yard punt and averaged 43.8 yards on four punts in his collegiate punting debut