What Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall said about Notre Dame football
A few weeks ago, this might have sounded like a farfetched statement. But now it’s true: The Virginia quarterback situation is more of a mystery than that of Notre Dame.
The last time the Fighting Irish traveled to Virginia, there was major speculation a Notre Dame signal-caller other than graduate student Jack Coan would start for the first time this season. Coan started but was benched for freshman Tyler Buchner early on.
Coan has since regained a firm grip on the position with Buchner giving the team a boost on a few drives here and there. Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall has noticed how Coan and Buchner have settled into their respective roles.
“There’s two distinct styles, and they’re becoming more and more specific when they use each quarterback,” Mendenhall said. “You’re not necessarily preparing for two. You’re preparing for the situational usage of different offensive players.
“When you frame it that way, it gives you a better chance to not have to prepare everything but some things for each one.”
Mendenhall would not say if the country’s No. 2 passer in terms of yards per game will suit up and play, meanwhile. Junior Brennan Armstrong injured his ribs against BYU on Oct. 30. He is a game-time decision for Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.
That is not a spot the coach would like the Cavaliers to be in.
“Outcome is tied to quarterback play at a disproportionate level,” Mendenhall said. “If you’re not exceptional at that position, you’re already behind all of your opponents. So not only do you need one, you need two. Very few teams are making it through with just their starter in full health the entire way.”
Place Notre Dame in that category. Coan injured his ankle against Wisconsin. Sophomore Drew Pyne played the rest of that game. Obviously, Buchner has played quite a bit, too. Mendenhall said teams need two reliable quarterbacks. Notre Dame has needed three.
Mendenhall tried to break down how a team can be effective using multiple quarterbacks without being predictable, in terms of what will occur when one quarterback is on the field versus the other.
“For every play that is your primary play, there needs to be another play that if you defend that well — by defending it well, the complementary play will hurt that,” Mendenhall said. “That number of plays doesn’t really need to expand that much if it’s well thought out and if you have a really good player at quarterback which most teams do including Notre Dame.
“The number of plays isn’t really where the magic is. It’s the complements and knowing that you can’t overplay, which then highlights the player. Then it becomes matchup oriented.”
Mendenhall has enough to worry about with his own quarterback situation. But Notre Dame’s presents him another headache entirely.
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