When the Virginia Cavaliers go up against Tennessee Football on Saturday, they’ll be without edge rusher, Chico Bennett Jr., arguably their best player. Without him, here are the top five UVA Cavs to watch for against the Vols when the two face off in Nashville, Tenn., at Nissan Stadium.
5. Coen King, CB
UVA’s best cornerback, Anthony Johnson, is gone and now with the New Orleans Saints. To address the issue, Tony Elliott moved Coen King from safety to their No. 1 cornerback in the spring. King had an interception and a pass breakup last year, but he’s got a ton of potential, so he could test Joe Milton III.
4. Tony Muskett, QB
The Monmouth Hawks transfer quarterback was brought in to replace Brennan Armstrong. Tony Muskett was a three-year starter there, completing 64 percent of his passes for 5,687 yards, 51 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He also ran for over 200 yards his final year. However, Tennessee Football now tests him in his first game not at the FCS level.
3. Malik Washington, WR
No weapons at wide receiver created a major issue for UVA. They still have no running backs either. As a result, the Cavs added Northwestern Wildcats transfer Malik Washington. Last year, Washington had 65 catches for 694 yards in Big Ten play. Standing at 5’9″ 192 pounds, he’s a speedy slot guy who could give the Vols trouble.
2. Kam Butler, DE
Without Chico Bennett Jr., all the expectations are on the other edge rusher for UVA to make an impact. Kameron Butler is actually the higher graded returning defensive end on PFF. He had four and a half tackles for a loss and three sacks last year. Tennessee Football also has questions on the offensive line, so watch out.
1. Aaron Faumui, DT
What makes the edge rushers go is the play of the returning defensive tackles in the middle. Aaron Faumui is the best of the two. At 6’1″ 280 pounds, he had an incredible eight and a half tackles for a loss and four sacks last year. UT is banged up on the interior of its line, so Faumui could give them real trouble.
