The Collegian
Friday, March 29, 2024

Richmond run defense struggles in season opener

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- It wasn't so long ago that Richmond was known for its tough run defense. It wasn't so long ago that the Spiders held the rushing attack of Duke University to under 20 yards. But after Saturday night's 34-13 loss at the University of Virginia, that defense seems like a distant-memory.

The Cavaliers ran at will against the Spiders' defense. Keith Payne, Perry Jones, Raynard Horne and Dominique Wallace combined to rush for 205 yards on 35 carries for the Cavaliers. And the numbers don't even tell the whole story.

With the game at 14-13 during the third quarter, Payne got four consecutive rushing attempts that were all at least 13 yards. On each rushing attempt, it took virtually the entire defense to take down Payne after he dragged them for an additional two or three yards. And it was that type of running for Payne all game long.

Granted, at 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, Payne is a big running back (for comparison's sake, Kendall Gaskins is 6-foot-1 and 250 pounds). Virginia also had a big offensive line, but senior defensive tackle Martin Parker wouldn't use that as an excuse.

"As defensive lineman, you go into a game you know your technique and you know how to play blocking schemes," Parker said. "We faced offensive lines as big as that, the [2008] year that we won the national championship. Montana's line was as big or bigger than that.

"We'll never use that as an excuse. That's why we stay in Richmond the entire summer, to weight lift and work out to get stronger and be better."

Last year, the defense only gave up 100 yards on the ground three times. In back-to-back weeks, James Madison University and a run-dominated Virginia Military Institute reached that number and Appalachian State also got to that milestone during the playoff loss for Richmond.

In that VMI game last year, the 184 rushing yards were gained on 40 attempts in the seldom-run option offense. The Mountaineers were tough to contain because of the running ability of Armanti Edwards, their former quarterback. But rarely would fans see a team line up in a traditional running formation and gain large chunks of yards against the Richmond defense.

Nor would fans see Richmond's defense miss bunches of tackles, something that was a constant problem Saturday night. Richmond coach Latrell Scott was quick to praise the Virginia players though for creating those misses.

"Those guys are on scholarship over there too," Scott said. "They're recruited for their ability to make people miss. We just got to make sure that we tackle better."

It is also necessary to note that three of the four starters on the defensive line are new as well as the middle linebacker. Maybe with time, the defense with seven new starters develops chemistry and is able to return to its previous level.

But if Richmond wants to make the playoffs for the fourth-straight year, that cohesion better come soon.

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Contact staff writer Andrew Prezioso at andrew.prezioso@richmond.edu

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