By Jeff White (jwhite@virginia.edu)
VirginiaSports.com
CONWAY, S.C. — It would have been a special day for Xavier Brown no matter what. But his father had driven some 600 miles to see him play, and knowing Lamont Brown was in the stands Saturday made the occasion even more special for his son, a tailback on the University of Virginia football team.
Brown, who’s from Lexington, Ky., has been slowed by injuries since joining the Cavaliers’ program in 2022. But when healthy he has game-breaking ability, as Coastal Carolina learned on a hot, humid afternoon.
In front of 22,104 fans, the largest crowd ever for a game at 20,000-seat Brooks Stadium, Brown rushed nine times for 171 yards, the highest total for a Virginia running back since 2018. He led an offense that piled up 384 rushing yards in a 43-24 win over the Chanticleers, who had won 23 of their previous 27 home games.
Brown’s highlights included a 75-yard run, the longest by a Cavalier since tailback Jordan Ellis’ 75-yarder against Ohio in 2018.
“I’m not going to lie: I teared up a little bit, just being out there and being able to make the plays that I know I can make,” Brown said. “And props to the guys up front. They’re a major reason I’m in that position to make those plays. So it’s just a blessing in itself. I can’t do anything but thank my O-line and thank the Lord.”
With some nice blocking up front, Xavier Brown breaks for 75 yards up the sideline 🚂🔥
That’s our program’s longest rush since 2018. pic.twitter.com/bxN0DpKmCl
— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball) September 21, 2024
For the season, the 5-foot-9, 196-yard Brown has rushed 33 times for a team-high 293 yards, an average of 8.9 yards per carry.
“It’s what you’ve been seeing all season,” UVA head coach Tony Elliott said when asked about Brown’s performance against Coastal. “The carries that he’s been given, he’s taking advantage of. He’s been running hard all year, and today he was able to finish and not get nicked up.”
Brown’s talent has never been in question. As a true freshman, he rushed for 88 yards on nine carries in a victory over Old Dominion.
“He’s explosive,” Elliott said, “and I’m just super, super happy for him to have success today.”
Led by Brown, six Cavaliers rushed for at least 20 yards apiece. Fellow tailbacks Kobe Pace, Jack Griese and Noah Vaughan ran for 57, 38 and 32 yards, respectively, and quarterbacks Anthony Colandrea (47) and Tony…