Coach Groh has plenty on his plate
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
January 7, 2006

At last glance, Al Groh was walking out of Nashville's football stadium with a Cheshire cat-canary-chomping grin. His underdog Virginia team had staged a dramatic comeback to upset favored Minnesota in the Music City Bowl, a game that some critics said the Cavaliers didn't deserve.
While Nashville is hardly a blip on college football's postseason radar screen, it was a true feel good win for Virginia's program.

Yeah, Minnesota wasn't ranked, but was a decent team from the Big Ten that had beaten both Michigan and Michigan State. The Gophers also boasted the nation's No. 2 running attack, the No. 10 scoring attack, and a defense that had more holes in it than a stop sign in Fallujah.

But that wasn't as impressive as the way Virginia was forced to get things done. Groh's team had to go into bowl preparation and the game itself without a full complement of assistant coaches (both coordinators were long gone, although Ron Prince strolled the sidelines as a very interested spectator), and with several players missing due to injuries, academics and off the field issues.

That was seven days ago. Since then, Groh has been splitting his time between recruiting and searching for replacements to fill his staff.

We caught up with him a few nights ago. Groh had just left the house of a recruit and was seeking out a place to watch the Orange Bowl on TV. Obviously, there was a lot on his mind.

Double duty?

One of those things was whether or not he will continue as UVa's defensive coordinator in addition to his head coaching duties. It worked well for the bowl game. Players reported and even Groh admitted it was fun.

But could he do it for the long haul?

Certainly it's an option. Pete Carroll does both at Southern Cal.

That's one of the things he talked extensively with old friend Bill Belechick about in December. Belechick, who has carved his name into NFL lore with his success in New England, shared his thoughts with Groh about the prospects of hiring new coordinators and other issues. Belechick had to replace both his coordinators after last year's Super Bowl and the Patriots are still alive in this year's playoffs.

"I was already thinking about some possibilities but I wanted to talk to someone who had gone through the same things," Groh said of his conversation. "I gained some confirmation and some insight."

A return to London?

Groh could also end up hiring Mike London, whom he has great respect for. A former assistant for Groh, London has been on the Houston Texans staff, but head coach Dom Capers was fired this week. The question is would London come back as associate head coach or defensive coordinator?

Groh is keeping that information and developments about a new offensive coordinator close to his vest, although he did say he is very

pleased with the pool of candidates for UVa's offensive line coach position.

Fans wonder if the head coach will promote son, Mike, or possibly wide receivers coach John Garrett to the OC. Virginia's offensive game plan was pretty impressive in the bowl, although we're not sure exactly who was calling the plays.

Chances are, now that recruiting closes down for a week starting Sunday (Virginia will host a bunch of talented junior prospects at today's basketball game against Clemson), Groh will focus somewhat on his staff. Assuming that he attends the national coaching convention, where there's a lot of wheeling and dealing going on, it will be a perfect time for him to meet and greet prospective candidates.

Still, there's a glow from winning Virginia's third bowl game in four years, a first for the Cavaliers' program.

"It was a positive win for us," Groh said. "There could have been plenty of excuses in there for us not to do well. Any one of [those excuses] individually would have been enough. Cumulatively they could have added up to a big excuse."

He was pleased to see Wali Lundy finish strong. Lundy, who finished as the ACC's all-time leading touchdown maker, had 59 yards rushing and two TDs. He nearly broke a couple of runs for huge gains in the process.

Observers believe had Lundy not been injured in the season's opener that the Cavs may have won at least one more regular season game, perhaps two.

Leading up to the bowl game, Lundy told running backs coach Anthony Poindexter that he had thought he was back to normal during the season but that after watching tapes of practice and games he realized he was much farther away from 100 percent than he had believed.

Injuries are a part of the game and Groh will be the first to say that you've got to play the hand you're dealt.

But the strong finish to the season, a good effort at Miami, then beating favored Minnesota, left a good taste for the long offseason. It was a good launching point for 2006, particularly for a lot of young players.

Sources believe that star linebacker Ahmad Brooks is leaning strongly toward returning to the program if he doesn't experience any academic obstacles. Brooks was a mere shadow of himself this past season because of injuries.

However, linebacker Kai Parham may not return. Sources indicate that Parham is leaning toward entering the NFL Draft, which could be a mistake because he is currently rated a fifth-round pick at best.

Either way, that's something Groh will have to deal with down the road after recruiting and hiring new assistants. Enough to keep even Groh busy.

 

Virginia men's hoops host Clemson today at noon
By Whitelaw Reid / Daily Progress staff writer
January 7, 2006

The University of Virginia basketball team had one of its poorest offensive performances of the season in its ACC opener on Dec. 4 at Georgia Tech. The Cavaliers shot 27 percent from the field in the 63-54 loss.
UVa's starting backcourt of Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds were the leaders of the brick brigade. They shot a combined 4 of 30.

Today at noon, the Cavs play their first ACC home game when they host Clemson at University Hall. UVa (6-5, 0-1) will need a much better effort from everyone as they face a Tigers' squad that is off to its best start (12-2) since the 1996-97 season.

"We're obviously excited to begin the home portion of our ACC schedule," said Cavaliers coach Dave Leitao, during a teleconference on Friday. "Having played Georgia Tech gave us a brief understanding of the level of play you have to come with and most importantly - the emotional input that games in this league present."

Leitao said Clemson's style will force his team to crank its intensity level up a few notches.

"We've tried the last couple of days to get our guys to understand that in Clemson you have a team that thrives on how hard they play," he said.

Singletary and Reynolds are coming off their best collective effort of the season in the loss at Western Kentucky on Monday. The duo combined for 46 points, including several clutch hoops that kept the team within striking distance.

"Hopefully those guys continue to play that way," Leitao said.

The Cavs' supporting cast wasn't as good against the Hilltoppers. Mamadi Diane and Adrian Joseph were a combined 2 of 13 from the field with four turnovers and one assist. Big men Jason Cain and Tunji Soroye combined for just six rebounds.

Freshman big man Laurynas Mikalauskas had one of his better games - eight points and nine rebounds - but Leitao wants to see a similar performance before he jumps on the Blue Ridge product's bandwagon.

"He's finishing better and taking his time in the post, understanding the game a lot better," Leitao said. "Hopefully that means he's getting better. I'll say if he took a step forward in the Western Kentucky game when he we get to 2 [o'clock today] after the Clemson game."

The Tigers, picked by the media to finish 11th in the ACC, won their first 11 games of the season before losing at Georgia on Dec. 28. Then they were upset at home by Elon.

Prior to the Georgia game, the Tigers' 6-foot-9 forward James Mays - the team's leading rebounder - was declared academically ineligible for the rest of the season.

"He was a big part of our defense," said Clemson coach Oliver Purnell during his teleconference on Friday. "He brought a lot of energy. We lost something there and have to replace that and figure out a way to adjust. We'll have to make some subtle changes and do things a little differently here and there."

Clemson got back on the winning track with a 61-55 home win over Florida State on Wednesday.

"It was obvious we didn't play very offensively and turned it over too many times, but I thought we were outstanding defensively," Purnell said. "I thought our effort and energy on the defensive end of the floor was the difference in the ball game."

Purnell said he's anticipating a tough contest today.

"They've been sitting there for almost a whole week preparing for us and are going to be looking forward to their home opener," Purnell said.

"If you've been around this league, you know the kind of intensity level that can generate for a home team. That poses a huge challenge for us to match their energy and effort. If we do that, I think we'll have a chance to win."

DUNKS: Leitao and Purnell have known each other for years. Before accepting the job at UVa, Leitao called Purnell to pick his brain about the position. "He's been around a long time," Leitao said. "He's got a wealth of experience - not just in this league, but other places. I thought I could get input about the potential this position had."? Leitao said guard T.J. Bannister won't play today. "He's getting closer," Leitao said. "It will be sooner rather than later."? Virginia has won the last four meetings between the schools, including a victory at U-Hall last season. ? The Tigers haven't won an opening ACC road game since beating the Cavs during the '96-97 season.

 

Minter bound for Appalachian State
By Whitelaw Reid / Daily Progress staff writer
January 7, 2006

Former University of Virginia basketball player Donte Minter has apparently found a new home.
Minter, a 6-foot-8 post player from Salisbury, N.C., is transferring to Appalachian State, according to the Salisbury Post.

Minter had been bothered by injuries for the last two seasons at Virginia. This season, a knee ailment prevented him from ever playing a single game.

Minter, who announced he was leaving UVa on Dec. 22, didn't return messages left on his cellphone, but his mother, Patricia Minter, confirmed he was considering Appalachian State.

"They've been talking to him," she said, "but he hasn't made [any] decision. But I'm usually the last person to know."

Minter was recruited strongly by Appalachian State coming out of West Rowan High in Salisbury, N.C.

However, he chose to take a post-graduate year at Fork Union Military Academy in an effort to earn a scholarship at a higher-caliber program.

The move paid off, as Minter caught the eye of former UVa coach Pete Gillen, who was just down the road from Minter.

Minter had a pretty good freshman year, but was hampered by injuries during the rest of his time in Charlottesville.

In his senior year at West Rowan, Minter led his squad to a 30-0 record and a North Carolina AAA State Championship.

One of the plusses of attending Appalachian State - a member of the Southern Conference - will be the chance to be closer to his family's home in Salisbury.

"My family and I talked about it," Minter told the Post. "Being close to home meant a lot. I can come home and visit my parents whenever I want."

Minter won't be eligible to play until next season.
 

Long road to respectability
Virginia's young team still is very much a work in progress as the Cavaliers enter the heart of their ACC schedule.
BY MELINDA WALDROP
247-4634
January 6, 2006
As his teammates discussed the changes Dave Leitao has brought to the Virginia men's basketball program in his first year in Charlottesville - a defined structure, an emphasis on defense, an attention to detail - Laurynas Mikalauskas mentioned another, more telling trait he senses in his new coach.

"He knows how to bring the aura back to U.Va.," Mikalauskas, a freshman power forward, said.

Mikalauskas' comments were made two months ago, before the Cavaliers played their first game under Leitao. The former DePaul coach took over after embattled former coach Pete Gillen at last exited after a seven-year tenure that produced an 118-93 record and just one NCAA tournament appearance, in 2001.

It was too early then to know if Mikalauskas was right, and it's still too early now, as the Cavs prepare to begin ACC play in earnest when Clemson comes to Charlottesville on Saturday. Impressions of Leitao - much like the team he inherited - are still forming.

So far this season, U.Va. has played then-No. 10 Gonzaga tough on the road in Spokane, Wash., and put together a three-game winning streak against Loyola (Md.), Maryland-Baltimore County and Hartford. They've also been blown out in the second half at Arizona and lost to Fordham and Western Kentucky.

"We're not satisfied," freshman forward Mamadi Diane said after scoring 16 points in the Cavs' 77-66 victory over UMBC last week in Richmond.

One would hope not. While his players seem to have bought into Leitao's defense-driven philosophy and say they welcome the discipline he's brought to the program, it's clear that the road back to ACC respectability (the Cavs finished 4-12 in the conference last year and haven't posted a winning league mark since 1999-2000) is a long one.

The journey isn't made any easier by a paper-thin bench and a neophyte frontcourt. The Cavs began the season with just eight healthy scholarship players and a serious lack of experience in the post. Junior guard T.J. Bannister still isn't full strength after struggling with a hip injury, while Donte Minter left the team last month after battling knee problems.

The Cavs' young players - Diane, Mikalauskas - have flashed potential followed by futility, while their burgeoning big men have both dominated and disappeared.

Monday's 78-68 loss at Western Kentucky in U.Va.'s final non-conference game served as a microcosm of the Cavs' inconsistency. The backcourt - which consists of junior guard J.R. Reynolds and sophomore Sean Singletary, an All-ACC freshman selection last season - combined to score 46 points, but no other player cracked double digits.

Diane, a game after his breakout 16-point performance, reverted back to the road woes that have plagued him away from University Hall, contributing just two points as the freshman's up-and-down learning curve hit another trough. Sophomore forward Adrian Joseph, who poured in a college-best 24 points as U.Va. put up 98 against Loyola on Dec. 23, joined Diane as a boxscore also-ran with two points. Junior forward Jason Cain, who has recorded five double-doubles already this season, was marginally more effective, scoring 10 points and pulled down five rebounds.

Singletary is averaging 17.4 points this season, Reynolds 14.9; no one else is in double digits.

"It's a little bit of a touchy subject; if perimeter players have a better chance of making a shot, getting them to pass it up," Leitao said.

Singletary, though, is confident that the Cavs' post players will eventually complement his efforts.

"From a team point of view, we trust that those guys are going to do their jobs," he said. "We can't win without them anyway."

The jelling process will have to kick into high gear when the Cavs enter the meat of their conference schedule. Virginia lost its league opener, 63-54, at Georgia Tech on Dec. 4, and the tests will now come fast and furious in what many regard as the nation's premier basketball conference.

Defending national champion North Carolina visits Charlottesville on Jan. 19, while the Cavs travel to No. 1 Duke on Jan. 28.

Whatever the Cavs expect of themselves, a preseason media poll clearly communicated what outsiders think. U.Va. was picked to finish last in the 12-team conference.

Leitao, a longtime assistant at UConn who came to U.Va. after three seasons as head coach at DePaul, knows that improving on that prediction is a process, one that has just begun.

"We've got to improve our talent level, we've got to improve our work ethic, we've got to improve a lot of things about the program," Leitao said. " ... You have to do it step by step."

Tigers take aim at two-fold task
Purnell wants team to maintain intensity on defense while cutting turnovers
By PATRICK OBLEY
Staff Writer

Only five times in school history has the Clemson men’s basketball team begun an Atlantic Coast Conference season 2-0.

The Tigers’ best chance to do that in 10 years comes today when they travel to Virginia.

When Clemson (12-2) meets the Cavaliers (6-5) at noon, it will be seeking to maintain defensive momentum from Wednesday’s 61-55 win against Florida State. At the same time, Tigers coach Oliver Purnell said he hopes his revamped lineup will find a way to boost offensive production and reduce turnovers.

“We’re very pleased to get that first win in our opening ACC game, but I think it’s obvious we didn’t play well offensively, didn’t shoot the ball well and turned the ball over too many times,” Purnell said. “Taking care of the basketball ... we turned it over 20 times versus Florida State. I’d love to see us hold that number to around 10.”

It does not seem turnovers should be a problem for Clemson, since it uses a three-guard lineup. But when guard Shawan Robinson replaced academically ineligible forward James Mays, he struggled to take care of the ball. Robinson scored 12 points Wednesday but committed five turnovers, all in the first half.

Robinson, who averages 11.3 points, had been the Tigers’ sixth man. Purnell now must find a new source of points off the bench.

Against Florida State, Troy Mathis pumped in 10 first-half points. K.C. Rivers, a versatile guard-forward, added eight points and seven rebounds as the Clemson bench outscored Florida State’s reserves 26-13.

While getting more points and better ball control are goals today, Purnell would be pleased if the Tigers simply maintained the intensity they displayed during Wednesday’s victory.

Clemson will need that focus to offset the Cavaliers’ potent backcourt tandem of Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds. The duo averages 32 points per game, and when they are clicking Virginia devastates its opponents in transition.

“They get out in transition awfully well, led by Singletary and Reynolds,” Purnell said. “They do a good job of getting shots for their two big guns.”

Clemson will attempt to start 2-0 in the ACC for the first time since the 1996-97 season, when the Tigers raced to a 5-0 record. The Tigers return from Virginia to play host to Wake Forest and Duke next week.

Purnell: Mays won’t make early return. Purnell rebuffed a claim made by James Mays’ father in a Raleigh newspaper that Mays might return to the team before season’s end.

Hardrick Mays told the Raleigh News & Observer that his son was ruled academically ineligible because of an incomplete grade he earned in a class. He said his son failed to turn in a final paper while the team was participating in the San Juan Shootout and that his class grade at the time was a B.

“There is a chance his status could change,” Hardrick Mays told the newspaper. “He knows he let a lot of people down, but we’re trying to get him to look at this as a learning experience.”

Purnell said Mays will remain at Clemson but will not rejoin the team until fall.

“We have to move on without James now. We took a couple of games to do that and didn’t do well,” Purnell said. “I anticipate James Mays will be back next September.”

Reach Obley at (803) 771-8473 or pobley@thestate.com.

Leitao prepared to face an old friend
Clemson's Purnell is on opposite bench in Cavs' home ACC opener
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Jan 7, 2006

CHARLOTTESVILLE - When the Cavaliers came courting last spring, Dave Leitao called friends in his profession. Leitao, then DePaul's coach, wanted feedback on the opening at the University of Virginia, where Pete Gillen had stepped down in March.

Is it a good job? Can U.Va. win in the ACC?

Among those to whom Leitao posed such questions was Clemson coach Oliver Purnell, who, coincidentally, had been a candidate at Virginia in the search that ended with Gillen's hiring in 1998.

"I just shared with him as much as I could," Purnell said yesterday.

Like others, Purnell spoke highly of U.Va., and that made it easier for Leitao to leave DePaul.

"He's a guy who's been around a long time," Leitao said of Purnell, who knows this state well from his days playing at Old Dominion and coaching at ODU and Radford.

The longtime friends are about to meet for the first time as head coaches. The Cavaliers (0-1, 6-5) play their ACC home opener this afternoon at University Hall, and their opponent is Clemson (1-0, 12-2).

The Cavs' record after 11 games is their worst since 1995-96. That team, coached by Gillen's predecessor, Jeff Jones, also started 6-5. It finished 12-15 overall and 6-10 in the ACC.

U.Va. could be 2-9, and the Tigers' third-year coach still would be worried.

"I don't care where we go in this league," Purnell said. "We're not going to be favored to win."

Virginia has numerous flaws, the most serious of which is probably the team's lack of depth. The roster includes only eight scholarship players. One of them, reserve point guard T.J. Bannister, has appeared in only two games, none since Dec. 7.

Bannister, who is recovering from a sports hernia, isn't likely to play today, "but he's closer," Leitao said, "and we've actually turned up the heat on his work on a day-to-day basis."

At least one Tiger can expect to have a large cheering section at U-Hall today. Junior point guard Vernon Hamilton, who leads Clemson in points, assists and steals, is a graduate of Richmond's Benedictine High. Hamilton isn't the only Tiger playing well, but this isn't the same team that opened the season with 11 straight victories.

Sophomore forward James Mays, who was averaging 9.2 points and 7.6 rebounds, was declared academically ineligible late last month.

Mays was "our leading rebounder, he was at the the point of our press, and he brought a lot of energy," Purnell said. "So from those three areas alone, we lost something there."

NOTE: Former U.Va. forward Donte Minter has transferred to Appalachian State, where he'll be eligible after the first semester ends in December.

Minter, a 6-8, 250-pound junior from Salisbury, N.C., quit the team at Virginia last month for undisclosed personal reasons. He had offseason knee surgery and never played for the Cavaliers this season.

As a high school senior, Minter signed with Appalachian State, but he ended up at Fork Union Military Academy after failing to meet NCAA eligibility requirements. Minter played in 31 games for Virginia as a freshman in 2003-04 and averaged 5.6 points and 2.6 rebounds. Injuries marred his sophomore season, when he played in only 18 games. Minter averaged 1.3 points in 2004-05.


 

Legg may coach Cavs' linemen
Richmond Times-Dispatch Jan 7, 2006

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- With Ron Prince now at Kansas State, the University of Virginia football team needs an offensive-line coach, and the job might go to Bill Legg.

Legg, a four-year starter at center for West Virginia in the early '80s, recently completed his third season as Purdue's offensive-line coach. He was at U.Va. yesterday to meet with head coach Al Groh, who still has three openings on his staff to fill for next season.

Groh lost four assistants to other schools last month, including Prince, who was Virginia's offensive coordinator and offensive-line coach.

Curt Newsome, James Madison University's offensive-line coach and assistant head coach, interviewed at U.Va. last month.

Legg, 43, has been an assistant, in such capacities as offensive-line coach, tight ends coach, recruiting coordinator and offensive coordinator, at Virginia Military Institute, WVU, Eastern Illinois, West Virginia Tech, Marshall and Purdue.

Groh and his staff are headed this weekend for Dallas, where the American Football Coaches Association's annual convention begins tomorrow and runs through Wednesday. -- Jeff White
 

Doughty considering weekly corrections column
Lewis ready for jump to Hokies
By Doug Doughty
THE ROANOKE TIMES

It might surprise the readers of this column and the UVa Insider that I have spent most of the past two days editing e-mails about Marcus Vick.

Doug Doughty editing something? What a novel concept!

On some of the weeks when I’ve been hurting for material, I’ve often wondered if I could do a whole column out of corrections.

This could be one of those weeks – in terms of hurting for material – because I’m not going to use this column to pontificate on Marcus Vick.

There is one observation I’d like to make about Vick and Brad Butler, the UVa offensive tackle who was suspended one game for a low blow against Boston College defensive lineman Mathias Kiwanuka.

If officials had spotted the original infraction, in either case, and had ejected both Vick and Butler on the spot, would we still be talking about either incident?

In Vick’s case, probably, because he has a higher national profile and a history of past misconduct, which Butler didn’t have. But an instaneous ejection for the remainder of the game might have gone a long way toward resolving both situations.

There is one other parallel I would draw between the two cases: Would the outcry have been any less overwhelming, in either case, if Butler’s victim or Vick’s victim (Louisville’s Elvis Dumervil) had not been the most prominent defensive player on the opposing defensive team?

Kiwanuka was the preseason ACC player of the year and Dumervil was the winner of the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation’s top defensive player.

That’s not to say Vick’s and Butler’s actions would have been any less heinous if the victim had been a no-name.

JAMES MADISON has received an oral commitment from Drew Dudzik, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound quarterback from Centreville High School who was rated the No. 39 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times.

Dudzik this season completed 136 of 207 passes for 1,990 yards and 24 touchdowns, compared to three interceptions. He was named first-team All-Washington Metro and picked the Dukes over Elon, New Hampshire, Hofstra and Towson.

Dudzik was ranked second-highest among quarterbacks on The Roanoke Times list. Another QB, 6-1, 180-pound Jesse Haney from Matoaca, is headed to North Carolina-Wilmington on a baseball scholarship. Haney is rated the No. 71 football prospect in the state.

Matoaca, which hasn’t had a Division I-A signee since linebacker Byron Thweatt signed with Virginia in February 2005, went 11-2 this past season and is back in the I-A prospect market with 6-foot-2, 185-pound junior wide receiver Kris Burd.

Matoaca coach Pat Manuel says Burd already has an offer from Virginia and that Virginia Tech “will” offer Burd. More schools are certain to enter the fray because “your’re not going to find a better combination of athletic skills and academics,” Manuel said.

“There are a lot of great athletes out there but not with the package he has.”

Burd, who also plays basketball and baseball for Matoaca, had 44 receptions for 840 yards and five touchdowns before sustaining a season-ending collarbone injury. He has a grade-point average “well above 3.0.” Manuel said.

Burd was joined on the Times-Dispatch all-metro first team by Matoaca teammate Patrick Mills, a 5-8, 175-pound running back who rushed for 1,689 yards and scored 27 touchdowns.

Mills’ height might drive off some potential suitors but he is a track athlete with 4.4-second speed for 40 yards. Manuel puts Burd’s speed at “below” 4.5.

BRAD ROBBINS, NAMED Group A player of the year in 2004 as the quarterback for Group A Division 2 runner-up Powell Valley, intends to play baseball at Western Carolina this spring after sitting out the football season as a redshirt.

Robbins is on football scholarship at WCU, according to Powell Valley coach Phil Robbins, Brad’s father. Robbins, a 6-1, 220-pound left-hander, passed for more than 3,000 yards and 37 touchdowns as a senior at Powell Valley. Phil Robbins is touting his son’s sophomore successor, 6-1 Cedric Mitchell, who had more than 2,000 yards in total offense this season.

THE NEXT ADDITION to the Virginia Tech football program could be ex-George Washington High School running back Kenny Lewis. Lewis was rated the No. 26 prospect in Virginia in 2002 by The Roanoke Times and would have been ranked higher if not for uncertainty over his prospects for the free-agent baseball draft.

Lewis, whose father played running back for the Hokies in the 1970s, signed with Tech in February 2003 but was drafted by Cincinnati in the fourth round of the baseball draft and passed up football.

In three years in the Cincinnati chain, Lewis has played in 156 games and batted .233, with two home runs and 68 stolen bases. An outfielder, he has struck 170 times in 502 at-bats.

THE STATE’S TOP uncommitted player, linebacker Jarrell Miller from Highland Springs, is expected to disappoint Virginia and Virginia Tech today when he makes his college announcement today at the Army All-America Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.

Most signs point to Miller, rated the No. 3 prospect in Virginia by The Roanoke Times, committing to North Carolina. His former Highland Springs teammate, offensive tackle Wyatt Hicks, was a redshirt freshman at North Carolina this past season.

There’s better news for Tech on the Brent Vinson scene. Vinson, a wide receiver from Hampton who is rated the No. 11 prospect in Virginia, has narrowed his choices to Tech and Tennessee. Vinson’s coach at Phoebus High School, Bill Dee, said Vinson eliminated Virginia before Christmas.

Dee said Vinson has a chance of meeting Division I-A eligibility guidelines. Phoebus linebacker Matt Wright already has qualified and has visited Maryland, with trips upcoming to Virginia, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Virginia Tech.

EVER THE INSTIGATOR, Hampton High School football coach Mike Smith is overseeing a banquet tonight at which James Madison assistant Curt Newsome has a place between head coaches Al Groh of Virginia and Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech.

Groh already has spoken to Newsome about a position on the UVa staff, while Beamer is likely to come after Newsome at the first opening. ACC Sports Journal editor Dave Glenn said Friday that Clemson could have an interest in Tech assistant Danny Pearman, a former Clemson tight end who also coached for the Tigers.

 

Vick sacked
Virginia Tech President Charles Steger says the Hokies' starting QB is no longer part of the program.
Randy King
The Roanoke Times

Quarterback Marcus Vick has taken his final snap in a Virginia Tech uniform.

In the final chapter of his career in Blacksburg, Vick was permanently dismissed from the Tech football program "due to a cumulative effect of legal infractions and unsportsmanlike play," according to a statement released Friday afternoon by Tech President Charles Steger.

Vick, a fourth-year junior who had one year of college eligibility remaining, said Friday he will forgo that last year and plans on entering the NFL Draft.

In Tech's 35-24 victory over Louisville in Monday's Gator Bowl, Vick created a national furor when NBC's cameras caught him stomping on the leg of Cardinals star defensive end Elvis Dumervil.

With strong speculation indicating that Tech was going to suspend him for at least one or possibly two games at the start of next season for that transgression, Vick's ultimate fate was sealed Friday when information of another legal matter surfaced.

Vick was charged in Hampton on Dec. 17 with two traffic offenses -- speeding and driving while his license was under suspension. While Vick was charged last month, the details of the case were not posted on the Virginia Court Case Information Web site until Thursday. Both charges are misdemeanors.

According to the police report, Vick was pulled over for driving his Chevrolet sport utility vehicle 38 miles per hour in a 25 mph zone sometime after 2 a.m. Dec. 17. He was not taken into custody at the time and one of the two people Vick was with drove after he was ticketed.

He is scheduled to appear in court on the charges in Hampton on Jan. 17.

The suspended license charge was the straw that broke the camel's back, according to Ben Davenport, the rector of Tech's Board of Visitors.

"I think the administration did the correct thing," said Davenport, of Chatham. "And it's very unfortunate, very sorry for a young man. He had all the opportunities in the world and I wish him the very best, but he really backed us in the corner."

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer met with Vick, his mother, Brenda Boddie, and his attorney, Larry Woodward, in Hampton Roads and informed them of the school's decision about an hour before the release of Steger's statement.

Vick, 21, who had one year of eligibility left at Tech, didn't appear to be too upset over the day's developments when he encountered a Virginian-Pilot reporter at a Virginia Beach restaurant Friday night.

"It's not a big deal. I'll just move on to the next level, baby," Vick said. Asked if that meant he would enter the 2006 NFL Draft as an underclassman, Vick said, "Yeah, definitely."

Steger and Tech athletic director Jim Weaver refused further comment on the matter until an 11 a.m. news conference today in Blacksburg.

At the bottom of Steger's press release, Beamer added that he was "very disappointed that this didn't have a better ending. We wanted what's best for this football team and Marcus. I certainly wish him the best."

Beamer, who was in Hampton on Friday to attend a gathering to honor the Hampton High state champion football team, did speak briefly about Vick's departure with Norfolk's WVEC-TV.

"I'm disappointed for Marcus and our program and for Hokie Nation, but several things came down, and the university, the athletic director and myself made the decision that we thought was right for the situation," Beamer said.

On his meeting with the family, Beamer said: "They took it as you would expect. They're good people."

With Friday's announcement, Vick's tumultuous career in Blacksburg came to an end.

He was suspended for one game during the 2003 season for an undisclosed violation of team rules. The younger brother of Tech-turned-NFL-star Michael Vick was suspended for the 2004 season as a result of convictions for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, reckless driving and possession of marijuana.

At the time, Steger warned that any return for Marcus Vick would be a "last-chance opportunity," a clause that he referred to in Friday's statement.

"The university provided one last opportunity for Vick to become a citizen of the university ... with the proviso that any future problems would result in automatic dismissal from the team.

Given a second chance, Vick won the starting job and led the Hokies to an 11-2 season and final No. 7 ranking.

Although he was named first-team All-ACC, Vick hit a snag during Tech's Oct. 1 game at West Virginia, when he made an obscene gesture to fans for which he apologized the next day.

Bryan Randall, who was Vick's predecessor as the Hokies' starting quarterback, said no one can say that his successor didn't get a fair shot.

"I don't believe that ... I think even if you asked Marcus that, he would admit that he was given another chance, and a lot of times you don't get a second chance," Randall said. "I believe Virginia Tech was fair in giving him a second chance to come back to the university. I just think now they were put into a situation where it kind of put them in a hard position after what they had said the first time. I think right now it's really a tough situation for the school and Marcus, and a decision had to be made."

Like Randall, many of Vick's teammates heard the news of his dismissal through the media. Aaron Rouse, whose 2-year-old is Vick's godson, said he was in "disbelief and shock" when he first saw the report on television.

"I can't believe that I won't be playing with him next year," said Rouse, a rising senior safety. "I think it's a severe blow to our football team to lose a guy like Marcus. We lost a great one, a leader who we were looking forward to being with us there next year."

When asked if he thought Vick got a fair shake, Rouse paused for a few seconds before responding.

"The world is not fair, you know ... no, I don't think it was fair to dismiss him from the team," Rouse said. "It's a double standard ... he's Marcus Vick and every little thing he does is going to get blown up way out of proportion. I think right now if he could take it back, I know he would."

Despite being close with Vick, Rouse said he hadn't heard any mention of last month's traffic charges.

Conversation about Vick's dismissal from the squad dominated conversation all over Southwest Virginia Friday.

Larry Corvin, president of the Wytheville Hokie Club, said he spent much of his time on the phone talking with other Hokies about the situation.

"I wonder what kind of situation we've created at Tech, and I'm part of it," Corvin said. "We want and almost demand a winning program, and that comes with some risk and issues that I don't know we were prepared to accept."

When asked if it's time for Tech fans to look in the mirror, Corvin said: "I think so. We've created a feeding frenzy, for the national media, especially.

"Still, I'm proud to be a Hokie. Always have been, always will be. And we can't let this deter us from feeling that way."

Roanoke Times reporter Reed Williams and Landmark News Service contributed to this report.

Vick dismissed from team
Va. Tech cites QB's legal woes; friend says Vick will go pro
By NORM WOOD
Daily Press
January 6, 2006, 11:46 PM EST

The rocky career of Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick officially ended Friday, after it was reported he had been charged with speeding and driving with a suspended license in December.

Virginia Tech President Charles Steger released a statement late Friday afternoon saying Vick, a graduate of Warwick High School, was dismissed from the team "due to a cumulative effect of legal infractions and unsportsmanlike play.

"The university provided one last opportunity for Vick to become a citizen of the university and re-admitted him in January 2005, with the proviso that any future problems would result in automatic dismissal from the team."

A press conference with coach Frank Beamer and athletic director Jim Weaver is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday in Blacksburg to discuss the situation. A family friend of Vick's said Friday night that Vick will announce his intentions to turn pro Saturday through his attorney. College underclassmen have until Jan. 15 to declare for the National Football League draft.

"I'm disappointed for Marcus and for our football program," Beamer said Friday night at a function at a Hampton restaurant to honor the Hampton Crabbers' state championship in football. "Just too many things were happening. I'm disappointed he can't spend his senior year with us. I'm going to do anything I can to help him in his future."

Vick could not be reached for comment.

The final chapter in Vick's career at Tech began in the Gator Bowl on Monday, when he stomped on the back of the leg of Louisville player Elvis Dumervil after a play.

Weaver issued a statement Tuesday saying he was embarrassed by Vick's actions, and promised the matter was going to be investigated.

On Thursday, two officials within Tech's athletic department told the Daily Press that Vick was going to be suspended from the team if he chose to come back to school. Tech issued a statement Friday morning that officials were going to discuss Vick's future at an 11 a.m. press conference in Blacksburg.

Friday afternoon, media outlets across the state began reporting charges from a Dec. 17 traffic violation. Later in the afternoon, Vick was released from the team. Beamer said that he met Friday afternoon with Vick and his mother, Brenda Boddie, in Newport News to tell Vick he was dismissed from the team.

Tommy Reamon, Vick's high school coach at Warwick High, also attended the function Friday night. Reamon said he was heartbroken by the news.

"I had just recently talked to him about his maturity and how proud I was of him," said Reamon, who is now the football coach at Gloucester High School. "Now, I'm shattered because it's over. It's all over."

Reamon's son, Tommy Jr., will be a junior and play quarterback at Gloucester next season. He said Vick helped him hone his skills when he was a youth league player. He considers Vick a role model.

"I was really shocked when I heard the news today," Reamon Jr. said. "I was looking forward to his senior year of college and seeing him polish up before he got into the draft. People make mistakes. We'll do things that we look back at and we aren't real proud of. I'm going to go to him for advice because he's one of my really good friends."

On Dec. 17, Vick was stopped in Hampton at 3:31 a.m. for driving 38 mph in a 25 mph zone on Settler's Landing Road. He was charged with speeding and driving on a suspended license, according to court records. If convicted of the suspended license charge, he could face a maximum of up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Though the alleged speeding and suspended license offenses were three weeks ago, they were just entered Thursday into the Virginia Judicial Systems Web site. It was not the first legal run-in for Vick during his years at Tech.

Vick, the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons and former Tech quarterback Michael Vick, was convicted Aug. 3, 2004, of reckless driving and marijuana possession in New Kent County. The same day, Virginia Tech suspended him for the fall 2004 semester.

The suspension was the result of the August conviction, as well as a May 2004 conviction on three charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Those charges stemmed from a Jan. 27, 2004, incident at Vick's Blacksburg apartment. It involved three teenage girls, Vick and teammates Brenden Hill and Mike Imoh. Vick appealed those charges, which were merged into one for a plea agreement that allowed him avoid 30 days in jail.

Vick, 21, re-enrolled at Tech in January 2005. He won the starting job and led the Hokies to an 11-2 season, which ended with a 35-24 win over Louisville in Jacksonville, Fla.

For the season, his first as a starter, Vick completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 2,393 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He was selected first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference.

During a game at West Virginia on Oct. 1, Vick flipped his middle finger to fans behind Tech's sideline after they taunted him.

He apologized in a statement the next day.

"What I did was wrong and I am sorry," he said.

In Friday's announcement, Tech President Steger said he wished Vick well.

"His recent actions are unfortunate."

Tech dumps troubled quarterback
Beamer and others will discuss Marcus Vick's situation more today
BY MIKE HARRIS
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Jan 7, 2006

Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick was kicked off the team yesterday after yet another legal problem for him surfaced.

Tech President Charles Steger said in a news release that Vick "has been permanently dismissed from the Hokie football program due to a cumulative effect of legal infractions and unsportsmanlike play."

Vick, who was the all-ACC quarterback and runner-up for player of the year in 2005, has not been expelled from school.

Steger, Athletic Director Jim Weaver and Tech football coach Frank Beamer will discuss Vick's situation at a news conference this morning in Blacksburg. None would comment yesterday beyond the release.

One of Vick's teammates did respond. The news "blew me away," said Aaron Rouse, one of the Hokies' top returning players. "I'm devastated, and I'm sure the whole team is hurt right now. This was our teammate, our friend. . . . We've got to make sure we use the time we have now and throughout the summer to come together and get past this."
Beamer "met with Vick and his mother yesterday afternoon and informed the quarterback and his family of the university's decision. His recent actions are unfortunate and we wish him well in his future endeavors," Steger's statement said.

News broke yesterday that Vick, 21, has a court hearing Jan. 17 for alleged traffic violations that occurred Dec. 17. He was charged in Hampton with going 38 mph in a 25-mph zone and with driving on a suspended license.

Cpl. James West, a spokesman for the Hampton Police Department, confirmed that Vick was stopped between 2 and 3 a.m. West said he was unsure why or when the license was suspended.

Vick's dismissal from the team came just four days after he helped lead Tech to a 35-24 victory over Louisville in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla. He remained the focus of controversy all week after he stomped on the leg of a Louisville player at the end of a play in the second quarter.

Earlier in the season, Vick made an obscene gesture toward the stands during a game at West Virginia.

The Dec. 17 driving offenses occurred the day Tech players began pre-Gator Bowl preparations with a 1 p.m. team run in Blacksburg. They were not Vick's first.

In July 2004, Vick was arrested for reckless driving and possession of marijuana. That arrest followed an arrest earlier in the year on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Those legal troubles led to his suspension from school for the fall 2004 semester. He was reinstated in January 2005 with the stipulation that further trouble would lead to his dismissal.

"I'm very disappointed that this didn't have a better ending," Beamer said in the statement. "We wanted what's best for this football team and Marcus. I certainly wish him the best."

Said teammate Rouse: "I'm not sure if I understand all that went on or why this was really necessary, but if this was the decision they thought was best for the team, we have to accept that."

It is not known if the Tech coaching staff knew about the December violations before the Gator Bowl. They were not posted on the state courts' Web site until Thursday.

If Vick is to continue playing collegiate football, it will have to be at a lower level, where he can transfer without having to sit out a year, as he would at a Division I-A school. He already has taken a redshirt season. Vick also could declare his eligibility for the NFL draft. He has until Jan. 15 to do that. His brother Michael is a former Tech quarterback who plays for the Atlanta Falcons.

Today's Virginian-Pilot reports that Vick will turn pro.

Marcus Vick, in his only season as the Hokies' starter, threw for 2,393 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also rushed for 380 yards and six touchdowns. He was all-conference and runner-up in voting for the conference's player of the year.

Tech has four scholarship quarterbacks in its program, two with limited experience and two with none. Sean Glennon and Cory Holt have three years' eligibility left. Ike Whitaker and Greg Boone sat out 2005 as redshirts and have four years left.

Vick's situation did help Rouse make a decision. He'd been leaning toward returning for a final season and now says he's certain he will.

"No way I can leave my team like that now -- we really need a leader to step up, and I'm going to try and be that guy," Rouse said via telephone last night.