White: With Success Come Challenges
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 01/15/2010
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- UVa's upset of then-No. 24 UAB represented its first significant victory of the season, and Tony Bennett wasn't sure how his players would handle the accolades that follow success. So after the Dec. 30 game at John Paul Jones Arena, Virginia's first-year coach quoted a proverb to them.
The crucible tests silver, the furnace tests gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.
"I'd never heard it, but that was something I really took to heart," the Cavaliers' leading scorer, sophomore swingman Sylven Landesberg, said after practice Friday.
The Wahoos (2-0, 10-4) are receiving plenty of praise these days. They've won six straight games, two of which were against ranked opponents. Dick Vitale is Tweeting about the 'Hoos, and a ESPN.com columnist singled them out Thursday.
"I guess I'd rather have this an issue than not," Bennett said with a smile after practice Thursday.
UVa hosts ACC rival Miami (1-2, 15-2) at 8 p.m. Saturday. The 23rd-ranked Hurricanes have been in Charlottesville since early Thursday morning. They bused up from Blacksburg after losing 81-66 to Virginia Tech in a game that wasn't as close as the score would suggest.
"They'll be so hungry to come in here," Bennett said.
Virginia played Wednesday night, too. At JPJ, the Cavaliers ambushed No. 20 Georgia Tech, rallying to win 82-75. And when North Carolina lost at Clemson later that night, UVa suddenly found itself alone atop the ACC standings.
The Cavaliers are 2-0 in league play for the first time since 1994-95, and for a team picked to finish 11th in the ACC, that's heady stuff. But Bennett says his players must keep perspective.
"Look, we're two games into the ACC. Let's be real," he said. "We were down 10 at N.C. State. We performed well. I just want them to keep improving and take the right kind of confidence from good performances and know that when they do it the right way they can play with anybody and have a chance.
"But when we aren't focused or we're not sharp or competitive, then it becomes a different issue. That's part of understanding who you are."
Landesberg said Bennett "always tells us, 'Don't get too high on yourself. Don't get too low. After a low, keep your heads up, but after a win don't be too hyped or too big about yourself.'
"Everybody's feeling very good right now. We're first place in the ACC for now, but we're also willing to work at getting better and trying to keep it going this way.
"I think we all know the ACC's a tough conference. On any given night you could lose to anyone. You've got to bring it every night."
Against Georgia Tech, Landesberg scored a game-high 22 points, and junior guard Mustapha Farrakhan added 15 off the bench, along with 4 assists and 3 steals. Senior center Jerome Meyinsse contributed 8 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists and played inspired defense against 6-9 Gani Lawal.
Assane Sene's numbers weren't as impressive: 2 points and 6 boards in 15 minutes off the bench. But the 7-0 sophomore from Senegal plays with palpable energy, and at one point Wednesday night Sene dived to save a ball that was going out of bounds, sliding into the front-row seats in the process.
"I loved it," Bennett said. "I like it all, but we have to at home win the hustle plays, the X-factor, and he helped with that. We had guys on the floor. That's contagious. That was well done, and that was good stuff."
The second semester starts soon at UVa, and many students are back in town. That should swell the crowd Saturday night at 14,593-seat JPJ, where the 'Hoos are averaging only 8,620 this season.
With a victory, UVa would surpass its 2008-09 victory total and, of course, maintain its lead in the ACC. So there's plenty at stake for the 'Hoos.
"You gotta protect your home court," Meyinsse said.
 

White: 'We Can't Do It Without the Fans'
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 01/15/2010
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- It's an unconventional move, lowering ticket prices midseason, but the economy is ailing, and this is an unusual time for UVa men's basketball.

Virginia has a highly regarded new coach, Tony Bennett, whose team has defeated two ranked opponents since Christmas. After beating No. 20 Georgia Tech on Wednesday night, the Cavaliers (2-0, 10-4) lead the ACC, and their winning streak has reached six games.

Yet fans have not come close to filling 14,593-seat John Paul Jones Arena this season.

The Wahoos are averaging 8,620 at home games, with a high of 10,787 for the opener against Longwood. Official attendance at the Georgia Tech game, which wasn't televised, was 8,924, though the fans who showed up were in full voice and clearly buoyed the Cavaliers.

"I'm starting to get a feel of what the arena's like when the crowd gets into it," Bennett said after the game. "It can be a tremendous advantage."

UVa officials agree. Like Bennett, they know a homecourt advantage is essential for success at the highest level of Division I hoops. And that's the main reason, Jon Oliver said Friday, that UVa has decided to offer $10 tickets for selected seats at six of the team's final eight home games.

More information can be found in the official release, but the $10 tickets are available for Virginia's games against UNC Wilmington (Jan. 18), Virginia Tech (Jan. 28), N.C. State (Feb. 3), Wake Forest (Feb. 6), Florida State (Feb. 17) and Maryland (March 6).

"This isn't just about selling tickets," said Oliver, executive associate athletics director at UVa. "It's not going to generate a lot of money. We want to make sure we build this program the right way and it lasts, and the fans are a huge part of that."

That's true in football, too. UVa hired Mike London as head coach last month, and he took over a team that has finished with a losing record in three of the past four seasons, a decline that has hurt attendance at Scott Stadium.

For the moment, though, Virginia officials are focused on encouraging fans to feel vested in the program Bennett is building.

"I believe we all have a part to play in making this successful," Oliver said. "We can't do it without the fans."

With the start of the spring semester then a week away, student turnout Wednesday night was lower than usual for an ACC game. That wasn't unexpected. More troubling to UVa officials were the empty seats outside the student sections.

During the final two seasons of Dave Leitao's tenure as coach, UVa struggled to compete in the ACC. The mounting losses, combined with the bad economy and what many considered to be overpriced tickets, led thousands of fans to stay away from games at John Paul Jones Arena.

This is the Cavaliers' fourth season at JPJ, and crowds haven't always been sparse there. In 2006-07, Leitao's second season, UVa averaged 13,521 at home games.

Not coincidentally, perhaps, Virginia went 16-1 at JPJ that season, a record that made it easier for Leitao's team to earn an invitation to the NCAA tournament.

"The fans were a big part of that," Oliver said.

In 2007-08, Virginia's record dropped to 17-16, and average attendance at JPJ dipped to 11,705.

Last season was worse on both fronts. The 'Hoos finished 10-18, and average attendance at home games decreased to 10,219.

The Cavaliers are not even to the midpoint of their first season under Bennett, and they've already matched their 2008-09 victory total. Bennett went 69-33 in three seasons at Washington State, with two trips to the NCAAs, and University officials are convinced he's the right man to lead the 'Hoos.

Still, Bennett can't do it alone.

"I personally believe engaged, loud fans creating a homecourt advantage is one of the keys to building a program," Oliver said.

"We need them. We can't do this without them."

UVa hosts another ranked foe, No. 23 Miami, in an ACC game Saturday night. For this game, a family ticket package is available for $84. That include four tickets and four concession vouchers, each good for a 22-ounce soda and a hot dog.

Additional tickets are $21 each. These seats are in the reserved-seats areas of JPJ.

To purchase tickets on-line, visit VirginiaSports.com. For ticket information, call (800) 542-8821 or (434) 924-8821 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Tickets may also be purchased in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium on weekdays and at the JPJ box office on game days.

 

Cavaliers Continue ACC Play Against Miami On Saturday
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 01/15/2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE—The Virginia men’s basketball team continues Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday (Jan. 16) when the Cavaliers host nationally ranked Miami at John Paul Jones Arena. The game is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

Saturday’s game will be televised by ESPNU and broadcast by the Virginia Sports Radio Network.

UVa enters the game with an overall record of 10-4 and a 2-0 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavaliers are the only team in the ACC undefeated in conference play.

Virginia is coming off an 82-75 victory over No. 20 Georgia Tech at JPJA on Wednesday (Jan. 13). The win was the sixth in a row for the Cavaliers and their second victory over a nationally ranked opponent. The winning streak is the longest for UVa since a seven-game winning streak during the 2006-07 season.

Miami is ranked No. 23 in this week’s Associated Press poll. The Hurricanes enter the game with an overall record of 15-2 and are 1-2 in the ACC. Miami is coming off an 81-66 loss at Virginia Tech on Wednesday (Jan. 13).

Sophomore guard Sylven Landesberg scored 22 points, had six rebounds and five assists in the Cavaliers’ victory over Georgia Tech. Landesberg has scored in double figures in every game this season and has scored at least 20 points in each of the last three games. Junior guard Mustapha Farrakhan added 15 points and four assists, junior forward Mike Scott scored 12 points and had six rebounds, and sophomore guard Sammy Zeglinski had 10 points in the win.

Also making important contributions for the Cavaliers were senior forward/center Jerome Meyinsse and junior guard Jeff Jones.

Meyinsse started for the first time since the Auburn game on Dec. 7. He had personal highs in an ACC game of eight points and six rebounds, and he tied a career high with two assists.

Jones came off the bench to score nine points and he had two rebounds.

Virginia shot extremely well from the free throw line for the second consecutive game. The Cavaliers made 88.5 percent (23-26) of their free throw attempts against the Yellow Jackets, including 16 of 17 (94.1 percent) in the second half. UVa has made 91.3 percent (42-46) of its free throw attempts in the last two games. The Cavaliers were 19-20 (95.0 percent) from the free throw line against NC State on Jan. 9.

Virginia also out-rebounded Georgia Tech 36-33 and had just seven turnovers in the game. It marked the ninth time this season UVa has had 10 or fewer turnovers in a game.

As you would expect, Virginia head coach Tony Bennett was proud of his team’s effort.

“It was good,” Bennett said. “We had some guys really battle. That’s a good team and we outlasted them, which I was proud of and seeing Jerome [Meyinsse] bang, Mike [Scott] and guys getting on the floor. We said before the game, at home it’s a must, you have to win the ‘x-factor’, you have to win the hustle game. Guys did that and we got a good lift from our bench and took care of the ball and made our free throws. Those are good things.”

Landesberg continues to lead the Cavaliers in scoring, assists and minutes played. He is averaging 17.4 points, 2.8 assists (39 assists) and 31.4 minutes played a game. He is second on the team in rebounding with an average of 5.4 a game. Landesberg ranks fifth in the ACC in scoring and 10th in minutes played.

Scott leads the team in rebounding with an average of 8.4 a game and is second in scoring with an average of 13.6 points a game. He is shooting 58.2 percent (64-110) from the field. Scott ranks second in the ACC in field goal percentage and ninth in rebounding.

Zeglinski is averaging 10.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists a game. He is shooting 50.0 percent (34-68) from three-point range and ranks first in the ACC in that department.

As a team, the Cavaliers are averaging 71.0 points a game and allowing an average of 60.1 points a game. UVa is shooting 46.0 percent from the field, including 41.9 percent from three-point range, and 76.1 percent from the free throw line. Virginia ranks first in the conference in three-point field goal percentage, second in free throw percentage and third in scoring defense.

Miami has three players averaging in double figures in scoring led by senior forward Dwayne Collins. Collins is averaging 12.6 points a game and also leads the team in rebounds with an average of 8.6 a game. He is shooting 60.2 percent (80-133) from the field. Collins ranks sixth in the ACC in rebounding.

Also averaging in double figures in scoring for the Hurricanes are senior guard James Dews (12.2 ppg.) and sophomore guard Malcolm Grant (10.7 ppg.). Freshman guard Durand Scott is averaging 8.1 points a game and leads the team in assists with an average of 4.3 a game (73 assists).

As a team Miami is averaging 76.8 points a game and allowing an average of 59.4 points a game. The Hurricanes are shooting 48.4 percent from the field, including 38.6 percent from three-point range, and 62.2 percent from the free-throw line. Miami ranks first in the ACC in scoring defense and three-point field goals made (average of 8.6 a game), and second in field goal percentage and scoring margin (+17.5).

Frank Haith is in his sixth season as head coach at Miami. His Miami teams have compiled an overall record of 103-75 and made four postseason tournament appearances, including the NCAA Tournament in 2008.

Miami leads the series with Virginia 6-3 and has won three of the five games played in Charlottesville. The teams have split the two games played at John Paul Jones Arena. The Hurricanes won 62-55 last season at JPJA in the only game played between the two teams in 2008-09.

The Cavaliers close out their three-game homestand on Monday (Jan. 18) when they host UNC Wilmington. The game was originally scheduled for Dec. 19, but was postponed because of a snowstorm in the Charlottesville area. Monday’s game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
 

Who would’ve thought? The Cavs are 2-0
By Michael Phillips
Published: January 16, 2010
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CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Two games may not seem like much, but it's been a long time since Virginia started the ACC schedule this well.

Coming into tonight's game against Miami, the Cavs are 2-0 in ACC play, the first time since the 1994-95 season that's happened -- a team that featured current assistant coach Jason Williford and radio analyst Cory Alexander.

The start has generated enough buzz that coach Tony Bennett has mentioned it to his team.

"Don't get too up, and don't get too down. This is just two games into the conference," he said. "But it sure beats being 1-1 or 0-2, so we'll take it."

U.Va. has a chance to keep its momentum rolling tonight against No. 23 Miami, the third ranked team that has visited John Paul Jones Arena this season. The other two, UAB and Georgia Tech, both left with losses.

Players have consistently mentioned the home-court advantage. Despite averaging fewer than 9,000 fans per game, the Cavs victories have produced noisy atmospheres.

"I'm starting to get a feel for what the arena is like when the crowd gets into it," Bennett said after the Georgia Tech victory. "It can be a tremendous advantage. Our kids were tired at the end, but I thought that gave us more energy."

Virginia responded to the momentum yesterday by discounting some seats from $30 to $10 for all remaining games except tonight's and Duke.

"They're like a sixth man, and we really appreciate it," guard Jeff Jones said.

The Cavs are still two games away from matching the 4-0 conference start of the 94-95 team, but regardless of tonight's outcome, it appears that they will be competitive in conference games this season.

Part of that is due to parity in the ACC, where few teams have stood out this year, but Bennett has also been able to get his team peaking entering the conference schedule.

"I told the upperclassmen . . . you guys have played ACC games," he said. "You have to feed off the energy, but you also have to bring some toughness."

The coach also has the lineup to his liking -- going with forwards Mike Scott and Jerome Meyinsse as his main options. In fact, just about the only thing there was not to like in Wednesday's game was a breakaway dunk by Scott where he tossed the ball to himself before jumping up and jamming. Bennett took Scott aside after the play, telling him he was lucky he wasn't called for traveling.

With the exception of that play, Scott and company seemed to have the right formula to get the home crowd partying -- an advantage they'll enjoy both tonight and Monday before they have to hit the road again as they enter the heart of ACC play.

Tony Bennett has Virginia off to a surprising start in ACC basketball play
By Zach Berman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, January 16, 2010

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- As one of four seniors on the Virginia men's basketball team, forward-center Jerome Meyinsse has been on the team longer than the entire coaching staff and all but one teammate, three years that have often been marked by disappointment.

Following a freshman season in which the Cavaliers tied for the ACC regular season title and reached the NCAA tournament, Meyinsse has watched Virginia fester in the basement of the ACC in front of increasingly apathetic crowds at John Paul Jones Arena.

It's still too early to tell whether the program's fortunes have changed under first-year Coach Tony Bennett, but there's a new sense of excitement in the team's locker room following ACC victories over North Carolina State and No. 20 Georgia Tech. Entering Saturday's game against No. 23 Miami, Virginia is the only remaining unbeaten team in ACC play.

"Our confidence is at an all-time high," Meyinsse said. "We all believe in each other. We believe in the system. We believe in the coaches."

Those words carry a subtext when spoken by Meyinsse, a scholarship player who mostly sat among the walk-ons during his first three college seasons. Even though Bennett has a heralded recruiting class arriving next season, the current group -- all of whom were recruited by former coach Dave Leitao -- has bought into Bennett and his system. That's in part because Bennett has provided a fresh start for a roster that has not experienced success, including Meyinsse, who is one of a handful of players who have developed a presence this season after previously wondering about his role on the team.

Among those players is junior Mustapha Farrakhan, whose on-again, off-again playing time was as confounding to him as it was to Virginia's fans. Farrakhan was among the team's leaders in minutes played during certain games last season, only to never take his warmup shirt off a few games later.

Bennett identified Farrakhan as an emotional player, and he considers it his responsibility to ensure Farrakhan understands how to properly harness his emotions. Farrakhan has gained a comfort level with the coaching staff, often looking over to the bench at Bennett or associate head coach Ritchie McKay for positive encouragement -- not to see if he's going to be pulled from the lineup.

In fact, McKay recently said that in his first month coaching alongside Bennett, he has not seen Bennett bench a player after an offensive mistake. A defensive mistake, though, can draw the ire of the coach.

"As long as it's an aggressive mistake, he can live with that," Farrakhan said. "The main thing about [Bennett] is just defense and don't turn the ball over."

The team has started to adopt the personality of Bennett, who seldom appears ruffled on the sideline. Like any coach, he becomes disturbed by a questionable call and shakes his head at an inexplicable error. But when games become tight, Bennett appears most composed.

That personality is reflected by the way Virginia has performed at the free throw line -- particularly in the game's waning minutes. In their two ACC victories, the Cavaliers were 42 of 46 from the free throw line. They were 22 of 23 in the final five minutes of those games.

"We shoot a ton of free throws," Farrakhan said, adding that it's more than they've shot in his past seasons at Virginia. "Sometimes, after every drill, we'll shoot free throws and really concentrate at the line. Sometimes, we'll play around and have free throw shooting contests and whoever has the longest streak on each side has to serve the other person dinner. We always have competition."

Bennett continues to caution his players from becoming too high or too low, particularly after two games. But at the very least, they are aware that opponents might view them differently than the team that was predicted to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the ACC's preseason poll.

"This game was definitely an eye-opener for other teams," Meyinsse said after beating Georgia Tech. "We can't be complacent. We can't be satisfied by what we've done so far."
Men's Basketball: Miami familiar with Charlottesville

After Miami's loss to Virginia Tech on Wednesday, the Hurricanes did not return to Coral Gables, Fla. Instead, they came directly to Charlottesville, making the Blacksburg to Charlottesville trek familiar to many Cavaliers fans and spent Thursday and Friday in Charlottesville.

With school out of session at Miami, it made little sense to return to campus. Everything the team could have done to prepare for the Cavaliers in Miami, they did in Charlottesville. Thursday's practice was at University Hall. Friday's practice was at the John Paul Jones Arena. They had their meetings, had meals as a team and even planned to see a movie on Friday night.

By Zach Berman

Cavaliers stand alone atop ACC
By Whitey Reid
Published: January 16, 2010
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Raise your hand if, before the season started, you expected Virginia to be sitting in first place in the ACC — all by itself — ahead of the likes of North Carolina, Duke and Georgia Tech.

All right, so UVa has only played two games, but guess what? The Cavaliers are the only school in the 12-team conference without a loss in league play. They have a road victory (at N.C. State) and a win over a top-20 team (Georgia Tech).

How many schools can say that?

Tonight, Virginia (10-4, 2-0 ACC) and first-year coach Tony Bennett look to keep the good times rolling when they host No. 23 Miami at the John Paul Jones Arena. Tip-off is at 8.

“Certainly, that’s a heck of a team,” said Bennett, whose squad will be looking to win its sixth straight game. “I believe in one of the polls they’re ranked. I watched them have a big win against Wake.”

Although their non-conference schedule was a bit weak, the Hurricanes (15-2, 1-2) have gotten off to a fast start. Miami won 15 of their first 16 games before getting hammered at Virginia Tech on Wednesday night. Miami’s only other loss of the season came to Boston College.

With the loss of All-ACC guard Jack McClinton to graduation, Miami appears to be more balanced this season. The Hurricanes have been led in scoring by six different players.

“I like how we’re coming together ... we’ve done a nice job,” said Miami coach Frank Haith on Monday. “I thought we’d be a pretty good team, and it’s only going to get better because we’re pretty young.”

Haith is hoping that senior Dwayne Collins, who has showed a ton of athleticism ever since he stepped foot on campus, can be the team’s go-to player. In the win over Wake, Collins had 23 points and 11 rebounds.

“We need that consistently for us to be as good as we think we can be,” Haith said. “I think he’s very capable of it…

“We’ve got to establish Dwayne first, and the 3-point shooting will come after we establish Dwayne. That’s how we have to play.”

If that is indeed the case, the onus for Virginia will once again fall on big men Jerome Meyinsse, Mike Scott and Assane Sene. In the win over Georgia Tech, the trio did a surprisingly good job of holding stars Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors in check. Now, they’ll need to do it again.

“We’re going to play hard — that’s the thing I can promise to everybody,” said Sene, who had six rebounds in 15 minutes against the Yellow Jackets. “My teammates are playing very hard right now and in every practice.

“We’re not scared of any team. If North Carolina or Duke came in here, we’re just going to keep doing the same thing we’re doing now.”

Virginia, which has won its first two league games for the first time in 15 years, will be looking to knock off its second straight ranked opponent and its third of the season.

“This league — if you don’t bring a high level of performance, it won’t be good enough, so we’ll have to be ready,” Bennett said. “The students will be back, so hopefully it will be a good atmosphere and we’ll keep taking another step in the right direction.”

Dunks

Virginia’s six-game winning streak is its longest since the 2006-07 season. ... Miami leads the all-time series, 6-3. ... Last season, the Hurricanes won the only meeting between the schools, 62-55, at John Paul Jones Arena.
 

Cavs start getting tough on defense
January 14, 2010 12:35 am
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

Here's yet another reason why statistics are for losers and fantasy league players:

The box score suggests that last night's game against Georgia Tech was one of Virginia's worst defensive efforts of the season. The 20th-ranked Yellow Jackets shot 52 percent and scored more points (75) than any of the Cavaliers' 13 previous opponents.

But the second half gave a clear indication that the Cavs are buying into new coach Tony Bennett's gospel that stinginess wins. Virginia held the bigger, stronger Jackets scoreless on seven straight possessions during an 11-0 run that keyed their 82-75 upset victory.

"We just wanted to be tough," said junior guard Mustapha Farrakhan, clenching his fists for emphasis. "That's what it's all about. It was a great atmosphere, and we fed off it. We had each other's backs. We were ready for their drives, and we were playing the gaps, making it difficult every time."

If you closed your eyes, you could imagine it was Bennett, not Farrakhan, saying those words. Defense first was his mantra at Washington State, where he won more games than he should have in three seasons.

And he's slowly infusing the Cavaliers (who have a similar talent deficit) with that attitude, convincing them that it's their best--if not only--route to success in the rugged Atlantic Coast Conference.

Georgia Tech brought a pair of future NBA front-line players to John Paul Jones Arena last night in 6-foot-9 junior Gani Lawal and 6-10 Derrick Favors, a likely one-and-done freshman. Each scored 12 points and had a couple of poster-worthy dunks, but few of their points came easily.

And of the guys guarding them, only junior forward Mike Scott has any future in basketball beyond college. Senior Jerome Meyinsse, junior walk-on Will Sherrill and 7-foot sophomore Assane Sene each held his own against the higher-profile Jackets.

"I was proud to see Jerome, Mike and Assene banging in there," Bennett said. "We made them earn it. They hit a couple of post moves and fadeaways, but I'll live with that."

He'll have to. Aside from Scott and smooth sophomore forward Sylven Landesberg, the Cavaliers don't have anyone who keeps rival coaches awake at night. So their only hope is to be tougher and hungrier than their opponents.

They weren't in the first half last night. Georgia Tech shot 55 percent in the first 20 minutes, and took a 39-38 lead at the break. A big factor was three follow-up shots by Tech guard Imani Shumpert, who was being guarded by Landesberg.

"I definitely take the blame for that," Landesberg said. "[Shumpert] was my guy, and he was hitting the boards hard. I wasn't expecting that from a guard."

In the locker room, Bennett's message was clear.

"I was content with our offense. I wasn't happy with our defense," he said. "We had too many breakdowns."

Why weren't there as many in the final 20 minutes? Said Bennett: "Our guys were going after it with reckless abandon."

Much of the credit goes to Meyinsse, who started one game and scored 96 points in three years under former coach Dave Leitao. Last night, besides playing strong post defense, he had eight points and six rebounds.

"You just have to match their intensity and physical [play]," Meyinsse said.

It was his seventh start of the season--and it won't be his last.

"He's a strong kid," Bennett said. "He took a couple of 'bows and got some big rebounds. He just battled. He gave us a good lift. We need his physical presence."

Credit, too, goes to Virginia's perimeter defenders like Landesberg and Farrakhan, who made it tough for the Jackets to get the ball to Lawal and Favors.

Defense is sometimes a hard sell, but it has Virginia (10-4, 2-0) standing at the top of the early season ACC standings. Yes, there are 14 games to play, but the Cavaliers tend to get better with time.

Said junior guard Jeff Jones: "It seemed like one of our practices. Sometimes in practice, we start off slow, and we're slacking. Then coach Bennett has to wake us up. We were ready to play in the second half."

Canes turn to senior leaders as they face red-hot Cavs
By MANNY NAVARRO

Malcolm Grant is taking on a few new challenges this season: tweaking his leadership skills and becoming a safe and licensed driver. It's the latter, he's having more problems with.

``In New York, they have so many buses and trains you don't need to drive,'' said Grant, a Brooklyn native. ``I can drive fine. It's the parking that messes me up a little bit. You know how you aren't supposed to hit the cones? I'm the guy who hits them, gets them stuck beneath the car.''

Grant and the 23rd-ranked Hurricanes (15-2, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) will try to avoid hitting a losing skid Saturday night when they take on the suddenly red-hot Virginia Cavaliers (10-4, 2-0), who have won six in a row -- including a big victory over 20th-ranked Georgia Tech on Wednesday.

If there is one cone that gets in the University of Miami's way this time of year, it's winning on the road in the ACC. UM is 11-31 all-time in ACC road games with five wins since the current crop of seniors arrived in 2006.

``It's really hard to win on the road in this conference because every team is really good,'' senior James Dews said. ``When you are on the road, it's the team versus everybody. You need to come out with energy. Everyone, from the first person off the bench to the last person, has to bring it for 40 minutes.''

The Hurricanes didn't do that in Blacksburg on Wednesday. UM fell behind by 35 points in the first half and lost to Hokies 81-66. It was the Canes' fourth consecutive loss in the series.

Coming out with more urgency on defense, Dews said, has been the message UM coach Frank Haith has hammered into his players' heads over the past couple days as the Hurricanes remained in town instead of flying back home.

``Our biggest problem was defense,'' Dews said. ``Virginia Tech made some shots, give them credit for that. But we got to make them miss. It's not good enough to just be there with a hand in their face. This game, we know we have to lock up.''

The Cavaliers, led by sophomore guard Sylven Landesberg, lead the ACC in three-point shooting (.419)

The good news for UM? The last time they won an ACC road game was Feb. 26, at John Paul Jones Arena, one of only three ACC gyms (Georgia Tech, Florida State are the others) where UM has won on the road.

Dews said Grant, forward Dwayne Collins as well as himself, have to do a better job making sure the Canes don't fall into lulls for very long. Grant, who has been working on how he delivers his messages in mid-game rants, chewed out the Canes pretty good Wednesday in the first half.

``Being a leader isn't easy,'' Dews said. ``You better be on point with everything. Any thing you say, you better be able to do. That's why me, Malcolm and Dwayne are taking care of that.

``I think our main problem last year was that we lacked that great leadership. When you're down, when you're on the road, in tough places, you need leaders to step up.''

Grant said: ``I told the guys if we don't get both, we have to get at least one. The last thing we want to do is go home 0-2.''

Just received confirmation - Doug Doughty | Roanoke Times

New Virginia head coach Mike London has offered a coaching position to alumnus Ron Mattes, a former All-ACC selection as a defensive lineman and seven-year offensive lineman in the NFL.

Mattes said earlier in the afternoon that he had been interviewed by London and would be willing to resume his college coaching career as a graduate assistant. Mattes previously coached at James Madison.

Mattes did not rule out the possibility that he will be the primary interior-line coach. His appointment will be announced as soon as London gets school approval.

Groh brings spice to Georgia Tech-Virginia rivalry

Paul Johnson's hiring of Al Groh as Georgia Tech's defensive coordinator undoubtedly has roots in the Yellow Jackets' 24-17 home loss to Virginia in 2008.

Georgia Tech's triple-option attack scored touchdowns on its first two possessions before head coach Groh and defensive coordinator Bob Pruett adjusted the Cavaliers' 3-4 defense in ways none of us knotheads would grasp. For the remainder of the game, the 21st-ranked Yellow Jackets managed one field goal and 83 yards rushing.

Johnson and Georgia Tech punished Virginia in Charottesville this past season, rushing for 362 yards in a 34-9 victory played in driving rain. But for a half the Cavs gave the Jackets fits -- the intermission count was 13-6.

With Johnson switching to a 3-4, and with Groh available after his termination at Virginia, Georgia Tech's interest in Groh is not stunning. But Groh also interviewed for the defensive coordinator position with the Miami Dolphins, and given his history with team VP of football operations Bill Parcells, that seemed a more likely destination.

But perhaps Groh was hesitant to return to his mentor's fold. And perhaps he craves the chance to compete annually against the school -- his alma mater no less -- that fired him.

Regardless of motives, the Georgia Tech-Virginia rivalry just added some cayenne pepper.

Posted by David Teel

Groh ready to go as Tech's defensive coordinator
By Doug Roberson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Beyond that, new Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Al Groh didn't want to make any promises as to what fans might see from his players when Tech starts spring practice in two months.

"There's a lot of ways to do things," Groh said. "[But] it's worked at a number of places on different levels."

"It" is the 3-4 defense that Groh learned from Super Bowl-winning coaches Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick during stints on their staffs. Groh's results, which included winning a Super Bowl in 1990 with the New York Giants, are a part of the reason why Tech coach Paul Johnson hired him Thursday night after a five-day courtship.

"Anytime you get a guy with his background and experience and what he's accomplished, especially defensively, it's got to help your program," Johnson said.

Groh, 65, most recently finished nine seasons coaching at his alma mater, Virginia, where he went 59-53 and twice was named the ACC's coach of the year. However, the Cavaliers went 8-16 the past two seasons and the $4.33 million remaining on his contract was bought out.

He was let go Nov. 29. He said as he sat at home while other teams began preparing for bowl games, he had time to begin considering what he wanted to do next. As opportunities presented themselves he came up with criteria to guide him:

• A place where there is an apparent, total commitment to winning. He said Sunday that you have to be impressed by Johnson guiding Tech to 20 wins and an ACC championship in his first two seasons.

• Legacy of success." Georgia Tech certainly has a great history.

• Personnel in place already "to give us a high percentage of having a smile on our face when the game is over."

Combined with wanting to go to a place with a high level of integrity and collaboration at all layers, Groh said Tech fit his criteria, and "he's ready to pack his bags and head to the Flats." Details of Groh's contract weren't released. He is expected to sign it next week when he arrives on campus. Dave Wommack, Tech's previous defensive coordinator who was fired Jan. 8, was paid $288,500 per season.

Johnson said he began to think about Groh when he heard that he had been fired. He said he reached out to him then to see what Groh wanted to do next. When he responded that he wanted to keep coaching, Johnson said the wheels began to turn. Groh attended a practice during Tech's preparation for the Orange Bowl, but Johnson said they didn't discuss the defensive coordinator's position because the job wasn't open.

They met face to face in Atlanta on Sunday, two days after it was announced that Wommack wouldn't return. Johnson and Groh spoke by phone again Tuesday while Groh was in Miami preparing to interview for the Dolphins' defensive coordinator position in a move that would have reunited Groh with Parcells.

Groh declined to say if Miami offered him a contract. He and Johnson struck a deal Thursday evening. Johnson said he wanted to wrap up the process because Sunday starts the last recruiting period before Signing Day on Feb. 3. Had Groh not accepted, Johnson said he was ready to hire another candidate.

Johnson said the two didn't have a prior personnel relationship, but both expressed a mutual admiration for the other's area of expertise: Johnson with the spread-option and Groh with the 3-4.

"It's a system that he understands and can teach and fix," Johnson said.

That is why Johnson said he wasn't concerned that the nine-year averages of Groh's defenses at Virginia (22.1 points per game, 360 yards per game) were very similar to Tech's averages (24.8, 330.8) last season. Johnson said a better indicator of Groh's success would be to compare yards per play -- Tech allowed 6.1 last season to Virginia's 5.0 -- and to consider that Virginia's defense was on the field an average of 6 minutes 36 seconds longer per game than Tech's was last season.

"When you gave them something that was a problem, it wasn't gong to be a problem for long," Johnson said. "They got it fixed."

Groh cautioned against assuming that he's a solution to the poor tackling and propensity for allowing big plays that plagued Tech last season. He talked about a sign in his office that he's looked at every day for the past 10 years that reads, "Coaches with schemes but without talent become coaches of unimportant teams."

He said the transition will be as smooth as the players want it to be, and he asked that they come in with an open mind. He noted that them having a history of success the past two seasons is a good starting point.

As to the specifics of the 3-4, he said nose tackle and outside linebacker are two important positions, and that a player either is one, or isn't one.

Overall, he's just ready to begin coaching again.

"I have a lot of ambition to do more things and a lot to prove," Groh said.

In the second hire Tech announced Friday, Lamar Owens was promoted to coach A-backs. That position became open when Jeff Monken accepted the coaching position at Georgia Southern. Johnson said Charles Kelly might take over the role as special-teams coordinator, which Monken also held.

Owens, who was a graduate assistant at Tech the past two seasons, played quarterback for Johnson at Navy.

"I'm excited about it," Johnson said of both hires. "Hopefully it will make us a better football team."
 

Potential has Groh excited about move to Georgia Tech
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: January 16, 2010
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Most of the football world was surprised Friday when Al Groh agreed to become the new defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech rather than return to the NFL.

However, a conversation with the former Virginia head coach earlier in the week was filled with clues that Groh was strongly considering a college job. Freshly returned from Pasadena, Calif., where he watched Alabama beat Texas for the national title, Groh was overwhelmed with the excitement surrounding the game and brought that up several times upon discussing his future.

Considered the frontrunner for the defensive coordinator’s position with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, where his long-time pal, Bill Parcells, is executive vice president, Groh was in Miami earlier this week to talk about that opening. However, when it came decision time, Groh was all about the college game.

Pieces in place

“Clearly, Georgia Tech has it going,” Groh told The Daily Progress on Friday morning. “There’s four teams on this side of the ACC that are pretty heavily invested in trying to win this thing, so it’s going to be a challenge to do that, but Georgia Tech has the wherewithal to do that as much as anybody.”

Was that a shot at his former employers and his perceived lack of commitment by UVa to football? Certainly seemed to be.

We know he wasn’t talking about Coastal Division members Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Miami or North Carolina. That only leaves Virginia and Duke, and if you have been following this column for a while, then you’re keenly aware of the criticisms of UVa’s football commitment by several of the assistant coaches that worked during the nine-year Groh regime, and Groh’s subsequent confirmation of those critiques.

Scheduled reunion

Groh did acknowledge that it will be strange coaching against Virginia when the two teams meet in Atlanta this fall.

“I’m sure there will be some feelings there, but I’ve moved within a division before,” said the 65-year-old Groh, who compiled a 59-53 record at UVa, including five bowl appearances. “When we went to the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots, instead of accepting pats on the back, five days later we moved to the Jets, which was a rather unique move in NFL history.”

Naturally, the Jets and Patriots battled twice each year.

“We drafted players from both teams and developed them and won with them and had relationships with,” Groh said. “To be professional about it, you learn to give the very best to the color jersey that you’re coaching.”

Groh was approached by several teams in both the collegiate and professional ranks and many assumed he would reunite with Parcells, with whom he has worked with on five separate occasions. However, the former Virginia head coach said that after he was fired by his alma mater on Nov. 29, he created his own criteria for choosing his next job — and that Georgia Tech fit that criteria best.

He noted that Parcells is not the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and that the head coach is the person whom assistants deal with daily.

A quick examination of Groh’s personal criteria explains why he chose the Yellow Jackets:

- A true commitment to winning. Since Paul Johnson took over at Tech, the Jackets have won 20 games in two seasons and won an ACC championship.

- A high level of integrity. Johnson’s credentials are impeccable. He coached at Navy, for goodness’ sake.

- Full collaboration on all levels toward the objectives. There’s no question that Georgia Tech’s president and AD and other administrators are solidly behind the football program.

- That personnel are in place so there’s reason to smile at the end of the game. Tech’s record speaks for itself.

Five Jackets juniors are leaving early for the NFL, including their best defensive player, end Derrick Morgan, but Groh believes there’s plenty more where Morgan came from.

“Paul explained to me that through all of his time coaching at Georgia Southern [he guided that school to five consecutive Southern Conference championships from 1997 to 2001], that the school has turned out an awful lot of teachers and coaches,” Groh pointed out. “So, in the state of Georgia, there are a lot of guys that Paul coached that are a very good resource to him in a talent-rich state.”

In addition, Tech redshirted most of its freshmen class and the new coordinator, who starts work on Monday in Atlanta, said there are some “nice-looking defensive players in that class.”

Groh will bring the 3-4 defensive scheme and years of experience in the defense to Georgia Tech, where Johnson has been impressed with his new hire’s work.

“If you look at [Groh’s] background, he has had a lot of success defensively whether it be in college or coordinating for Super Bowl teams,” Johnson said Friday. “So Al brings a wealth of knowledge.

“He has a system that he understands that he can teach and fix,” Johnson continued. “Ultimately it is a bottom line business and hopefully we will give up less yards and less points. If we do those types of things we will be able to free me up and he will be able to make the proper adjustments.”

Georgia Tech gave up 24.8 points and 331 yards per game last season and still managed to win 10 games. If you watched many of those games on TV it was impossible not to notice Johnson’s frustration in giving up so many points, particularly in wins like the 49-44 shootout over Florida State and the 39-34 victory over Clemson in the ACC championship game.

Johnson clearly wanted to solve that problem before next season and who better to hire than Groh, who probably defended Johnson’s prolific offense more than any other team the past two seasons. The Georgia Tech coach was convinced that Groh was the solution to the Yellow Jackets’ porous defense.

Because Johnson is so involved with Tech’s unique option offense, he will be comforted to hand over the defense to Groh, whom Johnson pointed out can not only teach the 3-4 scheme, but knows how to fix things when needed, including in-game adjustments, which clearly Tech struggled to do in the past.

Groh liked what he saw at Tech and realized that Johnson’s ambition is to take the program to a higher level.

“I went into this job search realizing there’s no perfect place,” Groh said. “One place might be a little stronger in some areas of criteria than others, but overall, you add up the score where it adds up the best and that kind of tells the story.

“I’m appreciative of the fact that within a few days of leaving Virginia, Paul was gracious enough to call and say that first off, he was sorry that things didn’t work out at Virginia and knew that I had well-prepared teams there; but, secondly, would I be interested in continuing to coach in Atlanta? I was very appreciative that he reached out in the first place and flattered that he thought we could add to something that they’re doing, and obviously, they were doing pretty well without me.”

Dooley to UT

Groh wasn’t the only UVa alum on the move Friday. Former Cavalier wide receiver Derek Dooley, who played for George Welsh, and has served as Louisiana Tech’s head coach and athletic director (the only one of his kind in FBS football) was named head coach at Tennessee.

What I have to ask — and this is not to detract from the quality of coach that Mike London has been — is why didn’t Virginia’s athletic administration take a stronger look at Dooley? And did those administrators conduct due diligence in the hiring process or just automatically seek out London?

While I have no qualms about London being UVa’s head coach, I have to wonder why Dooley, son of legendary Georgia coach Vince Dooley, didn’t even get an interview for the Virginia job.

From chatting with some people very close to Dooley, there was a huge disappointment that his alma mater didn’t even give him the courtesy of an interview. Now he has been plucked to guide Tennessee, clearly a superior football program to Virginia’s in the nation’s toughest football conference.
 

2010-11 shaping up as year of the QBs
Can’t beat the flank steak at Coffee Pot buffet
By Doug Doughty

So, here it is, 4:26 p.m., and I’ve spoken to Al Groh, Cadillac Harris, Bryan Stinespring, former UVa football coach Dick Bestwick (via e-mail), Hampton High School football coach Mike Smith and Robinson High School football coach Mark Bendorf.

I’ve also had lunch with the SEC Roundtable at the Coffee Pot, where flank steak was available as part of the $8.55 buffet, and gotten my hair cut. In the process, I mentioned to the hair stylist that I might look better if I were bald and she said that would be a horrible idea.

What I haven’t done is write a College Notebook in time for editor Jim Ellison to post it before he goes home. I’ve also established myself as a huge name-dropper, but, once more, this week’s column will be devoted to the Virginia football prospects in the signing class of 2011.

What strikes me is the abundance of impressive quarterback prospects in the 2011 class. This was not the year of the quarterback in Virginia, although Alabama-bound quarterback Phillip Sims from Oscar Smith High School is rated No. 1 in the state by The Roanoke Times and almost everybody else except the services who went with J.R. “Ego” Ferguson, a defensive lineman from Hargrave Military Academy.

(Ferguson is from the Frederick, Md., area but he is in his fourth year of high school, although he played on the postgraduate team. Some people would say that Ferguson, as an out-of-state kid, didn’t belong on the Top 25, but there’s a precedent in this case.

(Heck, Woodberry Forest seniors Ed Reynolds II and Aramide Olaniyan are from Jacksonville, Fla., and Bowie, Md., respectively. Vidal Hazelton made the Top 5 as a high-school senior playing on the Hargrave postgrad team and Ferguson probably should have been on the Top 5, too).

I’d always pick a skilled player over a lineman for the No. 1 prospect in the state, no matter how many offers the lineman had. But once you got past Sims in the state this year, there wasn’t another quarterback in the Top 25, and that’s unusual. The two other in-state quarterbacks to make Division I-A commitments were Connor Reilly from W.D. Woodson in Fairfax and Mike Rocco from Liberty Christian in Lynchburg.

Reilly, who moved to Virginia before his junior year in high school, passed for 2,279 yards and 18 touchdowns in 13 games this year. In one game, he was 34-of-53 for 503 yards and three touchdowns in a 43-42 road win over eventual state runner-up Lake Braddock. Reilly (6 foot 3, 185 pounds) committed to Temple over the summer.

Rocco, who passed for more than 2,000 yards in each of his sophomore and junior seasons, was injured for past of the 2009 season but not before he made an oral commitment to Louisville and then-Cardinals head coach Steve Kragthorpe. Kragthorpe was fired after the season but Charley Strong, the new coach, has honored the offer and Rocco has honored his commitment.

That shouldn’t be a surprise because Strong is expected to announce shortly the appointment of Alabama graduate assistant Mike Groh as his quarterbacks coach. Groh was the UVa offensive coordinator at Virginia from 2005-2008 and I’m told that the Cavaliers were once close to offering Rocco, the nephew of former UVa assistant and current Liberty head coach Danny Rocco.

When Groh was pushed out and former Bowling Green head coach Gregg Brandon was brought in to coach the quarterbacks, Brandon felt that Mike Rocco was not the best fit for the Cavaliers’ new spread. So, the Cavaliers went in another direction, taking a commitment from Waynesville, N.C., quarterback Tyler Brosius before he decommitted and chose North Carolina State.

AT LEAST ONE Division I-A recruiter has told me that 6-5, 210-pound Jake McGee from Collegiate in Richmond is the second-best quarterback in Virginia’s senior class and, given the mistake that mostly Virginia made on former Collegiate QB Russell Wilson, it’s a surprise that McGee was allowed to slip to Division I-AA Richmond this year.

I’m not saying that there will be a throng of quarterbacks in next year’s Roanoke Times Top 25, but I don’t imagine a year when the statistics have been any more impressive for a group of underclassmen, headed by Lake Braddock’s Mike Nebrich, the loser in the above-mentioned duel with Woodson’s Reilly.

Nebrich, a 6-1-1/2, 185-pounder, was named second-team All-D.C. Metro by the Washington Post and set a Group AAA state record by accounting for 4,600 yards in total offense (more than 3,000 passing; more than 1,000 rushing). Nebrich is a protégé of former West Springfield coach Bill Renner, who came out of “retirement” to serve as Lake Braddock offensive coordinator.

Other Northern Virginia junior quarterbacks of note include 6-6, 215-pound Blake Frohnapfel from Colonial Forge in Stafford, who passed for 1,609 yards and 17 touchdowns and is being recruited nationally, according to veteran coach Bill Brown; as well as Langley’s 6-3, 189-pound Braden Anderson, who set school records by passing for 1,715 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Loudoun Valley junior Andrew Taylor passed for 1,628 yards and 15 touchdowns; junior Jimmy Boone from Oakton passed for 1,344 yards and 10 touchdowns, and there were others. Sophomores Austin Nelson from Heritage and Connor Jessup from Broad Run also had big years.

Far be it from Hampton’s Smith to engage in hyperbole but he has a pretty good reference point in former Crabber quarterbacks Ronald Curry and Tyrod Taylor. Smith thinks that 6-1, 185-pound David Watford could be big-time after passing for more than 1,500 yards as a junior.

“He’s by far the best quarterback in the league,” said Smith, whose team plays in the long-heralded Peninsula District.

Two other in-state juniors who passed for more than 2,000 yards this past season were 6-4, 225-pound Chris Hall from Dinwiddie and 6-3, 200-pound Brent Hudson from Great Bridge in Chesapeake, and who knows who I’m leaving out

A good place to wrap up is a couple of prolific passers from the Roanoke Valley, both in the 6-3, 180-pound range. Shawn Christian from Eastern Montgomery tied a Timesland record by throwing 27 touchdown passes and Cave Spring’s Josh Woodrum accounted for more than 2,500 yards in total offense.

I thought enough of Woodrum after seeing him 3-4 times to rank him 19th on a list of the state’s top juniors, with Hall the only other quarterback on the list. That was because Lafaunte Thoroughgood from Virginia Beach Ocean Lakes was listed incorrectly as a junior, but I’m almost sure that QBs will be well-represented in future updates.