Brunson's career built on the road not taken
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
February 28, 2008

In 1992, Rick Brunson had a knee-jerk reaction that nearly changed the course of his life.

Brunson, who had just completed his first year as a Temple basketball player, was suffering from a typical case of freshman-itis when he walked into John Chaney’s office and told the legendary coach that he wanted to transfer.

Brunson, who had been one of the most sought-after high school players in the country just a year before, expected Chaney to soothe him - convince him things were going to be better the next season.

Chaney’s reaction, however, was just the opposite.

The demonstrative coach immediately shouted at his secretary to bring him the necessary transfer forms.

“I was looking for like a lifeline,” recalled Brunson, smiling, “and this guy just throws me out of there.”

Brunson had all but transferred to Boston College when, at the last second, he had a change of heart. Brunson came to realize that Chaney’s tough-love approach was the best thing for him.

In the end, it was Brunson who was begging Chaney for a chance to come back.

The decision to stay at Temple wound up being one of the biggest of Brunson’s life. Brunson flourished at the school - on and off the court - and became joined at the hip with Chaney, a man whom he now considers as close as a blood relative.

The 35-year-old Brunson laughs when he tells the story about Chaney - but it’s exactly that kind of real-life experience that has made him such a valuable addition to coach Dave Leitao’s staff. In his first season as Director of Basketball Operations, Brunson has been the ideal sounding board for players - especially the younger ones who may not always be able to comprehend where the fiery Leitao is coming from.

“He has a lot of knowledge,” said senior captain Sean Singletary of Brunson. “If you don’t understand something, you can always go to him.”

Brunson, who was co-MVP at the McDonald’s All-America game with Chris Webber in 1991, is certainly a guy who can garner kids’ attention. His resume speaks for itself.

At Temple, Brunson helped lead the Owls to the NCAA Tournament in each of his four years, teaming with future NBA players Eddie Jones and Aaron McKie.

Brunson wasn’t blessed with tremendous athletic ability or talent - he just knew how to ball. He went on to play for eight teams in a nine-year NBA career before retiring in 2006 to work as a player development coach for the Denver Nuggets.

He was considered a coach on the floor by the likes of former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy.

“His status alone - knowing that he’s been successful at a high level - that just makes you listen a lot more,” said sophomore Calvin Baker. “You always listen to coaches, but when he says something you tend to really listen.”

One of Brunson’s fondest NBA memories was being part of the 1999 New York Knicks team that went to the NBA finals. That year, the Knicks were in turmoil most of the season before squeaking into the playoffs as a No. 8 seed.

Latrell Sprewell was unhappy that he wasn’t starting. Marcus Camby was ticked that he was barely playing. And Van Gundy and Ernie Grunfield, the team’s general manager, had a falling out.

But somehow the team came together at just the right time, upsetting the Miami Heat in the first round before going on its run to the finals.

“Some guys resented Jeff Van Gundy,” Brunson said, “but everybody respected him, and the most important thing was that we got along as a team. We fought for each other, cheered for each other, cared for each other.

“That’s the thing I try and relate to these kids. I say no matter what’s going on between you and Coach Leitao, remember those are your teammates and guys you go into battle with everyday.”

Per NCAA rules, Brunson isn’t allowed to do any actual coaching in his role as Director of Basketball Operations. At practice, he can be seen standing on the sidelines taking notes. Brunson’s duties include making travel and meal arrangements, organizing summer camps and coordinating recruiting contacts for the Virginia coaching staff.

One of Brunson’s biggest contributions is serving as a liaison of sorts between the players and Leitao.

“My job is to build a relationship with these young men so that they come to me whether they’re having problems on the court or off the court,” Brunson said. “I got a call from one kid at 12 o’clock at night who said, ‘Why am I not playing? Why am I not playing [well]?’

“I’m there for them. I always leave my phone on.”

Because of his pedigree and connections within basketball circles, Brunson - who interviewed for the head-coaching position at Temple in 2006 - doesn’t seem like a guy who would remain at the bottom of the totem pole with the Virginia program for very long. His goal is to be a college head coach and he’ll likely have assistant offers pouring in before long.

But Brunson is no rush.

“I’m a patient guy; I’m a secure guy,” Brunson said. “I played at the highest level and made some money.

“I don’t want to just jump in the water. I like to know what I’m doing and this is the perfect job for me. I like the kids. I’m comfortable with Dave. I’m a loyal guy. I’m not going to be one of these coaches who jumps around.”

Brunson’s mentor and father figure certainly didn’t. Chaney - who coached for 24 years at Temple - and Brunson talk at least once a week.

Chaney and Leitao have a lot in common, according to Brunson.

“The similarities are the passion that they have for winning and the passion they have to improve each day,” Brunson said. “The biggest thing that I’ve learned from Dave is that he allows his assistant coaches to be themselves and coach, which is hard for a head coach sometimes.

“I’ve been around a lot of head coaches where you never heard their assistant coaches talk or giving input. Here it’s more of a team trying to work as one.”

 

UVa holds off ODU for win
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
February 28, 2008

There was a noticeable buzz inside Virginia’s locker room long before Old Dominion’s baseball team arrived Wednesday.
As word spread of the Monarchs’ monumental rally to upend No. 4 North Carolina late Tuesday, the Cavaliers were reassured of the test that awaited.

How right they were.

After racing out to a six-run cushion, No. 16 Virginia allowed ODU to creep back into the game in the ninth inning and actually saw the tying run stroll to the plate before securing a 7-3 win that maintained a perfect start.

The Monarchs (2-2) scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the final frame, forcing Virginia coach Brian O’Connor to make an unwanted call to the bullpen under adverse conditions related to the bone-chilling conditions at Davenport Field.

Michael Schwimer - a prime candidate to become Virginia’s closer on a full-time basis - did not disappoint, striking out ODU slugger Bryan Cipolla on five pitches to end the contest.

“I wasn’t happy to bring Michael Schwimer into the game because of the cold,” O’Connor said. “If you have a comfortable lead you don’t want to have to bring your closer in, but in that scenario, with who they had up, I just felt like I didn’t have any choice.”

Cipolla was likely the batter of choice in the pivotal situation for the Monarchs’ coaching staff - the switch-hitter was the hero against UNC, hitting a home run and driving in six runs in the come-from-behind road win.

Schwimer, who had started to stretch out in the bullpen in the seventh, raced to ready for the showdown, masterfully blocking out the temperature, before getting the call.

“You don’t feel the cold when coach O’Connor looks down and walks down the runway,” Schwimer said. “Your adrenaline is flowing good and you can’t even feel the weather.”

After throwing a pitch high and out of the strike zone forced the count to 2-2, Schwimer froze Cipolla with a bending slider.

Schwimer’s second save of the young season secured the win for Virginia starter Matt Packer (1-0).

The sophomore left-hander allowed only one hit, an RBI double in the fourth inning, in what was coined his “best career start” by O’Connor.

“I think the key is that I went six [innings] instead of getting five or getting taken out in the sixth,” Packer said. “I think that extra inning was key to making it one of my better ones.”

Packer, a weekend starter last season as a rookie, fanned seven of the 23 batters he faced and said he was not shaken gaining the nod in a mid-week game. He may also start at VMI on Tuesday.

“You could look at it either way, but I chose to look at it as kind of a compliment,” Packer said. “You get to throw against arguably two of the better teams that we play in the first couple of weeks.”

Virginia staked Packer to an early lead, scoring a pair in the first off ODU starter Matt Walls (0-1) as third baseman Tyler Cannon slapped an RBI double down the right-field line and scored on a seeing-eye single from first baseman Jeremy Farrell.

The Cavaliers added a lone run in the fourth when Greg Miclat grounded into a double play with the bases loaded and no one out, and could have plated more, but stranded at least one runner in every inning of the game.

“I was just happy to see Matt Packer come out and throw the ball the way that he did. He won that ballgame for us,” O’Connor said. “We had a lot of missed opportunities early in the game where we could have put them away and we didn’t and he hung in there and gave us a chance to win the game.”

For the game, the Cavaliers registered a season-best 15 hits.

Virginia will play Coppin State (0-1) today in a game previously scheduled for Tuesday.

Extra bases

O’Connor said he had planned to start junior Greg Miclat at shortstop in the contest, but had a change of heart as he removed the tarp from the field at 10:30 a.m. Miclat, who was relegated to designated hitter, scored two runs and had two hits to raise his average to .308. “I was going to try and play short but it was too cold to play today,” Miclat said. “I found when the coaches walked in so you just have to take it as it comes. That is what I am learning still. Some things are out of your control. You have to take it day-to-day.”… Virginia third baseman Patrick Wingfield (wrist) is listed as doubtful for this weekend’s series, O’Connor said. It is unclear when the senior will return to the field.… Redshirt junior RHP Robert Poutier is slated to start and make his season debut on the mound for the Cavaliers today.

 

Virginia hangs on to defeat ODU in ninth
Schwimer's strikeout highlights dominant pitching effort
Eric Kolenich, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, things seemed eerily familiar for Old Dominion. One day earlier, ODU (2-2) knocked off No. 4 North Carolina by scoring eight runs in the final three innings to upset the highly touted Tar Heels.

Even better, ODU's best hitter, senior first baseman Bryan Cipolla, stood at the plate. A day earlier, Cipolla tallied six RBI and a ninth-inning home run that sent the Monarchs to extra innings against the Tar Heels.

Down 7-3 against No. 16 Virginia (5-0), Cipolla was one swing away from tying the game and sending the Cavaliers into disarray.

But with a 2-2 slider and a fastball in on the hands from senior pitcher Michael Schwimer, all those thoughts were put to rest. The pitch was called a strike, and Virginia escaped with a 7-3 victory.

For the fifth straight game, Virginia had dominant starting pitching, coming in the form of sophomore Matt Packer. Packer threw six innings, giving up one unearned run and one hit. He also struck out seven while walking only two.

"I was just happy to see Matt Packer throw the ball the way he did," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. "He won that ballgame for us."

Despite moving from the weekend rotation to pitching weekdays, Packer doesn't see his move as a demotion.

"You could look at it either way, but I chose to look at it as kind of a compliment," Packer said. "You get to throw against arguably two of the better teams that we play in the first couple of weeks."

Packer is expected to get his next start when Virginia travels to take on VMI next Tuesday.

"Either way, I am just happy to still be starting."

The Virginia offense got on the scoreboard quickly, tagging ODU junior starter Matt Walls for two runs in the first. The Cavaliers then scattered five runs throughout the game but were never able to put ODU in a chokehold.

"You learn a great lesson from this game," O'Connor said. "When you get a chance early to put a team away, you need to do it."

Virginia, with plenty of chances to score, managed 15 hits, but left 11 runners on base during the game.

"We had a lot of missed opportunities where we could have put [Walls] away early, and we didn't," O'Connor said.

In the ninth, freshman Robert Morey was looking to grab the first save of his Virginia career, but allowed two unearned runs to score on a throwing error by sophomore catcher Ryan Smith and a fielding error by freshman shortstop Phil Gosselin. Morey then gave up a single and two walks, forcing O'Connor to turn to his closer, Schwimer.

"I wasn't happy about having to bring Michael Schwimer in the game because of the cold, and if you have a comfortable lead, you don't want to have to bring your closer in, but with who they had up I just felt like I didn't have any choice," O'Connor said.

Schwimer said he was forced to warm up faster than he ever has before to enter the game. With the sun set and temperatures near 30 degrees, Schwimer was under intense pressure. The temperature was not a factor though, once Schwimer was on the mound.

"You don't feel the cold when coach O'Connor looks down, walks up and down the runway, the adrenaline is flowing. You can't feel the weather," Schwimer said.

Luckily for the Cavaliers, Schwimer's arm was plenty warm, and in five pitches, Virginia was able to send the Monarchs home without a win in their pockets.

"Things happen at the end of the game, and sometimes you can be one swing of the bat away from being right back in the ballgame, and they were in that situation," O'Connor said.

 

Cavs pick up speedy back
Porzel, D.C.-area standout, gives U.Va. commitment
Thursday, Feb 28, 2008 - 12:07 AM

CHARLOTTESVILLE - One of the fastest football players in the D.C. area is headed to the University of Virginia.

Caleb Porzel, a 5-9, 170-pound junior from Good Counsel High in Olney, Md., this week became the third player to commit to the Cavaliers for 2009.

Porzel, who also had scholarship offers from Pittsburgh and West Virginia, is expected to play slot receiver and return kicks and punts at U.Va.

At a recent indoor track meet, Porzel won the 55-meter dash in 6.46 seconds. He's run 100 meters in 10.9 seconds and, at a football combine, was timed at 4.32 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

Good Counsel competes against such schools as DeMatha and Gonzaga.

At tailback, Porzel carried 107 times for 967 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Falcons (10-2) last season, and he caught nine passes for 114 yards and another TD. On special teams, he ran back four punts for 95 yards and a TD and returned six kickoffs for 188 yards and a TD.

Virginia's remaining targets in the Class of 2009 include another Good Counsel standout, Jelani Jenkins, who plays linebacker and running back. Nose tackle Nick Jenkins (no relation), who'll be a redshirt freshman for the Wahoos in the fall, is a Good Counsel graduate, as is former U.Va. basketball star Roger Mason Jr. - Jeff White

 

U.Va. quickens its 2009 recruting class
BY MELINDA WALDROP | Daily Press
9:06 PM EST, February 27, 2008
 

Virginia's 2009 football recruiting class now has three members and all of them are fast.

Caleb Porzel, a running back out of Maryland, joins running back Dominique Wallace of Chancellor High School in Spotsylvania County and Harrisonburg running back Alex Owah as oral commitments to the Cavaliers.

Both Porzel and Wallace made their decisions after attending Virginia's Junior Day on Sunday.

Wallace said he was leaning toward Virginia before Sunday. He said the school's location, football facilities and academic reputation sold him.

"Virginia has been in the lead since basically December," said Wallace, who was also offered scholarships by Penn State, Maryland and N.C. State.

As a junior, Wallace, 6-foot-1 and 231 pounds with 4.48 40-yard dash speed, rushed for 1,529 yards and 23 touchdowns on 204 carries. He also made 89 tackles on defense and had a sack and three interceptions, returning one pick 98 yards for a touchdown.

Porzel, 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds out of Good Counsel High School in Onley, Md., rushed for 967 yards and 16 touchdowns and also caught nine passes for 114 yards last year. With 4.32 speed, he also returned a kickoff for a touchdown and averaged 23.8 yards on punt returns.

Good Counsel assistant coach Kevin McFadden told CavsCorner.com that U.Va. coaches are looking at Porzel as a slot receiver and kick returner.

Porzel's teammate, outside linebacker/running back Jelani Jenkins (6-foot, 203 pounds, 4.45 40) has visited Virginia several times and has an offer from the Cavaliers, as well as West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia Tech, among other schools.

Owah, 5-11 and 166 pounds with 4.49 40 speed, rushed for 2,071 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior. He committed to the Cavs in late December.

 

Team looks to finish season on high note
Virginia concludes its regular season playing four conference teams over nine-day span
David Moltz, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor

Spring Break will be anything but restful for the Virginia men's basketball team -- the Cavaliers will play four ACC teams in nine days to finish the regular season.

The Cavaliers (13-12, 3-9 ACC) enter the month of March with their first multi-game winning streak in conference play, two games, after a convincing 78-60 home win against N.C. State Sunday.

Though Virginia is still in last place in the ACC, coach Dave Leitao said he is optimistic about the team's remaining four games. He attributed most of the Cavaliers' recent success to more productive preparation off the court.

"To win [against N.C. State], especially with what's been going on, kind of gives credence to the fact that our practices ... have been much better and more competitive," Leitao said, noting that he began to see a change in the team's performance after the hard-fought home loss to then-No. 5 North Carolina Feb. 12. "Hopefully that means we'll see a little bit more results on the floor."

A well-rested Virginia team, whose last road game was a Feb. 17 79-74 win against Boston College, will try to extend its winning streak on the road to two games Saturday against Miami, a red-hot team that has moved out of the dregs of the conference with a winning streak of its own. The Hurricanes (19-8, 6-7 ACC) have won four of their past five games, including two ACC road wins and a home upset of then-No. 5 Duke Feb. 20.

The Cavaliers will have to contain an explosive Hurricane offense that had five players in double figures in a dominant win against Maryland Saturday. Additionally, Miami boasts the conference's highest 3-point conversion percentage at 39.3 percent.

Still, Virginia's strong defensive performance against N.C. State, which Leitao called one of the team's best all year, has the team energized for the upcoming contest. The Cavaliers had 16 steals and forced 25 turnovers against the Wolfpack.

"We were playing with a lot of emotion on defense, getting a lot of steals and turnovers, which triggered our offense," sophomore guard Calvin Baker said. "We were able to get a lot of open shots in transition."

After a day of travel, the Cavaliers' conference road trip continues Monday against Georgia Tech (11-15, 4-8 ACC) in a make-up game for last week's postponed matchup. The original contest between the two teams in Atlanta Feb. 21 was called off because of a leaky roof in Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

The extra day of rest did not help the Yellow Jackets, though. The team fell short against Virginia Tech last Saturday, giving Georgia Tech it fifth loss in six games. Though the Yellow Jackets will face Wake Forest before meeting Virginia, the team is slumping and will be looking for a pivotal conference win against the Cavaliers no matter the outcome of its prior games.

Just as Georgia Tech's players must focus during their tight season-ending schedule, Virginia players know they must pace themselves to finish the season strong.

"Especially with our team, coach Leitao feels that if we focus on us, we will be OK," Baker said. "He's having us focus on resting our body, because he knows it's not a sprint -- it's a marathon."

If Virginia's late-season schedule is a race, then the Cavaliers' March 5 rematch against No. 6? Duke (24-3, 11-2 ACC) is a pivotal leg. Behind North Carolina, Duke has the ACC's second-highest scoring offense and second-best field goal percentage. By contrast, Virginia has the fifth-highest scoring offense and 12th-best field goal percentage.

All-time at the John Paul Jones Arena, the Cavaliers are 4-1 against ranked opponents and will look to avenge a 87-65 road loss to the Blue Devils earlier in the season. The game, like last season, will be nationally televised on ESPN, and fans and commentators alike will recall senior guard Sean Singletary's last-second shot against the Blue Devils for a dramatic 68-66 win.

Even though Duke is heavily favored to win the home contest, last year's game-winning hero said the sky is the limit for what the Cavaliers can accomplish.

"Nobody in that locker room wants that season to be over," Singletary said. "Even though a lot of people have counted us out, we're sticking together. We know what we can do."

Virginia's second season at John Paul Jones Arena comes to a close March 9 against Maryland. Both teams will finish their regular season in Charlottesville, and Virginia will recognize four seniors. Singletary will be honored alongside forwards Adrian Joseph, Ryan Pettinella and injured center Tunji Soroye.

The Cavaliers will need to defend the Terrapins' balanced offensive attack, which has four players averaging in double figures. Maryland (17-11, 7-6 ACC) is led by sophomore guard Greivis Vasquez, the ACC's assists leader at 6.7 assists per game, who also averages 17.5 points per game.

Despite the team's lackluster performance this season, Baker said the Cavaliers hope to finish strong in the remaining games.

"We're trying to make a statement that we're a good team," Baker said. "A lot of people are counting us out, and we know our capabilities."

 

Cavaliers host Texas two-step
Undefeated Cavaliers welcome Texas, Baylor, will face tough challenge from Big 12
Emily Hebeler, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

After capturing the National Team Indoor title, the Virginia men's tennis team has maintained its intensity and flawless record. Last weekend, No. 1 Virginia competed in a doubleheader and soundly defeated Old Dominion 7-0 and Boston College 6-1. The Cavaliers have had little time to recover, as they face No. 5 Texas tomorrow and No. 9 Baylor Saturday, arguably the strongest teams to travel to Charlottesville this season.

"They're certainly great programs, and we've had incredible matches with them over the last several years," Virginia coach Brian Boland said. "We have a tremendous amount of respect for both Baylor and Texas. I'm sure they will be great matches, and we wouldn't want anything less."

Texas threatens to be a formidable competitor, as shown by its only loss at the National Team Indoor tournament -- in the quarterfinals to No. 3 Georgia. The Longhorns are also coming off a 6-1 win against No. 19 Michigan. Texas has several ranked players, and its No. 8 doubles pair freshman Kellen Damico and senior Luis Diaz Barriga could pose a threat to the No. 1 pair, seniors Somdev Devvarman and Treat Huey. Devvarman and Huey have only lost once this season.

Baylor may appear to be less intimidating, as it has only beaten one top-20 team and was knocked out in the first round of the National Team Indoor Tournament. The Bears, however, have won two of the last three and have two top-20 players, sophomore Denes Lukacs and senior Lars Poerschke. The Cavaliers will look to avenge a 6-1 loss to the Bears last season.

In addition to the tough opponents, the Cavaliers (13-0, 1-0 ACC) could also have to face playing outdoors for the first time this season.Although the location of the matches is tentatively scheduled to be at the Boyd Tinsley Courts at the Boar's Head Sports Club, warmer temperatures could cause the matches to be moved to the Snyder Tennis Center. The team has practiced outdoors and does not expect this change would be significant.

"We've gotten to practice outside a couple of days," senior Ted Angelinos said. "I don't think it really matters where we play."

While facing these challenges, the Cavaliers expect to have all their starting players ready to compete. Earlier this month, Devvarman was out playing in the Davis Cup, and junior Dominic Inglot was out due to an injury. Inglot also did not play last weekend as a precautionary measure.

"Our intention is to play [Inglot]," Boland said. "I just hold him out of matches that the team doesn't necessarily need him. I don't want to really take any risk whatsoever on a weekend like this."

In addition to top players like Devvarman and Inglot, Virginia has a great deal of depth, including freshmen Sanam Singh and Michael Shabaz. Singh has not lost a match since the team's season began in January, and almost all his matches have ended in two sets. Together, Sanam and Shabaz have formed a powerful doubles team, as they are No. 19 nationally and reached the doubles final of the ITA Mideast Regional in the fall.

Winning the National Team Indoor title has given the Cavaliers a good deal of confidence, but the team still realizes the need to continue its high level of work and determination to come out on top this weekend.

"We've been playing well, winning our matches, and it's a good feeling," Angelinos said. "We all know there is a lot of room for improvement, and we have to keep working hard and keep getting better every day."
 

Virginia defensive end leaves school
Jeffrey Fitzgerald was dealing with an off-field matter.
By Doug Doughty

The University of Virginia phase of Jeffrey Fitzgerald's college football career is over.

Fitzgerald no longer is a UVa student, UVa sports information director Jim Daves said Monday, but Daves declined further comment based on privacy guidelines.

Fitzgerald, a 6-foot-3, 279-pound defensive end, had 11 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks as a sophomore this past season.

"Jeffrey's been a wonderful player, a great teammate and a high-character guy," UVa head coach Al Groh said Monday night. "We realize there are circumstances in his life that make it best that he move on."

Fitzgerald was dealing with an undisclosed off-field matter and needed a successful appeal to remain at Virginia, ex-Cavaliers defensive coordinator Mike London said earlier this month. London, who was Fitzgerald's position coach, is the new head coach at Richmond.

"I haven't spoken to him in about a month," London said Monday. "I've got a lot on my plate here, but I need to call him. Man, it's just unfortunate. He's a great kid."

Fitzgerald is the sixth player with remaining eligibility to leave the UVa program since the end of the 2007 season.

All-ACC offensive guard Branden Albert passed up his final season of eligibility to apply to the draft and two other starters, quarterback Jameel Sewell and cornerback Chris Cook, were among four players placed on academic probation by the dean's office.

Groh has indicated that Sewell and Cook are eyeing a return in 2009. As for Fitzgerald's anticipated transfer to another school, "you will hear about that when it's disclosed," a female who answered the phone at his Richmond home said.

Fitzgerald could not be reached for comment.

Fitzgerald, redshirted as a freshman in 2005, will have to sit out the 2008 season if he transfers to a Division I-A school.

That would leave him with one season of eligibility.

His incomplete semester might prevent immediate I-AA eligibility, so he could end up at I-A Kansas State, where former UVa assistant Ron Prince is the head coach and already has one other ex-UVa defender, Olu Hall.

Plus, Fitzgerald recently had surgery on both shoulders.

"Sitting out a year might be good for him physically," said London, who indicated that he doesn't expect to pursue Fitzgerald for Richmond. "He's pretty banged up right now."

Fitzgerald had 14 quarterback pressures and three caused fumbles this season and loomed as Long's successor as leader of the Cavaliers' defensive line.

"He's been one of our best players and he was just coming into his own," Groh said.

Virginia ranked among the top 25 teams in Division I-A in four defensive categories, but has lost the front three from its 3-4 defense, including nose tackle Allen Billyk and end Chris Long. Long, the ACC defensive player of the year, is in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine and is a consensus choice for one of the first five picks in April's draft.

The most experienced of the returning defensive ends, Alex Field and Sean Gottschalk, played 117 and 102 plays, respectively.
 

Fitzgerald weighing options
By MELINDA WALDROP | 247-4634
8:42 PM EST, February 26, 2008
 

University of Richmond football coach Mike London, the former defensive coordinator at Virginia, said he isn't sure what ex-Cavaliers defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald will do now that he's no longer enrolled at U.Va.

London said Fitzgerald, who had been expected to anchor Virginia's line next season as a junior, was weighing his options. He could transfer to an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision school, where he could play immediately, or go to another Football Bowl Subdivision program, where he would have to sit out a year.

"You have to be in good academic standing from the institution you're leaving to go to another one," London said. "(Fitzgerald) is kind of devastated right now with the finality of this whole thing that's gone down."

Reports surfaced weeks ago that Fitzgerald was leaving U.Va., but the school didn't confirm it until Monday.

"Jeffrey has been a wonderful player, a great teammate and a high character person," Virginia head coach Al Groh said via e-mail. "We respect that there are things in his life that make it best for him to move (on). We support him and will help him in any way we can."

London, named Richmond's coach in January, said he first spoke with Fitzgerald about his options a month and a half ago. Fitzgerald, 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds, had 73 tackles last season, 11 1/2 for loss.

"(Fitzgerald) is a great kid," London said. "It's unfortunate what happened up there. ... He's gonna land somewhere, and someone's gonna be happy to have his talent."

That probably wouldn't be Richmond, however.

"I went from one good academic school to another," London said. "It's gonna be tough for us to get him into school here. I'd love to have him."