Ogletree likely out for season
Rising junior WR could miss a year after possible ACL tear
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 28, 2007

Having been around the game of football for five decades, Virginia coach Al Groh knows a thing or two about injuries, namely the really bad ones.
That’s why Groh grimaced on Friday when his top wide receiver, rising junior Kevin Ogletree, suffered a damaging, season-changing setback in the team’s second spring practice.
“[Ogletree] tried to make a cut and it just gave out on him,” Groh told reporters on Wednesday. “They did the MRI the other night and we just got the results.
“Because he didn’t experience too much next-day difficulty, we were kind of holding out, hoping against hope, but when I saw it, I thought to myself, ‘Uh-oh, I know what that looks like,’ and, unfortunately, it turned out to be an accurate visual diagnosis.”
Ogletree’s injury?
“We found just here [Wednesday] morning that Kevin Ogletree has got a torn ACL, which is going to require surgery,” Groh said. “That hasn’t been scheduled yet, but that is coming up here.”
Initially, Ogletree “did not see himself as hurt,” Groh said, and continued to practice on a limited basis on Saturday and Sunday with a brace on his left knee.
“When it didn’t seem to really flare up, I got to thinking, ‘Maybe this one will fool me,’” Groh said, “but unfortunately we were accurate on that.”
Groh did not place a timetable for Ogletree’s return, but indicated “the standard answer on that is 12 months.”
The news comes as a devastating blow to a position already lacking depth and experience and welcoming in Wayne Lineburg as its new coach.
Ogletree, who finished as the ACC’s third-leading wideout last year, had 52 receptions for 582 yards and four touchdowns. He hauled in at least two passes in every game and received honorable mention All-ACC accolades.
With the departures of Emmanuel Byers, Fontel Mines, Mike Robertson and Deyon Williams, only two wide receivers currently with the team this spring made receptions last year. Junior Maurice Covington (6 receptions, 45 yards) and junior Cary Koch (1 reception, 4 yards) drew limited playing time for the Cavaliers.
Covington, who also had five catches as a true freshman in 2005, would appear to gain the most by Ogletree’s departure.
“[Covington] is very purposeful in what he’s doing,” Groh said. “He knows that this is his time. He has done a nice job here to date, and is showing that he has been through a lot of practices here.
“He knows how we are trying to use him and what we are trying to do.”
Groh, who cited Chris Dalton, Staton Jobe and converted defensive back Chris Gorham as possibilities to slide into the vacant spot, said the team has no choice but to move on.
“We will just have to adjust and team-wise take a ‘next-man-up attitude’ and that is what it is,” Groh said. “As a team, we have to buck up and go on, and every team is going to lose guys, and it is how you respond to that, as much as anything, that determines how you come out of it.”
Ogletree, who became the top target for quarterback Jameel Sewell last year, was already returning from surgery on his wrist and Groh said the New York native was “understandably disappointed.”
Luckily for UVa, Ogletree has never redshirted.
“The third year is when it really happens for a lot of guys ... but we have to realize that year is coming back again,” Groh added.
“We just put it on ice. It’s not like it is lost forever … we will get a chance to get it back.”
Virginia will also welcome in a pair of true freshmen in August that may factor into the mix at wideout. Jared Green, a speedster and son of former Washington Redskin star Darrell Green, and four-star recruit Chase Minnefield are expected to give the position a boost.
Groh could also elect to use tailback Mikell Simpson in the slot and/or move tight end Tom Santi off the line in spread packages in a fashion that the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars employ with Matt Jones, a wideout in a tight end’s body.

Shifting spots
While answering questions about how Covington and Mines share similar frames at 6-foot-4, an interesting nugget of information was released.
Groh said Mines, who is now pushing 240 pounds, has let NFL teams know that he would welcome a shift to tight end.
“[Mines] is training and has presented himself to the NFL basically now as a move-tight end kind of candidate,” Groh pointed out. “Had Fontel redshirted when he was here, that’s probably what he would have grown into and played here next year rather than wide receiver.”

 

UVa's final report card
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 29, 2007

After its recent 77-74 loss to Tennessee in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Virginia men’s basketball team finished the season with a 21-11 record, including an 11-5 mark in the ACC.
Virginia persevered through tough times in December (anyone remember the San Juan Shootout?) to earn a share of the league title with North Carolina. It was UVa’s first conference crown since 1995 - not bad for a squad that went 15-15 in 2006 and was predicted by the media to finish eighth in 2007.
A major key to Virginia’s success was its dominant play in its new $129.8 million home. UVa was 16-1 in its first season at John Paul Jones Arena.
As the Cavaliers head into the offseason, Daily Progress beat writer Whitelaw Reid hands out his end-of-season report card.

Andy Burns
Freshman, forward
Analysis: Burns, a recruited walk-on from Alexandria, only appeared in 13 of the team’s 32 games. With his Carrot Top-like hairdo, he became a fan favorite. His best game of the year was against Longwood when he drained a 3-pointer and blocked a shot, much to the crowd’s delight. However, due to his lack of playing time, he never had a chance to make any kind of impact.
Midseason grade: Incomplete
Final grade: Incomplete

Jason Cain
Senior, forward
Analysis: Just call him “The Big Tease.” That’s what Cain did to Virginia fans for the better part of his career. At the start of the season, teammate J.R. Reynolds called Cain the most talented player on the team. Unfortunately, Cain never came close to living up to that. Still, Cain’s production increased by leaps and bounds under Dave Leitao, though his rebounding and points were down slightly from 2006.
Midseason grade: C
Final grade: C+

Mamadi Diane
Sophomore, guard/forward
Analysis: Diane started the season with a bang - a career-high 25 points in the season-opening win over Arizona. Unfortunately for Virginia fans, that was not a sign of things to come. Diane’s reputation as a feast-or-famine type of player continued. The sophomore scored
15 or more points six times. He tallied five points or less 11 times, including a zero-point, one-rebound effort in the finale versus Tennessee - an unacceptable stat line for a starter.
Midseason grade: C+
Final grade: C

Will Harris
Freshman, forward/guard
Analysis: Harris struggled to find a consistent role in Leitao’s rotation. After a 14-point, six-rebound effort against N.C. State on Dec. 3, Harris didn’t score in double figures again the rest of the season (a span of 26 games). Harris was undersized at power forward. At small forward, he appeared to lack the foot speed to defend on the perimeter. The coaching staff seemed a little unsure of how to utilize him.
Midseason grade: C
Final grade: C-

Adrian Joseph
Junior, forward
Analysis: Strong drives to the basket. Thunderous put-back dunks in the lane. Clutch outside shooting. That’s what Joseph showed in the finale against Tennessee when he had 10 points and five rebounds. It begged the question: Why didn’t Joseph have these types of performances more often? Like much of Virginia’s supporting cast, Joseph was madly inconsistent. Still, his shooting percentage increased to
44 percent (from 40 percent in 2006), though he went more than three months without getting to the free-throw line.
Midseason grade: B-
Final grade: C-

Jerome Meyinsse
Freshman, forward/center
Analysis: Most people expected the 18-year-old from Louisiana to redshirt this season because of his inexperience - but that didn’t happen. Meyinsse, who scored a career-high nine points against Maryland Eastern Shore on Nov. 26, was a DNP in 17 of 32 games. A full offseason in the Virginia program should pay dividends for the youngster come next year.
Midseason grade: Incomplete
Final grade: Incomplete

Lars Mikalauskas
Sophomore, forward
Analysis: Mikalauskas was hampered out of the gates by sprains to both ankles. That hurt his conditioning and got him into Leitao’s doghouse. The Lithuanian, who was a crowd favorite his freshman year, was a DNP against Georgia Tech and Viginia Tech. Mikalauskas turned it on late and seemed to get back in Leitao’s good graces, but overall his production - because of less playing time - took a nosedive.
Midseason grade: C
Final grade: C-

Ryan Pettinella
Junior, forward/center
Analysis: The transfer from Pennsylvania bounced back from a knee injury in Puerto Rico to have a productive season as an energy-hustle-type player. Pettinella’s best game was a 14-point, 10-rebound effort against Hampton. He hit a huge free throw that propelled Virginia to its comeback victory over Duke but shot just 24 percent from the free-throw line (9 of 37) for the season.
Midseason grade: B-
Final grade: C

J.R. Reynolds
Senior, guard
Analysis: If Reynolds hadn’t hurt his ankle against Tennessee, there’s a good chance Virginia would have advanced to the Sweet 16. The senior put together two memorable NCAA Tournament games, scoring 28 against Albany and 26 versus the Vols. Reynolds may have been slighted by the media in not being chosen first-team All-ACC. His poor shooting in the last regular-season game against Wake Forest - when he was suffering from a hip injury - probably did him in. But Virginia wouldn’t have been close to sniffing the Big Dance without the Roanoke native, who developed into an all-around player under Leitao.
Midseason grade: B
Final grade: A-

Sean Singletary
Junior, guard
Analysis: The heart and soul of the team for the last two years, Singletary took his game to another level this season. From the opening upset victory over Arizona when he outplayed NBA-bound guard Mustapha Shakur, to the dramatic win over Duke when he drilled the game-winning shot, Singletary reaffirmed his status as a first-team All-ACC guard. Singletary had one of his poorest games in the loss to Tennessee, but that doesn’t take away from another stellar season in which he willed Virginia to more wins than anybody expected.
Midseason grade: B
Final grade: A-

Tunji Soroye
Junior, center
Analysis: Soroye was hampered by a sports hernia injury at the start of the season, which negated all the hard work he had put in last summer. To his credit, he didn’t give up. The Nigerian almost single-handedly propelled Virginia to a key road win at Maryland. Soroye hit clutch free throws and was a defensive presence. Overall, however, his season was a disappointment when you consider he only averaged 2.1 points and 3.2 rebounds (compared to 1.8 and 3.5 in 2006).
Midseason grade: C-
Final grade: C

Solomon Tat
Freshman, guard/forward
Analysis: Tat, the much ballyhooed recruit from Nigeria, missed 10 of the first 11 games with a groin injury and never seemed to be at full strength the rest of the season. His best game was an eight-point, six-rebound performance at Virginia Tech. Tat’s main strength appears to be his defense. That was on display when he locked up Duke’s Jon Scheyer in the closing seconds of Virginia’s victory on Feb. 1. With the departure of J.R. Reynolds, Tat is probably UVa’s best on-the-ball defender.
Midseason grade: Incomplete
Final grade: C-

Jamil Tucker
Freshman, forward
Analysis: Tucker started off slow. His minutes were curtailed because of what Leitao deemed sub-par defense. However, by midseason, Tucker seemed to get a better handle on what was expected of him. Out of Virginia’s four freshmen, Tucker likely improved the most. He didn’t have the deer-in-the-headlights look by the end of the season, as evidenced by his solid performances against Miami and Wake Forest.
Midseason grade: C
Final grade: C+

Dave Leitao
Second-year head coach
Analysis: In the San Juan Shootout in December, Virginia played as poorly as any team could possibly play. UVa went 1-2 and barely beat the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, a Division II school that had six players on its roster who were less than 6-feet tall. If you had said after that game that Virginia would go on to win a share of the ACC and Leitao would win Coach of the Year, you would have been committed to the nearest psychiatric facility on the island. But in truth, Virginia’s wretched performance in San Juan may have been the best thing that ever happened. It forced the team to refocus before the games that really counted got underway. Leitao, for the second straight season, figured out a way to win with only two consistent scoring threats and a bunch of other pieces that didn’t always fit.
Midseason grade: C.
Final grade: A-

 

Marsh's late hit lifts Cavs over Longwood
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 29, 2007

With rainfall on the way and Longwood starter Brian McCullough finally out of the game, Virginia right fielder Brandon Marsh picked the perfect opportunity to register his first hit of the contest.

The senior slapped a walk-off, two-out single into right field in the ninth to plate Tyler Cannon from second and lift Virginia past Longwood, 4-3, for the Cavs’ fourth win over the Lancers in three years.

Did Marsh’s game-winning hit off reliever Needham Jones come on a fastball? Perhaps it was a curve?

“To be honest, I have no idea,” Marsh said. “You just see the ball and you hit.”

Virginia (24-5) needed the late-inning heroics after McCullough pitched eight masterful innings, allowing just seven hits and three runs (two earned).

“I knew it was going to be a great game because I knew McCullough was an excellent pitcher,” said UVa coach Brian O’Connor. “I don’t care what it says on the front of your jersey. It’s still baseball, and if a team has a great pitcher, you have to find a way to win. I’m just happy we found a way to win.”

The recipe on Wednesday, as it has been much of this season, involved quality pitching out of the bullpen and the Cavaliers’ ability to score in opportunistic fashion.

After UVa starter Pat McAnaney was roughed up for five hits and three earned runs in 2.1 innings of work, five Cav relievers combined to keep the Lancers (21-9) off the scoreboard the rest of the way.

“Pat didn’t put guys away and, quite frankly, I didn’t feel like we could give up another run,” O’Connor said. “That was the advantage of blowing George Mason out [17-6] on Tuesday. All those relievers were fresh and they have a lot of confidence in their own abilities.

“Those guys are not going to back down.”

Virginia senior Casey Lambert, who came on in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded and one out, fanned both hitters he faced on 10 pitches, earning his first win.

The Cavaliers, who trailed 3-1 after the fifth, got a mammoth solo homer from junior Sean Doolittle to left in the sixth

They then tied the game on an errant pickoff attempt to first by McCullough in the eighth as the side-winding pitcher attempted to get Brandon Guyer, the trail runner. David Adams scored with ease from second.

In the ninth, Cannon earned a walk on a full count, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Mike Mitchell and scored two batters later on Marsh’s single.

“I may have to consider if I am going to have [Longwood] come play here anymore,” O’Connor joked afterward while raving about the Lancers.

“That is truly a great college baseball team.”

UVa travels to Virginia Tech (15-11, 4-5 ACC) on Friday to open a three-game series.

 

Cavs down Dukes
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
March 29, 2007

HARRISONBURG - Last year, Kate Breslin suffered a hip flexor injury during the preseason that prevented her from getting off to a fast start.

This season, the Virginia senior is healthy - and on fire.

On a rainy Wednesday night, Breslin scored six goals to lead fourth-ranked UVa to a 16-13 win over sixth-ranked James Madison.

Sophomore Blair Weymouth added five goals for Virginia (9-1). Annie Wagner led JMU (6-2) with six goals.

“We knew it would be a tough game with the in-state rivalry,” Breslin said, “so we’re really happy with the win because we had been working really hard in practice.”

Virginia coach Julie Myers, whose team has now won three in a row following a lackluster loss to North Carolina, was also pleased to escape with the road triumph.

“It’s a huge win because James Madison is an excellent team - probably better than they’ve ever been,” said Myers, as rain dripped from her hooded poncho following the game. “They play with a lot of energy and have some great players, so to come here and come up with a win …”

In the first half, Virginia stormed out to a 5-1 lead - thanks mainly to its success on draw controls. UVa won five of the first six.

However, James Madison responded with six unanswered goals to take a 7-5 lead.

“I think we were definitely a little shocked,” Breslin said, “but we didn’t panic. The coaches called timeout and helped us regroup, and we found our focus again.”

Breslin scored two straight goals to tie the game. After JMU went up 8-7, Virginia scored the final four goals of the half for an 11-8 lead.

The three-goal advantage proved huge because when play resumed it started pouring.

“We were happy to be ahead then,” Breslin said, “because we had to shorten up some of our cuts and passes.”

Added Myers: “When your sticks get wet, it’s hard to go with those little passes, and our game is so much of those passes. It took us awhile to adjust to it.”

The scored remained 11-8 for the first nine minutes of the half before Virginia scored two quick goals to go up by five. JMU could never get closer than three the rest of the way.

Virginia, which had a 15-10 advantage in ground balls, seemed a little quicker than the Dukes, who didn’t have anybody who could stop Breslin.

“She just kept popping free in the middle, and our girls just love to feed it to her,” Myers said. “She did a great job. She does an amazing job of making her shots count. A couple times we had busted plays, but she was still able to come up with great shots.”

Breslin, who scored 23 goals last season, has already scored a team-leading 33 this season.

“I think a lot of the focus has been on Blair and some of the other attackers,” Breslin said. “That’s just opened stuff up for me. I’ve just been finding myself in the right place at the right time lately.”

Breslin is hoping she can stay in her groove when Virginia plays host to Duke on Saturday.

“It’s an ACC game and we’re obviously not taking anyone lightly,” she said. “They have a very good team and a great attack. The next couple of days we need to come out and practice very hard.”

 

U.Va. loses top WR
Ogletree is expected to miss the season with injured knee
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Mar 29, 2007

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- For the third time in five seasons, the University of Virginia has lost its best returning wide receiver to a significant injury.

Kevin Ogletree, a rising junior from St. Albans, N.J., tore his an- terior cruciate ligament in practice Friday, U.Va. coach Al Groh told reporters on a teleconference yesterday.

"He tried to make a cut, and it just gave out on him," Groh said.

Ogletree's knee will require reconstructive surgery, and he's expected to miss the 2007 season. He has a redshirt year available, though, so Ogletree can return in 2008 with two seasons of eligiblity remaining.

"He's understandably disappointed," Groh said. "The third year is where it really happens for a lot of guys. We just have to realize that year is coming back again. It's just on ice."

Michael McGrew, Virginia's top returning receiver in 2003, missed that season with a broken leg. Last August, Deyon Williams, an all-ACC candidate at wideout, had surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot. He eventually returned last season but was ineffective, catching only 10 passes for 87 yards and one TD.

Groh said he feared the worst Friday, but Ogletree didn't experience much swelling in his knee and, wearing a brace, was able to participate in some drills Saturday and Sunday. The coaching staff held out hope that perhaps the injury was minor, but an MRI showed otherwise.

Ogletree caught 52 passes for 582 yards and four touchdowns in 2006 and was named honorable-mention all-ACC. As a true fresh- man in 2005, he had seven receptions for 27 yards.

With the 6-2, 190-pound Ogletree out, U.Va.'s top returning receiver is Maurice Covington, a 6-4, 215-pound rising junior who had six catches for 45 yards last season.

Another wideout, Andrew Pearman, had seven catches for 34 yards in four games before suffering a knee injury last season. But Pearman withdrew from U.Va. late last semester for personal reasons, and it's not clear if he'll be back in 2007-08.

The Cavaliers' other options at wideout include rising senior Chris Gorham, a converted cornerback; freshman Chris Dalton, who redshirted last season; and walk-ons Staton Jobe, Cary Koch and Zach Mendez-Zfass, a Collegiate graduate. U.Va.'s incoming freshman class includes several receivers, among them Matoaca High's Kris Burd.

"We'll just to have adjust and take, team-wise, a next-man-up attitude," Groh said. "We've got to buck up and go on. Every team is going to lose guys, and it's how to respond to that [that often] determines what kind of season you have."

 

U.VA. NOTES
Richmond Times-Dispatch Mar 29, 2007

TO THE FORE: Even before Kevin Ogletree tore his anterior cruciate ligament, 2007 loomed as a critical season for wide receiver Maurice Covington.

The 6-4, 215-pound Covington, who played little as a true freshman in '05 or as a sophomore last season, entered spring practice as a starter at the spot occupied by Fontel Mines. Now, with Ogletree sidelined, Covington is U.Va.'s top returning receiver, though his statistics are modest.

"Mo's very purposeful in what he's doing," Virginia coach Al Groh said yesterday. "He knows this is his time."

In two seasons, Covington has caught 11 passes for 105 yards.

"I've been waiting a long time to play, so this is my year," he said after practice Saturday, before the team learned the extent of Ogletree's knee injury.

"We had a bad season last year, so this year we're trying to get on the ball and win a lot of games. So I need to step up and help my team win."

Covington played with Brandon Woods at Southern High in Durham, N.C. Woods, who'll be a redshirt sophomore in the fall, is a second-team safety at U.Va.

PUTTING UP A FIGHT: Don't pencil in freshman Keith Payne as the Cavaliers' No. 1 tailback just yet. Cedric Peerman, who struggled last season after impressing as a redshirt freshman in 2005, has returned to form this spring.

"The Cedric that we are seeing right now, that we are impressed with, is back to one-cut running," Groh said yesterday. "He kind of fell into a little spell last year where he thought he was LaDainian Tomlinson -- lots of shake and bake and try to spin and make them miss.

"We talked to him and said, 'Hey, get back to the Cedric that got you here.' One-cut running. Tough, physical, definitive. He really is back on track with that and has had a good start with what's going on here."

Peerman, who has carried 116 times for 390 yards and seven touchdowns at U.Va., is one of the ACC's premier kickoff returners. He averaged 25.8 yards per return in 2005 and 27.3 last season.

SEE FOR YOURSELF: Fans have two more opportunities to check out the U.Va. football team this spring. The Cavaliers' practice April 7 will be open, at a time to be determined. U.Va. is hosting a coaching clinic that day.

Virginia's spring game is April 14 at Scott Stadium. It's scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

ACCOLADES: The Philadelphia Daily News published its all-city basketball teams yesterday, and two U.Va. recruits were among those honored.

Jeff Jones, a 6-4 shooting guard from Monsignor Bonner, was named to the first team. Sammy Zeglinski, a 6-1 point guard from Penn Charter, made the second team for the second consecutive year.

Both are seniors who signed with Virginia in November. Jones, the leading scorer in the history of the storied Catholic League, moved up from last year's all-city second team.

Jason Cain, who recently completed his senior season at U.Va., was a first-team all-city selection in Philly in 2003. Sean Singletary was first-team all-city for Penn Charter in 2003 and '04.

Singletary, who'll be a senior at Virginia next season, was named an honorable-mention All-American by The Associated Press this week.

ON THE DIAMOND: U.Va. baseball recruit John Barr opened his final high school season in style. Barr, a right-hander from Germantown Academy outside Philadelphia, threw a perfect game Monday in a 4-0 victory over Archbishop Wood.

Barr, whom the Cavaliers recruited as an outfielder, struck out 10 batters. He helped his cause with a double and an RBI. Barr has been timed at 6.6 seconds in the 60-yard dash, which will make one of the fastest players at U.Va. -- Jeff White
 

Cavs lose WR Ogletree to knee injury
Virginia coach Al Groh said he does not expect last year's leader in receptions to return until the 2008 football season.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

Statistically speaking, Kevin Ogletree looked to be one of Virginia's most dangerous offensive weapons for the 2007 college football season.

That was before head coach Al Groh learned Wednesday that Ogletree sustained a torn anterior ligament in practice and will require surgery.

Groh said that the benchmark for rehabilitation from ACL surgery is 12 months.

"Last Friday, he tried to make a cut and [the knee] just gave out on him," Groh said. "He didn't experience too much difficulty the next day. We were kind of hoping against hope, but when I saw it, I thought to myself, 'Uh oh, I know what that looks like.'"

It marks the second year in a row and third time in five seasons that UVa's top returning wide receiver has suffered a major injury before the start of the next season.

In 2003, Michael McGrew suffered a broken leg in August. Last year, Deyon Williams suffered a broken foot shortly after the start of preseason drills.

Like Ogletree, McGrew and Williams had not been redshirted at the time of their injuries. As opposed to McGrew, who was redshirted and returned as a fifth-year senior in 2004, Williams returned after a five-game absence but saw his receptions drop from 58 in 2005 to 10 in 2006.

Ogletree had a team-high 52 receptions last year for the Cavaliers, who did not have another player with as many as 30 catches. Among the returning receivers, Maurice Covington was second behind Ogletree with seven.

"Third year is when it really happens for a lot of guys," Groh said. "He's [Ogletree] been very tunnel vision toward that. We've just got to realize, that year's coming back again. We've just put it on ice. It's not like it's lost forever. We'll get a chance to get it back."

"Team-wise, [we'll] take a next-man-up attitude."

Oddly, Ogletree participated in drills Saturday and Sunday before he was sent for an MRI.

"He was very enthusiastic," Groh said.

"He didn't see himself as being hurt. I had been concerned about it since I saw it. When it didn't flare up, I got to thinking, 'Maybe this one will fool me.' Unfortunately, it turned out to be an accurate visual diagnosis."

Among the candidates to replace Ogletree are redshirt freshman Chris Dalton, hailed by Groh last year as the fastest player UVa had recruited during his tenure; 6-foot, 177-pound walk-on Staton Jobe, and converted cornerback Chris Gorham.

Jobe, a redshirt freshman from Austin, Texas, has been impressive in spring workouts.

"Staton Jobe is doing as good a job as anybody -- walk-on, walk-out, walk-in, whatever category they came from," Groh said in a Monday teleconference.

"Probably the biggest thing with Staton is one thing. It's always going to be his size.

"He's got to find ways to compensate for that, as all smaller players do. He picks things up very quickly and has learned all the little ins and outs.

He gets a lot of things right that the coaches have pointed out to him. He has good speed and a lot of moxie to him."

At the other receiving spot, Maurice Covington, another junior who has never been redshirted, has an edge in experience over the competition.

"Mo's very purposeful in what he's doing," Groh said. "He knows this is his time. He's done a nice job to date in showing that he's been to a lot of practices here. He knows what we're trying to do."

Covington's rivals include Cary Koch, who had 23 receptions two years ago at Tulane, where he was a Conference USA All-Freshman selection. When Tulane dropped his major in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Koch was able to transfer to Virginia with immediate eligibility, but he had only one reception in 2006.

"It wasn't fully [resolved] until July," Groh said.

"He came in pretty much cold, not a whole lot different than a true freshman. He's definitely in the mix. At that position, it's a matter of who stretches and impacts the defense the most."

By the time new receivers coach Wayne Lineburg familiarizes himself with the current group, he will welcome a group of receiver signees that includes SuperPrep All-American Chase Minniefield, Dontrelle Inman and Kris Burd. Minnifield is rehabbing from ACL surgery performend after the season.
 

Virginia's Mitchell battles back from injuries
By MIKE CONNORS, The Virginian-Pilot
© March 29, 2007

University of Virginia centerfielder Mike Mitchell doesn't worry much about home runs, RBIs or batting average these days.

Two severe injuries suffered over the course of three seasons have a way of making health a bit more important than statistics.

"My goal is just to go out and have fun," Mitchell said Tuesday after going 3 for 4 with four RBIs in the Cavaliers' 17-6 thrashing of George Mason. "Every day is definitely a blessing."

During the first three years of Mitchell's U.Va. career, he seemed more cursed than blessed. A Great Bridge High School graduate, Mitchell was among the Cavaliers' top hitters when he broke his right wrist crashing into a fence 11 games into his freshman season.

That injury effectively ended Mitchell's season, though he played sparingly as a pinch-runner down the stretch. Further complicating matters, Mitchell's surgery didn't go exactly right, meaning his rehab was pushed into his sophomore year, limiting him to 50 at-bats that season.

"Having to sit out one and a half years was real hard on me," Mitchell said. "I just wanted to get back as soon as possible."

Mitchell finally got back to full health early in his junior season. He was leading U.Va. with a .342 average when he was dealt another blow, breaking a finger on his right hand on a slide into first base on a pickoff attempt during the Cavaliers' first ACC series.

Mitchell battled back from that injury well, returning to the lineup late in the season. He even contributed eight hits and eight runs in U.Va.'s final eight games, despite the fact that he wasn't fully healthy, according to Cavaliers coach Brian O'Connor.

"When you have injuries like that, especially with your hands, it's very, very frustrating," O'Connor said. "Now he's back showing what he can do when he's 100 percent healthy."

To say the least. Mitchell is hitting .388 with 17 RBIs and 20 runs scored. He also has 12 stolen bases in 13 tries and is one of the reasons the Cavaliers are 24-5 and ranked fifth in Baseball America's top 25 entering this weekend's three-game series at Virginia Tech (15-11).

"I'm not surprised at all," Great Bridge coach Wiley Lee said. "Mike always had that ability to rise to the occasion."

The Cavaliers haven't risen to the occasion the past two NCAA tournaments. In 2005, U.Va. was the No. 2 seed in its four-team regional but failed to win a game. Last year, the Cavaliers were a No. 1 regional seed but went 1-2.

Mitchell intends to change that during his final collegiate season. When asked his goals for the final two months of the season, he focused on his team rather than himself.

"I just want to keep doing what I'm doing," he said. "I have a real good feeling about this year."

Then Mitchell paused.

"And I want to stay healthy," he said with a laugh.

 

Peerman returning to former self at UVa
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
March 28, 2007

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Spring practice is less than a week old and Virginia running backs coach Anthony Poindexter is already in midseason form, out-racing players from drill to drill, first to congratulate one of his tailbacks on a run well made and quick to correct something he sees wrong in the most positive way possible.
Virginia's pair of precocious redshirt freshmen, Keith Payne and Raynard Horne, take their turns in a drill just after Cedric Peerman. Something doesn't look the same.

"Run like Ced!" Poindexter yells to them. "Run like Ced!"

It's a funny thing to say. Before this spring, Cedric wasn't running like the old Cedric, the tailback who saw an opening, made one definitive cut and accelerated through the hole with a tough, physical burst.

"He kind of fell into a little spell last year where he thought he was LaDainian Tomlinson," Virginia head coach Al Groh said, "(with) lots of shake and bake and trying to spin and make them miss. We're always talking to him about, 'Hey, get back to being the Cedric that got you here.'"

Peerman will have to if he hopes to hold off the challengers for the Cavaliers' starting tailback job, including Payne, a 6-foot-3, 243-pound bruiser and message board legend, and Horne, a less heralded but similarly talented back.

That's why he reinvented himself in the offseason. Days after he finished the 2006 season with 46 carries for 153 yards and a disappointing 3.3-yard-per-carry average as Jason Snelling's backup, Peerman sat in Groh's office to discuss how he would attack the offseason.

They focused on two major topics: get quicker and stay healthy.

Peerman told Groh of his interest to join Virginia's winter track program. A star at William Campbell High School, where he was a Group A state champion in the 100-meter dash his junior and senior years, Peerman had wanted to run track since stepping onto Charlottesville's campus. He thought it would help out his game. Groh liked the idea.

Peerman focused on technique. He chose the shortest distance he could find (60 meters) and worked on short bursts, concentrating on his times out of the chute, from the starting line to 10 or 20 yards.

He ran one meet and didn't do that well.

"But I did get a lot of practice time in with stuff that I think is going to help me in the long run," he said.

So will Peerman's other adjustment: tailing back on the weights. A weight room marvel, Peerman has been known to draw a crowd when he's maxing out.

"That's how Cedric goes about everything - studies, football, weightlifting. It's no holds barred," Groh said.

Virginia coaches noticed that it was becoming counter-productive, however. Peerman has had a history of hamstring pulls, and the overexertion on his lower body in the weight room wasn't helping. His burst wasn't the same in games. He looked a step slow.

Groh urged him to ease up a little.

"We talked about even when you are in the weight room, not to try to lift tall buildings in a single lift, much less leap them," Groh said.

"I guess it is a fine line," Peerman said. "I'm the type of guy, I want to work hard. I want to lift weights, but at the same time I have to be healthy. I have to protect myself. I have to give in a little bit."

The early results have been positive. Just days after his winter track program wrapped up, Peerman was back on the football field, making moves that he hopes are a little bit quicker and cuts that are a little bit sharper.

"He really is back on track with that and has had a good start," Groh said.

Just like the old Ced.

 

Cavs top Hokies to continue ACC domination
No. 2 Virginia overcomes focus problems to hand No. 39 Virginia Tech decisive 6-1 loss; sweep all three doubles matches
Aaron Perryman, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

The No. 2 Virginia men's tennis team continued its domination yesterday with a 6-1 win against No. 39 Virginia Tech at the Snyder Tennis Center.

The Cavaliers' doubles teams swept the Hokies'. Juniors Somdev Devvarman and Treat Huey defeated the Hokies' unit of freshman Pedro Graber and sophomore Nicolas Delgado by a score of 8-4. Junior Ted Angelinos and freshman Lee Singer defeated the Hokies' duo of senior Arvid Puranen and sophomore Brandon Corace 8-3.

The doubles match between Virginia's duo of freshman Houston Barrick and sophomore Dominic Inglot and Virginia Tech's senior Alexei Sergeev and junior Albert Larregola, however, stole the show yesterday. After falling behind three games to one, Barrick and Inglot fought back to win six of the next seven games to go up 7-4. They then found themselves in a battle, though, as Sergeev and Larregola tied it up at seven games apiece. Barrick and Inglot were able to manage to pull out the win in the tiebreak.

"We just started slow," Inglot said. "I got broken straight away. I wasn't used to the wind. We battled back and we knew within a game a two that it was not a question of whether we were going to win but when we were going to win. We were very confident. And when you have that kind of confidence you feel like you can come back straight away. And that's what we did in the next two games."

After the comeback, the pair had a temporary loss of focus, but it did not cost them the match.

"We went to 7-4 and we got a little carried away and we wanted to get the first match for Virginia," Inglot said. "We made a few silly shots. We kind of lost our concentration a little but we focused back in the end. As long as we stay focused we don't have any problems, but sometimes we lose it."

No. 2 singles player Devvarman continued his winning ways in his singles match as he downed Puranen in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. It took a while for Devvarman to break Puranen's serve, but once he did, he had him on the ropes.

"He was serving well and coming up big a little bit," Devvarman said. "In the eighth game I just made sure I made a lot of balls and I wanted to make him to do it over and over again. And if he did, [then] well and good, but as I thought, he broke down a little bit and I just took advantage of that."

All but one Cavalier won their singles match. Huey defeated Larregola 6-3, 6-2; Inglot defeated Delgado 6-3, 6-2; senior Marko Miklo defeated Hokie junior Ignaci Roca 6-0, 6-1 and Singer defeated Corace 6-3, 6-2. Barrick was the only Virginia player not victorious in his singles match as he lost to freshman Yoann Re in his tiebreak 10-4 after winning one set 6-4 and losing the other 4-6.

The day was a success for the Cavaliers as they added another point to Virginia's overall lead in the Commonwealth Challenge against Virginia Tech.

"We did an excellent job preparing this week," Virginia coach Brian Boland said. "I think our team continues to get better and better as we have gotten acclimated to the outdoors now and I'm pleased with our team's overall performance.

Despite their satisfaction with the win, the Cavaliers cannot afford to lose focus as they will host ACC foe Clemson Friday.