Timing of Phillips commitment a surprise
Cavs sell Phillips on comparisons to Miller
By Doug Doughty
Exclusive to roanoke.com by 5 p.m. Thursdays

Bath County junior John Phillips was so tempted by the opportunity to play college football with his older brother, Jacob, that he tentatively had planned a visit to William and Mary this weekend.

Phillips almost had the same opportunity at Virginia.

Gene "Bugs" Phillips, the boys’ father, said that Virginia coach Al Groh visited Bath County shortly before the signing date and said he had a scholarship waiting for senior Jacob Phillips.

Groh said he had concerns about Virginia’s "numbers" situation and the offer was contingent upon Jacob spending a year in prep school, but there would have been a place for him in 2005.

William and Mary was able to hold onto Jacob by stressing that he figured prominently in their plans at quarterback, "not that Virginia wouldn’t have given him the opportunity to play quarterback," Bugs said.

"Coach Groh said he was telling Jacob what he told everybody -- that he would be given a chance. He didn’t promise he would end up at quarterback, but he felt Jacob was the right kind of kid.

"I know that [Jacob and John] had discussed going to the same school. Even their daddy would have liked to see that."

Until John Phillips went to Virginia on Saturday in the company of his father and Bath County coach Will Fields, the trip to William and Mary was still on, as was a trip to Virginia Tech for the Hokies’ spring game.

Fields doesn’t know how the John Phillips commitment got on the 6 o'clock news on WDBJ-Roanoke because Phillips didn't make his intentions known to Groh until 7 p.m.

"I was on the field when I got a call from Chris Horne of the sabre.com," Fields said. "He said he was calling to confirm a rumor that had been reported on their Web site. I said that John had not committed. I said he was close to making a decision, but, at the time, I thought he might not tell coach Groh that night.

"John told me during practice that he thought he was going to go ahead and do it. That was about 5:30. But, he didn’t tell coach Groh and none of the Virginia coaches knew until 7 o'clock. It may have been after that because we didn't get off the field until 7. Coach Groh almost came out of his chair."

Fields said he believed the Cavaliers were the team to beat and that John Phillips had been a UVa fan as a youngster but he wasn't sold until he met with an academic advisor and study skills specialist.

"That really put it over the top for John," Field said. "John does not have great confidence in himself as a student, although he is an outstanding student [3.75 grade-point average]. He hears how academically challenging Virginia is, so he was a little bit worried about that."

Fields said that Virginia and Virginia Tech were both forthright with Jacob Phillips, the Group A state player of the year.

"He did not get the answer he wanted to hear, but he got a straight answer from both of them," Fields said. "Coach Groh told Jacob a couple days before the signing date: 'I don't know how things are going to shake out, but we might still have something for you if you want it.'

"On the same day, he told me that John had a scholarship. He mentioned Jacob again [Wednesday]. He said, 'I tell all my recruiters, 'If you want a big team, you recruit big. If you want a fast team, you recruit fast. If you want tough, you recruit tough.' Jacob definitely would have made us tougher.

"He's not going to make us faster and he's not going to make us bigger, but that doesn't mean he can't play for us. That left some doors open, but with Jacob and John, a handshake's all it's going to take. That's the kind of people they are."

A major factor in John Phillips' decision was Virginia's history of throwing to the tight end. UVa's lone first-team All-ACC player last year was tight end Heath Miller, who had a team-high 70 receptions.

"Tight end is a prolific position in their offense," Groh said. "Coach Groh has said, 'You remind us of Heath Miller.' He said, 'We're recruiting a lot of guys who look like you and look like Heath.' He said, 'Some of them will be tight ends. Some of them will be outside linebackers. Some of them will be defensive ends. Some might be offensive tackles, depending on how heavy they are when they come to us."

UVa had another specimen on campus Wednesday -- 6-7, 260-pound Centreville High School lineman Pat Sheil, who, according to a good source, has the Cavaliers at the top of his list.

"Coach Groh said, 'We feel like you're a lot like Heath Miller,' and, 'You're the top guy on our board at that position,' " Fields said. "He was getting hand-written cards and letters every day. And, not just from one member of the staff, but four or five every day. That made John feel like he was really special."

 

U.VA. NOTES
Richmond Times-Dispatch Apr 9, 2004
SPRING GAME
APRIL 17: 11 a.m., at Scott Stadium

ANOTHER COMMITMENT: Signing day is still about 10 months away, but the Cavaliers have filled about a quarter of their next recruiting class.

During a visit to U.Va. on Wednesday, Bath County High's John Phillips became the sixth 11th-grader to commit to coach Al Groh for 2005.

"Virginia's looking to win some championships, and they're in the best conference in the country now, and John's excited to be part of that," Bath County coach Will Fields said.

Phillips, 6-6, 245, has started at tight end and defensive end for Bath County since his freshman season. The Chargers won the Group A, Division I title in 2001, lost in the state semifinals in 2002 and fell in the state final last season.

Phillips was named to The Associated Press' all-Group first team at tight end in 2003 and made the coaches' all-Group A second team at defensive end. He had 25 catches for 495 yards and six touchdowns last season before suffering a major knee injury in the 10th game. Phillips is recovering well and likely is to be cleared soon to play baseball, Fields said.

Virginia Tech also offered Phillips, who ranks fifth in his class academically, a scholarship, Fields said, "and I'm pretty sure Maryland and UNC would have come through if he'd let the process go."

Phillips' brother Jacob, a Bath County senior, will play at William and Mary.

All but one of the players who have committed to U.Va. for 2005 - 5-11 quarterback Vicqual Hall of Gretna High - stands at least 6-5.

HOT PROSPECT: Another member of the state's Class of 2005 whom Virginia is pursuing is Centreville High lineman Patrick Sheil. Like Phillips, the 6-6, 272-pound Sheil stopped by U.Va. on Wednesday and met with Groh and his staff.

Sheil, who's on spring break, said yesterday that he has scholarship offers from U.Va., Virginia Tech, Maryland, Syracuse, Nebraska and Army.

"U.Va. set a high standard when they started recruiting me," he said. "Every school has to measure up to that standard."

Sheil said he plans to attend the Cavaliers' spring game April 17 and will participate in a Nike-sponsored combine at U.Va. the next day.

KUDOS: No one needs to tell Groh what George Welsh meant to the U.Va. program. Groh played for the Cavaliers when they ranked among the nation's weaker teams, and his son Mike later starred for Welsh. Also, when Groh was at Wake Forest, he coached against Welsh, who has been selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

"I think you could reasonably say that George Welsh started football at Virginia," Groh said. "What more important thing can a guy do than be the founder?"

Welsh retired after the 2000 season, and Groh succeeded him.

ON THE RECEIVING END: Between them, they caught 14 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns as true freshmen last season. Expect wideouts Fontel Mines and Deyon Williams to play larger roles in 2004.

Groh said he'd like to see Mines and Williams make the transition this spring from "promising players" to potential starters. The team's most experienced receivers, Michael McGrew and Ottowa Anderson, are rising seniors.

"I feel like we're kind of done with the whole learning process of finding out how it feels to play in a college game," said Mines, a Hermitage High graduate. "They're trying to get us in there for more plays so we can use our playmaking ability and stretch the field more and give the defense another look besides McGrew and O.A."

Neither Williams nor Mines had gone through an extensive winter strength-and-conditioning program before coming to U.Va. Williams played basketball and ran indoor track at Suitland High in Maryland. Mines starred in hoops at Hermitage.

Mines, 6-5, is up to 220 pounds. Williams, 6-3, weighs 188, he said recently, 9 more than when he arrived at Virginia last summer.

"It's hard for me to put weight on," he said.

SECONDARY MATTERS: Rising sophomores Marcus Hamilton and Tony Franklin, each of whom redshirted in 2002, are the projected starters at cornerback.

"It's going well for both of them," Groh said. "They're both guys we had good expectations for, and they're both really progressing the way we hoped they would."

After Jamaine Winborne was moved to safety last season, Franklin started the Cavaliers' final six games at cornerback. Franklin also impressed on special teams, gaining 336 yards on 13 kickoff returns.

Groh, who's heading into his fourth season as Virginia's coach, likes his secondary's speed. Safety Marquis Weeks is one of the team's fastest players, and incoming players at that position include track standouts Nate Lyles, Bud Davis and Jamaal Jackson.

The Cavaliers will have more speed in the secondary than they did in 2001,'02 or'03, Groh said.

"Whether or not they can be a better secondary, we'll have to see." - Jeff White
 

Hagans looks to secure QB spot
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
April 9, 2004

When the Virginia football team hits the field today, it not only will be the final practice that is open to the public but it may be the final time to see Marques Hagans not dressed in an orange jersey.
After nine spring practices, Hagans appears to be in control of his own destiny in the race to earn the orange jersey that starters are awarded and become the Cavaliers starting quarterback next season.
Virginia coach Al Groh has not tabbed Hagans with the position yet but he has been able to see the Hampton native get more repetitions than he did last season when he was behind QB Matt Schaub on the depth chart.
“Now he’s getting double, triple the looks that he got when he was taking snaps as a backup player,” Groh said.
Groh has also been able to see how the rising junior responds to the added pressure of leading the team. Hagans was 1-1 in his two previous starts at QB and spent the majority of last season as a wide receiver and punt
returner.
“He’s also carrying the responsibility of having to perform on every play. ... Whether it’s college or the NFL, the old story goes that everybody loves No. 2. They come in, make a few plays, they’re kind of fun, and then they go out.
“It’s a lot different than being No. 1, when you’re responsible for how the whole operation goes, when you’re responsible with the ball on every play. That’s a big transformation to make, and he’s very serious about doing that.”
Groh has not announced the current depth chart at the QB. Christian Olsen, Anthony Martinez and Kevin McCabe all remain possibilities.
All of the signal-callers are evaluated on a daily basis according to Groh.
“It’s just like going to class. Some days there are tests, some days there are quizzes,” said Groh. “Some grades are more important than others. There is something to be learned everyday.”

The center of attention. Two years ago, Zac Yarbrough was in the right place at the right time and he didn’t let the opportunity pass him by.
Yarbrough was pressed into action when a torn anterior cruciate ligament ended Kevin Bailey’s season early in a game at Florida State.
Yarbrough was not next in line but when offensive guard Mark Farrington switched to center he was injured as well and left the game against the Seminoles.
Fast forward 24 games and 21 starts later and Yarborough is a fixture at center for the Cavaliers.
What was it that made Yarborough so vital to the offensive line?
“Staying power,” said Groh.
It didn’t come easy for the 6-foot-4, 275-pounder.
“At one point early on I would say that it probably looked as if he was going to have a hard time grinding something out and he just stayed with it and was determined,” said Groh. “All of sudden we lost two centers within five minutes of each other in the same game and he became the center. Ever since then, he has been working on his game and we won 17 out of 24 games with him playing. That is a pretty good record for a guy.”
According to Groh, Yarbrough has also had a solid spring as the long snapper for Connor Hughes.
“Yarbrough has been doing most of the snapping on placements,” said Groh. “John Phillips has done most of the holding.”
Knowing that depth is necessary at the center position because it starts every offensive play has led to Groh getting a substantial amount of repetitions for Jordy Lipsey, Gordie Sammis, Phillip Simms and D.J. Bell. Sammis was removed from that equation when he broke his hand in practice.
“Center is a spot that you are always trying to have guys ready because that is a difficult spot to make an in-season switch if you run out of guys,” said Groh. “Sammis broke his hand so that kind of impeded his development as a center. We’re working Lipsey and Simms and D.J. Bell in there now since Sammis has had a little difficulty with the ball.”
Lipsey, a highly touted recruit from Longwood, Fla., will need to continue to add size as he enters his rookie season after redshirting in 2003.
“Eventually [his size] will be a factor,” said Groh. “He has added some size since he has been here. He is working on that. Probably more will be necessary.”
UVa bats .500 on Wednesday. Groh had two rising seniors from the Commonwealth at practice on Wednesday - John Phillips and Pat Sheil.
By the end of practice the Cavaliers had a commitment from Phillips for the class of 2005.
Phillips, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound tight end from Bath County, picked UVa over Virginia Tech and UNC.
Sheil, a 6-foot-7, 260-pound lineman from Centreville, lists the Cavaliers as one of his top schools.

Final look. Today’s practice, which starts at 4 p.m., will be the final open practice the Cavaliers have during the spring period. Practice will be held at the football practice facility next to the McCue Center and University Hall. Admission is free.

Spring festival. Virginia’s annual spring game will be held Saturday, April 17 at Scott Stadium. The gates open at 10:30 a.m. and the team will take the field at 12:30 p.m.
The festival will feature music, games and family activities. Unlike last year, all events will take place on the east side of the stadium due to renovations.

 

Phillips will play at UVa
Bath County star is Cavs' sixth early commitment
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
April 9, 2004

John Phillips had made several visits to the University of Virginia over the past two years, so he was familiar with the Cavaliers’ football program. When he took a closer look on Wednesday, the big tight end from Bath County decided Charlottesville was the place for him.

The 6-foot-6, 240-pound three-sport athlete committed to UVa, choosing the Cavaliers over Virginia Tech and an assortment of other schools. He became the sixth high school junior to commit to coach Al Groh’s program. The six prospects cannot officially sign a letter-of-intent until next February.

“He’s big and pretty fast [4.7 in the 40] for a guy his size,” said Bath County High School coach Will Fields. “He’s not even 17 years old yet.”

Phillips, who ranks fifth in his class academically, was an all-state tight end his junior season. He hauled in 25 receptions for 495 yards and six touchdowns. He has 47 career catches. As a defensive end, he had 10 sacks.

Groh told Fields that the Cavaliers are bringing in a lot of players of that body type, who can play tight end, defensive end or outside linebacker, although Phillips would get his first look at the tight end position.

“As a tight end, John blocks well and has great tools as a receiver,” Fields said. “He runs well, finds space, has good hands and catches the ball well in traffic. Of his six touchdown catches last season, he caught only two of them in the end zone. He ran the others in, which is pretty impressive.”

Particularly when he hauled in an 80-yarder on a run-and-catch, with the run consisting of 70 yards against Riverheads.

“To see him catch the ball and pull away from defenders in the secondary impressed me and a lot of other people,” Fields said. “He did it twice in that game, catching another in the seam and ran it in from about 40 yards out. That’s something he was unable to do as a sophomore but did it several times his junior season.”

Virginia has recruited Phillips for a long time, first noticing him while recruiting his older brother, Jacob, who has committed to play quarterback at William & Mary.

“Virginia Tech offered him about a month ago,” Fields said. “Several other schools had invited him to camp. Notre Dame, Kansas State, Maryland, North Carolina, Northwestern and some more had all called me to invite him so they could see him run.”

The cause of concern was a knee injury that Phillips suffered in the final game of the regular season, but he underwent reconstructive surgery shortly afterward.

“He was four months from his surgery this past Monday,” Fields said. “He’s come along real well. He had his surgery done at UVa, so the coaches there were familiar with the surgeon. There’s a good chance he will be released to play baseball as early as next week. He had two ligament tears in the same knee, so his recovery is well above the curve.”

Phillips drove over to take in a Virginia practice on Wednesday, accompanied by his father and Fields. He wanted to get a feel for what a Wahoo practice would be like.

“Once we got over there and he saw the academic programs and how serious Virginia is about winning a championship, that really sealed the deal for him,” Fields said. “He kind of had the feeling he would commit but didn’t tell us until Wednesday.”

A solid weight room guy, Phillips put on 20 pounds between his sophomore and junior years and is expected to add some more muscle to his frame over the next few seasons.

He is believed to be the first Division I-A football player to come out of Bath County to Fields’ knowledge.
 

Phillips will play at UVa
Bath County star is Cavs' sixth early commitment
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
April 9, 2004

John Phillips had made several visits to the University of Virginia over the past two years, so he was familiar with the Cavaliers’ football program. When he took a closer look on Wednesday, the big tight end from Bath County decided Charlottesville was the place for him.

The 6-foot-6, 240-pound three-sport athlete committed to UVa, choosing the Cavaliers over Virginia Tech and an assortment of other schools. He became the sixth high school junior to commit to coach Al Groh’s program. The six prospects cannot officially sign a letter-of-intent until next February.

“He’s big and pretty fast [4.7 in the 40] for a guy his size,” said Bath County High School coach Will Fields. “He’s not even 17 years old yet.”

Phillips, who ranks fifth in his class academically, was an all-state tight end his junior season. He hauled in 25 receptions for 495 yards and six touchdowns. He has 47 career catches. As a defensive end, he had 10 sacks.

Groh told Fields that the Cavaliers are bringing in a lot of players of that body type, who can play tight end, defensive end or outside linebacker, although Phillips would get his first look at the tight end position.

“As a tight end, John blocks well and has great tools as a receiver,” Fields said. “He runs well, finds space, has good hands and catches the ball well in traffic. Of his six touchdown catches last season, he caught only two of them in the end zone. He ran the others in, which is pretty impressive.”

Particularly when he hauled in an 80-yarder on a run-and-catch, with the run consisting of 70 yards against Riverheads.

“To see him catch the ball and pull away from defenders in the secondary impressed me and a lot of other people,” Fields said. “He did it twice in that game, catching another in the seam and ran it in from about 40 yards out. That’s something he was unable to do as a sophomore but did it several times his junior season.”

Virginia has recruited Phillips for a long time, first noticing him while recruiting his older brother, Jacob, who has committed to play quarterback at William & Mary.

“Virginia Tech offered him about a month ago,” Fields said. “Several other schools had invited him to camp. Notre Dame, Kansas State, Maryland, North Carolina, Northwestern and some more had all called me to invite him so they could see him run.”

The cause of concern was a knee injury that Phillips suffered in the final game of the regular season, but he underwent reconstructive surgery shortly afterward.

“He was four months from his surgery this past Monday,” Fields said. “He’s come along real well. He had his surgery done at UVa, so the coaches there were familiar with the surgeon. There’s a good chance he will be released to play baseball as early as next week. He had two ligament tears in the same knee, so his recovery is well above the curve.”

Phillips drove over to take in a Virginia practice on Wednesday, accompanied by his father and Fields. He wanted to get a feel for what a Wahoo practice would be like.

“Once we got over there and he saw the academic programs and how serious Virginia is about winning a championship, that really sealed the deal for him,” Fields said. “He kind of had the feeling he would commit but didn’t tell us until Wednesday.”

A solid weight room guy, Phillips put on 20 pounds between his sophomore and junior years and is expected to add some more muscle to his frame over the next few seasons.

He is believed to be the first Division I-A football player to come out of Bath County to Fields’ knowledge.
 

Accused Hokies want private trial
News outlets argue open trial is needed to assure accountability
BY REX BOWMAN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Apr 8, 2004

CHRISTIANSBURG - A Montgomery County judge is considering barring the public from the trial of Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick and two teammates charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

At a hearing yesterday in Montgomery's Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, Vick's attorney asked the judge to allow the trial to take place behind closed doors, while attorneys representing news organizations urged the judge to keep the proceeding open to the public.

Judge Robert C. Viar Jr. is weighing the matter.

The charges against Vick, receiver Brenden Hill and running back Mike Imoh stem from an alleged Jan.27 incident in Vick's Blacksburg apartment. Two girls, 14 and 15, told authorities the players gave them vodka and rum, then one of the players photographed them as they danced and stripped. The two girls said Vick had sex with another 15-year-old girl.

Yesterday in court, Vick's attorney, Marc Long, argued that the players' May14 trial should be closed to the public to ensure that the girls' identities are not compromised. Long urged Viar to question the girls and their families to determine whether they prefer an open or closed trial.

"It boils down to your discretion, to what you determine is best for the juveniles," Long said.

But lawyer Stan Barnhill, representing the Roanoke Times, argued that the public's need to know that legal proceedings are fair is fundamental to the nation's judicial system. Additionally, he promised that the Roanoke Times would not identify the girls. Most news organizations do not identify juveniles who allege they are victims of crime.

"We really have here an effort by the defendant, I'm very sad to say, to have a trial in secret where there will be no accountability, where the public will have no knowledge of the rationality and legitimacy of the proceedings, where the public will have no confidence in the outcome," Barnhill said.

Lawyer Craig Merritt, representing the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Bristol Herald Courier and The Associated Press, said the allegations already have given rise to rumor and speculation on the Internet, and a closed trial would only intensify the gossip. "We really don't need something that will invite further speculation."

Assistant Montgomery prosecutor Brad Finch, though, sided with the players' attorneys. "This is a nationally publicized case, we have juvenile victims, and we have sexual allegations in this case. We want to protect these juveniles from showing up on the front page of newspapers or on the Internet across the country."

Vick, who turned 20 last month, faces four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Hill, 19, faces three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and Imoh, 19, also faces three counts.

Each of the misdemeanor charges carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a fine of $2,500.

Hill was the only player in the courtroom yesterday. He sat quietly next to his lawyer, then left when a deputy adjourned the hearing.

The judge gave no indication when he would decide the issue.
 

Faceoffs, defense keys for Cavaliers
Virginia looks to execute fundamentals, break North Carolina's strong defense, gain first ACC win at Chapel Hill
Shrayes Ramesh
Cavalier Daily Senior Writer

The Virginia lacrosse team will try to erase the bad taste of its loss to Maryland as the squad travels to Chapel Hill Saturday to take on the No. 5 Tar Heels.

Virginia's loss to top-ranked Maryland dropped the No. 17 Cavaliers to 3-5 on the year with three games left in the regular season. Against North Carolina (5-3), the Cavaliers will try to gain some momentum in an attempt to enter the ACC tournament with a .500 record.

If Virginia wants to beat the Tar Heels, they likely will have to execute the keys to their game -- faceoffs and defense. Last week, Maryland clearly outplayed the Cavaliers en route to an 11-2 win.

"We got out ground-balled by a ton," defenseman Mike Culver said. "We weren't clearing like we normally do. Those are parts of the game that if you don't execute, you're not going to be able to win."

The Tar Heels pose a threat on both sides of the field. Junior attacker Jed Prossner leads UNC and the ACC with 25 goals and 69 shots and will threaten the Cavalier defense.

"He's been having a terrific season," Virginia coach Dom Starsia said of Prossner. "He's a very complete player, and he brings it with conviction."

Manning the goal for the Tar Heels will be keeper and co-captain Paul Spellman. Spellman, as a junior, is the anchor of North Carolina's defense. He leads the ACC with 12.38 saves per game, swatting away 59 percent of shots on goal.

"Paul's been a very solid goalie for them for three years," Starsia said. "He's consistently given them a chance to win. Right now the ball's not jumping in the net for us, so we'll have to figure out a way to get a few balls by Paul."

Getting through the swarm of Tar Heel defenders will be the mission of Virginia's talented group of attackers. Sophomore Matt Ward will lead the charge for the Cavaliers. The versatile Ward is in the top five of three ACC offensive categories, including points (24), goals (15) and shots (65). Right behind Ward loom veterans Joe Yevoli and John Christmas, who have both passed the 100-goal mark in their careers this season.

Virginia will get a repeat tour of Chapel Hill, as UNC plays host to the ACC tournament this year. After traveling to North Carolina, the Cavaliers return home to face Duke next week to wind down the season, only to return to Chapel Hill April 23 for the ACC semifinals.

If the season is any indication, this weekend's game will probably come down to the wire. This year, Virginia has had an affinity for nail-biters. The Cavaliers have played in five games decided by two goals or fewer, including two overtime victories.

The Tar Heels also are accustomed to close games. In each of their three losses, North Carolina fell short by only one goal.

Coach Starsia understands the importance of this weekend's game.

"UNC's got nice balance, and they've got good experience," Starsia said. "This is a critical conference matchup for both teams."

Last year, Virginia made the ultimate rebound after their loss to Maryland. After that defeat, the Cavaliers beat the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils and didn't lose a game the rest of the season en route to a national championship. Virginia must hope history will repeat itself.