Snyder a receiver on the rise for U.Va.
By Jeff White
Published: April 19, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- A year ago, on the same field, Matt Snyder had a 42-yard reception, the longest in the University of Virginia football team's spring game.

That was it for his 2008 highlight tape. Snyder, a walk-on wide receiver from Deep Run High, appeared in no games for the Cavaliers. But don't expect his profile to be low this season.

"This isn't the last time his uniform will be dirty," U.Va. coach Al Groh said yesterday after a spring game witnessed by 7,954 fans on a splendid afternoon.

Snyder, who'll be a redshirt sophomore in the fall, finished with a game-high 55 yards receiving in a scrimmage that matched offense against defense. He had five catches, a total equaled by only one other player: freshman wideout Javaris Brown (five receptions for 36 yards).

If many fans at Scott Stadium were surprised by Snyder's production, his coaches and teammates were not.

"He's the same guy every day, what you saw today: high-energy, precise in what he does, very coachable, makes progress with what the coaches give him," coach Al Groh said. "Those are talents as well as [speed]. Some players who run really fast, they have a hard time processing information. They don't get any better.

"This kid gets better all the time. He takes the information, he processes it, it's very important to him to do well, he's very competitive."

Yesterday, before a crowd that included his brothers Jake and Will, Snyder caught three passes from Jameel Sewell and one each from Vic Hall and Marc Verica.

"Today, everybody saw what he was capable of doing," Sewell said. "He made a lot of great plays. It's not like he has the best speed in the world, the best attributes, but he takes what he has and makes it happen."

At Deep Run, Snyder caught 65 passes for 1,009 yards as a senior. As a non-scholarship player at U.Va., he's had to work his way up from the bottom of the depth chart.

As daunting at that might be, Snyder said, "you've got to remember why you're here and that you love the game and [believe] your chance will come, and hopefully it does."

Snyder's blocking has helped him cement a spot in the rotation at wideout. In new coordinator Gregg Brandon's spread offense, U.Va. often uses three or four receivers at a time, which means somebody has to "take over the block that that missing tight end had, and that somebody has to be one of those wide receivers," Groh said.

"And so if the receivers don't block enthusiastically and don't block effectively, then it's going to be difficult to do business out on the perimeter, which is where most of the yardage is gained. And [Snyder] is one of the players that will give us a chance to do a good job with that."

Jake Snyder, an All-Metro defensive end at Deep Run last fall, will join his big brother on the team at U.Va. this summer. They were high school teammmates in 2006.

"It was a thrill to play with him," Matt said, "and I couldn't ask for anything more in my college experience than to share it with my brother."

 

U.Va.‘s QB question: Sewell or Hall? Or both?
By Paul Woody
Published: April 19, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE The question of the day concerned quarterbacks.

Who, a moderator asked a panel of former University of Virginia players, will start at quarterback for the Cav aliers in 2009.

Jameel Sewell?

The cluster of fans near the stage where the players sat applauded.

Vic Hall?

There was a buzz in the crowd.

Marc Verica?

There was booing.

Booing? How can you boo Verica?

Last year, he took over when the Cavaliers had chaos at quarterback.

Sewell was on academic suspension. Peter Lalich became the starter but soon was dismissed from the team for off-the-field reasons. Hall was still a cornerback.

Disaster was imminent. Verica held things together.

Sure, the season ended with a 5-7 record and no bowl bid. Without Verica, things would have been worse. Verica made plays. He also made mistakes. But at least he gave the team a chance.

Chances are now, though, that Verica's time as a starter is over.

Sewell is back in school and in uniform.

Hall started at quarterback in the final game of 2008, against Virginia Tech, and gained 109 yards rushing. He had touchdown runs of 40 and 16 yards, even though the Hokies knew he was coming.

"He makes very quick cuts," Virginia coach Al Groh said.

Virginia has a new offense, the spread, and needs a quarterback who can take advantage of everything the spread offers, from its quick-strike passing game to the gaps it creates for running plays.

The spread is a good fit for Hall and Sewell and not so good for Verica.

He understands the situation.

"We're all athletic," Verica said.

Then he gave a small laugh.

"They are a little more athletic than I am," he said. "I'm close friends with both of them. They've helped us win games, and I'm thankful they're back.

"All I can tell you is that all three of us will be ready for when our number is called."

You can count on that from Verica. But he has neither the quick feet of Hall nor the strong arm of Sewell.

If Groh could meld the strengths of all three into one player, the Cavaliers' quarterback dilemma would be solved.

Instead, he must choose one starter or find a way give playing time to the right quarterback at the right time.

Hall is a dynamic performer. He was the first quarterback on the field yesterday, played well and made no glaring errors.

Sewell started 13 games in 2007 and displayed the intangible quality coaches love -- he finds ways to help his team win.

"I have no idea how this will work out," Sewell said. "But as long as Vic is on the field, we've got a chance to win. He needs the ball in his hands."

Yesterday, people wanted to see if Hall can throw -- he can and puts a fair amount of zip on the ball -- and if Sewell is knocking off the rust -- he is.

Hall also held for field goal attempts and fielded two punts.

A quarterback who returns punts is not logical. But that's one of the beauties of college football -- it doesn't have to be logical.

"However this works out, he's going to be a busy college football player next year," Groh said of Hall. "He loves to be in the game. His positive nature is infectious and uplifting."

Sewell has size (6-3 and 219 pounds), arm strength and the 9-4 record from 2007 on his résumé. He can run over people when he gets on the edge and outrun them when he gets around the corner.

When Groh looks at Sewell, he sees the quarterback who led the Cavaliers to some improbable, last-second victories in that glorious 2007 season.

The challenge for the coaching staff is to find ways to have Sewell and Hall on the field together. When Groh looks at that combination, he sees points and hope.

After last season, the Cavaliers can use plenty of both.



 

U.Va. notes: Hands-off approach to quarterbacks
By Staff Reports
Published: April 19, 2009

Hands-off approach
The defensive players donned blue jerseys for yesterday's spring football game at Scott Stadium. The offensive players wore white jerseys, except for the quarterbacks, who were in orange.

That meant the QBs couldn't be tackled, and that had a significant impact on the scrimmage. To be credited with a sack, all a defender had to do was touch the quarterback in the backfield. Officially, U.Va.'s defense recorded six sacks, but most came on plays in which the quarterback would have scrambled into the open field to run or throw.

Virginia's quarterbacks have been off-limits all spring.

"I deferred on that one," said coach Al Groh, referring presumably to his new offensive coordinator, Gregg Brandon.

"It's the first time we've done it that way [in the spring game], but I didn't have any difficulty with it. There were 21 other players that got everything out of the day that they could get out of it."

Medical report
Spectators yesterday included more than a half-dozen players who are likely to be in important roles for U.Va. in the fall.

Out for medical reasons were such players as offensive guard B.J. Cabbell, safety Corey Mosley, cornerback Chase Minnifield, linebacker Jared Detrick, long-snapper Danny Aiken, wide receiver Dontrelle Inman and defensive end Andrew Devlin. Most, if not all, should be ready for training camp in August.

Special effort
Virginia has a new special-teams coordinator, Ron Prince, and his charges performed well yesterday. In a live punting drill, Jared Green and Rodney McLeod recorded back-to-back blocks, and two other punts were heavily pressured.

"That's a big step up from what we've seen in the past," said Groh, who praised Prince's installation of a "lot of very sophisticated and new techniques for his players."

On the rise
The Rock Weir Awards, for the team's most improved players this spring, went to two rising sophomores: offensive tackle Lamar Milstead and cornerback Dom Joseph.

They've put "themselves in position where they're viable guys on the depth chart now," Groh said.

"Lamar really is a great example of how every player progresses at a different rate. He's moved his game light years from where it was, and the players recognize that. When these were announced yesterday, both of these players were roundly applauded by the rest of the team, because the players recognize how far these two kids have come with their game, just through perseverance."

Name to remember
On the first play from scrimmage, freshman wide receiver Javaris Brown took a pitch from quarterback Vic Hall and gained 12 yards on an end-around. Brown later took an option pitch from Hall and ran for 23 yards.

Brown, who redshirted last season, also had five catches for 36 yards yesterday and showed why his teammates and coaches are so high on him.

At least once each practice, Groh said, Brown will "do something that make you think something exciting's going to follow with it."

Blast from the past
Two touchdowns were scored yesterday: the first on a 48-yard run by tailback Mikell Simpson, the other on a pass from quarterback Marc Verica to wideout Raynard Horne, a converted tailback who turned a flanker screen into a 21-yard scoring play.

Simpson, one of the ACC's most dangerous runners in 2007, struggled last season before breaking his collarbone late in the year.

"Somebody else was living in that jersey," Groh said. "The Mikell that was so effective for us in [2007], he was much more evident every day this spring, and that was certainly the case today."

Simpson, a rising senior, finished with 64 yards on five carries.

"He was definitely back," quarterback Jameel Sewell said, "and it was good to see him back."

Fresh start
In his first three seasons at U.Va., cornerback Chris Cook wore jersey No.26. Cook, who missed last season for academic reasons, has switched to No.2.

"It was just something I felt like I should do," Cook said, "just because I took time off, and I don't want to be the same person I was when I left. I want to try to be better." - Jeff White

 

Older and much wiser, Sewell rejoins Cavs
By Jeff White
Published: April 18, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE It's not an official game. That won't come until Sept. 5, when the University of Virginia opens against William and Mary. Still, for Jameel Sewell, today's spring game will be an emotional release.

Every time the quarterback drives by Scott Stadium -- and he does so every day -- the former Hermitage High star looks down at the field and gets chills.

"So I don't know how I'm going to handle myself, being back inside that stadium or back inside that locker room, then being able to have people out there cheering for the team," Sewell said with a laugh. "I don't know how I'm going to handle that the first couple of plays."

Sewell, who'll be a fifth-year senior in the fall, hasn't played football in front of fans since Jan. 1, 2008. In the Gator Bowl, he made his 22nd consecutive start for the Cavaliers but suffered a knee injury early in the fourth quarter. Texas Tech rallied for a 31-28 victory.

That crushing defeat was followed, about two weeks later, by the news that Sewell, along with three other football players, had been suspended from U.Va. for poor grades. Sewell wasn't re-admitted to the university until the start of this semester, which meant he watched helplessly as the Cavaliers went 5-7 in 2008.

Peter Lalich began the season as Virginia's starting quarterback, but off-the-field issues soon led to his dismissal from the team. Marc Verica, who as a redshirt freshman in 2007 had not appeared in any games, ended up starting nine times in'08.

If he'd been eligible last year, Sewell believes, Virginia's record might well have been better.

"Not to take anything away from the team or away from Marc Verica, because he did a good job, but . . . experience is a big attribute when it comes to a quarterback," said Sewell, a 6-3, 225-pound left-hander who has passed for 3,518 yards and 17 touchdowns as a Cavalier.

"I do feel like things could have been different. We could have had a little bit more success at least. But things happen. There's really nothing that can be done. That's in the past. We're not dwelling on that. We're just trying to move forward and use that as a steppingstone."

Asked how the suspension affected him, Sewell, 21, said he's learned to take responsibility for his actions. He spent much of last year working as a tutor at Buford Middle School in Charlottesville. Buford's principal, Eric Johnson, is the father of former U.Va. football player Chris Johnson. Sewell also helped coach Charlottesville High's football team last season.

"I've grown a lot," he said. "I feel like I'm finally a man now."

In retrospect, Sewell said, his year away from U.Va. was "a good thing. I was able to do a lot of things that I wasn't able to do while I was playing football, maybe some things that I needed to do. Of course, you know, I'd rather have stayed here and played ball and went to school, but things didn't shake out that way because of the decisions that I made. And I learned from that. If you're going to make certain decisions, you've got to learn how to deal with it, and that's what I did."

It's hard to overstate how much Sewell missed football.

"My first practice and my first workout [back] . . . I just didn't want it to end, even though I knew it was going to happen again the next day," he said. "It's just a great feeling to be able to be back out here with my brothers and my coaches."

There's no guarantee he'll win his starting job back. Sewell has looked out of rhythm at times this spring, not surprisingly, and his competition includes not only Verica but also converted cornerback Vic Hall, who started against Virginia Tech last year. Sewell noted, though, that the Wahoos have a new offensive coordinator, Gregg Brandon, and new attack, the spread.

"It benefits me for the simple fact that I won't be behind the 8-ball with the offense," Sewell said. "It's like everybody's learning a new thing."

 

Fans see the new offense and QB Jameel Sewell's return.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell could have predicted what kind of game was in store Saturday when he saw the color of the jersey in front of his locker.

"When I first walked in the locker room and saw I had an orange jersey, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I can't believe this, orange jerseys again,'" Sewell said. "That's one of the worst feelings you can have."

The orange jerseys that were donned by Virginia's six quarterbacks identified them as players who could not be tackled in the Cavaliers' spring game.

"We've been doing it all spring," Sewell said. "It's absolutely terrible."

UVa's new spread offense accounted for only two touchdowns in a 110-play scrimmage, but there were extenuating circumstances.

Defenders were given credit for sack if they so much as laid a finger on the quarterbacks, nullifying runs by Sewell and starting quarterback Vic Hall that easily could have picked up 15 yards or more.

"I think we all had plays where we would have broken a tackle or they said we were sacked and we weren't sacked," Sewell said. "You've just got to deal with it."

The no-contact provision was the idea of new offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon and may be a sign of the autonomy that head coach Al Groh has given him.

"It's the first time we've done it that way, but I didn't have any difficulty with it." Groh said. "A couple of our coaches were watching the Georgia [spring] game last week and noticed [the Bulldogs'] quarterbacks were not live, so it's probably 50-50 in the country as to how that's done."

Besides, as Groh pointed out, the Cavs will have 29 practices in August when they can evaluate their quarterbacks' running ability. Running quarterbacks aren't frowned upon in Brandon's version of the "spread."

"That's like saying a basketball team would have a guy who's a good 3-point shooter but we'll only let him drive," Groh said. "We'll let each of these players run the game that is best suited for them."

Rising junior Marc Verica, who started nine games last season, completed 14 of 19 passes for a game-high 148 yards and accurately read a blitz before hitting Raynard Horne for the game's lone touchdown pass.

Verica also was intercepted by safety Rodney McLeod, who also blocked a punt and had two tackles for loss.

"This was one of [Verica's] better days today, minus that one bad play, but you can't minus those plays," Groh said. "They count. They can't be discounted."

Sewell, returning from a year's academic suspension, quickly reminded spectators of his ability to run the option.

"Vic is effective with it, too," Groh said. "It's certainly something that both of them will be able to do. When a quarterback has that skill, it puts them in harm's way a lot. To have two players with those diverse skills, it gives us more of a comfort level to let either one of them loose."

Hall was in for the first four series, then Small came on for one series, and then Sewell entered. Five plays later, tailback Mikell Simpson scampered 48 yards for a TD.

Simpson, who missed the last three games of the 2008 season after suffering a fractured collarbone, is looking to regain his form from a 2007 season in which he rushed for 579 yards in the last six games.

In nine games last year, Simpson rushed for 262 yards and saw his receptions drop from 43 to 15.

"Whatever happened between ['07] and ['08], somebody else was playing in that jersey," Groh said. "Mikell's playing much faster than we saw him play last year. There seemed to be an uncertainty and lack of confidence in his cuts last year. No matter what the system is, one-cut running is the most efficient way to run."

Sewell and walk-on quarterback Kyle McCartin both yielded interceptions and there were multiple botched shotgun snaps to the quarterbacks, but Groh was pleased for the most part. He was effusive in his praise for the special teams now handled by Ron Prince, a former UVa offensive coordinator who has returned after three seasons as the head coach at Kansas State.

The defense got blocked punts from McLeod and wide receiver Jared Green. Place-kickers Chris Hinkebein and Robert Randolph were 9-for-10 in a field-goal exhibition before the scrimmage. Randolph later kicked a 46-yarder to end a drive that stalled at the 29.

Notes

Junior deep snapper Danny Aiken, a Cave Spring graduate, did not participate after undergoing oral surgery for the removal of wisdom teeth. Aiken's one-time high school teammate, walk-on linebacker Brady Stovall, was credited with four tackles. ... Redshirt freshman linebacker Billy Schautz, who briefly played quarterback in high school, had a game-high 12 stops. ... Recipients of the Rock Weir Awards as most improved players in the spring were offensive lineman Lamar Milstead and defensive back Dom Joseph. ... First-team defensive backs Chase Minnifield and Corey Mosley had injuries that kept them out of action, mostly as a precaution.
 

Rightfully so, all eyes on Vic
by Aaron McFarling

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Vic Hall wanted to talk about special teams.

That was the first thing out of his mouth following Virginia's spring game Saturday -- how good the team's special teams looked, how much better they've gotten.

Not his first appearance at quarterback in front of the home crowd.

Not his fight for the starting job, which will take a break until fall now that spring practice is over.

Not any of his 11 completions, showing off the arm we didn't get to see in his regular-season start last year against Virginia Tech.

Not his run up the gut Saturday that surely would have gone for 20 yards or more had the no-contact rule not stopped it.

Special teams.

"That's the most significant thing to talk about this spring," Hall said.

Nice try, Vic, but not true.

You are the most significant thing to talk about this spring. And this fall. And this season. Because you represent an evolution in this program's thinking.

Maybe Hall will win the job. Maybe he won't. But just the fact that the senior is being given a chance, that he's getting an honest-to-goodness look, is a credit to coach Al Groh's willingness to change, even if it means admitting a mistake.

Make no mistake about one thing: Groh loves Hall. Always has. He gushes about the former Gretna High School star at every opportunity, talking about his leadership and hustle and all-around positive influence on the team. That's why Hall served as a captain as a junior cornerback last year.

"In Vic we trust," Groh said Saturday.

But not enough for him to play quarterback -- until the season finale last year, when he ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns in a surprise start against one of the nation's top defenses.

Better late than never, though. Especially when Hall's got one last year to try to win the position battle.

All in all, this has been a positive, productive offseason for Groh. He made the necessary changes to his coaching staff to inject some excitement into a program that was on life support. He got Jameel Sewell -- the ex-starter who returned from a yearlong hiatus because of academics -- back onto the field, and the senior quarterback looked sharp Saturday in his first game back.

But his best move was recognizing Hall's potential as an offensive player, something those who followed his record-breaking prep career have been begging to see. In addition to his QB play Saturday, Hall also returned punts and served as the holder on kicks, giving the team options on fakes.

"Vic's energy level seems to be endless," Groh said. "He loves to be in the game. He loves to do everything that you can do. His positive nature is infectious to everybody.

"However it shakes out, he's going to be a busy college football player next year."

Hall clearly has the respect of those around him. Marc Verica, the third quarterback vying for the starting job, said he looks up to Hall. And Sewell is one of the biggest advocates for Hall being used on offense.

"He could play anywhere," Sewell said. "If you want to put him at left tackle, he could do it."

Not that Sewell's asking for that, even if it would ease the QB competition for him.

"No," Sewell said with a smile. "He needs the ball in his hands."

One of the knocks on Hall has been his height (5-foot-9), and he did have one of his 16 pass attempts batted down during Saturday's scrimmage, but he said he can see the field just fine in Gregg Brandon's spread offense.

Still, there have been some adjustments as he returns to a position he once dominated.

"It's much different" than high school, Hall said. "Everybody's fast. Everybody's strong. Everybody's big. You've got to want it more."

He wants it. Better yet, he's got a legitimate shot at it.

And no special-teams progress is going to overshadow that simple, exciting, overdue fact.
 

U.Va. Football
Can't tell if spread will save Cavaliers
David Teel
April 19, 2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE

The bailout plan for University of Virginia football, coordinator Gregg Brandon's spread offense, had its first public rollout Saturday.

Suffice to say the performance wasn't nearly enough to make investors bullish on the Cavaliers.

And that's fine with ninth-year head coach Al Groh, whose job hangs in the balance. He knows an intrasquad skirmish witnessed by 7,954 on a sun-splashed April afternoon isn't the time for flea-flickers, fake field goals and conclusions.

"Progress," he said after a 90-minute session that produced more interceptions and botched snaps (three each) than touchdowns (two).

But as the faithful know all too well, progress on offense is virtually unavoidable for Virginia.

Only twice in the last 25 years have the Cavaliers averaged fewer than 18 points per game. That happened last season and in 2006 — not coincidentally, Virginia finished 5-7 both years.

Only three times in the last 25 seasons have the Cavaliers averaged fewer than 350 yards per game. That happened in 2006, '07 and '08.

Adios to offensive coordinator Mike Groh, Al's son. Hello to Brandon, who spent the previous six years as Bowling Green's big whistle — his Falcons were 44-30.

Brandon's spread is as shotgun as a Vegas wedding. Rarely will the quarterback be under center. Rarely will fewer than three receivers be deployed.

Question is, does Virginia have the personnel to make it work?

Judgments based on Saturday would be laughable.

Quarterbacks Vic Hall and Jameel Sewell, receivers Jared Green, Kris Burd and Javaris Brown, and running back Mikell Simpson certainly flashed potential. Each boasts the speed and agility to make chicken salad out of chicken …

Brown, a redshirt freshman, turns heads in practice at least once a day, Groh said. Simpson is closer to his 2007 form (972 combined yards rushing and receiving) than 2008 (combined 328 yards).

Brown gained 35 yards on two carries and caught five passes for 36. Simpson raced 48 yards to the end zone on an inside handoff, and Sewell, returning from an academic suspension, showed he remains proficient at running the option.

The incumbent quarterback, Marc Verica, completed the most passes (14) for the most yards (148) and connected with Raynard Horne on a 21-yard swing pass for touchdown. But Groh's body language and tone-of-voice made clear that Verica is third on the food chain.

Play-calling was vanilla at best. The closest thing to a vertical route was a seam throw that Sewell intended for Brown — linebacker Darnell Carter in zone coverage flicked the ball away.

None of the six quarterbacks used was "live," meaning the play died as soon as they were touched. Simpson's touchdown came against reserve defenders, and Sewell threw a pass directly to cornerback Mike Parker.

"That's something I have to work on," Sewell said, "accuracy."

Under game conditions, Sewell and Hall might have broken several long runs, designed and improvised. But Groh's staff urged him to protect the quarterbacks Saturday, and he "deferred."

Mobility at the position is "an integral part of the scheme," Groh said. "It's not essential. … But it's as if the offense has 12 players out there if the quarterback can run."

As Groh readily concedes, the spread's downside is exposing quarterbacks in the open field. Hence, the smart money says seniors Hall and Sewell both will play in the fall, the better to conserve their legs and confuse defenses.

Groh's affection for Hall, a two-year starter at cornerback but a record-setting quarterback at Gretna High, is obvious and contagious. He expects Hall to also contribute on special teams, as a punt returner and holder (think: fake).

"Vic's energy level seems to be endless," Groh said.

Later, in a more casual moment, Groh smiled broadly and said that if Virginia football were to mint a coin, the words "In Vic we trust" would be prominent.

Might want to add "Gregg."

Groh believed Virginia was ready for the spread last season. The Cavaliers had prepared to defend Texas Tech's version in the Gator Bowl and returned two experienced quarterbacks: Sewell and Peter Lalich.

But Sewell ran afoul of the academic police, Lalich of the real police.

Is Virginia ready now?

"The offense is great," Green said. "It's fast-paced. It keeps the defense on its heels. We look like a completely new team — to me."

The Cavaliers ranked 114th nationally in scoring last season, and of the five teams below them, four jettisoned their head coaches.

New is necessary.

 

No cupcake menu
Virginia Tech faces the ACC's most challenging non-league schedule. U.Va. has tough foes, too.
David Teel
February 13, 2009

The 2009 ACC football schedule includes six ESPN Thursday night appearances, two by Virginia Tech; a Labor Day evening clash between Miami and Florida State; and 24 non-conference games against teams that made bowls last season.

The two-time defending champion Hokies play North Carolina and are at East Carolina on back-to-back Thursdays: Oct. 29 and Nov. 5. This marks the eighth consecutive season Virginia Tech has played at least one Thursday game, the sixth straight with two.

The marquee non-conference opponents are Alabama and Nebraska for Virginia Tech, Oklahoma for Miami, Brigham Young and Florida for Florida State, and Texas Christian for Virginia.

Florida State plays 11 games against 2008 bowl teams. The exception is Division I-AA Jacksonville State.

Ranking the ACC's 2009 non-conference schedules
1Virginia Tech: Alabama (in Atlanta); Marshall; Nebraska; at East Carolina. Ambitious doesn't begin to describe. Only Marshall, 4-8 last season, resembles a break.

2Florida State: Jacksonville State; at Brigham Young; South Florida; at Florida. Unlike last season, and in spite of Jacksonville State, a schedule worthy of Bobby Bowden's program.

3Miami: Oklahoma; Florida A&M; at Central Florida; at South Florida. The Sooners won't be happy returning to the site of their national championship loss to Florida. Bodes ill for the Hurricanes.

4Georgia Tech: Jacksonville State; at Mississippi State; at Vanderbilt; Georgia. Three games against the Southeastern Conference, two on the road, will test the Jackets.

5Virginia: William and Mary; Texas Christian; at Southern Mississippi; Indiana. Sneaky strong, what with TCU finishing No. 7 in polls last season and Southern Miss winning a bowl.

6Maryland: at California; James Madison; Middle Tennessee State; Rutgers. TV saddled Cal with a noon kick in College Park last season. So why not midnight in Berkeley?

7Wake Forest: Baylor; Stanford; Elon; at Navy. Clearly the Deacons and Jim Grobe target academically similar institutions, and in the case of Navy, a decent rivalry results.

8Boston College: Northeastern; Kent State; at Notre Dame; Central Michigan. Typically pedestrian. Notre Dame doesn't carry the cache of yesteryear, and the other three are at home.

9Clemson: Middle Tennessee; Central Michigan; Coastal Carolina; at South Carolina. If the Tigers didn't have to play the Gamecocks, there's no telling who they'd schedule.

10Duke: Richmond; at Army; at Kansas; North Carolina Central. Playing their neighbors from Central may be the only way the Devils approach a home sellout. Beware UR.

11North Carolina: The Citadel; at Connecticut; East Carolina; Georgia Southern. An alleged ACC contender should not play two I-AA opponents, neither of whom was very good in '08.

12North Carolina State: South Carolina; Murray State; Gardner-Webb; Pittsburgh. Weak. The only ACC team not traveling outside the conference. Plus, two are I-AAs.

Circle these dates
Sept. 5: Virginia Tech vs. Alabama; Maryland at California; South Carolina at N.C. State.

Sept. 19: Nebraska at Virginia Tech; Boston College at Clemson; Virginia at Southern Miss; Florida State at BYU; East Carolina at North Carolina.

Nov. 28: Virginia Tech at Virginia; Florida State at Florida; Clemson at South Carolina; Georgia at Georgia Tech; North Carolina at N.C. State.

Dec. 5: ACC championship game, Tampa, Fla.
 

Given the quality of probable returnees, ACC football should keep improving
David Teel
April 16, 2009

ACC football improved last season. Given the depths of 2007, that may be damning with faint praise, but the progress was undeniable.

So is this: The conference should be better still in 2009.

For only the second time in 16 years, the league's offensive and defensive players of the year return: Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer and Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich.

Dwyer is among a gaggle of skill players who should upgrade the ACC's long-dormant offenses. Eight of last season's top 10 rushers are back, Virginia Tech's Darren Evans and Tyrod Taylor among them; the three best quarterbacks in 2008 — North Carolina State's Russell Wilson, Duke's Thaddeus Lewis and Wake Forest's Riley Skinner — also return.
The league's 12 head coaches answered questions about their spring drills via teleconference Wednesday, and nothing said contradicted the notion of a conference on the uptick.

Defending champion and probable preseason favorite Virginia Tech enhanced the ACC's image most last season. The Hokies won at Nebraska and defeated Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl, snapping the conference's eight-year Bowl Championship Series losing streak.

With eight starters returning, the Hokies' mercurial offense should score consistently for the first time since 2005. Guard Jaymes Brooks, a Denbigh High grad who made his first college start in the Orange Bowl, could be one of the team's best players, coach Frank Beamer said.

Senior linebackers Purnell Sturdivant and Brett Warren led Tech in tackles last season, but replacements Barquell Rivers and Jake Johnson are generating positive reviews midway through spring practice.

Few, if any, expect Virginia to challenge Virginia Tech in the Coastal Division. Expect plenty of intrigue, though, as head coach Al Groh banks his job security on a spread offense orchestrated by new coordinator Gregg Brandon.

Naturally, Groh wants to manage expectations. Hence his remarks that Brandon "is not the tooth fairy" and the spread "is not Star Wars."

"It's still up to player performance," Groh said.

The first public performance is Saturday's spring game, when quarterbacks Vic Hall and Jameel Sewell figure to put on a show. But a more critical position is arguably linebacker, where the Cavaliers must replace Jon Copper, Clint Sintim and Antonio Appleby, who combined for 126 starts in their Virginia careers.

Virginia Tech's most serious division challenge should be Georgia Tech. Coach Paul Johnson's option attack ranked fourth nationally in rushing last season, and if quarterback Josh Nesbitt cuts down on turnovers, the Yellow Jackets will be a load.

"People will get better defending it," Johnson said of his offense. "But we're going to get better running it, too."

While Virginia Tech rates the Coastal favorite, the Atlantic Division is a crapshoot — each of the six teams was either 5-3 or 4-4 in conference play last season. But if forced to pick front-runners, opt for Florida State and North Carolina State.

Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden said the biggest disappointment of spring drills was a hand injury sustained by redshirt freshman quarterback E.J. Manuel of Virginia Beach's Bayside High, whom coaches project as the No. 2 behind Christian Ponder.

During the first practice, Manuel hit his throwing hand on a defensive lineman's helmet and suffered a compound fracture of a finger. He missed the remaining sessions and is expected to be healed come August's preseason drills.

N.C. State stages its spring game Saturday, and all proceeds will benefit the Kay Yow/Women's Basketball Coaches Association Cancer Fund and the Kay Yow Memorial Endowment.

Among the most gracious figures in ACC history, Yow coached Wolfpack basketball for 34 seasons. She died in January after a 22-year battle with breast cancer.

N.C. State returns first-team, All-ACC quarterback Russell Wilson, who last season as a freshman threw 17 touchdown passes and one interception. But Wilson also plays baseball for the Wolfpack, duties that limited his spring football participation and created opportunity for redshirt freshman Mike Glennon, the younger brother of former Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon.

"Certainly if he had been full-time football, he'd be a lot better at this point," N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien said of Wilson.

Read into that what you will.

Wilson injured his knee while scrambling in N.C. State's bowl loss to Rutgers, and O'Brien said his incumbent must do a better job of finding secondary receivers.

"Our major concern," O'Brien added, "was that he ran too much last year."

If the likes of Wilson, Evans and Dwyer remain healthy, the ACC's major concern could be a crowded bandwagon.

 

ACC outtakes
Some leftovers from yesterday’s spring teleconference with ACC football coaches.

Virginia’s Al Groh said junior offensive lineman Isaac Cain from Hampton High has improved markedly during this month’s sessions. Cain has played in only two games since joining the Cavaliers in 2006 as a walk-on tackle, but this spring has seen significant action at guard in place of injured incumbent B.J. Cabbell (knee).

“He’s done a nice job, he really has,” Groh said. “Very willing. He picks things up. He’s really sharp.”

Groh described the spread offense that the Cavaliers are installing as “offensive-line friendly.” There are fewer proection variations and more repititions.

Groh also said that a knee injury has ended the football pursuits of kicker Yannick Reyering, a former Cavaliers soccer player who made 6-of-11 field goals last season. That narrows the place-kicking competition to Robert Randolph and Chris Hinkebein.

Randolph made 3-of-4 field goals last season, all between 30 and 39 yards. Hinkebein handled some kickoff duties.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe said he had extensive discussions with former Blue Devils basketball player Greg Paulus about joining the football team for his remaining season of eligibility.

Paulus, a former high school All-America quarterback, reportedly is considering a transfer to Michigan for football. He completed his basketball eligibility this past season.

"He's a quarterback at heart, but there was no way he was going to be able to compete and play quarterback for us," Cutcliffe said. "I think that was the deciding factor. Prior to our last six practices, I was going to try to get him out, give him a chance to work at slot receiver. …

"I hadn't even heard that about Michigan. I had heard he worked out for some pro team [the Green Bay Packers]. It's difficult when you haven't been playing quarterback in a long time, to step back into a pro-style offense and have any chance to play. If that's indeed a fact about Michigan … they've had quarterback issues, and certainly that offense would be more friendly to a more athletic-type quarterback."

After 10 seasons as Boston College's defensive coordinator, Frank Spaziani wears the big whistle at BC this season, and don't expect him to micromanage his replacement, Bill McGovern.

"I believe it's imperative that everyone have their own turf," Spaziani said. "Bill will have all the freedom he needs."

Virginia and Virginia Tech fans will recognize Spaziani's offensive coordinator. He's former Cavaliers and Hokies OC Gary Tranquill.

Tranquill did not coach last season and most recently was the quarterbacks assistant for the NFL Europe's Rhein Fire in 2007. A former Navy head coach, he's also worked as an assistant at North Carolina, Michigan State, Ohio State, West Virginia and the Cleveland Browns.

Acknowledging that he is "extremely biased," Clemson's Dabo Swinney called Tigers tailback C.J. Spiller the best player in the ACC if not the country.

Spiller was second-team all-conference last season when he totaled 1,770 all-purpose yards -- 629 rushing, 516 returning kickoffs, 436 receiving and 189 returning punts.

Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said his new defensive coordinator, Don Brown, brings "some cutting-edge type stuff" that will be "something unique within the league."

Brown spent the last five seasons as head coach at Massachusetts. He guided the Minutemen to the 2006 Division I-AA national title game.

Friedgen said Brown's coverages are more man-to-man oriented than most and will allow the Terps to blitz more frequently.

Friedgen, 62, has three years remaining on his contract, but during the offseason Maryland designated offensive coordinator James Franklin as his successor.

"I was continually getting asked in recruiting how long I was going to be here," said Friedgen, who endorsed the move.

"If in three years or five year my time is done, I really don't want to see the time I spent here wasted," Friedgen said. "If I can help James understand the dynamic (here), I'll feel very good about it."

Posted by David Teel
 

Early arrival at U.Va. goes well for Hill
By NORM WOOD | 247-4642
April 19, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Though University of Virginia coach Al Groh sang the praises of defensive end Will Hill after Saturday's spring football game, the perfectionist in Hill couldn't help but critique his own effort.

Ironically, it's that pursuit of flawlessness that created the opportunity for Hill to be on the Scott Stadium field in the first place at such a young age. Hill, a 6-foot-4, 265-pound freshman from Lafayette High, enrolled in January at U.Va. At the time, he was midway through his senior year at Lafayette. He's the first freshman football player to enroll early at U.Va. since … well … that's hard to pinpoint.

The last football player to enroll in January at U.Va. was linebacker Ahmad Brooks in 2003, but he didn't come straight from high school. He came to U.Va. only after spending a semester at Hargrave Military Academy. U.Va.'s sports-information staff didn't know the last time a football player came straight from high school to enroll in January.

Hill had his eyes set on getting to U.Va. as soon as possible for a while. With spring practice behind him, Hill can now concentrate on a full academic load, which includes Anthropology 254, Physics 102, Religion 216, English/Writing 105 and Computer Science 110. He said he might want to major in biology.

"I don't regret coming early," Hill said. "I was basically thinking about this since the beginning of junior year. I was pretty much done with everything (at Lafayette), my requirements, and I just felt like it was time to make that next step in my life. College football and college was the next step."

Hill, who worked primarily with U.Va.'s third-team defense Saturday, showed flashes of the player he could become. Late in the spring game, he got in the backfield and hit running back Torrey Mack for no gain.

Yet, on the next play, Mack slipped behind Hill on a screen pass to pick up four yards. It was a good example of how up-and-down the college football experience can be for a freshman, but that's not a good excuse for Hill.

"I just like to get everything right," said Hill, who was the Bay Rivers District and Region I Defensive Player of the Year last season. "If I mess up on a little thing, it just will tick me off."

Groh wasn't nearly as critical in his assessment of Hill's effort this spring. In many ways, Hill's experience is a validation of Groh taking a chance on his first early enrollee.

"If this didn't work out, then it would give all the naysayers an opportunity to say 'See, we've been saying you shouldn't have done this, and look what happened' " said Groh, who identified the "naysayers" as faculty members. "So, now, we have a positive precedent that says 'With the right people, it'll work out.' If so, it'll put us a little closer to doing what some of the competition are doing (with early enrollees)."

"Some kids are going to be admitted to school here who they're not going to admit in January. These other (colleges), it doesn't make any difference — if you're going to get admitted in August, you're going to get admitted in January. (At U.Va.), there's an even higher level for what they have to do to (get admitted in January). He seemed to have a very solid self-esteem and the backing and support at home. He had the credentials and the willingness to do it."

Hill already is gaining the admiration of his teammates. Senior Nate Collins, who made the transition from defensive tackle to end this spring, said that Hill is barely scratching the surface on his potential — further validation Hill made the right decision to arrive early in Charlottesville.

"He's going to be a great player," Collins said. "We always talk about how last semester he was just leaving high school … He's a 'work hard' guy, and that's the kind of guys we like. He's ready to learn. He's coachable. He's listens to you, and that's what we need. He's always running to the ball, regardless if he makes a mistake or not. Will Hill is always in the pack around the ball. He's never the last person to do anything."



 

'D' is taking shape
By Norm Wood | 247-4642
April 19, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE - As one of five freshmen to play last season for the University of Virginia's football team, Rodney McLeod was happy to be on the field anywhere.

Not surprisingly, finding a more permanent role became one of his priorities entering spring practice, and he didn't care what he had to do to earn it. He may have found that role.

Last season, he amassed 17 tackles, including a sack, while mostly playing cornerback in U.Va.'s nickel defensive package. He also returned seven kickoffs for an average of 19.4 yards per return. Before spring practice, he was moved to safety, and he seemed to take to the position right away.

"I was just doing what the coach asked," said McLeod, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound native of Oxon Hill, Md. "I was just going with the flow to help the team out.

"I've been trying to work real hard in this camp and just get better at the new position."

His hard work apparently has paid off. In Saturday's spring game, he worked with the first-team defense. He finished with three tackles, including two for losses, and an interception. He also blocked a punt.

Linebacker lineup
Coming into the spring, U.Va.'s inexperience at linebacker was a big concern. It will remain a source of anxiety until the Cavaliers prove they have viable replacements for three starters, but Saturday's game provided a promising glimpse into U.Va.'s depth.

Darren Childs, Steve Greer, Aaron Clark and Denzel Burrell were the starters in the scrimmage. Childs, who started two games last season, had four tackles. Greer had three tackles. Burrell, who is the only returning starter at linebacker, had two tackles and forced a fumble. Clark, who is returning from a knee injury that caused him to miss all but one game last season, had one tackle.

"Probably the biggest transition personnel-wise on our team comes at linebacker, having had three linebackers play virtually every play at their position for three years, and a couple of them at a very high skill level," Groh said. "So, it's very much a position in transition, and a critical one because … we're going to be pretty solid in the secondary, but it's that layer in between, and it is designed for those (linebackers) to make a lot of plays."

In addition to the first-team efforts, Bill Schautz led the team with 12 tackles. Darnell Carter added seven tackles, including a sack. Cam Johnson contributed five tackles. Aaron Taliaferro, a Gloucester High graduate, had four tackles, including a sack. All four of those linebackers spent much of their time on the field with the third-team defense.

Weir Award
Cornerback Dom Joseph and offensive tackle Lamar Milstead were given the Rock Weir Award for the most improved players during spring practice.

Joseph, who Groh indicated after Saturday's scrimmage recently had shown himself to be a viable option on the depth chart, played in five games last season and didn't have any tackles. Milstead didn't play last season.

Kickers progressing
Another huge concern for Groh this spring was the status of his kickers. U.Va. opened the scrimmage with a kicking session that featured Robert Randolph and Chris Hinkebein.

Highlights included Randolph's three successful attempts from 47 yards, while Hinkebein made one attempt from 47 yards, and later missed from 52 yards.

Quotable
"That won't be the last time his jersey gets dirty."

— Groh on sophomore walk-on wide receiver Matt Snyder, who had five catches for 55 yards in the spring game.

 

Special teams jones
Virginia has not returned a kickoff, punt or blocked punt for a touchdown since 2004.

Kansas State scored six such TDs last season.

That's part of the reason deposed K-State head coach Ron Prince is coordinating Virginia's special teams this season.

That's part of the reason Cavaliers head coach Al Groh was so giddy this afternoon when Jared Green and Rodney McLeod blocked punts during the intrasquad scrimmage that concluded spring practice.

Groh bounded onto the field and high-fived Green and McLeod after their blocks. And "game-changing plays in the kicking game" were the first thing he mentioned during his post-scrimmage news conference.

As he often does, Groh referred to his NFL coaching experience. He said special teams were the linchpins of quick turnarounds authored by the New England Patriots and New York Jets under Bill Parcells, for whom Groh worked as an assistant.

Prince served as Groh's defensive coordinator at Virginia before heading to Kansas State, where his Wildcats led the nation in kickoff returns (2006), punt returns (2007) and blocked kicks (2008). That didn't save his job, but it created a soft landing in Charlottesville.

Kansas State blocked a school-record nine kicks last season and converted four punt blocks into touchdowns. The Wildcats returned another punt and a kickoff for touchdown to bring the special teams total to six.

Groh called the kick-blocking techniques Prince is teaching the Cavaliers "diverse, new and sophisticated." He said front-line players are "buying in," and indeed, quarterback Vic Hall and receiver Green were quick to tout special teams during their interviews.

After the formal part of his interview had concluded, I asked Groh where Prince had developed these techniques and who had served as Kansas State's special teams coordinator. He didn't know a name but said it was a former San Francisco 49ers special teams assistant.

Sure enough, some online searching produced the name. Jeff Rodgers joined Prince's staff last season after five years with the Niners, and so impressive was his work that Prince's successor as head coach, Bill Snyder, not only retained Rodgers as special teams coordinator but also made him recruiting coordinator.

By the way, the last time Virginia returned a kickoff for touchdown was in 2004 -- Marquis Weeks 100 yard against North Carolina. The Cavaliers' last punt return for touchdown was that same season -- Alvin Pearman 70 yards versus Temple. And the last punt block for touchdown was against Akron in 2002, when Darryl Blockstock returned Alex Seals' block.

Posted by David Teel
 

Trio in transition
By Norm Wood | 247-4642
April 18, 2009

After today's spring football game at the University of Virginia, quarterbacks Vic Hall, Jameel Sewell and Marc Verica will look forward to a summer of playbook cramming, but at least the initial transition phase will be over.

Of course, transition is a relative term for each player. While all three are learning the fundamentals of U.Va.'s no-huddle spread offense under new offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon, each quarterback has had a lot to prove.

Hall has tried to show he has what it takes to switch positions from cornerback to quarterback.

Sewell has been readying himself for his return to ACC football after a year away from the game.

Verica has attempted to put a difficult first season as a starter behind him.

While each quarterback has had to deal with personal issues, U.Va. coach Al Groh and Brandon have pushed the process along. For the coaches, the theme of transition is specific to the evolution of the offense.

"They have the experience of how to get ready for games and the speed of the game and the level of competition, but they don't have experience in the system," said Groh, whose team went 5-7 last season.

"That is one of the issues when you do change your style. The development of a lot of players gets kind of pushed back in time a little bit. They lose some continuity in the development of certain reads or skills, and that's been evident with all three of them."

Vic Hall
Though he has started at cornerback for the last two seasons, Hall perhaps has had the most daunting transition of all. He's back at full-time quarterback for the first time since his senior season at Gretna High, where he amassed 13,770 career yards of total offense, a Virginia High School League record and the fifth-most in national high school football history.

Despite his inexperience at quarterback on the college level, and his slight stature at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, he entered spring practice as U.Va.'s No. 1 quarterback. Last season, Groh experimented with Hall at quarterback in U.Va.'s 17-14 loss at Virginia Tech. Working out of the shotgun, Hall had 109 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns, but he attempted just one pass. This spring, he has incorporated the passing element to his game.

"I think I'm doing pretty well," said Hall, a rising senior who added he found out from the coaching staff in mid-January he'd be playing quarterback full-time this spring. "I think the biggest thing is the small, little things — mechanics, footwork. I think those are the most important things I need to work on.

"I don't want anybody to get the wrong idea about, 'Oh, I just want to play quarterback.' I just want to help my team in any way possible. If it was on defense, it was on defense, or if it was at quarterback, it was at quarterback or wherever."

Jameel Sewell
Sewell, also a rising senior, has had his eyes set on returning to U.Va.'s starting quarterback position since January 2008. That's when the university placed him on academic probation for a year.

"I take more responsibilities for my actions, and that's about it," Sewell said regarding how he has changed. "I've grown a lot. I feel like I'm finally a man now."

Before going on probation, Sewell started most of the '06 season and the entirety of the '07 season. In '07, he completed 59 percent of his passes for 2,176 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. After being reinstated at U.Va. this past winter, his first practice this spring was like a homecoming.

"When I first got out here, I didn't want to leave," Sewell said. "My first practice and my first workout, I didn't want to leave. … I didn't want it to end, even though I knew it was going to happen again the next day."

Sewell stayed involved in the game last season as an assistant coach at Charlottesville High. He tried to keep himself sharp while working with Charlottesville's quarterbacks.

"When I would put a quarterback through a drill, I would do the drill with them," Sewell said. "I would try to stay sharp on certain things, throwing the ball a lot. I wouldn't throw it as much as I would in practice (at U.Va.), but I did throw it a decent amount. That did kind of help keep my throwing arm sharp and my mechanics sharp as well."

Marc Verica
Verica, a rising junior, understands the importance of honing mechanics, especially after a tumultuous '08 season. He was thrust into the starting role at U.Va. last September when Peter Lalich was dismissed from the team after admitting he violated terms of his probation from an earlier alcohol-related arrest.

In 11 games last season, Verica completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,037 yards, but he had just eight touchdown passes and 16 interceptions. His last interception of the '08 season came when Tech safety Dorian Porch picked off a pass in the end zone and returned it 40 yards with 2:15 left in U.Va.'s loss.

"I don't think anyone would want to end the season in that fashion, but it's behind me now," Verica said. "My challenge now is to learn from my mistakes and use that experience to better myself as a teammate. It was an unfortunate experience, but it's a learning tool."

While Hall and Sewell have established reputations as good running quarterbacks — an essential characteristic in a spread offense — Verica's mobility was advertised as one of his defining traits last season. In most cases, the only times Verica got to show that mobility was when he was scrambling from oncoming rushers.

Verica said he had a working knowledge of Brandon's offense and his work as Bowling Green's coach before Brandon arrived in Charlottesville. After three weeks of working in the system, Verica knows what kind of pressure the offense can put on defenses, as well as what kind of pressure U.Va.'s quarterbacks are under.

"It puts a lot of responsibility on the quarterback," Verica said. "The quarterback has to really do a great job of managing everything out there. He's got to make a lot of calls and it's very predicated on communication and I think those are my strengths, knowing what people's assignments are and communicating to them and just really manage when you're out there."
 

Cavs' offense spreads the ball COLLEGE FOOTBALL
April 19, 2009 12:35 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

The University of Virginia football team needed a change.

Its offense ranked lower than 100th in the nation in just about all the major categories in three seasons under former offensive coordinator Mike Groh.

So head coach Al Groh made the decision to fire his son, following last year's 5-7 campaign.

But when Mike Groh departed, the Cavaliers didn't just change coaches--they changed philosophies.

They brought in ex-Bowling Green head coach Gregg Brandon to run his wide-open, pass-heavy, spread offensive attack.

The Cavaliers unveiled the offense to the public for the first time yesterday in their spring game in front of a crowd of 7,954 at Scott Stadium.

There were mixed results. Virginia quarterbacks completed 35-of-53 passes for 337 yards and two touchdowns, but they also threw three interceptions.

Still, Virginia's three signal-callers who are vying for the starting spot said it was a thrill to play the more up-tempo style.

"It's very fun because it's so fast," senior quarterback Jameel Sewell said. "You get to abuse the defense even more. If they're not conditioned, then they're out of luck. It gives us a big advantage over the defense as long as we run our plays precisely."

They did that more often than not yesterday.

Sewell, who sat out last season because of academic issues, went 7-of-11 for 61 yards and an interception.

Vic Hall, who played his entire career at cornerback until the final game of last season, finished 11-of-16 for 98 yards.

Marc Verica started nine games last year before he was benched because of 16 interceptions. He was 14-of-19 for 148 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The new offense will also allow quarterbacks more running room, but that was under wraps yesterday because they weren't allowed to be hit in a spring game for the first time under Groh.

"It's new things for all three of them," Groh said. "With a new set of things to do and a different type of game to manage, it's been a lot for those guys to handle. Staff-wise, we've felt throughout [the spring] they've done a nice job of handling a challenging circumstance."

It has also been challenging for the coaches. The Cavaliers have been run-oriented under Groh, who is heading into his ninth season.

They didn't hold any open practices this spring to give fans and the media a sneak peek at the offense.

Sewell said they didn't unleash the entire package of Brandon's plays in the spring game. Groh said the team still has a ways to go to learn the entire system. It had 15 spring practices and will have 29 in the summer before it opens the season Sept. 5 at home against William & Mary.

"If we make twice as much progress in the second third [of practice] as we made the first third, then that'll give us a chance to be ready on Sept. 5, which we ought to be able to do," Groh said. "The groundwork with the special teams and offense has now been laid."

Not only do the Cavaliers have to incorporate their new offense, they also have to figure out which of the three quarterbacks is best suited to operate it.

Sewell directed the Cavaliers to a 9-4 season and a Gator Bowl bid in 2007. He said he was excited to be on the field in Scott Stadium for the first time since a loss to Virginia Tech in November of that year.

"It was a wonderful feeling," he said of playing yesterday. "I just had a big smile on my face and the energy was rolling through my body. I just felt everybody else on the field could feel the energy coming off me. That's how excited I was."

Sewell would like to see that continue into the regular season, but there's competition. Hall ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns against Virginia Tech in the 2008 season finale. Sewell said that whether or not Hall is the quarterback, he needs to be on the field on offense. Groh said that regardless of position, Hall will be "a busy college football player next year."

Hall also lined up at punt returner and holder yesterday and will be available at cornerback if needed.

"If you want to put him at left tackle, he can do it," Sewell said. "That's just the type of dude he is."

Hall attempted just one pass in the Virginia Tech game, but appeared sharp throwing yesterday. He was a Virginia High School League record-breaking quarterback for Gretna High in 2002-05, but said he's not going to lobby for the starting job.

"It doesn't matter," Hall said. "The best man that will help us win will be in."

 

Slebonick weighs a return to field
April 19, 2009 12:35 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

Patrick Slebonick was back on the field with his University of Virginia teammates this spring, but he's not sure he'll be around in the fall.

The former North Stafford High School standout offensive lineman wasn't originally on the Cavaliers' spring roster, but said that after new special-teams coach Ron Prince reviewed tape of last season, Prince wanted him to return.

Slebonick missed the first few days of practice, but later rejoined the team.

Yesterday, he performed on the punt team and served as the long snapper on field goals.

"He did a nice job," Cavaliers head coach Al Groh said.

Whether his performance was valuable enough to earn a scholarship for a fifth season remains to be seen.

Slebonick, a fifth-year senior guard, graduated from Virginia in December 2008. He's currently enrolled in graduate school.

He said that if Groh wants him to return, he may enroll in classes in the fall as well.

"It depends on roster numbers, scholarship situations, things like that," Slebonick said. "And then it'll be a personal decision on my part."

Slebonick played in all 12 games last year as a member of the punt team and field-goal unit. He said Prince was impressed that he played four positions on the field-goal team and that he's versatile enough to fill in at long-snapper.

"He really liked some of the things I was doing on punt and field-goal protection," Slebonick said. "He thought he had a couple other jobs he could add for me."

Slebonick said that despite not playing as an every-down lineman in his career, college football hasn't been a disappointment. He said being a key member of special-teams units is "something I take pride in."

"You don't realize how much you miss something until you get back into it and realize how much fun you were having," he said. "After four years, it kind of became the grind of football, but once I came back here, it was just awesome."

LOCALS IN ACTION

Former Massaponax standout lineman Anthony Mihota had an adventurous day at center yesterday.

Mihota misfired on two low snaps and was replaced by starter Jack Shields.

It was a far different performance from the solid showing Mihota provided when he started in place of Shields last year against Virginia Tech, but apparently wild snaps have been the norm in practice.

"The same player has had the same problem for quite some time," Groh said. "It's a singular thing rather than a team problem."

Former Culpeper standout Terence Fells-Danzer was in on four tackles yesterday, three unassisted. He hopes to earn playing time this year at inside linebacker, where the Cavaliers lost both starters from last year.

"Pretty much everybody is in the mix," Fells-Danzer said. "We all get an equal amount of reps in practice. It's just a matter of knowing the playbook from front to back, and we're all working on that."

SIMPSON, HORNE SCORE

There were just two touchdowns in yesterday's spring game.

Senior running back Mikell Simpson scored on a 48-yard run.

Junior quarterback Marc Verica found wide receiver and ex-running back Raynard Horne for a 21-yard scoring pass.

The Cavaliers were led in rushing by Simpson's 64 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Matt Snyder led them in receiving with five catches for 55 yards. Kris Burd added four catches for 50 yards, while dynamic redshirt freshman Javaris Brown contributed five catches for 36 yards.

Rodney McLeod and Jared Green blocked a punt each.

MOST-IMPROVED AWARDED

The Cavaliers handed out Rock Weir awards to sophomore cornerback Dom Joseph and sophomore tackle Lamar Milstead. The award is presented to the most-improved offensive and defensive players at the end of each spring.

 

A taste of things to come at UVa spring scrimmage
By Brandon Shulleeta
Published: April 19, 2009

The University of Virginia gave its fans a glimpse — and a small one at that — of the upcoming season during Saturday’s Virginia Spring Football Festival at Scott Stadium.

Though players were not exactly full throttle — the defense wasn’t even allowed to tackle the quarterback — dedicated fans say they got a sneak peek of what to expect for the 2009 season.

At least one fan attentively stared down at the field at Scott Stadium using binoculars, his bare feet resting on bleachers as he barely reacted to plays. Those in attendance yelled out cheers and groans infrequently; many simply absorbed how the Cavaliers’ young and repositioned players performed.

“I was just trying to take it all in,” said David Schooff, a long-time UVa fan who drove from New Kent County, complimenting the speed of the cornerbacks. It was an opportunity for Schooff, who said he regularly reads about UVa football online, to watch the team develop during spring training.

Many fans wanted to see how the versatile former cornerback Vic Hall would perform as quarterback. “I love Vic Hall as quarterback,” said Mary Jarvis. “He should have been there all along.”

Mary Jarvis came to see her grandson, senior cornerback Brandon Jarvis. She said the team looked good overall, but added that it’s difficult to make any kind of analysis when teammates are playing against each other.

The defense looked solid, said another fan, Stoney Chisolm, noting numerous sacks in the scrimmage. He said that the offense has multiple outstanding quarterbacks, though some kinks need to be worked out with snaps.

The university had a variety of pre-game activities that began at noon. Fans of all ages were able to test their football skills, with stations that included a 40-yard dash, agility drills and kicking and passing contests. The scrimmage and pre-game activities were free to the public.

 

Return of the quarterback
By Jay Jenkins
Published: April 19, 2009

Prior to trotting onto the field for what proved to be one of just two touchdown drives in Saturday’s Spring Football Festival, Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell huddled with a collection of teammates.

He hugged each player, thanking them for keeping faith in him during his absence from the program for the two semesters that preceded.

That, however, would be the last huddle for Sewell.

No, the southpaw senior did not get injured. With first-year offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon’s new no-huddle offense on display, calls came from the sidelines for the six quarterbacks that played in a contest that included four turnovers.

The emotional moment for Sewell was symbolic on a picture-perfect afternoon at Scott Stadium that included an announced crowd of 7,954.

Sewell, like linebacker Darnell Carter and cornerback Chris Cook, was back in uniform as a full-fledged member of the Virginia football program.

“I just wanted to let them know that I was back,” Sewell said of his chat with his teammates. “Before we ran out onto the field I hugged every player and said, ‘Let’s go man; let’s just ride.’

“They did that for me.”

Sewell, who has played in 24 games at UVa, had help on the lone scoring drive that he led.

Senior running back Mikell Simpson — suddenly explosive after a dismal 2008 campaign that included a season-ending injury — had carries of eight and five yards, respectively, before breaking a 48-yard scoring scamper.

Oddly enough, Sewell was the second person to reach Simpson to celebrate in the end zone after the game’s first score.

“I was excited,” Sewell said. “It was natural. I just ran. I don’t know what went into it, but I saw him breaking it and I just ran. I just wanted him to know that I appreciate it. I really do.”

Simpson finished with five carries for a team-best 64 yards for the Cavaliers’ offense, which tallied with 124 rushing yards on 57 rushing attempts.

“He was back,” Sewell said of Simpson, who finished with five carries for 64 yards. “He was definitely back and it was good to see that he is definitely back.”

Most importantly, Simpson’s elusive ability was on display.

“I think we saw ample example that Mikell’s playing much faster than we all saw him play last year,” Virginia coach Al Groh said. “Whatever happened between [2007 and 2008], somebody else was living in that jersey.”

The only other score for Virginia came on a 21-yard pass from quarterback Marc Verica to Raynard Horne, a tailback that has been slotted at wideout.

“It is a new play that we haven’t really had in the past, just kind of a wide receiver screen,” said Verica, who finished with 148 yards on 14-for-19 passing. “Raynard is really perfect for that play. He is really tough to bring down. If you get him the ball in space he has enough speed to break it. That’s what he did. It was exciting to see.”

The loudest cheer of the day, however, was given to Vic Hall as he ran onto the field to open the game at quarterback.

The converted cornerback completed 11 of 16 passes for 98 yards. The speedster also rushed three times for a yard, which was deceiving.

As is practice at what Groh described as half of the nation’s programs, quarterbacks are not allowed to be tackled. They need to be merely touched to have an official blow the play dead.

Hall also avoided throwing an interception.

Sewell, Verica and walk-on Kyle McCartin were not as fortunate.

On 2nd-and-7 at the defense’s 36-yard line, Sewell threw a floater towards Javaris Brown that defensive back Mike Parker picked off and returned 23 yards.

Sewell, who completed 7 of 11 passes for 61 yards, did get his share of contact on the play.

“I just got hit as soon as I released the ball,” he said. “I didn’t get even get to really throw the ball. It impacted everything that I did.

“That’s what I have really been waiting for. I wanted a little contact. Nobody has hit me in 17 months. I just needed to get some contact and I’m glad it happened.”

Sewell had further contact on the play as he sprung from the ground to leap onto the back of Parker.

“When I threw it I heard the crowd roar and I was like, ‘Ok, here we go,’” Sewell said. “I was still sitting on the ground and I saw somebody running and I said, ‘Oh my gosh.’

“I just jumped out and tried to dive. I should have been up anyway. I shouldn’t have been sitting down.”

Verica’s interception also came with the offense driving for a touchdown. Inside the defense’s territory, safety Rodney McLeod stepped in front of a pass and returned it 11 yards.

“He made a great break on the ball and as we have discussed, he’s a big addition to our secondary back there at the safety position,” Groh said.

Trey Womack added an interception off an errant pass thrown by McCartin, and cornerback Dom Joseph recovered the lone lost fumble in the game.

While the turnovers impressed Groh, a pair of blocked punts sent a message about the importance the program is placing on special teams. Former Kansas State coach Ron Prince was brought during the off-season to lead an operation that struggled in years past.

Sophomore wideout Jared Green and McLeod blocked kicks by punters Jimmy Howell and Nathan Rathjen, respectively.

Groh said that he was “very pleased about the two blocked punts” as well as “two pressured punts following that out of 10,” but noted that long snapper Danny Aiken did not play after having his wisdom teeth removed.

“That’s a big step up from what we have seen in the past,” he added.

During the 15-practice period in the spring, Virginia placed a strong emphasis on special teams, Green said.

“We are just working on how do we get to the point where it is non-stop,” he said. “Every time that we do it, they know Virginia’s coming because they are going to block this punt.”

Virginia opens the 2009 campaign on Sept. 5 at home against William & Mary.

 

Virginia offense grows teeth
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: April 19, 2009

If Saturday’s spring fling was any indication, the days of Virginia’s offense being the caboose of NCAA statistical data are over.

New offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon gave us a taste of what Cavalier football is going to look like come September and the taste offered a sweet glimpse into the future.

Yes, Al Groh’s defense was impressive and so were Ron Prince’s special teams, but in today’s world, most eyes are on the offense in college football. Saturday, there was plenty to see.

Options under center

Six quarterbacks rotated series in the scrimmage. Fans focused on Vic Hall, who finished the season with a spectacular showing against archrival Virginia Tech out of UVa’s “Hoocat” formation. They wanted to see if the 5-foot-9 QB could throw as well as he could run.

They focused on Jameel Sewell, who started as Virginia’s quarterback for nearly two years before having to sit out last season with academic issues. Was he rusty? Was he better? More mature?

Fans were curious about Marc Verica, who received baptism by fire last season when he became the lone option at quarterback. Had he eliminated his penchant for throwing interceptions?

Then there were Riko Smalls and Kyle McCartin, who got some action.

All of the quarterbacks were impressive — but, hey, this was a spring game.

The five QBs combined to completed 35 of 53 passes for 337 yards and a TD, with three interceptions out of the new, no-huddle, spread offense brought to Wahoo Country by Brandon, who once brainstormed the scheme along with Urban Meyer at Bowling Green.

Dual threats

While the passes were impressive, what further impressed this columnist was the scrambling ability of those players, particularly Sewell and Hall, who were both adept at running the ball, which is an integral part of Gregg’s offense.

Because it’s spring, there were quick whistles on the quarterbacks, who all wore orange jerseys and were off limits to the hitting portion of the game. It has been that way all spring.

Any time a defender came close to a quarterback, the action was stopped even though it was clear there was no “touch sack,” that prevented the QBs from picking up major yardage.

Virginia media relations director Jim Daves jokingly credited a couple of the sacks to Claude Rains, an award-winning English actor whose career spanned 47 years, but was most remembered for his role in the original “Invisible Man.”

“It was one of the worst feelings when I first walked into the locker room and saw I had an orange jersey,” Sewell said. “I kinda went, ‘Oh my gosh. I can’t believe this ... orange jerseys again.’”

However, it was evident to the estimated 7,900 fans that no matter who lines up at quarterback this fall, they should bring another dimension to Virginia’s offense.

“The defense isn’t set up to keep the quarterback from scrambling,” Sewell said. “When you have someone who can scramble it makes a big difference.”

Yes, there was scrambling and some designated runs, and a little option thrown in to spice things up. You can bet there will be more designated runs when they line up for real.

Brandon wasn’t about to show much of UVa’s offense this early.

Groh said the plan is to definitely utilize the running ability of the quarterbacks, but pointed to former Oregon star Dennis Dixon as a cautionary tale.

“The upside is when a quarterback has [running] as part of his skill set, it puts them in harm’s way a lot,” Groh pointed out. “A couple of years ago with Oregon, the Dixon kid, who could run and throw, had everyone talking about a national championship. Once he got hurt, they lost three of the next four and it changed the whole team.”

As Groh explained, having two players with those diverse skills on the same team gives the coaches a higher comfort level to turn those players loose, knowing there’s another waiting in the wings should one not be able to answer the bell.

If nothing else, it appeared that the Cavs were having fun on offense.

“This offense is so much fun to play in,” said wide receiver Jared Green. “The quarterbacks fit in so well with this offense. We’ve got short stuff, we’ve got a lot of long stuff, we’ve got a lot of trickery. Today was somewhat generic, but when it’s ready, the team will be ready.”

Hall, who completed 11 of 16 passes for 98 yards, said he felt good passing the ball and said that his size has nothing to do with his downfield vision. However, he did point out that the new, wider offensive line splits should help him and others running the ball.

Groh wouldn’t commit to whether or not Virginia would use different quarterbacks for different circumstances this fall. He wouldn’t divulge whether Hall and Sewell could be on the field at the same time, but grins every time that possibility is mentioned.

Hall did mention that it has been a great advantage to him to learn the entire offense from the quarterback’s perspective.

Could this mean, he could line up at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, or as the “Hoocat?”

“As long as Vic is on the field we have a great chance of winning, no matter where he’s lined up,” said Sewell. “You could put him at left tackle.”

Not.

Even Sewell grinned after that quote.

“Hey, as long as you get the ball in [Hall’s] hands, that’s all you need,” said Sewell, who passed for 61 yards on a 7 of 11 performance.

A multitude of receivers were impressive, including redshirt freshman Javaris Brown, who caught five passes for 36 yards. In all, 11 receivers, some you’ve never heard of, hauled in passes.

It also looked like tailback Mikell Simpson was back to his old self.

He touched the ball only six times, but rushed for 64 yards on five carries and caught one short pass. He darted through the defense on a 48-yard touchdown burst that was reminiscent of his runs of 2007.

“Mikell is playing much faster than we saw him last year,” Groh said. “Whatever happened between ‘07 and ‘08, we saw someone else was living in that jersey.”

Simpson starred in ’07, literally coming out of nowhere on the depth chart and ending up with some of the most impressive performances by a back in Wahoo history. Inexplicably, last season, he was a bust from start to finish.

One of the neat things about this offense, which UVa fans will love and opponents will hate, is the ability to make adjustments leaving the defense at a disadvantage.

You’ve seen teams do this on TV and it probably has driven you crazy. The offense will be at the line of scrimmage and the offensive coaches read what the defense is giving up. Suddenly the offense looks to the sideline as the offensive coaches switch to a better play.

“It’s great,” Sewell said.

That’s exactly what happened when Verica, who completed 14 of 19 for 148 yards and a TD (one pick), backed off the original call late and dumped a short pass to converted running back Raynard Horne (now a wide receiver) for a 21-yard score.

“We’re one-third through the practices that are allowed before the first game,” Groh said. “It we make twice as much progress in the second third as we did in the first third, then that will give us a chance to be ready on Sept. 5. The groundwork has now been laid.”

Insert your own hallelujah chorus here.

Virginia’s offense is back.

 

UVa cruises to win over Dartmouth
By Whitey Reid
Published: April 19, 2009

In four seasons at Virginia, Danny Glading and Garrett Billings have hooked up on a number of memorable goals.

But the duo’s tally early in the fourth quarter of Saturday afternoon’s regular-season finale versus Dartmouth at Klockner Stadium just might take the cake.

From behind the goal, Glading juked his way around a Big Green defender and hit Billings in stride with a perfect pass. Billings fired a behind-the-back shot that beat goalie Fergus Campbell to snap a tie.

The goal, courtesy of the seniors, awoke Virginia from a mini-coma. UVa went on to score the next six goals, defeating Dartmouth on Senior Day, 13-6.

“That’s just Garrett being Canadian,” said a smiling Glading. “He and I know each other so well. I saw him roll to the left and I knew he wasn’t going to make a left-handed cut. He just did a little spin move and I just let it go, knowing he’d catch it — and he made a great shot.”

“I said to him on the sideline — that may have been my favorite goal that we’ve hooked up for,” said Billings, a Langley, B.C. native. “It was pretty cool.”

With the win and Princeton’s loss to Cornell, Virginia will likely reclaim the No. 1 spot in the polls that it lost after last Saturday’s loss to Duke.

Ironically, UVa will only be the No. 3 seed in the ACC Tournament that kicks off Friday night in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Wahoos (13-1) will get yet another shot at Duke, the No. 2 seed.

“We’re definitely looking forward to it,” said Virginia sophomore Shamel Bratton, who had a goal and an assist against Dartmouth. “This great senior class has never beaten Duke. We’ve got one last crack at it. We’ll give it everything we’ve got and see what happens.”

Virginia won’t be able to afford the kind of sluggish start it had on Saturday in the ACCs. Dartmouth (4-9), thanks to an unassisted goal by Tim Daniels, took a 5-3 lead going into the half.

The score held until just less than four minutes remained in the third quarter when Brian Carroll beat Campbell. Then, with just four seconds left in the stanza, Bratton scored to tie things up.

“We were working the whole day, but we weren’t playing smart in the first half,” said Glading, who had a goal and three assists. “In the second half, I think we won pretty much every faceoff and got good chances and started to bury our shots.”

At the half, Glading was one of several seniors who stood up and rallied the team.

“We told ourselves that we had to stop feeling sorry for ourselves,” he said. “We had been sulking the last couple of weeks instead of doing, and that’s never a good thing.

“We came out and put our foot on the pedal and got to every loose ball.”

On a sun-drenched day, a crowd of 4,080 loved the effort.

For the game, Virginia outshot Dartmouth, 41-27. After losing nine of 10 faceoffs in the first half, UVa won nine of 13 in the second.

“It’s a good win for us against a Dartmouth team that always plays well late in the season,” said Virginia coach Dom Starsia. “It’s also a useful win for us because it’s a good teaching-tool win for us.

“To not have played particularly well in the first half, but to have the older guys step up and take control of the game … we just kept working, didn’t get discouraged and ended up wearing them down in the fourth quarter.”

 

Wahoos Explode in Fourth Quarter for 13-6 Win over Dartmouth
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 04/18/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA—The second-ranked Virginia Cavaliers erupted for eight goals in the fourth quarter to gain a 13-6 win Dartmouth before 4080 fans on Senior Day at Klöckner Stadium. The win is Virginia’s 15th Senior Day game in a row.

The Cavaliers close the regular season with a 13-1 record, while Dartmouth falls to 4-9 this season. Virginia turns its attention to next weekend’s Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Cavaliers are the tournament’s third seed and face second seed Duke in the semifinals on Friday night at approximately 7:30 p.m. Duke handed Virginia its only loss by a 15-10 count last weekend in Durham. Duke has won six consecutive games against the Cavaliers dating back to 2005.

“It’s a good win for us against a Dartmouth team that always plays well late in the season,” said Virginia head coach Dom Starsia. “It’s also a useful win for us because I think it’s a good teaching tool.”

Garrett Billings, Brian Carroll and Steve Giannone all scored three goals to lead the Virginia offense, while Danny Glading added one goal and assisted on three others.

Billings teamed with Glading to start Virginia on its 8-goal run in the fourth quarter that enabled his team to win going away. He tied the score at six by taking a pass from Glading and beating goalie Fergus Campbell from the right side from eight yards out at the 12:32 mark. Billings scored the game winner with just over 11 minutes remaining by taking another feed from Glading off a restart and sending a behind-the-back shot into the net to the delight of the Virginia fans in attendance.

Virginia’s ability to win faceoffs in the fourth quarter allowed the Cavaliers to dominate the game’s final quarter. Led by Chad Gaudet, the Cavaliers took eight of 10 in the fourth quarter. Gaudet won six of the first seven as the Cavaliers seized control over the final 15 minutes.

Gaudet’s fourth quarter performance was in direct contrast to his play in the first half when he was unable to win hardly any faceoffs. Dartmouth claimed nine of 10 first half draws and built a 5-3 lead at halftime.

“The single answer to the first half was that we didn’t win a faceoff,” said Starsia. “They would have long possessions on offense and the hardest thing to do in college lacrosse is to come down on offense after you haven’t had it for a long time and work to get a good shot. I thought we were sloppy and impatient in the first half.”

Virginia scored on its first two shots of the game, but took only one shot in the first 10 minutes of play as Dartmouth maintained possession for most of the period. Midfielder Steve Giannone, one of 12 Cavaliers making his final regular season appearance at Klöckner Stadium, gave his team a 2-1 lead at the 4:27 mark, but Dartmouth tallied the next three goals to take a 4-2 lead early in the second quarter.

Philip Killian knotted the score at two late in the first period to start the Big Green on its run. Jonathan Livadas notched an extra-man goal at 10:39 of the second quarter and Brian Koch scored 23 seconds later for the 2-goal advantage.

Billings scored his first goal of the game at the 7:37 mark but Tim Daniels followed two minutes later as Dartmouth took the 2-goal halftime lead. Daniels led Dartmouth with two goals.

“When I went in the locker room the first thing I said was, ‘fellas, I could stand here and peel the paint off the walls if you want, but you all know what we need to do in the second half,’” said Starsia. “Then Danny and Max Pomper and Ken Clausen and Mike Timms stand up and say the right things, which was more important than anything.”

Neither team was able to generate any scoring in the first 11 minutes of the second half before Carroll ended a drought of nearly 19 minutes with his second goal of the game to bring the Cavaliers within one at 5-4. Shamel Bratton scored his only goal of the game on a terrific dodge past his defender to knot the game at 6-all with 3.3 seconds remaining in the third quarter. After being outshot 17-11 in the first half, the Cavaliers held a 12-5 advantage in the third quarter.

“In the second half we started winning faceoffs,” Starsia said. “Now we get the ball and we can maintain some momentum. We’re generating good shots, we don’t hit every one of them, and we don’t get discouraged in the second half. Finally the dam bursts a little bit as we get into the fourth quarter.”

Daniels got his second goal of the game as Dartmouth regained a 6-5 lead with 13:18 left on the clock before the Cavaliers unleashed a tremendous offensive assault over the final 13 minutes of play. They pounded Dartmouth with 16 shots in that span, scoring eight times.

“I thought we took control almost immediately at the start of the third quarter even though we weren’t scoring a lot,” said Starsia. “I thought we had some really good chances early in the third quarter that we didn’t cash in on but we just kept working and didn’t get discouraged and I think eventually we wore them down in the fourth quarter.”

Steve Giannone scored twice in the quarter as Virginia completely dominated the visitors from New Hampshire; he tied his career high with three goals. In addition to holding a huge shot advantage (18-5), the Cavaliers also scooped up 15 ground balls to Dartmouth’s 12 in the quarter.

Adam Ghitelman recorded nine saves for Virginia before giving way to senior Mark Wade in the final minute. Gaudet led the Cavaliers with five ground balls, while winning eight of 19 faceoffs.

“I don’t think I’ll have any trouble getting my team’s attention as we move forward for this game,” Starsia said about his team’s match-up with Duke in the upcoming ACC Championship. “We’ll have our hands full certainly for the (Blue Devils). They’re a quality team all over the field, but it’s a game we look forward to preparing for.”

Dartmouth 2-3-0-1—6 record: 4-9
Virginia 2-1-2-8—13 record: 13-1
att—4080

Scoring (G-A)— DC: Tim Daniels 2-0, Brian Koch 1-1, Philip Killian 1-0, Jonathan Livadas 1-0, Ari Sussman 1-0, Ian Ferrell 0-1, Josh Gillam 0-1. UVa: Brian Carroll 3-2, Garrett Billings 3-1, Steve Giannone 3-0, Danny Glading 1-3, Shamel Bratton 1-1, Steele Stanwick 1-1, Rhamel Bratton 1-0.

Goalie Summary— DC: Fergus Campbell 58:49 mins., 13 saves, 12 goals allowed; Pat Marshall 1:11, 0 svs., 1 GA. UVa: Adam Ghitelman 59:12 mins., 9 saves, 6 goals allowed; Mark Wade 0:48, 0 svs., 0 GA.

Shots: DC—27, UVa —41
Ground Balls: DC—37, UVa —35
Clearing: DC—20x22, UVa —24x27
Faceoffs: DC—13, UVa —10
Penalties: DC—2-2:00, UVa —3-2:30
EMO: DC—1x3, UVa —1x2

 

Cavalier Men Earn Share of ACC Championship Title
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 04/18/2009

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Led by individual ACC titles by sophomore Adams Abdulrazaaq and senior All-American Yemi Ayeni and 11 all-conference performances throughout the weekend, the Virginia men’s track and field team finished tied with Florida State - the reigning conference champions - for first at the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships at Cobb Stadium on the University of Miami campus Saturday. The shared title marks the first time since 1982 that two teams have been crowned conference champions, while it is the Cavaliers' best-ever program finish and the first-ever men's conference title in an outdoor season.

“Our conference championship has a proud tradition of great performances and we’re honored to be champions with such a tremendous program as Florida State,” head coach Jason Vigilante said. “Our team competed with integrity and with heart, and I’m so proud to coach all of these young men. It’s a great day for our University and for the track and field program.”

Virginia and Florida State both finished with 141 points to share the lead and were trailed by Virginia Tech’s third-place finish of 130 points.

The women, led by junior Megan Briggs’ individual title on Friday, gathered five All-ACC performances, en route to a fourth-place finish with 74 points. Florida State won the women’s competition with 160 points, while Virginia Tech finished second with 127 points. North Carolina rounded out the top-three with 123 points.

Despite trailing Florida State by 14 points heading into the final day of competition, the Cavalier men put together a dominating performance in the 5000m, led by sophomore Ryan Collins’ runner-up finish in 14:16.28, to take a slim lead over the Seminoles, 135-131, heading into the final event – the men’s 4x400m relay. The quartet of freshman Kevin Anding, Abdulrazaaq, freshman All-American Lance Roller and sophomore All-American Meikle Paschal did all they could to secure a conference championship, making a pass on the final curve to take third in 3:09.32, while Florida State won the event in 3:06.99 to cement the shared title.

Earlier in the day, Abdulrazaaq earned the Cavaliers their first-ever ACC Title in the 110m hurdles by running a personal-best time of 14:16 for top honors, while Ayeni threw 189’ 7” for his third-straight conference title in the discus.

“This was a grand day, truly,” Abdulrazaaq said. “I’ve only been doing hurdles for two years now, so it’s pretty awesome that I have come so far. I ran a PR today and got my first ACC win. Like we always say, you’ve ‘gotta get some’ – you have to work hard to get exactly what you want. Shout out to coach [Adrian] Wheatley and Reuben Jones.”

“It feels great to win this three years in a row,” Ayeni said. “It means a lot to me because it’s my last outdoor ACC Championship. It feels good to leave the title. I see the future and I am happy with it. Our team has been the best I’ve seen so far and I am happy and proud to be a part of it. I look forward to coming back someday and seeing them on top - as we have been this weekend.”

Senior Andrew Jesien started the day for the Cavaliers finishing runner-up in the 1500m in a time of 3:44.43, while senior Kevin Tschirhart finished fourth in the program’s ninth-fastest time of 3:45.66 to bring the Cavaliers 13 points in the event.

Abdulrazaaq then won his 110m hurdles title before Virginia combined for dual all-conference performances in the 800m. Freshman Lance Roller finished runner-up in 1:51.16, while sophomore Andrew Lobb earned his second-consecutive All-ACC honor in the event, finishing in a close third with a time of 1:51.31.

Abdulrazaaq then earned his second all-conference honor of the meet, finishing third in the 400m hurdles in a time of 52.06 and sophomore Marcus Robinson finished third in the triple jump with the program’s fifth-best leap – and best since Cornell Grayson jumped 51’ 0.5” in 1990. He finished with a mark of 50’ 9.25 to qualify for the NCAA East Regionals.

For the women, the Cavaliers racked up 18 points in the discus behind All-ACC performances by seniors All-American Billie-Jo Grant and Caitlin Kelly. Grant finished runner-up with a throw of 166’ 4” to earn her fourth All-ACC accolade in the event, while Kelly threw 165’ 2” for third place for her first all-conference honor. Senior Amy Bilmanis also picked up four points for the Cavaliers in the event, throwing 162’ 5” for fifth place.

On the track, freshman Morgane Gay earned her first all-conference honor with a third-place finish in the 1500m in 4:22.11 – the program’s seventh-best time.

Virginia will return to action next weekend, heading to the prestigious Penn Relays. Events are scheduled to run Friday and Saturday.

2009 ACC Champions
Adams Abdulrazaaq – 110m Hurdles
Yemi Ayeni - Discus
Meghan Briggs – Javelin

2009 All-ACC Performers
Adams Abdulrazaaq – 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles
Yemi Ayeni – Discus
Meghan Briggs – Javelin
Ryan Collins – 5k, 10k
Steve Finley - Steeple
Morgane Gay – 1500m
Billie-Jo Grant – Discus
Emil Heineking – 10k
Andrew Jesien – 1500m
Tara Karin – Javelin
Caitlin Kelly – Discus
Andrew Lobb – 800m
Marcus Robinson – Triple Jump
Lance Roller – 800m


 

Cavaliers Enter Final Round at ACCs in Fourth Place
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 04/18/2009

Greensboro, NC – The third-ranked Virginia women’s golf team is in fourth place entering Sunday’s final round of play at the ACC Championships at Greensboro’s Sedgefield Country Club. The Cavaliers shot 310 during Saturday’s round to drop back to trail tournament leading Wake Forest by 23 shots. UVa’s two day total is 37-over 605.

The 11th-ranked Demon Deacons head into the final round with a commanding 17-shot lead over over No. 12 Duke. Wake Forest’s 36-hole score is 14-over 582. The Blue Devils, winners of the last 13 ACC titles, stand at 599 after turning in the best team score Saturday with a 2-over 290 performance.

Virginia sophomore Calle Nielson continues to have a strong showing. She enters the final round in fifth place at 2-over 144. She trails individual leader Natalie Sheary of Wake Forest by four strokes. Nielson shot 4-over 75 Saturday after opening with a 69.

Kristen Simpson is in 11th place for Virginia at 8-over 150. She shot 76 during the final round. Lene Krog dropped back to 19th place at 154 following an 80 Saturday. Whitney Neuhauser is 23rd overall at 157 and Jennie Arseneault is 26th at 160.

The tournament continues at 8 a.m. on Sunday. The Cavaliers are scheduled to tee off starting at 8:50 a.m. while paired with North Carolina and Florida State. Live scoring is online at Golfstat.com.

ACC Select will broadcast a free webcast of the final round with coverage of the No. 17 and No. 18 holes. The broadcast is slated to begin at approximately 1 p.m.

ACC Championships
Sedgefield Country Club
Greensboro, NC
Par-71, 6,355 yards
Second Round Results

Team Results 1. Wake Forest (11) 286-296-5822. Duke (12) 309-290-5993. NC State (35) 302-298-6004. Virginia (3) 295-310-6055. North Carolina (10) 300-306-6066. Florida State 317-314-6317. Maryland 317-318-6358. Boston College 334-328-6629. Miami 339-326-665Number in parenthesis is Golfstat rankingIndividual Leaders1. Natalie Sheary, Wake Forest 66-74-1402. Amanda Blumenherst, Duke 73-68-1413. Jennie Lee, Duke 72-70-1424. Nannette Hill, Wake Forest 70-73-1435. Calle Nielson, Virginia 69-75-1446. Lauren Doughtie, NC State 74-71-1457. Kathleen Strandberg, NC State 75-73-1487. Emily Street, NC State 75-73-1489. Sydney Crane, North Carolina 73-76-1499. Jessica Hollandsworth, Maryland 74-75-149Virginia 5. Calle Nielson 69-75-14411. Kristen Simpson 74-76-15019. Lene Krog 74-80-15423. Whitney Neuhauser 78-79-15726. Jennie Arseneault 78-82-160
 

UVa Moves Up to Seventh at ACC Golf Championships
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 04/18/2009

New London, NC – Led by the career-best score of sophomore Will Collins, the Virginia men’s golf team moved up into a three-way tie for seventh place entering Sunday’s final round of play at the ACC Championships at the Old North State Club in New London, N.C. The Cavaliers shot even par 288 Saturday for a two-day total of 3-over 579. Georgia Tech, ranked No. 9, leads the field by five shots at 11-under 565. No. 3 Clemson is second at 570.

After shooting 11-over 83 Friday, Collins rebounded with a 6-under 66 during the second round. That was the best score recorded by any golfer during the first 36 holes of play. He had six birdies and 12 pars during his round. He stands 42nd overall at 5-over 149.

Kyle Stough leads the Cavaliers on the leaderboard at 2-over 146, placing him in 22nd place. Stough shot 74 during the second round. Bruce Woodall and Conrad Von Borsig are 29th overall at 147. Both players shot 75 Saturday. Ben Kohles is 38th at 148, including a 73 during the second round.

NC State’s Matt Hill and Georgia Tech’s Cameron Tringale share a two-shot lead in the race for medalist honors. Both players enter the final round at 6-under 136.

The tournament continues Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Live scoring is online at Golfstat.com.

ACC Select will broadcast a free webcast of the final round of the championship with coverage of the No. 17 and No. 18 holes. The broadcast is slated to begin at approximately 2 p.m.

ACC Championships
Old North State Club
New London, NC
Par-72, 7,102 yards
Second Round Results

Team Results 1. Georgia Tech (9) 281-284-565 2. Clemson (3) 286-284-570 3. Wake Forest (27) 295-277-572 3. NC State (18) 282-290-572 5. Duke (39) 290-284-574 6. Virginia Tech 289-287-576 7. Virginia 291-288-579 7. North Carolina 290-289-579 7. Maryland 289-290-57910. Florida State (23) 287-297-58411. Boston College 311-298-609Number in parenthesis is Golfstat rankingIndividual Leaders1. Matt Hill, NC State 68-68-1361. Cameron Tringale, Georgia Tech 67-69-1363. Lee Bedford, Wake Forest 71-67-1383. Drew Weaver, Virginia Tech 67-71-1385. Clark Klaasen, Duke 70-70-1405. David May, Clemson 71-69-1407. Chellon Hadley, Georgia Tech 71-70-1418. Chase MacFarland, North Carolina 72-70-1428. Kyle Stanley, Clemson 69-73-1428. Brendan Tracy, Maryland 69-73-1428. James White, Georgia Tech 71-71-142Virginia22. Kyle Stough 72-74-14629. Bruce Woodall 72-75-14729. Conrad Von Borsig 72-75-14738. Ben Kohles 75-73-14842. Will Collins 83-66-149
 

BC tags Packer to even series
By Paul Montana
Published: April 19, 2009

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — “You’ve gotta pull this guy.”

Even a Boston College fan could hardly bear to watch Virginia pitcher Matt Packer take a pounding from Eagles hitters in the eighth inning Saturday afternoon.

After entering in the seventh with a one-run lead, the struggling southpaw was clobbered for four runs in the eighth as Boston College evened the weekend series with No. 13 Virginia with a 9-6 victory at Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at Shea Field.

“[Packer] keeps battling. Things just aren’t going his way right now,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “At some point the game will come around to him. It is what it is. He’s just gotta keep grinding it out.”

O’Connor’s advice for Packer might as well apply to the entire Virginia team. All seven of the team’s losses and one tie in conference play have come after the Virginia starting pitcher left the game with a lead or a tie score.

For the 2008 ERA-title winner Packer, the loss dropped him to 1-4 on the season and ballooned his ERA to 5.47.

Packer entered with two outs in the seventh and the score 5-5, and retired Mickey Wiswall to maintain the deadlock. The Cavaliers (29-8-1, 10-7-1 ACC) then added a run in the eighth to give Packer the lead.

The trouble began for Packer as the bottom of the eighth began, as he walked the first two batters he faced. Garrett Smith followed with a perfectly placed bunt to the third base side, which Packer fielded and attempted to shuffle from his glove to third, but the soft throw was well late.

Mike Sudol then knocked in the tying run with a sacrifice fly, and nine-hole hitter Brad Zapenas — who went 3 for 4 on the day — followed with an RBI double to give BC (24-14, 10-8) a 7-6 lead.

With runners on second and third and one out, Packer recovered to strike out leadoff man Robbie Anston. With two outs, though, Aoki then elected to pinch-hit right-handed Anthony Melchionda for John Spatola against Packer. Melchionda knocked a groundball up the middle to score two more runs.

“We’re up 7-6, and it’s a question of, hey do we play defense at this point and keep Spatola, the lefty, in there, or do we try to work to extend [the lead],” BC coach Mikio Aoki said. “[Melchionda] came up with a really big hit.”

The Cavaliers initially held a 5-3 lead with starter Andrew Carraway still toeing the mound in the seventh, but saw that lead evaporate as well. Sudol and Zapenas started the inning with back-to-back singles, and Anston followed with a sacrifice bunt to put them into scoring position.

O’Connor then removed Carraway in favor of lefty Neal Davis to face lefthanded Andrew Lawrence. Davis’ 0-1 delivery, however, landed in the dirt and scooted through the legs of catcher John Hicks, scoring one runner and moving the other to third. Lawrence then chopped a ground ball to Tyler Cannon at shortstop; Cannon charged initially, but then backed up to play the big hop, lost his balance as he fielded the ball and fell as the tying run scored and Lawrence reached safely.

“[Carraway’s] had a lot of hard luck this year where he’s left the games winning and we haven’t been able to close it down for him,” O’Connor said.

The defeat came in spite of Danny Hultzen’s second consecutive game with a homerun and in fact the second of the freshman’s career, as he popped a 3-2 fastball over the right-centerfield wall to give Virginia a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Hultzen also knocked in Virginia’s fourth run with an RBI-double in the fifth to break a 3-3 tie.

For Boston College, the win improved its record to 24-14 overall and 10-8 in conference play.

Virginia and Boston College wrap up the series today at 1 pm. Robert Morey is scheduled to make his second consecutive Sunday start on the mound for Virginia.