U.Va. suspends tailback Payne
Academics listed as reason; Cavs get another'08 recruit
Thursday, Jun 28, 2007 - 12:07 AM Updated: 12:34 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- For now, at least, cross Keith Payne off the list of candidates to start at tailback for the University of Virginia football team this season.

U.Va. coach Al Groh announced last night that Payne, who redshirted as a freshman in 2006, has been suspended from the team "for failure to live up to his academic responsibilities."

Payne, a graduate of Oakton High, remains in school at U.Va., and the two-paragraph news release did not say he would miss the coming season or even training camp, which begins in August.

In a statement, Groh said his "football program is aligned with the mission of the university. Keith is not holding up his end of the deal despite significant direction and effort from many people around the university. We hope that he will respond positively to this challenge, do what is expected of him and return to positive status."

With Payne suspended, U.Va.'s top two tailbacks are rising junior Cedric Peerman and Raynard Horne, who'll be a redshirt freshman in the fall.

Also this week, offensive tackle Corey Lewis became the 10th player to commit to U.Va. for 2008 -- and the seventh to do so this month.

A 6-6, 285-pound rising senior at East Stroudsburg South High in Pennsylvania, Lewis visited U.Va. with his father last week. He also has scholarship offers from Connecticut, Temple, Akron and Pittsburgh, Lewis said, and Syracuse, Wake Forest and Boston College were showing increased interest.

Lewis, who grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., has ties to this state. He was a boarding student at Christchurch School as a ninthand 10th-grader. He left Christchurch after the 2005-06 school year to live with his father, who'd been in poor health.

The Cavaliers' freshmen this season will include Christchurch graduate J'Courtney Williams, who is "like my brother," Lewis said. Groh's targets in the Class of 2008 include wideout Deion Walker, a rising senior at Christchurch.

 

Groh suspends Payne for academic reasons
From staff reports / Charlottesville Daily Progress
June 27, 2007

Virginia football coach Al Groh announced today that redshirt freshman tailback Keith Payne has been suspended from the Virginia football team for failure to live up to his academic responsibilities.
"The University of Virginia is all about ambition, accountability and achievement," Groh said in a press release. "Our football program is aligned with the mission of the University. Keith is not holding up his end of the deal despite significant direction and effort from many people around the University. We hope he will respond positively to this challenge, do what is expected of him and return to positive status."

This suspension was not mandated by the NCAA and Payne is still expected to play this fall if he improves his academic standing.

 

Cavs commits hit double digits
From staff reports / Charlottesville Daily Progress
June 27, 2007

Corey Lewis neared giving a verbal commitment to the coaching staff at Virginia weeks ago.

He hesitated. Time only intensified his desire.

Tuesday night, Lewis became the 10th commitment for Virginia’s 2008 football recruiting class.

The three-star offensive lineman from Stroudsburg, Pa., informed Virginia’s recruiting coordinator Bob Price of his decision, becoming the third offensive linemen to give a verbal.

Lewis, a 6-foot-6, 285-pounder fits the athletic mold that UVa likes for its tackles. He runs a 4.9 in the 40-yard dash and bench presses 295 pounds and drew rave reviews for his ability to finish off blocks.

Rated the No. 33 overall prospect in the state of Pennsylvania by Rivals, he chose Virginia over Connecticut, Akron and Temple (all officially offered). He also received interest from Penn State, Boston College, Purdue and Pittsburgh.

Lewis has ties to Virginia’s football program. Before moving to Pennsylvania, he played two years of football at Christchurch along with incoming freshman J’Courtney Williams.

 

Top recruit gets close look at UVa
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
June 24, 2007

Elliot Williams exploded past his defender with a backdoor cut, jumped into the air and threw down a lob pass for a reverse dunk. It was, without a doubt, one of the most jaw-dropping plays of this week’s NBA Top 100 Camp at John Paul Jones Arena.

Williams, however, wasn’t impressed with himself.

“I wasn’t really stretched,” said the 6-foot-4 high-schooler from Memphis, Tenn. “I could have done something sicker.”

Williams, whose Magic squad finished second in the tournament that concluded Sunday, is the type of player Virginia coach Dave Leitao would trade his house for.

Williams possesses unbelievable quickness and can seemingly get to the rim whenever he wants. The skinny left-hander also has a silky-smooth jumper.

Williams, who has often been compared to fellow Memphis native Penny Hardaway, really looks like a taller and more athletic version of former Georgia Tech point guard Kenny Anderson.

“His stock has just skyrocketed,” said Bob Gibbons, a recruiting analyst for ESPN. “He’s emerged as being one of the top five players in the nation. If Virginia could land him … what a huge addition. He’s better as a high school player than Sean Singletary was.”

Williams told The Daily Progress that Virginia is definitely a school on his list. The way that he talked about Leitao has to be considered a good sign for Wahoo Nation.

“Coach Leitao and I are really tight,” Williams said. “It’s like a father-son relationship. The way he is - I respect him as a person and as a man. He’s a real inspiration to me.”

But before fans get too excited, consider this: Duke, Memphis, Tennessee and Texas are just a few of the other schools hot on Williams’ trail. Williams said he recently spent 12 hours with Blue Devil coach Mike Krzyzewski.

“He was really impressed with the Duke image,” Gibbons said, “but I think the camp being here helped Virginia immensely.”

Williams said he plans on cutting his list down to four or five schools within the next few days - after he’s had a chance to sit down and discuss his options with his parents.

Another thing Virginia may have going for it is Williams’ dedication to academics. Williams, the owner of a 3.8 grade-point average, said that “education [comes] before basketball.”

He also added that schools such as Memphis, Tennessee and Vanderbilt have no particular edge because of their proximity to his home.

“Location doesn’t really matter right now,” Williams said. “I’m just trying to find the best college for me.”

Williams was on hand for Virginia’s season-opening win over Arizona last November and loved the atmosphere at JPJ.

“The place was rockin,” he said.

Just imagine the scene if Leitao could somehow reel Williams in.

 

Carraway hopes to solidify starting spot
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
June 28, 2007

Andrew Carraway has never complained about his ever-shifting role with Virginia’s baseball program.

Starter or reliever, the right-handed pitcher has happily taken the ball.

That said, over the next few weeks, Carraway hopes to help secure his future.

The rising junior said he is slated slide into the rotation for the Newport Gulls in the New England Collegiate League.

Regardless of how things go, Carraway recently worked in relief in a game that he will never forget.

On Sunday, Carraway emerged out of the bullpen in the fifth inning and silenced Team USA for a pair of innings in an exhibition contest. Team USA won the game, 5-4, after holding off a late rally.

“It was good to face those guys and to see what you are made of,” said Carraway, who struck out three and retired all six batters he faced.

Long before Carraway entered the game, Virginia pitcher Jacob Thompson started for Team USA and hurled two scoreless innings.

Thompson’s spot appears solid in Virginia’s rotation next year. After that, it is anybody’s guess.

It’s a battle that Carraway would love to factor into.

“This summer is absolutely crucial. I know that there are a couple of starting jobs opening up and their will be some reliever spots, too,” said Carraway, who finished his sophomore season at 5-0 with a 3.60 ERA. “My job last year, basically, [was I] had every single job at a different time. I don’t know what my role is going to be next year, but there are definitely huge opportunities to come up big for the team.

“I have to prepare for that and with it being my junior season, I have to look at it as being my opportunity to make my biggest contribution to the team. I am looking to come up big for the Cavaliers next season.”

The new landscape in college baseball could help Carraway - Virginia will play five games in a handful of weeks in 2007 with the later NCAA-mandated start to the season.

Michael Schwimer, a key set-up man most of ’06, could be a surprise candidate in the Cavaliers’ starting plans.

The tall right-hander started in his Cape Cod League debut last week for Orleans, earning the victory after hurling five solid innings. Schwimer, who gave up three hits and three walks, fanned eight batters.
Getting the call
After an impressive start to the season, left-handed pitcher Mike Ballard was promoted to the California League, a higher Class A team.

Ballard, a 2006 draft pick by the Texas Rangers, opened the season with the Clinton Lumberkings (Iowa) in the Midwest League and went 9-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 14 starts.

“Things were going pretty good in Clinton and we were winning a lot,” Ballard said. “I was pitching pretty well and having a good time out there.

“I was able to command my fastball and establish the inside part of the plate, and I was able to throw my off-speed pitches for strikes when I had to.”

The promotion sent Ballard across the country - he joined the Bakersfield (Calif.) Blaze, which is 100 miles north of Los Angeles.

Ballard, however, was rudely welcomed. In his debut, Ballard allowed six earned runs in 3.1 innings.

“Guys are a lot older here - I think I am one of the youngest guys - and they have all been around,” Ballard said. “The batters have a better grasp of hitting and pitch selection … and the ball definitely travels a lot more out here.”

Former Cavaliers in the minor leagues
Players who exhausted their eligibility or were drafted after their third year

Pitchers
Matt Avery, Tennessee Smokies (Cubs, AA) - 0-0, 14.1 IP, 15 H, 7 K, 3.14 ERA
* Opened the season with Daytona (A), notching seven saves in 19 games.
Mike Ballard, Bakersfield Blaze (Rangers, AA) - 0-1, 3.1 IP, 7 H, 3 K, 16.20 ERA
* Opened the season with Clinton Lumberjacks (A), going 9-4 with a 3.93 ERA in 14 starts.
Andrew Dobies, Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox, AA) - 3-2, 43 IP, 68 H, 38 K, 7.74 ERA
Jeff Kamrath, Vero Beach Devil Rays (A) - 2-5, 48.1 IP, 53 H, 66 K, 5.96 ERA
Casey Lambert, Boise Hawks (Cubs, A) - 0-0, 5.2 IP, 4 H, 9 K, 3.18 ERA
Tim LaVigne, Trenton Thunder (Yankees, AA) - 0-1, 20.2 IP, 13 H, 16 K, 2.61 ERA

Hitters
Sean Doolittle, Vancouver Canadians (A’s, A) - .308 AVG, 8 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB
Tom Hagan, Gulf Coast Pirates (Rookie) - .500 AVG, 3 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB
Mike Mitchell, Tri-City Dust Devils (Rockies, A) - .250 AVG, 3 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 SB
Joe Koshansky, Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Rockies, AAA) - .328, 89 H, 10 HR, 63 RBI, 4 SB
Beau Seabury, Casper Rockies (Rookie) - .143 AVG, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

What’s Next: On July 5, a closer look at current Virginia players in summer league action.

 

Beavers' title chews at Cavs
U.Va. let Oregon State escape; O'Connor is left with sense of regret
Tuesday, Jun 26, 2007 - 12:06 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Oregon State retained its NCAA baseball crown Sunday night, whipping North Carolina 9-3 to win the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Forgive University of Virginia coach Brian O'Connor if he wonders what might have been.

"We had them beat, and we beat North Carolina this year two out of three [in the regular season], and that just tells you how close we are," O'Connor said. "But there are a lot of teams that are close."

The NCAA sent Oregon State to Charlottesville early this month as the No. 3 seed in a four-team regional. Top-seeded U.Va. beat OSU 7-4 in 13 innings June 2 to stay undefeated in the double-elimination regional. Two nights later, they met again, and the Cavaliers led 3-1 heading into the eighth.

"We were six outs away from ending their season," O'Connor said.

But Virginia let the Beavers escape. Oregon State rallied for a 5-3 victory that night, forcing a winner-take-all finale. The Beavers romped 7-3 in that one, and they never lost that momentum.

Oregon State swept Michigan in a best-of-three series to advance to the College World Series. In Omaha, the Beavers won their five games by an average of 5.2 runs. OSU coach Pat Casey's club closed the season with 10 consecutive victories.

"They got hot at the right time, and that's what it's all about," O'Connor said.

OSU, the first team since LSU in 1996 and '97 to win back-to-back NCAA titles, would not have received an invitation to the tournament this year if not for a surge late in the regular season. Even so, O'Connor said, "I talked to Pat Casey before the regional, and he told me he felt they were very underrated."

Virginia finished its fourth season under O'Connor with a 45-16 record.

"You always look back at it and say, 'Jeez, what could have been,'" O'Connor said. "But the great thing about it is there's always another season."

 

Tech adds WR; UVa picks up Pa. lineman for '08 class/Doug Doughty

In the process of putting together its recruiting class for 2008, the Virginia Tech football staff has made one more move for 2007.

Meanwhile, Virginia has taken its 10th commitment from an out-of-state prospect for 2008, but this one has an in-state connection.

The latest addition to the Cavalier fold is Corey Lewis, a 6-foot-6 12, 285-pound offensive lineman from East Stroudsburg, Pa., who spent his first two years of high school at Christchurch on Virginia's Northern Neck.

"I got to see the whole process with J'Courtney Williams last spring and was really impressed with the way Coach [Mike] London went about recruiting him," said Lewis, targeted by the Cavaliers as the possible heir to Eugene Monroe at left tackle. "I was still kind of new to football at that point."

Williams, a SuperPrep All-American linebacker, signed with the Cavaliers in February. UVa is also recruiting another of Lewis' former Christchurch teammates, wide receiver Deion Walker.

At Tech, a scholarship opened when February signee Quillie Odom failed to meet NCAA eligibility guidelines. With Odom headed to Hargrave Military Academy, Tech went forward with an offer to wide receiver Ervin Garner from Oakton High School.

Garner, a 5-9, 175-pounder with return skills, has been compared to current Hokies wide receiver Eddie Royal.

"In our area, it's been easy to make those comparisons because Eddie and Ervin played in the same district," Oakton coach Joe Thompson said. "Ervin is real fast, very polished as a receiver and dangerous as a return man. Eddie is stronger."

Thompson said Garner scored 14 touchdowns last season -- six on receptions, five on returns and three on defense. Garner had receptions for 52 and 61 yards Saturday night in a "Best of the Best" all-star game pitting Northern Region teams.

Garner committed to Division I-AA Towson until Towson got in a scholarship squeeze. Garner was the odd man out because he was a late qualifier, but the timing was right for Tech because of the Odom situation.

More recruiting

Florida State has received an oral commitment from E.J. Manuel, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound quarterback from Bayside High School in Virginia Beach who has received growing consideration as the top football prospect in the state.

Manuel was rated No. 1 by Virginia Preps in its recent rankings that included a top five of No. 2 Vinston Painter, an offensive tackle from Maury in Norfolk; Deion Walker at No. 3; running back Ryan Williams from Stonewall Jackson in Manassas at No. 4; and quarterback Mike Glennon from Centreville at No. 5.

Directors' Cup

Virginia finished 13th in the Directors' Cup rankings of the nation's top athletic programs. That was a substantial improvement over last year's 26th-place showing but the Cavaliers were unable to crack the top 10, which they accomplished for the first and only time when they were ninth in 1999.

Virginia Tech dropped from 45th in 2006, its previous best, to 48th. That was 10th among ACC teams, ahead of Tech's fellow former Big East members, No. 58 Boston College and No. 59 Miami.
 

Virginia Finishes 13th In Directors' Cup Rankings
Ranking ties for the Cavaliers' second best in the Directors' Cup competition
June 27, 2007

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Virginia finished 13th in the final 2006-07 U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup competition for Division I schools. It marks the 14th consecutive year, since the program's inception, the Cavaliers have recorded a top-30 finish.

UVa is one of 15 schools to rank in the top 30 of the final Directors' Cup standings in each of the 14 years of the program's existence.

Virginia's 13th place finish ties for the second highest ranking by the UVa athletics program in the Directors' Cup competition. Virginia finished eighth in 1999, and finished 13th in 2005, 2000 and 1998. UVa finished 26th in last year's Directors' Cup competition.

Teams or individuals in 21 of Virginia's 25 sports advanced to postseason competition in 2006-07, including 20 in NCAA championship events. UVa's athletics year was highlighted by second place finishes by the women's lacrosse and women's rowing teams in NCAA Championships, while the men's soccer and men's tennis teams both reached the NCAA semifinals. In addition, the Cavaliers' Somdev Devvarman became the first men's tennis player from the Atlantic Coast Conference to win the NCAA singles championship and the women's rowing team's varsity four won the NCAA Championship in that event for the third time in the last four years.

Stanford finished first in the NCAA Division I Directors' Cup standings for the 13th consecutive year with 1,429 points and UCLA was second with 1,232 points.

UVa was the top Division I program in the state of Virginia in the Directors' Cup standings with 945 points and one of four ACC schools to finish in the top 15. North Carolina finished third with 1,161.33 points, while Duke was 11th (988.25) and Florida State 15th (924.25). Wake Forest finished 23rd (708.50).

In addition to Virginia's 13th place finish in this year's Directors' Cup standings and 26th place finish last year, UVa finished 13th in 2005, 30th in 2004, 19th in 2003, 27th in 2002, 30th in 2001, 13th in 2000, eighth in 1999, 13th in 1998, 22nd in 1997, 21st in 1996, tied for 19th in 1995 and 19th in 1994.

There are four U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup awards, one to honor the institution with the best overall athletics program in each of the NCAA's Divisions I, II and III, and the NAIA. Developed as a joint effort between USA Today and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the U.S. Sports Academy's Directors' Cup program is the only all-sports competition that recognizes the institution in each of the four categories with the best overall athletics program.

2006-07 U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup
Final Point Standings


1. Stanford 1429.00
2. UCLA 1232.00
3. North Carolina 1161.33
4. Michigan 1135.25
5. Southern California 1103.50
6. Florida 1064.25
7. Tennessee 1045.75
8. Texas 1037.25
9. California 1030.00
10. Arizona State 1005.00
11. Duke 988.25
12. Georgia 971.00
13. Virginia 945.00
14. Ohio State 927.50
15. Florida State 924.25
16. Wisconsin 913.25
17. Louisiana State 888.00
18. Texas A&M 881.00
19. Auburn 866.25
20. Minnesota 862.75
21. Penn State 848.83
22. Notre Dame 789.50
23. Wake Forest 708.50
24. Arizona 703.33
25. Oklahoma 702.75
26. Brigham Young 698.60
27. Nebraska 683.50
28. Louisville 654.00
29. Washington 641.25
30. Northwestern 626.50

 

So, what do we make of ACC expansion?
Frank Dascenzo : The Herald-Sun
fdascenzo@heraldsun.com
Jun 26, 2007 : 5:59 pm ET

Commissioner John Swofford wants the ACC to be a football power. That said, here are 10 questions that are worth considering:

* Was expanding the conference to 12 teams, and having two divisions in football and a championship game, a good idea or a bad one?

Consider this, the two teams picked to win their divisions in 2006, Miami in the Coastal and Florida State in the Atlantic, were anything but national powers. The Hurricanes nearly lost at Duke, and FSU got embarrassed at home by Wake Forest.

Bigger isn't always better. The ACC was an average league last season.

* Bobby Bowden began his FSU coaching career in 1976. This will be his 32nd season, but might it be his last?

The Seminoles swaggered into the ACC in 1992 and ruled it until recently. They lost just two conference games from 1992-2000, but coaches such as Wake's Jim Grobe and Chuck Amato -- when he was at N.C. State -- figured out how to beat the Noles. Maybe it's true, the days of a dynasty are over, but don't tell that to Southern Cal fans.

* Who will have a more impressive first year -- North Carolina's Butch Davis or N.C. State's Tom O'Brien?

Both are in new jobs for obvious reasons -- wealthy alumni don't enjoy 3-9 seasons. Amato never got N.C. State higher than fourth place in the ACC in seven seasons, and that 3-4 record vs. UNC didn't digest well with the Wolfpack Club members. John Bunting's days were numbered when his team lost to Rutgers at home in September.

Davis won big at Miami, where basketball never got top billing. O'Brien was consistent at Boston College, but the Wolfpack hasn't won an ACC title since 1979. Right now, this one's a push.

* Can Virginia Tech win in Baton Rouge on Sept. 8?

Once upon a time, an SEC booster labeled the ACC a "league big in its own mind," which no doubt made Swofford chuckle. Well, once maybe.

The truth is, if the Hokies can win this game, they might contend for the national title -- but I wouldn't count on it.

* Can Duke snap a 20-game losing streak and beat Connecticut on Sept. 1 at Wallace Wade Stadium?

As loyal readers know, Huskies coach Randy Edsall won't talk about the matchup until the week of the game, so maybe there's every reason to believe the Blue Devils might have some sort of an edge. Those who attended last season's opener against Richmond, please feel free to doubt this theory.

* Does Wake Forest have a prayer of repeating as ACC champ?

Even the bravest Demon Deacon fans know better than to say yes. Since the ACC was formed in 1953, Wake has enjoyed consecutive winning seasons just three times (6-5 in both 1970 and '71; 7-4 in 1987 and 6-4-1 in '88; and 6-5 in 2001 and 7-6 in '02). That said, look for Grobe's team to be, as usual, fundamentally solid and fun to watch.

* Has Clemson gone as far as it can go under Tommy Bowden?

Well, the last two Clemson coaches both are named Tommy (West and Bowden). But the last Clemson coach to win an ACC title was named Ken Hatfield, and his team did it in 1991. The next season, he finished seventh, and the next year, he was gone. Tommy Bowden's best finishes in the ACC were his first two seasons, both in a tie for second place.

* What's the best ACC game to be sure not to miss?

It's not an ACC game at all -- it's South Carolina at North Carolina on Oct. 13, which matches Davis vs. Steve Spurrier. The last time Spurrier coached at Kenan Stadium, on Nov. 18, 1989, his Duke Blue Devils beat the Tar Heels 41-0 to secure a tie for the ACC title with Virginia. After the game, Spurrier had his team pose for a photograph in front of the scoreboard. Some Rams Club members I know haven't forgotten it.

* Is Georgia Tech's Chan Gailey snakebit against the Georgia Bulldogs?

This has been one of the most excruciating times for Yellow Jackets fans. Gailey, 0-5 vs. Georgia, has lost three straight to the Dawgs by scores of 19-13, 14-7 and last year by 15-12 -- a total count of 38-32. Don't blame Tech's defense.

* Will Virginia fans become impatient with Al Groh?

In the how-soon-they-forget-world, Groh's Cavaliers posted four straight winning seasons from 2002-05, but after last season's 5-7 finish, people are wondering what's wrong. If, indeed, something is wrong, we'll know about it early when the Cavs play two of their first three on the road, at Wyoming and at North Carolina.

 

Virginia cops stall Vick evidence review
No new dogfighting clues sought or discussed

By STEVE WYCHE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 06/27/07

Authorities in Surry County, Va., investigating animal cruelty and dogfighting allegations at a home owned by Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, have not held a second evidence review according to the office of the prosecutor.

Surry County sheriff Harold Brown, Commonwealth attorney Gerald Poindexter and other investigators said earlier this month they planned to review new and existing evidence. However, there has been no evidence review since federal authorities launched their investigation June 8.

Local investigators have not gathered any additional evidence from the property after federal investigators, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, searched the property based on their own search warrant.

Poindexter's office did not disclose if local, state and federal agents are working jointly after initially staging dual investigations. Shortly after federal agents collected evidence from the property owned by Vick, Brown and Poindexter left open the possibility of a joint investigation.

There was a review of evidence discovered in a late-April police raid, in which 66 dogs, mainly pit bulls, and other items allegedly related to dogfighting were discovered. At that time, Poindexter declined to move forward with charges against Vick or anyone else.

After the initial raid on his property, which stemmed from the drug-related arrest of his cousin Devon Boddie, Vick denied involvement of wrongdoing at the property. He has declined comment on the investigation since then, citing the advice of his legal representation.

The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback has also kept a low public profile, canceling his football camp in his hometown of Newport News and opting out of other scheduled appearances. Vick did participate in all of the Falcons' offseason workouts.