One man's opinion of Al Groh
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
July 19, 2007

One of my philosophies about ripping someone in print has always been, if you’re going to take a shot, make sure you’ve got plenty of ammunition.

There’s no room for inaccuracy, no gray area.

That’s why, after listening to Wes McElroy’s (ESPN radio, 840-AM) interview with SI.com columnist Stewart Mandel, I joined many of my peers who were less than impressed with Mandel’s defense for naming Virginia’s Al Groh as college football’s worst coach.

First impression

When I first heard about the story, I was on vacation as many sportswriters are in July, the slowest month of the year. When I found out that the column, which is just one guy’s opinion, wasn’t written by someone I know to be extremely knowledgeable of college football, such as Ivan Maisel or Tony Barnhart, someone of that magnitude, then I didn’t take it very seriously. Nor should you.

Mandel ranked these guys the worst five: 1. Groh; 2. Texas A&M’s Dennis Franchione; 3. Clemson’s Tommy Bowden; 4. Washington State’s Bill Doba; 5. UCLA’s Karl Dorrell. On the “Just Missed” list were: Georgia Tech’s Chan Gailey, who happened to take his team to the ACC championship game last December; followed by Nebraska’s Bill Calllahan; Arizona’s Mike Stoops; Illinois’ Ron Zook; and Arkansas’ Houston Nutt.

The columnist wrote this about Groh’s ranking: “Matt Schaub, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Heath Miller, Ahmad Brooks. Groh has produced his share of talent in Charlottesville, so what does he have to show for it? A 25-23 ACC record and a whole bunch of Christmas dinners in Charlotte and Boise.”

Digging deeper

Now, if I was going to rate the worst coaches in college football or any sport, I think I would do a little more research than that. Anyone who knows anything about college football understands it’s not a level playing field and there are different sets of circumstances at each school, some much better than others.

In most years, the predominant powers of the college game are going to win their nine to 12 games no matter what. They have more money, better facilities, better fan support, more tradition than some of the others.

Also, there are a certain number of teams that have no chance because they don’t have what the predominant powers have and never will.

When McElroy questioned Mandel about his column, which again I remind you, was just his opinion, not the entire Sports Illustrated staff’s opinion, he was vague and somewhat lame in his own defense, giving shaky answers and was even inaccurate to some degree.

McElroy: Is Al Groh the worst coach?

Mandel: Right now.

McElroy: What criteria did you base your decision on?

Mandel: Basically, not every program is created equal and so you can’t just say, ‘Take the five coaches with the worst records’ (Well, he got that part right).

More Mandel: “You have to look at who is doing the least with most. Consider the amount of talent that has come through [Charlottesville] since Al Groh has been there, guys who are now NFL stars, top 25 recruiting classes, and obviously the tradition and history there, his tenure ... and we are focusing on the last five years, which have been good, but I think less than you might expect with the amount of talent that has come through there.”

I’m not sure just how familiar Mr. Mandel is with UVa football except what he can see from the surface. I think in six seasons, Virginia has had three top 25 recruiting classes (according to one of the several recruiting publications that rate such things, which is somewhat ridiculous in the first place). Other publications haven’t ranked UVa’s classes quite as high.

When you consider that Virginia, in Groh’s six years, have two top-25 finishes, well, is that bad considering that at best, it has had three top 25 recruiting classes?

Does that make Groh the worst coach in the country? Groh’s predecessor, George Welsh, was considered one of the best coaches in the country and now resides in the College Football Hall of Fame. Yet, George had eight top-25 finishes in 19 years, three in his first eight, three in his last 11.

NFL Stars? Sure, UVa has sent a decent share of players to the NFL under Groh, but I’m not sure any of them are in the star category at this point in their pro careers. None of them have made a Pro Bowl roster to my recollection.

Virginia’s tradition? Geez, Mr. Mandel, you might want to dig a little deeper. Other than Welsh’s years, the Cavaliers had no tradition, at least nothing anyone wanted to talk about (with the exception of the Art Guepe era more than half a century ago).

If you think I’m defending Groh here, you’d be right. I think Groh is a good coach and that Virginia is lucky to have him.

He was ACC Coach of the Year in 2002, came close to winning the league a couple of times, coached his fanny off to win the Music City Bowl. Yeah, sure they stumbled last year, but with any luck at all they would have held on to beat Maryland and wouldn’t have lost to Western Michigan, which would have put them in a fourth straight bowl game.

Yeah, it’s not the Orange Bowl or the ACC Championship. Doesn’t mean that won’t happen.

Many fans don’t like Groh’s attitude or demeanor and that’s OK. There’s been a lot of coaches that have rubbed their fan base the wrong way.

Groh was in Wyoming on vacation and didn’t know about the story until he returned home on Tuesday.

I asked him on Wednesday what he thought about it.

“I don’t have a lot of comment on it,” Groh said. “I kind of take my perspective from my players, my peers, and my colleagues, either past or present, whether it’s a pat on the back or constructive criticism.”

When we probed a bit more, Groh talked about how tough it would be to evaluate the job of any coach in college football as opposed to pro football, where everything is more equal.

“Look, I can’t tell you if Pete Carroll is doing the optimum job or not ... obviously, the record would say yes (Carroll was named the best coach),” Groh said. “But I don’t know what Pete has to deal with on a daily basis and I don’t know what the coach at Furman has to deal with on a daily basis. So, I’m in the profession and I really can’t tell you who’s doing a great job relative to his circumstances or not because I don’t know his circumstances.

“Dave Leitao is dealing with a different set of circumstances than say, the Ohio State coach. He just is. That doesn’t mean that if [Leitao] doesn’t win as many games as the coach at Ohio State or the coach at Florida, well, that doesn’t mean he didn’t do a better job. He just didn’t win as many games.”

Groh went on to say that to make judgments, you have to know the circumstances at each school and there are 119 different sets of circumstances in college football.

“To put everybody on the same scale, you’d have to refer to the old term, ‘you’re not talking about apples and apples,’ in college football,” the coach said.

Groh said that last season’s disappointing 5-7 record affected him to the degree that he reached out to some of his coaching colleagues for advice, but that one person didn’t give him answers as much as that person asked Groh questions.

“One guy said that after I’ve thought about the answers in assessing my team to call him back,” Groh said.

After thinking long and hard about the questions, Groh was convinced that the 2006 team achieved the second-most of any of his teams at Virginia (behind only the 2002 team) because it overcame a rough start, a disappointing home loss to Maryland, and other adversity.

“A lot of teams might have sacked up their bats,” Groh said. “I think the kids may have turned a 3-9 into a 5-7. Had the people I called upon not asked me those questions, I might not have come to feel that way.”

One bad season in his last five doesn’t make him the worst coach in America in my opinion.

Just like Mandel, that’s one man’s opinion. I like to think that after covering the program for the past 25 years that I know a little more about Virginia football than some guy in New York who has never seen the Cavaliers play.

One man’s opinion.

 

Sewell has not been limited by injury
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
July 19, 2007

If the summer is any indication, Jameel Sewell should be set to step under center in Virginia’s season opener at Wyoming.

Seven months after wrist surgery on his throwing hand, Virginia’s sophomore quarterback has not been limited in workouts with his teammates, Virginia coach Al Groh said Wednesday at Scott Stadium.

“Jameel has been a full participant in the summer offseason program,” he addded, “and we continue to feel positive about that circumstance.”

As active as Sewell has been, Groh said the biggest hurdle will not be surpassed until the team opens practice Aug. 6 and dons full pads several days later.

“[Jameel’s situation] is one that we all feel - the medical people, Jameel, the coaching staff - that only real action will tell where that circumstance is.”

Sewell, who was limited in spring practice, is the lone quarterback on the team that has taken a snap in a game.

After becoming the starter last year in the fourth game of the season, Sewell passed for 1,342 yards and five touchdowns and ran for another 200 yards and four scores.

Groh also said linebackers Clint Sintim (shoulder) and Denzel Burrell (knee), who practiced during the spring with some limitations, were ready for the start of training camp.

The latest updates on wide receiver Kevin Ogletree and cornerback Mike Brown, however, were not as positive and all but ruled out the possibility of either returning to action. Both suffered knee injuries.

After his injury in spring practice, Ogletree said he intended to attempt to make a return at some point this season.

“Miracles do occur, but as we stated when it occurred, it is a 12-month injury and sometimes it’s longer than that before the player is ready to perform at the level he was on the day that he was injured,” Groh said. “… When the doctors say that he is cleared and ready to go is often earlier than 12 months, but he is not really ready to play at that same level.

“Sometimes it goes well beyond that.”

Should Ogletree’s rehab hit a snag, Groh said there is extra time to ensure the receiver gets back in full form when UVa and Southern Cal open the 2008 season at Scott Stadium.

Brown’s injury, which happened earlier this summer in a voluntary workout, occurred while he “was just making a cut on air,” Groh said.

Both players have not been redshirted during their short careers and have two years of eligibility remaining.

Positive signs for Payne

Although nothing has changed in his status, suspended tailback Keith Payne’s approach and performance to his academic responsibilities over the past month have left Groh feeling better about the situation.

“[Payne] is in summer school and to this point he has fulfilled the requirements that the deans have set out for him,” Groh said, “and if he continues to do that he will be eligible by UVa and NCAA standards.”

Payne, a redshirt freshman, remains eligible by university and NCAA standards, but Groh said he wanted to issue the in-house suspension and address the situation in the summer and not during training camp due to the “somewhat premature hype that has been created around this player.”

If he is cleared, Payne figures to battle redshirt freshman Raynard Horne and sophomore Mikell Simpson for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind starter Cedric Peerman.

“Keith knows what he has to do to put himself in the proper

perspective of his coaches and teammates,” Groh said. “Understand that what we’re trying to do is establish an attitude of achievement at all levels and to take direction how it is meant to be.”

Sending a message

For the first time, Groh addressed last month’s assault of cornerback Vic Hall.

The incident, which occurred on June 24 on Elliewood Avenue, left Hall needing medical attention, which he received from the UVa Medical Center before being released.

“Vic was, in this case, a fully innocent victim of the circumstance,” Groh said. “There have been a number of these incidents around town, so there is a pattern of this occurring.

“Whether it is by the same people, I surely can’t say. But there has been a pattern of these types of things occurring.”

Hall and Sewell, who had been at the Biltmore Grill, were approaching a nearby parking lot when Hall was attacked, Groh said.

“There were some guys loitering on the street and it would appear ... their agenda for that evening was to create some disturbance,” Groh said. “They were successful with their agenda. Vic was jumped from behind and sucker punched from behind and kicked when he fell down, and that’s where the individuals ran off.”

Groh said he did not impose any new rules for his players but reminded the group collectively of a simple motto: “Don’t let trouble find you.”

“A lot of times a person doesn’t have any aim to get involved in something, but that incident finds them,” the coach added. “You just have to keep your guard up at all times.”

As for Hall, the sophomore is expected to start at cornerback and may push for the starting job as the team’s punt returner.

The other candidates to return punts, Groh said, could include Mikell Simpson and Andrew Pearman, who will likely rejoin the team officially in August.

Pearman, also a wideout, left the team midway through the season last year to address personal issues.

Seven up

Virginia football fans can wipe the dust off that No. 7 jersey that has been tucked in the back of the closest for three years.

After the jersey number was not utilized for three seasons, the Cavaliers’ newest quarterback asked for and was assigned the lone digit for the upcoming season.

Peter Lalich, a heralded, four-star quarterback from West Springfield High, will become the first Cavalier to wear No. 7 since former signal-caller Matt Schaub, a fan-favorite and current starter in the NFL with Houston.

Odds and ends ...

... Groh said former fullback Kevin Bradley is not expected to rejoin the program this season. Bradley, from Fayetteville, N.C., was suspended from school prior to the 2006 season. … Groh said the team will “report” on Sunday, Aug. 5, and start practice the following day. The annual “Meet the Team Day” will be held on Sunday, Aug. 12 at Scott Stadium. While it is earlier than usual, Groh said it should help attendance and was the best date given the practice schedule. … Virginia will depart for Wyoming on Aug. 30, two days prior to the contest with the Cowboys. … The entire 2007 recruiting class gained admission and has reported to school, Groh said. That is a far cry from the 2006 results - eight of the members of the class were denied admission. ... Expect some impressive changes to the scoreboard and jumbotron at Scott Stadium by the start of the 2008 season, multiple sources have confirmed.

 

The complete player
Devvarman's confidence gets boost after pro showing
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
July 19, 2007

More than a month has passed since Somdev Devvarman became the first tennis player from Virginia and the ACC to win the national collegiate singles championship, but the overnight fame hasn’t changed the native of Chennai, India.

He’s as humble as ever off the court, always smiling, waving, and complimenting his teammates and peers as he strolls through campus. UVa coach Brian Boland said he feels like he’s walking alongside a rockstar when he joins for walks to lunch or breakfast.

“That’s not an exaggeration,” Boland said. “Somdev literally knows everybody.”

On the court, Devvarman is a killer. One of the best defensive players in the world, he uses his speed and agility to get to everything. He’s a human backboard.

Over the past year, though, the Cavalier has expanded his game to become more aggressive offensively, easily making the transition from defense to neutral, from neutral to offense, or from defense to offense. He can now dominate with a thunderous forehand, win points with his serve and has become a more explosive player, patiently waiting for that one return shot to awe an opponent.

Still, he wins with class. As Boland pointed out, not only did Devvarman win the national singles title, but was also named winner of the national sportsmanship award.

When Devvarman made history on that humid night in Athens, Ga., capturing the title in dramatic fashion by edging top-ranked John Isner of Georgia on his home court, the UVa star couldn’t really grasp what he had just done. It was a gutsy performance, fighting off the 6-foot-9 Isner’s booming 130 mph serves, and pulling out the win without breaking the big Bulldog a single time.

It wasn’t until he traveled back home to India last month to spend time with his family did Devvarman wrap his arms around his accomplishment.

“I finally realized what I had done, but I didn’t think about it too much,” said Devvarman, who announced in May that he would turn down pro-circuit dollars to return for his senior year and diploma at UVa. “It feels good to come back here and know that I’m the national champion, but at the same time it doesn’t mean anything if I can’t keep up the good work.”

Boland’s not worried because he knows Devvarman’s work ethic is the best he’s ever seen.

“He’s just the happiest guy in the world,” Boland said. “That’s really nice because he sets the tone every day when he comes to practice. And he’s your leader on top of that. I’m going to enjoy this, embrace it while it lasts, because this is what a coach dreams of. It just doesn’t happen every day.”

Devvarman said that his trip home to India was a low profile one because his countrymen, while recognizing his deeds and his improvement, still don’t know how difficult it was to win the NCAA title.

“The press [in India] knew and the guys from there who play tennis knew, and that’s important, but it wasn’t that big of a deal to the rest because it was the U.S. nationals and not the India nationals,” Devvarman said. “I really went home to have a good time with my family and while they were excited about the championship, they were more concerned about how I’m doing in school and if I’m happy.”

Boland could easily answer the latter. Devvarman is taking an impressive class load this summer to make sure that he graduates on time next May. In between, the amateur managed to squeeze in his first professional tournament last weekend and finished runner-up, narrowly losing to an opponent ranked in the world’s top 70.

“It was a great experience for me,” said Devvarman, who turned down the $20,000 check for finishing second in order to keep his amateur status. “That wasn’t too hard. It was either the money or college and to me, college is priceless. Coming back to Virginia is a privilege.”

Boland said he has rarely met anyone that loves the University of Virginia as much as Devvarman.

“I mean, Sommy bleeds orange and blue,” Boland stated.

The senior’s performance in the pro event in New York boosted his confidence that he can play and compete with the big boys, and he wasn’t shy when it came time to asking for tips on how to improve.

Former Virginia All-American Brian Vahaly, now on the pro tour, and who has watched Devvarman develop the past three years, believes the youngster has a bright future.

“I have a great deal of respect for how Somdev handles himself mentally on the court and the way he treats his opponents with respect,” said Vahaly, who called Devvarman a class act. “There is a lot of myself I see in Somdev and I hope that he can pass my rankings in the pros. He is a great role model for UVa tennis.”

Boland, who said his star made incredible strides in the past 12 months, can’t wait to see the results of the work over the next 12.

“This is why I coach,” Boland said. “Not to win, but to see someone who you care so much about, who has developed and improve as a person and player, to really succeed.”

And yet, perhaps the best is yet to come.

 

Sneak peek at Georgia Tech
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
July 19, 2007

Georgia Tech at Virginia

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Sept. 22, TBA (TV - TBA)
At Scott Stadium - Charlottesville

The Yellow Jackets:
2006 Record: 9-5, 7-1 ACC (1st Coastal)
Coach: Chan Gailey (37-27, five years; 61-38 overall, eight years)
Stats: Rushing Offense – 35th nationally; Passing Offense – 91st; Total Offense – 67th; Rushing Defense – 20th; Pass Efficiency Defense –9th; Total Defense – 27th.

Flashback: The Yellow Jackets did it again. For the 10th straight season the program won at least seven games. In fact, Georgia Tech won seven games against ACC teams, which pushed the program into the ACC Championship game in Jacksonville, Fla. A loss to Wake Forest in that game landed Chan Gailey’s team in the Gator Bowl (GT lost, 38-35, to West Virginia). The team’s biggest star, WR Clavin Johnson, did not play a role in the Heisman race, but easily walked away with ACC Player of the Year honors after catching 15 touchdown passes. Running back Tashard Choice was overshadowed by Johnson, but finished as the ACC’s leading rusher and ran for at least 100 yards in the final seven games. Despite the two weapons, ever-erratic quarterback Reggie Ball enjoyed a lackluster season that landed him 10th in the league in passing (140 ypg). Ball was bailed on more than one occasion by one of the nation’s most underrated defensive units. Few teams enjoyed success against the Yellow Jackets, who were great on third down, led the ACC in sacks and proved that zone blitzing works. Punter Durant Brooks, who was a junior, shined during his 49 punts, leading the league by over two yards per attempt.

Fast forward: Georgia Tech fans, for the most part, were happy to see Ball move on. The same cannot be said for Johnson, who entered the NFL Draft with one year of eligibility remaining. A handful of other players were lost through graduation as well, but the squad welcomes back seven starters on offense and eight on defense. One of the new starters will be in charge of running the offense. Taylor Bennett, sporting just two career starts, takes over for Ball. Ironically, Bennett’s 326-yard passing performance last year against WVU was spoiled in a loss, but surpassed the career-best number compiled by his predecessor. Georgia Tech insiders claim Bennett will be sensational once he gets comfortable in his new job. A solid offensive line, led by tackle Andrew Gardner, should help in that process. Former defensive tackle Joe Anoia, an All-ACC pick, linebacker KaMichael Hall and cornerback Kenny Scott will be missed, but the returning pieces should give Georgia Tech one of the best units in the ACC. Jamal Lewis, a safety, has developed into a stud. Most teams would also trade defensive lines with the Yellow Jackets. Situations involving fouth-and-long will bring some comfort to Gailey as Durant enters his final season at punter. Placekicker Travis Bell, however, could stand to improve on his accuracy. The schedule sets up as well as the coaching staff could ask for. Georgia Tech hosts Boston College, Clemson, Georgia, Miami and Virginia Tech, and it draws a free pass from playing Florida State. Of course, a perfect record at home might set up a contest with the Seminoles in the title game.

Key player: Wide receiver James Johnson is not Calvin Johnson, but he will be just as important to the end result. Choice will give the team a solid, capable option out of the backfield, when healthy, but the offense may sputter if Bennett does not have solid pass-catching options. Greg Smith and Demaryius Thomas can take some of the heat off Johnson, but he will be asked to be the consistent pass-catching threat. Any improvement on his production in ’06 - he scored seven touchdowns - will be welcomed by Gailey and his new offensive coordinator.

Inside the game: Georgia Tech will hit the road for its first contest in league play for this one. Virginia’s coaching staff should have two games to access how good the Yellow Jackets are - Georgia Tech opens the season against Charlie Weis and Notre Dame on the road and plays Boston College at home just seven days before heading to Charlottesville. Virginia looked lost in Atlanta last year, but the contest served as the first start for quarterback Jameel Sewell and came during a short week. Having faced the blitz-crazy Jackets should pay off for Sewell. With two solid defenses sharing the same field, the winner of the turnover battle should be sitting pretty.

 

Payne moving toward return
Groh says Virginia tailback is working on academic issues
Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 - 12:07 AM
Article Tools
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Tailback Keith Payne hasn't been reinstated to the University of Virginia football team yet, but he's moving in the right direction.

Coach Al Groh, in an informal Q&A session with media members at Scott Stadium, said yesterday that Payne, who redshirted as a freshman last season, has finished the second session of summer school at U.Va.

"To this point, he's done what the deans have asked him to do," Groh said. "This is an issue of conforming to the highest standards of personal achievement. There's a foundation that we think is necessary for long-term success, whether it's on the field or in the classroom. Sometimes we try to establish that foundation in a number of different ways."

Groh announced June 27 that Payne had been suspended from the U.Va. team "for failure to live up to his academic responsibilities."

Payne, who starred at Oakton High, remains academically eligible under NCAA guidelines, and he's likely to rejoin the team for training camp next month if he continues to meet the standards set by U.Va. If he does so, he's expected to challenge Cedric Peerman for the starting tailback's job.

"We just thought that at this particular time, with the somewhat premature hype that's been created around this player, that rather than going into training camp, and if we're not happy with the way things are, having to deal with the issue on a daily basis -- 'Where's Keith Payne? Where's Keith Payne?' -- this is what it is, and Keith knows what he has to do to get himself [back in good standing with his teammates and coaches]."

Also yesterday, Groh said that Andrew Pearman, who hopes to rejoin the team this season, has cleared most of the hurdles in front of him.

"The biggest one is just with him personally," Groh said, "making sure he's got all of his personal circumstances in place such that those things that were an issue with him don't reoccur and that he can be successful."

Pearman, who plays wideout and returns punts, withdrew from school late last fall for personal reasons. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

 

What's behind U.Va.'s lack of in-state recruits?
Coach Al Groh says he hasn't changed his recruiting philosophy. GETTY IMAGES FILE
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© July 19, 2007 | Last updated 10:19 PM Jul. 18

CHARLOTTESVILLE

Last February, 13 of the 24 high school football players Virginia signed to national letters of intent had at least one thing in common: They were home-grown products.

This year, the Cavaliers have received commitments from 12 players in the class of 2008. They've also got something in common: None is from a Virginia high school.

For those who see recruiting not just as a means of restocking a team but as a competition to be scored in its own right, U.Va.'s lack of success in-state hasn't gone unnoticed.

"Not sure it's a trend," Bobby Burton, a recruiting analyst for rivals.com, said in an e-mail. "But it's definitely something to footnote."

Fans haven't missed out on the situation. Wednesday, after Isaiah Hamlette, a defensive end from Stafford who was targeted by Virginia, committed instead to Virginia Tech, fans on a popular U.Va. Internet message board licked their wounds.

Just the day before, Peter Rose, a defensive back from Amherst who was also a Virginia target, had committed to the Hokies, too. Last month, it was linebacker Jake Johnson of Falmouth choosing Tech over Virginia.

Those players were among the relatively few in-state targets Virginia has set its sights on this year. Coach Al Groh said Wednesday that none of this is the result of a change in philosophy. Instead, he said, in this particular class, as opposed to years past, fewer players fit the profile of what Virginia is looking for.

"It always starts with trying to fulfill our profile from Virginia," Groh said. "This year there seems to be a smaller pool of guys who fit our model."

Academics are a big part of that model. Groh said Virginia is looking for players who not only can graduate but can excel academically. He said one of the team's goals is to produce more Academic All-Americans, players like tight end Tom Santi. He's expected to be a candidate for the Draddy Trophy, known as the "academic Heisman."

"Tom Santi happened to come from Nashville," Groh said. "If he happened to come from Charlottesville... all the better."

During this recruiting season, players have happened to come from Pennsylvania, Georgia, Maryland, Connecticut, Ohio, New Jersey, California and Washington, D.C.

Burton said that while it's a strong year across Virginia talent-wise, some of the state's top players are not strong academically. He said U.Va. could be trying to avoid a repeat of 2006, when 8 of 24 players who signed in February failed to qualify academically.

All 24 members of last year's class qualified, a sign that Virginia may be taking fewer academic risks.

Several local high school coaches confirmed that U.Va. coaches have been coming around as much as they ever have. At least one local player, Kerry Boykins of Oscar Smith, still lists Virginia as one of his finalists, along with Maryland and Virginia Tech.

"I see the same interest," Indian River coach Cadillac Harris said. "They're in our building when it's appropriate for them to be, whether we have talent or not."

Oscar Smith coach Rich Morgan said Virginia has long been known for recruiting many of its players from out of state, from places like New Jersey and Pennsylvania. But he also said the staff does it due diligence locally.

"They've always offered my kids," he said. "They certainly recruit as much as anyone else has."

Many of the state's top players have also yet to commit. And neither Virginia nor Virginia Tech was able to keep the top prospect, quarterback E.J. Manuel of Bayside, in-state, in part because both schools signed blue-chip quarterbacks last year.

Morgan, for one, said he thinks it's important for a state school to fill a good portion of its roster with state players. Virginia Tech has embraced that philosophy, with coach Frank Beamer having said some time ago that he "can win a national championship if we get the best players in this state every year."

Of Tech's 13 commitments so far, nine are from in-state.

Groh, whose team started 11 players from the state last year, said that while he'd like to stay home-grown whenever possible, his primary goal is to find players who fit Virginia's model, wherever they may be.

"If you start letting other people define what is success for your team," Groh said, "you'll constantly be frustrated."

 

Glass is half full for Cavs
Al Groh says last year's 5-7 team achieved "the second-most of the six teams we've had here."
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- After spending five days in Wyoming at the invitation of a Virginia fan, Al Groh returned home to learn that he had been named the worst coach in college football.

"I was told about it today," Groh said Wednesday during a two-hour summer "sit-down" with media members who cover his team.

Groh became the third ACC coach in as many years to be named the worst coach in America by Stewart Mandel of sportsillustrated.com.

"Actually, I've never met him," said Groh, dismissing the notion that he might have had a run-in with Mandel when Groh coached the New York Jets in 2000.

Mandel had chosen Georgia Tech's Chan Gailey and North Carolina State's Chuck Amato the past two seasons.

"I don't have a lot of comment on it," Groh said. "I take my perspective from my players and my peers and my colleagues, whether it's in terms of a pat on the back or constructive criticism.

"The only way I can evaluate what's going on here is, 'Are we coaching this team as well as we can coach under the circumstances?' I'm in the profession and I can't tell you who's doing a good job or not because I don't know his circumstances."

Groh had taken the Cavaliers to four straight bowl games before they went 5-7 last year.

"I was affected by the result of the season," Groh said. "Talking to people I respect, they didn't really give me answers as much as they asked questions. One guy assessed the situation and said, 'After you've thought about your answers, call me back.'

"When I got finished, I felt that last year's team achieved the second-most of the six teams we've had here."

The team that achieved the most, in Groh's eyes, was the 2002 team that lost its first two games but finished 9-5, including a win against West Virginia in the Continental Tire Bowl.

"We had some reality situations last year that just had to be dealt with, one being the inexperience of the quarterback," Groh said, referring to Jameel Sewell, who was then a redshirt freshman.

"After four years of relative success and the anticipation of winning, we had a disappointing start and then a heartbreaking loss [to Maryland]. At that point, a lot of teams might have sacked their bats up.

"We aspired to a lot more than 5-7, but I think those kids might have turned a 3-9 into 5-7, given what they faced at the midseason mark and the way they responded to it."

Groh said the Cavaliers are further ahead offensively and defensively than they were at this point last year, but three players are expected to miss the upcoming season after reconstructive knee surgery: wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, defensive back Mike Brown and touted WR-DB recruit Chase Minnifield.

All three have the option of redshirting, and the Cavaliers should be able to deal with the loss of Brown because cornerback is one of their deepest positions.

Likely to start in Brown's absence is Vic Hall, the record-setting ex-Gretna High School quarterback.

Hall was the subject of rumors that he had been shot outside a Charlottesville nightclub earlier this summer.

The rumors weren't true, but Hall required stitches to close a cut on his forehead after the incident and Groh has tightened the off-field reins on his players.

"Vic was a fully innocent victim," Groh said.

"These guys came out of an establishment, there were some guys loitering on the street and their agenda was to create a disturbance. Vic was jumped from behind, sucker-punched and kicked when he was down. That's when the individuals ran off.

"There's been a pattern of these occurrences around town. Coaches and parents always say, 'Stay out of trouble.' We try to expand on that and say, 'Don't let trouble find you.' You've just got to keep your guard up at all times."

Notes

Players will report Aug. 5, with UVa's annual meet-the-team affair set for Aug. 12. ... Groh said that all 24 signees have qualified for freshman eligibility. ... Virginia's football-support facility, the McCue Center, has undergone a makeover. ... Groh said running back Keith Payne has "done what the deans have asked" as he approaches the end of UVa's second summer session. Payne has been suspended from team activities in order to concentrate on academics.
 

Cadets' Davis chooses UNC
All-Metro forward says he wanted end to recruiting process
Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 - 12:07 AM
By ARTHUR UTLEY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Ed Davis says he's going to the University of North Carolina to play basketball.

Davis, a 6-8, 215-pound senior at Benedictine put a nominal end to his recruitment by making a nonbinding commitment to UNC yesterday. A two-time All-Metro first-teamer and co-player of the year this past season, Davis chose the Tar Heels over Virginia and Connecticut.

"It had gotten to the point that this was where I wanted to go," Davis said last night. "Everything about Carolina I like."

The commitment came quicker than expected.

"He had three great choices. I wanted him to take his visits," Davis's mother, Angela Jones, said. "We had even told the schools he wouldn't make his decision until the fall."

Neither Benedictine Athletic Director Barry Gibrall, who has Davis in a summer school class, nor basketball coach Sean McAloon knew about the decision until yesterday.

Davis is ranked the No. 2 power forward in the country by Dave Telep at Scout.com and the No. 2 prospect overall.

Last winter at Benedictine, he averaged 18.5 points, 13.2 rebounds, 4.4 blocks and 3.5 assists in leading the Cadets to a 29-3 record and the Virginia Independent Schools Division I championship.

"This takes a lot of pressure off him," Jones said. "If that is what Ed wants, I'm happy for him."

 

Cavs lose top target
Benedictine High star forward Ed Davis, rated the No. 2 prospect in the country, commits to North Carolina.
BY JASON JORDAN
247-4648
July 19, 2007

Much to the surprise of his mother, Angela Jones, Ed Davis, of Benedictine High School in Richmond, ended his recruitment early, committing on Wednesday to North Carolina.

"It kind of came out of nowhere," Jones said. "He sent me a text the other day and told me that he was gonna commit. I replied and said, 'where,' and he said 'UNC.' "

On Wednesday, the commitment became official.

Davis, who plays with the Boo Williams Summer League AAU team, is rated the No. 2 prospect in the class of 2008 according to Scout.com.

Last season, Davis, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound power forward, led Benedictine (29-3) to the Virginia Independent Schools state championship. He averaged 18 points and 13 rebounds per game.

Davis was Virginia's No. 1 target for the class of 2008.

He decided on the Tar Heels over the Cavaliers and Connecticut.

Virginia still is in the mix with some other 2008 big men such as Stan Simpson (Chicago), Josh Crittle (Elmhurst, Ill.), John Bradenburg (St. Louis) and JaMychal Green (Montgomery, Ala.), none of whom are as decorated or as skilled as Davis.

"That's got to be a big blow to Virginia," said Rivals.com recruiting analyst Justin Young. "He's been on their campus more than any other school in the country, and he's only been to Carolina once. But that's the nature of the beast. Virginia will just have to refocus their attention to another kid."

BWSL coach Boo Williams added: "I'm surprised at when he committed, but not that he committed to North Carolina because Roy Williams had to have him. But Ed's a Carolina-type kid. He'll do well there."

Davis, the son of former NBA player Terry Davis, is the second commitment from the class for the Tar Heels. The other is Woodlands, Calif., point guard Larry Drew Jr., who's father, Larry, also played in the NBA and is now an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks.

Like Williams, Jones wasn't as surprised with who her son committed to as she was with when Davis committed.

Davis was unavailable for comment.

"It was definitely a surprise," Jones said. "But I think Ed talked to the coaches at UNC and told them that he wanted to commit. I think that his dad was for UNC and he pushed for it and they ran with it.

"I'm just glad that my son got a full scholarship to go to school and play basketball."
 

Vick's future in question
David Teel
July 19 2007

Mercy, this looks bad. Real bad. Tuesday's felony indictment of Michael Vick and three cronies oozes details that infuriate, baffle and sicken.

But are they true? Is our area's most celebrated athlete as stupid, calculating and cruel as the feds allege? Has he been neck-deep in dogfighting since joining the NFL in 2001? Did he witness and condone executions of his own pit bulls?

Moreover, what transpires in the considerable lag time between indictment and judgment? Does the league intervene? Might Vick's endorsement partners - bigfoot Nike is the most curious case - bail? Will Vick quarterback the Atlanta Falcons this season, or might owner Arthur Blank, prompted by public outrage and/or personal revulsion, suspend or release his $130 million man?

The temptation is to call for Vick's head, a season-long banishment and his departure from Atlanta. After all, it's not only the dogfighting. It's the critical mass of Ron Mexico, airport incidents in Miami and Atlanta, and his wayward middle finger (the latter problem runs in the family).

Besides, that's the 21st-century, blog-now-think-later world in which we live.

But knee-jerk reactions are too easy and too often unjust.

Should Vick pull time and face suspension if convicted? Damn right. That, however, is a large if.

Yes, the 18 pages of charges cite four "cooperating witnesses." But cooperating witnesses can be dubious characters who will do anything to save their own fannies.

I say this after just reading "An Innocent Man," John Grisham's non-fiction, page-turner chronicling murder trials gone terribly wrong in Oklahoma. Rogue prosecutors and lying snitches sent two innocent men to death row before DNA evidence spared them lethal injection.

Drastic cases, but reason to pause nonetheless.

The specifics of Vick's indictment are no less extreme. They depict a wealthy athlete steeped in a culture that breeds, trains and abuses dogs solely for perverse amusement.

For example, authorities allege Vick bought land in remote Surry County for the expressed intent of staging dogfights. They date the $34,000 purchase to late June 2001, less than two months after Vick signed his first professional contract - a $62 million deal that included a $3 million signing bonus.

The timing makes you wonder: Did Vick suddenly turn to dogfighting after cashing in? Or had he been involved during his time at Virginia Tech?

Keep in mind, ESPN in May interviewed an anonymous source who claimed he saw Vick bet $5,000 on a dogfight in 2000, which coincides with Vick's final year at Tech. If true, where did Vick get the five grand? A prospective agent? An agent's minion?

Or was this another case of a scoundrel with an agenda?

The indictment says Vick risked larger amounts after turning pro, as much as $13,000 on one fight. Authorities also detail dates, places and dogs' names.

Most hair-raising: the allegations of executions. Weaker dogs, the document claims, were routinely killed - by hanging, gunshot, drowning or electrocution.

Those final details could make life miserable for Vick and the Falcons, long before any trial. Protesters outside the stadium? Fan boycotts? Sponsor pressure? Could they force the team to release Vick, salary-cap considerations notwithstanding?

And what of Vick himself? After two consecutive pedestrian seasons, he already faced a career crossroads with a new head coach in Bobby Petrino. Can he handle the additional burden of felony charges and hostile fans?

We're talking uncharted territory here.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis faced murder charges in 2000 following a knife fight - police acknowledged he did not wield the weapon - during Super Bowl week.

But the legal intrigue that led to Lewis pleading guilty to misdemeanor obstruction of justice transpired during the offseason, and Lewis reported to training camp the following summer.

Then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue took no action against Lewis. Conversely his successor, Roger Goodell, has suspended serial offenders such as Tank Johnson, Pacman Jones and Chris Henry.

Judged strictly on criminal charges, Vick is not a repeat offender, and unless further evidence surfaces, Goodell seems unlikely to drop the hammer before the case is resolved. And resolution could be months away.

By the way, the season after his guilty plea, Lewis was MVP of Baltimore's Super Bowl victory. Michael Vick can only hope for similar reversal.
 

Guilty or not, Vick deserves everything coming his way
David Steele
July 19, 2007

Let's all take a deep breath. Neither the NFL nor the Atlanta Falcons should kick out Michael Vick just because of an indictment, and just because he "sounds" guilty. It didn't happen with Kobe Bryant or Ray Lewis, and as we know now, it shouldn't have happened to the Duke lacrosse players.

OK, exhale.

Vick still deserves to suffer just for his name being linked with what it's being linked to. Just like Bryant and Lewis and the Duke lacrosse players. He will suffer. As harshly as those other examples were judged by the public, hourly and for a seemingly endless time, this might set a new standard.

Personally, I can't get past the idea, described in Tuesday's indictment of Vick on multiple charges related to dogfighting, of electrocuting dogs after they had lost. Or of slamming at least one dog to the ground until it was dead.

Not to minimize the aforementioned rape or murder charges - sorry, PETA, human suffering comes first on this priority list. But even if you stretch and acknowledge this as a sport - heck, we all swooned over the hot dog-eating contest a couple of weeks ago, so we haven't exactly set the bar high - can anyone justify living things sometimes fighting to the death, just so you can bet on it? That is heinous.

Worst, though, is the idea that a young man can parlay his talents into a $100 million contract and nationwide fame and visibility, and spend that capital on a dogfighting venture with his numbskull friends.

Maybe I'm just a square, but I would've given some thought to, say, a learning center in a poor neighborhood. Or something as mundane as a chain of sub shops. Hey, why not a charity golf tournament? I'd like to think that when Tiger Woods was pondering ways to put his riches to good use, he wasn't weighing the startup of the AT&T National against building and equipping shacks to train fighting dogs.

It almost seems pointless and trivial to get mad at Vick on a football level. This is devastating on a humanity level. If this is all true, Vick has wasted his golden opportunity, shredding it as carelessly as his competing pit bulls shredded each other's throats.

It's hard to imagine an athlete losing his way worse than he did. You wonder if he ever was on the right path, considering that, according to the indictment, this operation has been in place since his rookie year.

He needs to hear about that as often as possible, even if it means hearing it on the field throughout the season, even if it means he keeps collecting a paycheck. Let's not forget the key phrase from the breakdown of the Duke case, "rush to judgment," and hope that there's no federal prosecutor channeling Michael B. Nifong. But he's fair game for the always-dreaded court of public opinion.

Vick brought it on himself. He'll have to deal with it - with the fan rage, with the disruption to his team, with his contribution to the NFL's ever-growing image as a harbor for criminals.

And, as a bonus, with his role in creating another wedge issue for the races to beat each other up about, another reason to run our mouths at top volume while de-activating our ears. Oh, goody, we haven't had enough of that this year. Thanks, Mike.

But before we plan the pity party for the Falcons and the NFL, remember this: The Falcons clearly went into their partnership with Vick with at least one eye closed. Should owner Arthur Blank, or any team official, have said, "You know, before we tie our future to this guy, let's make sure he's not doing anything crazy like dogfighting"? Sounds preposterous. But with that much at stake, why not go over the man's background with a fine-toothed comb?

As for the NFL, this is only the latest chicken to come home to roost. It spent a decade answering questions about its players' conduct with a steely glare, a smirk and a witheringly condescending remark. We've been over this ground already: Paul Tagliabue, the former commissioner and fraudulent Hall of Fame candidate, smart-mouthed his way through the storm clouds for years, and his successor has to clean up his mess.

All those years of unaccountability and consequence-free action are now twisting current commissioner Roger Goodell into knots, and he has been forced to lay a heavy hand on the miscreants.

He'll need to do it this time, too - if Vick is convicted, or pleads out, or flips on his co-defendants. Not a moment before. Two wrongs don't make a right, no matter how much it would throw raw meat to the snarling fan base.

So as this plays out, the Falcons and the NFL are going to have to get rope-a-doped for a while - the same way baseball is getting its just desserts for looking the other way on steroids, the same way the NBA is paying a heavy price for all its legal woes and for the Auburn Hills brawl. For the sins that preceded them, the team and the league have to take their medicine.

Just save the biggest spoonful for Vick.