Defensive depth should aid Cavs
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
July 26, 2007

By his count, Chris Long took only two plays off last year - a pair of plays against Wyoming on a hot afternoon at Scott Stadium.

Sure, Virginia’s defensive end was on the sidelines for a handful of snaps late in lopsided contests, but it was Long that answered the call from defensive coordinator Mike London with a huge regularity.

That’s how the former St. Anne’s-Belfield talent logged 715 plays, topped only by linebackers Jon Copper (785) and Antonio Appleby (732).

When training camp opens in 11 days at the practice fields behind the McCue Center, Virginia coach Al Groh will have this question to answer: Should Appleby, Copper, Long and others returning on defense log the same eye-opening totals?

“We have to figure out, if we take any one of those guys out, who are we doing more good? The offensive player who he is lining up against or guys who are getting some rest?” Groh publicly pondered.

It was not a debatable question a year ago. The talent gap was massive and depth was of major concern since players such as defensive end Sean Gottschalk, linebackers John Bivens, Darnell Carter, and John-Kevin Dolce and defensive backs Mike Parker and Trey Womack were destined for a redshirt season.

Ultimately, that kept Groh’s hands tied and the true freshmen on a stellar scout team.

“Last year, it was pretty much an iron-man defense because where the substitutes were going to come from were from all these players that we redshirted,” Groh said. “Now, all those players are available.

“We like the aspect that they don’t have to be an iron-man defense, but, by the same token, they played pretty well doing that.”

Statistically, they certainly did - the Cavaliers ranked 17th in total defense, trailing 15 bowl teams and Wyoming, which finished eligible for the postseason at 6-6 overall.

Groh must now figure out a happy medium for the upcoming season and the future of the program.

“[The returning starters] are better players for doing that last year, so they are even further along,” Groh said. “We think it will be to their benefit - at least theoretically, we always say - to be able to give them some rest and play some more guys.”

Getting honored

Collectively, members of the media held the individual play of Virginia’s players in low regard last year.

That was evidenced by the All-ACC first-team squad, which did not include a Cavalier for the first time since 1986. The second-team results included only former cornerback Marcus Hamilton and Long.

On Tuesday, UVa took positive steps as tight end Tom Santi and Long were named to the 2007 Preseason All-ACC football team, which was compromised by players from 10 of the league’s 12 teams.

Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan was voted the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, edging out Virginia Tech tailback Branden Ore. Ryan had 31 votes, 10 more than Ore.

All-ACC preseason football team

Offense
QB: Matt Ryan, Sr., BC
RB: Branden Ore, Jr., VT
RB: Tashard Choice, Sr., GT
WR: Greg Carr, Jr., FSU
WR: Darrius Heyward-Bey, So., Maryland
TE: Tom Santi, Sr., Virginia
T: Duane Brown, Sr., VT
T: Barry Richardson, Sr., CU
G: Andrew Crummey, Sr., Maryland
G: Derrick Morse, Sr., Miami
C: Steve Justice, Sr., Wake
Defense
DE: Calais Campbell, Jr., Miami
DE: Chris Long, Sr., Virginia
DT: Andre Fluellen, Sr., FSU
DT: DeMario Pressley, Sr., N.C. State
LB: Xavier Adibi, Sr., VT
LB: Vince Hall, Sr., VT
LB: Phillip Wheeler, Sr., GT
CB: Brandon Flowers, Jr., VT
CB: DeJuan Tribble, Sr., BC
S: Kenny Phillips, Jr., Miami
S: Myron Rolle, So., FSU

Specialists
PK: Sam Swank, Jr., Wake
P: Sam Swank, Jr., Wake
RET: Darrell Blackman, Sr., N.C. State

Player of the Year
Matt Ryan, Quarterback, Senior, Boston College

 

Sneak peek at N.C. State
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
July 26, 2007

Oct. 27, TBA (TV - TBA)

At Carter-Finley Stadium - Raleigh, N.C.

The Wolfpack:

2006 Record: 3-9, 2-6 ACC (6th Atlantic)

Coach: Tom O’Brien (0-0, 1st year; 76-45 overall, 10 years)

Stats: Rushing Offense – 79th nationally; Passing Offense – 81st; Total Offense – 97th; Rushing Defense – 41st; Pass Efficiency Defense – 53rd; Total Defense – 36th.

Flashback: For a two-week period, N.C. State appeared primed for a run at the title in the Atlantic Division. Wins over Boston College and Florida State to open ACC play had the Wolfpack sitting pretty and former coach Chuck Amato gaining job security, as odd as that may sound. That all changed over the final two months of the season when N.C. State lost its final seven games, all of which came in relatively close contests (six of the last seven losses came by seven points or less). The troubling finish left Amato out of a job - he surfaced as an assistant at Florida State - and caused N.C. State to look for a new coach. Offensively, the team struggled to find the end zone. The 25 total touchdowns bettered only two ACC teams: Duke (24) and Virginia (21). Toney Baker, a former UVa recruit, led N.C. State’s ground attack, rushing for 688 yards and six scores. Andre Brown added 658 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry. Quarterback Daniel Evans, who was a sophomore, replaced Marcus Stone early in the season. Evans was an ACC Player of the Week once, but finished with an ugly 6-to-11 TD-to-interception ratio. The defense, which boasted some experienced talent, finished in the top-third in the country in total defense. That, however, was only good enough to rank eighth in the league. Linebacker Pat Lowery led the team in tackles in his final season and defensive end Martrel Brown was among the best pass-rushing players in the ACC. Darrell Blackman, who had a 95-yard kickoff return for a score, led the league, averaging almost 29 yards per attempt.

Fast forward: Shocking many, N.C. State turned over its program to a head coach from an opposing ACC school. Tom O’Brien, a longtime assistant under former UVa coach George Welsh, left Boston College for the challenge of rebuilding N.C. State’s stumbling program. History is on his side - O’Brien stabilized the Eagles’ program, graduating players and advancing to eight straight bowl games. Keeping that postseason streak alive will be tough. N.C. State welcomes back only two starting offensive linemen and five players that line up on defense. Couple the holes to fill with a schedule that includes early road trips to Boston College and Florida State and home games with Clemson and Louisville, and lumps are expected. Baker and Brown are among the best 1-2 backfield punches in the ACC, but Evans also has pass-catching weapons in wideouts John Dunlap and Blackman. The offense must show signs of improvement to help shoulder the load as the inexperienced defense looks weak outside the secondary and standout safety Miguel Sutton. The biggest question? Can new defensive coordinator Mike Archer and his zone schemes work with the talent currently in place? A new kicker and punter also raise doubts heading into training camp.

Key player: Evans must cut down on the miscues. Baker and Brown must stay on the same page sharing the load at tailback. A strong tackler must emerge at linebacker to fill Lowery’s void. Blackman, however, gets the nod. The proven return threat needs the ball in his hands on more offensive plays, whether that comes on rushing attempts or pass-catching opportunities.

Inside the game: The last time these two teams met at Carter-Finley Stadium the fans were treated to an offensive gem. Virginia had quarterback Matt Schaub under center. Wolfpack legend Philip Rivers, who was on the other sideline, landed the win. It would probably require a doubleheader this year to match the 88-point total from that classic. It will also mark the first meeting between O’Brien and Mike Groh since the former pupil took over as Virginia’s offensive coordinator (O’Brien coached Groh at UVa).

 

5 questions for Leitao's Cavaliers
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
July 26, 2007

The month of July is not a good time for basketball junkies.

No college hoops. No NBA.

All you have is baseball - and the chance to watch a demented debate on ESPN about who is more “Now” - an NHL player or a NASCAR driver.

As we hit the dog days of summer, how about we put our time to better use?

Let’s ponder five questions that are likely on the minds of Virginia men’s basketball fans.

When will UVa coach Dave Leitao land a 5-star recruit?

In two years at the helm, Leitao has brought in some nice players – mainly 3- and 4-star kids. However, he has yet to land the big fish - the kind of player who can get Dick Vitale to turn his attention away from beloved Duke and finally attend a Virginia game.

It looked as though UVa was in the driver’s seat to land Ed Davis, one of the most highly-rated high school players in the country. But last Wednesday, Davis committed to North Carolina. This was a blow to the UVa coaching staff. They recruited Davis hard and believed they had a very good chance of landing the 6-foot-8 Mechanicsville native.

On the bright side, Virginia is still in the running for Elliott Williams, who recently trimmed his list to four schools - UVa, Duke, Memphis and Tennessee (Clemson and Vanderbilt did not make the cut).

Just like Davis, Williams would be a huge score.

The Memphis native is explosive. He drives fearlessly to the basket, jumps through the roof and can light it up from the perimeter.

When Williams was in town for the NBA Top 100 Camp in June, he called Leitao a “father figure.” That would seem to bode well for Virginia.

Whether it’s Williams or somebody else, you wouldn’t think Leitao is very far from reeling in the stud he so desperately needs.

The Top 100 Camp is set to return to Charlottesville for the next several years and Leitao has, arguably, the best basketball facilities in the country to show off to recruits.

Of course, Leitao also led Virginia to a share of the ACC title last season. That’s got to count for something.

What will the starting lineup look like next season?

The most likely lineup right now would seem to be Sean Singletary at the point, Solomon Tat at the 2, Mamadi Diane at the 3, Lars Mikalauskas at the 4 and Tunji Soroye at the 5.

Starting Tat might cause some people to scratch their heads, given his limited production as a freshman. However, due to a nagging groin injury, he was just a shell of himself last season. When healthy, he is the team’s best on-the-ball defender. He is also a better offensive player than he showed.

Leitao could opt to start Diane at the 2 and Will Harris or Jamil Tucker at the 3, but that would seem unlikely given Diane’s ball-handling ability.

Forward Ryan Pettinella figures to battle with Mikalauskas for the starting 4 spot. Mikalauskas may have the edge because of his scoring ability.

A dark horse-candidate to be in the lineup at some point this year could be 5-man Jerome Meyinsse, who has been working hard on his game in the offseason.

How will the Cavs replace the scoring of J.R. Reynolds?

With Reynolds gone, Virginia’s offense should look completely different. Several players will be given more opportunities to shine. The result will likely be a more balanced attack.

Singletary may take on more of the scoring load, but his main task will be to make his teammates better.

Leitao hopes to get more consistency from Diane. The junior has shown flashes of being a big-time scorer.

Harris and Tucker also are capable of filling it up. Tucker’s confidence appeared to soar toward the end of last season.

Senior Adrian Joseph could also play a much more important role, providing instant offense off the bench.

Freshman shooting guard Jeff Jones, who has one of the best jumpshots on the team, may also be able to pick up some of the slack.

Will UVa get any more production out of its post players this season?

This has been one of the most glaring deficiencies since Leitao took over. When you think about the lack of offensive production in the paint the past two seasons, it’s difficult to fathom how the Cavaliers went 18-14 in the ACC.

The main problem is the fact that Leitao really only has one big man on the team who is capable of playing with his back to the basket - Mikalauskas. Tunji Soroye and Ryan Pettinella aren’t scorers, and the jury is still out on Meyinsse, although he is said to possess a nice jump hook.

Look for Mikalauskas to get more touches this season. His bull-in-a-china-shop style isn’t always pretty, but it worked well when he was a freshman. Last season, he was hampered by ankle injuries and got in Leitao’s doghouse. This summer, the 6-8 Lithuanian has been one of the most enthusiastic participants in strength and conditioning coach Shaun Brown’s program. He is said to also have developed a nice 15-foot jumper.

How much will the freshmen contribute?

Look for freshman point guard Sam Zeglinski, the first player to commit to Virginia in the Leitao era, to make one of the biggest impacts. The Philadelphia native and former high school teammate of Singletary was not even ranked by many recruiting services. However, Leitao has raved about Zeglinski. He loves his unselfishness and decision-making. Zeglinski will serve as Singletary’s backup. That will be a nice luxury for Leitao, who, since T.J. Bannister’s departure, hasn’t had a true backup to spell Singletary

Forward Mike Scott is said to be a better version of the recently graduated Jason Cain. The Chesapeake native, who is super athletic and a great finisher, needs to add weight and develop his low-post game. Given Virginia’s dearth of quality post players, Scott should be able to earn some playing time this season.

Guards Jeff Jones and Mustapha Farrakahn will likely be battling for minutes with Tat and walk-on Calvin Baker. Jones is a shooter, while Farrakahn is considered more of a combo guard.

It’s hard to say who is more “Now.”

 

ACC NOTES
Wednesday, Jul 25, 2007 - 12:06 AM Updated: 03:51 PM

ACC proactive in checking refs
PINEHURST, N.C. -- ACC commissioner John Swofford said yesterday that his conference has performed background checks on its officials for football and men's and women's basketball since last year.

He said none of the checks resulted in removal of an official. He said his motivation for the checks, which were approved by presidents of ACC schools, was preventing problems, rather than reacting to an existing issue with ACC officials.

"There wasn't anything we saw that concerned us," he said.

The issue of officials' integrity is in the spotlight because federal investigators are looking into whether former NBA referee Tim Donaghy bet on games he officiated.

The ACC runs its checks through a private firm. The checks examine ties to gambling on college sports, credit histories and criminal and driving records. Swofford said officials must agree to the checks if they want to work in the ACC.

There are about 75 officials each for football, men's basketball and women's basketball. One-third of them are checked randomly every year. Every official will be checked at least once every four years.

Wolfpack intends to play takeaway
North Carolina State last year ranked 112th of 119 Division I-A teams in turnover margin. The Wolfpack gained 12 turnovers and lost 23.

When Tom O'Brien, a former Virginia assistant, took over as coach in the offseason, he remembered something his old boss at Virginia, George Welsh, told him: "If you want to be good at something, create a drill."

So at the end of practice during the spring, the Wolfpack practiced stripping the ball.

Athletic genes run in the family
Chris Long is accustomed to being introduced as "Howie Long's son." The day may come, Virginia's standout defensive end said Sunday, when he's introduced as "Howie Long's son and Kyle Long and Howie Long Jr.'s brother."

The elder Long, of course, is a Pro Football Hall of Famer. Kyle, a rising senior at St. Anne's-Belfield School in Charlottesville, has committed to play baseball at Florida State. Howie Jr. is a rising junior at STAB whom U.Va. is recruiting for lacrosse.

"I might be the worst athlete in my family," Chris Long said with a laugh. "That includes my mother. She can play tennis."

Davis increases Tar Heels' tempo
Since Butch Davis took over for John Bunting as North Carolina's coach, life has changed for the Tar Heels' players. Among the changes:

"There's been a lot of emphasis on speed," said senior Joe Dailey, whom Davis moved from quarterback to wide receiver.

"Being fast in everything you do, in and out of the huddle, to the sideline, at halftime or the exchange of the ball. Doing everything fast. Moving. That just encourages enthusiasm."

Davis is accustomed to working with fast college players, having coached previously at the University of Miami.

Turnabout vs. U.Va. was Terrapins' key
The Maryland Terrapins were 3-2 when they arrived at Scott Stadium on Oct. 14 for a game against U.Va. A week earlier they'd been outscored 13-0 in the final quarter of a 27-23 loss to Georgia Tech.

"I think we felt like we blew the game against Georgia Tech," senior offensive guard Andrew Crummey recalled Sunday. "If we had blown the game against Virginia, we'd have been in a very bad situation."

The Terps' prospects looked bleak at halftime, with U.Va. ahead 20-0. But Maryland, given new life when Virginia's Emmanuel Byers muffed a punt near the goal line, rallied for a stunning 28-26 victory -- its first win in Charlottesville in 16 years.

Maryland went on to finish 9-4, its first winning season since 2003.

"You can't lose consistently and have a good program," Crummey said. -- Darryl Slater and Jeff White