Hall, now captain, ready to lead Cavs
By ANDREW BOWLER/Star-Tribune Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 9:27 AM EDT

A former Gretna Hawks' football star is ready to lead his college team.

Vicqual Hall was named a team captain by Virginia Cavalier's head football coach Al Groh, after taking a vote from the other players.

"It felt good that my teammates have a lot of trust in me and voted me a captain," Hall, 21, said.

Now the starting cornerback is ready to take the field and start his junior season.

Virginia, which finished last season with a 9-4 record, opens its 12-game 2008 season on Aug. 30 at home against Southern California.

"We've got to work hard," Hall said.

Hall, an Anthropology major, played quarterback at Gretna High School and won back-to-back state titles in 2003 and 2004.

He shattered every major offensive school record along the way and broke Ronald Curry's record for total offensive yards for the state of Virginia.

Curry is currently a wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League.

Hall, son of Rochelle Hall and Victor Calloway, totaled 13,770 yards of offense, which placed him fifth all-time nationally.

He passed for 8,731 yards and 104 touchdowns, both state records. He also rushed for 5,039 yards and 66 touchdowns.

The Hawks had a 47-5 record under Hall, including going undefeated in his final two seasons, for which he was named state player of the year both times.

Hall was a versatile player for the Cavaliers last fall.

He started at cornerback, was the holder for the kicking unit on special teams and also thrived at returning punts.

"I try to be a leader," he said. "I'm not as much of a vocal leader. I lead by example and try to do it the right way."

Hall ended the year with 58 tackles, one interception and averaged 10 yards on punt returns.
 

Cover stories
Aaron McFarling

There were debates about polls, discussions about quarterbacks and more than a few Bobby Bowden jokes. But here's the biggest thing most of us reporters took away from the ACC Football Kickoff this month:

Media guides.

These books will be in shreds by mid-October -- if not before -- so now's the time to enjoy their glossy, recruit-grabbing covers while they last.

And make no mistake: You can learn a lot about a program from its media-guide cover. There's only one canvas, 812 inches by 11 inches, so the design had better be good. And the content? Well, consider that the first hint at a program's 2008 outlook.

Here's a glimpse at the 2008 ACC covers and what they indicate, plus the records foreshadowed by the quality of the covers:

VIRGINIA TECH 12-0

Remember Sportsflicks, those baseball cards with multiple images? That's what this looks like. From one angle, it's players celebrating in the end zone of Lane Stadium during a night game. From another, fireworks explode atop the page and a player in the foreground holds his helmet aloft.

Analysis: Really cool. The idea came from coach Frank Beamer, who saw Texas do it. No doubt this gets your attention. My only beef is that nowhere does it mention that the Hokies are the defending ACC champions. When you've got that label, flaunt it.

CLEMSON 10-2

Dominant images are quarterback Cullen Harper cocked in the pocket and defensive back Michael Hamlin towering over the right side of the page. Four other players are pictured under them. "Clemson" -- written in shiny, raised letters -- sits atop it all.

Analysis: You know you're good when supreme talents such as C.J. Spiller, James Davis, Dorell Scott and Aaron Kelly aren't even the headliners. Offensive linemen are nowhere to be seen, but then again, neither is Tommy Bowden. Hmm ...

GEORGIA TECH 9-3

New coach Paul Johnson stands tall on the left side of the page, hands on hips, whistle around his neck. Behind him, a blurry player sprints by. "The Perfect Option," reads the slogan.

Analysis: Are you paying attention, Duke? This is how you welcome a new sideline leader. Extra points awarded for the pun playing off Johnson's offensive philosophy at Navy.

FLORIDA STATE 8-4

Chief Osceola atop a horse, spear in hand. Eight players in garnet and gold standing in the foreground, staring menacingly at the reader.

Analysis: Simple. Clean. Eye-catching. All in all, a fabulous football cover. Just don't look too closely, or you'll realize who that guy is front and center -- underachieving quarterback Drew Weatherford. And you'll notice Bobby Bowden's absent. Since when was he media-averse?

WAKE FOREST 8-4

Seven players in various football positions grace the top. At the bottom, safety Chip Vaughn holds his thumb and index finger together next to BB&T Field.

Analysis: Vaughn is probably giving a defensive signal there, but it sure looks like the "OK" sign. As in: "Don't worry, folks. Everything's OK!" And it should be, considering the talent Wake has returning at the skill positions. But you probably want to aim a little higher than that.

MARYLAND 7-5

Coach Ralph Friedgen mans the middle, with four players you've probably never heard of orbiting him. On the bottom left, there are three squares. They say "Fb Football," "27 Sports," and "1 Team."

Analysis: The squares represent the athletic department's all-for-one philosophy, but you'd only know that if you followed the program. The cover is no place for this kind of confusion. And I'd like to see home-run threat Da'Rel Scott somewhere.

NORTH CAROLINA 7-5

A lot like Maryland's, but instead of orbiting Friedgen, the players are circling a UNC helmet. A half-dozen athletes in all.

Analysis: Clean enough, but I'm really not a big fan of this one. A lot of people -- myself included -- think Carolina has a chance to be pretty good this season, and coach Butch Davis is a big part of that. He needs to be on there, as does some slogan about taking the next step. Too safe, Heels.

VIRGINIA 7-5

A nighttime atmosphere at Scott Stadium graces the bottom while four players -- Cedric Peerman, Vic Hall, Clint Sintim and John Phillips -- highlight the top.

Analysis: Al Groh gets some credit here for modesty. He's the reigning ACC coach of the year but not on the cover (or the back). Still, he probably should be. And I'd feel a whole lot better about this team if it said "quarterback" under Hall, the former record-breaking signal-caller at Gretna who now plays in the defensive backfield.

BOSTON COLLEGE 4-8

Second-year coach Jeff Jagodzinski is flanked by two senior players and cheering students. Above the slogan: "The BC Way: Winning, Graduating, Caring," is wide receiver Brandon Robinson in a cap and gown.

Analysis: Winning I get. Graduating is good. But "CARING?" With apologies to Tom Hanks, there's no caring in football! Matt Ryan broke a lot of hearts in these parts last year, and I doubt he'll be weeping on Dr. Phil's couch about it anytime soon.

MIAMI 3-9

White. Lots and lots of white. And a helmet. And a hand holding the helmet.

Analysis: It's like they're not even trying any more in Coral Gables. The only flair is that the helmet is slightly raised off the page. If you had a magnifying glass, you'd see the program's five national championships are listed in the upper left. Make 'em bigger, Miami. It's only been seven years since your last one -- a historical heartbeat. You're still "The U," aren't you?

DUKE 0-12

A "D" in the middle and "2008 DUKE FOOTBALL" in small print on the bottom. That's it. Oh, wait. There's also a faint, bespectacled face on the left side.

Analysis: This is how you usher in a new era? With Cutcliffe the Friendly Ghost? Unreal. Freshly hired coach David Cutcliffe -- highly respected by his peers and the SEC coach of the year just five seasons ago -- ought to be splashed all over. Your logo isn't that cool, Duke. And Lord knows this team needs all the hope it can get.

N.C. STATE 0-12

The cover is divided into 24 squares, each with its own image. Four players are pulled out as (somewhat) dominant images.

Analysis: What on earth is this? It's like they couldn't pick any one thing to be particularly proud of, so they threw every single moment in the program's history on there. This is a very, very bad sign.
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ACC NOTES
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008 - 12:07 AM

Good times at Wake
Reports in December that Jim Grobe was leaving Wake Forest to become coach at Arkansas turned out to be incorrect. Grobe turned down the Razorbacks, and his eighth team at Wake is expected to contend for the Atlantic Division title.

"We thought he was going to pull the trigger and leave," junior linebacker Aaron Curry said. "We figured that he was gone, and we thought he deserved it.

"But as players, we really love playing for Coach Grobe, and we knew he could make the right decision. And when he sat down and told us that he was going to stay, that was like the best day in Wake Forest history. . . . That showed us that he has faith in us as players and he has faith in Wake Forest as a program."

Then there were nine
In each of the past three seasons, the ACC has had eight bowl-eligible teams. The league hopes to exceed that total this season, having added an affiliation with a ninth bowl: the Congressional, Dec. 20 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

In the selection process, the Congressional would have the ninth pick of ACC teams. The ACC representative, if there is one, would meet Navy, assuming the Midshipmen are bowl-eligible. The Mid-American Conference is the next option for the Congressional.

Commissioner upbeat
Expansion has yet to produce the desired results for ACC football, but if John Swofford is disappointed, he didn't let on during his state-of-the-conference remarks last week in Greensboro, Ga.

"I couldn't be more pleased with expansion," the ACC commissioner said.

The ACC's champion has lost eight consecutive Bowl Championship Series games, and the league's bowl record the past four seasons in 14-16. Only the Big Ten has a lower winning percentage in that span. The ACC became a 12-team league in 2005.

"Would I have liked to have won every game? Absolutely," Swofford said. But how "we as a conference evaluate expansion is not based on the short-term competitive aspect of it. All of this at times is going to be cyclical. We could not be better positioned for the future."

Miami looks to rebound
Second-year Miami coach Randy Shannon wants his team to focus this season on finishing.

"Anything we do, we talk about finishing," he said.

And for good reason. The Hurricanes lost six of their final seven games last season, finishing with a 5-7 record and missing a bowl game in a non-probation year for just the second time since 1983. They lost four of their final six games in 2006.

Shannon bristled at the suggestion that Miami and Florida State's struggles have hurt the postexpansion ACC. Florida State has gone 7-6 each of the past two seasons. It hadn't lost six games in a season since 1976. Miami went 7-6 in 2006. It hadn't lost six games since 1979, except for the 5-6 probation season of 1997.

"I just think that people are so caught up in what Miami and Florida State were," he said. "We don't have to carry this conference."

N.C. State's Hill regaining form
The most difficult thing North Carolina State tight end Anthony Hill did last season? Ride a stationary bike.

Last July, Hill tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee -- a season-ending injury. In the first two weeks after surgery, he needed to regain his range of motion in order to expedite his recovery. Riding the bike and trying to move his leg in a full rotation was the toughest part of those first two weeks, he said.

"You would think it should be easy, but that was painful," Hill said.

Hill, a fifth-year senior, said he now feels "faster than what I was before I left." And he was no schlep then. In 2006, he lead the Wolfpack with 45 catches.

ACC well-represented at the Olympics
Eighty-nine former and current players and coaches from the ACC will participate in the 2008 Summer Olympics -- including 50 who will represent the United States. ACC players and coaches will participate in 15 medal-awarding sports for 23 countries. North Carolina leads the ACC contingent with 20 representatives. -- Jeff White

 

Miclat picks Baltimore bucks
By Jay Jenkins
Published: July 30, 2008

Barring an unusual turn of events, Virginia shortstop Greg Miclat will land a new job title today.

Miclat, a fifth-round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles, is scheduled to meet with team officials today in Maryland, undergo a full physical and then expects to sign a contract, accomplishing his life-long dream of becoming a professional baseball player.

Taken with the 142nd pick overall, Miclat is expected to ink a deal with a signing bonus of $225,000, which will be the largest bonus received thus far by a fifth-round pick. He said he plans to leave Sunday to report to the Orioles’ Gulf Coast League team in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The signing bonus, while less than Miclat originally demanded, was too much to pass up.

“It wasn’t what I originally wanted, but it was too much of a gamble if I came back,” Miclat said. “It was a really hard decision. I had two great options either way. It came down to that I felt I was ready to start my professional career.”

Miclat, who turned 21 last week, would become the fifth Cavalier to sign this summer and the third with eligibility remaining. Underclassmen David Adams (New York Yankees) and Jeremy Farrell (Pittsburgh Pirates) inked deals shortly after the draft, as did senior pitchers Pat McAnaney (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Michael Schwimer (Philadelphia Philles).

Right-handed pitcher Jacob Thompson, a fifth-round pick of the Atlanta Braves, is the lone Cavalier that has not inked a contract thus far. The two parties have until Aug. 15 to agree.

During his time at Virginia, Miclat served as a poster child for the program, tying the school’s career record with 83 stolen bases and posted the single-season record in the category in 2007 with 32. The North Carolina native also ranks seventh in career runs scored (156) and 13th in career hits (209).

“Greg has always been a very unselfish team player and I know this baseball program means a lot for him,” said Virginia coach Brian O’Connor, “but at the end of the day he needs to do what is best for his future. We are truly excited for Greg to open this chapter in his career.”

Miclat met with O’Connor and associate head coach Kevin McMullan on Wednesday to relay his intentions.

“I was nervous about telling them, but they made it a lot more comfortable,” Miclat said. “The coaches at Virginia are a great group of men. There’s not anything that I can say to really describe what they have meant to me.”

Miclat said his decision was easier based on his progression towards his degree at Virginia. He will likely need to return for only one fall semester to complete the requirements.

Without Miclat back in the fold, Virginia likely take a look at a host of infielders at shortstop in the fall. Rising junior Tyler Cannon, redshirt sophomore Corey Hunt and sophomore Phil Gosselin gained collegiate experience at the spot as Miclat worked to regain arm strength after undergoing surgery with Dr. James Andrews at the end of the 2007 season.

It also remains unclear how many of the incoming recruits will sign. It is expected that the negotiations with outfielder Peter Hissey and the Boston Red Sox will land a seven-figure signing bonus and first baseman prospect Tyler Massey signed July 22 with the Colorado Rockies.

Massey, who is from Chattanooga, Tenn., signed for a $525,000 signing bonus, the largest amount given thus far to a player selected after the 10th round, according to Baseball America.

 

Dunn leaves Virginia to accept Stanford position
By The Daily Progress Staff
Published: July 30, 2008

For the second time in a week, the University of Virginia is losing a head coach.

On Wednesday, six days after the resignation of track and field coach Randy Bungard, University of Virginia Athletics Director Craig Littlepage announced the resignation of head cross country coach Jason Dunn. Dunn, who was also an assistant coach under Bungard with the Cavaliers’ track and field program for eight years, has accepted the position of head cross country coach at Stanford University.

“Jason has been an important figure in advancing our women’s and men’s cross country programs,” Littlepage said. “He is a hard worker, he has represented UVa’s program well, and we wish him the best of luck with the opportunity at Stanford.”

In his four seasons at the helm of the Cavaliers’ cross country program, Dunn led the men’s team to two ACC team championships and saw two of his runners earn ACC freshman of the year honors. He was honored as the 2005 and 2007 ACC men’s cross country coach of the year.

“The University of Virginia is an outstanding institution on so many levels,” Dunn said. “I will forever value the experience gained and the relationships developed during my time here. I wish to thank Randy Bungard for giving me this opportunity eight years ago and the athletic administration for all of their support during my tenure.”

Dunn coached UVa teams to the NCAA Championships on eight occasions in as many years. In 2005, both the men’s and women’s squads advanced to the NCAA Championships, marking the first time in school history both teams qualified for the championships in the same season.

Dunn coached five All-Americans, 28 All-ACC selections and 40 All-Region honorees in his time with Virginia’s cross country program. He guided Virginia athletes to seven All-America honors, 12 ACC championships and 55 All-ACC performances.