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Groh: Hagans ?in the mix? at quarterback
 By JOHN GALINSKY / Daily Progress staff writer
Aug 23, 2002

 
Virginia football coach Al Groh said junior Matt Schaub likely will remain as starting quarterback, though he did not rule out switching to redshirt freshman Marques Hagans, who sparked the Cavaliers off the bench during Thursday's 35-29 loss to Colorado State in the 2002 season opener.

Asked if Schaub would start against No. 3 Florida State on Aug. 31, Groh said Friday, "I would think so, but I'll have to see. There's a number of these positions I want to take under review."

Even if Hagans does not start, Groh said, "I'm sure he'll be in the mix each week."

Schaub was expected to have a stranglehold on the starting job after Bryson Spinner elected to transfer last December. Schaub and Spinner each started six games a year ago.

Groh praised Schaub throughout the spring and preseason, saying the quarterback had made good progress. But the coach also planned on using the 5-foot-10 Hagans, who is seven inches shorter but much quicker than Schaub, as a change of pace to mix up Colorado State's defense.

It worked.

Hagans entered the game on Virginia's fourth series and promptly led the Cavaliers 47 yards to their first touchdown. He completed his only pass on the drive, a 12-yarder to tight end Heath Miller, and ran four times for 28 yards, including a 1-yard score on an option keeper.

"Hagans really caught us off-balance," said Rams coach Sonny Lubick. "He's quick. Getting to the outside on the option was something we did not expect."

One person in the Scott Stadium crowd who was not surprised was Fork Union Military Academy coach John Shuman, who sat on the hillside with many of his players. Hagans played at FUMA two years ago and produced nearly 3,000 yards of offense.

"I was telling the guys as we were sitting over there, 'If they put Marques in, you'll see a definite change in the speed of the game,'" Shuman said. "Sure enough, they put him in and he led them down for a score. It didn't shock me one bit."

Schaub ended up playing seven series, while Hagans was on the field for six. Both directed a pair of touchdown drives, though Hagans was the more effective passer and runner.

Hagans completed 10 of 13 passes for 120 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. He ran 11 times for 45 yards. Three of his drives ended with fumbles.

Schaub completed 8 of 14 passes for 73 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown strike to Miller on the opening drive of the third quarter. He lost 12 yards on a pair of sacks.

Each quarterback committed a crucial turnover late in the game. With under four minutes remaining and Virginia trailing 32-29, Schaub's pass sailed well behind intended receiver Billy McMullen. CSU cornerback Dexter Wynn made the interception and returned the ball to the UVa 4.

After another field goal made it 35-29, Groh sent in Hagans for the final drive with 2:06 left. In nine plays, he marched the Cavaliers 79 yards to the brink of a game-winning touchdown.

But on the 10th play, he sprinted to his right and was tackled, fumbling the football as he lunged toward the end zone. It was recovered by Rams safety David Vickers at the 1-yard line with 10 seconds remaining.

"When I talked to Marques after the game," Shuman said, "he told me, 'Coach, I should have closed it out. I should have won the game. But, hey, I'll get better.'

"I know he will. He's a hard-working guy and he's a leader. I just hope he keeps getting a chance to show it."

 

 

 

Groh’s secret is out: Hagans, true freshmen are dangerous

By BOB MOLINARO, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 24, 2002

Al Groh pulled a fast one on Colorado State when he brought speedy freshman Marques Hagans off the bench early in Thursday night’s football game.

Pulled a fast one, too, on the media and Cavalier fans, who right up to kickoff had been led to believe that Matt Schaub was Virginia’s game-day, full-time, sink-or-swim quarterback.

The move to Hagans, on only U.Va.’s fourth possession, “kind of caught us off balance,” Rams coach Sonny Lubick admitted.

No wonder. Since the beginning of preseason camp, Groh held daily weekday teleconferences with the media. Nary a subject, vital or mundane, was not touched upon in these redundant media sessions.

Amazing, then, that Vir­­ginia’s Great Communicator somehow neglected to mention that he envisioned liberal playing time for Hagans in the Hampton freshman’s first college game. Must have just slipped his mind.

“The plan was to use him,” Groh said following Colorado State’s 35-29 victory.

But another part of the game plan was to keep everybody in the dark. Wonder if Schaub was in on the secret or was blindsided, because he had been telling reporters leading up to the opener that this was his team, his job.

Maybe a subtle scene is instructive: Just before Hagans led U.Va. downfield on the final drive that fell a yard short of the end zone, Schaub grabbed the rookie by the shoulder pads and offered advice.

Said Hagans: “He wanted me to know I could do it.”

Hagans said after the game that he knew all along he was going to play.

“Once I was in there,” he added, “I just wanted to do what I could to stay in the game.”

He did well enough passing and running the ball that when Groh continued alternating quarterbacks in the fourth quarter, Schaub’s reappearances were met with boos from many in the crowd of 57,120 at Scott Stadium.

Schaub is more experienced, but his passing doesn’t rock a defense back on its heels like Hagans’ speed and versatility do.

“He’s quick,” Lubick said of U.Va.’s Thursday-night surprise. “Getting to the outside on the option was something we did not expect.”

What was most noticeable about this raw U.Va. team is the overall improved quickness on offense created by the presence of Hagans and freshmen tailbacks Wali Lundy and Michael Johnson. Another quality that stands out right now is their uncommon — or is it unconscious? — confidence.

The quickest of them all, Johnson of Newport News ran for 37 yards on only five carries from scrimmage and returned a punt 38 yards.

“You’ve seen a glimpse of the future,” he said, adding that he “felt right at home out there, like I was back in Newport News.”

Lundy, from Willingboro, N.J., also wasted no time introducing himself, rushing for 94 yards on 20 carries and catching two passes for 20 yards.

“Wali is a baller,” Johnson said. “He impressed me.”

Unimpressive were U.Va.’s five turnovers and the Cavaliers’ phantom tackling, lapses Florida State can be counted on to deal with more harshly than Colorado State did.

Meanwhile, people will want to know if, after just one game, U.Va.’s quarterback situation is back to where it was last year when Schaub shared the job with the since-transferred Bryson Spinner. No doubt, the Great Communicator will have something to say on the subject, for those who care to take him at his word.

It’s a coach’s prerogative to keep the opposition and media off balance. Gone, though, is U.Va.’s element of surprise when Hagans is in the game.

It’s also unlikely that the confident freshmen will feel quite as home in Tallahassee next Saturday. Hagans and the others are exciting arrivals at U.Va. Just don’t expect them to look as quick against Florida State.

 

 

UVa falters near Rams' goal line
Colorado State starts its go-ahead drive on its own 4-yard line, and Virginia fumbles near the end zone on its last offensive play.

By DOUG DOUGHTY
THE ROANOKE TIMES

   CHARLOTTESVILLE - Nothing good happened for Virginia in the vicinity of Colorado State's 3- or 4-yard line Thursday night.

    The Rams' 3-yard line was the starting point for UVa's last offensive play, which resulted in a fumble by quarterback Marques Hagans that Colorado State recovered near its goal line.

    Earlier in the quarter, Colorado State had found itself with a first-and-32 at its 4-yard line, only to drive 68 yards for Jeff Babcock's go-ahead, 46-yard field goal in a 35-29 victory at Scott Stadium.

    Veteran Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick didn't try to calculate the odds of converting a first-and-32. They might have been astronomical.

    "I thought that was it," Lubick said. "It looked like we were going to have to punt the ball from our 15 and it had been a while since we had stopped them."

    A screen pass on first down resulted in a 6-yard gain; then quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt had back-to-back completions to Joe Cuppari for 16 and 11 yards, the second one just past the first-down marker.

    Two more first downs were all Colorado State needed to set up Babcock, a redshirt sophomore with no field-goal attempts before he converted five Thursday night.

    "We didn't know who our kicker would be coming into the game," Lubick said. "The [46-yarder] didn't look like it was going, but all of a sudden, it went through."

    Van Pelt, son of former New York Giants star Brad Van Pelt, completed 17 of 27 passes for 229 yards and one touchdown. Tailback Cecil Sapp, who missed the entire 2001 season after the removal of a benign tumor, carried 25 times for a career-high 179 yards and two TDs.

    Sapp's 72-yard touchdown run with 10:48 remaining in the second quarter enabled the Rams to overcome an early 7-6 deficit en route to a 19-7 halftime advantage.

    Sapp, seemingly stopped at the line of scrimmage, bounced outside and pulled away from UVa safety Shernard Newby in a race down the middle of the field.

    "I thought, at a number of positions, that we could have defended that play more precisely," Groh said.

    The Cavaliers, despite three first-half fumbles, took a 29-22 lead early in the fourth quarter and were in the position to win the game if they had been able to stop Colorado State.

    The Rams needed only three plays to go 60 yards for the touchdown that made it 29-29 with 10:18 left. At the time, Virginia's three-man defensive line consisted of fourth-year junior Justin Walker, who had not played in a game before Thursday night, and freshmen Kwakou Robinson and Braden Campbell.

    "For obvious reasons, I was a little bit concerned that we might be a little bit over our head there," Groh said. "What bothered me more was that we weren't more dominant at some of the other [defensive] positions."

    Of the 52 UVa players who saw action, 17 had not played in a college game, including five redshirt freshmen and 10 true freshmen.

    The biggest surprise might have been Hagans, a 5-foot-10 redshirt freshman who replaced starter Matt Schaub on three occasions, the last time after Schaub was intercepted before the Babcock field goal that made it a six-point game with 2:20 left.

    Hagans needed six plays to move the Cavaliers from their 18-yard line to the Colorado State 7, and there was no doubt the Rams were reeling when they called timeout - against Lubick's wishes - on third-and-goal from the 3.

    "I thought that was in our favor," Groh said. "It gave us a chance to discuss some different circumstances and to call two plays. We also reminded them that the play had to finish in the end zone, either with an incomplete pass or a touchdown."

    Hagans rolled to his right, sensed the Colorado State rush descending on him, and took off for the goal line. When he was upended at the 3, Hagans chose to "fling" the ball forward, but the Rams' David Vickers recovered.

    It was one of the few noticeable mistakes by Hagans, a strong-armed option threat who rushed 11 times for 45 yards and completed 10 of 13 passes for another 120.

    When asked if he will start Schaub next week against third-ranked Florida State, Groh responded with a mildly convincing "I would think so."

    Of the four tailbacks who got in the game, starter Marquis Weeks had the least action, with one carry for 2 yards. Freshman Wali Lundy carried 20 times for a team-high 94 yards and had 184 all-purpose yards, counting returns and receptions.

    Sophomore Alvin Pearman, the third UVa tailback to see action, fumbled a punt as soon as he got in the game but scored two touchdowns and had two receptions for 37 yards on the Cavaliers' fateful last drive.

    UVa rushed for 221 yards, its high in the 13-game Groh era.

    "We've got a lot of great tailbacks in here," said Pearman, the Cavaliers' leading rusher in 2001. "It's going to be like this for the rest of my career and pretty much for the rest of these young guys' careers. Coach [Groh] is going to play the hot hand, move the ball around and keep us all fresh."

 

 

In-state players reportedly favor Tech

UVa popular with out-of-state prospects

By DOUG DOUGHTY
 Exclusive to roanoke.com by 5 p.m. Fridays
If he preseason edition of SuperPrep magazine is any indication, a smallish Virginia Tech recruiting class should be dominated by in-state players.

Virginia, on the other hand, is continuing to establish a strong out-of-state presence under second-year coach Al Groh.

Of the 278 players on SuperPrep's preseason All-American team, two have committed to UVa and another 26 list the Cavaliers among the programs they are considering.

The two players who have committed to UVa are Kevin McCabe, rated the No. 15 quarterback in the preseason, and Robbie Catterton, the No. 29 defensive back on SuperPrep's list.

The Hokies have a commitment from one preseason SuperPrep All-American, Centreville's Matt Welsh, rated the No. 38 offensive lineman in the country. The Hokies are listed with 13 uncommitted SuperPrep All-Americans, two of whom are said to be favoring Tech, linebacker Xavier Adibi and his Phoebus High School teammate, defensive back Phillip Brown.

Preseason All-Americans said to be favoring Virginia are Robinson defensive back Chase Anastasio, Bethel defensive end Chris Ellis and New Castle, Pa., defensive lineman Allen Billyk.

As the state of Virginia correspondent for SuperPrep, I know that publisher Allen Wallace tries to list a favorite for each player. I also know, when I ask the in-state prospects for their favorite, most of them swear they're undecided.

It's possible that Wallace is more persistent in pursuing these favorites, but, in the case of Ellis, I got no sense in a July phone conversation that he was leaning to Virginia. Ellis had just been to UVa's camp and returned home with a heightened interest in the Cavaliers, but he said nothing to indicate he had a favorite.

When Ellis visited Tech at the start of preseason workouts, it clearly gave the Hokies a bump. One of the most important factors in Ellis' recruiting is his relationship with former Bethel teammate Jimmy Williams, a freshman safety for the Hokies.

Virginia may live to regret its decision to let Williams slide last winter, when it appeared he might be leaning to the Cavaliers. Williams was not a qualifier at the time and the Cavaliers worried they were accepting commitments from too many players who might end up in prep schools.

As subsequent developments showed, UVa did lose three signees to prep schools, but Williams made the required score on the final standardized-test date. Not only was Williams one of the early standouts among Tech's signees, but eventually he could help them get Ellis.

AMONG THE IN-STATE prospects said to be favoring Tech are Turner Ashby tight end Nick Marshman, rated 14th by SuperPrep; No. 15 Justin Bell, a tight end from Mount Vernon; No. 19 Brett Warren, a linebacker from Mount Vernon, and No. 31 Larry Williams, a defensive back from Highland Springs.

Wallace lists Bell as an 80-percent Virginia Tech "lean." I would expect the Hokies to get Warren, whose older brother, Blake, is a redshirt freshman for the Hokies. As for Williams, he had been not been offered a scholarship by Tech the last time I checked, although Highland Springs coach Scott Burton says Williams has some offers, which he was not divulging at the time.

SuperPrep says that Tech is the leader for offensive lineman Tripp Carroll, a preseason All-American from Charlotte, N.C., and a co-leader with Mississippi for Milford, Ohio, fullback Joey Razzano. Razzano is the son of ex-Hokies linebacker Rick Razzano, but his older brother, Rick Jr., plays fullback for Ole Miss.

SuperPrep also lists Tech as the favorite for Miami Central quarterback Courtney Denson, which is a good-news, bad-news development for the Hokies, considering that Denson made an oral commitment to them this summer. Yet, even in confirming Denson's commitment, his coach speculated that other schools would continue to recruit him.

VIRGINIA WAS LISTED as the leader for preseason SuperPrep All-American Jermaine Dias, one of a dozen or more Cavalier targets out of New Jersey (see Thursday's UVa Insider), but more recent reports indicate that North Carolina is making a strong run for Dias, rated the No. 4 linebacker in the country.

Other players said to be favoring UVa include quarterbacks Travis Johnson from Annandale and Mike Loree from Morristown, N.J., as well as 6-3, 323-pound offensive and defensive lineman Abraham Holloway from Prentiss, Miss., of all places.

Johnson and Loree both attended camp at UVa, as did preseason All-America quarterback T.C. Ostrander from Atherton, Calif, but none of them was offered and it is unclear whether Virginia will take another quarterback after getting a commitment from McCabe.

Ramapo, N.J., place-kicker Rick Krautman also told SuperPrep that he favors Virginia, which is his parents' preference, but the Cavaliers have three place-kickers, none proven but all with at least two more years of eligibility.

UVa is also listed with Fort Lauderdale, Fla., place-kicker Jay Ottoveggio, as is Tech with Deerfield Beach, Fla., punter and place-kicker Christian Koegel, but Tech insiders say that Tech's kicking situation is looking better than ever with freshmen Nic Schmitt and Brandon Pace bringing out the best in the veterans.

BIG EAST SCHOOLS getting commitments from SuperPrep preseason All-Americans include Miami, which landed the nation's No. 29 and 34 defensive lineman, respectively, in Dave Howell (6-5, 293) from Palm Beach, Fla., and Brian Pata (6-4, 280) from Miami; Syracuse, which got the No. 34 linebacker in Vincenzo Giruzzi (6-3, 215) from Utica, N.Y.; Boston College, which got the No. 9 "skilled" athlete in Ryan Glasper from Southington, Conn., and Rutgers, which landed the No. 23 offensive lineman in Pedro Sosa (6-5, 266) from Union Hill, N.J.

IN THE ACC, North Carolina received commitments from the nation's No. 5 wide receiver in Mike Mason from Rocky Mount, N.C., and the No. 10 defensive lineman in Marcus Hands (6-6, 250) from Wilmington, N.C.; Florida State got the No. 9 offensive lineman, John Frady (6-4, 275) from Jacksonville, Fla.; and N.C. State got the No. 8 "skilled" athlete, 6-3, 195-pound Chris Hawkins, an option quarterback from Henderson, N.C.

UNDER THE rich-get-richer category, Miami is the favorite for SuperPrep's No. 1-rated quarterback, 6-4, 200-pound Kyle Wright, and Florida State for the No. 2 QB, 6-6, 216-pound Tommy Grady. Both are from California, which also happens to be the home of the current Miami and Florida State quarterbacks, Ken Dorsey and Chris Rix, respectively.

 

 

Who will be at QB?
Debate returns for Cavs' Schaub
 
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER		 Aug 24, 2002
 
CHARLOTTESVILLE - Matt Schaub entered the season-opening Jim Thorpe Classic as Virginia's No. 1 quarterback. He walked out of Scott Stadium late Thursday knowing his grip on the starting job was no longer as firm.

Schaub, a junior who started six games in 2001, passed for only 73 yards in U.Va.'s 35-29 loss to Colorado State. He threw a touchdown pass in the third quarter, but his final attempt - with less than four minutes left - didn't come close to intended receiver Billy McMullen. Rams cornerback Dexter Wynn picked off Schaub's errant toss and returned it 46 yards to the Virginia 4-yard line.

The top quarterback against CSU - and the new darling of Wahoo fans - was unquestionably Marques Hagans. The 5-10, 202-pound redshirt freshman from Hampton completed 10 of 13 passes for 120 yards. Receivers dropped two of his passes, one of which likely would have resulted in a 54-yard touchdown play.

Hagans also carried 11 times for 45 yards and a touchdown and threw a two-point conversion pass to McMullen.

This was supposed to be the game in which Schaub finally established himself as Virginia's offensive leader after spending all of last season in a contest for the No. 1 job with former Cav Bryson Spinner. Instead, he opened the door for Hagans.

"These are the circumstances that particularly test quarterbacks, as much anything," second-year coach Al Groh told reporters last night. "That's certainly out there for him to deal with."

Asked if Schaub was likely to start Aug. 31 at Florida State, Groh said, "I would think so, but we'll have to wait and see. There are a number of positions I want to take under review."

Wali Lundy, who replaced Marquis Weeks at tailback after U.Va.'s first series, carried 20 times for 94 yards. That's believed to be the most rushing yards ever by a Virginia true freshman in his debut.

Also, outside linebacker Darryl Blackstock took over for starter Dennis Haley in the first half and played much of the game. Blackstock, a true freshman, finished with six tackles, including two for losses. One was a sack. Haley wasn't credited with any tackles in the postgame statistics.

In all, 10 true freshmen played for U.Va., and they were remarkably effective.

"I think Virginia's going to be a fine football team, though this year they might take a few lumps along the way," Rams coach Sonny Lubick said. "But they're going to surprise some people this year, and their future's good."

A year ago, three Cavaliers suffered serious injuries in the opener at Wisconsin: linebacker Merrill Robertson and running backs Antwoine Womack and Brandon Isaiah. The oppressive humidity sapped the players Thursday, but Groh said his team is certainly "much better prepared or able to go on to our second game than we were after our first game last year."

The Cavs tackled poorly, broke down repeatedly in the secondary, had five turnovers, surrendered two long touchdowns and allowed Colorado State to climb out of a first-and-32 hole deep in its territory. Yet they still nearly prevailed.

Starting at his 18 with 2:20 left and the score 35-29, Hagans directed a drive that ended near the Rams' goal line. On third and goal from the 3, following a CSU timeout, Hagans had the option to run or pass. He sprinted right, then cut toward the end zone.

"One of the things we talked about was, 'This play either has to finish in the end zone or incomplete. It can't finish on the field,'" Groh said. "Unfortunately, it finished on the field."

Hagans was hit around the 3 and lost the ball. CSU recovered at the 1 with 10 seconds left.

"He's a pretty bold player," Groh said. "He's got a good level of self-confidence. I think it's that mentality and that self-confidence that got the ball down there in the first place. I don't second-guess what he did."

 

 

Hagans Stirs Cavaliers' Quarterback Mix
 
   

By Jim Reedy
Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, August 24, 2002; Page D05

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Aug. 23 -- Less than three weeks ago, Virginia Coach Al Groh said he was glad last season's quarterback platoon was a thing of the past. Redshirt junior Matt Schaub would be the Cavaliers' quarterback after splitting time last season with Bryson Spinner, who transferred to the University of Richmond. Many Virginia players suggested it might be easier to run a high-powered passing game when receivers and blockers can get used to the tendencies of one man.

But 15 minutes into Thursday night's season opener against Colorado State, Groh began to alternate quarterbacks, bringing in redshirt freshman Marques Hagans.

Though the Cavaliers lost, 35-29, Hagans enjoyed an auspicious debut that Groh said should earn him regular playing time next weekend at Florida State. Hagans's individual numbers were generally superior to Schaub's: He was 10 of 13 passing for 120 yards and ran for 45 yards while Schaub was 8 of 14 for 73 and 45 yards and minus-12 yards rushing.

Hagans's impact on the Virginia offense as a whole -- in roughly the same amount of playing time as Schaub -- was perhaps most startling. The Cavaliers gained 301 yards and 18 first downs when he was in the game, compared to 113 yards and seven first downs when Schaub was in.

"He did do a nice job when he was in there," Groh said of Hagans. "Our plan [Thursday] was to use him, because he brings some skills to the team, and I'm sure we'll continue to do that in the future."

Groh said this afternoon he anticipates Schaub will start in Tallahassee on Aug. 31, though he added that he plans to review a number of starting spots, including quarterback, in the nine days before the FSU game.

Hagans and Schaub give the Cavaliers two distinct options at quarterback, even more so than Spinner and Schaub did last season. Schaub is more of a pocket passer, whereas the 5-foot-10 Hagans, according to Fork Union Military Academy Coach John Shuman, might be the best athlete produced by Fork Union's highly regarded postgraduate football program.

"He's kind of a change of pace for us, a little bit different style of play, so it gives us a chance to mix things up somewhat," Groh said.

For Schaub, who did not address the media after the game, the task might be retaining his confidence after Thursday's shaky performance, which concluded late in the fourth quarter when his wildly overthrown pass became an easy interception for Colorado State.

"These are the circumstances that most particularly test quarterbacks," Groh said. "That certainly is out there for him to deal with."

 

 

Here we go again
This season's Cavaliers QB controversy: Hagans or Schaub?


By Dave Johnson
Daily Press

Published August 24, 2002

Choosing his words carefully, Virginia coach Al Groh called Marques Hagans' debut Thursday night "pleasingly positive." But Groh added he expects junior Matt Schaub to remain the Cavaliers' starting quarterback for at least another week.

Uncertainty at the position was supposed to be a thing of the past for Groh, who last season juggled Schaub and Bryson Spinner from the first day of spring drills to the final game. But with Schaub's shaky performance in a 35-29 loss to Colorado State, and with Hagans showing unexpected poise and leadership, the topic is back.

For now, that part of the depth chart remains unchanged.

"I would think so," Groh said Friday afternoon when asked if Schaub would start next week's game at Florida State. "But we'll have to wait and see. There are a number of positions I'll want to take under review."

Schaub, who also started last season's opener at Wisconsin, was 8-of-14 for 73 yards Thursday night. He threw a crucial interception, setting up a Rams' field goal with 4 minutes, 7 seconds remaining that broke a 29-all tie.

Hagans, a redshirt freshman from Hampton High, completed 10-of-13 passes for 120 yards. He added 45 rushing yards, giving the Cavaliers' offense a dimension it doesn't get with Schaub. The lone blemish on Hagans' night came when he fumbled at the goal line with 10 seconds remaining.

Though he played one less series, Hagans was more productive. The offense had nearly three times as many first downs (18-7) and yards (301-113) with Hagans under center. Part of that, of course, might have been the element of surprise.

"He kind of caught us off-balance when he came in the game," Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick said. "He's quick."

Groh said he had planned to get Hagans in the game, though he had no specific script. Hagans entered with 14:47 remaining in the second quarter, after three Schaub-led drives netted 30 yards and no points. Hagans immediately led Virginia on an eight-play, 44-yard touchdown drive that erased a 6-0 Rams lead. He accounted for 40 of those yards himself.

"He's a play maker," tailback Alvin Pearman said. "He's a wonderful asset to our team."

Hagans continued to click on the next two possessions, but his receivers let him down by fumbling at the end of receptions. Schaub directed a couple of short touchdown drives to start the third quarter, then Hagans engineered a 10-play, 79-yard march for another TD.

After Colorado State went ahead 32-29 with 4:07 left, back came Schaub. On second down, he badly overthrew Billy McMullen and was intercepted by cornerback Dexter Wynn, setting up another field goal. Hagans took over for the final possession and had Virginia within three yards of potential victory. But on third-and-goal from the 3, he fumbled on a rollout. CSU recovered about six inches outside the goal line.

As for Schaub, Groh says this could be a critical time for him.

"These are circumstances that most particularly test a quarterback," he said. "Certainly that's out there for him to deal with."