Everything about his first college football practice, quarterback Kevin
McCabe said, was "10 times faster" than his high school practices.
"Whew," said nose tackle Keenan Carter. "That was intense, very intense."
The first day of the preseason practice period is always hardest on a team's
true freshmen, and that was especially true Wednesday for Virginia's
newcomers. Unlike previous years, when first-year players attended a three-day
camp before the official start of practice, the freshmen did not get a head
start this summer.
For that, UVa coach Al Groh sarcastically thanks the "geniuses in the NCAA"
who abolished the freshman camp and instituted a five-day acclimation period
that all players go through together.
During the new acclimation period, players may wear helmets the first two
days, then add shoulder pads the next two days. On the fifth day, they can use
helmets and full pads. A team may hold no more than 29 on-field practices
before its opener and there can not be two-a-day practices on consecutive
days.
The biggest problem with the rule, Groh said, is that freshmen lose the
personal attention that speeds up their learning process. Working alone with
the coaches for three days, they could better prepare themselves for the
rigors ahead.
"This is supposed to have been done for 'student-athlete welfare,'" Groh said.
"It's not really in the welfare of the player not to know what the hell to do,
but I guess it's all in terms of how you interpret 'welfare.'"
Instead, UVa's first-year players - more than 30 strong, including walk-ons -
participated in their initial practice alongside the upperclassmen. The
session lasted three hours, including a battery of sprints that left many
players, young and old, bent over in exhaustion.
"It was a shock," said linebacker Jermaine Dias. "I've never had a test like
that before."
Some freshmen said they were struck by the speed, intensity and structure of
their first practice under Groh and his staff.
"It's a big adjustment from high school to college in terms of the pace of
practice," receiver Fontel Mines said. "It's much tougher in terms of
conditioning and endurance. It's hard, but it gets you ready for the season."
"It's more organized than in high school," said offensive lineman Eddie
Pinigis. "You do one thing right after another."
Nearly all of the freshmen started preparing themselves early in the summer,
both academically and athletically. Many took summer-school courses at UVa,
and almost everyone took part in the team's strength-and-conditioning program.
McCabe, a highly rated prospect from Wexford, Pa., also slept on Matt Schaub's
couch for several days and picked the ACC player of the year's brain. He
especially wanted to learn the offense's terminology and schemes.
"You can't really show your natural talents until you know how the whole
system works," said McCabe, who worked with the third-team offense Wednesday.
"Matt taught me some of the lingo. He helped show me how to go out and excel
at a high level like he does. He's where I want to be."
Groh said he would not accommodate the freshmen at the expense of the veteran
players. Preparations for the Aug. 30 opener will remain swift, he said, and
the first-year players will have to try to get up to speed.
"The only alternative is to slow the whole team down and obviously we can't
afford to do that," Groh said.
Some freshmen said they would have preferred a three-day rookie camp of their
own, but Carter said he liked being thrown in with the vets. "The older kids
work really hard and that makes me work harder," he said.
Linebacker Vince Redd said he thought he knew what to expect from training
camp. "But it's never what you think it's going to be," he said. "The pace of
everything was so quick, it was hard, but the older guys were all helping me
out."
For many of the freshmen, including center Jordy Lipsey, it was a dizzying
first day of meetings, academic orientation and practice.
"I loved it, but I'm happy it's over," Lipsey said.
A year ago, D'Brickashaw Ferguson was like most freshmen reporting for
their first college football practice. "Pretty clueless," he said.
Ferguson realized that things would be much more rigorous and challenging than
they were in high school, and had prepared himself accordingly. Still, he
says, it "came as a shock" to find out what college football is all about -
all the meetings, the weight-lifting sessions, the practices, the games, the
difficulty in maintaining good grades and some semblance of a social life.
"College is not high school," said the cerebral left tackle. "I didn't really
get comfortable with it all until spring ball. By the end of the spring, I
felt like I had a clue about everything."
Many of Virginia's true freshmen football players felt the same way last year,
that their first season was a bit of a blur and an intense learning
experience. Yet, collectively, they were not overwhelmed.
As a class, the freshmen made a major impact during last year's surprisingly
successful 9-5 season. Fourteen of them saw game action, with several filling
major roles.
Ferguson started all 14 games, a remarkable feat for an 18-year-old offensive
lineman. Wali Lundy started nine games at tailback and set an ACC freshman
record with 1,670 all-purpose yards. Outside linebacker Darryl Blackstock also
broke a conference freshman mark with 10 sacks. Tom Hagan handled all of the
punting duties, while Connor Hughes became the starting kicker by the end of
the season.
"We went from boys to men in a matter of weeks," Blackstock said. "You get
thrown in there, you better grow up fast. We did that as a class, but I can
tell you we're not satisfied. Doing what we did last year isn't good enough.
We're striving to get better. We never settle for OK."
As the Cavaliers gather for the start of the 2003 preseason practice period
today, they are expecting great things from their sophomores. Players
typically make their most progress between their first and second seasons in a
program, having gone through a full year of games, practices and offseason
conditioning while getting acclimated to college life.
On the other hand, things also get more difficult in some ways. There is
pressure on the sophomores to surpass their achievements as freshmen.
Opponents also can game-plan for them more effectively.
"The freshmen did a great job last year, but no one really knew them. I think
that helped them," said senior quarterback Matt Schaub. "Now they're a known
entity. They're on film. People are watching them, looking at their
tendencies. They're not going to surprise anyone. So what they have to do is
get better and find different ways to accomplish their goals and be
successful."
Most of them have done that. Ferguson and Blackstock, for example, were
undersized for their positions a year ago. Ferguson has gained 10-15 pounds
since last season, while Blackstock is about 25 pounds heavier.
"All of us are up in size," Blackstock said. "Physically and mentally, we're
all more prepared. Last year I didn't really know the defense that well.
Learning it is really easy; perfecting it is real rough. This year my thing is
to be in the perfect spot on every running play and every coverage."
Second-year players still have a lot to learn compared to those in their
fourth and fifth years in a program. Nevertheless, the Cavaliers figure to
rely heavily on a class that also includes likely starters Willie Davis
(safety), Brad Butler (tackle) and Kwakou Robinson (defensive end), as well as
tailback/kick returner Michael Johnson, fullback Jason Snelling, and defensive
linemen Braden Campbell and D.J. Bell.
In addition, several players who redshirted last year are expected to assume
key roles this season. That group includes linebacker Kai Parham, safety Lance
Evans, cornerback Marcus Hamilton, cornerback/kick returner Tony Franklin and
quarterback Anthony Martinez. UVa coach Al Groh said those players are among
the most talented in their class, but different circumstances kept them off
the field last year.
As a group, the second-year players sure aren't expecting a sophomore jinx.
"Until you actually go through a year of college football, you're ignorant as
to what will occur," Ferguson said. "Now we know what it takes to be
successful on and off the field. We know what to expect from our coaches. We
know what to expect from the crowd. We know what to expect from ourselves.
"The good thing is that no one in our class is arrogant about what we
accomplished last year. Everyone is level-headed and humble about it. And now,
with a new freshman class coming in, we know we have to elevate our games and
be more mature. You can't always be a follower. You have to be a leader."
For the first time in the program’s history, more than 35,000 season
tickets have been sold for Virginia football, thanks to an aggressive new
marketing campaign and, more importantly, a team that figures to be worth
watching.
As of Thursday morning, fans had purchased 35,004 ticket packages for the 2003
season, breaking the mark of 34,378 set two years ago.
“It’s very nice. Actually, I was hoping for 40,000,” UVa coach Al Groh said.
“More important than the number of people in the stands is the energy and
intensity that they bring. I trust that the fans who are buying these tickets
will bring that type of energy and enthusiasm.”
The Cavaliers sold 31,486 season tickets last year, when they were picked to
finish eighth in the ACC. They tied for second, however, and raised
expectations for this season with 18 returning starters.
The school also ran TV, radio and print ads during the spring in an effort to
sell more football tickets, part of a strategy by Virginia’s athletic
department to expand the fan base of all the university’s teams. The spots
were created by an outside advertising agency for more than $200,000.
Season tickets remain on sale for UVa’s six home games at $190. Single-game
tickets also are available for home games with Duke (Aug. 30), Wake Forest
(Sept. 27), Troy State (Oct. 25) and Georgia Tech (Nov. 22).
The allotment of single-game tickets for Florida State (Oct. 18) and Virginia
Tech (Nov. 29) has been sold out.
Marques Hagans has played quarterback, tailback, receiver and punt
returner during his brief Virginia football career. But when the Cavaliers
opened preseason practice Wednesday, the sophomore found himself in yet
another position — flat on his back, in his own bed.
Laid up by the flu, Hagans missed the team’s initial practice but returned to
the field Thursday and Friday. After the discomfort of his illness, he
pronounced himself fit, healthy and comfortable with the role he is likely to
play this season as a full-time wideout and punt returner.
“I’m definitely excited and anxious to get going,” Hagans said. “I think it’s
going to be a lot of fun.”
After redshirting in 2001, Hagans entered last season as the backup
quarterback. He briefly earned the starting job after a strong performance in
the opener against Colorado State, but he struggled the next week against
Florida State. Matt Schaub took over and eventually became ACC player of the
year.
Hagans still saw action as a change-of-pace quarterback and also lined up at
other positions as UVa coach Al Groh found ways to get him on the field. He
became the team’s primary punt returner in Game 4 and later had bit parts as a
receiver and tailback. In the Continental Tire Bowl, he became the first
Virginia player to return a punt for a touchdown and throw a scoring pass in
the same game.
With Schaub returning for his senior season, however, Groh moved Hagans to
receiver in the spring. Though Hagans has long stated a preference for playing
quarterback, he says he welcomed the switch as an opportunity to get more
playing time.
“I just want to make plays wherever Coach Groh puts me,” he said. “It’s
whatever’s best for the team. I’ll play center if he wants to put me there.”
Generously listed at 5-foot-10, Hagans is “a real good athlete with good
athletic instincts,” Groh said. Still, moving to receiver is a tricky
transition, the coach added, “because most of his life he’s been backing up
and running away” from pass-rushers.
Since the spring, Hagans has worked on running precise routes and thinking
like a receiver.
“It was harder when I first started out,” he said. “I played a little receiver
in high school but it’s still pretty new to me. I didn’t really get
comfortable with it until this summer. In the spring I had to focus on school
and a lot of other things. This summer I’ve been able to focus pretty much
just on football.”
Hagans made several nice catches during Thursday’s practice, including a grab
going over the middle in front of linebacker Ahmad Brooks.
With his speed and elusiveness, Hagans may help the Cavaliers make up for the
absence of all-time leading receiver Billy McMullen.
“People say we don’t have a big-play receiver. I think we have a lot of guys
who can make plays,” Hagans said. “Schaub will get us the ball. We’ll make a
lot of plays and surprise a lot of people.”
Notes. Randy Jones, a once-promising defensive back who suffered serious injuries in a car accident 10 months ago, has decided to transfer. “His chances physically of playing here were pretty remote,” said Groh, who said he does not know which school Jones will attend. … Sophomore tailback Wali Lundy was taken off the field in a cart late in Friday’s practice, though it was unclear whether cramps or an injury were to blame. Groh was not available to comment after practice.
Virginia coach Pete Gillen will have the chance this season to play his
old team on his new team’s court.
The Cavaliers will host Providence College on Jan. 3 at University Hall.
Additionally, Virginia will also face Memphis on Jan. 7. The site of that game
is yet to be determined.
Gillen was the coach at Providence from 1994 to 1998 before coming to
Charlottesville.
It will actually mark the second time that Gillen has coached against his
former school. The Cavaliers defeated the Friars, 80-64, on Nov. 26, 1999, in
a consolation game of the Puerto Rico Shootout.
At the time, Gillen called facing Providence a “lose-lose” situation.
Providence was 18-14 last season and advanced to the second round of the NIT.
Memphis was 22-7 last season and lost to Arizona State in a first-round NCAA
tournament contest. If the game is scheduled in Memphis, it will be a
homecoming for sophomore Derrick Byars. Byars, a standout at Memphis’ Ridgeway
High School, picked UVa over Memphis.
In addition to facing Providence and Memphis, Virginia’s non-conference slate
includes James Madison, Loyola Marymount and Minnesota in the ACC/Big 10
Challenge.
Notes. Former Goochland player Glen Dandridge, now at Mt. Zion Academy in Durham, N.C., recently took an unofficial visit to UVa. Dandridge, a 6-foot-6 small forward, is an excellent shooter who is rated as the No. 23 swingman in the country by rivalshoops.com. Dandridge, who averaged 23 points a contest for Mt. Zion, also has Missouri, Illinois, Texas, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Clemson and Virginia Tech on his list of suitors. Virginia will have at least two scholarships to fill in this class and already received a commitment from Philadelphia point guard Sean Singletary in June. … Former Virginia lacrosse player Billy Glading is attempting to walk-on the UVa basketball team. Glading, a standout point at Gonzaga High School in Washington, would compete as a graduate student.
U.Va.'s Brooks won’t be suspended after marijuana charge
The Virginian-Pilot
© August 9, 2003
Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who pleaded no contest to a marijuana
possession charge last month, will not be suspended from any games, coach Al
Groh said Friday.
Brooks, one of the highest-rated recruits in Virginia history, has been
practicing with the team since camp opened Wednesday and will be eligible for
the season opener against Duke on Aug. 30.
Groh declined to say what disciplinary action he took against Brooks, who was
USA Today’s national high school Defensive player of the Year in 2001. Brooks,
19, spent last season at Hargrave Military Academy and enrolled at Virginia in
January 2003.
“Whatever I did was between him and me,” Groh said.
School sets a record for season tickets sold
Virginia has set a record for season tickets sold and broke the 35,000 mark on
Thursday. The previous high was 34,378 in 2001.
“It’s very nice,” Groh said. “Actually I was hoping for 40,000. Maybe we can get
to that next year.”
The capacity of Scott Stadium is 61,500.
“What’s important is not just how many people we have in the stands, but the
energy and intensity they bring,” Groh said.
Season tickets are still available, although single-game tickets for the Florida
State and Virginia Tech games are sold out.
Marcus’ innovation pays off with players Players have been outspoken in their
praise of Evan Marcus, the team’s new strength coach.
“Everybody’s gotten stronger,” said receiver Ottowa Anderson, who added 10
pounds.
Marcus, who spent the last three seasons as the New Orleans Saints’ assistant
strength coach, has brought new intensity to the team’s conditioning sessions,
as well as some innovative ideas. One week last month, Marcus brought in a
marital arts instructor to work with players.
“I look at it as something mental translated into something physical,”
linebacker Darryl Blackstock said. “It’s like building energy from within, then
exploding.”
Salem graduate Lane is practicing at cornerback
Freshman Shannon Lane, a standout receiver at Salem High last season, has been
practicing at cornerback.
The Cavaliers have three other true freshmen receivers, as well as redshirt
freshman Ron Morton, but the team has relatively few young players on the other
side of the ball.
“We’re looking to build corners,” Groh said.
U.Va. opens ''training camp'' with lots of pros
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 7, 2003
CHARLOTTESVILLE — The offseason was good to the Virginia Cavaliers. They basked
in the glow of a runaway victory in the Continental Tire Bowl, hauled in another
highly rated class of recruits, and landed in everyone who’s anyone’s pre-season
top 25.
On Wednesday, they tucked all those accolades away and began what most in
college football call preseason practice, but coach Al Groh, ever the NFL
veteran, likes to refer to as “training camp.”
“Nothing that we did last year is going to win any games this year,” Groh said,
prior to getting started. “We’ve got to go back and win ’em all over again.
“It’s time to start bringing the juice all over again.”
In good time. First, there was a conditioning test — a 300-yard shuttle run
under the hot sun. Then the Cavaliers gathered in front of a couple hundred fans
and ran through some drills and perfunctory plays in shorts, practice jerseys
and helmets. No pads were allowed, per NCAA rules, and that meant no tackling.
And, for the first time, under yet another NCAA regulation, incoming freshmen
ran through their first college practices alongside veterans, not in a separate
group.
“It was a learning experience,” said Robbie Catterton, a freshman safety from
Virginia Beach.
For many Virginia fans, the day couldn’t arrive fast enough. After last season’s
surprising 9-5 finish, and with so many players returning, expectations are
running high in Cavalier Nation.
Quarterback Matt Schaub, the returning ACC Player of the Year, is being touted
for the Heisman Trophy. Last year’s talented freshmen — linebacker Darryl
Blackstock and tailback Wali Lundy among them — are a year older and stronger.
Freshmen linebackers Ahmad Brooks and Kai Parham are expected to dive in
immediately.
“When you finish on a good note, it only builds enthusiasm for the next year,”
receiver Ottowa Anderson said.
Like many players, Anderson reported heavier and stronger, going from 185 pounds
to 195. Blackstock, who led the nation’s freshmen in sacks a year ago, bulked up
from 215 to 240. And, after thinking about it for a moment, he pronounced
himself faster as well.
Blackstock flashed his speed when he blocked a Tom Hagan punt late in practice.
Also back to his fleet self was tailback Alvin Pearman, who missed the final
five games last season with a torn knee ligament.
“He’s ready to go,” Groh said.
Not quite as ready was center Kevin Bailey, who wore a brace on his surgically
repaired knee and did not practice. Groh said he expects Bailey to practice
soon, and compete for the starting job he held before last year’s season-ending
injury. Also not participating was receiver/quarterback Marques Hagans, out with
the flu.
Schaub, the focus of so much offseason attention, said he felt like very much
the veteran, considering that Wednesday was his fifth opening day of practice
since arriving at Virginia.
“This was my last opening day, and I can definitely see that everything now from
here on out is the last,” he said. “So you’ve got take advantage of the
opportunities you have while you’re here.”
Virginia debuts with long workout
The new NCAA mandates concerning football practices annoy Virginia head coach Al
Groh.
By DOUG DOUGHTY
THE ROANOKE TIMES
CHARLOTTESVILLE - There was little time for formalities here Wednesday, although
it was the first time Virginia football coach Al Groh had seen roughly 30
percent of his players in uniform.
In past years, the freshmen would have practiced by themselves for several days
before the older players reported, but new NCAA rules have eliminated that
orientation period.
Another change has prohibited two-a-day practices until the sixth day of
training camp, so Groh took as much time as he was allotted Wednesday, three
hours.
"First time I've ever done that," said Groh, who is in his third year at
Virginia but could not remember another three-hour practice in his lengthy
tenure as an NFL coach. "Of course, this is the first time ever that the NCAA
has dictated how you practiced."
There have been guidelines in the past, but the coaches had more flexibility
than they have now.
"That's been my point all along," Groh said. "When we practiced twice a day, we
practiced each time for an hour and 50 minutes. I think that's good for players.
When you take out warm-up, stretch [and] walkthrough, that's more like an hour
and 25 minutes of action."
The team did its annual running test Wednesday and Groh does not foresee
three-hour practices on a daily basis, but he won't be doing any commercials for
the NCAA.
Developments with redshirt freshman linebacker Kai Parham, who jogged onto the
field with 30 minutes remaining in practice, got Groh started again. UVa's
summer school ends today.
"That's another aspect of this student-welfare thing," Groh said. "Now they're
trying to practice football and take exams at the same time because everything
has been moved back three days earlier. Under the old format, we would have
started practice Friday and exams would have been over."
The only prominent player conspicuous by his absence was Marques Hagans, a
sophomore return specialist and would-be wide receiver after spending the 2002
season as the Cavaliers' back-up quarterback. Groh said Hagans was bedridden
with the flu.
Redshirt freshman Kenneth Tynes, another receiver prospect, was not listed on a
roster made available to the public but is still in the program.
"He's on a sabbatical determined by Kenneth and myself," Groh said.
Groh said the coaches are anxious to see how some players fared in summer
school, but the situation is promising for Dennis Haley, a junior linebacker
from Salem who played in the 2002 opener but not again because of unresolved
academic issues.
"I've heard this song before," Groh said. "Let me say that I haven't seen any
grades, but the reports I've gotten about Dennis are positive."
Cavs winners at box office
By DOUG DOUGHTY
THE ROANOKE TIMES
With more than three weeks remaining before its football opener, Virginia
announced Thursday that it has topped the 35,000 mark in season tickets for the
first time.
"Actually, I was hoping for 40,000," UVa coach Al Groh said during one of the
teleconferences he will hold six days a week during the preseason. "Maybe we can
get to that next year."
UVa's previous high for season tickets was 34,378 in 2001, Groh's first season
as the Cavaliers' head coach. The total dropped to 31,486 last year, when
Virginia went on the road to play drawing cards Virginia Tech and Florida State.
Virginia already has sold out its home games this year with the Hokies and FSU.
"We are not finished yet," UVa ticket manager Dick Mathias said. "The fact we
have already sold over 5,000 season tickets to new customers tells me our fans
are positioning themselves not only for this season, but for the future.
"I would urge anyone interested in season tickets to make the move now."
Is it possible, three years after the completion of an expansion process, that
61,500-seat Scott Stadium may not be big enough?
"Who knows?" Mathias said. "If we have another good year, you'd have to wonder."
Mathias said he expects a total this year of between 36,000 and 37,000, with
37,000 the maximum because of "internal commitments."
Translated, legislators need to be accommodated Nov.29, when Virginia Tech will
be the opponent on Commonwealth Day.
In 2004, Mathias thinks the cap on season tickets could rise to 39,500, a level
that nobody was discussing when sales dropped before the 2002 season.
"I just think, when the stadium got bigger, that there wasn't the kind of
urgency that people are feeling now," Mathias said. "The [9-5] record last year
had a lot to do with it. The urgency is back to what it was before expansion."
EARLY IMPRESSION: Reporters who joined the public at UVa's first practice
Wednesday were struck by the physical talents of Deyon Williams, a 6-foot-3,
185-pound wide receiver who was unheralded in comparison to some of the
All-Americans in UVa's recruiting class.
"Very much so," Groh said. "Deyon was a player who was in our camp, so we had
eyeball experience with him. We had evaluated him on tape, but the person who
jumped out to you guys [Wednesday] was the same person who jumped out to us when
he was in camp.
"Here's a guy who has a chance to develop into a real good-looking college
football player. We kind of had that ate-the-canary feeling about this deal, and
hopefully he'll turn out that way. He has good ability to [run after the catch],
but in high school, he was some distance from the opposition by the time he got
the ball.
"That's good, too."
WALK-ONS GALORE: Seldom has Virginia come close to the 105-player Division I-A
limit that the NCAA sets for the preseason, mostly because school admissions
standards make it tough to attract walk-ons. However, a 105-player roster made
available to the media Wednesday included 31 walk-ons.
That does not include four scholarship players who arrived at UVa as walk-ons (
Ryan Childress, Kase Luzar, David de Laureal and John Thompson ).
Groh said he already has decided to put one or more unnamed walk-ons on
scholarship when school starts.
UVa has 74 scholarship players, not counting junior Randy Jones, a 2001 signee
who suffered serious injuries in an auto accident his freshman year and has not
played. Reserve offensive lineman Tom Howell, a fourth-year junior, did not
report this fall.
Mines is fine with Groh
He's compared to McMullen
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Aug 09, 2003
CHARLOTTESVILLE - Fontel Mines was a Hermitage High sophomore when he first
heard himself compared to Billy McMullen, the former Henrico High star who was
then starring for the University of Virginia.
That wouldn't be the last time. Four years after McMullen signed with U.Va.,
another tall, athletic, sure-handed wide receiver from Henrico County - Mines -
did the same thing.
Mines, 18, is three days into his first training camp at U.Va., and third-year
coach Al Groh says he compares "very favorably" to McMullen, now a rookie with
the Philadelphia Eagles.
"What's different is that at this time right now he's already bigger than Billy
was at any time," Groh said, "though he's obviously not as strong."
The Eagles' roster lists McMullen at 6-4, 210. Mines stands 6-5 and weighs
nearly 220 pounds, Groh said. Perhaps more impressive, Mines has displayed the
work ethic for which McMullen was renowned.
"It looks like he's going to be able to be the same kind of worker Billy was,"
Groh said, "and if he'll do that, with the frame he's got, he'll be in the
Terrell Owens, David Boston" mold of big receiver.
To be compared to McMullen, Mines said Thursday night, is "a great compliment. I
mean, what can you say? He's in the NFL now, and he's second all-time in the ACC
in catches. But you want to be your own person, and you want to go out and do
your own things and have your own accomplishments."
McMullen played as a true freshman at U.Va. in 1999. Mines would like to play
this season but said that if his coaches "feel that I need the year to gain
experience behind older players, then of course I'll take a redshirt."
U.VA. NOTES
Aug 09, 2003
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE: The University of Virginia will play host to a
quarterfinal doubleheader in next season's NCAA men's lacrosse tournament. The
games will be played May 22 or 23 at Scott Stadium. If the Cavaliers, the
reigning NCAA champions, advance to the quarterfinals, they would be assured of
playing at home.
Previously during Dom Starsia's 11-season tenure as coach, the NCAA
quarterfinals have conflicted with U.Va.'s graduation, and so the school hasn't
been able to place a bid to play host that weekend.
Before Klockner Stadium opened, Starsia's team played its home games at Scott
Stadium, which then had artificial turf. Like Klockner, it now has grass.
"It's a fun place to play games," Starsia said yesterday. "It's a great
atmosphere."
Starsia said he'll consider playing a regular-season game at Scott Stadium next
year. The Cavaliers might also play their first-round NCAA tournament game
there, he said, if they make the 16-team field and are awarded a home game.
INJURY REPORT: Near the end of yesterday's football practice, U.Va.'s third of
the summer, sophomore tailback Wali Lundy went down in obvious pain. Trainer
Ethan Saliba drove Lundy, the MVP of the Continental Tire Bowl, to the nearby
McCue Center in a cart. Cavaliers coach Al Groh wasn't available after practice
to discuss Lundy's injury.
Also yesterday, starting offensive tackle Brad Butler practiced with a cast on
his right hand.
After practicing in helmets Wednesday and Thursday, the Cavaliers added shoulder
pads yesterday. They'll go to full pads tomorrow.
HIT THE GAS: Groh's first team at U.Va., in 2001, was gritty and resilient but
not especially fast. The infusion of talent from his two most recent recruiting
classes has improved the Cavaliers' team speed dramatically.
At one point during Thursday night's practice, Groh said, he looked around and
thought to himself, "There are just so many more guys out there that can run
than there were 24 months ago."
Many are competing for high-profile special-teams assignments. Candidates to run
back punts include sophomores Marques Hagans and Michael Johnson, junior Alvin
Pearman, redshirt freshman Marcus Hamilton and true freshman Emmanuel Byers.
Kick-returners include junior Marquis Weeks, sophomores Lundy and Willie Davis
and redshirt freshman Tony Franklin.
FACES IN THE CROWD: Hargrave Military Academy postgraduate coach Robert Prunty
and his assistants attended Wednesday's practice. At Thursday night's practice
were Fork Union Military Academy's postgraduate coach, John Shuman, and his son
Ryan, a 12th-grader whom U.Va. is recruiting and who has a scholarship offer
from Virginia Tech. Ryan plays center plays for FUMA's Prep League team.
Spotted at practice yesterday was Hampton High coach Mike Smith. Five former
Crabbers play for Virginia: Smith's son Bryan, a kicker, linebacker Raymond
Mann, Hagans, cornerback Almondo Curry and offensive guard Elton Brown.
Prunty coached U.Va. freshman linebacker Ahmad Brooks at Hargrave last season.
Seven Cavaliers spent a year under Shuman: cornerbacks Curry and Jamaine
Winborne, wideouts Hagans and Art Thomas, linebacker Darryl Blackstock, center
Zac Yarbrough and nose tackle Keenan Carter.
GOOD TO GO: Brooks, recently placed on six months' probation after pleading no
contest to a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession, is eligible to play in
the Aug. 30 opener against Duke. Groh said he has handled the matter internally
and that "whatever I did is between him and me."
FIRING BACK: In an article that will appear in next week's New York magazine,
Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey is quoted as calling Bill Parcells a "homo"
after questioning how many games the Dallas Cowboys will win under their new
coach.
During his teleconference with reporters yesterday, Groh, one of Parcells'
proteges, was informed of Shockey's comment. After a long pause, Groh responded.
"Well, he's won a lot of championships, whatever category you want to put him
in," he said of Parcells. "I guess that doesn't mean much to Shockey. Some guys
become an expert in a hurry. Catch a few balls, and they know everything, don't
they?"
IN THE POOL: Four members of U.Va.'s swimming team will compete in the Pan Am
Games next week in the Dominican Republic. Three compete for Virginia's men's
team: senior Luke Wagner, junior Michael Raab and sophomore Fran Crippen. The
fourth Cavalier is sophomore Rachael Burke. - Jeff White
U.VA. NOTES
Aug 07, 2003
COMEBACK KID: Virginia's football team opened training camp yesterday, and for
tailback Alvin Pearman, it was more than simply a three-hour workout. Pearman, a
junior, practiced for the first time since tearing his right ACL against Penn
State on Nov. 9.
He had butterflies in his stomach when the Cavaliers took the field, Pearman
said, but they soon subsided.
"It was definitely a confidence builder, just to get out there and be a part of
the team again," said Pearman, who had reconstructive surgery on his knee in
late November.
He recently was cleared to play this season.
FAMILY REUNION: Pearman is excited about the prospect of playing with his
brother next season. Andrew Pearman, a rising 12th-grader in Charlotte, N.C.,
committed to U.Va. in June.
"It's a dream of mine to strap on my pads with my brother," Alvin said.
The younger Pearman, a star tailback, also is one of the top sprinters in North
Carolina.
"Andrew's fast, man," Alvin said.
NEW DIGS: The Cavaliers checked into a Charlottesville hotel Tuesday, and
they'll sleep there for the next two weeks.
"At first it's OK, because it's something new, but by the middle of the second
week, you get real tired of it," said redshirt freshman Marcus Hamilton, a
cornerback who's rooming with classmate Tony Franklin, the other second-teamer
at that position.
Still, Hamilton said, "it keeps the distractions away and brings the team
together, so it's a positive. But it's a struggle sometimes."
IN THE DOGHOUSE: Absent yesterday was wideout Kenneth Tynes, a redshirt freshman
whom coach Al Groh has suspended indefinitely for an undisclosed reason. It's
unclear when or if Tynes, who still is officially on the team, will be
reinstated.
"It's up to me," Groh said.
SUPERSIZE IT: U.Va.'s freshman class includes a 6-6, 275-pound outside
linebacker - 17-year-old Vince Redd of Elizabethton, Tenn. Redd played at 245
last season. The explanation for his "growth spurt"?
"Mom's cooking," Redd said. "Tennessee cooking."
Can a 275-pounder play outside linebacker?
"We're going to find out," Groh said. "And we'll get him down a little bit."
IN THE TRENCHES: U.Va.'s first-team offensive line has some experience, but with
senior center Kevin Bailey recovering from surgery on his left knee, it's young.
The starters are sophomore D'Brickashaw Ferguson at left tackle, redshirt
sophomore Brian Barthelmes at left guard, junior Zac Yarbrough at center, junior
Elton Brown at right guard and sophomore Brad Butler at right tackle.
Ferguson and Butler played as true freshmen last season. Ferguson started all 14
games, Yarbrough 12, Brown 12, Barthelmes eight and Butler one (against West
Virginia in the Continental Tire Bowl). Also back are the Cavaliers' top two
tight ends: redshirt sophomore Heath Miller and junior Patrick Estes.
ON THE RADAR: U.Va.'s basketball team, with at least two scholarships left to
fill for 2004-05, is following the progress of numerous rising 12th-graders,
including former Goochland High standout Glen Dandridge. A 6-6 210-pound small
forward, Dandridge transferred from Goochland to Mount Zion Academy in Durham,
N.C., before the 2001-02 season. - Jeff White
Tide of hope rises for Cavs
Expectations high after 9-5 season
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Aug 06, 2003
CHARLOTTESVILLE - This time last year, the University of Virginia was an
afterthought in the ACC football. Nationally, the Cavaliers' profile was even
lower.
Much has changed since U.Va.'s second summer under coach Al Groh. The Cavaliers
begin training camp today, little more than three weeks before their Aug. 30
opener against Duke at Scott Stadium, and they're ranked No. 17 in the preseason
USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll. Virginia is one of four teams expected to battle
for the ACC title. Its quarterback, Matt Schaub, enters his senior season with
an outside shot at the Heisman Trophy.
That's what happens when a team dominated by underclassmen - several of them
true freshmen - ties for the second in the ACC and then crushes No. 15 West
Virginia 48-22 in a bowl game. That's what happens when an unheralded team
knocks off ranked opponents in three of its final four games to finish 9-5.
That's what happens when a coaching staff continues to land touted recruits.
Do that, and people take notice. Do that, and expectations rise.
"This time last year we were picked eighth [in the ACC], and people weren't
really looking for us to do a whole lot," said Schaub, the reigning ACC player
of the year. "This year it's almost the exact opposite."
The Cavaliers must replace all-ACC wideout Billy McMullen, who's now snaring
passes for the Philadelphia Eagles. Also gone are Virginia's top three tacklers
from 2002: linebackers Angelo Crowell and Merrill Robertson and safety Jerton
Evans. But virtually every other contributor returns, including all-ACC
candidates Schaub, Wali Lundy (tailback), Elton Brown (offensive guard), Heath
Miller (tight end), Chris Canty (defensive end), Darryl Blackstock (linebacker)
and Almondo Curry (cornerback).
Moreover, two of the most heralded members of the recruiting class that signed
with U.Va. in February 2002 - Parade All-American linebackers Ahmad Brooks and
Kai Parham - will make their college debuts this season.
"I think we're bigger, faster and tougher," Groh said.
Are the Cavaliers as determined to succeed? Check back in a couple of months.
But for now, at least, all the right words are coming out of the U.Va. camp.
"We had a lot of success last year, and we're hungry for more," Schaub said.
"We're not going to sneak up and surprise anybody this year, but at the same
time, I don't think it's going to change our mindset or our attitude to the
games. We're going to approach it the same way we did last year. The games still
have to be played."
Groh agreed.
"Last season obviously was a very positive season for our team," he said. "But
one, we didn't win the championship. That's what we're here for. Two, the plan
is to become consistently a top national team. So therefore it's our challenge
right now, and it's up to us to determine whether we were just a one-year wonder
or we're going to become one of the real strong teams in the country."
The Cavaliers' conference schedule isn't as inviting as in 2002, when they swept
Maryland, N.C. State, North Carolina and Clemson. U.Va. plays each of those
teams away from Scott Stadium this fall. The Cavs also must prove they can
consistently run the ball and consistently play good defense.
Still, Schaub said, the key may be to "remain focused on what it's going to take
week to week to win. Just concentrate on little things and don't get too excited
about the hype and things that are going on outside the program."
Brooks Set to Move Ahead
Former All-Met Back in Step at U-Va. After Drug Incident
By Jim Reedy
Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, August 9, 2003; Page D02
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Aug. 8 -- Sentenced to probation and community service after
pleading no contest last week to a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession,
Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks will face no additional sanctions from the
Cavaliers.
Brooks, a 19-year-old freshman from Hylton, will continue to participate fully
in the team's preseason practices and will be available to play in the Aug. 30
season opener against Duke.
"What's been taken care of has been taken care of, and that's the way it is,"
Coach Al Groh said today.
Brooks was a passenger in a car that was stopped for speeding May 17 by Prince
William County police, who found a small bag of what appeared to be marijuana at
Brooks's feet. The officer issued summonses to appear in district court to
Brooks and the other two men in the vehicle.
Brooks met with Groh soon after the incident, at which time they discussed the
responsibility he carries as a high-profile athlete to represent himself, his
team and his school well.
"I was just thankful for [the Cavaliers] sticking with me and staying by my
side," Brooks said. "I'm responsible for everything that happened, so I take
responsibility.
"I'm under a spotlight; I just can't be doing those childish things. Teenagers
tend to do stupid things. It's definitely something for me to learn. I'm just
going to learn from my actions and what I did."
Brooks, the 2001 All-Met defensive player of the year, has played behind junior
Bryan White at weak-side inside linebacker through three days of preseason
practice. Redshirt freshman Kai Parham, the Cavs' other touted young linebacker,
is playing behind junior Rich Bedesem on the strong side.
Cavaliers Notes: Cornerback Randy Jones, considered one of the best players in
North Carolina coming out of high school two years ago, left school at the end
of the spring semester because of academic problems and a troublesome recovery
from serious injuries suffered in an October 2001 car accident.
Jones, who never played a down at Virginia, is at home in Rockingham, N.C.,
taking classes at nearby Richmond Community College and looking for another
opportunity to play college football. He has not yet overcome the compound leg
fracture that ruined his freshman year.
"I don't really care what kind of school it is. I just want to get a chance to
play again," said Jones, who has talked with coaches at Division II Catawba
College in Salisbury, N.C., and plans to contact North Carolina State, which
recruited him in high school.
After two months in the hospital and a prolonged rehabilitation, Jones returned
to Virginia last fall. He participated in the first day of spring practice this
March, but doctors discovered a foot injury that likely will not heal properly.
At the end of the semester, he said, his poor grades resulted in a one-year
academic suspension and the loss of his athletic scholarship. . . .
Starting right tackle Brad Butler practiced this afternoon despite a heavy cast
on his right wrist.
Cavs' Winborne: High Hopes
Linebacker Says Virginia Can Be Very Good or 'Sorry'
By Jim Reedy
Special to The Washington Post
Thursday, August 7, 2003; Page D02
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Aug. 6 -- Virginia senior Jamaine Winborne experienced
mediocrity in his first two collegiate seasons before the Cavaliers emerged last
season to win nine games and finish with the nation's No. 22 ranking. He found
success far more to his liking. He has no intention of going back to losing, not
if he can help it.
Many observers have similarly high expectations this season for Virginia, which
is ranked anywhere from 10th to 17th in national preseason polls and was
predicted by the ACC media to finish fourth in the conference behind Florida
State, North Carolina State and Maryland.
"It feels real good, because I've been on losing teams here," Winborne said as
the Cavaliers opened training camp with a three-hour afternoon practice. "Ever
since I've been here, we've been talking about being ranked high in the
preseason, just to let people know that we are here, we can play the game, we
got a good team.
"We can still go either way; we can either be really good this year or we can go
back to being sorry. I think a lot of guys -- mainly the guys that have been
with us on the down slope, when we've been down -- those are the ones that are
really excited and really are looking forward to the season."
Virginia loses only five starters from last season's 9-5 team, which tied for
second in the ACC with a 6-1 conference record and closed the season with a
48-22 victory over West Virginia in the Continental Tire Bowl. That potent
offense returns almost entirely intact, led by senior quarterback Matt Schaub,
the reigning ACC player of the year.
There's also a new crop of potential stars that includes tailback Wali Lundy,
linebackers Darryl Blackstock, Ahmad Brooks (Hylton) and Kai Parham and
offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson. The coaching staff has brought in
another impressive recruiting class.
Yet Coach Al Groh voiced a reminder that Virginia's 2002 accomplishments and
newfound status as "a program on the rise" don't mean it's time to relax.
"The challenge is an ongoing one," Groh said. "Really nothing that we did last
year is going to win any games this year. We've got to go back and win 'em all
over again. It's time to start bringing the juice all over again."
"What needs to be understood is we still have to go out there and play football
games," junior defensive end Chris Canty said. "We have to take the same
approach that we took last year, and at an even greater demand this year because
Virginia is no secret now. People know about us.
"The hoopla is great and I'm glad it's getting the town behind us. That's so
great, but we still have to go out there and win ballgames."
Cavaliers Notes: The updated roster released this week does not include redshirt
freshman wide receiver Kenneth Tynes, but Groh said the Centreville graduate is
still a member of the team. "He's on a sabbatical determined by Kenneth and
myself," said Groh, who declined to comment further. . . . Brooks participated
fully today, one week after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of
marijuana possession. . . . Sophomore receiver-quarterback Marques Hagans stayed
home with a bad case of flu. . . . Groh said he is waiting on summer grades that
will tell him if any players will be academically ineligible to play this fall.
Virginia's summer exam period ends Thursday. . . . Practice is open to the
public for the next five days: Thursday at 6:45 p.m., Friday, Saturday and
Sunday at 2:20 p.m. and Monday at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.