Hagans' time to shine
Junior takes helm at quarterback with a strong supporting cast
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
August 27, 2004

When Virginia coach Al Groh was chatting with long-time friend, Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells, early last spring about their respective football teams, Parcells must have asked Groh the same question five times: “So, do you have a quarterback?”

None of the four candidates competing for the job exactly overwhelmed the coaches with their performances in the spring, so at the time, Groh might have been reluctant to answer his old boss’s question. With a little more than a week until the season opener, the Virginia coach might want to give Dallas another call.

Yes, he does have a quarterback. His name is Marques Hagans.

A backup to Matt Schaub the last couple of years, Hagans has spent most of his time at wide receiver and returning punts, where he has shown flare as a big-time player. In the few times he has been called upon to play quarterback, he has mostly been impressive, not only with his ability to throw the ball but with his ability to create and turn potential losses into scary moments for defenses.

Stories abound concerning this Hampton product, who grew up in the shadows of Aaron Brooks, Ronald Curry and the Vicks. Nicknamed “Biscuit,” a moniker that he declines to discuss its origins, Hagans was once called the best athlete in the state by legendary Hampton High coach Mike Smith.

Virginia senior wide receiver Mike McGrew recounts one of those stories about Biscuit from a summer workout when players were standing at the 30-yard line, 70 yards away from the end zone.

“We told him he couldn’t throw it into the end zone,” McGrew said. “Biscuit wanted to throw it not only out of the end zone, but over the fence [at UVa’s practice facility], which is probably 90 yards. Well, he hit the fence with one hop, which we figured was 80 yards. He’s got the strongest arm I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Hagans will be the first to tell you that strong arms are not that important when it comes to being a quarterback. Touch is more of an asset.

Then there’s the intangibles such as leadership, feeling comfortable in the offense, reading defenses, finding receivers, poise under pressure. The list goes on and on.

“In the latter phases of training camp, Marques has really picked up a lot of momentum,” Groh said. “It’s a lot of things, but one of them is just growing into feeling comfortable with the role, what it is to be that guy in that spot, to walk into the locker room every day and knowing ‘I’m the quarterback, this is my team to run.’”

Hagans has become comfortable in all those areas, a comfort level in the pocket, showing leadership in the huddle, taking care of the football. It’s a maturation process and there’s no way to simulate it, rather just doing it, that makes a quarterback special.

“There’s scrutiny that goes with all of that,” Groh said. “I’m sure that when Marques was walking through the mall last year people weren’t stopping and asking him questions about how he was running the slant routes. Now, he’s everybody’s topic of conversation.”

Hagans has taken it all in stride. When you ask him about how far he has come, he talks about how he has worked extremely hard in learning the entire offense, developed rhythm and timing with his receivers and becoming comfortable at the helm of a potentially overwhelming attack.

“I don’t have to put all the pressure on myself because I have a lot of talented players around me,” Hagans said. “I want to take care of the ball and make good decisions.”

According to teammates, Hagans has accomplished that feat in practice. He isn’t quick to leave the pocket, but when he does, the defense has another problem to deal with.

“He’s gotten better every day,” said McGrew. “It’s like, ‘Yeah, Biscuit, good job on seeing me on the backside one-on-one.’ He’s starting to see all the things he needs to see.”

Tailback Alvin Pearman calls Hagans a difference-maker, a game-changer. We all saw that last season when he tore up Western Michigan with only one week of practice at quarterback. Not only did he create with his feet, but he threw the ball with proficiency.

Even Groh pointed out that in recent scrimmage-like situations that Hagans had a high completion rate out of the Cavaliers’ version of the West Coast offense. In fact, Groh described it as “a Matt Schaub-like evening.”

One of the things Hagans has had to perfect is his throwing touch. Pearman said that when Hagans arrived at Virginia he “broke a lot of fingers” because there was too much zing on the ball.

That is something the young quarterback, only a junior, is working on even today. But it’s a nice problem to have.

“If Biscuit is poised in the pocket, he has touch,” tailback Michael Johnson said. “But when he’s got to get it out there, it’s coming, man. He’s going to rip one. You’ve got to catch it in defense.”

McGrew concurred.

“With that arm, Marques is able to put some passes in there that a lot of other quarterbacks can’t.”

There’s another Hagans quality that most quarterbacks don’t have. He can run with the football like a tailback. He can scramble. He can create. He can make it a long day for the defense because there’s no defense set up to stop a running quarterback.

Groh is planning to take advantage of the situation.

“I read something last year that Andy Reid said during a conversation with Donovan McNabb, about him doing a great job of throwing the ball and this and that, but for him to ‘Use everything that God gave you,’” Groh said.

He has had that same conversation with Hagans.

“Don’t be too early to leave but don’t be hesitant to use what God gave you,” Groh said.

We saw the first hints of that in Hagans’ first college game, the 2002 opener when he came in and gave Colorado State a few Pepto-Bismol moments. He practically couldn’t be stopped as a running quarterback.

“He’ll make plays in practice that just make you go, ‘Wow,’” Pearman said. “You say to yourself that a quarterback shouldn’t be able to make a play like that.”

Just what Groh is hoping Biscuit will do to opposing defenses this season. In fact, the coach has put in some designated running plays to take advantage of Hagans’ abilities.

“We’ve done a few things to accommodate his skills,” Groh said with a Cheshire cat chomping-canary-eating smile. “Some things that he’s ready for that he can do without changing the basic framework of the offense that are, shall we say, Marques Hagans friendly.”

The critics say that so goes Hagans, so goes Virginia’s chances to impact the ACC race this season. Some skeptics wonder if he is ready for the task.

His teammates aren’t among them.

“We know he’s a gamer,” Pearman said. “When the lights come on,

I’ll put my money on Marques Hagans.”
 

Battlin the Elements
Virginia running back trio set to wreak havoc on new ACC
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
August 27, 2004

One is like lightning. One is like thunder. The other is like an earthquake.

Together, Michael Johnson, Wali Lundy and Alvin Pearman are planning to team up this season and serve as a trio of terror.

Just like the elements that Mother Nature can produce, each running back can deliver nightmares for opposing teams and their defensive coordinators.

Michael Johnson runs fast, like a lightning bolt. Like thunder, Alvin Pearman can toy with defenders that can hear him going by, but never see him on a play until it is too late. Wali Lundy has the body to deliver earth-shattering blows to opposing defenders, leaving them lying on their back.

Individually, they can all do damage to an opponent.

Together, they hope to wreck the ACC title hopes of 10 opposing schools.

Lightning

After redshirting in 2003, Johnson brings his blazing speed back into the mix in the backfield.

As a true freshman in 2002, Johnson’s season started and finished in fine fashion.

In his collegiate debut against Colorado State, Johnson picked up 37 yards on just five carries. After battling through an ankle injury for most of the season, the Newport News native took a pair of handoffs for 23 yards in the Continental Tire Bowl. Johnson finished the season with 23 carries for 133 yards.

Johnson used his redshirt season to master the offense and add muscle to his chiseled, 192-pound frame.

He is itching to get back on the field and prove to Virginia coach Al Groh that it’s where he belongs.

“It feels real good to be back,” Johnson said. “Groh put his trust in me and I am just ready to do big things.”

Johnson said it does not matter to him if he sees time at running back or as a return man on punts or kickoffs.

“As long as I am getting on the field and as long as I am making progress and helping us win, it does not matter,” said Johnson, who was ranked as the top all-around back as a high school senior by Rivals.com. “That is my plus side, because I can catch punts and I can catch kickoffs. I have a good vision of the field in returns. That’s an area that I probably have a leg up on some of the other backs, but all of us can do the same things. I do think I have a leg up on returns on all the other guys.”

Johnson said he knows his speed is his greatest asset but he hopes his ability to run offensive plays the way Groh draws them up will get him more playing time.

“I have always been tagged as a speed guy but my biggest improvement has been the way that I trust plays and how I didn’t [in the past],” Johnson said. “There’s not always going to be a giant hole. I have to get in there until the defense can’t find me. Then I am flying out of there and getting six points.”

Earthquake

To call Lundy a punishing runner is an understatement.

In 2003, Lundy did exactly what he did the year before, as a true freshman - lead the team in rushing.

Not only did Lundy rush for 929 yards but he led the ACC with 14 touchdowns, 10 of which came on the ground. In 2002, Lundy rushed for 826 yards and stands in 17th place in school history with 1,755 yards.

While the numbers alone are impressive, it’s the fashion that Lundy posted them that makes opponents do a double take.

Lundy has only one career rush of 30 yards or more. Instead of padding his stats with long runs, Lundy just thrusts his body into defenders and earns the yards the hard way.

In fact, Lundy averaged 4.2 yards per carry as a freshman and 4.1 yards last year as a sophomore.

If you need proof, you need only to ask his teammate Kwakou Robinson. The defensive end has had his hands full trying to tackle Lundy in practices the last two years.

“Wali is not going to stop. He’s not going to stop his legs,” Robinson said. “He has a massive lower body. He is a horse. You can’t stop him with one hit.”

Lundy has been rewarded for his performances.

Last year, Lundy was named to the ACC’s second team and as a rookie the Sporting News named him second-team Freshman

All-American.

Regardless of accolades, Lundy still looks back to a single game as the highlight of his two-year career.

“I would have to say the Continental Tire Bowl, my first year would have to be the highlight of my career,” said Lundy, who scored four touchdowns in the game and was named the MVP of the game. “That was my best game in my career, but I am hoping to build on my past. I am excited for what the future holds.”

Thunder

For defenders, tackling Pearman often appears to be about as tricky as catching a greased pig. Every time an opposing player hones in on Pearman and appears to have the Charlotte native tackled, he dances his way for additional yards.

Thanks to his elusiveness, the senior tailback has amassed 3,031 all-purpose yards in his career.

On the ground, Pearman has churned out 1,357 yards and scored nine touchdowns.

With his hands, Pearman has posted 109 career receptions and turned that into 994 yards. Last season alone, he was a prime target for former quarterback Matt Schaub, catching 63 passes. That was the second-highest total in the country for running backs.

Pearman, who entered during Groh’s first year on the job in 2001, has been a coach’s dream. Regardless of what Groh asks the back to do, Pearman is willing and able.

“Alvin is Alvin. He is just full of energy. He wants to do what he can,” Groh said. “[His mentality is] offense, special teams, what can I do?”

In a similar fashion to Lundy, Pearman can create headaches for Cavalier defenders in practice.

“AP, he is going to shake you. You can’t stand still on AP because he is going to blow by you,” Robinson said.

Thanks to the deadly trio, Virginia fans are hoping that the team blows by a lot of people.
 

Cavaliers' McGrew ready to go
By Steve Oberhauser / Daily Progress staff writer
August 28, 2004

Virginia’s Michael McGrew is geared up to receive his fair share of Biscuit deliveries this season.

The No. 1 wide receiving option, who redshirted last year after breaking his leg early in 2003’s training camp, is the leader of this year’s otherwise young receiving corps that starting quarterback Marques Hagans will look to connect with throughout the season.

“I can step up and be a major part of the receiving offense,” the fifth-year senior said during last week’s Meet the Team Day. “Whether that’s the passing game or blocking, I’m ready to do anything that helps the team.”

Since his season-ending injury on Aug. 12, 2003, McGrew has been methodical in his rehabilitation and now he feels he’s 100-percent.

“I had surgery a few days after my injury. From there, I was on crutches for a couple of months, walking by mid-October, jogging by December and in January, I was able to do winter workouts,” said McGrew, a Birmingham, Ala., native who leads the team with 60 career receptions.

However, January through April was a slow moving process. “I wasn’t fully ready to do all the spring work,” said McGrew, who’s listed at 6-foot-2, 201 pounds. “When I broke my leg, I got a full ankle sprain with it and with the soreness I could go a day hard and then go four days off, but I wanted more. It wasn’t until the spring game, in mid-June, when I felt 100 percent.”

McGrew’s work this season also entails guiding the No. 2 and No. 3 receivers - both sophomores - on and off the field.

Fontel Mines (6-4, 222) and Deyon Williams (6-3, 188) are coming off true-freshman years in 2003. Mines hauled in six catches for 66 yards and one touchdown; Williams snagged eight catches for 122 yards and a TD. Both receivers’ first career catches were for a score: Mines in the North Carolina game and Williams during the Western Michigan contest.

“I feel I can tell [Mines and Williams] what I went through,” McGrew said. “I started most of the season as a sophomore. I can tell them what it was like, how it went and as a matter of fact, I played as a freshman, too.”

If McGrew’s numbers his sophomore and junior years are any indication, this may be a big year for him and the receiving corps that appears to lack depth.

In 2001, McGrew had 31 receptions for 302 yards and 2 scores in 12 games. In 14 games during 2002, he caught 27 passes for 428 yards, an average of 15.9 yards per catch, up from 9.7 ypc his second year. It was also in the 2002 season when McGrew started opposite Billy McMullen, the leading receiver in Cavalier history.

“Mines and Williams have to step up,” McGrew said. “I tell them they can’t waste away this year knowing they can go at it their junior and senior years.”

Both are up for the challenge.

“McGrew’s a great person and a great player,” said Mines, from Hermitage High School in Richmond. “McGrew provides a lot of leadership in the field. He knows a lot more about things the receivers don’t, such as release techniques and blocking styles.”

Added Williams: “The receivers look at McGrew and learn. He’s the picture perfect college receiver.”

Williams also believes because the receiving corps will not get much outside recognition or respect, this may set up perfectly for the season. This perception also comes from last year’s top receiver, Ottawa Anderson, not returning to the program.

“A lot of people will be sleeping on us,” said Williams, out of Upper Marlboro, Md.. “We know we’re better than people think we are.”

Mines feels the receivers have the confidence they need.

”Right now, we’re stepping up to the challenge. We lost Ottawa, but we picked up McGrew,” Mines said. “Fontel and I want to go out there and make plays and we’re practicing like we’re starters.”

For Cavalier fans, the wait to see this year’s receiving corps might be worth it.

“It helps me that I sat back a year and got strong,” McGrew said. “I’m a lot more confident, calm and composed out there.”
 

Temple's Washington can cause problems
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
August 28, 2004

After giving the players a much-needed day off on Thursday, Virginia coach Al Groh spent Friday morning’s practice introducing his team to Temple and more importantly, the Owls’ starting quarterback Walter Washington.
At 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, Washington is an imposing figure standing under center.
He passed on offers from Kansas State and Nebraska to sign with the Owls after being named the runner-up for the junior college Player of the Year award in 2002, when he played for Dodge City Community College in Kansas.
At the beginning of last season, Washington was the backup quarterback but pushed his way into the starting lineup by the eighth game of the season. Despite getting just five starts, Washington still passed for 1,265 yards and completed 110 of his 207 attempts. Proving he was a dual threat, Washington also rushed for 579 yards on 156 carries.
Against Virginia Tech last year, the signal caller carried the ball 26 times for 151 yards, setting a school record for rushing yards by a QB. That was also the second-highest total by a quarterback in Big East history, trailing only a 210-yard performance in 2000 by former Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick.
In the season finale at West Virginia, Washington tied another school record as he rushed for four touchdowns.
While Groh has only seen Washington on tape, it has been enough for the coach to say he was “very impressed with the quarterback.”
Groh added that Washington is “big, strong, [and has] a lot of range on his throws. He’s hard to knock down in the pocket or when he is on cold runs. He is the principle ball carrier for the team.”
When asked if Virginia had played against a quarterback similar to Washington since he arrived in 2001, Groh likened it to preparing for former South Carolina QB Corey Jenkins in 2002.
“We saw the guy from South Carolina a couple of years ago, but he couldn’t throw like this and that’s why he ended up finishing the season at safety.”
Groh has been impressed with Washington’s ability to spread the field.
“This guy has got a live arm. He has a lot of range on the ball. They throw a lot of vertical routes to take advantage of him,” Groh said.
In order to make sure his secondary is ready for Washington and the Temple offense, Groh has worked with his cornerbacks and safeties on deep passes.
“We are always emphasizing getting deep balls for the secondary, whether you have to shoot them out of the Jugs machine or if you have somebody who can throw them that far,” Groh said.
Virginia is likely to start Tony Franklin and Marcus Hamilton at cornerback and Marquis Weeks and Jermaine Hardy at safety.

McCabe gets the nod. Groh confirmed during Friday’s teleconference that if he had to put a quarterback on the field after starter Marques Hagans, it would be redshirt freshman Kevin McCabe and not sophomore Christian Olsen.
However, Groh added that it does not mean the battle for the spot has been settled for good.
“I don’t know that we can make a determination on who the No. 2 quarterback is until they play in a game, but if we have to put somebody in the game, the first one we’ll put in will be McCabe and we will see how it goes from there.”

Setting the roster. With the players off on Thursday, Groh and his coaching staff spent part of the day finalizing the roster for the Temple game.
“We spent quite a bit of time working on the roster [Thursday] and we pretty much set the team that’s going to play this game,” Groh said. “There might be two or three spots in question, but we’re pretty well set with who we are going to get ready.”
Groh also said that five true freshmen should see time on the field against the Owls. They are cornerback Philip Brown, defensive end Chris Long, safeties Nate Lyles and Jamaal Jackson and tight end Tom Santi.

Punting battle continues. Kurt Korte and Sean Johnson are still in a dead heat for the starting punting job according to Groh.
“We are going to punt a little longer,” Groh said. “I feel good about both of them.”

A big age gap. When Marquis Weeks was born in October of 1980, Tim Frisby was in high school.
Twenty-four years later, Weeks, is the oldest player on UVa’s roster and is preparing for his final season as a Cavalier.
Frisby, who is now 39, is practicing with the team at South Carolina as a walk-on wide receiver.
The Airborne Ranger, who recently finished a 20-year career in the Army, practiced with the Gamecocks during the spring, but did not play in the spring game or in any of the intrasquad scrimmages.
When asked if he has ever had a player that old on one of his rosters at the college level, Groh said he had not but that, “It would be nice to have one here. It would be somebody closer to my age.”

News and notes. Groh said that he has received all the grades from summer school but he did not elaborate on what it meant for the roster. “Right now we are comfortable,” Groh said. … When asked by a reporter if he would disclose his starting lineup for the nickel defense, Groh declined. “I think we’ll hold off on disclosing our lineup. I’d like to know who is going to be on their nickel.”
 

McCabe is No. 2 for now
Roanoke Times

Virginia football coach Al Groh said Friday that if he uses a second quarterback in the Cavaliers’ opening game next Saturday at Temple, it will be redshirt freshman Kevin McCabe.

Junior Marques Hagans is Virginia’s No. 1 quarterback, but Groh said that none of UVa’s other three returning scholarship quarterbacks — McCabe, sophomore Christian Olsen or sophomore Anthony Martinez — had made a significant move since the start of preseason drills.

“While all the quarterbacks have improved,” Groh said, “the situation behind Marques is that they’re all basically the same.”

Groh said that he expects five true freshmen will play against Temple — safeties Nate Lyles and Jamal Jackson, cornerback Philip Brown, tight end Tom Santi and defensive end Chris Long.

 

UVa wish list now includes shooters
Pearman needed at running back
By Doug Doughty
THE ROANOKE TIMES

Any discussion of Virginia men’s basketball recruiting starts with the universal quest for a big man, but I’m not sure that the Cavaliers’ biggest need at the present isn’t a shooter.

After this season, UVa stands to lose its prospective starting frontcourt of Elton Brown, Jason Clark and Devin Smith, but there will be at least three returning post players -- Jason Cain, Tungi Soroye and Donte Minter.

Minter was an effective inside scorer who even started three games last year before nagging injuries started to take a toll. As for Cain, if he had been required to play 20 minutes per game, I think he would have developed to the point where people would consider him an ACC-caliber prospect.

Throw in Soroye and Laurynas Mikalauskas, the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Lithuanian who committed to UVa last spring as a junior at the Blue Ridge School, and UVa should have ample height and/or size, whether the Cavaliers add any frontcourt recruits or not.

Virginia’s final 2003-2004 stats show that no returning UVa player made more than 50 3-point field goals last year and only two, J.R. Reynolds (48) and Smith (34), had more than 30. Smith has the potential to shoot much better than that, but he’ll be gone after this year.

Who else is there? Recruit Sean Singletary, maybe. Gary Forbes made 16 3-pointers last year as a freshman, but demonstrated little consistency, as evidenced by a 50.7 free-throw percentage (50.9).

From what I hear, the UVa staff recognizes the need for a shooter and is targeting 6-5 Mamadi Diane from DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Md., and 6-5 Dionte Christmas, one of two players from Philadelphia Lutheran Christian that UVa is pursuing.

The Cavaliers’ also have made an offer to Christmas’ teammate, 6-9 post player Vernon Goodridge, rated the No. 21 prospect in the country by TheInsiders.Com and No. 42 by Hoop Scoop.

I’M AFRAID I CAN’T offer much insight into the condition of junior tailback Wali Lundy, said to be hampered by a preseason injury, but Lundy’s injury history makes it easier to understand why coach Al Groh has expressed little interest in using senior tailback Alvin Pearman at wide receiver.

To me, it would make sense, given the Cavaliers’ relative inexperience at wide receiver, to take a look at Pearman, who had 63 receptions last year, including a school-record 16 catches against Florida State. Besides, Pearman began his UVa career as a wide receiver and kick returner before then-No. 1 tailback Antwoine Womack was injured in the opening game of the 2001 season.

Pearman, in an interview Aug. 19 at UVa’s meet-the-team day, said he had not given much thought to playing wide receiver because, in the Cavaliers’ scheme, he frequently lines up as a wide receiver in passing situations. Besides, it wasn’t as if he was neglected in the running game last year, when he had a career-high 134 carries (his previous high was 88 as a freshman).

This year, Groh also will seek to get carries for sophomore Michael Johnson, who was redshirted last season, which could cut down on the carries for Pearman and Lundy, but Lundy has been bothered by knee and hamstring problems. Lundy has missed only one game in his 27-game UVa career and he had 227 carries last season, but, sometimes, two tailbacks isn’t enough.

 

Have Hokies reached the promised land?
New York shooting guard pops up on UVa list
By Doug Doughty
THE ROANOKE TIMES

After all the flak I've caught in the past week about my prediction that Virginia Tech's football team would go 9-3, I don't know why anybody would solicit my opinion on the Hokies.

I'm not even the Tech beat man, but I've done some work for The Sporting News over the years, which is why columnist Matt Hayes called me Thursday.

Hayes wanted to know if I agreed with his premise that "Frank Beamer has taken the Hokies as far as he can take them."

(Hold on, Virginia fans, I've got a recruiting piece headed your way.)

Hayes' observation caught me off guard. When a team has had the lead in the fourth quarter of the national-championship game, how much further can it go?

It could win the championship, I suppose, but I don't think Beamer needs to win a national championship to validate his career. If so, good luck.

I'm not going to say Tech will never win the Division I-A football championship, but I wouldn't bet on it. As far back as 1989, then-Virginia coach George Welsh said he thought it was possible for Virginia to win a national championship and the Cavaliers were ranked No. 1 for three weeks in 1990, but I wouldn't bet on a UVa national championship either.

I wouldn't bet on a lot of teams to win national championships, so I think the more relevant question is, "Can Beamer get the Hokies back to where they were?"

Specifically, is it realistic to think Tech might have another three-year run as it had from 1998-2000, when it went 31-5? Or a six-year run to compare to 1995-2000, when it had four seasons with 10 or more victories and a fifth with nine?

A lot of teams would settle for Tech's record over the past three seasons -- 8-4, 10-4 and 8-5 -- and, in time, those might be considered respectable ACC records, although Hokies fans might not want to hear that now.

Implicit in the question whether Tech had gone as far as it can go under Beamer is the question whether another coach can take the Hokies any further. I know that there are occasional rumblings about Beamer's staff, but I haven't heard a Tech fan yet who thinks the Hokies need another head coach to reach their full potential.

ALTHOUGH TECH CREDITS itself with 11 commitments, three are at Hargrave Military Academy, so only eight have ratings in the preseason issue of SuperPrep magazine.

The highest-rated of Tech’s recruits is preseason SuperPrep All-American Deveon Simmons from Landstown High School in Virginia Beach. Simmons is rated the No. 4 prospect in Virginia and the No. 25 linebacker in the country.

The SuperPrep rankings for in-state Tech recruits Cameron Martin, Antonio North, Ed Wang and Demetrius Taylor were Nos. 10, 17, 18 and 22. I don't know if those are the actual rankings that I sent SuperPrep as its Virginia correspondent, but they're close.

Tech recruits Robert Norris and Kenneth Jefferson from DeMatha Catholic High School were ranked 19th and 25th by SuperPrep in an area that covers the District of Columbia, Delaware, West Virginia and Maryland. Throw out the first three of those and Norris and Jefferson are 13th and 18th, respectively, among Maryland prospects.

The latest player to commit to Tech, Calhoun, Ga., cornerback Dorian Porch, was unranked by SuperPrep but publisher Allen Wallace concedes that might have been an oversight, based on offers from Tech, Wisconsin and Kentucky, as well as interest from Georgia and Georgia Tech.

OF THE FOUR PLAYERS from New Jersey who have made oral commitments to Virginia, three are ranked among the top eight players in Jersey. They are No. 1 Eugene Monroe, an offensive tackle from Plainfield; No. 5 Mike Brown, a cornerback from Jersey City, and No. 8 Lamont Robinson, a linebacker from Salem.

Monroe, Brown and Robinson are among a group of six preseason SuperPrep All-Americans who are UVa-bound. The others are in-state prospects Vic Hall, Darryl Gresham and Antonio Appleby, who rank No. 3, 6 and 7 on SuperPrep's list of the top prospects in Virginia.

Eight other UVa recruits are rated between No. 13 and 29 in Virginia, and the Cavaliers also have commitments from SuperPrep's No. 11-ranked player in New York, wide receiver Kevin Ogletree; the Nos. 15 and 16 players in North Carolina, Southern Durham teammates Brandon Woods and Maurice Covington; and the No. 20 prospect in Pennsylvania, lineman Will Barker.

Two other Virginia recruits, Springfield, Pa., offensive tackle Matt Lowry and Maplewood, N.J., linebacker Denzel Burrell, were the 36th and lowest-rated prospects in their respective states, generally a good indication that they were late in coming to the evaluator's attention.

AN ADDITION TO the list of Virginia men's basketball targets that ran in Thursday's UVa Insider is Danny Green, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from St. Mary's High School in Manhasset, N.Y. Green is rated the No. 43 prospect in the country by TheInsiders.Com, No. 90 by Hoop Scoop and No. 99 by Prep Stars.
 

Cleared for takeoff
Johnson ready to hit the runway for Cavaliers
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Aug 27, 2004

OUTLOOK
Coach: Al Groh (fourth season at U.Va., 22-17; 10th college season overall, 48-57)
2003 record: 4-4 ACC (tied for fourth), 8-5 overall
Starters returning: 16 (seven on offense, eight on defense, one specialist)
Offense: If junior Marques Hagans can approach the effectiveness of predecessor Matt Schaub - no sure thing - Virginia's attack could be lethal. The Cavaliers have perhaps the nation's top tight end in junior Heath Miller, they return four starters on the line, including preseason All-America guard Elton Brown, and they welcome back fullback Jason Snelling, who redshirted last year. Moreover, they're loaded at tailback with senior Alvin Pearman, junior Wali Lundy and sophomore Michael Johnson. Other than senior Michael McGrew, though, the receivers are untested.
Defense: U.Va.'s oft-maligned defense shined late last season in wins over Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh. Look for more improvement this year from a unit that includes several all-ACC candidates, among them senior end Chris Canty, junior linebacker Darryl Blackstock and sophomore'backers Ahmad Brooks and Kai Parham. The Cavs' base scheme is a 3-4, and ends Canty and Brennan Schmidt and nose tackle Andrew Hoffman are starting alongside each other for the third straight year. The secondary, led by senior safety Jermaine Hardy, is talented but inexperienced, especially at cornerback, where true freshmen back up sophomore starters Tony Franklin and Marcus Hamilton. A rash of injuries to defensive backs could derail Virginia's season.
Specialists: Junior Connor Hughes may well be the nation's premier kicker. In two seasons at U.Va., he's made 28 of 31 field-goal attempts and 56 of 57 extra points. A major storyline during preseason practice was Virginia's search for a new punter. Tom Hagan, a two-year starter who struggled in'03, gave up football to concentrate on baseball. Candidates to replace Hagan include Kurt Korte, a transfer from William and Mary, and Sean Johnson, who's back in school after a two-year Mormon mission.
Outlook: Groh has been building toward this season since leaving the New York Jets in December 2000 to return to his alma mater. The players who were pressed into service as true freshmen in 2002 have grown into a formidable group. The Sporting News has U.Va. at No.9 in its preseason poll. Given the Cavaliers' uncertainty at quarterback, a top-10 finish may be unrealistic, but this is a talented team stocked with all-ACC and, in some cases, All-America candidates. The early schedule should ease Hagans' adjustment, and Virginia could well be 7-1 when Miami visits Scott Stadium on Nov. 13.
Bottom line: 5-3 (third-place tie in ACC), 8-3 overall

CHARLOTTESVILLE - When Michael Johnson takes off running, he doesn't expect to get caught. Speed is in his genes, and he's been the swiftest guy around for years.

"I've known Mike since high school, and he's the fastest person I've ever played with or against or run with or anything," University of Virginia linebacker Darryl Blackstock said. "Mike is crazy fast, man."

U.Va. fans don't doubt Blackstock. They know Johnson was a state-champion sprinter at Newport News' Heritage High and that he's the fastest football player at Virginia. The fact remains, though, that they've heard about Johnson's prodigious speed far more than they've seen it on the field.

At Heritage, where he played with Blackstock, Johnson was a Parade All-America tailback. He rushed for 4,394 yards and scored 99 touchdowns in three seasons on the varsity.

At U.Va., he gained 8 yards on his first carry as a true freshman in 2002. But Johnson suffered a high ankle sprain in the Cavaliers' third game and never fully recovered that season.

In 2003, he opted to redshirt at the recommendation of Virginia coach Al Groh, who didn't want Johnson to waste a year of eligibility in a crowded backfield. And so Johnson's stats as a Cavalier are modest: 26 carries for 133 yards and one TD, five receptions for 25 yards, three punt returns for 61 yards.

"He really hasn't had his chance to really break out," Blackstock said.

Johnson, Virginia's most improved offensive player during spring practice, expects that opportunity to come this season. Still, don't expect to see him carrying the ball 20 times a game. Johnson is vying for playing time with junior Wali Lundy and senior Alvin Pearman, who between them have 3,054 yards and 25 rushing touchdowns at U.Va.

Is it possible for the Cavs' coaches to keep three talented tailbacks happy?

"They're going to draw up something," Johnson said. "It's possible."

Groh said: "You're going to see [Johnson] in the games, because I'm going to put him in the games."

Johnson said he's been timed at 4.21 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Virginia wants to take full advantage of his gift, and so Johnson has been returning punts and kickoffs during training camp. During his long tenure as an NFL coach, Groh worked with such speedsters as Aaron Glenn and Ray Mickens.

"He'd probably like to race them," Groh said of Johnson.

Since he last appeared in a U.Va. game, Johnson has kept busy. He's continued to add muscle to his 5-9 frame and now weighs around 200 pounds, some 20 more than he played at in high school. He's resumed his track career, if only on a part-time basis.

Last winter, Johnson trained with and competed for Virginia's indoor track team.

"My first practice with him, when I put him in the blocks, you could just tell he had it," Cavaliers coach Randy Bungard said. "He was the top sprinter on our team, just walking out on the track. He just has a lot of natural raw ability."

Johnson knows that raw ability is no guarantee of success at the highest level of Division I-A football. He's determined to show he's a complete running back and not just a sprinter in a football uniform.

"When I come through the line, I want to be able to break tackles, make people miss," Johnson said. "And then, when I get out in the open field, I want to be able to run away from everyone."
 

U.Va. Notes: Tight end Estes still sidelined
Richmond Times-Dispatch Aug 27, 2004

ON HOLD: At Virginia's football Media Day on Aug. 19, senior tight end Patrick Estes said he was confident he'd soon be able to resume practicing. That hasn't happened, as the Benedictine High graduate continues to battle migraine headaches.

Estes, who hasn't redshirted, missed most of U.Va.'s training camp, which ended Wednesday. The 16th-ranked Cavaliers open their season Sept. 4 at Temple.

"We have just decided to take a very conservative approach with him and try to get this thing taken care of once and for all," Virginia coach Al Groh said Wednesday, "rather than to jump in too early, have the situation reoccur and then we're right back where we were.

"If he wasn't a veteran player, we probably couldn't take that approach. . . . It's all about getting the players to the game. If that's what it takes to get them to the game, then that's what has to be done."

The 6-7, 285-pound Estes is expected to team with All-American Heath Miller to give U.Va. the nation's top set of tight ends this season. In Estes' absence, redshirt freshman Jonathan Stupar's role has increased.

TO THE WIRE: As of Wednesday morning, the Cavaliers' first-team punter hadn't been chosen. The candidates are Kurt Korte and Sean Johnson.

"I'd say it's a photo finish a little bit," Groh said.

IN PURSUIT: Less than three months from the early signing period, Virginia's recruiting class for 2005-06 in men's basketball consists of Laurynas Mikalauskas, a 6-8, 245-pound senior at the Blue Ridge School near Charlottesville.

The Cavaliers' primary remaining targets are 6-8 Uche Echefu of Montrose Christian in Rockville, Md.; 6-5 Danny Green of Long Island, N.Y.; 6-4 Mamadi Diane of DeMatha High in Hyattsville, Md.; 6-4 Dionte Christmas and 6-9 Vernon Goodridge, teammates at Philadelphia Lutheran; and 6-8 Alfred Aboya of the Tilton School (N.H.).

Echefu's teammates at Montrose last season included 6-10 Tunji Soroye, now a freshman at U.Va.

REUNITED: The list of former U.Va. football players on the team at James Madison University doesn't begin and end with sophomore safety Robbie Catterton. Also on the Dukes' roster is kicker Bryan Smith, who graduated from U.Va. in May.

Smith, the son of Hampton High's wildly successful coach, had a season of eligibility remaining at U.Va. but wasn't invited back for a fifth year. He was 5 for 7 on extra points during his career at Virginia but didn't attempt a field goal.

Catterton transferred this week to Division I-AA JMU, where he's eligible immediately, as is Smith.

QUICK STUDY: Defensive end Chris Long lives with a Pro Football Hall of Famer, and he's not afraid to ask him for help with techniques and the game's nuances.

A chiseled 6-4, 265-pound freshman from Ivy, Long is the oldest of Howie Long's three sons. Chris Long, who graduated from St. Anne's-Belfield in Charlottesville, said his father "understands that I'm trying to do this as my life's work. He's there to help. It's understood, and if I need it, I ask."

When asked at Media Day about playing as a true freshman, Long said he had "no preference. I can't really turn down going out there on the field."

Long isn't likely to redshirt. "I would be surprised if we don't use him this year," Groh said Wednesday. "It's heading in that direction."

IN THE CREASE: Matt Kelly, a senior at New Trier High in Illinois, could have played football in the Big Ten. Instead, the 6-1, 205-pound defenseman decided to play lacrosse at U.Va. Also committing to Virginia for 2005-06 recently were Mark Wade, a goalie from Lake Braddock High in Northern Virginia, and attackman Steve Giannone from the Millbrook School in New York.

- Jeff White

 

It Takes Weeks to Improve At Safety
Cavs' Senior Swaps Offense for Defense
By Jim Reedy
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, August 27, 2004; Page D09

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Aug. 26 -- Each time he lines up at safety, Virginia fifth-year senior Marquis Weeks runs through a mental checklist in the moments before the ball is snapped.

He finds the tight end to determine the strong side of the offensive formation -- and therefore whether he will be the strong safety or free safety on this play. He eyes the offense, watching to see if a back or receiver goes in motion, perhaps yelling out to his teammates to change the coverage accordingly. Then the play begins, and Weeks has to quickly figure out what the opposition is trying to do -- again, usually by keying on the tight end -- and how to react appropriately.

It can be a lot to keep straight for any player, but especially so for one only a few months into the job. Weeks shifted to defense in the spring after four years fighting for playing time at tailback.

"The mental aspect of it," he said, "is just totally different than being on offense."

Weeks's transition has gone well so far; his continuing development once the season begins will be one of several factors that determine whether Virginia's talented but inexperienced secondary strengthens or cripples its otherwise imposing defense.

"It's about dependability," Coach Al Groh said. "You can't afford to make mistakes back there."

"It's always in your head," Weeks added. "Not only do the coaches drill it into you, but the defense drills it into you. And plus you're already thinking, 'If I miss a tackle, they get a touchdown.' "

At least Weeks has four years of college football experience to fall back on. Ten of Virginia's top 12 defensive backs are freshmen or sophomores, including all the cornerbacks. At least three of the five true freshmen are expected to play when the 16th-ranked Cavaliers open the season Sept. 4 at Temple.

"That's a group that because of their youthfulness has the potential to make a lot of progress every day," Groh said, "and that certainly has been the case. . . . I've expressed to them, as to all the first-year players, what I'm looking for is a couple of the rookie players . . . to come in and be candidates for playing time in a situation where nobody might have expected that they would do that. . . . There are a few that are really trying to chase down that chance."

Safety Nate Lyles, a big hitter from Chicago, has earned a second-team spot behind Weeks and senior Jermaine Hardy. Cornerback Philip Brown, perhaps the best high school player in Virginia two years ago, plays on the nickel defense alongside redshirt sophomores Tony Franklin and Marcus Hamilton (Centreville). Jamaal Jackson has also impressed at safety.

The newcomers and Hardy's recovery from the knee injuries that plagued him last season appear to have made the defensive backs a far more athletic group than in seasons past.

"We're all fast," Weeks said with a smile. "But I might be the fastest."

Before this year, the Berwyn, Pa., native had to be satisfied with showcasing that speed primarily on special teams. Competing with Alvin Pearman, Wali Lundy and Michael Johnson for carries, Weeks rushed just 63 times the past three seasons, though he averaged 4.8 yards per carry.

But with Jamaine Winborne graduating and Willie Davis's career essentially over because of injuries, the Cavaliers anticipated a hole at safety in 2004. Weeks agreed to try it out. He spent the spring and summer learning with Hardy and the coaching staff.

All along, he prepared with the knowledge that he would have only one chance to get it right.

"You either learn it this year or you don't," Weeks said. "I don't have another year to come back and get better. I have to get better now."

Cavaliers Notes: Lundy, the starting tailback, spent at least a significant portion of Wednesday night's practice on the sideline, wearing a towel on his head instead of a helmet. Asked if Lundy was injured, Groh declined to answer, citing his policy of not discussing injuries. . . .

Blocking tight end Patrick Estes continues to sit out because of migraine headaches. The team is taking a "conservative approach" with the 280-pound senior, Groh said, "to try to get this thing taken care of once and for all."
 

Finding a Center in Their End
Talented Junior Receiver Miller Plays a Pivotal Role in the Cavaliers' Offense
By Mark Schlabach
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 25, 2004; Page H05

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia's Heath Miller had more catches, receiving yards and touchdowns than the University of Miami's Kellen Winslow Jr. last season. Not surprisingly, Miller did it much more quietly than Winslow, the outspoken consensus all-American who was the Cleveland Browns' first-round draft choice in April.

"I kind of like to just go about my business, take care of my job and divert all the attention to my team," Miller said.

Avoiding the spotlight will be more difficult this season for the soft-spoken Miller, who set ACC records for tight ends with 70 receptions for 835 yards in 2003. Miller's six touchdown catches were five more than Winslow had last season, and he led Division I-A tight ends in receptions and receiving yards. With his first catch this season, Miller will break the Virginia record for catches by a tight end; he enters his junior season tied with Bruce McGonnigal at 103.

Miller's production hasn't gone unnoticed. The Swords Creek, Va., native enters this season as a preseason all-American and the leading hopeful for the John Mackey Award, which honors the nation's top tight end. And, like Winslow, Miller could be a first-round choice in next spring's NFL draft, if he decides to leave Virginia after his junior season.

"Heath Miller is the best tight end in the country -- hands down," Cavaliers guard Elton Brown said during last month's ACC preseason news conference. "Double team him, and he'll catch the ball. Triple team him, and he'll catch the ball. Throw the ball up, and he'll catch the ball. People see that, but behind the scenes, he's a great run blocker, too."

Miller, 6 feet 5 and 255 pounds, knows it will be difficult to duplicate the success of his sophomore season. He caught five or more passes in six games, including a career-high 13 receptions for 145 yards in the Cavaliers' 35-21 victory over Virginia Tech. Last year, Miller more than doubled his production from his freshman season in 2002, in which he caught 33 passes and scored a touchdown in each of his first five college games.

"Statistically, it's going to be pretty hard to do better than last year," Miller said.

But Virginia might need him to. The Cavaliers lost quarterback Matt Schaub, their starter in each of the past three seasons, and starting wide receivers Ottowa Anderson and Ryan Sawyer (Anderson is academically ineligible, and Sawyer graduated). Michael McGrew, the expected starter at split end, missed all of last season because of a broken leg. The team's other top returning wide receivers -- freshman Emmanuel Byers and sophomores Fontel Mines and Deyon Williams -- combined to catch only 14 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns last season.

Virginia Coach Al Groh said it would be difficult to ask Miller to carry more of a load.

"It would be pretty tough for Heath to play an even bigger role," Groh said. "But the tight end is always going to play a big role in this system. It's one of the premier positions in this offense. He also happens to be a premier talent. We're going to find as many ways as possible to get him the ball."

Groh spent 13 seasons as an assistant and head coach in the NFL before returning to coach his alma mater. During his pro career, Groh worked with some of the NFL's best tight ends -- Mark Bavaro of the New York Giants, Ben Coates of the New England Patriots and Anthony Becht of the New York Jets. Groh said Miller has the potential to flourish in the NFL, too.

"This is a really good player," Groh said. "The ball just sticks on his hands. Certain players just have a knack for making that happen, and Heath is one of them."