Running the show
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
August 16, 2007

Editor’s note: The first in a two-part series of questions and answers about the state of the University of Virginia athletics department during a sitdown between Daily Progress sports editor Jerry Ratcliffe and Cavaliers’ Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage.

The Daily Progress: What are the major challenges of being an athletic director today?

Craig Littlepage: There are probably two things as I experience them here, and as I talk to my colleagues around the country, that seem to be pretty consistent ... things that keep us up at night.

No. 1 would be any of the topics that come under the general heading of conduct, integrity, playing by the rules, compliance, etc. That could be everything from the conduct of the professional staff, coaches, administrators, boosters, to make sure we have made it clear what the do’s and don’ts are. Conduct and integrity by the student athletes in the classroom and abiding by rules of the Honor System are important. Everything that’s related to one’s conduct.

DP: We would imagine that the financial side of the business would probably be a close No. 2 on that list of challenges?

CL: Yes, that would be the topic of finances and the challenge of continuing to fund the operational needs of the department and to meet the needs of having a top performing intercollegiate athletics program with 25 sports.

Many of us realize there aren’t a lot of new revenue streams. Ticket prices are at a level that we have to continue to keep an eye on, and keep an eye on the marketplace in terms of what are the new ways people try to generate revenue within the context of an academic setting and not be over commercialized.

DP: How difficult is it to remain solvent in these challenging times?

CL: It is very difficult. The good news is we have supporters, either alums or friends of Virginia athletics that have been extremely generous, that have sacrificed and allowed us over a 15- or 16-year period of time to build the kind of facilities we have, to renovate and expand.

We’re fortunate that we’re in a conference like the ACC that provides a very stable component of our budget. We’re also fortunate that we’ve had, institutionally, a fair level of success competitively, which has kept our fans, donors and alums excited an interested in what we’re doing.

We’ll just keep looking at things we can do to enhance our success and appeal. We’ve done a tremendous amount over the last few years in terms of use of technology to get the word out about what we’re doing in creative ways, literally all over the world with the use of the Internet. The bottom line is we’ve had the kind of success that people are interested in what we’re doing. They’re enthused with what we’re doing and how we’ve gone about it and haven’t compromised on the pursuit of academic credibility and academic success.

DP: Over the past year, various publications have noted that many successful Division I athletic programs are losing money. Sports Illustrated threw out a number about UVa’s athletic budget, but wasn’t that an incorrect report?

CL: Yes, and I think specifically that the accounting procedures at schools are so varied, and there isn’t one standard accounting method, although the NCAA has tried to standardize the reporting of finances. Still, the uniqueness of how schools account for different things in a budget is different.

We look at a budget of about $52 million, although there are publications that peg our budget at $90 million. The difference is we don’t count the operation of the John Paul Jones Arena in our normal operational report. Our annual operating budget is $52 million, absent the arena, which is with SMG, a separate entity of itself.

That makes comparing a little bit difficult. But for a 25-sport program with a budget that we have, we find a way to meet our budget on an annual basis. We don’t have a lot of margin for error.

DP: So, when we see some of these financial comparisons in national publications, we should think twice before jumping to conclusions?

CL: When you see these reports, you’re not always talking apples and oranges. Some schools don’t have debt service in their budget, while others do. There are any number of things that may or may not be factored in how they report their budgets.

DP: Would you say that one of the major issues that boosters and fans don’t understand is what it requires to operate a 25-sport program?

CL: Your statement is true, but we try to help them understand through our annual report. Five years ago we started producing an annual report, which was intended to be a guide for our donors and friends of the University, to let them know what we’re doing, how we’re doing it, and how we’re funded. When we have our spring socials for the VAF, one of the things we make a specific point to mention is how the resources, particularly the funding we generate through private giving, is used.

For example, the Sports Illustrated report that had our report at $90 million. Please understand we’re not under-reporting by $40 million. The arena and fundraising for the arena is not in the accounting of how we do our annual budget.

The important piece of the budget in terms of the private fundraising, in excess of $20 million last year, I’d say $12 million of that was specifically allocated for scholarship support. The foundation funds all of the operations in academic affairs, which is almost $900,000 and they fund all the summer school support, which is another $1.2 million or so. Having said that, about $14 million of the $20-some million raised last year was touching student-athletes and that’s the thing we want to make sure that our friends understand ... that they are directly benefiting students and student-support through their generosity. The other money that was raised was allocated toward the different capital projects, from the arena, to the project here with the football, or baseball, or the other facilities.

DP: Speaking of football, give us an overview of what’s going on with the remodeling of the Frank McCue Center.

CL: The McCue Center has not had any significant updating since it was opened in the early 1990s, and for those that were coming into the building for the first time, it had the appearance of just a generic building. You really didn’t know that this was the athletics department building and that this specifically was the center for the football program.

What this project is intended to do on the ground level and second level, is to give it a clear indication that you’re in the football support facility, that this is Virginia football. The hope is that it will take on much the same look and feel of the Hall of Fame area that’s in the John Paul Jones Arena with basketball. It will be a very modern and very high-level feel to it with wall treatments and much more.

DP: With football in mind, the Southern California opener in ’08 was a real coup for the program.

CL: And to be able to back that up with the Penn State series, we’re continuing to look at future schedules and how they may help the overall profile and popularity of our program and appeal to fans to stay onboard or to get onboard with our program.

[USC] will be a monumental game and it’s an important game in our program’s history. To have Southern Cal when their program is at or near the top, and Penn State rebounding, I’m looking forward to it.

DP: When Penn State comes to town, will you personally usher in Joe Paterno?

CL: Last time we were up there, he had a conspiracy theory of the date of our game in terms of the consecutive weeks that they had to play as a result of our insistence that the game be played in November instead of September. I was completely surprised by his comments because if they had played in September, instead of playing 10 consecutive weeks, they would have played eight consecutive weeks. There really wasn’t that big a difference and they beat us handily anyway.

I’ll have a chance to see Coach Paterno once again, and see if there’s anything else that’s on his mind in terms of interest.

 

UVa extends deal with Richmond
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
August 16, 2007

Perhaps as a sign of things to come, Virginia has completed an agreement to play four football games with an in-state school.

Virginia’s Executive Associate Director of Athletics Jon Oliver confirmed on Wednesday that Virginia will host the University of Richmond in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. The move extends the previous two-game agreement between the schools.

“We like to schedule in-state schools in football if it fits into our overall guarantee structure and the timing is right,” Oliver said.

The move could be lucrative for UVa - the Cavaliers will have seven games at Scott Stadium in ’08, and the trend could continue in seasons after that.

Virginia is also scheduled to host Southern Cal and East Carolina next season, with the lone road game coming in a return game at Connecticut.

The contest against Richmond will renew a series that started in 1893. The Cavaliers, who boast a 24-2-2 record against the Spiders, won the most recent meeting, 17-16, in 2001 after Richmond missed an extra-point with 8:50 left in the fourth quarter. It was Virginia coach Al Groh’s first victory at his alma mater.

Extra points

For now, the Cavaliers’ wide receivers continue to battle for spots on the depth chart. Groh said the battle resembled a “nine-inning baseball game” as standouts at the position continue to rotate.

… Virginia will start “prep work” for its season opener on Wednesday, Groh said.

… A finalized list of grades from the third summer school session has not reached Groh’s desk. The coach said he was getting “antsy” to see the results and their ramifications. Players could be deemed academically ineligible at that time.

 

Rookie finds running room from illness
Seventh-round pick Snelling battles epilepsy, earns start
By D. ORLANDO LEDBETTER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/16/07

Flowery Branch — Falcons rookie running back Jason Snelling is not just battling for a roster spot.

He's taking on a much bigger opponent in his fight to control his epilepsy.

At the University of Virginia, his condition caused him to take a medical redshirt his sophomore season and later miss practices and games. His disease was eventually diagnosed and is now treated by medication.

"Yeah, that's just an ongoing situation," Snelling said. "It's well taken care of. I've got good doctors. I'm doing the things I need to do to take care of that, so it won't be a problem with my performance on the field. That's going fine."

With Warrick Dunn (back) and Jerious Norwood (stomach) nursing injuries, Snelling, a seventh-round draft pick this year, will start at Buffalo on Friday in the Falcons' second preseason game.

Those crippling migraine headaches and dizzy spells are under control, and his stamina is just fine.

"I take medicine to help with that situation, to eliminate those issues," Snelling said. "When I'm out [at practice], I'm able to do everything that everyone else is doing."

It wasn't until his senior season that Snelling was able to talk openly about epilepsy. He's hoping a professional career will give him a platform to show that epileptics can lead a normal life.

"Definitely, as a young guy it was tough knowing that you have something that could hinder you," Snelling said. "But it can also be a positive. It teaches you a lot of things about yourself. I'm an example that you can still get through it and succeed at the highest level."

Snelling's inner strength, determination and rugged running style endeared him to his teammates and Virginia fans.

"You have to credit Jason for his resilience and his staying power under his circumstances," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "He really received a lot of support, encouragement and caring from his teammates as he went through those circumstances. He's persevered."

Falcons cornerback Tony Franklin, an undrafted rookie free agent, played with Snelling at Virginia.

"He's a real cool guy, a real hard worker," Franklin said. "For the situations that he's been through, to come out here and play good, you have to root for him."

The record heat that has marked this season's training camp has been a factor for Snelling, but despite one episode, he's been able to carry on.

"He was out there the next day on the practice field going again," running backs coach Ollie Wilson said. "I look at it as 'Hey, we're making progress.' He's dealing with it and has been dealing with it for a long time."

It was Snelling's hard-charging runs against the New York Jets in the preseason opener got him noticed along the Falcons sideline.

"Jason can be a great asset to us," Dunn said. "He can come in and be a utility back. He's a fullback/tailback. He's nifty. In the last game, he made some plays that we haven't seen on the field."

Snelling will get a big test against Buffalo. He'll get to run behind the No. 1 offensive line and face a first-string defense.

Dunn has been sharing his wisdom.

"It's nice to have a veteran guy like Warrick Dunn to lead and show you," Snelling said. "He's been doing it for 11 years so he's been real helpful in teaching me and letting me know what I need to do at this level."

Even if Snelling plays well against Buffalo, he knows that he'll have to contribute in other areas. Groh said that Snelling played on the punt and kickoff coverage teams at Virginia.

"To make this team, I'm going to have to be on special teams somewhere," Snelling said. "That's a pretty big adjustment that you have to make. It's a different tempo and the importance to it is real big. I'm doing everything possible to make this team."

Whatever happens, Snelling has some big fans back in Charlottesville.

"We have a very strong affection here for Jason Snelling," Groh said.

 

UVa's offensive front lines up with experience
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
August 16, 2007

CHARLOTTESVILLE - A year ago at this time, Virginia's offensive line was just getting acquainted. The group the Cavaliers put together in the preseason bore no resemblance to the spring crew.
Eugene Monroe was back, though limited, by a knee injury. Branden Albert had just returned after focusing on academics in the offseason. Ian-Yates Cunningham was working at center with Jordy Lipsey as his understudy. Marshal Ausberry and Eddie Pinigis manned the right side of the line, well before they transferred to Liberty. And even the most die-hard of UVa fans would have had a tough time picking Will Barker out of a crowd.

This year, all five starters are back, a year more experienced and used to playing with their linemates.

"Where are we?" offensive line coach Dave Borbely asked rhetorically. "We're a hell of a lot further along than we were a year ago at this time."

The group Borbely inherited a year ago took its lumps. Virginia finished 113th out of 119 Division I teams in total offense, having its worst showing in decades. An inexperienced line that featured three players seeing the first extended action of their careers took a lot of the blame.

"We weren't in sync with each other because we hadn't played together," Albert said.

Borbely said things started to change about halfway through the year. The unit started to jell against North Carolina in the eighth week of the season, not coincidentally when Virginia reeled off three wins in four weeks.

"I could see it in our off-the-field preparation," he said. "We could see it in the play on the field. And we could just kind of feel it."

For one, the linemen were getting used to their linemates' tendencies. Secondly, Monroe finally stared to feel like himself.

Ask the mountain of a left tackle when he finally felt healthy last season and he has one response: "This spring."

The highly touted lineman dislocated his kneecap two and a half practices into the spring in 2006. Even once he returned last year, he didn't feel right. It showed. The former No. 1-ranked high school offensive line recruit looked sluggish, unable to drive off his recovering knee. He lost his starting spot to Zak Stair in the fourth week.

"He's really a marvelous kid," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "He is very purposeful and very hard-working and very prideful. It was a very tough year for him to through."

Groh started to see the Monroe he had recruited by the N.C. State game at the end of October.

Monroe got his starting slot back the last two weeks and continued to develop in the offseason. He won the Rock Weir Award as the most improved offensive player in the spring and has drawn rave reviews by his work thus far in the preseason.

"As the saying goes, he finally had his legs under him, literally and figuratively," Groh said.

Part of it is the knee. Part of it is understanding what it takes to be a good lineman.

"Coming in here hearing I was a good player in high school - it means nothing," said Monroe, a SuperPrep All-American out of Plainfield (N.J.) High. "Now that I'm in my third year, it's time for me to really get at it."

Said Borbely: "I think you'll see a whole different guy this year."

The same goes for the rest of the line. Albert, a co-captain, is on the verge of breaking out after earning honorable mention all-ACC honors as a sophomore.

"I think he really learned how to become a guy who can strike a target," Borbely said, "rather than just being a big guy who pushes and shoves people."

Lipsey has entrenched himself at center after struggling to take hold of that spot early in his career. Cunningham has finally found a home at right guard after bouncing around the line. And Barker, who improved by leaps and bounds last year, appears to be a fixture at right tackle for the next three seasons.

"These guys are all powerful guys," Borbely said. "They can all run. They're all very athletic. And they're all learning how to use that ability to generate a lot of force and knock somebody's ass off."

After last season, it will be a nice role reversal.


 

Barker feels more prepared
Cavs tackle is now lighter, faster on his feet at right tackle
Thursday, Aug 16, 2007 - 12:07 AM Updated: 12:58 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE He looks much the same as he did last August - maybe a little bigger - but Will Barker says he's a changed man.

At this time last year, Barker was a redshirt freshman battling for a starting job on an inexperienced offensive line. Now the 6-7, 305-pound redhead has 12 college football games on his résumé, all as a starter at right tackle, and isn't likely to stumble when the University of Virginia opens its season Sept. 1.

"I feel a hundred times better," Barker said after a recent practice.

"Last year coming in, I guess I was a little nervous and didn't really know what to think. But the game has slowed down a lot since then. I feel a lot more comfortable with my body and with my ability. You're going to have a bad day every once in a while, but I'm just trying to go out there and get better."

Most quarterbacks are right-handed, which is why left offensive tackles are valued so highly in football. They're generally responsible for blind-side protection. Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell, however, is a lefty, and pass-blocking breakdowns by Barker could put his quarterback in harm's way.

Such lapses were not uncommon for Barker in 2006, especially early in the season. In his college debut, on the road at Pittsburgh, Barker looked lost. He ended up spending much of the game on the sideline, watching Zak Stair fill in at right tackle.

Barker prepared well for his college debut, said U.Va. offensive line coach Dave Borbely, but ultimately was tripped up by his lack of experience.

"For any kid who plays in there as a freshman, it's really difficult," Borbely said Monday. "It's just a whole different world in there. I think going through the season a year ago, really understanding the offense now, that experience has helped him a great deal."

In the college game, Borbely believes, the "closer you move to the football, the harder it is to play, especially for a young player. There's a physical maturity that has to be there. Then there's a great deal of mental maturity that has to be there. Then you've got to put all that together."

Barker, a graduate of the Haverford School outside Philadelphia, experienced a little too much physical growth in the offseason. When he arrived back in Charlottesville for the summer, Barker weighed around 320 pounds. The Cavaliers' new strength coach, Matt Balis, didn't approve. Subsequent workouts melted 15 pounds from Barker's huge frame.

"I feel like I've gotten quicker, too," he said.

As they did last year, the Cavaliers will open the season on the road. They play at Wyoming two weeks from Saturday. Expect more from Barker, 20, this time around.

"That Pitt game seems like years ago," he said. "I've come a long way since then."

 

Virginia Football Preview
COACH: Al Groh (68-73 overall, 12 years; 42-33 at Virginia, 6 years)

2006 RESULTS: 5-7, 4-4 ACC, T-3rd in Coastal Division

RETURNING STARTERS: 8 offense, 10 defense

KEY PLAYER: Defensive end Chris Long. The lone player pictured on Virginia's media guide cover made 12 tackles for loss last season. Son of Oakland Raiders Hall of Famer Howie Long is smart and tireless.

IMPACT NEWCOMER: Receiver Staton Jobe. Redshirt freshman and former walk-on could play a lot after Kevin Ogletree suffered a spring practice knee injury that could wipe out his season.

SHOES TO FILL: Tailback Jason Snelling. . He ran last season with a brutish determination that was contagious. Cedric Peerman'sspeed is superior to Snelling's, but he needs to display similar toughness.

GETTING TECHNICAL: Groh's pro-style philosophy worked best with drop-back quarterback Matt Schaub. With Marques Hagans and now Jameel Sewell, Groh has worked recently with scramblers not perfectly suited to his system.

COACH'S OUTLOOK: Groh's sometimes prickly personality puts him at odds with fans when the Cavaliers struggle. Last season's 5-7 effort puts heat on Groh, but a strong, veteran defense could help him.

BIGGEST GAME: Sept. 22 vs. Georgia Tech. Thanks to an easy early schedule, Virginia should be 3-0 coming into that game and could build momentum with a win at home against a highly regarded Coastal Division opponent.

DID YOU KNOW? Linebacker Jon Copper set three International Powerlifting Association world records in his age and weight class in high school.

BY THE NUMBERS

5

Starting offensive linemen returning for the Cavaliers

51.8

Percent of Chris Gould'spunts downed inside the 20 last season (29 of 56)

9

Cavaliers return their top nine tacklers from 2006

Bottom line

With a talented, veteran defense and a capable dual-threat quarterback in Sewell, Virginia could be a dark horse in the race for the Coastal Division title.

SCHEDULE

SEPT. 1, at Wyoming; 8, Duke; 15, at North Carolina; 22, Georgia Tech; 29, Pittsburgh

OCT. 6, at Middle Tennessee State; 13, Connecticut; 20, at Maryland; 27, at N.C. State

NOV. 3, Wake Forest; 10, at Miami; 24, Virginia Tech.

 

McAnaney will return to school
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
August 16, 2007

Greg Miclat summed up his thoughts with one word: sweet.

That was the speedy reaction from Virginia’s base-stealing expert when he heard the decision made by left-handed pitcher Pat McAnaney.

After carefully weighing his options - a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates or final season at UVa - McAnaney picked what he called the “best” option.

“I am coming back to school,” he said.

It was not a foregone conclusion.

McAnaney, who was 14-1 with a 2.48 ERA in his first three seasons at UVa, said he spent most of the summer preparing to sign with the Pirates, the same organization that drafted him out of high school. However, the 38th-round pick had a change of heart late in the process after realizing how far the two sides were apart and how valuable obtaining a diploma from could be.

“Both situations were pretty good and taking care of the degree was a huge factor,” said McAnaney, “and as the summer went on that factor was staring me in the face.”

McAnaney’s decision gives Virginia coach Brian O’Connor another veteran in a program that is entering a transition year - only 13 returning players have appeared in an ACC game.

“I am excited for our team and excited for our program that Pat McAnaney is going to be back for his senior year,” O’Connor said. “He has won a lot of games in our uniform and it is nice to have a veteran pitcher back like that.

“I know he had a great opportunity with Pittsburgh and it didn’t work out, but hopefully he has a great senior year and it works out for him next year.”

Barring any last-minute deals, O’Connor also plans to welcome in four high school pitchers that were drafted in June.

Jake Cowan (Boston, 14th round), Robert Morey (Tampa Bay, 29th), Sean Tierney (Boston, 35th) and Kevin Arico (Minnesota, 45th) informed the staff they were not interested in signing pro contracts.

“The key to recruiting in college baseball is finding guys that want to play college baseball first and get their education first,” O’Connor added. “Professional baseball is a great opportunity, but it is different for different players at different times in their lives.

“I am excited that all those players will be enrolling this fall.”

With those players helping to give Virginia a stellar recruiting class, McAnaney is hopeful the group can help him take care of some unfinished business at Davenport Field.

In his last start of the season, McAnaney limited Oregon State to one run over five innings and left the postseason game leading, 3-1. Oregon State rallied for the win, claimed the Charlottesville Regional the following day and later cruised to the College World Series title.

It marked the fourth straight time that the Cavaliers were eliminated in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

“I was thinking about that a lot this summer,” McAnaney said. “To watch Oregon State go on to win the whole thing was pretty difficult. It was neat because we were the last team to beat them, and I think we should have beaten them two times, but the way it ended, it left you with a tough pill to swallow.

“It just made you wish you could go back and do that whole year over again and give it one more shot.”

McAnaney should be a leading candidate to join junior Jacob Thompson in Virginia’s weekend rotation.

“My goal is to be one of our top pitchers and contribute a ton,” he said. “Whether it is in a starter’s role or as a main guy out of the bullpen, I just hope that I can get a lot of innings in and pitch well.

“The team is going to be different, but I guess I am lucky that I get one more crack at the college baseball thing, and hopefully we can get over that hump. I think we will. Sure, we lost some outfielders, and obviously losing [Sean] Doolittle and [Brandon] Guyer is tough, but our infield is going to be as solid as they come and the pitching is always there.”