Littlepage discusses decisions
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
August 17, 2007

The second of a three-part question and answer session between The Daily Progress and University of Virginia Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage concerning the state of Cavalier sports. Because of the many issues covered, the series has been expanded to three parts.

Q: In a similar sitdown last year, you noted that a few of the sports programs at Virginia had not met expectations and, in some cases, changes were made in the coaching staffs. Can you address how those programs have done in your eyes since then?

A: I mentioned field hockey at that time. Michele Madison came in and in her first year had a turnaround that was very

impressive and our team advanced into the NCAA Tournament and we were close to the Final Four. We had gone a number of years without winning an ACC match. We’re pleased with the development there and I give her so much credit.

Q: Wrestling and softball were the other two sports pointed out a year ago.

A: Wrestling was another program and Steve Garland came in and he has us in a position right now to benefit by his enthusiasm and hard work. I’ve been very impressed by his work in one short year. I’m comfortable that we’re situated there.

Softball, we took some lumps this year, mainly from not having enough pitching. I was disappointed that Karen [Johns] made her decision to focus on the national team because I think there were some things in place in terms of success that she and her staff had made in recruiting that bodes well for the future.

It is great news that Eilene Schmidt (a former Cavalier catcher) rejoins the UVa community as our head softball coach. She has a good understanding of the university and its culture and will be a top performer as a head coach. If the softball team becomes a reflection of its coach, we will field tough, smart, and aggressive teams.

We’re continuing to try to figure out track and field. I’m trying to get enough information to find out what we don’t have that can help us have success in that sport.

Q: Having been a coach and working with coaches most of your career, is the hardest part of your job having to fire a coach?

A: Yes and no. Sometimes it can be looked at in terms of the semantics of it. If an administrator has done his or her job in terms of ongoing communication and feedback, goal-setting and support, there aren’t too many situations where there are surprises.

I think what has happened, we’ve had situations where an assessment was made administratively that things weren’t where they should be and the coach realized that they, as the leader of the program, may not have been getting traction. Ideally, and this happens many times, there’s an agreement that we need to move on and we need to have a change.

Q: Still, it’s never easy?

A: It’s never easy because I consider all these folks with whom I work to be colleagues and friends and they have all made tremendous contributions and tremendous sacrifices to lead programs here. Sometimes there’s just circumstances that make having success difficult in their particular situations and we can look at is as helping them find a way and get out of it into a different environment where they can have success coaching somewhere else or doing something different. But it’s never easy.

Q: The majority of outside criticism over the past several months has been directed toward the football program and women’s basketball. Is this a critical year for those two sports in terms of getting back on track, or is that overstating the issue?

A: I think that would be overstating it.

I think the strategy of building last year toward this coming season was a good one in terms of there were a higher number of kids than normal that were redshirted to give that year of development on and off the field, along with a very good number of kids returning to the program, and a solid recruiting class. Everything is shaping up that we can make a nice rebound.

In basketball, Debbie [Ryan] had one of her most challenging years in terms of injuries and losing two critical role players once the season started and had to adjust to that situation. She probably did one of her better coaching jobs overall in terms of having to adapt, almost immediately and on the spot. I see the chance for them to continue to grow and to get back into that consistently performing team that’s in the NCAA’s every year and advances in the NCAA Tournament.

I wouldn’t catagorize them as being critical years or important years beyond that, which a coach approaches every year.

Q: Can you address the flap over the football season ticket reseating plan and how have you handled that feedback?

A: We start with the premise that there’s not goiong to be a perfect answer or an answer that’s going to meet the needs of 100 percent of the fans.

The volume of letters, e-mails and calls that expressed concerns was reasonable and I wasn’t surprised by the fact that there was a reaction. We tried to make sure that, as best we can, explain the rationale behind making the changes that are going to be implemented in 2008 and understand that it’s about trying to build a seating allocation system that is clearly defined and is fair from the standpoint that it puts people in areas of their choice based on their priority.

That’s not the only way schools determine seating policies, but a fairly routine way. It’s going to advantage some, it’s going to disadvantage others.

Q: What do you say to the “others?”

A: Those that feel as though potentially they will be disadvantaged, we have offered to have them speak to folks in the ticket office or the VAF office to be able to address their concerns. It’s still early in the process, but we’ve tried to give personal attention and ask people to understand why it is important to do it at this point and time.

Q: Some readers have complained that the new policy is money driven.

A: It’s not just about the money. Certainly there could be some benefit financially. I’d be crazy to say there wouldn’t be.

We had so many situations where people had supported the program for so many years that wanted to move to better seats and didn’t have a way in which they could do that. On the other hand, people that were in very good seats and have been very loyal, admittedly, it would be hard to explain to people why someone was sitting in one place and that other person might have been supportive of our program from a financial standpoint and had a number of years of loyalty as well.

Q: It would appear that no matter what you decided, someone was going to be unhappy?

A: There’s not a perfect answer but we feel as though it gives us the best opportunity to provide some flexibility and ultimately some growth in our season ticket allocations ... and, hopefully it will allow us to continue to support the program, which is what it’s really all about.

Q: This may not be the perfect answer, but it is the one UVa has decided to go with.

A: I’m convinced we’re doing the right thing. We thought the only thing we could do, the fair thing we could do was to announce it early instead of trying to do it the season it would be implemented, so that fans could see what their options might be. We’ll be answering questions for the next eight to 10 months.

 

Looking to the future
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
August 18, 2007

The last in a three-part series of questions and answers about the state of the Virginia athletic department between The Daily Progress and UVa Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage.

Q: I know you had hopes of a top-10 finish in the Director’s Cup competition this year, but 13th out of more than 100 major sports programs nationally has to be satisfying?

A: The 13th-place finish was noteworthy for several reasons. It was our second-highest finish. It was accomplished having not won a national championship in 2006-07. It happened in a year where several sports, like men’s lacrosse and baseball, did not advance as far in the NCAAs as we had hoped, and several teams (volleyball and women’s basketball) narrowly missed making the championship field. I am pleased that we are seeing across-the-board success and think we are poised to do even better in 2007-08. We were a mere 50 points from being in the top 10 rankings.

Q: That being said, Virginia’s overall athletic program clearly rates high nationally. Does the athletic director get some contract extension for doing such a good job?

A: Months ago, I accepted a three-year extension, which will take me to 2011. I was looking at that [date] because that would have been 10 years that I have been AD. At that point, I want to take a step back and assess what I have done, assess whether I have accomplished what I thought could be accomplished, and assess the level of satisfaction from the university. It has been a good run through six years, but I’m looking forward to what’s still out there in terms of the next four years and to try to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my career.

Q: So, the three-year extension was the number you had in mind?

A: Yes, I had requested a three-year extension because I wanted a 10-year horizon to evaluate things fully. I’m enjoying the ride right now. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.

Q: Speaking of extensions, we assume that Dave Leitao received the normal one-year, rollover extension to his contract after the great season the basketball team enjoyed?

A: Yes. His is renewed for an additional year, so he has five years remaining.

Q: With all the flap in years past about long-term contracts, has the university changed its policy on those kinds of deals?

A: I think the maximum we’re doing now is five years. Some coaches have two or three years.

Q: Baseball coach Brian O’Conner now has a contract that extends through 2012 and men’s tennis coach Brian Boland has a contract that has four years remaining on it. Other schools have made ovations to them in the past couple of years. How difficult is it to keep coaches with other schools seeking their services?

A: We realize they are attractive candidates to other schools. It’s affirmation to us that we’ve done a pretty good job in picking the people to lead our programs. I find it flattering when one of our coaches is seen as being a candidate for a peer institution.

I believe those coaches are here for the right reasons. They’re here for value-based reasons and for their feelings for the University and the kind of student-athlete that’s going to be attracted to the institution. They’re also attracted because of the ACC and its overall quality.

Q: When Florida zeroed in on O’Connor as the No. 1 candidate for its baseball opening, were you sweating it a bit?

A: When the Florida situation opened, it was not a surprise to me that they would have an interest. And it was not going to be a surprise to me if Brian had expressed strong interest to talk to them. I would have encouraged him, as I encouraged Brian Boland in previous years when schools were interested in him as well. I believe they need to address any curiosity that they might have and ultimately have to answer in their own mind that they’re here for the right reasons.

Long story short, I wasn’t all that concerned, mainly because we’ve gone through a similar situation with Brian [O’Connor] a year ago with Notre Dame, given his experience there. After his first year, at least one school (Auburn) had interest. At the same time I understand the reasons that Brian O’Connor and Brian Boland came here. I think in both situations they spoke about the job not being done and that they wanted to accomplish what they came here to do.

Q: On the subject of baseball and tennis, with the emergence of those programs as potential contenders for national titles and the subsequent fan interest, is there a move to further enhance the facilities that those programs use?

A: We continue on an annual basis, and we ask our coaches because we consider them to be the experts, what their needs might be in terms of resources in terms of other ways that we might be able to support their programs. We rely on the input they give us in terms of the quality of their facilities, et cetera.

Q: So, any plans to change the Snyder Tennis Center or Davenport Field?

A: We don’t have anything immediate on the horizon in terms of the Snyder courts, but it has been nice to see that with the success of our team that there are people that consider themselves tennis fans and that we’re getting the casual bystander stopping by to watch.

There is developing a critical mass of tennis fans, and as we continue to grow that, certainly we’ll have to look if there’s a better way to accommodate these fans in terms of additional seating. But we don’t have anything immediate.

Q: And Davenport?

A: As far as baseball is concerned, the success that the team has had over the past five years has allowed us to create the Davenport stadium and Brian has helped us to understand from his perspective what the needs are in terms of not just the experience of the players on the field, but the experience of the fans and how that helps to feed our successful bids to get regionals, et cetera.

We’re looking in the short term at the left-field bleachers and how to better provide the seating out in left field and the possibility of expanding the seating along the first-base line to the right-field area. We are continuing to look at both situations, but with baseball, we have more immediate plans in what we might be able to do.

Q: Not bad, considering both those programs were on the brink of elimination less than 10 years ago?

A: With those two programs ... just think, it was six years ago when there was talk about whether or not they would be tiered or eliminated altogether. We turn around and in the years since then, they’ve been nationally ranked and highly successful. We’ve come a long, long way. In order to remain in the neighborhood in those two sports and others, we have to assess facilities and other operational needs of our program. I’m sure that Brian Boland will have some new idea or some additional need as we prepare for the ’07-08 campaign.

Q: Lastly, you have noted that serving as a member of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Selection Committee and ultimately its chairman, was one of the coolest and most rewarding professional experiences outside of being Virginia’s AD. What has been the best part of the latter?

A: Looking at the work I’ve done here at the University of Virginia in total, the most important accomplishment has been the transitioning of our program from being one that it was OK if you graduated players, and ran a clean program, and won sometimes. That was enough in the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s to now, when considering all the facilities work and other enhancements, we feel like we can do what the other top 10 schools have done.

Look at Scott Stadium, John Paul Jones Arena, Davenport Field. We’ve gone from being pretty good and OK to being successful intermittently to having everything in place so that we can expect to win and have a successful program on an ongoing basis. I take a great deal of pride in that.

 

Duo bent on improvement
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
August 17, 2007

Much is made about how experience has a way of slowing the game down for quarterbacks.

Signal-callers are not alone.

Just ask Will Barker.

With nothing more than a redshirt season to lean on for experience last year, the massive right tackle was essentially thrown to the wolves in the season opener at Pitt.

“Just going in there in my first big-time college football game, I didn’t know what to think,” Barker said. “In my first few games everything was definitely going real fast. You are trying everything you can to get used to it.”

That was the old Will Barker.

After learning on the job, packing on some much needed muscle and gaining confidence during almost 600 snaps in live action, Barker progressed enough to land a spot on the Sporting News Freshman All-American team, albeit on the second team.

“I have come a longway since [the Pitt game],” Barker proclaimed. “That first game seems like years ago. I really do feel like I have come so far since then.

“I definitely feel a lot more comfortable with the offense and I feel a lot more comfortable with my physical ability. I dropped some weight since this summer and I just feel like I am a better fit.”

Barker, a sophomore, points to another factor and it weighs about 300 pounds.

On a daily basis, Barker is matched up in practice against defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald.

“To go against Fitz can only make you better,” Barker said.

Fitzgerald, while maintaining modesty, shifted the focus to Barker’s progress, indicating it was like practicing against a different player.

“Barker is getting better and he is obviously more skilled just like the other guys on the offensive line,” Fitzgerald said. “He has improved as much as anybody since last year … and he is a big boy.”

Facing a stiffer challenge should also benefit Fitzgerald. After storming onto the scene last year as a redshirt freshman, opposing teams are certain to know his whereabouts during games, a tricky proposition when he lines up opposite fellow defensive end Chris Long.

“That just makes me have to work even harder,” Fitzgerald said. “Last year, nobody really knew about me. Now, I have kinda made a name for myself.

“I just have to hold up my end because I know Chris is going to hold up his part on his end.”

Not everything in regards to facing a player of Fitzgerald’s caliber is positive. Have a bad patch of plays and Fitzgerald can make it look considerably worse.

That, Barker said, is where the sometimes overlooked mental side of the game takes over.

“Everyone is going to have a bad day every once in a while but you try and minimize those as much as possible,” Barker said. “I kind of learned this through experience: you can’t let it get to you. You have to learn from your mistakes, watch film and then move on.

“That’s the best way to handle it.”

Ras-I raising eyes

Given his athletic ability and versatility, Ras-I Dowling was clearly one of Virginia’s true freshmen that initiated chatter during the months leading up to training camp.

Many were shocked when Dowling, who played at Hargrave Military Academy last year, was originally slotted at cornerback and not at wideout, a position longing for a playmaker.

At times, players land in the secondary because they lack the necessary skills, namely the required pass-catching ability.

“If there is a receiver, say for example, that might have all the run-and-cut traits of a wide receiver and it turns out that he doesn’t have good ball perception or good ball skills, then that might make him a defensive back, whereas he might look like a safety,” Virginia coach Al Groh said. “That’s one of those things … people watch from the stands and they say, ‘Hey, how come he is not playing wide receiver?’

“Because he can’t catch.”

Groh was not using Dowling as an example.

“[Dowling] is one of those players who has had more experience and more success on defense to this point than he has on offense,” Groh explained.

Dowling, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, may ultimately spend his career catching passes from Virginia’s quarterbacks, but Groh said the rookie was allowed to pick his starting spot as he gets acclimated to the program.

“[Dowling] is a very interesting player in both areas,” Groh added. “He would be a size player for his position on either side of the ball.

“He does have good ball skills and he can jump on the run.”

Different day, same story

Virginia will have a pair of open practices this weekend, including a session today at 2:20 p.m.

Many of those in attendance will be searching the field to look to see if there are noticeable absences - and for good reason. Rumors have swirled this week about an academic causality.

Sources have confirmed the player in question is linebacker Olu Hall, but Groh has not validated that, rather electing to allow the process to run its course.

“I am sitting here and I am looking at the same blank spot on my desk,” said Groh, referring to the final grades from the final summer school session. “Until I get those, I think we will just wait.”

The other open practice this weekend will be held on Saturday at 8:35 a.m.

 

Highly touted DT picks Virginia
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
August 18, 2007

The drought is over.

Virginia’s football team landed its first in-state recruit for the Class of 2008 on Saturday.

Norview High (Norfolk) defensive tackle Klinton Ruff, who is 6-foot-4 and 298 pounds, called his chief recruiter, defensive coordinator Mike London, to make his decision known.

“When I called he was so excited,” said Ruff, who is considered a three-star recruit. “You could just tell.”

The timing of the decision surprised many - Ruff had originally said he would wait to make his announcement. Ruff picked UVa over offers from East Carolina, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech.

“At first, I said I didn’t want to do it before the season started, but then I thought about it more and I knew it would be a big load off my shoulders,” Ruff said.

The Cavaliers’ coaching staff has told Ruff that he will likely play defensive end in college.

At Norview, Ruff plays defensive tackle on the team’s three-man front and registered 12 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss as a junior. He earned All-Eastern District honors.

Rivals.com currently has Ruff rated as the 11th-best player in the state and he becomes the highest ranked player to commit to an in-state school. Virginia Tech has, however, landed nine players ranked in the state’s top 30.

“I just go out and play every down like it is my last,” Ruff said. “That’s how I play the game.”

Ruff said he was offered a scholarship in January.

“When I got the offer, I felt like I was blessed,” Ruff said. “I was thanking God that I had the opportunity.”

Virginia’s staff was able to watch Ruff perform twice in camps held in Charlottesville.

While becoming the first in-state recruit, Ruff is the 13th player to commit to the Cavs.

That number may be misleading - punter Matt Zubyk told a reporter in California that he had a change of heart, electing to stay in his home state to play at Stanford.

 

UVA NOTES
Saturday, Aug 18, 2007 - 12:07 AM Updated: 12:23 PM
Linebacker Hall sacked by academic standards

Olu Hall's football career at the University of Virginia apparently is over.

The redshirt sophomore from Fairfax County has not satisfied NCAA eligibility requirements, U.Va. coach Al Groh said yesterday, even though Hall is "in positive academic standing with the university."

Hall, a 6-3, 232-pound outside linebacker who went through spring practice and the first part of training camp with the Cavaliers, recently left the team. He isn't expected to return.

"I want to make sure we've looked into every possibility," Groh said, "but it would seem that it's going to be what it is."

When Hall was a senior at Robinson High, many recruiting analysts considered him to be the state's top college prospect. He signed with U.Va. in February 2004 but failed to meet NCAA eligibility standards.

After a postgraduate year at Hargrave Military Academy, Hall enrolled at Virginia in 2005. He played in eight games as a true freshman but had to sit out last season for academic reasons. He suffered personal tragedy when one of his brothers was killed after the 2006 season, but Hall fared well enough academically at U.Va. in the fall semester to be allowed to rejoin the team.

The loss of Hall, whose plans are uncertain, is probably a bigger blow to Groh than to the team.

"He's just been so easy to root for, he's put so much into this," Groh said. "You just wanted to see something positive happen for him."

Quest for depth: Field, Jackson try new spots
During yesterday's practice, senior Jamaal Jackson wore white jersey No. 27 and worked exclusively at wide receiver. Junior Alex Field wore the white No. 60 jersey and played offensive tackle.

Jackson is better known as a second-team safety, Field as a second-team defensive end. Neither has moved permanently to the offense. Groh, trying to prepare for emergencies, wanted Jackson and Field to cross-train at different positions.

"Same thing we did with [former U.Va. star Alvin Pearman] and some of the other guys," Groh said.

Offensive line coach Dave Borbely said the 6-7, 280-pound Field "did a great job today for not knowing what he was doing. He's a big man."

Ex-Warrior's career will never be a tall tale
True freshman Corey Mosley, who's generously listed at 5-10, is shorter than the prototypical major-college safety.

"This is not exactly within the lines of what we'd prefer to put there," Groh said, "but what we're looking for at all positions is guys who are good football players."

Mosley qualifies as such. At Henrico High, the chiseled 195-pounder played wide receiver, running back, quarterback, defensive back and linebacker.

"He showed versatility, and we prize that," Groh said. "Two, he showed toughness, and three, he showed speed. That's the tradeoff for [the fact that] he's not 6-1."

Mosley said he doesn't expect his lack of height to hurt him.

"I love safety," he said. "I think that will be my permanent home."

Reynolds, Italian team reach six-figure deal
Virginia's basketball team had two seniors in 2006-07: 6-10 Jason Cain and 6-2 J.R. Reynolds. Cain is considering his options and has yet to sign a pro contract, but Reynolds will play for Vanoli Soresina in Italy.

Reynolds had a sensational senior season and had hoped to get picked in the NBA draft. He wasn't selected, but that didn't crush the Roanoke native.

"He was realistic," Virginia coach Dave Leitao said yesterday. "He has a great head on his shoulders. He knew there was a chance he was going to be playing in the NBA and a chance he was going to be playing overseas."

Reynolds' salary is in the "six figures," Leitao said. "He'll be making a lot more money than most guys his age." - Jeff White

 

Bath grad living American dream
Phillips hopes for bigger role with Cavaliers
By Blair J. Parker/staff
bparker@newsleader.com

CHARLOTTESVILLE — John and Jake Phillips are certainly not hard to miss on the sidelines during football games. Both brothers are over 6-foot-3, 230 pounds and stand out in the midst of all the blue-and-orange and green-and-yellow uniforms and helmets.
Jake, who stands 6-3, 230 pounds, was the first to make it to a NCAA Division I-AA football program four years ago, playing quarterback for William & Mary.
And a year later, it was finally his little brother’s turn to make the jump to the Division I-A level.
John, a 6-foot-6, 255-pound tight end at the University of Virginia, is now in his junior season.
Even though the brothers grace the sidelines at different schools, they’ve had opposing defenses seeing red for the past three seasons.
In the Phillips family, football was always a way of life, and it really all started with the brothers’ high school careers at Bath County High School.
There’s always been high expectations for the Phillips boys on the football field and no one understands and embraces that more that John.
“I’ve been playing since little league, trying to be like my brother.
My parents emphasized it, my dad was a good player, all my cousins played and were good.
Everyone just pushed it real hard,” John said.
“But it was always something fun and there was never any pressure. It was always a fun game to play.”
The best part for John about playing so close to home and having a family that loves the game of football so much is that they are able to come to his games and cheer him on, just like they did when he was in high school.
“My family is still my biggest fans and I don’t think that will ever change,” he said.
“They always support me and are happy for me to be here. There’s no pressure because I try to do big things everyday, but just knowing when they are in the stands, makes it that much better.”
Last season for the Cavaliers, the younger Phillips appeared in every game, and started four.
He has been used in blocking situations for the better part of his career, but his clutch plays have gone along way.
This year he’s looking to break that mold of just being a blocking tight end and add receiver to his list.
“Everybody likes catching balls and scoring touchdowns, but if I can get that key block that allows someone else to score, that’s good too,” Phillips said.
“I’m trying to fill my role any way I can, work on my receiving game a little bit, catch some more balls and help the team get some more wins.”
In the offseason, Phillips made a commitment to himself and his team that he would come back in the fall stronger and faster, and with the help of new strength and conditioning coach Matt Balis, he was able to do just that.
“Our new strength coach helped me work on things I needed to and I can already tell the difference,” Phillips said.
“The one thing that really surprised me was how much he was emphasizing how we needed to work together as a team. We worked with guys we’ve never worked out with before and really got to know our teammates. In football you got to have a family mentality and I think that’s what we have now.”
One reason Phillips is so eager to do whatever is asked of him on the offense is because of the bond he’s created with his new brothers.
They might not be his family by blood, but he sees every one of his teammates in the same way he would a family member.
“You’re out here putting it all on the line, especially in camp. So if you don’t have that close bond, you’ll never make it as a team,” Phillips said.
“Because of the ridiculous weather and the intense workouts, sometimes to get through it you have to look to your brother, look to your teammates. If you’re not having the greatest day, you know you can depend on someone else to pick you up and get you through it.”


 

Texans' offense clicks in preseason win
6 scoring series in row help Schaub, others pin 33-20 loss on Cardinals
By JOHN McCLAIN

GLENDALE, ARIZ. — Because the Texans won their first preseason game, let's examine the positives in their 33-20 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The Texans scored on six consecutive series and had touchdowns on Matt Schaub's 5-yard run and Sage Rosenfels' 40-yard pass to Charlie Adams.

Schaub and Rosenfels combined to go 17-of-25 for 233 yards.

Rookie receiver Jacoby Jones continued his impressive performance by returning a punt 80 yards for a touchdown. He also ran twice for 24 yards and had two catches for 32 yards. Kris Brown kicked four field goals for the second consecutive game.

"We corrected our mistakes from last week, and, even though we left some points on the field, we were much more efficient," said Schaub, whose rushing touchdown was the first of his career in the regular season or preseason. "Getting turnovers and good returns from the special teams shortens the field and makes it so much easier for the offense."

Schaub and Rosenfels received excellent protection. Schaub wasn't sacked; Rosenfels was caught once.

"They kept my jersey clean," Schaub said. "I have 100 percent confidence in my pass protection. The linemen really worked hard to pick up the stunts and blitzes. The backs and tight ends blocked well, too.

"Overall, everyone just did a great job of creating a pocket and making me feel comfortable back there. I didn't feel any pressure at all."

In two games, Schaub hasn't been sacked.

"Matt was in control of what was going on," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "He has a great presence about him. The best thing is that he's going to get better and better.

"Matt and Sage know how to protect the ball. They know where to throw it. They're very decisive."

The Texans punted only once, a 45-yarder by Matt Turk.

Now, let's look at some negatives. The Texans had one sack, getting it from backup tackle Thomas Johnson. The first-team defensive line didn't do squat.

For the second game in a row, end Mario Williams didn't make the stat sheet because he had no unassisted or assisted tackles and no sacks.

"I'll have to watch the game film, but we all know that Mario has to make plays," Kubiak said. "He has to play better."

The offense scored one touchdown on three trips to the red zone. In two games, they've scored only two touchdowns inside the 20.

Reverses work well
"Well, Kris kicking all those field goals and us scoring only once in three trips into the red zone shows we're moving the ball," Kubiak said.

The Texans ran for 143 yards and a 4.5-yard average per carry. Ahman Green, the starter, carried six times for 19 yards — a 3.2-yard average.

Jones ran twice on reverses. Receiver Bethel Johnson ran on a reverse and gained 17 yards.

"When we started to open some holes, that helped the backs break through. It opened up some things down the field," Schaub said. "We got good field position from our defense and special teams, and I wish we could have scored more touchdowns. We have to demand more from ourselves."

The Texans never trailed against the Cardinals. Schaub ran for a touchdown on a bootleg around left end. Brown kicked two 25-yard field goals to make it 13-10 at halftime.

Spreading passes around
In the second half, Adams and Jones sandwiched touchdowns around Brown's 38-yard field goal, his third. He connected from 40 yards out to end the scoring.

The Texans' leading receiver was tight end Owen Daniels with three receptions for 45 yards. Tight end Jeb Putzier chipped in with two for 34 yards. Daniels had a 20-yard reception, Putzier a 19-yarder.

"We wanted to spread the ball around," Daniels said. "We don't want to have one guy making 130 catches."

Andre Johnson, who had one catch for five yards, led the NFL with 103 receptions last season.

"I've always liked throwing to my tight ends," Schaub said. "They can be an incredible asset in the middle of the field. It keeps the safeties back and helps open up the running game."

With preseason half over, the Texans return to Reliant Stadium to host the Dallas Cowboys next Saturday.