Catching on at last
UVa's new receivers coach, Wayne Lineburg, is thrilled to be back at his alma mater.
Doug Doughty | doug.doughty@roanoke.com | 981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- There is no truth to the notion that Wayne Lineburg would have walked from Richmond to Charlottesville for a football coaching position at his alma mater.

"A slow jog," is the way that Lineburg's older brother, Robert, described it.

Wayne Lineburg, previously the offensive coordinator at Division I-AA Richmond, seemed like an obvious target when John Garrett resigned as Virginia receivers coach Feb. 14. However, it was 23 days before Lineburg was hired on the eve of spring practice.

There are four Lineburg sons, all of whom played for their father, Norman, who won more than 300 games before his retirement last November as Radford High School coach. The UVa job opening became their obsession until Wayne finally got the job.

Robert Lineburg said another brother, Mark, probably called him 10 times one day.

"He absolutely wore me out, asking if I had heard from Wayne," he said. "I finally said. 'Mark, coach [Al] Groh hasn't called to tell him no, so he is still in the mix. There were some tense moments but we were thrilled to say the least."

If he could have done so without violating his search, Groh might have eased their concerns.

"From the time we got to Virginia, Wayne would stop by," Groh said, "or one of the coaches would say, 'Wayne Lineburg called up and asked if he could watch tape next Wednesday.' Wayne's been around quite a bit. It's not the same as being on the staff, but he knew our coaches. He had a good familiarity with our system."

As a UVa student from 1991-95, Lineburg was a reserve quarterback on teams for which current offensive coordinator Mike Groh was the starter.

"It was as close as you could come to a seamless fit," Al Groh said. "As the offensive coordinator at Richmond, Wayne was in charge of all the positions. While he might not have conducted the drills for the receivers, he was on top of what they were doing. Since Michael had coached the receivers himself in this system, he was able to provide some direction."

Lineburg, 33, actually had worked with the receivers once previously, when he returned to Virginia in 1998 as a graduate assistant under coach George Welsh. Nevertheless, he put himself through a crash course before the start of spring practice.

"This summer, I went to watch the Indianapolis Colts for a couple of days and [observed receivers coach] Clyde Christensen up there," said Lineburg, who had two stints at William and Mary before coaching at Richmond for the past three seasons. "That was really, really beneficial."

Although he was happy with his position at Richmond, Lineburg called Mike Groh when Garrett left to take a job with the Dallas Cowboys, where brother Jason Garrett is the offensive coordinator.

"Mike told me that he would let me know what was going on," Lineburg said. "Mike had indicated that I might have a pretty good shot, but there was a time when I thought it might not work out. I didn't want to get my hopes up. I had a good job where I was."

Lineburg doesn't come from a UVa family. One of his brothers, Paul, went to Virginia Tech as an undergraduate and is working on a doctorate degree there. Mark has a PhD from Tech. Robert has a master's from Tech and worked on the Hokies' basketball staff for one year.

Norman Lineburg has a Master of Education degree from UVa, though both of his brothers and three nieces went to Tech.

"We never got into taking sides," Robert Lineburg said. "We knew more about Tech by virtue of proximity. The fact is, we were more into being a [Radford] Bobcat and that probably diminished our interest in a Tech-UVa rivalry."

Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer once coached under Norman Lineburg, and Tech receivers coach Kevin Sherman is a former Radford player. On the other hand, one of Norman Lineburg's dearest friends is former UVa team physician Frank McCue.

None of the Lineburg sons was a candidate to succeed their father at RHS. Mark, once the head coach at Brookville, is now the Radford principal.

"I didn't think the timing was right," Wayne Lineburg said of the Radford job. "I'd have no problem coaching in high school. I would never rule it out, but I'd like to see how far I can get at the college level."

The timing of Lineburg's jump to UVa couldn't have been more fortuitous for the family, given Norman's retirement. The boys laugh at mention of their father as "the old Shepherd College wideout" -- particularly since wideout is a relatively modern term -- but he can still teach them a thing or two.

"For most of my latter years, I worked with quarterbacks and wide receivers," Norman Lineburg said. "I've always loved the passing game and the route-running, and I'll be watching that very closely. Wayne better get it done and I'd tell Kevin Sherman the same thing: 'Don't let me down here, now.' "

Norman and his wife Joann are headed to Wyoming for the Cavaliers' opener, but otherwise, they can't complain about the travel.

"I've never left Interstate 64," said Wayne Lineburg, who was accompanied in his latest move by his wife of 14 months, Tracey. "In this business, that's unheard of."
 

U.VA. NOTES
Thursday, Aug 23, 2007 - 12:07 AM

Better balance helps Weigand's punting
In Virginia's final football game last season, against Virginia Tech, Ryan Weigand averaged 45 yards on six punts, with a longest of 58.

Weigand, a former junior college standout, punted in the 2006 opener and then the Cavaliers' last five games. He averaged 42.4 yards - the most by a U.Va. punter in six years - but consistency eluded him.

"I had a tendency last year, when I was rushed, to overstride, and everything would go to hell," said Weigand, a senior from Pasadena, Calif.

"In layman's terms, it's hard to kick a football if you're not balanced, and I wasn't balanced. My body was everywhere."

Weigand, who handles all punts from outside the 50-yard line, has worked to correct that flaw since the end of last season.

In training camp, Virginia coach Al Groh said yesterday, Weigand's "best kicks have been better than his best kicks in the past. It's been encouraging, but there's still some inconsistency there."

Kicker Chris Gould had similar struggles, and he has tinkered with his technique. The results have been encouraging, Groh said.

Richmond to enjoy big paydays from U.Va.
U.Va. will pay the University of Richmond about $1.1 million for the four upcoming football games between the schools. UR will receive $235,000 in 2008, $250,000 in 2010, $300,000 in 2012, and $350,000 in 2014.

That's in line with what the university "pays to other schools similar to Richmond," a U.Va. spokesman said. Virginia competes in the NCAA's Division I-A; UR, in Division I-AA.

All four games will be at Scott Stadium.

Williams likely to face rehabilitation
Groh already has lost one member of his first-year class - wide receiver Kris Burd from Matoaca High - to a season-ending injury. Burd had back surgery this month, and classmate J'Courtney Williams is likely to join him in rehabilitation this fall.

Williams, an inside linebacker from Christchurch School, is practicing with the team, but he arrived at U.Va. this summer with a shoulder injury that eventually will require surgery. Williams is expected to be ready for spring practice after redshirting this season.

Cavs aim to lure Ravenscroft junior
In men's basketball, U.Va. still is awaiting its first commitment for 2008-09. That hasn't stopped the Cavaliers from pursuing prospects in the Class of 2009, including Ryan Kelly.

Kelly is a 6-9, 190-pound junior at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, N.C. He and his parents will tour U.Va. and meet with Dave Leitao and his assistants Saturday morning. Kelly, who's scheduled to arrive in Charlottesville tomorrow evening, has to be in Chantilly on Saturday afternoon for an AAU tournament.

Virginia has offered a scholarship to Kelly and hopes he'll become the first member of its 2009-10 recruiting class. Kelly's mother played volleyball at Villanova and Penn. His father played hoops at Yale and professionally.

Starsia plays down praise for recruits
Pictured on the cover of the latest issue of Inside Lacrosse magazine are four U.Va. freshmen - Adam Ghitelman, Bray Malphrus and twins Rhamel and Shamel Bratton - along with this headline: Best Recruiting Class Ever?

"People who want to anoint this incoming group should keep in mind that we just had five players from the same class play in" last month's Major League Lacrosse all-star game, Cavaliers coach Dom Starsia said, including MVP Matt Poskay.

Poskay entered U.Va. in 2002, as did fellow MLL all-stars Michael Culver, Kyle Dixon, Matt Ward and J.J. Morrissey.

Starsia said he'll remind his freshmen of that "when I meet with them, just to say, ''Don't believe the hype here, fellas. Put your news clippings away.' "

His freshman class has tremendous potential, Starsia acknowledged. Still, the "proof is going to be down the road," he said. "It's like a preseason football ranking. It gets people's attention and makes good copy, but at the end of the day, we're going to have to earn our way." - Jeff White

 

UVa kicker hopes to be golden from 40 and out
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
August 23, 2007

Forty-one yards is not a terribly long distance, not for an ACC-caliber kicker. But miss a few field goals and you'll re-think that position.
Suddenly the crowd gets a little more distracting. The laces on the ball never seem to be in exactly the right spot. Those two yellow uprights start to look like a pair of elevator doors closing together.

"At 41, they're looking pretty far," Virginia senior kicker Chris Gould said. "Especially when you're not doing so well."

For Gould, that was most of last season. He's the first to admit it, reciting his field goal efficiency - a forgettable 11-for-19 - as though it were permanently burned in his memory.

"I'm embarrassed by that," he said.

It's not the way Virginia, or Gould, envisioned transitioning out of the Connor Hughes era.

Hughes finished his four-year career in 2005 as UVa's all-time leading scorer with 332 points. He made 84 percent of his kicks, going an astounding 23-for-25 his sophomore season, and made five of the 12 longest field goals in school history.

It's no wonder coach Al Groh jumps at the opportunity to speak of the halcyon days when he had Hughes at his disposal.

Gould appeared ready to make the transition seamless. He showed off his powerful leg in last year's opener at Pittsburgh, nailing field goals of 48 and 42 yards with room to spare.

But things only went south. From 40 and in, Gould was money. Once he hit that 41-yard mark, however, everything became an adventure. Gould missed eight of his 12 kicks from longer than 40 yards, only three of which were from the extreme reaches of 49 yards and longer.

He hit a pair of 43-yarders against North Carolina, giving hope that he'd corrected his approach, but then missed from 43 and 44 yards against Miami, prompting Groh to allow backup Noah Greenbaum to kick a 22-yard chip shot in the fourth quarter.

That's how Gould's season ended. UVa didn't even get in a position to attempt a field goal in the finale at Virginia Tech.

"Any time I don't win in anything - checkers against a second grader - I'm upset," Gould said. "It burned for a long time."

Gould got back to the basics in the offseason. First, he overhauled his approach.

"I think my first step was varying," Gould said. "One time it was big, one time it was small, and that was causing a lot of issues for me."

The solution? Drop it altogether. A three-step kicker since high school, Gould switched to a two-step approach in the winter, a method that helped his brother, Robbie, when he went from Penn State to the NFL and won the place-kicking job for the NFC champion Chicago Bears.

What Gould loses in distance he hopes to make up for in accuracy.

"(The question is): Can you hit the ball 45 yards with good height down a straight line every time?" Gould said.

Gould has shown positive signs in preseason practice, where he has established himself as the No. 1 kicker. Greenbaum is gone, having transferred to Liberty, and freshman Chris Hinkebein doesn't appear ready to challenge Gould for the starting spot quite yet.

Gould's biggest hurdle is to win the trust of Groh, who stresses consistency above everything. The coach wants to have a yard line, inside which he is positive his kicker can't miss. Long, short - it doesn't matter, as long as it is consistent.

"Even if it's just the 15-yard line, at least if it's consistent from there, we can conduct the game knowing that, 'OK, let's try to get the ball to this particular spot. We're going to have a shot at some points,'" Groh said.

"What fouls you up is you try to get the ball to a certain spot and the kicker is inconsistent from that spot."

Last year that spot was the 33-yard line for Gould, who was 7-for-7 from 40 yards and in.

This year, he wants that line to be at least the 38, meaning he's always good from 45 yards and in.

"That's really what I'm trying to do," Gould said, "is extend that line where it's going to be automatic."


 

O-line knows wins more important than scouts
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
August 23, 2007

Win it and they will come.
That is Dave Borbely's simple philosophy.

Knowing that several of his understudies have aspirations of playing professional football, Virginia's offensive line coach has reminded those talents of the best way to gain exposure.

"I think the more we win the more everybody gets what they want," Borbely said. "When you are on a team that has NFL prospects, if they perform the way that they are supposed to perform then they get their opportunity.

"If they underachieve, and I have been on teams that we had a number of guys that really underachieved and they all went as free agents ? had they not worried about playing in the NFL and just worried about winning games, they would have gotten a better shot, a better opportunity."

For now, Borbely can relax. His blocking beasts, a group that includes two seniors, two juniors and a sophomore, are not caught up on playing for pay.

"I think we have some very talented guys, and they are very focused," said Borbely, who is entering his second season at UVa. "I did the math on this: Between our top seven guys we have 3,493 snaps of experience that we didn't have a year ago. And I am excited about that.

"We can't just rely on that, but you can't put a price on that."

Ian-Yates Cunningham, the starting right guard, is one of the linemen hoping to extend his football career in the professional ranks, but he said that can wait.

"I am not thinking about the NFL right now," said Cunningham, a fifth-year senior. "We still have things that we want to accomplish as a team. Once the season is over I will think about that.

"Right now, we are just thinking about getting to the ACC Championship game."

That goal is no longer considered a pipe dream thanks to the return of the entire starting offensive line.

That was not the case in 2006 as Virginia's youth in the trenches was exposed. It was so bad at times that the tight ends were used merely for blocking, a practice that limited offensive coordinator Mike Groh's play-calling.

"Having a veteran offensive line up front certainly does help," Groh said. "There are not concerns for us in terms of the plays that go on up there. The pressures that we see up there, those guys have basically seen everything and been playing together now for a long time.

"There is not a lot that they have not seen, which certainly makes the practices run a lot smoother. We hope there is carryover to the games."

 

Sammis keeping things positive
By Sean McLernon / smclernon@dailyprogress.com | 978-7247
August 23, 2007

Ian-Yates Cunningham calls his Charlottesville home a "positive area." So when he heard rumblings of pessimism concerning roommate and fellow UVa offensive lineman Gordie Sammis' chances of winning his NCAA appeal for an extra year of eligibility, he made sure they never made it through the front door.
"The funny thing was everybody was kind of telling him 'I don't know why you're doing this, nothing is going to happen,'" Cunningham said of Sammis' appeal. "There comes a point where, in the positive area, we have to say 'Don't bring that crap in here. We don't want to hear that.' But he was going to work hard no matter what."

If Sammis was hit by any of that negative energy, he never showed it. Without any guarantee of another season and plenty of skeptics - at least outside the "positive area" - Sammis still showed up at 6 a.m. like the rest of his teammates and practiced with the assumption that he would be back for another season.

"It was up in the air, but I didn't want to leave my guys," Sammis said. "I just wanted to stay as a part of the team."

The indecision remained with the guard throughout winter conditioning and the early spring practice after he had officially used up all four years of his eligibility.

One of those years, his sophomore campaign in 2004, consisted of only a brief appearance in the late stages of a 51-0 blowout victory over Akron. He only saw action in a handful of plays that game and sat out for the rest of the season and asked the NCAA to grant him another season with the Cavaliers.

The good news finally arrived on April 7. Now the veteran guard is looking to make the most of his bonus year on an offensive line that was criticized for underproduction during the 2006 campaign.

"That's all last season," Sammis said of the line's struggles. "This is 2007. We're just focused on doing what we have to be doing this season."

Sammis has been showing that focus from the start of winter conditioning. He first heard that Virginia would be petitioning on his behalf for another year of eligibility in the middle of the 2006 campaign. He said he never really thought about it from that point on and just operated under the assumption that he would return. He didn't even bother searching for a job or looking for new housing despite still not knowing his official status only weeks before graduation.

"I didn't make any plans because my plans were to be here and help the team," Sammis said. "No matter what had happened, I would have been happy to be with my teammates to help us build as a team."

Sammis has never been a starter on the line, but he appeared in every game last year except the losses at Florida State and Virginia Tech, earning a letter for the first time since coming to Virginia. Most of his action came on the kick-scoring unit, but he did see time at left guard in wins against North Carolina and Duke.

In 2005, his only appearance on the line came in a lopsided win against Temple.

Despite his lack of significant playing time, Sammis has earned the respect of his teammates. With nine true or redshirt freshman linemen on the roster and only three seniors at the position, experience is at a premium, and the younger Cavaliers know Sammis has been around the block a few times.

"Gordie is one of those guys that really doesn't say much," Cunningham said. "He leads by example. But when he does voice his concern or say a couple things, people tend to listen because it's very rare."

Now the guard gets to capitalize on an opportunity that is just as uncommon. Sammis was an NCAA panel decision away from being up the creek without a paddle. Instead, he will join his teammates in an effort to flood the ACC and float to the top of the league.

"As long as we can play together - it's almost like a river," Sammis said. "It's going to be all branches coming together to make one huge river to win as many games as we can and have no shoot-offs or anything - keep all that power in that one stream."

 

UVA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Offensive line
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com
August 23, 2007

The past
The 2005 NFL Draft should have offered a sense of foreshadowing.

After Brad Butler and D'Brickashaw Ferguson were selected on consecutive days, the glaring holes to fill on Virginia's offensive line were obvious.

The Cavaliers proved that last season.

With a host of new starters, Virginia struggled to control the line of scrimmage. The Cavaliers did not score multiple touchdowns in a game until the fifth contest of the year.

Certainly, the early-season rotation at quarterback did not help, but those signal-callers were sacked 35 times.

For the season, Virginia ranked No. 100 in rushing offense and No. 102 in passing offense.

"There certainly was a limitation on what they were prepared to handle in the early going and then throughout the season," said Virginia coach Al Groh. "Because of different circumstances there was a limitation on how far we could go with some things in the scheme with the quarterbacks, so we're hoping both of those things will move on and let us advance to the point where we can expand back into some of the things that have been productive for us in the past."

* After seeing little playing time last year and obtaining his undergraduate degree in sociology, Marshal Ausberry elected to transfer to Liberty University to finish his playing career.

Ausberry, who started 11 games in 2005, saw action in all 12 games last year behind Ian-Yates Cunningham at right guard.

* Jeff Schrad and David Fairbrothers, who played very little, also completed their playing careers at UVa.

The present

Bring on the chatter.

At a number of practices this season, Groh has heard his offensive linemen barking out calls as they recognize defensive alignments.

For obvious reasons, that practice was not as prevalent in 2006.

"Sometimes last year, a player would have an idea as to what the call would be, but [he would have] a little uncertainty in his mind," Groh said. "He didn't want to make a mistake and make the wrong call. No call would get made.

"At least here in practice there has been a significant upgrade of that."

That and some added accountability has Groh feeling better about the prospects of his offensive line, a unit that drew heavy criticism a year ago.

"Last year, there really wasn't much direction or cohesion in that respect amongst the five of them, simply because each one of them was fighting his own battle," Groh said. "Only Branden [Albert] really had significant minutes the previous year and that was as a first-time player, so he was still trying to put his game together, too.

"All five of them really confronted the same circumstance. They were just trying to concentrate on 'What the heck do I have to do on this play and how am I going to do it?' much less taking care of the guys next to them. Each one of them has progressed to the point where they have more confidence in themselves and what to do. There is a lot more conversation before the snap: 'Watch this. Watch that.'"

* Credit his experience. Rave about his excellent footwork. Talk about his worth ethic.

Regardless, it was clear last season that Branden Albert was the team's top offensive lineman.

In fact, Albert allowed only one sack during the 12-game slate as the starting left guard.

In the spring, the junior was named a team captain.

After mixed reviews early in training camp, Groh said earlier this week that Albert was starting to play much better.

"Branden got off to a little bit of a slow start - not from an effort standpoint, but kinda from a little details standpoint," Groh said. "Most likely that had to do with the fact that he is out of the academic timeframe and was able to give full attention to football without something else weighing on his mind."

Groh praised Albert for getting a B+ in a course during the final summer school session.

"He can feel very good about himself in that circumstance, too," Groh said.

Expect some talk about the NFL being attached to Albert's name during the final two months of the season.

* After being replaced in the starting lineup for a six-game span last year, Eugene Monroe regained his starting spot at left tackle for the final two games.

To his credit, Monroe was playing though pain - a lot of it. During the spring in 2006, Monroe dislocated his kneecap, had surgery and returned in time to play last year.

Quite frankly, Monroe does not mirror the player that was on the field last year.

"Now, you see why [Monroe] was ranked as the No. 1 high school lineman in the country," said Virginia offensive line coach Dave Borbely. "Sometimes those are just press clippings, but Eugene's got a lot of ability. He's strong, he can run, he's got excellent feet.

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

Groh added: "Eugene has been real positive from the start [of training camp]."

* Five years after arriving and sliding into the starting lineup, Cunningham is set for his final season.

Sandwiched in the middle of his career was an offseason surgery on his back that sidelined the Texas product.

Cunningham was one of four linemen to start all 12 games last year and remains a vocal, positive team leader, something that helps after facing Virginia's first-team defense in practice.

"It is one of those things that you kind of understand. We have the best defenses in the nation," Cunningham said. "You are going against the best of the best so we are not going to be able to throw bombs to the receivers all day or be able to run it up the gut 24-7, but that's what competition is. It is getting better and getting that type of competition."

Cunningham has also worked at center during training camp and could play the spot in an emergency.

* Like Cunningham, center Jordy Lipsey started every game last year.

Once considered too small for the position, the senior played well and added weight to his 6-foot-3 frame.

Lipsey also flourished snapping the ball in shotgun formations, a practice that is beneficial with a mobile quarterback such as Jameel Sewell.

* Many were surprised in the offseason when right tackle Eddie Pinigis bolted from the team during training camp.

Perhaps Pinigis saw the writing on the wall: Will Barker was going to play a lot at right tackle.

It turned out that Barker started all 12 games, learning enough on the job to earn Freshman All-America honors from the Sporting News.

Barker admits that he still has room to improve, but the playing experience and added weight should help.

"I have come a long way since [the season opener]," 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."

* Zak Stair, once known as "Two-a-Day" for his problems with penalties in practice, provides depth for Virginia at both tackle spots.

Stair started seven games last year at left tackle.

* Gordie Sammis, a fifth-year senior, will be forced to sit out the first two games due to an NCAA ruling in regards to his usage in just one game in 2004.

When the New Jersey native returns, he will provide Virginia depth at center and guard.

Sammis has been praised by Groh for his work in training camp.

* With Sammis out for two games, Patrick Slebonick has received a number of reps with the second-team offensive line.

Despite not playing last year as a redshirt freshman, Groh certainly likes Slebonick.

"With Gordie's situation here, that has given [Slebonick] the opportunity for more turns," Groh said. "He really gives it the best shot that he has got in the little things he is doing."

* Nelson County standout B.J. Cabbell may see the field this year as a reserve at guard.

Cabbell redshirted last year and admitted the year helped him learn what being a college lineman entails.

"I learned a lot last year," said Cabbell, who is listed at 6-6, 300 pounds. "I learned the offense very well, and I am still learning more every day. You can't ever stop learning.

"I wouldn't say it is a complicated offense but it takes a lot of learning. You have to take it all in. You have to sit back for a minute and make sure all the calls are right in certain situations."

The future

Groh loves to run the football. He has proven that during his time at Virginia.

In order to do so, the Cavaliers must have talent on their offensive line.

With that in mind, Virginia landed a number of players in the recruiting process.

* After committing to North Carolina, Lamar Milstead had a change of heart.

It might be one that Virginia fans will remember for a long time.

Milstead, a four-star recruit from Washington, D.C., has a great combination of athletic ability and strength.

"He has the kind of body type that we look for," Groh said. "He is tall. He is rangy. He is 6-5 and a little bit. He is 272 [pounds]. He is not one of the behemoths right now.

"Of course, we like them big and blocky and real athletic and that is kinda what we get out of Eugene [Monroe]. [Milstead has] very good feet, which is obviously a prerequisite for playing on the offensive line."

Groh would prefer to redshirt Milstead and fellow true freshman tackle Landon Bradley, a two-star recruit from Conway, S.C.

* Anthony Mihota, a three-star defensive lineman from Fredericksburg, has been shifted to the offensive line.

For now, Mihota is working at center.

"Sometimes we just need a little experimentation to find out what this player's best possibilities are," Groh said.

 

Hagans Coming on Strong in Second Season
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

When Marques Hagans first arrived in St. Louis, he was in a difficult spot similar to most rookies.

Without the knowledge of the offense or really much information about St. Louis in general, Hagans had the deer in headlights look of any rookie. Compounding matters was the fact that Hagans was being asked to play receiver, a position he hadn’t been too familiar with in his time as a quarterback at the University of Virginia.

Additionally, Hagans was timid, even for a rookie. He mostly kept to himself until one day veterans and potential Hall of Famers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt opened up the floodgates.

“You definitely want to give veterans their space because they have earned it,” Hagans said. “You don’t want to really reach out to them until they reach out to you. So once they opened the line of communications, I just tried to be like a sponge and soak up everything that I could.”

Now that the line is open, Hagans is certainly not afraid to use it. The toughest adjustment for any player learning the receiver position has nothing to do with catching the ball; it’s all about route running.

Hagans found himself in a most fortunate situation, working with two of the best in the business in that area in Holt and Bruce in addition to receivers coach Henry Ellard. Many consider Bruce to be one of the best route runners of all time.

“Isaac and Torry just every day constantly drill me with the fundamentals, making sure you have the depth and patience to run the routes,” Hagans said. “Every day I go out and try to work on that.”

Bruce, in particular, has been the most influential in Hagans’ development. In Bruce’s online blog, he talks about taking Hagans under his wing and teaching him the finer points of how to play on the field and how to conduct himself off it.

Included in those lessons are tips on how to eat right, working out to build stamina and, of course, route running.

When coach Scott Linehan is asked what area Hagans has improved the most as a receiver, he doesn’t hesitate to answer.

“Route running,” Linehan said. “He’s made that transformation from a quarterback to hopefully a returner and receiver and into a guy who can play the position. He’s catching the ball consistently with his hands and becoming a lot better route runner, so as far as his timing with the quarterbacks now you feel comfortable going in that direction because you know he’s on top of his game there. I think he’s really worked hard at getting the timing part of the offense down.”

Hagans originally made the 2006 squad as a receiver and returner coming out of camp after being selected in the fifth round. But Hagans was released soon after the final round of cuts and re-signed to the practice squad. He stayed on the practice squad for the duration of the season, but didn’t let the setback slow him.

Hagans continued to learn from the likes of Bruce, Holt and Ellard and came back to the team’s minicamps more prepared to make an impact. In this preseason, that’s exactly what Hagans has done.

After two games, Hagans has been one of the team’s leading receivers including a five-catch, 71-yard, one touchdown outing against the Chargers last week. And Hagans hasn’t just improved as a receiver.

Hagans has also made an impact in his limited opportunities as a returner. In the opener against Minnesota, Hagans had a punt return for 25 yards and a kick return for another 30.

With Dominique Thompson out with a rib injury, the crease has become larger for Hagans to land a roster spot. It seems Bruce, Holt, Drew Bennett, Dante Hall and Dane Looker are secure in their spots, leaving a competition for one final spot on the receiver depth chart.

“I don’t really think about it,” Hagans said. “The main thing is going back to the drawing board this week and trying to get better and be consistent. At the end of the preseason we will evaluate that and go from there.”

The always humble Hagans refuses to handicap his chances to make the final roster; But Linehan isn’t quite so hesitant to shower the young receiver with the praise he has worked so hard to earn.

“He’s making progress towards that,” Linehan said. “He’s taking great advantage of the opportunities he’s getting that he maybe wouldn’t have gotten had we not had an injury to a receiver, especially with the second unit, so he’s making progress towards giving himself a chance to be on this roster.”

Hagans thought he made the roster last year, so he took the lesson of the early euphoria followed by supreme letdown to heart and won’t settle until he has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the league.

“I still have a long way to go, but I am just trying to get better each day,” Hagans said. “I’m definitely proud of the progress I have made, but I am not content. Every day you wake up and you are blessed with the opportunity to play in the NFL you just try to do the best you can and show the coaches what you can do.”

 

Eli extends olive branch to Tiki
By TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Eli Manning defended his decision to rip former New York Giants teammate Tiki Barber on Wednesday, saying there are times when you just have to react to criticism.

The quarterback also said there are also times to forgive and forget, and that he would like to put his disagreement with the halfback-turned-football-analyst behind them.

"I am fine talking to Tiki," Manning said between training camp practices at the University at Albany. "If I see him, I'll definitely talk to him. I will be friendly to him. I'm not trying to start something. It's just a deal that happened and hopefully when we see each other, and we will, and it won't be awkward. I don't want it to be."

Manning's peace offering came 24 hours after he criticized Barber for attacking his leadership on the halftime show of the Sunday Night Football game between the Giants and Baltimore Ravens.

Barber had said that Manning's attempt to lead an offensive meeting in the 12th week of the last season was "comical" at times.

After sarcastically noting that Barber was making a smooth transition from the playing field to television, the normally reserved Manning said he could have questioned Barber's leadership last season for calling out coach Tom Coughlin and then having articles about him retiring in the middle of the season. It turned out to be a major distraction for the Giants.

"I guess I have always been an even-keel guy, never really responded back, always tried to make things smooth and easy," Manning said. "That's probably the first time I fired back a bit. It was one of those things that I felt I needed to do."

Barber did not immediately return a telephone call left by The Associated Press seeking comment on Wednesday.

Manning said he has not talked to Barber since the blowup.

"This is kind of a done issue for me," Manning said. "I made some comments yesterday and it's over in my eyes. I don't want to make it a bigger deal. I want to try to end it as soon as possible."

Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts believes his brother wants to get ready for Saturday's game against the Jets and forget about the disagreement.

"I don't think it is really amusing," Peyton Manning said. "I think he (Eli) hit it on the head when he said Tiki has made a smooth transition to the media world because it seems ex-players become ex-players pretty quickly."

He admitted he is defensive about all quarterbacks, but especially his brother.

"You cannot play quarterback at any level, junior high, and not be in a leadership position - to do it for three years in high school, three years in college and basically two years in the NFL unless you are a good leader. The ones that aren't don't make it at any level," Peyton Manning said.

While many teammates said they were unaware of the controversy until Tuesday night, they applauded Eli Manning's actions and words.

"I am not surprised," receiver Plaxico Burress said. "When somebody talks about you, you are supposed to stand up for yourself."

Guard Chris Snee said that no one on the team was going to get bent out of shape by what Barber said. He also had a different view of Manning's talk to the offense in the 12th week of last season.

"Eli is not a big vocal guy, but he has shown leadership," said Snee, who is Coughlin's son-in-law. "I have seen it. If Tiki or anyone else wants to say they were laughing when he was speaking, that's fine. I took it as if he (Eli) was fired up and ready to play."

Brandon Jacobs, who inherited the starting job at halfback when Barber retired, did his best to stay out of the controversy.

Six times he said that he had nothing to say about the Manning-Barber rift.

The seventh time, he relented.

"It's just two leaders," said Jacobs, who was mentored by Barber the past two seasons. "Tiki was a great leader for us last year and Eli was a great leader for us as well, and will be this year. They're two grown men and I'm sure they are going to find a way to settle their differences."


 

Vick created a huge mess only he can clean up
David Teel
August 22, 2007

Maybe Michael Vick will tell Oprah. Maybe he'll write a book or post on MySpace. Maybe he'll do it all.

But I doubt it. More than likely we'll never understand why Vick jeopardized his storybook existence by abusing, fighting and murdering dogs.

You've heard the theories and excuses: Dogfighting is part of hip-hop culture; it's a competitive and gambling outlet.

None of it makes sense.

Dogfighting is a crime, and Vick knew it. Otherwise, why build a fence to shield the rear of his Surry County property from public? Why restrict attendance at the dogfights he attended and sponsored? Why chastise someone for calling out his name at one of the fights?

Those are among the details included in court documents filed since the federal government indicted Vick and three others last month. His cohorts quickly agreed to plea bargains, and Monday Vick joined them, confirming our darkest suspicions — civics class and due process be damned.

What in the hell were they thinking? That's the inescapable question.

Dogs. Pups. Pets we welcome into our homes and onto our furniture. Members of the family.

Abuse and kill them and you strike a nerve with a public sadly desensitized by rampant human suffering.

Need to channel your hip-hop side? Rent a studio and rap away.

Gotta feed that gambling jones? Go to Vegas and split your aces.

Money certainly was no object. Vick rose from his modest Newport News roots to a sterling football career at Virginia Tech to the No. 1 selection of the 2001 NFL draft.

He signed a $62 million rookie contract and twice quarterbacked the Atlanta Falcons to the playoffs. He signed a $130 million contract, then the richest in NFL history, and collected bundles more in endorsements from Nike, Coca-Cola, EA Sports and Air Tran.

In January, 2005, Michael Vick was a victory away from the Super Bowl. Today he's a judge's gavel away from prison.

It's a crime. In so many ways.

And not an involuntary or isolated one. According to the indictment and subsequent summaries of fact, Vick and Co. fought dogs from the time he turned pro until April.

Six frickin' years.

Someone with a clue and/or conscience should have warned him. Slapped him upside his thick head and said, "You are beyond stupid. You have the world in your grasp, and you're pissing it away."

Either it didn't happen or Vick didn't listen. Instead, as recently as April, mere days before professing his innocence to the NFL, Falcons and public, Vick, according to court documents, participated in the execution of eight dogs he and the others deemed weak.

For his crimes Vick deserves and will receive prison time. How much is up to the authorities, but in 2005, the average sentence for the conspiracy charge to which Vick will plead guilty was 28.45 months. This according to the Federal Justice Statistics Resource Center.

Even if Vick gets half that, he will miss the next two seasons. Then what?

Do state authorities in Virginia and elsewhere prosecute Vick? Will NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, understandably steamed about Vick's lies during their late-April confab, add a suspension?

Vick will be 29 come the 2009 season, still in his athletic prime and perhaps tempting to a team other than the Falcons. But he'll be out of shape and damaged goods.

Damaged beyond repair? Impossible to tell. All will hinge on Vick's contrition and efforts to make amends — he needs public relations experts more than lawyers.

Consider St. Louis Rams defensive end Leonard Little. Nine years ago, in the middle of his rookie season, Little, his blood-alcohol level at nearly twice the legal limit, ran a red light and killed the driver of another car. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 90 nights in jail as part of a work-release program.

He missed the remainder of the 1998 season, and the NFL suspended him for the first eight games of 1999. Mothers Against Drunk Driving marched to protest his reinstatement, but the Rams didn't blink.

One of football's best pass-rushers, Little played in St. Louis' Super Bowl victory that season, remains with the team and makes more than $10 million a year. So yes, football salvation is possible.

Life is another story, and the more important one, and right now Vick's life is a mess.

He was indicted July 17, and the ensuing five weeks have stirred memories professional and personal: the comeback at West Virginia, the Sugar Bowl against Florida State, and Ron Mexico; the overtime dash at Minnesota, the playoff victory at snowy Lambeau, and the Miami airport.

Finally, sadly, this: the 1970s afternoon we found our beagle on the side of the road, carried her into the woods and dug her grave.

 

VT mementos of Vick stay on display
Athletic director Jim Weaver says no plans exist to remove materials related to Vick's playing career.
By Norm Wood 247-4642
August 22, 2007
 

Blacksburg - There's a banner adorned with the name "Vick" and the jersey number "7" waving high atop the northwest corner of Lane Stadium. It sits between other banners celebrating the college playing and coaching careers of Jake Grove and Frank Beamer, respectively.

That's where Michael Vick's banner will stay, according to athletic director Jim Weaver.

Despite Vick's plan to enter a guilty plea next Monday in a Richmond court room on dogfighting charges, Weaver said Tuesday there are no plans to remove the banner or any other reminders of Vick's playing days. Weaver said the banner is a tribute to Vick's college career.

"There's only one thing (in the stadium) and that's the banner that's in Lane Stadium in the north end zone," Beamer said. "He earned that while he was (at Tech) before he engaged in these (dogfighting) activities. Personally, I don't think there's any need to do anything about it."

In addition to the banner, which was raised in a ceremony in 2002, a hallway in the Jamerson Athletic Center bears Vick's name — Michael Vick Hall. Inside the hallway are meeting and film rooms used by the football room. There are also several mementos in an athletic museum in the Jamerson Center associated with games Vick participated in during his two years (1999 and 2000) as Tech's starting quarterback.

Weaver said Vick's name won't be removed from the hallway door, and none of the mementos will be removed either. Weaver added he hadn't had any discussions with university administration about removing Michael Vick-related materials.

"I don't see any reason to do anything at this time," Weaver said. "In the last two days (Monday and Tuesday), we've been engaged in the first day of school and the busiest week of the year. I don't know anymore than that, but I will just tell you that I'm saddened that this has happened.

"We certainly don't condone the activities."