Tailback a position of strength for UVa
By Andy Bitter
Published: August 7, 2008

At this time last year, one of the Cavaliers’ biggest question marks was if one tailback could emerge as a reliable ballcarrier.
Now, their biggest problem in the backfield is trying to sort out carries between two established game-breakers.
Senior Cedric Peerman (William Campbell) and junior Mikell Simpson both shined at various points last year. Peerman ran for 585 yards in the first six weeks before a foot injury ended his season. Simpson took it from there, finishing with 972 rushing and receiving yards and 10 touchdowns despite starting just four games.
“If we can figure out a way for both of them to get the ball at the same time, then we’d put them both in the game at the same time,” Virginia coach Al Groh said.
It’s unclear who will start this year, or if that will even matter. Their running styles complement each other. Peerman is the more physical back, able to repeatedly pound the ball between the tackles. Simpson, as evidenced by his 96-yard touchdown run in the Gator Bowl, gives UVa a home run threat.
Both will get their fair share of carries and will be instrumental in driving an offense that must replace its starting quarterback, two established tight ends and three-fifths of its offensive line.
“They are two of our very best players. They’re two of our proven players,” Groh said. “They’re two guys that we’ll look to feature early in the season.”
Futbol to football
Yannick Reyering, who led the Virginia soccer team with 39 goals in the last three seasons, has joined the football team as a walk-on during training camp.
A native of Mettingen, Germany, Reyering completed his soccer eligibility last year but expressed an interest to join the football team after spring practice concluded.
Now he’ll be given an opportunity to compete with redshirt freshman Chris Hinkebein in what appears to be a wide-open place-kicking competition.
Groh never saw the 6-foot-5, 205-pound Reyering play soccer, but the coach has had a good history with kickers who have a soccer background. Both Connor Hughes and Kurt Smith excelled in the sport.
“Even though this is a different circumstance (from soccer), he clearly has the ability to kick the ball with some velocity and accuracy,” Groh said of Reyering.
‘A knock on the head’
Three more Cavaliers popped up on a police blotter in July. Starting right tackle Will Barker and reserve guard Dave Roberts were charged with larceny after allegedly stealing beer from a Charlottesville night club on July 26. The incident came just weeks after quarterback Peter Lalich was charged with unlawful possession of alcohol.
Now that camp is underway, Virginia is trying to put the incidents out of mind.
“I feel like that was a knock on the head,” junior nose tackle Nate Collins said.
“Everyone is trying to get focused right now. We’re ready just to worry about football.”
Groh did not say whether the involved players would miss any game time.
“There are certain things that we weren’t pleased with and we’ve dealt with them internally,” he said.
A real professional
Cornerback Vic Hall was voted one of the team’s four captains in the spring, the only junior of the bunch. Groh gave a glimpse of why with a glowing quote about the former Gretna standout during Tuesday’s teleconference.
“He’s one of the really great workers at practice, during training, totally tuned in and focused in every meeting,” Groh said. “If he was on an NFL team right now, I’m sure the coach would be describing him as the definition of being a real professional. Even though he’s doing this from an amateur standpoint, he already goes about his business in that particular way.”
In addition to his starting cornerback duties, Hall will again return punts, hold on field goals and play on several special teams.
Extra points
In addition to Reyering, Virginia added five more players to the roster for fall camp: WR Johnny Pickett (Centreville), PK Robert Randolph (Naples, Fla.), C John Maghamez (Ashburn), QB Kyle McCartin (Warrenton) and LB Brady Stovall (Roanoke). … Fifth-year senior Scott Deke starts training camp at the top of the quarterback depth chart, ahead of sophomores Marc Verica and Lalich, something that doesn’t figure to change in the near future. “We went in on a seniority basis,” Groh said, “and here for a little while, will probably stay that way.” … Virginia’s “Meet the Team Day” is set for Sunday at Scott Stadium. Players will be available for photos and autographs from 3 to 4:15 p.m. Gates to the stadium open at 2.


 

UVa receiver eager to return
Virginia's Kevin Ogletree is back to 100 percent and looking to build off his 2006 season.
By Norm Wood | 247-4642
August 7, 2008

When Virginia straps on full pads in practice for the first time this fall on Friday, coach Al Groh will have his eyes on wide receiver Kevin Ogletree's left knee.

It'll be the final test in Ogletree's long road to recovery.

After tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in spring practice last year, he sat out the season. He was back on the field in December working with UVa's scout team in preparation for the Gator Bowl. He increased the workload (and abuse) on his knee in spring practice this year, but Friday will be the start of a critical time for Ogletree.

If he can absorb multiple wide-open shots in full-contact practices leading up to the Aug. 30 season opener against Southern California, any further discussion about the status of his knee will become moot.

Then, he can concentrate on trying to resume the kind of production he had in 2006, when he was second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 52 receptions to go along with 582 yards and four touchdowns.

"He's had plenty of field time between the spring and the month of December when he was full-go," Groh said. "It's probably more just getting into the contact phase of it, taking the hits when we start going with some more live work."

In Ogletree's mind, the knee is already a dead issue.

There's a reason he pushed himself to extremes in the weight room — even focusing entirely on his upper-body strength in the days immediately following the injury when he couldn't put any weight on his leg. He didn't want to have to worry about his conditioning when he got back to full speed.

"There were days when I could barely walk, but I was on the bench press and I was on the dumbbells," said Ogletree, a 6-foot-2, 189-pound junior from Queens, N.Y., who added that he plans to take a crack at returning kicks and/or punts.

"Just being limited to where for three or four months running wasn't an option for me, I had to take a different route and that called for something I could use," he continued. "That was some upper-body strength and some things that could help my game out."

With three inexperienced quarterbacks vying for a starting job, UVa could use a dependable presence at receiver like the one Ogletree provided in '06. Last season, Maurice Covington led all UVa wide receivers with just 21 catches for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Not since 1991, when Tyrone Davis had 19 receptions, had UVa's top wide receiver had fewer catches in a season.

"I have goals just like anyone, but my team goals are far bigger than my personal goals," Ogletree said. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to achieve some things just for my personal self, but I try not to think about numbers. (I think about) what could help our team. What can I do right now? Can I return this kick? Can I make this block? A bunch of different parts of my game that I feel like will help me rather than just catching balls. I know I can catch balls."

TEAM DISCIPLINE
Though no announcement has been made regarding possible team-mandated discipline for recently arrested offensive linemen Will Barker and Dave Roberts and quarterback Peter Lalich, Groh indicated not to expect any announcement in the near future. "There's certain things that we weren't pleased with and we've dealt with them internally," Groh said. "Frankly, there are plenty of people out there who want to stir it up, so I don't really necessarily need to contribute to that."

UVa’s Glaspy takes ownership of safety position
By Jay Jenkins
Published: August 6, 2008

The Byron Glaspy story seems to get better with every newly-written chapter.

From the depths as a mere member of the student body, the senior safety has climbed rapidly, and he suddenly finds himself in a unique position that Virginia coach Al Groh called one of the “solid spots” on the early-season depth chart.

Glaspy, listed at 5-foot-11 and 206 pounds, has started 24 straight games for the Cavaliers at safety, something that apparently will not change any time soon.

“I would say not only does [Glaspy] have the inside track but he has got ownership of [the position],” Groh said during a teleconference Tuesday. “He is a real good player. He is one of our most alert, knowledgeable players and sees to it that we are properly lined up, that all the checks and adjustments are made in a timely way.

“The game really makes good sense to him. He is set and that’s really, I would say, one of the solid spots on the team.”

Glaspy worked his way onto the roster in 2005 after a spring tryout. The program knew about Glaspy before the audition, but few expected the New Jersey native to progress to the point where he could post a 71-tackle season, which he did in 2007.

Finding his counterpart, the heir apparent to the spot manned by former Cavalier safety Nate Lyles, remains an open debate. An early frontrunner, however, has emerged.

“Right now, Brandon Woods is on the top of the list as the players are listed today at the other safety position,” Groh revealed.

Woods, a converted wide receiver, played in every game last season and made six tackles, but his biggest impact was made on special teams.

“He’s got good physical skills. He’s really tough. He’s got a high want-to,” Groh said of Woods. “The thing I’m about to say is a vital characteristic of that position, [it] has been his decision-making back there, whether it is pre-snap decision-making, making the checks, getting the defense properly called, or his choices on when and where to go for the ball.”

That is not a trait that younger players often possess, the coach said.

“From a percentage basis, there are probably more guys that get trained into that than just come with it as being something that they are just naturally comfortable with and get it right away,” Groh said. “Certainly that would be the majority of the players back there at that spot right now.”

The other players currently competing at the spot include sophomores Matt Leemhuis and Rico Bell and redshirt freshman Corey Mosley.

Moving on

After being peppered with questions at the ACC Kickoff last month about the daunting task of replacing first-round draft picks Chris Long and Branden Albert, the issue emerged again during the coach’s first session with the media since training camp opened.

Virginia also lost a host of would-be starters for various reasons stemming from graduation to school-imposed suspensions.

“When players leave, it is unrealistic to replace the player and unfair to the next player,” Groh said. “What we just try to do, we try to replace the aggregate performance there by the unit. Obviously, that is more easily schemed up on defense where you can account for the production more so than it is when you just count for blocks.

“But those guys are gone. They were great for us. Time moves on. We have moved on to the future without him and this is a new team with a different personality.”

Groh was also quick to turn the page on the off-field problems that plagued the program over the past few months. Three Cavaliers were arrested in July for misdemeanors.

“There were certain things that we weren’t pleased with and we have dealt with internally, but frankly there are plenty of people out there who want to stir it up, so I don’t necessarily need to contribute to that,” Groh said. “We just handle all that internally.”

Multiple sources said that the penalties handed down to the players, at least at this point, do not include a loss of playing time.

Virginia nose tackle Nate Collins said the issues served as a wake-up call for the Cavaliers.

“I feel like the team right now, everyone knows what’s going on and we’ve just got to forget about it. Everyone has to get ready and get ready to work right now. Everyone is coming out of the summer phase ... I mean we are college students, things happen, and everything like that, but I feel like everyone right now, that was like a knock in the head and everyone is trying to get focused right now.

“Everyone so far in camp has been doing that. We’re just ready to just worry about football and only football.”

The hush policy

With a new injury-disclosing policy in place in the ACC, questions about the system and the procedures that will be used remain a hot topic.

Groh, a proclaimed supporter of the plan that mirrors the NFL system, did disclose a part of the plan that should make training camps unique around the 12-team league.

“Actually, I think as the policy is, we have no responsibility to report injuries until the week before the first game,” Groh said, “so we will just leave it at that.”

Sounding off

“I’d say that the health issue with Kevin [Ogletree] is a dead issue. He has for some time been at his top physical capability. He has just got to continue to get turns to get his game in shape.” — Groh on wideout Kevin Ogletree, who missed the 2007 season with an ACL tear.

Extra points

Virginia held its third practice Wednesday. It was the first that included shoulder pads. Friday’s session, Groh said, will be the first that will include full pads, and holding a pair of practice in a day is not permitable until after the sixth day of training camp. … While it appears unlikely that a true freshman will play on the offensive line this season, former Fork Union standout Austin Pasztor received rave reviews from one teammate and is working at left guard behind Zak Stair and Patrick Slebonick.
 

From ‘Tunji Time’ to transfer talk
By Whitey Reid
Published: August 6, 2008

“Tunji Time” could be over.

On Wednesday, sources told The Daily Progress that Virginia center Tunji Soroye has informed several people close to him that he is strongly considering transferring to another school.

The sources say Soroye is considering playing at the Division II level. Doing so would not necessitate sitting out a season, per NCAA transfer rules.

UVa coach Dave Leitao, currently out of the country, could not be reached for comment.

Soroye would become the second player in less than a week to leave the UVa program. On Saturday, The Daily Progress learned that forward Will Harris is expected to transfer.

Soroye, who played in just two games last season, was hoping to return to Virginia as a fifth-year senior this season via a medical redshirt, which he was recently granted.

However, according to sources, the 6-foot-11, 245-pounder hasn’t gotten the feeling that Virginia really wants him back — despite the fact the program now has an available scholarship at its disposal with the departure of Harris.

Soroye could return as a walk-on if he paid his own way, but a source close to the Nigerian said there was no way he would be able to afford that.

With the start of classes just days away, Soroye will have to make a decision very soon. The sources said Soroye would return in a heartbeat if he was offered the scholarship.

Soroye, recruited by former Virginia coach Pete Gillen, has seemed riddled with bad luck throughout his career. After a trip home to Nigeria following his freshman year, he contracted malaria.

Last season was an extremely tough one for Soroye. He suffered a knee injury on the eve of the season opener, then was nagged by back problems the rest of the way.

Virginia clearly missed his defensive presence, as it finished dead last in the ACC in shotblocking.

In an interview with The Daily Progress in June, Soroye seemed hopeful of a return.

“It would mean a lot to come back,” he said. “Last year was really frustrating having to just sit in my final year. I want to play during my last year.

“I’m going to keep my fingers crossed and keep praying that good things will happen.”

It was thought that Leitao was anxious to have Soroye back so that he could mentor incoming freshmen centers John Brandenburg and Assane Sene — and also provide some much-needed shotblocking.

 

Vigilante accepts UVa track position
By The Daily Progress Staff
Published: August 6, 2008

Jason Vigilante has been named the Director of Track and Field and Cross Country for the Cavaliers. Vigilante comes to Virginia after serving as the associate head men’s track and field and head men’s cross country coach at the University of Texas.

Vigilante originally joined the Longhorns’ staff in 1999 as a volunteer coach for women’s cross country. In 2000 he became an assistant coach for the men’s track and field and men’s cross country programs. In August of 2005, he was promoted to the position of Texas head men’s cross country coach.

Vigilante has built a strong reputation for his work with Texas’ middle distance and distance runners, while at the same time establishing the Longhorns’ men’s cross country program as one of the best in the nation.

At Texas, Vigilante helped produce six NCAA individual champions, 37 All-Americans, 17 Big 12 Conference champions, three Big 12 Conference relay champions, six Penn Relays Championship of America champions and one Olympian.

Vigilante was named the 2008 National Assistant Indoor Coach of the Year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association after helping the Longhorns to a third-place team finish at the 2008 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.