Howell has faith behind foot
Christian beliefs inspire hard work in Cavaliers' punter
Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By MARK MEDINA
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE After Virginia's first football practice, true freshman punter Jimmy Howell phoned his father, Jim, to express his anxiety.

"That's probably expected," his father responded. He then told Jimmy that nerves aren't bad so long as they don't make him feel overwhelmed.

After all, Virginia coach Al Groh said he expects Howell to assume the starting punting spot, beginning Aug. 30 in U.Va.'s season opener against Southern California.

"We anticipated from the start that Jimmy would start on top of that bracket," said Groh, whose freshman punter will fill a position held by Chris Gould and Ryan Weigand (second-team all-ACC) last year. "So far, he has remained there."

By the third practice, Howell didn't feel worried. He calmed down and breathed slowly, knowing any transition phase -- his case being high school to Division I football -- warranted an adjustment period.

"Now the nerves have sort of died down," said Howell, who earned a scholarship after Matt Zubyk changed commitments from U.Va. to Stanford in August 2008. Howell originally chose Northwestern before Zubyk's switch. "It's sort of more anxious and being ready to go out and play."

Howell and the Cavaliers' coaching staff won't know how ready he is until the season starts. He's seen his Christian upbringing, however, instill a Calvinist work ethic and a selflessly positive attitude to help him succeed on the football field.

"I go out there and know that no matter what, God will be with me," said Howell, whom Scout.com ranked as the No. 7 kicking prospect this year. "I'll go out there and do well because he'll be right beside me."

Howell has pushed himself because he sees the abilities God's given him. He figures work will help him reach his potential.

That's why Howell spent the last two summers at kicking camps. They included Chris Sailer Kicking, One-on-One Kicking with Mike McCabe, who once punted with the Chicago Bears, and at Auburn Kicking Academy.

Howell took a "mix of what all of them said and put it together" to improve his game. Sailer worked with Howell last summer to improve his hang time ("the most natural talent of any punter out there," Sailer said).

McCabe taught Howell this summer not to overstride his kicks ("the biggest college punter I've ever seen," McCabe said).

Carol White, who oversees Auburn Kicking Academy, helped Howell slim down from his 255-pound frame to 238 this year ("You look like a Mack truck on the field," Howell recalled White telling him at her camp).

"Jimmy, at least up to this point, has got a nice blend of talent and work in terms of how he's trained," said Bob Diaco, Virginia's special teams coordinator.

That concept was enforced by Howell's father, who stressed the necessity to take care of one's body in honor of God, including constant exercise and abstaining from alcohol. Since high school, Howell split his workouts to strengthen his chest and triceps, backs and biceps and then legs.

"Ninety percent of success has nothing to do with the ball," Jim Howell said. "It's the physical and mental preparation that goes into it. Those things aren't always fun -- running and lifting. But if you want to reap the rewards, you have to work hard."

Those rewards for Howell, so far, have included averaging 43 yards per punt as a senior at West Florence High School in Florence, S.C., and earning first-team all-state honors. He also started at quarterback and kicker and lettered in soccer and basketball for the Knights. The latest reward seems to be the starting punting spot at Virginia.

Alex Howell, Jimmy's brother and West Florence's starting punter, often joined Jimmy in training sessions because his positive enthusiasm motivated Alex to improve.

"That's the main reason I always worked out with him," Alex Howell said. "He's always nice to everybody, and he always has a smile on his face. I've never really seen him angry."

Even when things didn't go his way, such as when he suffered a massive quad contusion and a broken bone in his leg his senior year that sidelined him part of the season.

"He always forgot about the bad kicks and focused on the next kick," said Trey Woodberry, Howell's football coach at West Florence. "A lot of high school kids don't respond that way."

Howell is taking the same approach with the Cavaliers. That's why he's spoken to his parents about his college experience with giddy enthusiasm -- despite any nervousness that once existed.

"Whenever my parents ask how I'm doing, I always say, 'Fantastic,'" Howell said. "You're doing exactly what you wanted to do as a kid."

 

No covering this corner
Virginia's Ras-I Dowling has had plenty of seasoning in the past two years as he heads into his first year as a starter.
By NORM WOOD | | 247-4642
August 16, 2008

Before Ras-I Dowling ever put on a practice jersey for the University of Virginia last August, he felt like everything he'd seen at Hargrave Military Academy had positioned him well for a lot of early playing time with the Cavaliers.

He was right, but that goal seems mundane compared to what he could achieve in the coming seasons. Though he still might be a year away from peaking at the college level, Dowling has established himself as a cornerback with all-Atlantic Coast Conference potential.

"I wasn't really surprised I played as much as I did (last season) because I played against some really good players at Hargrave," said Dowling, who led UVa last season as a freshman with nine pass breakups, including tying for the team lead in interceptions with two. "I was ready."

Dowling, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound native of Chesapeake, lined up across from four players at Hargrave who are now playing in the ACC and Southeastern Conference. All of which may help in the accumulated knowledge department when he sees some of the nation's most skilled receivers Aug. 30 against Southern California, including Patrick Turner, Vidal Hazelton and David Ausberry.

Brent Vinson, a Phoebus High product who started 10 games at cornerback last season as a freshman at Tennessee, played receiver at Hargrave against Dowling. Chris Slaughter was also a receiver at Hargrave, and now has a chance to work himself into the two-deep chart at Auburn as a sophomore. Many recruiting analysts rated Vinson, Slaughter and Dowling among the nation's top 10 prep-school recruits.

"When you're going against a guy like Brent Vinson, you better be able to turn those hips and run," Hargrave post-graduate football coach Robert Prunty said. "(Dowling) can turn on a dime and give you nine cents change."

Maryland redshirt freshman receivers Quintin McCree and Ronnie Tyler also played across from Dowling at Hargrave. Playing against that kind of competition helped smooth the transition to college for Dowling, who tied a school-record with five pass breakups last season in UVa's 29-24 loss at N.C. State.

"You've just got to zone out and play the game you've been playing your whole life," said Dowling, a former Deep Creek High student who played in 12 games last season, starting two. "I like to let my playing do the talking for me."

Dowling's quick hips and feet were exactly why Prunty thought it was best for the Cavaliers to leave Dowling at defensive back. Prunty said UVa was recruiting Dowling as a receiver when he came to Hargrave.

"I told Bob Price (UVa's tight-ends coach and recruiting coordinator) he wasn't no receiver," Prunty said. "He's long, as far as his body is concerned. He's got cat quickness. He's going to make a hell of a safety or cornerback. If he keeps working, he's going to be like Brandon Flowers was at ( Virginia Tech). (Dowling) could be playing on Sundays."

With Chris Cook sitting out the season for academic reasons, Dowling will move into a full-time starting cornerback spot across from junior Vic Hall. Dowling, a quiet kid by nature, caught UVa coach Al Groh's attention early last season. Now, Groh expects more out of him … and just a bit more chest-thumping in Dowling's game wouldn't hurt.

"He takes coaching very well," Groh said. "He makes adjustments in his game as a result of the fact that he can clearly see where the (performance) bar really is.

"He might have set the bar high for a first-time player, but the bar for a big-time corner is a lot higher than what he set it at last year. He has ambitions to be that. (He needs to) see more plays, and the more he sees, not only will it develop his skills, but most particularly his confidence. … There's got to be a little bit of bravado that comes with playing corner."
 

Peerman, Simpson are the real deal
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: August 18, 2008

When USC’s coaching staff begins its game preparation for Virginia, you can bet that Pete Carroll’s defensive coaches are going to take a long look at the Cavaliers’ two-headed monster at tailback.
Cedric Peerman and Mikell Simpson combined last season for 1,155 yards rushing, 501 yards receiving, 15 touchdowns and a whole lot of headaches for defensive coordinators.
Consider that both really played only half a season, with Peerman dominating the first six games until he was sidelined by a foot injury at Middle Tennessee State, and Simpson essentially playing the final five games, not really establishing himself until the eighth game of the season at Maryland.
It’s all about the run
These are not flash in the pan backs. They’re for real.
Peerman led the ACC in rushing until his injury and against Georgia Tech’s stingy defense, which had allowed a mere 56.0 yards rushing to opponents, he pounded out 138 by himself.
Simpson, recruited heavily by Alabama, exploded onto the scene against the Terps and capped the season with the longest run ever by a running back in college football bowl history (96 yards against Texas Tech).
When coach Al Groh sat down to talk about this coming football season, it was no surprise that he emphasized that everything about this team would be built around the two biggest producers on the team: Peerman and Simpson.
“Everything is going to start with those two backs,” Groh said.
Peerman has been pronounced 100 percent recovered from his injury and Simpson is chomping at the bit to fulfill his destiny at Virginia.
Stellar stats
“We’ve got two guys that we consider starters,” said UVa running backs coach Anthony Poindexter. “This is one of the few times we’ve been in this situation where both guys really are equal. They have different styles, but if you look at their stats from last year, they compare. We know that both of them have to touch the ball.”
The rushing statistics for the duo are amazing. Both had exactly 113 carries. Peerman had 585 yards rushing and a 5.2 average, while Simpson ran for 570 yards, a 5.0 average. Simpson had the better receiving numbers, hauling in 43 catches for 402 yards.
Virginia didn’t throw that much to Peerman, but then again it didn’t have to. It was easier just to let him pound opponents into submission.
We couldn’t resist asking Poindexter what he liked about the two dynamic players. He didn’t disappoint with his reply.
“They do some things that you can’t really teach,” Poindexter said. “Cedric, for his size (5-foot-10, 208), you would think he would be more of a slashing back. But he really punishes defenders and runs like a big man. Then you get Juice (Simpson’s nickname ... yeah, we know) in there and he makes a lot of things happen that a lot of other guys can’t make happen. I’ve been around a lot of guys that can’t do some of the things that he can do.
“You mix the two together and the defense is going to have some issues to deal with in preparing for both of them,” Poindexter continued. “This is a good thing for us. I’m happy for both kids. They’ve both waited a long time to get to this point.”
Certainly it’s a good dilemma for Virginia. With the beatings that running backs take these days, there’s never enough. In fact, when Peerman went down last year, Simpson was actually the third choice behind Keith Payne and Andrew Pearman. Once Simpson strutted his stuff against Ralph Friedgen’s Terps, the job was his for the duration.
Groh can’t go wrong with either back. There’s plenty of touches for both and there’s no jealousy between the two.
“To be honest, I’m happy to be able to come out and play, whether it’s 180 yards rushing of five yards rushing,” Peerman said. “Whatever the team needs to win. Whoever is in the game should be in the game. Whoever gets the carries, it doesn’t matter. As long as we get the win, that’s what our focus is. We should never put individual goals or self before the team.”
Poindexter was exactly right when he mentioned that Peerman ran like a much bigger back. He’s physical. He bulled through defenses last season and carrying the ball 58 times over two games, showing his toughness and conditioning.
As North Carolina coach Butch Davis, whose Tar Heels were on the wrong side of a 30-carry, 186-yard performance by Peerman, exclaimed after the contest: “That guy can move the pile.”
Peerman is hoping that his final year is going to be his best and has spent the entire offseason preparing himself.
“I think that improving as a runner is a matter of experience,” the fifth-year senior said. “You can always get faster and you can always get stronger. But at the same time, what might be even more important is to become a smarter runner. That’s what I tried to focus on in the spring and in this training camp.”
He already had the other parts down, now it’s just a matter of honing those skills and learning more about the job.
In the early days he used to watch films of the NFL’s best running backs, trying to learn. He took notes and applied them to his game, but even though he still watches films, he’s not looking to copy anyone.
“I know what type of runner I am and nobody really runs like me,” Peerman said. “There’s nobody with that style. I’m just looking to being the better type of runner that I already am.”
While Peerman brings the bruising style to the game, Simpson is a little more flashy. His 152 receiving yards against Maryland last year was the second-most ever by an ACC back. His season total of 43 catches was the ninth-best total in the nation last season for a running back — and most of that came in the last five games.
He admitted that fact kind of blew his mind, but quickly deflated his own thoughts.
“Ninth isn’t first,” Simpson said. Sorry, it’s difficult to call him “Juice.”
“That goes to show I have a lot of improvement to make,” Simpson added. “Just because I did that over six games (more like five), I can’t say I had a great season because a season is 12 or 13 games long. If I do that over an entire season this year, then you can call it a great season.”
With Groh having decided to open up the offense more by returning to the old Matt Schaub style of passing game, there’s a chance Simpson could do just that. Predecessors Wali Lundy and Alvin Pearman (Andrew’s older brother).
Watching Simpson do those things that other guys can’t do, as Poindexter mentioned, it was easy to see why Alabama wanted the Harrisburg, Pa., back so badly. Sparky Woods, now the head coach at VMI, was the Crimson Tide’s running backs coach then and the main recruiter for Simpson.
“I was seriously considering Alabama,” Simpson said. “In my press conference, I actually said Alabama first, and then pulled out a Virginia hat. I loved everything about Alabama. I loved everything here. I just think I fit better at Virginia and it was closer for my family. It was important to me that they could come to my games.”
Simpson also developed good chemistry with Poindexter, who was recruiting him for the Cavaliers.
Funny how things can turn so quickly for a player. By his own admission, Simpson had great expectations coming into last season. He was switched from running back to wide receiver, but didn’t get a lot of action early. Groh referred to the swift, shifty back as his “Secret Agent.”
Not until College Park did we understand what the secret really was. Simpson gained 271 all-purpose yards in that game, sixth-most in school history, and on the winning, 15-play,
90-yard drive, he touched the ball 14 times and scored the winning TD on a one-yard dive with 16 seconds remaining.
“Once I saw things weren’t going the way I planned early in the season, I kind of got down on myself, like, ‘Man, I blew it,’ or, maybe I couldn’t play at this level,” Simpson confessed. “Once I got in there in the Maryland game it just woke me up and gave me confidence. I took ilt from there and ran with it.”
Nobody has slowed him down since. So, the two-headed monster is on track to make Saturdays miserable for a lot of opponents.
The Trojans’ defense, rated as one of the best in the country, will be a nice test.


 

Horne hopes to follow Simpson’s path
By Whitey Reid
Published: August 18, 2008

Virginia tailback Raynard Horne is no dummy. The third-year player watched last season as teammate Mikell Simpson — thanks to injuries and other circumstances — leapfrogged three players ahead of him on the depth chart to become a starter.
This season, Horne — currently third string behind Cedric Peerman and Simpson — realizes that if he keeps working hard, he too could be just a few snaps from having the chance to make a major impact.
“Of course that’s motivation,” Horne said. “Look where [Simpson] started out on the depth chart and then ended up last year. I’m thinking to myself that it could be me.”
That’s not to say that the Baltimore native is wishing any ill will on his teammates. It’s quite the contrary.
Horne would love to show off some of the running skills that helped him earn second-team Washington Post
All-Met honors as a senior at Overlea Senior. But if the
6-foot, 210-pounder doesn’t get a chance this year, he’s more than happy to make his mark on special teams.
Horne is currently a member of the kickoff, punt and punt return units.
“I hope I can help the team,” Horne said, “in any way I possibly can.”
As a kid growing up in Baltimore, baseball was Horne’s sport of choice. But when the baseball coach, also the school’s football coach, saw Horne play, he immediately suggested that Horne give football a shot.
“He saw I was fast and told me to come and play football,” Horne said. “I started playing both. When I got to high school I just focused on football.”
As a senior at Overlea, Horne rushed for over 1,100 yards and scored 24 touchdowns.
Horne was redshirted his first season at Virginia, then appeared in just one game — Virginia’s win over Duke – last season.
This summer, Horne, by all accounts, has been making a very good case for
increased action.
“He is behaving like a guy who is intent on carving out some playing time and has learned from his previous experiences,” said Virginia coach Al Groh. “I think he’s a lot more tuned in to what it really takes to be able to play well.
“He’s always been a good athlete. He’s got real good speed. He’s definitely benefited from the years of training. He’s got a set of muscles on him that he certainly didn’t have previously.
“He has got plenty of strength to both take hits and to give them right now too. It appears that’s given him the confidence to be perhaps a more physical player.”
Horne just smiled when told of Groh’s positive comments.
“Things have been going good so far,” Horne added. “I’m getting better. I’ve been reading my blocks well on the offensive line and the coaches have been helping me get better.”
Simpson, who was in Horne’s position a year ago, has taken Horne under his wing.
“He told me to just keep my head up and keep practicing, little things,” Horne said.
Horne says his comfort level on the field has improved by leaps and bounds since his freshman year.
“I understand the offense more,” he said, “and know what the coaches are looking for more. I know what and what not to do.”
And if Virginia fans have the chance to see No. 44 line up in the backfield this season, what kind of runner will they see?
“I’m real fast and strong,” Horne said. “I’m not the bulldozer type. I think I have a little more moves. I would say I’m an all-around back.”

 

Mikalauskas off Cavaliers; Soroye back
Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 - 12:07 AM

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Tunji Soroye is back on the University of Virginia men's basketball team. That's no shocker. The surprising news is that another U.Va. big man, Laurynas Mikalauskas, is off the team.

Fourth-year coach Dave Leitao last night announced the return of the 6-11, 250-pound Soroye and the departure of the 6-8, 245-pound Mikalauskas, a Lithuanian who started 25 games in his three seasons at U.Va.

"There are standards to be a member of this basketball program, and Laurynas has not lived up to those standards," Leitao said in a release. "I will have no additional comment on this situation."

Mikalauskas, whose hustle and high-energy style made him a favorite of U.Va. fans, graduated from the nearby Blue Ridge School. He averaged 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in the 80 games he played for Virginia, shooting 58.8 percent from the field.

Soroye, a native of Nigeria, played in only two games as a senior in 2007-08 because of knee and back injuries, and the NCAA recently granted his request for an extra year of eligibility. He's started 36 games as a Cavalier and has career averages of 1.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocked shots. Soroye is expected to serve as a mentor to Virginia's freshman centers: 6-11 John Brandenburg and 7-0 Assane Sene.

"I'm happy to have a young man of Tunji's character, ability and experience continuing as part of our program," Leitao said.

Also yesterday, former U.Va. forward Will Harris confirmed that his next stop will be the University of Albany. The 6-6, 245-pound Harris, who's from Queens, N.Y., will have two seasons of eligibility at Albany after sitting out 2008-09. -- Jeff White

 

Mikalauskas out, Soroye in
By Whitey Reid
Published: August 18, 2008

Directly in front of the entrance to the Virginia men’s basketball team’s locker room is a giant mural from one of the most memorable games of the Dave Leitao era.
In the mural, former UVa star Sean Singletary can be seen jumping into the arms of teammate Lars Mikalauskas shortly after the Cavaliers’ scintillating upset win over Arizona in the first-ever game at John Paul Jones Arena.
The joy on Mikalauskas’ face as he lifted Singletary high into the air will undoubtedly be one of Virginia fans’ lasting images of him.
On Monday evening, UVa coach Dave Leitao officially issued the lovable Lithuanian his walking papers.
In a terse two-sentence statement, Leitao announced that Mikalauskas — likely his starting center — would no longer be a member of the Virginia team.
“There are standards to be a member of this basketball program and Laurynas has not lived up to those standards,” said Leitao, while announcing that Tunji Soroye would be back (on scholarship) for a fifth season. “I will have no additional comment on the situation.”
Mikalauskas, who was home on summer vacation in Lithuania, could not be reached for comment.
Several sources close to the situation told The Daily Progress that Mikalauskas’ teammates were extremely upset by the news.
The loss of one of the team’s most popular players — and one of just two seniors on the roster (Mamadi Diane) — was met with shock by the Virginia basketball community.
One fan message board had over 100 posts within the first hour of Leitao’s announcement.
The news took former UVa forward Will Harris by total surprise.
“Wow. Man, that’s crazy,” said Harris, who announced this week that he is transferring to Albany. “I’m shocked. I would never have suspected something like that.
“Coach Leitao has a strong personality and sometimes…wow. I would never have expected this.”
When reached by phone, Bill Ramsey, Mikalauskas’ former coach at the Blue Ridge School, declined comment.
Mikalauskas, known as “The Pride of Lithuania,” was one of the main reasons Virginia didn’t finish last in the ACC last season. His gutsy return from a painful shoulder injury — one that would require major offseason surgery —breathed life into a team that had been comatose in the majority of its games.

After sitting out 12 games, the 6-foot-8, 245-pounder came back strong against North Carolina. Mikalauskas immediately drew an offensive foul on All-American Tyler Hansbrough — a player he defended as well as anyone in the nation during his three years. While lying on his back, Mikalauskas began pumping his fists wildly as the JPJ crowd went bonkers.
“He played hard every night and always got the fans into the game,” Harris added. “He played for the fans. I think that’s why the fans loved him so much.”
While suffering from a bad stomach flu, Mikalauskas scored a season-high 16 points and 13 rebounds in a late-season loss at Miami, then had 15 points and seven rebounds in a win at Georgia Tech.
“It was like I told the newspaper,” said Mikalauskas, during a television interview with commentator Dan Bonner following the victory over the Yellow Jackets, “somebody had to pay.”
It was those types of comments, made with a thick Lithuanian accent, that seemed to endear Mikalauskas to Wahoo Nation.
Ask just about any Virginia fan who their favorite player — other than Singletary — has been over the course of the last three years and they would likely say Mikalauskas.
For the last two seasons, one fan at JPJ sat in the student section with a sign. On the front, it read “Put Lars in.” On the back, it said, “Leave Lars in.”
But now Lars is out for good.

Dunks
The departure of Mikalauskas means that Virginia will likely have an additional scholarship at its disposal that could be awarded to walk-on Calvin Baker…Harris, citing playing-time issues, said leaving the program was a tough decision. “I thought about it for weeks – three or four weeks before I actually did it,” he said. “But for the betterment of myself and our family – for our futures – it was something that I felt I had to do.”


 

Cavaliers lose one big man, retain one
By Andy Bitter
Published: August 19, 2008

The Virginia men’s basketball team retained one big man Monday and lost another.

Tunji Soroye’s request for a medical hardship waiver was recently approved by the NCAA, and the 6-foot-11 Nigerian will return to the Cavaliers for a fifth season. But power forward Laurynas Mikalauskas will not be back, according to a release from the team.

Soroye missed all but two games for UVa last year because of various knee and back ailments. In 81 career games, the center has 226 rebounds and 78 blocked shots.

His presence was sorely missed on the defensive end. With Soroye manning the middle in the 2006-07 season, Virginia allowed 70.8 points per game in the conference. Last season, with an undersized frontcourt, the Cavaliers gave up 77.7 points per ACC game.

“I’m happy to have a young man of Tunji’s character, ability and experience continuing as a part of our program,” UVa coach Dave Leitao said in a release. “His leadership and experience will be a valuable asset to our young team this coming season.”

Mikalauskas, meanwhile, will not be back.

“There are standards to be a member of this basketball program and Laurynas has not lived up to those standards,” Leitao said. “I will have no additional comment on this situation.”

The 6-foot-8 Lithuanian missed 13 games in the middle of last season because of a shoulder injury. The Cavaliers went 6-5 to finish the season once he returned.

He averaged 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 20 games last season, shooting 65.4 percent from the field.

With Mikalauskas’ departure, Soroye and forward Mamadi Diane are the only two links on the roster to former coach Pete Gillen.
 

U.Va. coordinator accused of fraud
Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- On the eve of his first season as defensive coordinator at the University of Virginia, Bob Pruett is being accused of involvement in academic fraud and the overpayment of players at off-campus jobs while he was head football coach at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va.
David Ridpath, a former compliance officer at Marshall, filed documents Friday with new allegations against Pruett. They're part of a lawsuit Ridpath initiated against Marshall, Pruett and Marshall administrators about six years ago. The new filings were first reported Sunday on CBSSports.com.

The NCAA penalized Marshall in 2001 for several violations, including academic fraud and lack of institutional control. Pruett was not named in the original NCAA infractions report. Ridpath, now an associate athletic director at Ohio University, believes he was unfairly made a scapegoat at Marshall, the Huntington Herald-Dispatch reported.

It's unclear if the NCAA would re-open the case, given that the organization's four-year statute of limitations has expired.

Pruett, a longtime friend of U.Va. coach Al Groh, spoke to reporters yesterday on a teleconference scheduled before the CBSSports.com story broke.

"I haven't seen the article," Pruett said. "Wasn't aware of it. That's an eight-year ongoing legal procedure, [and] you know in legal procedures you can't comment on things like that.

"Those are accusations. That's the reason hopefully one day you'll get your day in court, and we'll see what happens."

Charleston, W.Va., attorney Vaughan T. Sizemore, who represents Marshall, said yesterday that Ridpath's filings were in response "to our motion and Coach Pruett's motion [last month] for summary judgment." In such a ruling, a court would decide a case without a trial.

"We've moved for summary judgment, and we think we have a good basis for the court dismissing [the case] at this time," said Sizemore, who added that attorneys will respond in detail this week to Ridpath's latest allegations.

If there is no summary judgment, the case is scheduled to go to trial late this year.

Pruett, 65, graduated from Marshall in 1965. An assistant at his alma mater from 1979-82, Pruett was the Thundering Herd's head coach from 1996 to 2004. His attorney is Edward M. Kowal Jr. of Huntington.

"Coach Pruett looks forward to the opportunity to fully litigate his case later this year and will not comment on pending litigation," Kowal said in a statement yesterday. "Some of the alleged issues in the lawsuit involve the NCAA investigation of Marshall University which concluded almost seven years ago. The NCAA report is available to the public, and the findings concerning several of the litigants are contained in it. Coach Pruett looks forward to a conclusion of the legal proceedings so that all the facts and all the issues can be addressed."

In affidavits filed Friday by Ridpath, two former Marshall football players said they were forced to sign documents saying they were paid $12.50 per hour for their off-campus work, when in fact they made $25 per hour, the Huntington paper reported. In another affidavit, a former Marshall conditioning coach accused Pruett and others of providing copies of a final exam in advance to some athletes.

 

Report: Court documents tie UVa defensive coordinator Pruett to academic fraud at Marshall
By Norm Wood | Daily Press

BLACKSBURG - New Virginia defensive coordinator Bob Pruett has been accused of being a central figure in an academic fraud and overpaying football players for various jobs during his 1996-2004 tenure as head coach at Marshall, according to a CBSSports.com story.

Pruett said on Monday that he hadn't read the story.

"I wasn't aware of it," Pruett, 65, said. "That's an eight-year ongoing legal procedure that, you know in legal procedures you can't comment on things like that. Those are accusations. That's the reason that hopefully one day that you'll get your day in court and we'll see what happens."

Mike Jenkins, the former flexibility coach at Marshall, said in an affidavit in a now-lengthy legal affair that "Coach Pruett assured the (Marshall) staff that certain football athletes ... would be eligible for fall 2000 season because 'they were guaranteed to get A's,' " according to the story.

The story also said former Marshall player Sam Goines effectively kept his eligibility when he was told by Pruett to sign a statement saying he made only $12.50 per hour at a printing company in Huntington, W.Va. Goines made $25 per hour for the job, according to the story.

David Ridpath, a former Marshall compliance director, sued Pruett and Marshall administrators in '02, according to the story. The NCAA penalized Marshall in '01 � four years of probation and reduced scholarships in football and basketball � for violations that occurred from '96 to '01.

Ridpath said he was on track to become Marshall's athletic director before he was demoted in '01 from compliance director to director of judicial affairs in what was listed as a "corrective action" by Marshall, the story said.

Affidavits: Pruett knew of Herd violations
HUNTINGTON - Bob Pruett, Marshall's winningest football coach of all time, had distinct knowledge of a "jobs for props" program with booster Marshall Reynolds, as well as an instance of academic fraud, according to affidavits filed in connection with a former compliance director's ongoing lawsuit.
By Doug Smock
Staff writer
HUNTINGTON - Bob Pruett, Marshall's winningest football coach of all time, had distinct knowledge of a "jobs for props" program with booster Marshall Reynolds, as well as an instance of academic fraud, according to affidavits filed in connection with a former compliance director's ongoing lawsuit.

Those affidavits came from former players, Pruett's former strength and conditioning coach, B. David Ridpath - MU's former compliance director - and another former MU compliance official. They were filed in conjunction with Ridpath's lawsuit against the university, Pruett, former president Dan Angel, two other high-ranking former MU officials and another attorney.

Ridpath is suing over defamation of character among other allegations, in connection with the university's case before the NCAA Committee on Infractions. In 2001, the MU football program was placed on four years' probation, resulting in the loss of a substantial number of scholarships - a reduction of five overall for three years, and a reduction of five initial scholarships for the 2002, 2003 and 2004 recruiting classes.

Marshall also voluntarily gave up the recruitment of nonqualifers for several years. Not-so-voluntarily, the NCAA ordered the disassociation of Reynolds from the athletic department for five years.

Ridpath has accused university officials, including Pruett, of concealing a scheme to employ nonqualifiers at local businesses - particularly those owned by Reynolds - for $200 a day for an eight-hour day, or $25 an hour. He also accused university officials of covering up the scheme, of wrongly reassigning him in what was described in the NCAA infractions report as a "corrective action," and later threatening him against trying to clear his name. Ridpath also accuses attorney Richard Hilliard, an attorney who specializes in NCAA matters, of legal malpractice.

Ridpath claims his career aspirations were irreparably damaged.

The lawsuit has dragged on for six years since its initial filing. It was refiled in 2003 and delayed while a legal issue over the defendants' qualified immunity was decided by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. After the case returned to district court, the sides went through discovery proceedings and depositions until this summer.

The lawsuit is due to come to trial Oct. 21 in Huntington before Judge Chuck Chambers.

But in the meantime, the defendants have filed for summary judgment, or a complete and immediate dismissal of the case. Ridpath's attorneys filed a spirited rebuttal, attaching the five affidavits, and the defendants have until Friday to reply.

Among those who were deposed included former players Charles Tynes and Sam Goines, former strength and conditioning coach Mike Jenkins, and Kevin Klotz, a compliance official who once worked under Ridpath. All seemed to accuse Pruett and/or other officials such as former MU president Dan Angel of misconduct.

Through his attorney, Pruett says he welcomes a full-blown trial.

"Coach Pruett looks forward to the opportunity to fully litigate the case later this year, and will not comment further on the litigation," said Edward Kowal, a Huntington attorney. "Some of the alleged issues involve the investigation by the NCAA, which concluded almost seven years ago.

"The NCAA report is available to the public and outlines findings concerning several of the litigants. Pruett looks forward to a conclusion of the legal process, so all the issues and all the facts will be addressed."

Vaughn Sizemore, a Charleston attorney representing the other defendants, did not comment further except to say a response will be filed at the end of the week.

The defendants, particularly Pruett, may have to rebut some damning statements from those deposed.

Goines and Tynes, who played for the Thundering Herd in the late 1990s and early 2000s, both stated they were provided jobs at well above the prevailing wage while they sat out their freshman year.

"During my recruitment, at a meeting with Coach Pruett in his office, my parents and I were told that a job would be available for me when I came to Marshall," Tynes stated in his sworn affidavit. "The job that was arranged for me was janitorial work at Chapman Printing. I did the work and was paid 25.00 per hour/200 per 8-hour day."

Goines said, "During my recruitment, I was told by MU staff members including Coach [Kevin] Kelly, Coach Pruett, they would have a 'job' for me to earn money to pay my tuition."

Nonqualifers are not allowed scholarship aid, and are not allowed to practice or work out with the team.

Both Tynes and Goines say that they were "made clear" by compliance officials that they were to report all employment to the compliance office. And both said that they felt heat from the football office to keep quiet about their jobs.

"I do not recall anyone specifically telling me not to talk to compliance, but we were told not to talk about the job, and specifically not talk about the job to other Chapman employees," Tynes said. "It was clear that the jobs were to be kept in the football family. I knew something was up with the jobs, because of the rate of pay for simple janitorial work."

Goines said, "We were instructed by the coaching staff that we should not talk about the job[s] or tell anyone about the job and keep it in the football family."

Both were suspended by the NCAA in the 2001 season - Tynes for one game and Goines for four. And in perhaps the most damning allegation in their affidavits, they said they signed false documents under duress to regain the right to play.

"In order to restore my eligibility, I was told to sign a statement indicating I had made $12.50 per hour. I was told that if I didn't sign, I could not play," Tynes said. "I knew the $12.50 figure was wrong, but signed anyway because I wanted to play."

Goines said much the same thing. Both Goines and Tynes' affidavits contained this same statement, verbatim: "Those statements were signed in Pruett's office at Pruett's direction."

Jenkins' affidavit addressed allegations of academic fraud tied to a volunteer assistant strength coach Bruce McAllister. Jenkins testified that a "study guide" - later determined to be an advance copy of McAllister's Physical Education 201 exam - was provided to players. Apparently, eligibility of key players was at stake.

"I was present in a football staff meeting, circa 1999, when Coach Pruett assured the staff that certain football athletes [specifically Danny Derricott] would be eligible for the fall 2000 season "because they were guaranteed to get A's in McAllister's class," Jenkins testified.

McAllister was hit with a "show cause" penalty. That's considered to be a career-buster - anybody who wanted to hire him in any athletic capacity had to appear before the infractions committee to justify the hiring.

Ridpath, currently employed as assistant professor of sports administration at Ohio University, made the following accusations involving Pruett:

Pruett, or any member of his staff, never asked him whether players could work at McCorkle Machine Shop, a Reynolds-owned firm central to the "jobs for props" allegations, or provided details about any employment there.
After the McCorkle jobs program came to light, Ridpath was unaware the "props" were making $25 per hour, in part because of the falsely signed documents cited by Tynes and Goines.
Pruett exercised considerable influence over decisions in MU's athletic department. Ridpath said, "I have no doubt that he participated in discussions about my employment future at MU."
Ridpath testified about an Oct. 1, 2001 meeting with Pruett, following one in which Ridpath had met with Ed Grose to negotiate his reassignment. Pruett assured Ridpath that the reassignment would not be related to the infractions case "and it was just a way to take a break and work on doctoral studies." As it turned out, Ridpath's reassignment was listed by MU as a self-imposed penalty.
Along those lines, Pruett allegedly supported the transfer as a "corrective action" - one that Ridpath asserts has kept him out of compliance positions ever since.
Pruett resigned from Marshall in March 2005, in part because of health reasons. After sitting out three seasons, he has returned to coaching as defensive coordinator at Virginia.

The Gazette learned Monday that Pruett asked for a continuation of the trial until after football season, which Chambers denied. Oct. 21 falls on the Tuesday after the Cavaliers play a home game against North Carolina, and before a road game against Georgia Tech.

Other current and former MU officials could end up playing a role in the trial. For instance, Klotz said he has had conversations with David Reed, who monitored employment in the compliance department and later served as MU's compliance director. He quoted Reed as saying, "he was not going to jail over this," and "Ridpath is right and is going to win."

Reach Doug Smock at 348-5130 or dougsm...@wvgazette.com.

HUNTINGTON - Bob Pruett, Marshall's winningest football coach of all time, had distinct knowledge of a "jobs for props" program with booster Marshall Reynolds, as well as an instance of academic fraud, according to affidavits filed in connection with a former compliance director's ongoing lawsuit.

Those affidavits came from former players, Pruett's former strength and conditioning coach, B. David Ridpath - MU's former compliance director - and another former MU compliance official. They were filed in conjunction with Ridpath's lawsuit against the university, Pruett, former president Dan Angel, two other high-ranking former MU officials and another attorney.

Ridpath is suing over defamation of character among other allegations, in connection with the university's case before the NCAA Committee on Infractions. In 2001, the MU football program was placed on four years' probation, resulting in the loss of a substantial number of scholarships - a reduction of five overall for three years, and a reduction of five initial scholarships for the 2002, 2003 and 2004 recruiting classes.

Marshall also voluntarily gave up the recruitment of nonqualifers for several years. Not-so-voluntarily, the NCAA ordered the disassociation of Reynolds from the athletic department for five years.

Ridpath has accused university officials, including Pruett, of concealing a scheme to employ nonqualifiers at local businesses - particularly those owned by Reynolds - for $200 a day for an eight-hour day, or $25 an hour. He also accused university officials of covering up the scheme, of wrongly reassigning him in what was described in the NCAA infractions report as a "corrective action," and later threatening him against trying to clear his name. Ridpath also accuses attorney Richard Hilliard, an attorney who specializes in NCAA matters, of legal malpractice.

Ridpath claims his career aspirations were irreparably damaged.

The lawsuit has dragged on for six years since its initial filing. It was refiled in 2003 and delayed while a legal issue over the defendants' qualified immunity was decided by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. After the case returned to district court, the sides went through discovery proceedings and depositions until this summer.

The lawsuit is due to come to trial Oct. 21 in Huntington before Judge Chuck Chambers.

But in the meantime, the defendants have filed for summary judgment, or a complete and immediate dismissal of the case. Ridpath's attorneys filed a spirited rebuttal, attaching the five affidavits, and the defendants have until Friday to reply.

Among those who were deposed included former players Charles Tynes and Sam Goines, former strength and conditioning coach Mike Jenkins, and Kevin Klotz, a compliance official who once worked under Ridpath. All seemed to accuse Pruett and/or other officials such as former MU president Dan Angel of misconduct.

Through his attorney, Pruett says he welcomes a full-blown trial.

"Coach Pruett looks forward to the opportunity to fully litigate the case later this year, and will not comment further on the litigation," said Edward Kowal, a Huntington attorney. "Some of the alleged issues involve the investigation by the NCAA, which concluded almost seven years ago.

"The NCAA report is available to the public and outlines findings concerning several of the litigants. Pruett looks forward to a conclusion of the legal process, so all the issues and all the facts will be addressed."

Vaughn Sizemore, a Charleston attorney representing the other defendants, did not comment further except to say a response will be filed at the end of the week.

The defendants, particularly Pruett, may have to rebut some damning statements from those deposed.

Goines and Tynes, who played for the Thundering Herd in the late 1990s and early 2000s, both stated they were provided jobs at well above the prevailing wage while they sat out their freshman year.

"During my recruitment, at a meeting with Coach Pruett in his office, my parents and I were told that a job would be available for me when I came to Marshall," Tynes stated in his sworn affidavit. "The job that was arranged for me was janitorial work at Chapman Printing. I did the work and was paid 25.00 per hour/200 per 8-hour day."

Goines said, "During my recruitment, I was told by MU staff members including Coach [Kevin] Kelly, Coach Pruett, they would have a 'job' for me to earn money to pay my tuition."

Nonqualifers are not allowed scholarship aid, and are not allowed to practice or work out with the team.

Both Tynes and Goines say that they were "made clear" by compliance officials that they were to report all employment to the compliance office. And both said that they felt heat from the football office to keep quiet about their jobs.

"I do not recall anyone specifically telling me not to talk to compliance, but we were told not to talk about the job, and specifically not talk about the job to other Chapman employees," Tynes said. "It was clear that the jobs were to be kept in the football family. I knew something was up with the jobs, because of the rate of pay for simple janitorial work."

Goines said, "We were instructed by the coaching staff that we should not talk about the job[s] or tell anyone about the job and keep it in the football family."

Both were suspended by the NCAA in the 2001 season - Tynes for one game and Goines for four. And in perhaps the most damning allegation in their affidavits, they said they signed false documents under duress to regain the right to play.

"In order to restore my eligibility, I was told to sign a statement indicating I had made $12.50 per hour. I was told that if I didn't sign, I could not play," Tynes said. "I knew the $12.50 figure was wrong, but signed anyway because I wanted to play."

Goines said much the same thing. Both Goines and Tynes' affidavits contained this same statement, verbatim: "Those statements were signed in Pruett's office at Pruett's direction."

Jenkins' affidavit addressed allegations of academic fraud tied to a volunteer assistant strength coach Bruce McAllister. Jenkins testified that a "study guide" - later determined to be an advance copy of McAllister's Physical Education 201 exam - was provided to players. Apparently, eligibility of key players was at stake.

"I was present in a football staff meeting, circa 1999, when Coach Pruett assured the staff that certain football athletes [specifically Danny Derricott] would be eligible for the fall 2000 season "because they were guaranteed to get A's in McAllister's class," Jenkins testified.

McAllister was hit with a "show cause" penalty. That's considered to be a career-buster - anybody who wanted to hire him in any athletic capacity had to appear before the infractions committee to justify the hiring.

Ridpath, currently employed as assistant professor of sports administration at Ohio University, made the following accusations involving Pruett:

Pruett, or any member of his staff, never asked him whether players could work at McCorkle Machine Shop, a Reynolds-owned firm central to the "jobs for props" allegations, or provided details about any employment there.
After the McCorkle jobs program came to light, Ridpath was unaware the "props" were making $25 per hour, in part because of the falsely signed documents cited by Tynes and Goines.
Pruett exercised considerable influence over decisions in MU's athletic department. Ridpath said, "I have no doubt that he participated in discussions about my employment future at MU."
Ridpath testified about an Oct. 1, 2001 meeting with Pruett, following one in which Ridpath had met with Ed Grose to negotiate his reassignment. Pruett assured Ridpath that the reassignment would not be related to the infractions case "and it was just a way to take a break and work on doctoral studies." As it turned out, Ridpath's reassignment was listed by MU as a self-imposed penalty.
Along those lines, Pruett allegedly supported the transfer as a "corrective action" - one that Ridpath asserts has kept him out of compliance positions ever since.

Pruett resigned from Marshall in March 2005, in part because of health reasons. After sitting out three seasons, he has returned to coaching as defensive coordinator at Virginia.

The Gazette learned Monday that Pruett asked for a continuation of the trial until after football season, which Chambers denied. Oct. 21 falls on the Tuesday after the Cavaliers play a home game against North Carolina, and before a road game against Georgia Tech.

Other current and former MU officials could end up playing a role in the trial. For instance, Klotz said he has had conversations with David Reed, who monitored employment in the compliance department and later served as MU's compliance director. He quoted Reed as saying, "he was not going to jail over this," and "Ridpath is right and is going to win."

 

NCAA Football Preview - Virginia Cavaliers
By Scott Haynes, Sports Network
The Sports Network
Posted: Monday, Aug. 18, 2008

2007 will be remembered as a highly successful season in Charlottesville, considering the team's nine wins were its most since the 2003 campaign. In addition, the Cavs set an NCAA record with five wins by two points or less.

2008 ANALYSIS:

OFFENSE: The Cavaliers averaged 24.4 ppg in 2007 and did nothing truly remarkable offensively in terms of numbers. In fact, the team ranked ninth in the league in total offense (330.4 ypg), including a mere 10th in passing (194.8 ypg). With six starters back on this side of the football, the hope is the offense can make some strides in the right direction.

Gone is QB Jameel Sewell, but true freshman Peter Lalich got a taste of action in 2007 and is the only returning signal-caller who got snaps last season. He will battle senior Scott Deke and sophomore Marc Verica for the starting nod.

With the tight end position being vital to what Al Groh likes to do offensively, it will be imperative for senior John Phillips to elevate his game, after catching 17 balls a year ago. Phillips will be replacing Tom Santi, who led the Cavaliers in receiving yards (418) last year. Tailback Mikell Simpson actually led the team in receptions out of the backfield (43) and could take on a vital role in that capacity again. Wideout Kevin Ogletree missed 2007 due to injury and his return on the outside is highly anticipated Maurice Covington (6-4, 225) and Staton Jobe (6-0, 182) bring depth to the receiving corps as well.

The ground game is in a bit better shape, now that senior Cedric Peerman returns after losing half of 2007 due to injury. Peerman was leading the ACC in rushing before going down to injury. His replacement was Simpson, who played well down the stretch and finished the year averaging 5.0 yards per carry.

DEFENSE: Virginia ranked third in the ACC in scoring defense (19.7 ppg) a year ago. Gone is All-American Chris Long up front and he will be impossible to replace. Long was an early first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft and finished 2007 with 79 tackles and 14 sacks.

The strength of this year's defense is in the linebacking corps, where three of the four starters return, comprised of seniors Jon Copper (team-high 109 tackles, three sacks, two INTs), Antonio Appleby (60 tackles, 2.5 sacks) and Clint Sintim (77 tackles), who led all LBs in the country with nine sacks. Sintim knows what kind of leader Long was but believes his teammates can get the job done without him in 2008.

"Obviously, it's not going to be easy replacing Chris, but I think we have enough young talent that can step up and help this team win some games."

Half of the secondary returns, including junior cover corner Vic Hall (58 tackles, one INT).

SPECIAL TEAMS: The kicking game is in need of a complete overhaul, with placekicker Chris Gould and punter Ryan Weigand both moving on. Redshirt freshman Chris Hinkebein is slated to take over the field-goal duties. He knocked down 70 percent of his opportunities in high school, including a 54- yarder. Replacing Weigand won't be as easy, as he averaged over 45 yards per punt, ranking fourth nationally. Senior John Thornton will get the opportunity to earn the job. Vic Hall handled the punt return duties a year ago and will probably resume that role in 2008.

2008 OUTLOOK: It doesn't get any harder in the season-opener than what Virginia has to face, as USC comes to Charlottesville in late August, something Coach Groh is fully aware of.

"Since 2000, USC has been in a league of their own as far as college football is concerned. They're the only team that has been in the top three of four teams n the country every year and they're the most talented college team that I've seen since the Florida State teams of the middle and late '90s."

Following the USC game, Virginia will welcome FCS foe Richmond to Charlottesville. The remainder of the non-league slate includes UConn and East Carolina. The conference schedule does the Cavaliers no favors either, with Maryland, North Carolina, Miami and Clemson coming to town. Road trips within the conference include winnable games at Duke and Georgia Tech, but gets tougher with treks to Wake Forest and Virginia Tech looming large in November.

The losses on both sides of the football and on special teams will certainly prevent Virginia from matching the nine wins it put up in 2007. In fact, the team will struggle just to reach .500 and will probably wind up home for the holidays, watching the bowl season on television.