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Cavaliers coach only concerned about bottom line
 By JOHN GALINSKY / Daily Progress staff writer
Sep 23, 2002

 
Sure, Virginia's defense played poorly in Saturday's game against Akron. Of course, UVa coach Al Groh wishes the defense had done better. Naturally, the Cavaliers will work on improving that facet of their team in coming weeks.

But winning means never having to say you're sorry.

"Fellas, I'm not making any apologies for this game at all," Groh said Sunday, a day after his team's 48-29 homecoming victory at Scott Stadium.

Much of the talk after the game centered on Virginia's struggles against the winless Zips (0-4) of the Mid-American Conference. To be sure, some of the numbers were ugly.

Akron gained 495 yards and accumulated 27 first downs. UVa's defense allowed five drives of at least 10 plays, including a 17-play, 89-yard touchdown march that ate up nearly seven minutes of the third and fourth quarters.

The Zips converted four fourth downs and ran 98 offensive plays, 41 more than Virginia, while keeping the ball nearly 14 minutes longer than the Cavaliers.

Some of those statistics are significant, Groh said, "but points is the most important thing. Most importantly, having more points than the other guys."

And as Groh pointed out, the Cavaliers (2-2) did more than enough good things to win by 19 points.

Matt Schaub threw touchdown passes to five different receivers, highlighting the increased diversity of Virginia's offense. The Cavaliers rushed for 212 yards, 102 by freshman tailback Wali Lundy.

Even the defense and special teams - team weaknesses this season - put points on the scoreboard. Art Thomas returned an interception 42 yards for a crucial touchdown late in the third quarter. Darryl Blackstock scored on a 9-yard return of Alex Seals' blocked punt in the first quarter.

It was the first time Virginia scored an offensive, defensive and special teams touchdown since a 55-21 victory over Central Michigan in 1996. The 49 points were the most UVa scored since racking up 50 against Buffalo in 1999.

"We had a really good rhythm on offense," said Schaub, who ranks seventh nationally in passing efficiency. "We were pretty relaxed out there. We were confident we could move the ball."

Virginia's special teams were solid overall, despite another missed field goal. Kurt Smith hooked a 36-yarder on the first possession, meaning the Cavaliers are now 0 for 2 on field goals (both by Smith). On the positive side, freshman Tom Hagan averaged 44 yards on three punts with a net of 42 yards. Kickoff coverage also was good with the exception of one 45-yard return.

"I thought overall our coverage teams were much more beneficial," Groh said.

The discrepancy in plays was partly the result of UVa's touchdowns on defense and special teams, which gave Akron consecutive possessions on several occasions. Still, Groh and his players acknowledged that the defensive performance must improve.

The Zips had 18 plays of at least 10 yards, including five of at least 20 yards.

"We gave up a lot of big plays," linebacker Angelo Crowell said. "If we eliminate big plays, we'll be all right. We can't give those up."

Groh gave credit to Akron's spread offense and quarterback Charlie Frye, who threw for 336 yards. When the Cavaliers used four cornerbacks to cover all the receivers, Frye often audibled to a running play. The Zips ran 48 times and passed 50 more.

"They have a good little system going," Groh said.

 

 

Groh unapologetic for defense against Akron
 

FROM STAFF, WIRE REPORTS

   Any red flags raised by Virginia's 48-29 victory over 22 1/2 -point underdog Akron were lowered quickly Sunday by Cavaliers coach Al Groh.

    Two weeks after holding 21st-ranked South Carolina to 262 yards, UVa gave up 248 in the first half and 495 for the game Saturday.

    "We'd like to have it lower than that," Groh said in a Sunday teleconference, "but hey, look, fellas, I'm not making any apologies for this game at all."

    The positives for Groh included a blocked punt for a touchdown, a pass interception for a touchdown, 12 quarterback knockdowns, and 70.4-percent passing by Matt Schaub, who threw five touchdown passes.

    The Zips outgained Virginia, which had 414 yards, but the numbers were deceiving. Akron, which had the ball for 36:51, averaged 5.1 yards on 98 plays. Virginia averaged 7.3 yards on 57 plays.

    "I think [total offense] has relevance," Groh said. "What happens to the ball moving up and down the field has an awful lot to do with who wins the game. I don't think there's any of us who coach who don't want to keep that down to a real minimum.

    "Points is the most important thing and, most importantly, having more points than the other guys."

 

 

Deacons' win is proof to Grobe, players that they deserve respect
By Dan Collins
JOURNAL REPORTER
 

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.

Derailed at Northern Illinois in the season opener, Wake Forest's little team that could was back on track Saturday after a clutch 24-21 victory against stunned Purdue.

Instead of thinking they can have a winning season, Coach Jim Grobe said his Deacons know they can keep the good times rolling. And that, he said, might have been the most important cargo they brought back from their first road victory ever against a Big Ten foe.

"I was really disappointed, and I felt terrible for our football team because I feel we're not a bad football team," Grobe said of the Deacons' 1-2 record entering Saturday's game. "We're not dominant, but we're not bad, and we've got a lot of work to do to get better.

"But the one thing that I felt was we may end up losing a ton of games because we didn't have any confidence. So I think today really told our kids that we can play a little bit.

"So now we don't have any excuses. We just need to stay healthy and play well down the stretch. Probably more than anything else, this gives us a shot of confidence."

So much of what went wrong in the sobering 42-41 overtime loss at Northern Illinois went right for the Deacons in front of 48,550 at Ross-Ade Stadium. The defense, which faltered as Wake Forest squandered an 11-point, fourth quarter lead in the opener, stood tall enough Saturday to stop the Boilermakers' last four drives. Quarterback James MacPherson, who struggled against the Huskies, returned to the efficient form that helped carry last year's team to three victories in its final four games.

But the biggest difference between the Deacons' two trips into the Midwest was that Northern Illinois' field-goal attempts - including one of 51 yards at the end of the first half and one of 46 at the end of regulation - split the uprights, whereas Purdue's field-goal tries sailed wide.

After missing three fourth-quarter field-goals attempts, including one from 46 yards away with 16 seconds left, kicker Berlin Lacevic, metaphorically fell on his kicking tee.

"I just blame myself for it," Lacevic said. "That's all I can do.

"I lost us this game."

As a consequence, the Deacons returned from Purdue exactly where many people thought they'd be, at 2-2 going into Saturday's ACC home game against Virginia. The significance of the record, Grobe said, was that the Deacons were the only team in the conference to play three of their first four games on the road.

"It was just like complete opposite ends of the spectrum, when you look at the Northern Illinois loss and the Purdue win," Grobe said.

The one similarity between the two games, however, was that in both Wake Forest enjoyed a sizeable advantage in turnover margin. At Northern Illinois, the Deacons forced four turnovers and committed none and at Purdue they forced five turnovers and committed just one - a fumble by Cornelius Birgs that at least temporarily cost him a spot in the rotation at tailback.

Wake Forest surrendered 477 yards against Purdue and gave up three long plays that either accounted for or led to touchdowns. But turnovers once again negated much of the Boilermakers' offensive accomplishments.

Through four games, Wake Forest has forced 16 turnovers and committed but four.

"We've forced a lot of turnovers," Grobe said. "I think our guys are still a work in progress. We haven't arrived defensively. But for some reason we've been pretty good at turning the football over and hopefully we will continue that.

"I think that's the only chance we had (against Purdue)."

 

 

Successful homecoming for U.Va.
Cavs' win not dominant or pretty

 
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER		 Sep 23, 2002
 
CHARLOTTESVILLE - Akron had 18 plays that gained 10 or more yards against Virginia's beleaguered defense Saturday at Scott Stadium. The winless Zips had 27 first downs, averaged 5.1 yards per play and amassed 495 yards of offense.

"We'd like to have it lower than that, but I'm not making any apologies for this game at all," Al Groh, the Cavaliers' second-year coach, said last night.

U.Va. evened its record at 2-2 with a 48-29 homecoming victory over Akron, and Groh saw plenty that he liked. To wit:

  • Alex Seals blocked an Akron punt, which Darryl Blackstock recovered and returned for a touchdown.
  • Virginia rushers knocked down Zips quarterback Charlie Frye 12 times and sacked him twice.
  • Art Thomas picked off a Frye pass in the third quarter and returned it 42 yards for a TD, the first time the Cavaliers had scored on an interception since Nov. 28, 1998, when linebacker Byron Thweatt returned one 53 yards against Virginia Tech.
  • Freshman tailback Wali Lundy rushed for 102 yards, and sophomore Alvin Pearman added 81.
  • Matt Schaub threw five touchdown passes and no interceptions.

    That marked the third consecutive game Schaub has impressed. After a shaky performance in the opener against Colorado State, which cost him his starting job, the 6-5 junior has completed 70.7 percent of his passes for 619 yards and 11 touchdowns.

    "Certainly, he's in a good zone right now," Groh said.

    Schaub came off the bench Aug. 31 against Florida State and threw three TD passes. In U.Va.'s win over South Carolina on Sept. 7, he started and was 20 for 30 passing for 170 yards and three touchdowns. Against Akron, Schaub made his third start of the season and completed 19 of 27 attempts for 202 yards. He also rushed four times for 27 yards.

    "I thought he took advantage of his openings very well," Groh said. "Five touchdown passes is a pretty good day's work. I thought he ran his team very well, had good control of the game situations, and when he had guys [open], he got it to them."

    Schaub ranks seventh nationally in passing efficiency. His season totals: 66 for 96 passing for 692 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's been intercepted thrice.

    Next up for the Cavaliers, who are 0-1 in ACC play, is a Saturday night game against conference rival Wake Forest (0-1, 2-2) at Winston-Salem, N.C. Wake won 24-21 at Purdue on Saturday.

    The Demon Deacons figure to run as often as the Zips passed against Virginia. A year ago in Charlottesville, Wake rushed for 248 yards and rallied for a 34-30 victory, snapping U.Va.'s 17-game winning streak in the series.


     
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