Rocky Mountain low
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
September 1, 2007

LARAMIE, Wyo. - Merely flipping the calendar was supposed to do the trick.

Instead, Virginia’s 2007 debut exposed everything that was horribly wrong a year ago.

Slowly and methodically, Wyoming dominated Virginia in every regard Saturday, cruising to a 23-3 victory in front of 31,620 boisterous fans that made up the largest season-opening crowd ever at War Memorial Stadium.

En route to the defeat, Virginia (0-1) extended its current touchdown drought - the Cavaliers have not reached the end zone in more than 161 minutes, a 10-plus-quarter span that dates back to the first half of last year’s Miami game.

Virginia also managed just seven rushing yards on 17 attempts.

“That is certainly a lot less than what we expected,” said Virginia coach Al Groh of the opener. “We have a long ways to go. A lot of people put a lot into this to this point for a better result than that, and we will continue to work to get that.”

The Cowboys (1-0) compiled 471 yards of total offense and limited Virginia to just five first downs, easily exacting revenge for a 13-12 overtime loss at Scott Stadium last season.

Wyoming quarterback Karsten Sween, who did not play against UVa last year, was 25 of 34 passing for 253 yards and a touchdown, and tailbacks Devin Moore and Wynel Seldon combined for 199 yards on the ground.

Virginia, which amassed just 110 yards of total offense, averaged just 2.4 yards per play as quarterback Jameel Sewell, who had surgery in December on his throwing wrist, struggled to stretch the field and tossed a pair of interceptions.

“They got a lot of plays out of their quarterback position and a lot of plays out of their running back position,” Groh said. “They got some plays on defense, and plays determine games. They made a lot of plays, and we certainly didn’t make very many.”

It marked the second straight season-opening loss for Virginia, which fell to 10-24 on the road under Groh.

“I didn’t expect this at all. Every aspect of the game we played terribly,” said Virginia defensive end Chris Long. “Our standards are much higher than this. As a whole, we need to get better. That’s the good news.

“The bad news is that the result is the result.”

Despite their obvious struggles to move the ball offensively and the inability to stop Wyoming on third down in the first half, the Cavaliers added a last-second field goal before halftime from placekicker Chris Gould, cutting the deficit to 10-3.

“That certainly made it look a lot better,” Groh said. “That was a good deal for us to get a couple of numbers there, but the key in the second half wasn’t that we kicked the field goal at the end but we needed to play better to change things.

“[In the second half,] it was really just more of the same - we didn’t play better.”

Wyoming certainly did.

The Cowboys added a field goal on their opening possession of the third quarter as Billy Vinnedge connected on a 40-yard attempt.

Trailing 13-3, Virginia appeared to regain the momentum on a 67-yard kickoff return from junior Andrew Pearman, but Sewell tossed his first interception just two plays later deep inside Wyoming territory.

“We were going to get points of some nature on that particular one,” Groh said. “That certainly hurt our chances a lot.

"We would have got at least three points and we probably would have had the chance to get a little bit more.”

The interception “just slipped out” of Sewell’s hand, Groh said.

Seven possessions and a quarter later, Wyoming erased any doubt as Moore took a delayed handoff from Sween and raced up the middle of the field for a 49-yard touchdown run with 6:17 left. Moore finished with 125 yards on 18 carries.

Sewell, who managed just 87 yards through the air, helped Wyoming score again with his second interception of the game and the eighth of his career. The miscue led to a 39-yard field goal from Vinnedge with 2:48 remaining and helped solidify Virginia’s decision to insert true freshman Peter Lalich into the game for the final drive.

Long before Lalich’s redshirt season was burned, the Cowboys opened the game’s scoring a little more than 10 minutes into the game on a 48-yard field goal from Vinnedge. The score capped a 12-play, 44-yard drive that left Virginia’s defense on the field for almost five minutes, which served as a sign of things to come.

Wyoming also added a touchdown with 13:35 left in the second quarter when Sween lofted a perfect spiral to Greg Bolling into the left corner of the end zone from 4 yards out.

Bolling, who stands at 6-foot-2, which is five inches taller than Virginia cornerback Vic Hall, jumped into the air as the ball arrived and made the catch with just enough time to get one foot down in the corner.

“It was a big-time throw,” Groh said. “[Sween] put the ball up there where only one guy could make a play on it, and their kid made a real good catch. It was a real good throw.”

Hall added: “Lining up, it was going through my head that they were going to throw the fade. They threw it and I didn’t make the play. It was a great throw, but I still should have made the play.”

Luckily for Virginia, the schedule provides woeful Duke on Saturday at Scott Stadium (12 p.m.). The Blue Devils, who lost their opener, 45-14, to Connecticut, have dropped 21 straight games.

“We just have to come out hungry,” Long said.

 

Apparently, things can get worse
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
September 2, 2007

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Now Al Groh knows how Custer must have felt.

While the zip code may be different from the aforementioned infamous last stand, the results were pretty much the same. The winner took no prisoners.

Virginia’s lopsided 23-3 loss to Wyoming here in this Mile (and-a-half) High stadium was much more about the Cavaliers’ ineptness on offense than it was the 7,200-foot altitude.

If you thought last year’s offense was bad, when Virginia ranked no better than No. 100 in the nation (out of 119 major programs) in almost every statistical category, then you should have gotten a load of Saturday’s stumblings and bumblings. There were high expectations for this offense, but those vanished on the range where the deer and the antelope play.

Offensive coordinator Mike Groh’s group mustered a mere 110 yards of offense and required some garbage yards by true freshman quarterback Peter Lalich on the last series of the game to avoid becoming the first bunch of Cavaliers to record fewer than 100 yards since 1980.

Incumbent quarterback Jameel Sewell was simply awful. Sewell, who hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in the last 24 quarters (dating back to Oct. 14 when he threw for a fourth quarter score last season against Maryland), completed but 13 passes in Saturday’s game, 11 to his teammates for 87 yards, and two to Wyoming players, snuffing out one potential momentum-swinging drive early in the second half.

The running game, which was considered to be a strength for the Cavaliers, with a big offensive line returning intact and a stable of solid backs, was almost nonexistent against an attacking Wyoming defense.

All this added up to diddly squat and left the door open for Al Groh’s least favorite words: a quarterback controversy.

No sooner had the game ended than sportswriters were asking the torturous question: Will Sewell be the starting quarterback next week against Duke?

“How did I know somebody was going to ask that question?” Groh snapped back with all the subtlety of a Puff Adder having been disturbed from a deep sleep. “Just try something different, OK? We’ll see how things go.”

Certainly the coaches didn’t insert the prized recruit Lalich into the game with a controversy in mind. However, Groh didn’t deny they wanted to see what the true freshman, considered one of the top passing prospects in the nation last season, could do.

In Lalich’s own words, “could have been better, could have been worse.” There really wasn’t much he could do - trailing by 20, less than three minutes to go - other than get his first taste and to prove to all the veterans in the huddle that he had moxie.

“We’re upbeat about what Jameel can do, but we needed a better performance at that position today,” Groh said. “Whatever we have to do to get it, more practice reps, more competition, more preparation, then we’ll try to make whatever means necessary.”

Clearly, Virginia had intentions of playing Lalich early in the season by placing him on its depth chart and bringing him 1,700 miles for Saturday’s nightmare.

“That was the reason to get him in the game,” Groh said. “It looks like the circumstance, based on today, is that we might be able to get some plays from him.”

They sure didn’t get any from Sewell, who was frustrated from wire to wire. The worse he played the more pressure he felt. Then things got worse.

“That’s all I was thinking about ... I’ve got to make some plays for my offense,” Sewell said about feeling the pressure. “Then I threw an interception and blew it.”

The pass he referred to was one near the Wyoming goal line only moments after teammate Andrew Pearman had returned a kickoff 67 yards to the Cowboys 29. Two plays later and Sewell gave it back to the hosts after the ball slipped on a pass intended for tight end Jon Stupar.

It was a brutal beginning for Sewell, who appeared to have matured in the position after an inconsistent rookie year and bounced back from offseason wrist surgery. He claimed the problems stemmed from a lack of energy and execution rather than any lingering effects from the injury to his throwing hand last season.

“It was nothing like I expected,” Sewell said. “I prepared so hard. To come out and play like I did was extremely frustrating. I still had the wax paper on my face.”

What the redshirt sophomore referred to was a label he picked up last season when he was thrust into action early in the season, passing two veteran, albeit inexperienced, quarterbacks on the depth chart.

Groh had used a sheet of wax paper to demonstrate what a rookie quarterback might see when playing for the first time. He would hold the paper in front of Sewell’s face and ask him what he saw.

Obviously, Sewell’s answer was, “Nothing.”

For the entire training camp, Groh didn’t pull out the sheet. Sewell had shown that he had made progress in coverages, spotting receivers, making decisions.

On Saturday, all that went out the window.

It couldn’t have been a better situation for Wyoming, which appears to be a very good football team. The Cowboys lost a 13-12 decision in Charlottesville last year when their kicker missed an extra point in overtime. Perhaps more importantly, the Pokes felt they were robbed on the goal line when one of their backs fumbled and Virginia recovered, taking a potential winning touchdown away.

So, this time, the game was in the cozy confines of War Memorial Stadium, tucked on the open range between the Black Hills and the Rocky Mountain’s Snowy Range. On game days, the highest-elevated stadium in major college football becomes the third-largest city in the entire state.

And, as Pierre Ambroise Francois Choderlos de LaClos once quipped about revenge being a dish best served cold, the Cowboys served it up well to the bewildered Cavaliers.

Nothing worked offensively for the Cavs. Forget the defense giving up a gazillion yards. It was on the field all day long.

If Virginia’s offense doesn’t get straightened out in a hurry, it’s going to be a long, long season in Charlottesville.

Sewell said he needs to get back to practice and not lose focus and hope that his teammates still have his back.

“They still were [behind me] and that’s what I expected,” Sewell said afterward. “I let them down today, but they know that’s not going to happen too often.”

However, he added that if he can’t get the job done, then he just wants to see Virginia win, no matter who lines up behind center.

“I don’t know what’s going on right now,” Sewell said in terms of who will start against Duke. “Peter Lalich is a good quarterback. Whatever we can do to win ... if that means me sitting down or letting him take the snaps to win, as long as we win.”

Without a doubt, a major part of Virginia’s offensive woes on this day was produced by Wyoming’s defense, which drew praise from Groh, a man who appreciates good defensive play.

However, there are plenty of other good defenses on the horizon.

Virginia’s drawing board better have some good answers.

 

Sewell not all there
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com
September 2, 2007

LARAMIE, Wyo. - Starting Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell didn’t pull any punches when it came to summarizing a disappointing performance in Saturday’s loss to Wyoming.

"I was frustrated with myself," Sewell said. "I couldn’t step up and play like everyone else."

The redshirt sophomore completed 11 of 23 passes for a mere 87 yards and threw two interceptions, the latter costing the Cavaliers a probable scoring opportunity after Andrew Pearman had returned a kickoff to the Wyoming 28.

From the opening offensive series it was evident that the left-handed Sewell was clearly off the mark. He missed wide-open receivers, often overthrowing them, sometimes throwing behind them, or not getting the ball to them at all.

"It looked exactly like the start of my season last year, except I didn’t bounce back ... I just kept going downhill," Sewell said. "My accuracy was just terrible. It wasn’t what I’ve been showing during practice."

Coach Al Groh seemed just as surprised and disappointed that Sewell couldn’t get his act together during the course of the game.

"We had some guys open in the first half ... we had some seam routes and couldn’t hit them," Groh said. "If guys are open, we’ve got to be able to throw it and got to be able to catch it. But we didn’t get it to them. If we had been able to get it to them early, we might have had some of the same results [Wyoming] did."

Wyoming sophomore quarterback Karsten Sween threw for a career-high 253 yards before the fifth-largest crowd in War Memorial Stadium history (31,620).

Sewell, who is known for his playmaking ability, couldn’t produce much of anything in the game. His longest pass was 17 yards to walk-on receiver Staton Jobe, and he had a 10-yard run.

There had been some question during training camp if Sewell had fully recovered from a December surgery that repaired two broken bones and some degenerative bone issues in his throwing hand, but he declared himself healthy and said after the game that he had no pain in his wrist.

Instead, he blamed his shoddy performance on not having his feet set properly and a lack of energy.

"It was just my feet," he said. "It had nothing to do with my arm. My feet weren’t set. Sometimes they were too wide or too close together and I didn’t step into where I need to throw the ball."

Sewell said he experienced some pre-game jitters but got over it. He said he felt like he had no energy but said the 7,200-feet altitude had nothing to do with his feeling.

"It was just a dead feeling. My energy level wasn’t as high as it usually is," he said.

He wished he could have taken a mulligan on the interception following the 67-yard Pearman kickoff return. Virginia likely would have gotten some points out of that series had it not been for an interception on second down.

"When I threw the ball, the ball had absolutely no grip on it," Sewell said. "I thought I had it, but it slipped out of my hand."

As for this week’s preparation for Virginia’s home opener against Duke, Sewell said he was going to attempt to stay focused and put the Wyoming loss out of his memory.

"I have no choice. It’s not going to help us win if I’m lingering on with this game," Sewell said. "They need to see some leadership from me, for me to bounce back in practice. I’ve got to stay even more focused.

“I had a good week of practice coming into this game. It’s very frustrating."

 

Lalich burns his redshirt
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com
September 2, 2007

LARAMIE, Wyo. - Freshman quarterback Peter Lalich was more surprised than anyone when his No. 7 was called to enter the game for Virginia’s final offensive series on Saturday.

The high school golden boy from West Springfield was considered a recruiting coup for the Cavaliers when he committed to the state school, spurning offers from many of the major football powers in the country.

It was apparent from Lalich having been listed on UVa’s two-deep (actually three-deep) roster heading into the season opener that the coaching staff was willing to play him as a true freshman. When incumbent starter Jameel Sewell struggled all game long against an aggressive Wyoming defense, the Cavaliers coaches didn’t hesitate to get a look at their prized recruit under pressure.

Lalich made his debut with 2:42 remaining in the game, a hopeless cause in which UVa trailed 23-3 after having been dominated the entire game by the Cowboys.

During his brief appearance, the rookie completed 3 of 5 passes, including the first attempt of his career, for 16 yards and one of only five Cavalier first downs in the entire game. He also scrambled once for no gain.

"I was calling dummy plays on the sideline and I heard over the headphones, ‘Put Lalich in,’" the freshman said. "At first I was nervous. I just wanted to get out there and not make any negative plays."

Coach Al Groh said that there wasn’t any reluctance to insert the true freshman after the way his offense sputtered all afternoon.

"Our mentality is that we are going to do whatever it takes," Groh said afterward. "That was the reason to get him in the game. It looks like the circumstance based on today is that we might be able to get some plays from [Lalich]."

There’s good reason behind that logic. Lalich was considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the country. At 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, he reminded some observers of former Virginia quarterback Matt Schaub, who rewrote the school’s passing records under Groh.

Lalich passed for 3,134 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior and was praised for his accuracy and a quick release. He also impressed college scouts with his mental grasp of the game.

"I was pretty excited," Lalich said. "It was fun getting out there and getting my first reps in college football. It was bad it had to be in that situation."

Lalich said that he didn’t know whether he would play this season or not, that his future was left to the coaching staff. However, when he was on the depth chart, it was an indication that the staff was willing to take the redshirt off if it gave the Cavs a better chance to win games.

"I was more nervous on the sideline warming up. When I got into the game I was less nervous," Lalich said. "We had a lot of seniors in the game at the time and I was trying to build some confidence with them so they knew that I wasn’t just going to get into the game and mess everything up."

There was little that the rookie could have messed up at that point, but he said the plays went by so fast that he didn’t have time to be nervous. In fact, he was simply trying to get the play called correctly.

"We were going no-huddle, so I was just trying to get off the next pass," he said.

Well, after the lopsided loss, Lalich offered up a simple assessment of his performance.

"Could have done better, could have done worse," he said.

He still supports Sewell as the team’s starter and one of the leaders, just as he did during the game when he encouraged the redshirt sophomore.

"Jameel is a playmaker, and I was just trying to help him get back on his game," Lalich said.

As far as this week’s practice for the home opener against Duke, Lalich said it’s business as usual, 100 percent on every play.

However, now that his redshirt is gone, barring injury, he clearly understands things have changed.

"I guess there’s a lot more urgency for what I want to do, but I’m not going to change the way I play," Lalich said.

 

Few bright spots for Cavs
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
September 2, 2007

An easy MVP

With little to be excited about in a 20-point, season-opening loss, punter Ryan Weigand turned heads and etched his name in the program’s record books in the process.

Weigand, a senior, booted nine punts for a total of 464 yards. With an average of 51.4 yards per punt, the California native broke Joel Dempsey’s previous program-best mark of 50.4 yards per punt in a game.

The excitement, however, was subdued given the game’s result.

“I wish the outcome had been better,” Weigand said, “but had I not performed the way I did the score could have been even higher.”

Weigand said playing at an altitude of 7,220 feet above sea level probably helped about “five yards” on his attempts.

For the game, Weigand helped Virginia finish with a net average of 43.9 yards.

“He really hit the ball well today,” said Virginia coach Al Groh. “If we could have taken advantage of some of that field position and turned it around a little bit faster, then we would have gotten a little payback on it.”

Weigand said he was instructed to kick the ball away from Wyoming punt returner Hoost Marsh, who still managed five returns for 61 yards.

“Coach [Bob] Diaco wanted me to keep it away from him so I would try to kick it to the corners and [Marsh] would still make an acrobatic catch over his head in the corner and get 10 yards,” Weigand said with a smile. “I just figured if I hit a 60-yarder and he returned it 10 yards, then it was still a 50-yard net.”

A solid debut

True freshman Danny Aiken drew rave reviews from Weigand for his long-snapping.

Aiken, who played at Fork Union last year, had plenty of work as Virginia kicked one field goal and punted 10 times.

“Danny did great,” Weigand said. “I think the only high snap that he had was to [Chris Gould] on his punt. He was good.”

Aiken is replacing former long snapper Tyrus Gardner.

Welcome back

Virginia junior Andrew Pearman, who left the team last year for personal reasons, enjoyed a solid return.

Pearman returned three kickoffs for 113 yards, including a 67-yarder in the third quarter. He also had two rushes for three yards and caught a 15-yard pass.

“That’s what we expect from Andrew,” Groh said. “He brings speed.”

Pearman’s 67-yard kickoff return was the longest by a Cavalier since Michael Johnson raced 68 yards against Duke in 2005.

A not so full-back

Boasting redshirt freshman Rashawn Jackson as a true fullback, Virginia’s offense was expected to have a new look.

Jackson, however, was not utilized out of the backfield as a true fullback. Expect the experiment to depend on the opponent.

“I’d say we will go week to week,” Groh said.

Missing in action

Virginia’s ground game left lots to be desired.

The Cavaliers finished the game with 17 carries for just seven yards, a figure that suffered from the loss of 28 yards on sacks and a botched end-around.

The output, however, was not the worst under Groh.

In 2003, Virginia finished with minus-five yards rushing against Florida State.

Truly ironman football

Virginia’s defense was on the field for 88 plays, which clearly gave Wyoming the advantage in time of possession.

In fact, the Cowboys had the ball more than 40 minutes, which translated into 67.2 percent of the game.

“Clearly, [our defense] played most of the game,” Groh said. “That’s a major factor. It is going to be difficult to win games under those circumstances.

“We need to get off faster and we need [our offense] to stay on longer.”

Virginia’s offense failed to register a first down on eight of its 13 possessions and no drive lasted longer than 2:59.

A record-setting afternoon

Wyoming quarterback Karsten Sween would probably welcome Virginia again next week.

The left-hander passed for 253 yards, easily shattering his previous best mark of 204 yards through the air against New Mexico last year.

“The offensive line did a great job. It starts and ends with those guys,” Sween said. “They played real well and the young guys stepped it up.”

Sween, a sophomore, connected with nine different players.

Extra points …

… Virginia true freshman Dontrelle Inman made the first catch of his career on the Cavaliers’ second drive of the game. Inman finished with two receptions for 21 yards.

... Outside linebacker Jermaine Dias appeared to sprain his ankle during the first half. After having the ankle re-taped, Dias made a temporary return. Cornerback Vic Hall appeared to battle cramps in both legs.

… Cornerback Mike Parker, a redshirt freshman, made his debut and recovered a fumble in the third quarter. Parker was also credited with two solo tackles. It was not a complete walk in the park. “He had some of those typical first-time-out-there plays,” Groh said.

… Chris Cook was listed as Virginia’s leading tackler. The junior cornerback made 11 stops, including five solos. Linebacker Clint Sintim also registered double figures, making 10 tackles.

… Virginia registered three sacks against Sween. Chris Long and Allen Billyk made solo stops behind the line of scrimmage and Alex Field combined with Antonio Appleby for another.

… A number of players made their debuts on Saturday. The list included the following: Darnell Carter, Sean Gottschalk, Staton Jobe, Bernie McKeever, Keith Payne, Joe Torchia, Trey Womack, Aiken, Inman and Parker.

... Wyoming will host Utah State next week in Laramie, Wyo. Virginia will plays its home opener against Duke at noon. The Cavaliers beat Duke last year, 37-0, in Durham, N.C.

 

Feeble Cavs fall in opener
Sewell ineffective; offensive effort is worst in 27 years
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 - 12:07 AM Updated: 12:44 AM
WYOMING 23 VIRGINIA 3
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- One left-handed quarterback played the game of his life. The other suffered through the worst performance of his college career.

The result was yet another dispiriting loss away from Scott Stadium for the University of Virginia football team, which fell 23-3 to Wyoming yesterday before 31,620 fans, the largest opening-day crowd ever at War Memorial Stadium.

The Cavaliers' record in road games is now 10-24 in Al Groh's seven seasons as coach.

Had U.Va. sophomore Jameel Sewell played as well yesterday as he had against, say, ACC rival Miami last season, the outcome might have been different. But the Hermitage High graduate was so ineffective that Groh finally replaced him with true freshman Peter Lalich on the Cavaliers' final series.

Lalich, who said he hadn't expected to play, completed 3 of 5 attempts for 16 yards.

"Our mentality is we're going to do whatever it takes," Groh said. "We were very upbeat about what Jameel can do, but clearly we needed a better performance at that position today."

Sewell repeatedly overthrew open targets, and he was picked off twice in the second half to dash Virginia's hopes of rallying for a victory. He completed only 11 of 23 passes for 87 yards.

"It was just terrible," Sewell said of his passing. "It was nothing like I'd shown in practice."

Karsten Sween, meanwhile, was brilliant. He didn't play last season in Wyoming's overtime loss at U.Va., but the Californian went 5-2 after taking over as the starter.

Yesterday, Sween picked apart U.Va.'s defense, connecting on 25 of 34 passes for a career-best 253 yards and one touchdown. The Cavaliers sacked Sween three times and nearly nailed him on several other occasions, but he showed uncanny poise in directing Wyoming's no-huddle attack. The Cowboys totaled 471 yards, the most U.Va. has allowed since a 2005 loss to Virginia Tech.

"He's a heck of a player," Virginia defensive end Chris Long said. "He really runs that offense and seems to be the heart and soul of their team."

Still, for all of Sewell's struggles, the Wahoos trailed 13-3 -- not an insurmountable deficit -- when Andrew Pearman ran a kickoff back 67 yards to the Wyoming 29 midway through the third quarter. Two plays later, however, Sewell lost control of the ball as he passed, and cornerback Julius Stinson, with no Cavalier near him, made the interception at the 10.

Pearman's return "put us in good position to do something, and we couldn't capitalize," junior offensive guard Branden Albert said. "To lose the ball like that, that type of interception, that can be a backbreaker."

Virginia finished with five first downs, one of which came with Lalich at quarterback. The Cavs totaled 110 yards, their fewest since they had 90 in 1980 loss to Maryland. U.Va. ended last season with a 112-yard effort in a 17-0 loss at Virginia Tech. "We certainly expected more," Groh said. "Plays determine games. [The Cowboys] made a lot of plays, and we certainly didn't make any."

Given an opportunity to name Sewell the starter for U.Va.'s home opener against Duke next weekend, Groh declined to do so. He made clear, though, that Lalich is likely to be on the field again this season.

Sewell said: "I don't know what's going on. Peter Lalich is a good quarterback. Whatever what it is we do to win, if that's me sitting down and letting him take the snaps, [that's fine] as long as we win."

Groh said the Cavaliers still have confidence in Sewell. No. 10 appreciates his teammates' support.

"I let them down today, but they know that's not going to happen too often," he said.

 

QUICK KICKS
Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 - 12:07 AM Updated: 05:26 AM

Final score: Wyoming 23, Virginia 3
For starters: Wyoming's no-huddle offense kept U.Va.'s defense off-balance for most of the first half. By intermission, the Cowboys had run 47 plays - to 23 for the Cavaliers - and had an 11-minute edge in time of possession.
Turning point: With the score 13-3, Virginia's Andrew Pearman returned a kickoff 67 yards to the Wyoming 29. Two plays later, however, the ball slipped out of quarterback Jameel Sewell's left hand as he attempted to pass, and cornerback Julius Stinson intercepted the wobbler at the 10. The Cavaliers never threatened again.
Star of the game: Wyoming quarterback Karsten Sween. The sophomore left-hander picked apart U.Va., completing 25 of 34 passes for a career-high 253 yards and one touchdown.
The big picture: Virginia (0-1) lost its opener for the fourth time in seven seasons under Al Groh. Wyoming (1-0) avenged the overtime loss it suffered at Scott Stadium last season.
Quotable: "That's certainly a lot less than what we expected." Groh, who returned 18 starters from 2006 and whose record in road games with the Cavaliers fell to 10-24.
Go figure: 110. That's how many yards the Cavaliers gained yesterday, their worst effort since they totaled 90 in a 31-0 loss to Maryland in the 1980 season finale.
Next: U.Va. hosts Duke (0-1) at noon Saturday. Lincoln Financial/Raycom will televise the game. The Blue Devils, who got blown out yesterday by Connecticut, have lost 21 games in a row.
- Jeff White

 

Freshman QB surprised to see some late action for U. Va
By ED MILLER , The Virginian-Pilot
© September 2, 2007

LARAMIE, WY. | Peter Lalich was as surprised as anyone when he got the call late in Virginia's 23-3 loss to Wyoming Saturday afternoon.

"I was making dummy calls on the sideline," he said, "and I heard on the headphones, 'put Lalich in.' "

And so, with 2:35 left in the first game of his true freshman season, the most anticipated Virginia quarterback recruit in years entered the game. Shaking off nerves, Lalich's first pass went for a 7-yard completion to fellow true freshman Dontrell Inman.

"I was just glad I didn't throw a pick," he said. "Making sure I didn't make a negative play."

Lalich missed on his next attempt, but completed 3 of 5 passes in the series for 16 yards. So much for redshirting this season.

"I'm sure that we will (use Lalich this season)," Groh said. "That was the reason, to get him in the game. It looks like our circumstance, based on today, that we might be able to get some plays from him."

How many plays figures to be a popular topic among media and fans as the season moves along. Saturday's starter, Jameel Sewell, had one of the worst games of his two-year career, going just 11 of 23 for 87 yards and two interceptions and missing several open receivers.

Sewell played inconsistently last year but showed flashes of potential as both a passer and runner. His play energized the team at mid season a year ago.

Sewell had surgery to repair a broken bone in his wrist after last season but had looked sharp in practice and said his wrist wasn't bothering him Saturday.

Teammates said they expect Sewell to bounce back, as he did after struggling in his first start, at Georgia Tech last year.

"It's been an excellent period of preparation for him," Groh said. "We still have a lot of confidence in him. I know that the team does."

As for Lalich, rated the nation's No. 5 pro-style quarterback last year by rivals.com, he said he had no opinion on whether he'd redshirt this year.

"I have no idea what the coach has in mind," he said. "I'll do whatever he says."

Punter impressive

On a day when almost all of Virginia's statistics were ugly, punter Ryan Weigand had the only good-looking line on the sheet. The senior from Pasadena, Calif., punted nine times for a whopping 51.6-yard average, with a long of 61, the longest by a Virginia punter since 2001.

Weigand gave part of the credit to the elevation at Wyoming's War Memorial Stadium, which is given as 7,220 feet. He estimated that it added about 5 yards to each kick. Wyoming punter Billy Vinnedge averaged 49.7 yards.

"In practice, even my mis-hits were booming," Weigand said.

With Virginia managing just five first downs, Weigand stayed busy and decided it might not be a bad idea to rest his leg. "As the game wore on, I did less and less punting in the net," he said.

Offensive line woes

Sewell wasn't the only offensive player off his game Saturday. Virginia's offensive line, with five starters returning, could get nothing going against Wyoming's 3-4 defense. The Cavaliers rushed 17 times for 7 yards.

Guard Branden Albert said the group never found a rhythm. With the running game stalled, the Cavaliers were forced to throw more than they'd planned, Albert said.

"We had some small setbacks, and when you're behind, they turn into major setbacks," Albert said.


 

Cavs suffer deflating loss to Wyoming in season opener
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© September 2, 2007
LARAMIE, WY.

Out here on the High Plains, 1,700 miles and two time zones from home, Virginia looked utterly lost Saturday afternoon.

The Cavaliers began a season of higher expectations with a deflating 23-3 loss to Wyoming in which they were dominated in just about every way possible by a team picked to finish in the middle of the Mountain West Conference.

It was a long way to come for such a disappointing effort, and a surprising outcome for a team that was supposed to be improved on offense, and, with 10 starters returning, a handful for any opponent to deal with on defense.

"A lot of people put a lot into this, to this point, for a better result than that," coach Al Groh said. "And we'll continue to work to get there."

There's much to be done. U.Va.'s offense, which ranked 113th of 119 Division I-A teams last year, actually took a step back, at least statistically. The Cavaliers managed just 110 yards of total offense, their lowest total since 1980 and two yards worse than last year's low point, a 112-yard effort in the season finale against Virginia Tech. Virginia managed five first downs, just 7 rushing yards and held the ball for less than 20 minutes, to Wyoming's 40-plus.

Sophomore quarterback Jameel Sewell threw balls over, under and behind his receivers. The game ended with true freshman Peter Lalich under center, ending any suspense over whether the high school All-American quarterback from Springfield would redshirt.

Groh declined to say whether Sewell or Lalich would start Saturday at Duke, saying that by the end of game he wanted to try something different and that he'll have to see how practice goes this week.

"We're very upbeat about what Jameel can do but

clearly we needed a better performance at that position today," he said. "Whatever we have to do to get it - more practice reps, more competition, more preparation - then we'll take whatever means necessary."

Sewell's numbers - 11 of 23 for 87 yards and two interceptions - didn't do justice to his struggles. His biggest mistake came on Virginia's last best chance to get back in the game, after Andrew Pearman returned a kickoff 67 yards to the Wyoming 29 with 8:27 left in the third quarter.

Virginia trailed just 13-3 and even a field goal would have put them just one score away. But Sewell's first down pass attempt slipped from his hand, fluttered high in the air, and was intercepted.

Afterward, Sewell said he simply didn't have his usual energy, for reasons he couldn't explain.

"I just felt dead, like, I don't know what it was," he said.

As the game went on and Sewell missed pass after pass, he began pressing, he said.

"That's all I was thinking about, 'I've got to try to make some plays for my offense,' " he said.

Sewell and the rest of the offense never did, and as a result, Virginia's defense rarely left the field. Wyoming ran 88 plays to the Cavaliers' 46. Eventually, it took its toll on a unit that ranked 17th in the nation last year, and with all but one starter back, was expected to be among the nation's finest this year.

Wyoming piled up 471 yards, neatly balanced between run and pass. Quarterback Karsten Sween scrambled out of pressure and made plays all afternoon. Tailbacks Devin Moore and Wynel Seldon combined for 199 rushing yards.

Virginia, a 2-1/2- point favorite, beat Wyoming by a point in overtime at home last year and was expecting a tough test from the Cowboys, particularly on the road, where the Cavaliers often struggle.

Still, no one saw a result like Saturday's coming. What it means for the season remains to be seen.

"A lot of times it takes a couple of games to see what you've got," Groh said. "I didn't have any expectations today other than it was going to be a really hard game, and it certainly proved to be that."

 

Putrid effort sinks Cavaliers
UVa's offense manages just five first downs on the way to a thorough beating by Wyoming.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Wyoming left the Cavaliers gasping Saturday, and it wasn't from the altitude.

On a gorgeous afternoon in Big Sky country, the Cowboys handed Virginia a 23-3 beating that was much worse than the final score indicated.

UVa coach Al Groh was so unimpressed with the performance of sophomore quarterback Jameel Sewell that he inserted freshman Peter Lalich for the Cavaliers' final offensive series, taking away Lalich's chances of a redshirt year.

Groh might have decided that desperate times require desperate measures, considering the Cavaliers managed only 110 yards in total offense, their lowest output since they had 90 yards in a 1980 loss at Maryland.

In the final game last season, the Cavaliers had 112 yards at Virginia Tech -- meaning their worst two offensive games in the past 27 years have come in consecutive games.

"That certainly was a lot less than expected," Groh said after the Cavaliers' 10th loss in their past 11 road games.

Last season against Wyoming, Virginia also failed to score a touchdown against in regulation, although the Cavaliers prevailed 13-12 when the Cowboys missed an extra point in overtime.

This was a much better Wyoming team offensively, owing mostly to the play of sophomore quarterback Karsten Sween, who completed 25 of 34 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown.

The game's other sophomore lefty, Sewell, came up well short of his Cowboys' counterpart, repeatedly overthrowing his receivers en route to 87 yards and two interceptions on 11-of-23 passing.

Sewell's most glaring mistake came early in the third quarter, after the second of three Billy Vinnedge field goals put the Cowboys ahead 13-3.

Andrew Pearman's 67-yard kickoff return gave the Cavaliers possession at the Wyoming 29-yard line, but Sewell's pass on second-and-10 fluttered well over the head of tight end Jon Stupar and into the arms of 'Pokes cornerback Julius Stinson.

"We were going to get points of some nature," Groh said, "but the ball just slipped out of [Sewell's] hand."

Sewell's day ended after Stinson's second interception with 5:10 left, but Virginia's victory hopes ended about a minute earlier when Devin Moore ran 49 yards for a touchdown and a 20-3 lead.

Virginia had been able to hang around thanks mainly to senior Ryan Weigand, who punted 10 times for a 51.4-yard average. Weigand's 514 punting yards broke the school record of 449 yards held by Russ Henderson since 1977.

That 1977 team also was the worst Virginia team offensively until last year's Cavaliers averaged 257.2 yards in Mike Groh's first season as offensive coordinator.

It was hard Saturday to evaluate the play calling of the head coach's son, because Sewell was so off-target.

"It was just terrible," Sewell said. "It wasn't what I had been showing during practice or during camp."

The Cavaliers had one first down on each of their first two offensive series -- including a 10-yard run by Sewell on their first play -- and then failed to get a first down on eight of their next nine drives.

Wyoming ran 88 offensive plays, compared to the Cavaliers' 46.

"That's a tremendous disparity right there," Groh said. "We had some guys open in the first half. We had some seam routes [to the tight ends] that were open and we couldn't get it to them."

The Cowboys ran a no-huddle offense that might have enabled them to take advantage of their home stadium, which is located at 7,220 feet. But Virginia's defense was on the field for so long that it would have been gassed at any altitude.

"We just outplayed them in every aspect of the game," said coach Joe Glenn, whose 'Pokes entered the game as 312-point underdogs.

The Cowboys had 471 yards against a Virginia team that returned 10 starters from a defense that ranked 17th nationally in total defense last season. Moore had 18 carries for a game-high 125 yards and Wyoming rushed for 218 yards as a team.

That compared to 7 rushing yards for Virginia, a low for the Cavaliers since a 2003 loss to Florida State in which they had minus-5 rushing yards.

"We didn't get anything going, either to create field position or give our defense a rest," said Groh, who might have thought the Cavaliers could punish opposing defenses with an offensive line that returned all five starters.

The obvious question going into next week's home opener against Duke is whether Sewell or Lalich will play quarterback.

"How did I know that somebody was going to ask that?" Groh said. "We'll see how things go."

Score at least 20 points -- F: The Cavaliers failed to score a touchdown for the third time in five games going back to last season and had 110 yards in total offense, their low since 1980.


No TDs for Wyoming's Defense/Special Teams -- B: The Cowboys' Hoost Marsh had five punt returns for 61 yards but that mostly resulted from UVa's Ryan Weigand outkicking his coverage. Wyoming's final field goal was the Cowboys' only score that resulted from a turnover.


Match Wyoming's kicking game: B-- Weigand had one of the best punting days in UVa history -- at altitude -- and Chris Gould converted his only field-goal attempt. The Cowboys' Billy Vinnedge was 3-for-4 on field goals and averaged 49.7 yards on three punts.
 

Virginia stumbles in opener
Wyoming defense dominates in 23-3 win.
By Melinda Waldrop | 247-4634
7:48 PM EDT, September 1, 2007
 

LARAMIE, WYO. - The problem wasn't with his surgically repaired wrist. It originated inside his head.

"I didn't have that much energy out there today," Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell said. "(I felt) a little dead."

That's an apt description of the Cavaliers' play in Saturday's 23-3 loss at Wyoming.

The final score wasn't the most cringe-worthy number. Try 88 to 46 the total offensive plays run by Wyoming and Virginia, respectively. Or 471 to 110 the teams' respective total yardage. Or 27 to 5 that's first downs. Or rushing yards 218 for the Cowboys, seven for the Cavaliers - their lowest total in four years.

"Quite obviously, we didn't get anything going, either to create field position or to give our defense a rest, much less get ourselves in scoring position," U.Va. head coach Al Groh said. "(The Cowboys) created some of our problems, but usually it works both ways you create some of your own."

The Cavs got busy doing that from the beginning, as Wyoming's opening drive included two third-down conversions. That was a foreboding sign of things to come the Cowboys converted 10 of their 20 third-down attempts, keeping alive three scoring drives.

"They basically just kicked our butts," said junior linebacker Clint Sintim, one of 10 returning starters on the U.Va. defense. "We can say all the excuses in the world, but point blank, when it comes down to it they just won they game because they out-executed us."

Convincing proof of that came behind center. Sewell, who, like Wyoming's Karsten Sween, took over his team last season, finished 11-of-23 for 87 yards and two interceptions and was replaced by true freshman Peter Lalich on the Cavs' final possession. Sween was 25-of-34 for a career-high 253 yards, one TD and one interception, slicing open the Cavs' secondary with screens and slants in Wyoming's quick-hit, no-huddle offense.

"I felt good out on the field," Sween said. "The no-huddle is so fast, and sometimes it took my breath away."

Sewell, by contrast, seemed to have the air knocked out of him early even though he said he felt no pain from December surgery to fix a broken bone in his left wrist. On Virginia's first series, he skipped a pass off the turf three yards in front of intended receiver Mikell Simpson.

Then, after a Wyoming field goal, Sewell rolled out on first down and threw behind intended receiver Dontrelle Inman.

Sween had no such struggles, completing a 49-yard pass to Hoost Marsh set up a 4-yard fade to Greg Bolling in the left corner of the end zone that gave Wyoming a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.

"That's all I was thinking about 'I've got to try to make some plays for my offense,' " Sewell said.

In the waning seconds of the first half, Sewell completed three straight passes as the Cavs closed to within 10-3 on Chris Gould's 42-yard field goal. But that momentum boost lasted as long as it took Wyoming to force a three-and-out to open the third quarter, then cap an eight-yard, 42-yard play with an answering field goal.

Andrew Pearman returned the ensuing kickoff 67 yards to the Wyoming 29. But two plays later, Sewell uncorked a wobbly, overthrown ball into the waiting arms of the Cowboys' Julius Stinson. The Cowboys' ensuing drive ended with Devin Moore's fumble on the Wyoming 19, but a false start and an intentional grounding penalty led to another U.Va. three-and-out.

"It's a little frustrating, but that's the game of football," Sintim said. "Sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way and you gotta just keep fighting."

But Moore, who rushed for 133 yards, stripped away the Cavs' remaining spirit when he broke a 49-yard touchdown run with 6:17 to play. Stinson then provided the KO punch with his second interception, which set up Vinnedge's 39-yard field goal with 2:48 to go and the sellout crowd of 31,620 the fifth-largest in War Memorial Stadium's 58-year history several minutes into their celebration.

Despite the loss and U.Va.'s lowest offensive output since a 90-yard outing against Maryland in 1980 Sewell tried to fill the shell-shocked silence as the Cavaliers left the locker room with the emotion he couldn't find earlier.

"We haven't lost any confidence. Not at all," he said. "No confidence is lost. I just have to make sure that the trust is still there with me, make sure my team still trusts me and still has that faith in me. I'm gonna try to build that up anyway I can so I can continue to play hard for them and win some games."

 

Sewell's struggles prompt Lalich's debut
The Cavaliers now find themselves with a quarterback conundrum as Peter Lalich sees late action at Wyoming.
Doug Doughty

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Peter Lalich had no inkling that his college debut would come as early as it did.

"I was making dummy calls and I heard on the headphones, 'Put Lalich in,'" he said. "That was the first time I heard it.

"Of course, I was nervous."

Lalich, a 6-foot-5 freshman from West Springfield, Va., is the most highly touted quarterback to join the Virginia program during coach Al Groh's seven-year tenure, but Groh's desire was for starter Jameel Sewell not to struggle and for Lalich to redshirt.

So much for best-laid plans.

Sewell was intercepted twice and badly missed receivers on numerous other occasions in a 23-3 loss at Wyoming.

Groh wouldn't commit to Sewell as the starter for Virginia's home opener next Saturday against Duke. UVa has not started a true freshman at quarterback since Bryan Shumock in 1978.

"Clearly, we needed a better performance out of that position than we got today," Groh said.

Lalich cannot be redshirted now unless he is injured, which would require a hardship appeal. His appearance Saturday would be in vain if the Cavaliers were not to use him.

"I'm sure that we will, so that was the reason to get him in the game," said Groh, who has listed Lalich as co-No. 2 on the depth chart with junior Scott Deke. "It looked like a circumstance today when we might be able to get some plays out of him."

Lalich completed two of his first three passes, leading the Cavaliers to one of their five first downs, before finishing 3-of-5 for 16 yards.

"Could have done better, could have done worse," Lalich said.

Lalich said he was excited to run out on the field but wouldn't say how he stood on the redshirting issue.

"I don't think it matters," he said. "It's all about the coach's decision. He knows what's best for the team."

Sewell left the impression that he deserves whatever he has coming after an 11-for-23 outing. He has not thrown a touchdown pass in six games going back to last season and dropped to 4-6 as a starter.

"I don't know what's going on there right now," he said. "Whatever it takes to win, if that's me sitting down, I'll support it."

Sewell was high on most of his misses, including a ball that went way over the head of Jon Stupar and was intercepted by Wyoming's Julius Stinson, negating a 69-yard Andrew Pearman kickoff return moments earlier.

"When I threw the ball, that ball had absolutely no grip," Sewell said. "I thought I had it but it got away from me."

Sewell immediately dismissed the possibility of his ball sailing in the thin air at 7,220 feet.

"It was just my feet; it wasn't anything to do with my arm or nothing," said Sewell, who had wrist surgery in December. "It starts with your feet. They were too close together sometimes and sometimes my stride wasn't right."

The inaccuracy was reminiscent of Sewell's first start last year, when he struggled for a half against Georgia Tech.

"It looked exactly the same except that I didn't bounce back today," he said. "I kept going downhill. I was looking for a complete turnaround. It was extremely frustrating."

Sewell followed up his rocky first start with a 14-for-20 outing in a 37-0 romp at Duke. He says he needs to put Saturday's game behind him.

"I have no choice, I have no choice, I have no choice," he said emphatically. "That's not going to help us win."

None of his teammates called him out on a day when the defense kept Virginia in the game until the final seven minutes.

"I expected them to be behind me and I'm behind them, no matter what," Sewell said. "I let 'em down today, but they know that's not going to happen very often."
 

Cavs' Lalich says Groh knows best
By Melinda Waldrop | Daily Press
8:39 PM EDT, September 1, 2007
 

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- - Peter Lalich probably wasn't planning on seeing his first college football action this early or under these circumstances.

With 2 minutes, 48 seconds remaining in Virginia's 23-3 season-opening loss at Wyoming on Saturday, Lalich heard something unexpected through his headphones: "Put Lalich in."

"I got nervous, and then I just started throwing," said Lalich, a true freshman who was expected to redshirt after a stellar prep career at West Springfield High School. "Once I got in the game (and) things were moving a lot faster, I didn't really have time to be nervous."

Lalich completed a 7-yard pass to Dontrelle Inman on his first play and finished his one series 3-of-5 for 16 yards.

"Peter's a great player," running back/wide receiver Andrew Pearman said. "He's going to be a great player in the future. He really showed some poise and he's got a great arm."

Lalich said it didn't matter to him whether he redshirted this season. He said he left that call up to head coach Al Groh, who expects to use Lalich again this season.

"He knows what's best for the team," Lalich said.

BACKFIELD IN (REVERSE) MOTION

The Cavs returned four starters on their offensive line and opened the season eager to see what a backfield crowded with talent could do. The answer on Saturday: not much.

Virginia's seven rushing yards against Wyoming were the team's fewest since a negative-five total against Florida State in 2003 and quieted early optimism about a possible breakout season for junior tailback Cedric Peerman, along with hybrid threats Pearman and Mikell Simpson.

Peerman had 18 yards on seven carries and caught one pass for five yards; Pearman had three yards on two carries and caught one pass for 15 yards; Simpson had one carry for minus-10 yards (a blown-up reverse) and didn't catch any passes. Backup tailback Keith Payne added two yards on one rush.

"We have to put some plays together to be able to give (the defense) breathers," Peerman said. "They can't be out there for 80 plays when we're only running about 40. We definitely have to come out on the offensive side of the ball and put some drives together."

The Cavs' offensive futility contributed mightily to the 471 yards surrendered by U.Va.'s defense. Virginia ran just 46 plays for 110 yards, its lowest total since a 90-yard performance against Maryland in 1980. Saturday's paltry number came after the Cavs managed just 112 yards and five first downs also their total against Wyoming - in a 17-0 loss to Virginia Tech to close the 2006 season on Nov. 25.

BEDEVILING OPPONENT

Virginia will get a chance to rebound next week against ACC doormat Duke, which suffered its 21st consecutive loss with a 45-14 setback against Connecticut on Saturday.

But is there any added pressure now to beat Duke, which hasn't won since beating I-AA VMI two years ago? After all, allowing the Blue Devils to snap the nation's longest losing streak could make Saturday's painful loss at Wyoming pale in comparison.

"It's a positive that we're playing another game, regardless of who it is," junior linebacker Clint Sintim said. "It's a positive that we have another opportunity to redeem ourselves, come out next week and play a way better game than we did today."

JAMEEL STILL THE MAN? Groh laughed without much amusement when a reporter inquired if Jameel Sewell, after his 11-of-23, two-interception, 87-yard outing on Saturday, would start against Duke.

"How did I know someone would ask that?" Groh said. "We'll see how things go. ... We still have a lot of confidence in him. I know that the team does. We'll just be looking for more here in the next week."

 

New line leads new UW offense
By Richard Anderson
Assistant Sports Editor

The Wyoming offensive line was tired of being called the weak link of the Cowboys offense.

After all, there was redshirt freshman Sam Sterner moving in at left guard, sophomore Ryan Otterson in at left tackle and sophomore Russell Arnold in at right guard.

Just how were they going to protect sophomore quarterback Karsten Sween and provide running room for running backs Wynel Seldon and Devin Moore? It didn’t help that the Cowboys were to open the season against a stout Virginia defense, led by All-America candidate Chris Long.

Evidently, it didn’t hurt.

“All of the offensive talk about how young we are and how inexperienced we are, which is true, but being the question mark of the team doesn’t feel good,” junior right tackle Kyle Howard said. “We come out here against an ACC opponent with a very good defensive line, and I think we played real well. I think we had over 200 yards on the ground and almost 500 yards total. That speaks for itself.”

The Wyoming offense for the most part looked to be in mid-season form, running up 471 total yards in the 23-3 win over the Cavaliers Saturday at War Memorial Stadium.

“I can’t even put it into words how nice it feels,” Otterson said. “You go through spring, summer and fall camp and it’s payday. We got paid today.”

Howard, who along with junior center Tim Bond, are the only two returning starters on the line. He said they wouldn’t know exactly how well they graded out on Saturday until they look at film today. But he doesn’t need to look at film to know they did pretty well.

“We gave up a couple of sacks, so we always have room to improve,” Howard said. “For being an ACC line, having an All-American candidate in Chris Long, a redshirt freshman in his first start, Sam Sterner over there, he did a great job. Hats off to him and Ryan Otterson on that side.”

Long had a decent game individually, but for the most part, he wasn’t causing the Cowboys too many problems. Otterson said he was pleased with how they handled the son of former NFL star Howie Long.

“It wasn’t just me. There was a lot scheming in what we did,” Otterson said. “He’s a great player. I can’t take anything away from him because he made me play my best. It was a personal battle that I took to heart and he gave me everything he had.”

The Wyoming offense moved up and down the field for much of the game, with an amazing 27 first downs. If there was a slight flaw to the day, it was struggling a bit in the red zone.

Even at that, the Cowboys converted three of four field-goal attempts and put points on the scoreboard.

Wyoming senior wide receiver Hoost Marsh isn’t worried about those struggles inside the 20-yard line.

“We were moving the ball,” Marsh said. “We knew that if we kept moving the ball, points were going to come. We tried to stick to our game plan and keep plugging away. Once we get the little things fixed, we should be fine.”

The new-look Cowboys, with their version of the no-huddle offense, also kept the Virginia defense off balance and apparently a little worn out.

“If they are not ready, we had some quick plays,” Sween said. “Shoot, we were getting tired, so we knew that they were getting tired.”

Sophomore wide receiver Greg Bolling said they had the kind of mindset coming into the game that Virginia couldn’t stop the Cowboys in the no huddle.

“They were going to be dragging at 7,200,” he said.

Moore said they could see the Cavs wearing down a little bit at times.

“ Our offensive coordinator (Bill Cockhill), he wanted to keep going at them,” Moore said. “That’s the thing with the no huddle. We were going to attack them and not let them catch their breath.”

Moore was also a thorn in Virginia’s side, as he finished with 125 yards rushing, breaking the game open on a 49-yard run in the fourth quarter.

“That was just a perfect play. They ran something they we had hoped that they would run,” Howard said. “D-Mo is just so fast, nobody is going to catch him. We mixed it up a little bit. We found what didn’t work and what worked early and tried to stay with what worked.”

Moore said it was a big play in the game for the Cowboys and he was happy to do his part.

“We needed one more touchdown,” Moore said. “I was the one to do it. I think that if it was Wynel, he would have done the same thing. The hole was so huge. The offensive line, I have to give credit to them.”

Sween, meanwhile, had his best passing day as a Cowboy, completing 25 of 34 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown.

“I felt good on my reads,” Sween said. “Virginia has tons of stuff, 14 different coverages, and I felt comfortable seeing stuff. My line was awesome. I had so much time on some of the plays. “

All in all, Howard said that in simple terms, it was exactly how they wanted to start the season.

“We’re 1-0 at home in front of a huge crowd and 23-3 says it all,” he said.