Cavs’ defense shines in win
By Jay Jenkins
Published: September 7, 2008

Clint Sintim had his eyes glued to the stat sheet.
As reporters fired questions in his direction, Virginia’s top linebacker continually stared at the numbers.
Minutes prior to his arrival, the Cavaliers’ defense had just completed their six-sack outing in a 16-0 victory over Richmond.
The numbers caused Sintim, the face of the
new-look defense, to smile. The allocation, well, it left something to be desired.
“I could have sworn that I had another half sack,” Sintim yelled. “I thought I actually had two.”
Sintim finished with one — on paper — but the number may be adjusted after the coaches’ study game film.
“It doesn’t really matter,” he said. “I’m just happy that we won the game.”
For obvious reasons, Virginia (1-1) needed the win. Becoming eligible for the postseason would have been tremendously troublesome after a loss to the Spiders, a foe from the FCS, what was formerly called NCAA Division I-AA.
While studying the individual numbers and praising fellow teammates, Sintim had flipped past the team stats. In fact, the senior had no clue that Virginia had allowed only one first down to Richmond on their 12 third-down opportunities.
“That does say something,” Sintim said. “I didn’t even have a chance to look at that. That’s key.
“That’s just good effort. That’s execution as far as guys knowing where they need to be, pressuring the quarterback and forcing him to make bad decisions.”
It may have saved the day for the Cavaliers, who struggled for the second straight week to score points.
“That unit stepped up and did what had to be done,” Virginia coach Al Groh said.
It marked the second straight win for Virginia in whitewashing fashion. The Cavaliers blanked Miami last year, 48-0, in the Orange Bowl’s farewell game.
There were few — if any — signs of life on defense, however, in a season-opening debacle that evolved into a 52-7 loss to No. 1 Southern California.
“Obviously our pride was hurt,” Sintim said. “It was a demoralizing loss. We didn’t come to play like we did [against Richmond].
“Our defense really came to play. I’m proud of the other 10 guys on the field out there.”
Sintim could have pushed the total past 10 — the Cavaliers effectively rotated in players with its nickel package on third down and appeared quite lively in the game’s final 15 minutes.
Regardless of the situations thrown their direction by Richmond and their own offense, the defenders held serve again and again.
“They were challenged significantly by field position and by schemes, but they were able to adjust to a lot of things and feel the game as it went along,” Groh said, “and clearly we realized the value of having some veteran players who we could make adjustments with, but we had some young players who played a substantial amount of time here and had their first real positive performance.”
Virginia’s offense, still being molded with three new interior linemen and a new quarterback, showcased eye-catching plays from both ends of the spectrum.
At times, junior tailback Mikell Simpson struggled to find running room, senior Cedric Peerman needed breathers to remain a viable option and signal-caller Pete Lalich soured as the day went.
“I am just happy that we won,” said Lalich, who threw two interceptions. “There was no point where I was down. My teammates have faith in me and I have the utmost faith in them. That’s the most important thing.
“This was a team win, but I know I have things to work on. I expect to do that.”
Virginia travels to Connecticut (2-0) for its first road game Saturday at 7:30 p.m.


 

Healthy Ogletree a boost to Cavs
September 8, 2008 12:15 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

University of Virginia junior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree has said for months that the story of his rehabilitation is over.

On Saturday, he showed it with his actions on the field.

Ogletree had eight receptions for 103 yards in the Cavaliers' 16-0 nonconference victory over Richmond in Scott Stadium.

It was Ogletree's second game since he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in 2007 spring practice.

"I felt good," Ogletree said. "I didn't really get tired. I started to get a little rhythm with [quarterback] Peter [Lalich] and the offense, so that was cool. I was making some nice cuts and he was getting the ball to me on time."

Ogletree's performance was the first time a Virginia receiver had a 100-yard game since he had 133 against Maryland in 2006 before his season-ending injury. He was back in that form on Saturday.

"Kevin gave us some things that without which, we would've been in a little bit deeper hole," Cavaliers head coach Al Groh said. "He did a real good job for us on a number of those catches. They weren't easy catches. That was very invigorating to see."

Against Richmond, Ogletree had 90 receiving yards in the first half alone. It was a definite step up from his four-catch, 21-yard performance against Southern California a week earlier.

He and Lalich hope to develop the same type of chemistry he experienced with ex-quarterback Jameel Sewell in 2006. Ogletree was named honorable mention all-Atlantic Coast Conference after he caught 52 passes for 582 yards and four touchdowns that season.

"Kevin was running great routes all day," Lalich said of his teammate's showing on Saturday. "He got open time and again. Hopefully next week, we'll be able to turn that into more points for the offense."

That was a source of frustration for Ogletree.

Despite his strong performance, the Cavaliers' lead was just 3-0 midway through the fourth quarter.

They eventually sealed the win with a 1-yard touchdown run from Mikell Simpson and a 60-yard interception return from cornerback Vic Hall, but that didn't take away the sting of watching the team struggle to score against a Football Championship Subdivision team.

"We're the offense. Our job is to score points," Ogletree said. "Obviously we're going to be a little bit frustrated. But we never got down, never looked for excuses or blaming anyone. We knew we were going to have to score some points to win the game because three wasn't going to be enough to beat anyone."

It was enough on Saturday, but that likely won't be the case much this season, starting Saturday when the Cavaliers (1-1) visit Connecticut (2-0) for their first road game of the season.

Ogletree's frustrations were summed up on the Cavaliers' first drive when he pulled in his second reception on an 11-yard pass from Lalich.

Ogletree stepped out of bounds at the 1-yard line, setting up first-and-goal, but the Cavaliers had to settle for a field goal.

"We had almost 50 plays in the first half," Ogletree said. "We were on the field for a long time, but we didn't convert every time we wanted to. We just have to work on finishing and scoring down in the red zone."

 

Groh backs his QB
Sunday, Sep 07, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 09:19 AM

Groh backs his QB
The calm leading up to U.Va.'s game with Richmond was shattered Thursday when news broke that sophomore quarterback Peter Lalich was headed back to court after being charged with violating the terms of his probation.

Then on Friday, the Daily Progress, citing court documents that weren't supposed to be released, reported that Lalich had admitted using marijuana and alcohol while on probation. Lalich, however, apparently has not tested positive for alcohol or drugs since starting his probation July 21. He's due back in court Sept. 26.

Asked yesterday if he'd hesitated to play Lalich against UR, Virginia coach Al Groh said, "Why would there be any hesitation to play him? He's our starting quarterback. We're here to talk about football. It's unfortunate that some people have chosen to misrepresent the player without having all the facts. Those people should examine themselves."

Lalich, asked if the reports had distracted him ahead of the UR game, answered, "No."

Glory days
Virginia's players wore throwback uniforms yesterday -- orange jerseys, white pants and white helmets and with orange and blue stripes.

Five more former U.Va. greats had their jerseys retired: tailback Terry Kirby, wide receiver Herman Moore, offensive guard Mark Dixon and defensive ends Chris Slade and Ray Savage. All were at Scott Stadium yesterday.

Previously, defensive end Chris Long and the Barber twins -- tailback Tiki and cornerback Ronde -- had been so honored. All eight of those players' numbers, however, remain active.

In and out
Sophomore Ras-I Dowling, who was expected to start at cornerback for U.Va. this season, made his 2008 debut yesterday. Dowling, who missed the opener with a leg injury, made a tackle on the opening kickoff against UR. But Dowling was physically unable to play later in the game, Groh said.

Game to remember
Virginia defensive end Matt Conrath recorded his first sack yesterday, as did teammate John-Kevin Dolce, a sophomore lineman who began his college career at linebacker. Each was credited with 1.5 sacks. Defensive end Zane Parr, a redshirt freshman, also had his first sack as a Cavalier, and redshirt freshman cornerback Chase Minnifield made his first interception.

For the first time since the North Carolina game in 2000, U.Va. blocked two field-goal tries. Conrath and nose tackle Nick Jenkins each had a block yesterday.

Sign of the times
For the second straight Saturday, signs were officially not allowed at Scott Stadium, the result of a new policy at U.Va. In 2007, U.Va. student David Becker nearly got ejected from a home football game for displaying a "Fire Groh" sign.

Groh said Thursday that he didn't learn of the new policy until somebody asked him about it Tuesday afternoon.

Asked what he thought about the ban on signs, Groh said, "No feelings whatsoever. I didn't read 'em when they were up, so I won't miss 'em when they're down . . . I've got enough things to deal with [other] than what's on the signs and how many signs are up there." -- Jeff White

 

Opportunity knocked, but Spiders couldn't answer the door in time
Sunday, Sep 07, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By JOHN O'CONNOR
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Five times the University of Richmond penetrated Virginia's 30. All five times, the Spiders failed to score.

UR picked the worst situations to execute its worst yesterday in a 16-0 loss at Virginia. The Spiders (1-1), ranked No. 3 in the Football Championship Subdivision, were not physically overwhelmed for most of the game.

"The longer we hung in, the more and more excited I got about it," said UR offensive lineman Tim Silver. Richmond trailed 3-0 heading into the fourth quarter.

But ultimately, the Spiders left unfulfilled because they swung and missed when quality scoring opportunities were presented. Pick your perspective: Virginia tightened up on defense when it needed to most, or Richmond erred offensively when it needed most to follow-through.

First and 10 at Virginia's 24 in the second quarter. Quarterback Eric Ward and tailback Josh Vaughan got their feet tangled in the backfield (minus-7 yards). Ward was sacked (minus-7 yards). Punt.
First and 10 at Virginia's 24 just before halftime. Missed 29-yard field goal attempt by Andrew Howard. The ball, Howard said, was tipped at the line.
First and 10 at Virginia's 29 in the third quarter. Loss of 6 yards on a pass to Vaughan. Ward sacked (minus-13 yards). Punt.
First and 10 at Virginia's 17 later in the third. Howard's 29-yard FG attempt was blocked.
First and goal at Virginia's 5 in the fourth quarter. Interception by U.Va.
"We kept getting chances," UR coach Mike London said. "I felt pretty good about 'Man, you know something is going to break for us. Something is going to break for us.' I was waiting for that one big play.

"If you don't capitalize, then you just always have that taste, 'If I woulda, coulda, shoulda.'"

In London's estimation, "Everybody thought we were going to get clobbered." The Spiders didn't, though they clearly wore down defensively in the fourth quarter, a predictable development versus a bigger, deeper opponent. But before doing so, Richmond's defense collected nine tackles for losses, a sack and a pair of interceptions.

"We came in here and we wanted to give it our best shot, and there were points where we fell short a little bit," said UR cornerback Justin Rogers, credited with two of the Spiders' three pass break-ups. "It's not going to bring our spirits down. We've got a lot more games ahead of us.

"We're going to get better."

 

U.Va.'s line a developing story
Cavs' blockers were better against UR, still need to improve
Monday, Sep 08, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 12:55 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
 

It all starts on the line. That holds true at any level of football.

"The other old axiom is, 'It starts down the middle with any football team,'" University of Virginia coach Al Groh said last night. "Safeties, inside linebackers, nose tackles, center, guards, quarterbacks, and that's where it is for us right now."

After producing one touchdown Aug. 30 in a season-opening loss to Southern California, U.Va.'s offense showed modest improvement Saturday, accounting for a TD and a field goal in a 16-0 win over Richmond.

The Spiders' defense battled to the end, but it won't be confused with that of the top-ranked Trojans, whose two-deep is stocked with future NFL players.

Groh has two of the ACC's better tailbacks in Cedric Peerman and Mikell Simpson, but the Cavaliers (1-1) averaged only 2.4 yards on 38 carries against Richmond (1-1). All running backs run the same, Groh likes to say, when the holes aren't there.

Coming into the season, one of the big questions surrounding U.Va. was how its rebuilt offensive line, which has three new starters, would fare. So far, the results have not been impressive, but perhaps that was to be expected. The new starters on the line are in the middle: right guard B.J. Cabbell, a sophomore; center Jack Shields, a sophomore; and left guard Zak Stair, a fifth-year senior who'd been at tackle until this year.

"Across the board, we have some guys at pivotal positions really seeing their first action," Groh said.

Against UR, U.Va.'s coaches "saw a significant improvement in a lot of of areas yesterday, things to encourage us," Groh said. "We were also able to target some more spots where we aim to get better."

Virginia probably will have to play better to beat its next opponent. Connecticut (2-0) hosts U.Va. on Saturday in a 7:30 p.m. game that ESPNU will televise.

Offensive linemen pride themselves on being able to open holes in short-yardage situations. Virginia's line didn't distinguish itself on that front Saturday. On the Cavaliers' first series, an 11-yard completion from Peter Lalich to junior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree gave them a first down at the Richmond 1. But Simpson lost 2 yards on first down and 5 on second, and Virginia came away with only a field goal.

Then, early in the fourth quarter, on fourth and 1 from Virginia's 29, Lalich's sneak was stopped for no gain.

"It was just one of those days," said U.Va. right tackle Will Barker, who twice was called for holding defensive end Lawrence Sidbury Jr. "I definitely feel we could have played better, but Richmond really came here to play, and they played well. They have a lot of good players on their team, more than people give them credit for."

The offense's lone touchdown drive started on the U.Va. 46 with 12:49 left and the score 3-0. Nine of the 12 plays, including the last seven, were runs. The holes weren't gaping, but they were big enough. Simpson slipped into the end zone on a 1-yard run with 7:25 left.

"Getting that extra push in the end zone definitely listed everyone's spirits, gave everyone a little boost at the end," Barker said, "and we're going to build off that."

 

UVa defense stout before ex-aide
Richmond, coached by former Virginia defensive coordinator Mike London, is held to 194 yards.
By Doug Doughty | The Roanoke Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- One year ago, Mike London would have been delighted with Virginia's defensive performance against Richmond.
On Saturday, he could only admire it.
London, the Cavaliers' defensive coordinator for the past two seasons, was on the losing end as UVa blanked his first Spiders' team 16-0 at Scott Stadium.
"I think he was proud of what he left behind," UVa linebacker Clint Sintim said, "but I know he was wishing for a different outcome."
Virginia struggled offensively for most of the afternoon and nursed a 3-0 lead until late in the fourth quarter, when Mikell Simpson finally gave the Cavaliers some breathing room on a 1-yard touchdown run with 7:25 remaining.
Richmond (1-1) subsequently drove to Virginia's 5-yard line, but an end zone interception by redshirt freshman Chase Minniefield ended the threat.
Vic Hall ended the scoring with a 60-yard interception return with 2:08 left.
"We saw this as a significant challenge," said UVa coach Al Groh, whose troops were coming off a 52-7 home loss to Southern California in their season opener.
"There were quite a few people in the county who saw us as the underdog."
Groh did not produce a list of names, but the Spiders are ranked third in Division I-AA and returned 16 starters from a team that won 11 games in 2007.
UVa outgained Richmond 295-194, but the Spiders did not lack for chances.
Richmond had eight possessions on which it got to UVa's 40 or deeper, including two that resulted in 29-yard field-goal tries, but the Cavaliers would not break.
Virginia blocked one of Andrew Howard's field-goal attempts and deflected the other, but there was no cause for rejoicing until Minniefield's interception with 4:10 left.
The Cavaliers led 10-0 at the time, but Richmond had responded with its best drive of the day, marching from its 26 to the Virginia 5, where it had second-and-goal.
Richmond quarterback Eric Ward appeared headed for the end zone until he was met at the 2 by UVa linebacker Jon Copper, whose hit caused Ward to fumble.
The ball rolled into the end zone, where it was recovered by the Spiders' Jordan Mitchell for what would have been a touchdown if not for a flag behind the play.
An illegal procedure penalty nullified the Spiders' apparent score, but UVa wasn't home safely. Richmond was sent back to the 10 for a repeat of second down, but the Cavaliers caught a break.
Ward was shaken up on Copper's hit and required medical attention, which meant he had to leave the game. He was replaced for one play by back-up Will Healey, whose second-and-goal pass hit the upright.
When Ward returned for third down, he was flushed out of the pocket and was victimized by Minniefield, whose interception took a field goal out of the equation.
"Two things you have to be able to do are run the ball in the fourth quarter and rush the passer," Groh said.
The Cavaliers had six sacks, including 1 12 by redshirt freshman Matt Conrath, and 10 tackles for loss. How well they were able to run the ball in the fourth quarter is open to debate.
The touchdown that made it 10-0 followed a 21-yard Richmond punt that gave Virginia possession at its 46.
Cedric Peerman opened the drive with a 9-yard run and Simpson added a 9-yard run to the Richmond 7, but it took five more rushing attempts before UVa could reach the end zone.
Virginia has based its 2008 promotional efforts on the slogan, "Power of Orange," but it was more like an orange power outage on a day that UVa recognized its 1989 team, one of the school's all-time offensive juggernauts.
Peerman ran for 17 yards on UVa's first offensive play and added a second 17-yard run later in the drive. He injured a hip with 11 minutes remaining in the first quarter and played sparingly the rest of the day. He finished with 10 carries for 60 yards.
"Every time he takes the field, you get that type of tough performance," Groh said. "He took a very substantial hit early in the game, but he will never lay the flag down easily."
The first drive summed up Virginia's day. A pass to Kevin Ogletree gave the Cavaliers a first-and-goal at the Richmond 1, but Simpson lost yardage on back-to-back running plays before Peter Lalich threw an incompletion.
Simpson, who had four carries for minus yardage on the first drive alone, finished with 23 carries for 36 yards. Lalich was 21-of-39 for 204 yards but was intercepted twice.
On the first, Jordan Shoop picked off a fourth-and-2 pass at the Spiders' 13 and returned it 63 yards before he was tackled by UVa wide receiver Cary Koch. A touchdown there would have given Richmond tremendous momentum going into halftime.
"If you're competitive and you want to win games, then somewhere along the line, you have to make your chances come to fruition," London said. "If the spider has eight legs, I think we shot ourselves all eight times."



 

UVa survival on retro day fitting
Dave Fairbank
September 7, 2008
CHARLOTTESVILLE

They called it Retro Day here at Virginia, and it felt that way. Throwback uniforms, cheap tickets, former players parading around Scott Stadium.

Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, it was a little too retro. Large pockets of empty seats, sputtering offense, death struggle against in-state competition that possesses only a fraction of Virginia's resources.

In other words, the Cavaliers' misleading 16-0 win against Richmond felt more like Gordie Whitehead and Derek Jenkins retro, than what they aimed for: George Welsh and Sean and Herman Moore vintage.

Virginia led just 3-0 deep into the fourth quarter, its defense turning back numerous opportunities for the Spiders, a Football Championship Subdivision team coached by ex-UVa assistant and Peninsula native Mike London.

"I'm proud of our team for hanging in there time after time," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "That's what teams have to do in order to put wins together. We were able to do that quite a bit last year, but that type of mentality has to be re-established and solidified with each particular team. It doesn't just grow back."

Virginia bounced back from its 52-7 pipe job last week by Southern Cal, which so impressed pollsters that they voted the Trojans No. 1 in the nation this week.

Not only did the Cavaliers have to rebound from last week's performance, there were off-the-field issues for the UVa brain trust as well.

Reports surfaced that redshirt freshman quarterback Peter Lalich had violated terms of his probation, stemming from a previous incident this summer. School officials didn't address the matter directly before the game, pointing to a court date later this month.

Lalich played the entire way for the Cavaliers. He directed one fairly crisp drive on Virginia's first possession, resulting in a field goal, then leveled off.

After completing 7 of 9 passes for 73 yards in the first period, he went 14-for-30 for 131 yards, with two interceptions, thereafter.

Asked if he hesitated to play Lalich, Groh said, "Why would there be any hesitation to play him? He's our starting quarterback."

"We're here to talk about football," Chairman Al continued. "It's unfortunate that some people have chosen to misrepresent the player without having all the facts. Those people should examine themselves."

For his part, afterward Lalich came across like a guy waiting for dental surgery.

"I didn't have to handle anything," Lalich said of this week's juggling act and extracurricular reports. "I just practiced and I played today — that's all I did."

If Virginia had some outside issues, Richmond had the luxury of focusing on football. Oh, there was the natural storyline about London coming back to Charlottesville and occupying the visitors' locker room.

His team has the chops that it could legitimately ask afterward: What if?

Eight times Richmond was in Virginia territory — three times in the red zone — and came away with zero points. The Spiders missed two 29-yard field goals — one blocked and the other brushed just enough to alter the trajectory.

"If the spider has eight legs," London said, "I think we shot ourselves all eight times. It was just so close, and it's a shame the outcome was what it was, but it was a learning experience and these guys will learn from it and I'm really proud of them.

"They're a BCS school and we're an FCS school and everybody thought we'd get clobbered, and for a really long time we held on."

Here's the kind of day it was on offense for the Spiders: They would have dearly loved to have a play back when quarterback Eric Ward fumbled.

Late in the game, with UR at the Virginia 5-yard line, Ward took off on a scramble. He was hit and the ball squirted into the end zone. Two UVa players dove and whiffed, and Richmond wide receiver Jordan Mitchell fell on it for what would have been the Spiders' first points.

Except that UR was flagged for illegal motion. An incompletion on third down and another penalty on fourth-and-goal from the 10 pushed UR back to the 15.

The Spiders went for the touchdown, rather than watch another field goal get blocked, and Chase Minnifield picked off Ward at the goal line to end the threat.

London said he never got discouraged as Richmond's scoring opportunities came and went.

"We just kept getting chances," he said. "The interception, the third down they missed, just different things. I felt really good about it, thinking something's going to break for us soon."

The only thing that broke was Richmond's final opportunity. Virginia has won 11 consecutive games against FCS (Division I-AA) opponents, dating back to a loss to William and Mary in 1986.

When the Cavaliers found a way to win Saturday, that was the only retro they were worried about.


 

UConn football: Missed scoring opportunities leave Huskies coach miffed
By JOE PEREZ
Norwich Bulletin
Posted Sep 08, 2008 @ 12:12 AM

Not even Tropical Storm Hanna could stop UConn’s Donald Brown in the Huskies’ 12-9 overtime win over Temple Saturday. The memory that lingers, however, is UConn’s inability to score much-needed points.

Coach Randy Edsall said Sunday he and his team are very fortunate to leave Philadelphia with a win.

“We can’t squander those scoring opportunities,” he said. “There’s another team that’s out there that you’re going against, so it’s hard to score points. ... Now you’re going to be fighting for your life.”

UConn (2-0) left 23 potential points on the field, 20 of those on the first four possessions.

On the opening possession for the Huskies, they reached a 2nd-and-7 situation from the Owls’ 36. That drive ended when Tyler Lorenzen, who threw three picks in the season opener, was intercepted by Temple’s John Haley. Edsall believed that possession would have led to at least three points.

On the second possession, Lorenzen fumbled the ball at the Temple 1 as he dove for the end zone.

The Huskies had two chances on its third possession with Lorenzen missing a wide-open Michael Smith in the end zone and kicker Tony Ciaravino missing a 34-yard field goal.

Later, Ciaravino missed again, this time from 44 yards out.

Granted, the teams were playing in heavy wind and rain, but Edsall doesn’t want the lesson to fall on deaf ears.

No matter how much the weather induced sloppy play, the Huskies never had to deviate from their game plan of run, run and run some more. Fifty-five carries played into UConn’s hands.
Edsall said the offensive line excelled at creating holes for Brown, who picked up a career-high 214 yards, including 25 in overtime en route to the game’s only touchdown.

“The offensive line did a great job blocking,” Brown told reporters Saturday. “There was one guy and I had to make him miss to get in the end zone.”

Despite the production from Brown and the offensive line, Edsall hoped to see more physical play from his linemen, something that will be necessary next week when Virginia comes to Rentschler Field. Last year, the Cavaliers sacked Lorenzen four times for a loss of 29 yards, and forced two fumbles, including one on UConn’s final possession that doomed the Huskies.
 

UConn's offense too predictable
By Ed Daigneault
UConn's Tyler Lorenzen get taken down after a run by Brian Sanford and Alex Joseph of Temple during football action at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia Saturday. (Steven Valenti/RA)

The man himself gave permission. Who are we to not take advantage? It would be downright rude.

“You can second guess every play that you want to second guess,” UConn football coach Randy Edsall said following Saturday's rain-soaked, 12-9, overtime victory at Temple. “People can second guess us. That's fine. I don't have a problem with that.”

Oh goody.

What was promised in the preseason to be a more dynamic offense looks suspiciously like the predictable one the Huskies showcased last year. For the most part, it worked well in 2007. But when the competition grew tougher, the predictability hampered UConn.

Are the Huskies on the same road? Sure looks that way.

There is no argument that the weather played a role in play calling Saturday. Only an imbecile would claim otherwise. But it wasn't the weather that made the Huskies as predictable as they were again.

They have a formula and they stick to it. And stick to it. And stick to it. And stick to it some more. Fifty five times the Huskies ran the ball, which is fine because at no point did Temple show it was able to stop the run. But even in good conditions and what would seem to be perfect game-breaking situations, it's painfully obvious what the Huskies are going to do.

Forget the fact that UConn left a ton of points on the field in the first half. They didn't capitalize on opportunities, partially because of the conservative play calling and partially because the weather made a mess of things. Focus instead on a situation late in the fourth quarter.

Temple coach Al Golden just about hands the game-winning points to UConn by going for it on fourth-and-one from the Temple 34. Linebacker Greg Lloyd makes a fantastic stop to give the Huskies the ball. As luck would have it, the conditions momentarily improved during this stretch. Sure seemed like the perfect spot to go up top and take a shot at the end zone and end a game UConn dominated after Temple kicked a field goal on the opening drive.

Wrong. Quarterback Tyler Lorenzen is stuffed for no gain on a draw to open the series. A Lorenzen pass then falls incomplete before Lorenzen is dropped after a 4-yard gain. Tony Ciaravino is left to attempt a 47-yard field goal, a toughie in good conditions, incredibly difficult on a wet field. The kick goes left.

The perfect time for offensive coordinator Rob Ambrose to take a chance [Dash] goodness knows any coach that had scouted the Huskies wouldn't have expected it [Dash] results in more predictability.

“We just did what we thought was best,” Edsall said. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But I'll tell you this: every play we call we think is going to be a big play for us. That's the reason we're calling it.”

Ah, but there's not a coach in the country that calls a play to merely gain a yard outside the red zone.

The lack of a passing game is understandable. Lorenzen doesn't have a strong arm and his accuracy isn't great. The offensive line hasn't mastered pass blocking yet. The receivers are young. And sometimes the defense is just better on that play.

The lack of even a threat of throwing the ball is not understandable. It wasn't impossible to throw the ball Saturday. Temple proved that. Adam DiMichele attempted six more passes than Lorenzen and had just one more completion. Lorenzen totaled 86 passing yards; DiMichele 170.

UConn has applied “3 yards and a cloud of dust” to its passing game. Through two games, the longest pass of the season has been a 33-yarder to fullback Anthony Sherman, who took a short dump off against Hofstra and did the rest of the work himself.

There are only so many times you can run the inside handoff and expect it to work consistently. At some point, the ball has to go in the air if only to show that UConn is actually thinking about doing it.

“We're going to have to throw the ball better, there's no question about that,” Edsall said. “We have to and we will.”

A prediction to combat the predictability.UConn Passing Game Needs Work
By DESMOND CONNER | Courant Staff Writer
September 8, 2008

The offensive line has to do its job, quarterback Tyler Lorenzen has to do his and the receivers have to do theirs all at the same time, UConn coach Randy Edsall said during his Sunday teleconference.

That may be enough to explain why the passing game seems anemic at times, but many would tack on conservative play-calling as part of the problem, too.

Despite a quarterback's worst nightmare — wind and rain — the passing game could have been more productive in a 12-9 overtime win over Temple in Philadelphia Saturday.

Yes, the Huskies are 2-0, one of two Big East teams (South Florida) that can make that claim. Still, as Edsall said after the game, the Huskies will have to throw effectively at some point.

Related links
UConn 12, Temple 9 Photos Completion percentage isn't the whole story. Lorenzen was 10-for-22, and Temple's Adam DiMichele was 11-for-28. But DiMichele had 46-, 44- and 20-yard pass plays. Lorenzen's three longest were 18, 14 and 14.

Maybe, just maybe, UConn's play-calling has been conservative for a reason.

"It's the combination of all three aspects in terms of what makes the passing game more productive," Edsall said. "You need all three of them to give you the productivity you need. ... I think on some plays we're not getting protection, but it could be protection one time, the line or the receivers another time ... but we do have to be more consistent and do a better job in all three of those areas to be more productive. Just like in the running game, the line has to do its job, the back has to read right."

Defensive Focus
UConn's defense stood strong when it had to.

"We have trust in the offense," said sophomore linebacker Scott Lutrus, who had a team-high 12 tackles. "Whatever time they need they'll get it done like they showed in the overtime. Don [Brown] and the offense did a hell of a job, but whenever we're on the field our mentality is to get the ball back for the offense, and eventually they'll make plays."

Lloyd A Fast Learner
Speaking of making plays, that was some tag Greg Lloyd put on Lamar McPherson on fourth-and-1 at the Owls 34 with less than six minutes to go in the game and the score tied at 6.

The well-chiseled Lloyd is a natural talent. He's honing the intricacies of the middle linebacker position, for which the sophomore is tailor-made.

He improved from his first start last week but knows he could get better.

"There was a lot of stuff I kept messing up on like the read zone where the QB would keep the ball," he said. "I messed up on that twice and finally got it right at the end, but aside from that, I think I did OK. There's still a lot of stuff I can improve on. The main thing is to go out there and stop the run."

And, of course, have a certain kind of mentality.

"We were sitting there in the overtime period hoping that they'd get the ball in the end zone, but if they didn't, hey, no problem. We like hittin' people anyway." ... Lloyd had six tackles. So did cornerback Darius Butler, who ran about three plays on offense. Brown, Butler and Jasper Howard received the offensive, defensive and special teams game balls. ... Kendall Reyes was a backup defensive end in place of Lindsey Witten (knee), who didn't make the trip. Edsall said he was pleased with Reyes' effort despite being flagged for a personal foul (a late hit in OT) that turned a potential third-and-9 into a first-and-10 at the Huskies 12. Reyes was moved to defensive tackle this season but is flexible enough to toggle between the two spots. ... Edsall said freshman running back Jordan Todman (shoulder) returned to practice Sunday.
 

One-sided loss a crucible of learning for Long's NFL debut
By Tom Robinson
The Virginian-Pilot
© September 8, 2008
PHILADELPHIA

Somewhere down the road, the St. Louis Rams surely will have terrific Long afternoons, games in which their new defensive end from the University of Virginia will shine, true to his talent and bloodline.

Sunday was not one of those games.

Sunday was just an incredibly lon-n-n-g afternoon for the Rams - emphasis very much on the lowercase L. Significant difference there.

The occasion of Chris Long's NFL debut was marked by the Philadelphia Eagles tearing apart the Rams horn from hoof at Lincoln Financial Field, 38-3. Long, son of Hall of Famer Howie Long, tried hard. His reputation at and coming out of U.Va. was founded on his prodigious want-to.

Long's stuck-open throttle is a big reason why the pitiful Rams chose him second in the draft. All that meant Sunday was that Eagles' left tackle Tra Thomas, Long's foil 95 percent of the day, had to breathe hard now and then.

"He gave me some work, man," said Thomas, an 11-year veteran with three Pro Bowls on his resume. "I was tired. And he just kept letting me know that he's not tired yet. It was a good test for me."

Final score aside, it was good for Long, too. Not by any statistical measure, just as an introduction to life with the big boys. Long played practically every snap and rarely laid a glove on any Eagle other than Thomas. He scrambled down the line to record two tackles, both on running back Brian Westbrook.

If you want numbers, those are it. Long spent the rest of the day losing hand fights with Thomas and vainly lunging toward Donovan McNabb, whom he never touched when the quarterback still had the ball.

Once, Long almost got there - third down, Eagles on their 10-yard line, a minute left in the first half. From right end, Long lowered his shoulders and careened around Thomas' left side.

Just as McNabb released the pass, Long dived at his ankles. Life really is all about timing: seconds later, receiver Hank Baskett was sprinting to the end zone with what became a 90-yard touchdown pass.

"I got up and my first thought was 'Damn it, I should've got there,' " Long said. "My second thought was that's McNabb. That's what he does."

Consider that one lesson Long doesn't have to learn. Pretty much everything else is on the table, though, and the NFL is the most accelerated of classrooms.

Next week comes the defending Super Bowl champ Giants and six-year left tackle David Diehl. Long's two left tackles after that are Seattle's Walter Jones, who has only been to seven straight Pro Bowls, and Buffalo's Jason Peters, who went last year.

Long is 6-foot-3 and 263 pounds. He gave away four inches and 70 pounds to Thomas. Long will spot Jones two inches and 60 pounds, Peters, an inch and 80 pounds.

This is how it will be. But it is also how it is for such sack specialists as Dwight Freeney and Osi Umenyiora, who are roughly Long's size. They figured it out. Thomas fully expects Long will, too.

Thomas told Long so after the game, when he sought him out before the players left the field and gave him a hug. That, though, was all he gave Long.

"I learned my lesson," Thomas said with a laugh. "When I played against Osi his rookie year, I was giving him pointers and all that. And then he came back and was giving me all this work, you know. So now I just kind of bite my tongue.

"It's like, I want to tell you stuff, but I can't because I might see you again. I just told him he had a good game and to just keep working."

No worries there with Long, even more so because of the attention he faces as the No. 2 pick. But Long was in on just four tackles in the preseason. Now, this debut in which he mostly cycled in place while the Rams' defense, which never did get to McNabb, got torched.

Long needs to buckle in. His ride on the learning curve looks like it will be bumpy.

"I've got one job and that's to be a part of this defense and make plays and do what's defined by my coaches," Long said. "You're not gonna see me trying to play up to stats. The higher I can grade out on Monday in the privacy of the D-line room, that's when I'm succeeding."

 

Notes from the crease
Jeff White
Sep 06, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE – A phone call to men’s lacrosse coach Dom Starsia never fails to yield a nugget or two, and our conversation yesterday was no exception.

Fall ball is under way, and Starsia has had a chance to evaluate the recruits who entered the program this summer. U.Va. fans will be delighted to learn that Starsia raved about Ryan Benincasa, a faceoff specialist from Greenwich, Conn.

Faceoffs were a weakness last season for the Cavaliers, and never more so than in the NCAA semifinals. Syracuse won 19 of 27 draws in that game, one reason the Orange was able to overcome a five-goal third-quarter deficit. The ‘Cuse forced overtime against U.Va., won in sudden death and then, two days later, beat Johns Hopkins for the NCAA title.

Benincasa should prove immediate help at the faceoff X. He missed the first two days of practice at U.Va., but when Benincasa finally took the field, “he won every faceoff in practice clean as a whistle. It was a revelation standing there,” said Starsia, whose contract recently was extended through the 2012 season.

“I would say that we should withhold judgment a little more, but first impressions were eye-opening.”

Another newcomer at that position is graduate student Chad Gaudet, a transfer from Dartmouth, where he won 56 percent of his faceoffs and made honorable-mention all-Ivy League last season.

Gaudet “gives us a nice other option,” Starsia said. “He faces off with a long stick, and he’s a brute of a kid. He can beat you up at the X.”

Garett Ince and Brian McDermott took most of U.Va.’s draws last season, and both are back, as are two other players with faceoff skills: Nick Elsmo and Joe Dewey.

This U.Va. team could give Starsia his fourth NCAA title. Ben Rubeor is a huge loss on attack, of course, but the nation’s top-rated recruit, Steele Stanwick, should slide into that spot, and Starsia never has been deeper at long-stick midfielder, where his options include Mike Timms and Bray Malphrus and freshmen Peter Borror and Wyatt Melzer.

“I would say the biggest question mark after a week of lacrosse is the middies,” Starsia said. “How do we break them up and sort it out?”

One possibility is to run twins Rhamel and Shamel Bratton with Brian Carroll on the first line. Others in the mix for playing time include Steve Giannone, Ince, Elsmo, George Huguely and John Haldy, a talented sophomore who’s been moved from attack.

Chris Bocklet probably will be an attackman in 2010, once Danny Glading, Garrett Billings and Gavin Gill leave the program, but Starsia may use him some in the midfield in ’09.

Starsia said the “guys that are going to be players here usually identify themselves early in their career,” and Bocklet, a freshman from John Jay High in New York, appears to be one of those players.

“It may be that he may not play much on attack this year, but you find ways to get guys on the field,” Starsia said. “Bocklet’s one of the better skilled kids on the team, period. He just catches and shoots so well. There’s a sense we’re going to need to find a way to get him out there.”

Posted by Jeff White

Freshman powers Cavs
By Whitey Reid
Published: September 7, 2008

With a 6-foot-4 frame and silky smooth athleticism, Tony Tchani isn’t too hard to locate on a soccer field. Throw in the fact that the Virginia freshman wears bright yellow cleats and, well, Tchani (pronounced Chani) is kind of like a soccer version of former NFL receiver Billy “White Shoes” Johnson.
However, on Sunday night at Klockner Stadium, Hofstra couldn’t keep very good track of the Cameroon native.
Tchani, a Maury High product, scored two goals as unranked Virginia won its second straight game, 4-2, in front of a crowd of 1,310.
“I especially like these shoes,” said Tchani smiling, “because in high school they wouldn’t let me wear them.”
After starting the season 0-2 for the first time in five years, the Cavaliers (2-2) seem to be finding their groove. On Friday night they showed tremendous grit in coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win on the road at George Mason. On Sunday they outshot Hofstra, 14-9, and controlled tempo for the majority of the contest.
Tchani scored both his goals — the first two of his career — within the game’s first nine minutes.
On the first tally, a free kick, Tchani laced a beautiful bender around a wall to beat Hofstra goalie James Winters to his right.
Less than four minutes later, he took a pass in transition on the left wing from Hunter Jumper and beat Winters with a low shot to his left. The most impressive part of the play was the patience Tchani showed as he waited for a defender to clear in front of him — and for the perfect moment to shoot.
“We worked on that in June practice,” Tchani said. “Coach [George Gelnovatch] told me when the keeper is out like that to put it on the far post.”
Hofstra (1-2-1) got on the scoreboard in the 33rd minute to make it 2-1, but Matt Mitchell quickly answered to give Virginia a 3-1 lead heading into the half.
In the 77th minute, freshman Chris Agorsor tacked on an insurance goal — a header off a corner kick by Neil Barlow for his third of the season — for a commanding 4-1 lead.


 

Cavaliers Down In-State Rival ODU, 2-0
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 09/07/2008
Courtesy: Matt Riley / UVa Media Relations

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The 11th-ranked Virginia field hockey team won its fourth consecutive game, a 2-0 win over No. 8 Old Dominion, on Sunday on the University Hall Turf Field. The win marked the first for the Cavalier program over Old Dominion since 1996; the Monarchs had previously claimed the last 11 meetings between the two teams. Rookies Paige Selenski and Michelle Vittese tallied goals for the Orange and Blue.

“That was the most pressure we have dealt with so far this season,” Virginia head coach Michele Madison said. “We are continuing to improve as a team. The atmosphere out there today was good. I liked our players discussing things in a hockey way. That helps them coach each other on the field and talk through things.”

After a scoreless first half in which the Cavaliers outshot ODU 10-1 and outcornered the Monarchs 5-1, Selenski notched her fourth goal of the year after she intercepted a pass and broke away toward the cage. Three minutes later, fellow first-year Michelle Vittese scored her fourth of the season to give UVa a two-goal advantage.

The Virginia defensive unit recorded its second shutout of the year. Goalkeepers Devon Burnley and Amy Desjadon combined for the shutout in the cage. The defensive unit also held the Monarchs to just five shots.

“They were better organized today,” assistant coach Alex Kyser said of the defense. “They communicated starting in the backfield and were ready, not panicked.”

The Cavalier offense, meanwhile, recorded 23 shots and outcornered Old Dominion 7-5. Selenski tallied seven shots in the game, six of which were on target. Inge Kaars Sijpestein recorded five shots and Vittese finished with four. ODU goalkeeper Kelly Driscoll had 12 saves in the cage.

Virginia hits the road for the first time this season Wednesday at No. 7 James Madison. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.

 

Virginia Women’s Soccer Ties Auburn 1-1
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 09/07/2008
Courtesy: David Petkofsky/UVa Media Relations

ATHENS, Ga. – The No. 7 Virginia women’s soccer team remained unbeaten on the season, tying Auburn 1-1 Sunday at the Georgia Nike Invitational. The Cavaliers got a first half goal from Amanda Stewart (West Chester, Pa.), but a late penalty kick gave the Tigers the draw.

“We are disappointed with the result, considering how the game went,” said head coach Steve Swanson. “We had our chances and there is a lot we can learn from this. Auburn was very organized and made some things difficult for us. Sometimes it takes a result like this to really help the process of getting better.”

In the first half, the Cavaliers controlled play throughout but couldn’t break through until the 43rd minute. A clearance attempt in the box by the Auburn defense came to Stewart, who fired a shot into the far upper corner for her first career goal.

Virginia continued to have the better of play in the second half until the Tigers took advantage of a rare chance. Auburn drew even in the 87th minute on a penalty kick by Gabi Rivera, after a foul was called for a shirt tug on a 50-50 ball in the corner of the penalty area. It marked the first goal allowed by the Cavaliers this season.

In the third minute of overtime, Maggie Kistner (St. Louis, Mo.) was taken down in the box, but Auburn keeper Allison Whitworth saved Nikki Krzysik’s (Clifton, Va.) penalty kick. Neither team was able to record the game-winner in the remainder of extra time and the game ended with a 1-1 draw.

Overall the Cavaliers outshot the Tigers 24-7 and had a 7-0 corner kick advantage. Celeste Miles (Garland, Texas) made two saves for Virginia, while Whitworth made 10 saves for Auburn.

The Cavaliers return home next weekend to host the Virginia Nike Soccer Classic. Play begins on Friday with a pair of games at Klöckner Stadium. The Cavaliers host William & Mary at 7 p.m., following the Maryland-Dartmouth game at 4:30 p.m.


 

Cavalier Women Golfers in 2nd Place at Fall Preview
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 09/07/2008
Courtesy: Jim Daves/UVa Media Relations

Owings Mills, MD – The 14th-ranked Virginia women’s golf team stands second in the 15-team field at the Duramed Fall Preview taking place at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md. The Cavaliers shot rounds of 1-over 289 and 6-over 294 for a 36-hole total of 583. Only No. 9 Georgia finished above Virginia in a field that includes 14 teams ranked in Golfweek’s preseason top-25, including seven teams in the top-10. The Bulldogs enter Monday’s final round at 579, four shots ahead of UVa.

Cavalier senior Jennie Arseneault leads the field at 6-under 138. She shot a career-best 4-under 68 during the morning round and came back and fired 2-under 70 during the afternoon. She has a one shot lead over Auburn’s Candace Schepperle. Georgia’s Krystle Caithness is in third place at 2-under 142.

Whitney Neuhauser had UVa’s second best score at 3-over 147 to finish 16th. She shot 72 and 75. Calle Nielson is one shot back on the leaderboard in 19th place after posting scores of 73 and 75. Joy Kim shot 76 and 74 to finish 26th at 150 while Kristen Simpson is 50th at 157 after carding rounds of 78 and 79.

Second-ranked Arizona State is three shots behind UVa at 586, No. 16 Auburn is fourth at 589 and defending NCAA Champion Southern California is fifth at 595. No. 3 Duke is sixth at 595 while No. 12 Wake Forest, the third ACC team in the field, is ninth at 609.

Live scoring of Monday’s final round is on the Internet at Golfstat.com.

 

UVa Men's Golfers Finish Seventh at Maryland Intercollegiate
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 09/07/2008
Courtesy: Jim Daves/UVa Media Relations

Cambridge, MD – The Virginia men’s golf team finished seventh in the weather-shortened Maryland Intercollegiate at the River Marsh Golf Club in Cambridge, Md. The event, that featured 18 teams, was shortened to 36 holes Sunday due to Tropical Storm Hanna.

Cavalier freshman Ben Kohles led UVa with a 13th-place finish. He shot 75 during the morning round and then carded a 4-under 67 in the afternoon to finish at even par 142 in one of the best debuts ever by a Virginia freshman.

UVa sophomore Will Collins shot 70 and 74 to place 24th at 144. Amory Davis was 32nd at 146 with rounds of 74 and 72. Kyle Stough was 39th at 147 after shooting 76 and 71. First-year Bruce Woodall shot 79 and 73 and was 60th at 152.

Arkansas used identical rounds of 12-under 272 to finish at 544 and win the team standings by 20 strokes. NC State was second at 564 with VCU in third at 565.

Ethan Tracy of Arkansas made the most of his collegiate debut, setting a competitive course record with a 7-under-par 64 and following with a 68 to earn the individual championship.