Lalich denies drug use on probation
Virginia QB faces hearing, still No. 1 for Connecticut game
Wednesday, Sep 10, 2008 - 12:07 AM
Saturday:7:30 p.m., ESPNU
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE Since arriving at the University of Virginia in 2007, Peter Lalich has not been a regular at the weekly press conferences during football season. But the sophomore quarterback showed up yesterday and answered questions about the allegations surrounding his off-field behavior.

"I have not smoked or done any drugs while on my probation," Lalich told reporters at John Paul Jones Arena.

Lalich, who turned 20 in May, was placed in a pre-conviction probation program July 21 after being charged with unlawful purchase and possession of alcohol, a misdemeanor.

Had he met the conditions of his probation for the next 12 months, the charge would have been dropped July 21, 2009. But Lalich was cited last Thursday for violating the terms of his probation, according to the Web site for the state's judicial system, and he's due back in Charlottesville General District Court on Sept. 26 for a hearing.

According to sealed documents obtained by the Daily Progress -- other media outlets tried unsuccessfully to get them last week -- Lalich admitted, in an Aug. 26 interview with probation officials, to using marijuana and alcohol while on supervised probation, the Charlottesville newspaper reported Friday.

But the Daily Progress also reported that the documents indicated that Lalich, unable to provide a usable urine sample Aug. 26, returned to the probation office Aug. 27 and tested negative for alcohol and drugs.

Lalich, who's from Springfield, acknowledged yesterday that the reports upset him, but he downplayed the increased scrutiny he's been under.

"It's not tough on me," he said. "It's probably more tough on my parents than me."

Virginia coach Al Groh, who was aware of the allegations, chose to start Lalich against Richmond on Saturday, and Lalich is listed as the No. 1 quarterback for this weekend's game with Connecticut.

"There's some reporting on this young man that probably would fall under the category of tabloid reporting," Groh said on his radio show Monday night. "It lacks facts, and in some cases it lacks reality. That's a shame. He's entitled to a private life like other 19-, 20-year-old students are. We're satisfied with how Peter is conducting his circumstances and what he's being asked to do."

Two U.Va. offensive linemen -- Will Barker and Dave Roberts -- will appear in court early next month to face misdemeanor charges related to an early-morning incident at a Charlottesville nightclub. Like Lalich, Barker has started the Cavaliers' first two games.

Asked about his policy regarding players who have pending legal issues, Groh said, "We deal with each circumstance as that circumstance warrants."

Senior tight end John Phillips said yesterday that U.Va.'s players "know what's going on in the media. With all that, it is what it is. From what I know, it might have been a misunderstanding. But we know Petey's done everything they've asked him to do. He went to every meeting, took every test, did everything they asked him to do, and he's passed everything and did everything well."

Lalich's teammates are "his family," Phillips said. "We're his support, so you got to lean on your brothers in times like this and lean on your family, and that's what he did. He came up and talked to us and let everybody know the situation, and we support him."

Senior linebacker Clint Sintim shares a hotel room with Lalich on the nights before U.Va. games.

"He remains positive," Sintim said. "He comes out here every day and works hard, and I expect him too. And he expects himself to do the same thing . . . He's growing every day."

Asked if he felt sorry for Lalich, Groh paused before answering yesterday.

"In life, whatever circumstances any of us are involved in . . . all of us bring some of it on ourselves, whether it's good or bad," Groh said. "But in this particular case, it seems like in some circumstances a rush to pile on."

 

U.VA. NOTES
Wednesday, Sep 10, 2008 - 12:07 AM

New role for Ogletree
Virginia's Kevin Ogletree is more than a wide receiver this season. The junior from Queens, N.Y., is also returning kickoffs for Al Groh's football team.

That's a new assignment for Ogletree, who missed last season while recovering from knee surgery.

"I went to Coach Groh, I guess a little bit towards the end of my rehab, before I got back on the field, and just told him that I was interested in returning kicks," Ogletree recalled yesterday.

"It's just a position where you get to make some plays. You get to touch the ball a couple more times than what you do in your normal offense. I saw that as a chance to help [the team] out."

In U.Va.'s Aug. 30 opener, a 52-7 loss to Southern California, the Trojans spent much of the game kicking off. USC's coverage unit allowed Ogletree little room to run, and he totaled 66 yards on four returns.

Virginia's second game was a 16-0 victory over Richmond. The Spiders kicked off only once, and the ball went to Cedric Peerman, who returned it 30 yards.

With 12 catches for 124 yards, Ogletree is the Cavaliers' leading receiver. Virginia (1-1) plays Saturday night at Connecticut (2-0).

Vertically challenged
Special teams standouts for U.Va. against UR include nose tackle Nick Jenkins, who blocked a 29-yard field goal attempt by Andrew Howard late in the third quarter.

"Absolutely it was a low kick," said Jenkins, a 6-3, 285-pound redshirt freshman. "Clearly, I can't jump too high."

Work in progress
Through two games, U.Va. quarterback Peter Lalich has completed 39 of 74 passes for 359 yards and no touchdowns. He's been intercepted three times.

The 6-5, 225-pound sophomore said yesterday that he realizes he needs to work on not "always taking the deep shot, but hitting the backs and the tight ends underneath."

In the second half against UR, Lalich connected on only 5 of 12 passes.

Ex-aide is a resource
When Clint Sintim was at Gar-Field High, his lead recruiter from U.Va. was Al Golden. Then the Cavaliers' defensive coordinator, Golden is now the third-year head coach at Temple, which lost 12-9 to UConn in overtime Saturday.

Asked yesterday if he might call Golden to get a scouting report on the Huskies, Sintim smiled.

"I'm the player, he's the coach," said Sintim, a four-year starter at outside linebacker for U.Va. "If somebody's going to call him, that's going to be the head man, not me."

Temple played UConn last season, too. Later in the year, before the Cavaliers hosted the Huskies, Groh and Golden spoke on the phone. Groh said he's likely to call Golden before U.Va.'s game with UConn this week, even if "just to have a social conversation."

Gillen to be honored
Former U.Va. men's basketball coach Pete Gillen will be inducted into the New York Basketball Hall of Fame next week.

Also in Gillen's induction class are former players Lou Bender, Kenny Anderson, Rod Strickland and Sam Perkins.

Gillen, a Brooklyn, N.Y., native, went 202-75 as coach at Xavier and 72-53 at Providence before coming to U.Va. in 1998. In seven seasons under Gillen, the Cavaliers went 118-93. Gillen, who resigned under pressure after the 2004-05 season, still lives in Charlottesville. -- Jeff White

 

U.VA. NOTES
Tuesday, Sep 09, 2008 - 12:07 AM

Calhoun to speak at JPJ coaching clinic
Dave Leitao's mentor, Jim Calhoun, will be the among the speakers at a coaching clinic Virginia will host Sept. 26-27 at John Paul Jones Arena.

The clinic is open to high school and AAU coaches and anyone else who wants to attend. Leitao, U.Va.'s fourth-year coach, played for Calhoun at Northeastern. Leitao then was an assistant under Calhoun at Northeastern and Connecticut.

Calhoun, UConn's longtime coach, was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame at Springfield, Mass., in September 2005.

Another former Calhoun assistant, George Washington coach Karl Hobbs, also will speak at the clinic. So will Leitao and one of his assistants, Steve Seymour.

The cost: $75 per person before Sept. 25, $85 at the clinic. For more information, contact U.Va. assistant Drew Diener at dpd2n@virginia.edu or (434) 982-5437.

Newcomer impressive
Virginia lacrosse fans will be happy to know that coach Dom Starsia loves what he's seen in fall practice from faceoff specialist Ryan Benincasa.

The Cavaliers' biggest weakness last season might have been faceoffs. In its double-overtime win over U.Va. in the NCAA semifinals, eventual champion Syracuse won 19 of 27 draws, and that helped the Orange rally after falling behind by five goals in the third quarter.

Benincasa, a freshman from Greenwich, Conn., should help immediately at the faceoff X. He missed the first two days of fall practice, but after finally taking the field "he won every faceoff in practice clean as a whistle. It was a revelation standing there," Starsia said. "I would say that we should withhold judgment a little more, but first impressions were eye-opening."

Also new at that position is graduate student Chad Gaudet, a transfer from Dartmouth. Gaudet made honorable-mention all-Ivy League last season.

"He 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.

Duo likely to play
Two games into the season, Virginia football coach Al Groh has played only two true freshmen: punter Jimmy Howell and offensive guard Austin Pasztor. But it's still likely that two of their classmates -- inside linebacker Steve Greer and outside linebacker Cameron Johnson -- will play this year.

U.Va. hosted Richmond on Saturday, and Groh entered the game hoping to play both, especially Johnson. But the weather wasn't as humid as it can be in Central Virginia this time of year, so Groh didn't need to substitute as often. Plus, he said, "the game was real tight, and the guys out there were doing a good job."

New faces emerge
In passing situations, when U.Va. plays its nickel defense, starting ends Matt Conrath and Alex Field give way to redshirt freshman end Zane Parr and sophomore tackle John-Kevin Dolce.

Parr, who's listed at 6-6, 267 pounds, has "a little bit more juice off the edge" than Conrath and Field, Groh said. "Plus, that gives them a little relief, so they're not playing three downs every series, and that's kind of a way to substitute for them."

Against UR, Parr recorded the first sack of his college career, and the 6-2, 240-pound Dolce was in on two sacks.

As a redshirt freshman last season, Dolce played outside linebacker and did not appear in any games. He later moved to inside linebacker before finding a niche in the nickel.

"He loves football, and he loves this team, and he just wants to play," Groh said. "And when a player's got that type of energy and those attributes, then we owe it to him to try to find a place for him. We tried him at a couple spots, and he didn't seem to be natural at those spots, and so we kept looking where he might be able to make a contribution." -- Jeff White

 

Fourth-down attempts prompt multitude of questions
Normally conservative Al Groh decides to go for first down four times on fourth down Saturday, only converting one; much debate surrounds when to ‘go for it’
Blair Capps, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, September 9 2008

Sophomore tight end Joe Torchia and the Cavaliers were 1-for-4 on fourth-down conversions against Richmond. The high number of attempts was uncharacteristic of Groh. To go or not to go? That is the question all football head coaches must ask themselves in fourth-down situations. Deciding whether to risk going for the conversion on fourth down can be a game-changing factor. If the play succeeds, the coach is a hero; if it fails, it could cost a team the win; if the team punts, there will always be that big “what if” hanging overhead.
It came as a surprise this past Saturday when Virginia coach Al Groh tried for the first down in several such situations. Groh is usually very conservative and rarely risks turning the ball over on downs; however, this weekend’s victory against Richmond saw the Cavaliers trying to convert many more fourth downs than usual. Overall, Virginia was 1-for-4 in fourth-down conversions Saturday. While five attempts may not seem like many, last season, Al Groh gave the nod on fourth down a total of 14 times in 13 games. All in all, last Saturday’s game seemed a bit out of character for Groh.
“Whatever Coach says, we do, and I’m always backing him on whatever he does. I feel like whatever decision he makes is right,” redshirt freshman wide receiver Jared Green said. “I love it, because like I said, I love the challenge. Fourth down, he says ‘Go for it,’ then we get juiced and we go for it. We looked good going for it [Saturday].”
No matter the situation, head coaches have tough decisions to make when that number four appears on the scoreboard. Sometimes, it is a no-brainer: fourth-and-goal with 10 seconds left against a team with a sizeable lead is such a situation. Generally, though, a coach must weigh the risks along with the reward.
“It depends on where the ball is at; it depends on how well my defense is playing against their offense; and it just depends on if you’re trying to send a mindset to your players,” Richmond coach Mike London said. “I’m quite sure [for Virginia] it was a mindset like, ‘We’re going to get this first down no matter where the ball is,’ and that’s the head coach’s call on that. Would I do the same thing? I don’t know. It just all depends on the criteria that I just set forth.”
One intangible to take into account is the team itself. Would a failed conversion attempt dishearten players? Are they feeling confident going into the attempt? One thing is certain: Once a decision is made, there is no going back.
“There’s an old saying that the time to worry is before you place the bet,” Groh said. “I’ll leave the second-guessers to everybody who’s not standing on the grass. There are plenty of those; why should I add to the number?”
Groh’s decisions Saturday, while out of character, did not throw his team off balance. Confidence in the coach’s decision can make or break the fourth-down try.
“He’s not [known for attempting the conversion], but I wasn’t surprised,” Green said. “I just felt like, ‘Let’s just go get this, man.’”
Groh’s stinginess on fourth down is legendary, so The Cavalier Daily asked if he had a system, superstition or method for deciding when it is the right time to go.
“I don’t know if we can actually say that we have a policy with [the fourth downs], but we are certainly interested in [going for it on fourth down],” Groh said. “Unique circumstances ... what we might need, how much is needed, those are all factors in making the decision. There are so many variables that there can’t be one certain pattern, but it would be nice if there was. It would make things a lot easier.”

A reflection of 2007?
Ernie Washington, Cavalier Daily Gameday Editor
Published: Tuesday, September 9 2008

Mikell Simpson scores for Virginia against USC . Was the USC loss similar to the loss to Wyoming in 2007? There is an eerie feeling about the start of this football season: It you look at last year’s events, a lot matches up.
In 2007 and 2008, Virginia lost its season openers in humiliating fashion. The Cavaliers had no business losing to Wyoming in 2007, and while many people thought Virginia would lose to USC, losing 52-7 made Virginia a national laughingstock on ESPN and other media outlets this past week. The games following those losses both last year and this year would be seen as a chance for Virginia players to vent some frustration and easily defeat an overwhelmed opponent.
In both seasons, Virginia had a tougher game than it bargained for.
Virginia beat Duke 24-13 in 2007, but the Blue Devils hung in longer than they should have. In fact, at the end of the third quarter Virginia had only a 17-13 lead after Duke scored 11 points in the third quarter. Then sophomore quarterback Jameel Sewell was struggling, and then-freshman Peter Lalich had to come in to save the day. After that game, there were many questions about the offense, about whether Virginia would miss a bowl game again like it did in 2006 and about Groh’s potential job status.
The same type of ugly game happened Saturday. Virginia had just a 3-0 lead at the half, which left Cavalier fans stunned. The third quarter wasn’t better either, as Virginia struggled making halftime adjustments. Just as Lalich provided a spark last year, senior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree provided that same spark as his eight receptions for 103 yards had Cavalier fans thinking back to his 2006 days, when Ogletree was Virginia’s go-to receiver.
Like last year, there are major concerns on offense. Last year it was about the passing game. This year, it’s about the running game. I don’t care who Virginia plays — there is no excuse for the Cavaliers to rush for less than 100 yards total, particularly against an out-of-conference opponent who isn’t even playing at the same level of football. While senior Cedric Peerman getting 60 yards on 10 carries was encouraging, junior Mikell Simpson was bottled up throughout the game, which is discouraging, considering Simpson’s homerun ability should have broken this game wide open. If Virginia is struggling to run the ball against Richmond, how will it fare against an ACC opponent?
Also like last year, the offensive line has to replace three starters with unproven players. While the offensive line eventually figured itself out and became a dominant unit, this year the line didn’t dominate like it should have against a smaller Richmond defensive line. Virginia coach Al Groh was disappointed with the line play against USC, and while the defensive line had a better game this past week, the offensive line still leaves a lot to be desired.
Fortunately, however, like last year, Virginia did find a way to win the second game of the year, thanks to Ogletree, senior Vic Hall’s interception return for a touchdown and a defensive line that played well, especially in the second half. A win is a win, and in both cases Virginia pulled though.
Most importantly, Virginia again faces a make-or-break road game on the third weekend of the schedule. Last year, Virginia had to go into Chapel Hill to face a North Carolina squad ready to prove itself, and thanks to a great effort from graduate Chris Long and five field goals from graduate Chris Gould, Virginia beat North Carolina 22-20 in a game that gave Virginia a lot of confidence and helped guide the Cavaliers to a nine-win season.
This Saturday can do the exact same thing for the Cavaliers. I understand this team doesn’t have the star power that last year’s team had, but with how down the ACC is this year, Virginia can still get some momentum and do damage in the league. Connecticut will be pumped for this game. It wants revenge from last year. It’s a primetime game, and the Huskies are looking for their own statement that 2007 wasn’t a fluke year. Call it any cliché you would like — Virginia needs to make a strong statement in this game and come out with a “W.”
Let’s hope history repeats itself. The Cavaliers seem to do well when their backs are up against the wall and they are underdogs; this is their chance to get the ball rolling. If the running game can get going and Lalich plays a smart game, there’s no reason why this game can’t be the start of something good in 2008.

Groh, teammates defend Lalich
The Virginia QB is to appear in Charlottesville General District Court on Sept. 26.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- On a day when his head coach and teammates rose to his defense, Virginia sophomore quarterback Peter Lalich uttered the strongest rebuttal to newspaper accounts of his conduct.

The Charlottesville Daily Progress reported last Friday that Lalich had admitted to court officials that he used marijuana and alcohol during his probation on a charge of underage alcohol possession.

"I have not smoked or done any drugs while on my probation," Lalich said during a Tuesday interview session that was devoted mostly to football.

Lalich admitted he was upset to have his name dragged through the national media. The Daily Progress story was distributed by The Associated Press and was carried by such services as espn.com and si.com, the Sports Illustrated Web site.

"It's obviously different, but I wouldn't necessarily say it's tough," Lalich said of the increased scrutiny. "It's not tough on me. It's probably more tough on my parents."

Papers were filed in Charlottesville General District Court on Thursday, alleging that Lalich had violated terms of his probation on the alcohol charge. He is scheduled for a hearing Sept. 26.

Head coach Al Groh addressed the matter Saturday after Virginia's 16-0 victory over Richmond and again Monday night on his radio call-in show.

"There's some reporting on this young man that probably would fall under the category of 'tabloid' reporting," Groh said.

"It certainly lacks facts and, in some cases, it lacks reality.

"That's a shame. He's entitled to a private life, just like other 19- and 20-year-old students are. We're satisfied in how Peter has been conducting his circumstances and what he's being asked to do."

At his Tuesday news conference, Groh allowed that Lalich may have brought some of the scrutiny on himself but said there had been "a rush to pile on."

Co-captain Clint Sintim, a fifth-year senior linebacker, has roomed with Lalich prior to each of Virginia's first two games.

"He's growing every day," Sintim said.

"You can see how he's dedicated to the game. He always talks about football. He talks about football more than I do."

Another co-captain, tight end John Phillips, said that he has seen nothing in Lalich's body language to indicate that he has been shaken by events of the past week.

"We're a real close team, so we know what's going on in the media," Phillips said. "It is what it is. From what I know, it might have been a misunderstanding [in Lalich's meeting with his probation officer], but we know that Petey's done everything they've asked him to do.

"He's gone to every meeting, took every [drug] test, done everything they've asked him to do, and he's passed everything and done everything well. We have Petey's back in everything he does. We trust in Petey right now.

"It's you guys' job to write the stories. We're his family. We're his support. He came up and talked to us and let everybody know the situation. I think it shows how he's matured in the past year."

Lalich, normally close-mouthed around the media, was not hesitant to talk about football Tuesday. He is aware of the criticism that he has received for "staring down" receivers, but insisted he is merely studying the coverages.

"You don't look at the receivers at all," he said. "You're looking at the defense."

On the other hand, Lalich agrees with Groh that he needs to do a better job of finding his secondary receivers and throwing to UVa's backs and tight ends.

Phillips had two receptions Saturday.

"I think I lost patience," said Lalich, who completed eight of his first 10 passes against Richmond but finished 21-of-39. "I lost patience, I think, because we were completing a lot of balls but the points weren't on the board.

"I think I was going back to my old high school gunslinger, just throw-it-deep kind of thing. That's something I'm working on right now [in hopes of] being more disciplined."

That's a bit of a switch for Virginia, which has been hurt in the past by the absence of a vertical passing game.

"Petey's not the kind of a guy who's going to settle for a check-down route when he can throw the home run ball," Phillips said. "That might have been the thing that stuck out the most when he first got here. He always wanted to check off to the farthest route and show off that arm.

"That's what he is and that's why we've got a lot of respect, as a team, for him. He'll take a chance and throw it up and let us make a play for him. As a receiver, you've got to love that in your quarterback."
 

The Phillips brothers are the pride of their hometown
Posted to: College Football Sports
By Ed Miller
The Virginian-Pilot
© September 10, 2008

University of Virginia tight end John Phillips will never forget the day he killed his first buck, a rite of passage for many a boy in rural Bath County.

On the same hunt, a little higher up the mountain, his brother Jake, now the quarterback at William and Mary, scored a first of his own.

"He got his first bear," John said.

More than a decade later, John Phillips still laughs when relating the story. Growing up with Jake, 17 months older, that's the way things always seemed to go.

Jake pitched; John caught. Jake shot; John rebounded. Jake played quarterback and safety; John tight end and defensive end.

John killed a buck, Jake bagged a bear.

"He's always been the leader," John said.

They're both leaders now. Jake, 22, is the latest in a line of good quarterbacks for the Tribe; John, 21, is the most recent standout tight end for the Cavaliers. Seniors and team captains both, they're two of the top players in the state, hailing from one of its most mountainous and least populated regions.

Together, they are the pride of Bath County, an Alleghany Highlands community that has roughly 5,000 residents, zero stoplights and nearly a page of Phillipses in the phone book.

Jake earned local folk-hero status by leading tiny Bath County High to three state title game appearances and one Group A championship in his four years as quarterback. He has started 23 games at William and Mary, dating to his redshirt freshman season in 2005.

John made all-state in football and baseball. After three years playing behind Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar at Virginia, he's expected to have a breakout year in an offense that features tight ends.

Because Jake redshirted a year and John did not, they are wrapping up their careers at the same time. That makes this the final year Gene and Susan Phillips will have to split up on Saturday afternoons. Gene usually heads to the game that is the farther from home. Susan takes the shorter drive.

Neither goes alone. Aunts, uncles, cousins and friends from Bath County engage in a scramble for tickets and rides, making each week a logistical challenge.

"There's a lot of planning and trying to get things coordinated," Gene Phillips said.

Sort of like on the hunting trips the Phillipses have been making for generations. As Gene Phillips said, they hunt a little differently high up in the mountains. Not content to sit in a stand and wait for game to happen by, they'll split a group of 10 or 15 hunters into two. One group fans out across ridges, driving game toward the other, spread out and hidden in hollers.

It was on one of those drives that Jake, who was 9 or 10, had his Davy Crockett moment. He was standing behind a stump, barely tall enough to perch his rifle on top, when he heard a loud rustling in the woods.

He thought it was deer - it was a deer drive, after all. But then he saw a black dot charging directly at him from about 50 yards away.

Jake froze, unsure of what to do. He finally zeroed in on the bear's chest. When it was 20 yards away, it turned at a right angle, perpendicular to him. He hit it behind the shoulder, through the heart.

"I guess it was a little bit of luck," Jake says. "It was lucky the bear finally turned, because I don't know what I would have done if he'd kept coming."

Staring down a bear proved to be good training for what Jake has faced at William and Mary, where he has frequently had to scramble for his life the past three seasons.

Jake made one of the more impressive debuts in school history, going 17 for 21 against VMI in his first start. Later in the season, he came off the bench to throw three fourth-quarter touchdowns and lead the Tribe to a comeback victory over Northeastern in overtime. He was named national Division I-AA Player of the Week.

But the Tribe dropped its final four games in 2005 and won just three games in 2006, when Phillips split time with Mike Potts. Jake started all 11 games in 2007 and was voted third-team All-CAA, though the Tribe finished just 4-7.

"He had a very good year last year," coach Jimmye Laycock said. "It wasn't his fault that we stumbled.

"It's Jake's team this year. We're going to build it around him."

If it's Jake's team at William and Mary, then it's finally John's turn at Virginia, as well. With Santi and Stupar gone, Phillips, a huge target at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, should see more balls thrown his way. He showed what he's capable of against Miami last season, catching four passes for 77 yards. Through two games, this year, he's second on the team with seven catches.

The brothers might have made for a potent pitch-and-catch combination at the same school, and in fact, Virginia was interested in Jake. But coaches wanted him to take a developmental year at a prep school.

Playing at the same school would have made travel arrangements less complicated for the folks back in Bath County, but Gene Phillips said he's glad it worked out the way it did.

"It's allowed John to find his own way," he said.

The journey began with backyard games back home, where each brother returns as often as he can, many times with a city or suburban-bred teammate in tow. No one has killed a bear, although former Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell, who grew up in Richmond, had a close encounter. He was standing in the Phillips basement when Gene flicked on the light and Sewell came face to face with a mounted bear.

"I bet he jumped 3 feet high," Gene Phillips said.

Some of Jake's teammates recently tagged a calf, chasing it down before fixing a clip to its ear. Usually, though, Jake and John will take teammates four-wheeling, fishing, or skeet shooting on a 200-acre family spread known as "The Farm."

"It's kind of a culture shock for most of the guys," Jake said. "But they all have a good time."

In Bath County, who wouldn't?

 

Cavs' Lalich ends silence over issues on, off field
September 10, 2008 12:27 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

Peter Lalich will usually sit down to talk with the media after a game, but his customary short answers are normally vague and oftentimes inaudible.

But yesterday was a welcome change for the press members assembled in John Paul Jones Arena.

The University of Virginia sophomore quarterback calmly answered questions for nearly 20 minutes before the Cavaliers (1-1) began preparations for a nonconference trip to Connecticut (2-0) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

The most intriguing of Lalich's statements was when he disputed recent reports that he admitted to smoking marijuana while on probation for underage drinking.

"I have not smoked or done any drugs while on my probation," Lalich said.

Lalich, 20, has a court date set for Sept. 26 to face charges of failing to obey a court order while on probation.

The Cavaliers' signal-caller said he's just beginning to get comfortable in the spotlight that comes with being the starting quarterback of a major college team.

Lalich said people hardly recognize him back home in Springfield, so it has taken an adjustment period to get used to the scrutiny.

"It's obviously different, but I wouldn't necessarily say it's tough on me," he said. "It's probably more tough on my parents than me."

SUPPORT FROM THE CAVS

Virginia head coach Al Groh and Lalich's teammates came to his defense yesterday. Groh said there was a rush to "pile on" when news first broke of Lalich's alleged admission to smoking marijuana.

However, he added that Lalich brought some of the attention on himself. He also said Lalich appears to be maturing through it all.

"It certainly has been something that has been unnerving to him as it would be to any person, much less to a young person of his age," Groh said.

Cavaliers' senior tight end John Phillips said Lalich turned to his teammates for guidance this past week because "you've got to lean on your brothers in times like this."

He said the players have confidence that Lalich "wants to be the quarterback for this team."

Senior linebacker and co-captain Clint Sintim has also been a source of support.

The coaching staff has paired Lalich in a room with Sintim on the nights before home and away games, likely for a positive influence.

"We know Petey's done everything [the authorities have] asked him to do," Phillips said. "He went to every meeting. He took every test. He passed everything and did well. So we have confidence in our quarterback, and we trust everything he says is true."

fine-tuning his reads

Lalich spoke about more than just his recent off-the-field troubles yesterday.

He also talked about staring down receivers, his gunslinger mentality, the "rush" he gets when he's pummeled by a defender and he even gave Washington Redskins head coach Jim Zorn some quarterback advice.

"My favorite quarterback is Colt Brennan," Lalich said. "I think he should start for the Redskins. I watched him at Hawaii and in the preseason. He's amazing."

Lalich hopes to become amazing, too.

But he has completed just 53 percent of his passes for 359 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions through two games.

One of his problems has been the propensity to go for the deep pass and ignore his check-down receivers, especially Phillips, who has all-Atlantic Coast Conference potential. Phillips was expecting a big season, but so far he has delivered just seven receptions for 56 yards, including two for 27 in a 16-0 victory over Richmond on Saturday.

"I think I lost patience because it felt like we were completing a lot of balls, but the points weren't on the board," Lalich said of the Richmond game. "I think I started going back to my old gunslinger, just-throw-it-deep kind of thing instead of being patient. That's just something I'm working on right now."

One criticism Lalich isn't working on is what many perceive as staring at his receivers too long. Lalich said he's looking at defenders, not receivers. Groh said it wouldn't be a problem even if Lalich is looking at his targets.

"That's like saying Michael Jordan always looked at the basket when he shot it," Groh said. "It's hard enough to complete a pass to a moving target when you're looking at him. If you're not looking at him, you don't have a real good chance."

 

Huskies could rain on Cavs’ parade
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: September 9, 2008

Didn’t take long for Al Groh to sum up the challenge in traveling to Connecticut for this Saturday’s game against the Huskies. All the Virginia coach had to do was remember back to last year’s 17-16 win over UConn in Scott Stadium.

That’s when Huskies center Keith Gray snapped the ball over quarterback Tyler Lorenzen’s head for a huge 21-yard loss, thwarting UConn’s drive for a potential game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter, giving the Cavaliers their sixth win in a row.

“Last year it took everything that we had to win by one point at home,” Groh said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “Less than 50 percent of our starting lineup from that game returns, including our starting quarterback. Almost all of UConn’s starting lineup returns, including their starting quarterback.”

Groh was right. Nineteen of the Huskies’ starters return from a team that won a share of the Big East title last season.

But that’s only the beginning of what the Cavaliers, rated a 10- to 12-point underdog for their first road game of the season, will be facing.

Home cooking

UConn has an eight-game winning streak at Rentschler Field. The Huskies, 2-0, have not given up a touchdown this season. It seems the Huskies are mudders, too. They survived a 12-9 overtime win over Temple in Philadelphia last Saturday, having played the game in a steady soaking from Tropical Storm Hanna.

That’s nothing new. Coach Randy Edsall’s team won three big home games last season (Louisville, South Florida and Rutgers) in the rain. Saturday’s forecast is for showers.

Virginia fans that saw last year’s narrow escape over UConn will remember Lorenzen. He threw for 176 yards and rushed 13 times for 33 yards. However, he has been a bit turnover-prone and has already thrown four interceptions this season.

The Lorenzen threat

“Before we even put the tape on, we had pretty vivid remembrance of the impact he had on the game, running the ball last year,” Groh said of Lorenzen, who had 75 yards rushing against Temple. “The players remember it. It’s not just something the coaches are talking about.

“He’s unusual in these running quarterbacks because he’s got a good element of elusiveness,” Groh added. “But he’s a big presence in the pocket also. Some of his runs come about when there is pressure in the pocket and when people have their hands on him and he just shakes them off and is able to take off.”

Still, the Cavaliers will take what has been one of the nation’s worst offenses for the past three seasons up to East Hartford for Saturday’s nonconference clash. UVa is ranked 115 out of 119 FBS schools in total offense, No. 111 in scoring offense and No. 114 in rushing offense.

By contrast, UConn is No. 7 in scoring defense (surrendering but six points per game), No. 20 in total defense, No. 31 in passing defense and No. 32 in rushing defense.

Both teams’ numbers are a bit skewed for different reasons. No. 1 Southern California had its way with the Cavaliers a couple weeks back in a 52-7 thrashing and shut down UVa’s offense all day.

Connecticut’s game in the storm last weekend — Groh said you could see it raining sideways in the game tape — prevented the Huskies from opening up their offense.

Because of that fact, Groh said his coaches haven’t been able to get a true handle on what UConn can do with the passing game. Lorenzen was 10 of 22 passing in that game for 86 yards, and his longest three completions went for 18, 14, and 14 yards.

With the Huskies operating out of the shotgun, handling a slippery pigskin wasn’t that easy. In fact, Temple (coached by former UVa defensive coordinator Al Golden) held a 6-0 lead with less than a minute to go in the third quarter. The Owls had a receiver wide open for a potential game-clinching score, but the pass was underthrown. UConn’s kicker, Tony Ciaravino, who had missed three field goals earlier in the game, won it in overtime.

While critics have described Edsall’s offense as too conservative, perhaps we haven’t really seen the true UConn attack at this point. With an easy opener over Hofstra and the torrential downpour in Philly, maybe Edsall has been forced to keep his passing game under cover.

There’s nothing wrong with the Huskies’ running game, however, as tailback Donald Brown rushed for a career-high 214 yards against Temple. UConn ran the ball 55 times against Golden’s defense.

Virginia’s defense will have to brace for a Huskies offense that has averaged 415 yards of total offense in two games even through a tropical storm. Still, Lorenzen has faced criticism that he lacks a strong arm and that he isn’t the most accurate passer around. His pass protection has come under scrutiny as well, having been sacked four times by Temple.

From this vantage point, it would seem that the Cavaliers would best be served in trying to limit UConn’s ground game and contain Lorenzen, and perhaps force him to put the ball in the air.

The game should be a major step in the maturation of sophomore quarterback Pete Lalich, whose passing appears to progress each week. If the Cavaliers can upgrade their offensive effort, perhaps they can escape Connecticut with another close win.

All along, it appeared that if UVa could win at least two of its three games against Richmond, at UConn, and at Duke on Sept. 27, then the Cavs would be in good shape for a three-game homestand against Maryland, surprising East Carolina and North Carolina.

In that sense, Saturday’s road game is a huge one for the Wahoos.
 

Lalich denies using drugs
By Jay Jenkins
Published: September 9, 2008

With a bright, boyish smile on his face, Virginia quarterback Pete Lalich strolled into the press room at John Paul Jones Arena.

During a candid 20-minute interview, the sophomore discussed his progression as a first-time starter, broke down the intricacies of defensive formations and even offered an opinion on who should be starting at quarterback for the Washington Redskins.

All of that, however, failed to catch the attention of the small media contingent on hand to the degree that a 12-word sentence did.

“I have not smoked or done any drugs while on my probation,” Lalich proclaimed.

Lalich currently faces a charge of failure to obey a court order while on probation. A document in Charlottesville General District Court showed that the charge is based on his admission to violating a requirement that he not consume alcohol or other drugs.

That document has since been sealed. Although still in the court’s file, it is no longer available to the public.

The document showed that Lalich, 20, admitted on Aug. 26 to violating the order. The voluntary admission came during a regular probation interview with officials from the office of Offender Aid and Restoration/Virginia Alcohol Safety Program. According to a source, Lalich has claimed that he misunderstood the timeframe in question during his interview.

On Aug. 26, Lalich was unable to provide a suitable urine sample that day for drug testing, according to the documents. However, he returned to the office the following day and provided a sample that proved negative for alcohol and drugs.

Lalich is scheduled for a hearing on the charge at 11 a.m. on Sept. 26, records show. Virginia is slated to play at Duke on Sept. 27.

The quarterback was arrested at 13th Street N.W. and Wertland Street on July 13 and given a summons for possession or purchase of alcohol while being underage. During a July 21 hearing in General District Court, Lalich was given deferred judgment on the charge, providing he completed supervised probation. He also had his driver’s license suspended until Aug. 8, 2009, court records show.

Lalich’s first public denial stemmed from a question he was asked near the end of the press conference.

“On a more serious note, did you admit to smoking marijuana while on probation? What do you have to…”

The question from a television reporter was promptly interrupted by Jim Daves, Virginia’s assistant director of athletics for media relations.

“[Lalich] has not commented that that’s what he did,” Daves stated before Lalich answered. “That’s an allegation so I would like you to rephrase your question.”

The reporter shifted gears, asking in a different fashion.

Without hesitation, Lalich proceeded with his proclamation, which upon completion drew another statement from Daves.

“This is a legal matter. It is in the court system,” Daves said. “He has a court date due, and I think it is fair to Peter to allow that court date to come up and let him have ... his due process as well at the same time regarding this matter.”

While the matter will likely linger until the court date on Sept. 26, Virginia coach Al Groh sided once again with Lalich, shifting blame to the media.

“In life, whatever circumstances any of us are involved in, certainly in any of those circumstances all of us bring some of it on ourselves, whether it’s good or bad,” Groh said. “In this particular case it seems like in some circumstances a rush to pile on.”

Virginia tight end John Phillips also showed full support for Lalich.

“With all of that, it is what it is. He has gone to every meeting, he’s taken every test, he’s done everything they have asked him to do. He has passed everything and done everything well. We have confi-dence in our quarterback.

“It’s your guy’s job to write the stories. We are his family and we are his support. You have to lean on your brothers in times like this. We are a family so that’s what he did.”

On the field, Lalich admitted that he is a work in progress.

After playing eight games as a reserve last year as a true freshman, Lalich has started the first two contests this season and ranks sixth in the ACC in passing yardage per game with an average of 179.5 yards per contest. He also thrown three interceptions and lost a pair of fumbles.

Last week in a 16-0 victory over Richmond, Lalich was 21 of 39 passing for 204 yards. Those numbers were soured by a shaky second-half performance.

“I think I just lost patience, because I felt like we were completing a lot of balls but the points weren’t on the board,” Lalich said. “I think I started going back to my high school gunslinger-deep kind of thing instead of being patient in the offense.

“That is something that I am working on right now, and I will be able to be more disciplined.”

 

Groh hopes Cavs have Huskies’ number
By Jay Jenkins
Published: September 9, 2008

In Rain Man-like fashion, Al Groh spouted out number after number Tuesday during his weekly press conference in the depths of John Paul Jones Arena.

Every set of digits tossed out relayed the scary proposition that awaits Virginia’s football coach on Saturday at Connecticut.

Unlike the Cavaliers, UConn welcomed back 19 starters from last year’s squad that went 9-4.

“They are a very solid operation — the type of operation that would be expected of a veteran team,” Groh said. “There are a lot of players that clearly not only know what their job is, but are pretty polished in how to do that job. That’s characteristic of veteran teams.

“Younger teams, the first thing the players really learn is, ‘Hey, what’s my job, who do I have to block on this. I just want to make sure that I am blocking the right guy, that I am not blocking the wrong guy.’ That’s their paramount interest: ‘Who am I suppose to cover on this particular play?’ And then once they get that down then it’s second nature and they can progress more to really concentrating on, ‘OK, let’s really develop the skills in terms of how to execute this assignment that I’m very comfortable with now.’ We can clearly see that with their team.”

UConn (2-0) survived a soggy overtime thriller at Temple last weekend, upending the Owls, 12-9, by scoring the game’s lone touchdown in the extra session. The Huskies also won their season opener, blasting Hofstra 35-3.

Regardless of the season-opening contests and their results, Groh has the benefit of knowing what he is up against. Virginia edged UConn, 17-16, last year after former placekicker Chris Gould converted a 19-yard field goal with 3:20 left.

“Most of the positions, I really didn’t even have to go the depth chart to look up the players, and, frankly at this point, there are quite a few of the positions where I don’t know the player’s name, but I know his number because I remember the number from last year,” he said. “I know the tailbacks are No. 2 and No. 34, I know the fullback’s No. 49, I knew the quarterback was No. 4 before I ever put the tape on.”

Ras-I’s return?

Virginia sophomore Mike Parker said he is hopeful that fellow cornerback Ras-I Dowling would be available to play against the Huskies.

“Ras-I is doing fine,” Parker said. “He should be back [against UConn].”

Dowling, who has been nursing a leg injury since midway through training camp, made an early appearance against Richmond on special teams, but was unable to play late when the coaching staff debated inserting him.

Tackling talent

As Groh might have predicted long before the season, Virginia’s top three tacklers are currently senior linebackers.

Antonio Appleby (14 tackles), Jon Copper (13) and Clint Sintim (12) have also combined for four stops and three sacks behind the line of scrimmage through two games.

“They are very critical,” Groh said. “That is the position on the level of defense that everything revolves around. They are run-stoppers, they are pass-cover guys, they are pass-rushers, they make most of the calls and the adjustments at the line of scrimmage.”

The trio has combined for 95 career starts.

Their current running mate at linebacker, junior Denzel Burrell, made his first start against Richmond in place of Aaron Clark (knee).

From all indications, Groh was pleased with what Burrell showed before and after the contest.

“What I really did is I tried to pay attention all week long at how he went about things,” Groh said. “All week long he really acted like a player who took on the mentality of, ‘Hey, I’m a starter,’ rather than, ‘Oh, I guess I’m taking somebody’s place.’

“He really played that way. He did a real nice job.”

A first and a return

Despite having coached football since Lyndon B. Johnson’s term as president of the United States, Groh has never coached in a football game in Connecticut, he said.

The Cavaliers do boast a player from the state, running back Torrey Mack, but the true freshman is not expected to play this season.

On just 86 carries, Mack rushed for 1,177 yards and 20 touchdowns last year at Stratford High.

“It’s probably likely that we won’t see Torrey in the lineup this year, but we really like him,” Groh said. “He’s tough, he’s got vision, [and] he’s got all the skills. He clearly likes football.

“Everything that we had seen on tape in our extensive review of Torrey we have seen with our own eyes here for the last five or six weeks.”

A vote for Colt

As expected, Virginia quarterback Pete Lalich has a favorite quarterback in the NFL.

Scratch off Tom Brady and Peyton Manning from the potential candidates.

“My favorite quarterback is Colt Brennan and I think he should start for the Redskins,” Lalich said with a smile. “I think he is the man. I watched him at Hawaii, and in the preseason he was amazing. I think he only threw a few incompletions. Coach [Jim] Zorn doesn’t like him.”

Extra points

Perhaps blame should be placed on scheduling Southern Cal, but Virginia enters its third game ranked 115th (out of 118) in the country in total offense. That is not last in the ACC, however. North Carolina State is currently No. 116. The Cavaliers are last in the league in rushing offense, scoring offense, pass defense and passing efficiency. … There were no changes this week to Virginia’s depth chart and players were not added in Monday’s addition of the injury report, which denotes players ruled “out” this week or for the remainder of the season. … Virginia is currently a 10.5-point underdog against the Huskies.

 

Is it basketball season yet? Right now, ACC fans can't wait.
Posted to: Bob Molinaro Sports
Bob Molinaro
Virginian-Pilot columnist
Read Articles

Along the broad landscape of big-time college football, where spirited debates over the relative merits of teams can take months to resolve, the Atlantic Coast Conference has already made a strong case for being the worst conference in the BCS.

Some would contend that the ACC's fall is being cushioned by the Big East. Perhaps. But that's a hard argument to make when Wake Forest is carrying the banner for your league.

Let's just say that the ACC is no Usain Bolt when it comes to getting out of the blocks.

It's early, but after two weeks, a snapshot of this season reveals a conference failing to live up to post-expansion expectations.

Is it too soon to pump up the basketballs? I don't think so. On a national scale, ACC football has been dismissed from serious discussion. It isn't a blip on Beano Cook's radar. Wake me when it's Midnight Madness.

In the current football rankings, the ACC is represented by a single team - undefeated Wake Forest at No. 20.

The polls are a subjective and an artificial measure of quality, but the bigger problem for the ACC is lack of energy. There doesn't seem to be any life to its football season. How long has it been since the ACC has been this bad?

Two weeks might not seem like enough time to prepare an indictment, but the ACC has been exposed. Clemson's 34-10 loss to Alabama and East Carolina's victory against Virginia Tech surprised some people. And, while Southern California was expected to cruise past Virginia, many were taken aback by the lack of resistance offered up by the Cavaliers.

Maybe some of the first-week debacles are easily explained: The ACC faced some rough customers. The performances from Week 2, though, make it harder to refute claims that ACC football is badly in need of resuscitation.

There was a time when Miami, the "U," would have been expected to challenge Florida, but after losing 26-3 Saturday night in The Swamp, the Hurricanes actually received praise for hanging tough.

Now Miami, even less experienced than Frank Beamer's Hokies, is considered somewhat of a favorite to win the Coastal Division on the strength of a 23-point loss.

Only in the ACC.

And what's going on at Maryland? The Terps fell Saturday at Middle Tennessee. No upset there; the week before, Maryland barely got past Delaware.

Teams from big, bad BCS conferences should not struggle against Division I-AA opponents, but Virginia took a 3-0 lead into the fourth quarter against Richmond while Tech led by the same score at the half against Furman.

Even Wake Forest, home against Mississippi, needed a last-second field goal to avert defeat. Though Ole Miss is an SEC foot wipe, the victory was the weekend's brightest ACC moment.

The conference is hurting for good results, exciting players and interesting teams, problems supposedly fixed when Tech, Miami and Boston College came aboard to add potency. But today's ACC looks a lot like it did before expansion, when it was customary to think about basketball in early October.

Keep in mind that football mediocrity is nothing new for the ACC. But, pre-expansion, Florida State's glossy talent and national profile covered a multitude of conference sins. The Seminoles were the calling card that provided the ACC entrance to the corridors of power.

There is no definitive ACC football school this season - not unless Clemson gets its act together - just a muddled mass of teams struggling for recognition and hoping to hold our interest. A U.Va. loss at Big East member Connecticut on Saturday will hurt the ACC's image, but farther down the road lie opportunities for the conference to burnish its fading reputation.

Even a Tech victory at so-so Nebraska and a Miami triumph at middling Texas A&M would boost conference morale and perhaps change perceptions a little.

Later this fall, Notre Dame, which looked very shaky last week, travels to North Carolina and Boston College. The Irish might be all dome and no cattle, yet they still create headlines for anyone who can beat them.

Some of these nonconference games, at least, will signal a welcome break from the menu of dull rivalries coming up between ACC nobodies.

On the bright side, we've got plenty of time to get ready for the next big, nationally anticipated ACC game: Duke vs. North Carolina - in basketball.

 

Ric Flair roughed up by daughter's boyfriend
By MARLON A. WALKER
Associated Press Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. — Most of former professional wrestler Ric Flair's fights were scripted. But Chapel Hill, N.C., police didn't find anything fake about the blood and bruises on the Nature Boy after a fight with his daughter's 22-year-old boyfriend.

Neither man was charged, but Flair's daughter, Ashley Elizabeth Fliehr, was charged for resisting police after the 22-year-old became belligerent and kicked an officer, Chapel Hill police Lt. Kevin Gunter said Tuesday.

(enlarge photo)In this Sept. 22, 2007 file photo, wrestler Ric Flair addresses the media during a news conference at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, file)
Neighbors called police about 2:30 a.m. Friday about a fight at an apartment in the city about 30 miles northwest of Raleigh. The fight was over, but officers followed a trail of blood to Fliehr's apartment.

She told police the men had fought but it was over and things were fine. Officers found the 59-year-old Flair, whose real name is Richard Fliehr, on a bed in the back room. The boyfriend was in another part of the apartment.

Flair admitted fighting with the boyfriend but he didn't want to press charges, Gunter said. Gunter refused to give the boyfriend's name because he was not charged.

"He was kind of elusive," Gunter said of Flair. "He said everything was fine. Officers said he had a 'no problems here' kind of attitude. He just wanted everything forgotten."

Flair, known for his platinum blond hair, fur-lined robes and signature "Wooooo!" catchphrase, retired earlier this year after a 36-year career. He had wrestled for a number of big-name organizations, including World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment.

A call to a cell number listed for Flair to obtain comment was not answered Tuesday. Officials at The Gillespie Agency, based in Columbia, S.C., said they only book Flair for appearances. His daughter did not have a listed number.