Under Center and Overjoyed
In His Final Year at Virginia, Hall Gets His Chance to Focus on Quarterback
By Zach Berman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 3, 2009

As Vic Hall drove on Route 29 toward Charlottesville this summer, he glanced at a billboard erected on the left side of the road and spotted the face of the 2009 Cavaliers.

It was a giant portrait of himself.

As a child in Gretna, Va., Hall passed similar signs. He does not remember the players featured on those billboards, but he remembers what they represented.

"I never could have imagined I'd be in that position," Hall said.

And for good reason. After setting several state passing records as a quarterback at Gretna Senior High, Hall was initially used as a cornerback by Virginia Coach Al Groh, mainly because the Cavaliers were often thin at the position. Soon he was firmly entrenched in the secondary, playing there in 36 games over the past three seasons.

Hall did not say a word, following a lesson his grandmother, Frances Hall, taught him as a child: "Always stand behind your leader."

But in Hall's 37th game -- last season's finale against Virginia Tech -- Groh started Hall at quarterback. He ended up rushing for 109 yards and two touchdowns while also recording three tackles, a sack and a forced fumble on defense.

Hall's success in the finale may help simplify Groh's decision this season. Hall, who hardly possesses a quarterback's stature at 5 feet 9 and 185 pounds, entered spring practice as the team's top quarterback. When he arrived for preseason camp, he was issued only an offensive playbook.

"I've dreamed about playing quarterback a lot, but that's something I've kept to myself," Hall said. "I never would have thought I'd be playing it going into my last year. It feels good, because I want to have the ball for my team. For me personally, having the ball, I think I can help this team more than in any position."

Hall displayed those skills in high school, when he passed for a state-record 8,731 yards and 104 touchdowns and rushed for 5,039 yards and 66 touchdowns. He won two state championships and earned high school all-American honors.

But among recruiting circles, Hall was listed as an "athlete" because most college coaches don't actively seek out 5-9 quarterbacks. Plus, Hall's records were not set against the state's biggest schools.

"What happened in my high school, this is a whole different level," Hall said. "I got a whole lot to prove to myself -- not anyone else."

He must show that he can effectively pass the ball with his compact stature, especially after the four-year hiatus.

Hall attempted only one pass in the Virginia Tech game and spent the spring readjusting to the position. Groh said footwork and balance are as imperative for Hall to master as throwing motion.

"For us, for everybody, that's the issue to be answered," Groh said. "Until it's actually happened, it's not been done. But clearly, if we went out there in the spring game and the throws were such that we said, 'Look, this just isn't going to work,' that would be pretty apparent. And that wasn't the case."

Hall said he emulates former Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans, who spent training camp with the Washington Redskins as a wide receiver. Hagans has similar measurements to Hall -- Hall said Hagans has the "biggest heart" he has encountered -- and tutored Hall four seasons ago.

"Before we even brought him in, I remember Coach talking about how me and him were so much alike," Hagans said. "You couldn't help but know Vic Hall. Here's a guy in high school taking over newspapers where college games were. I knew from Day One, from the first time I saw him play, he was going to be an amazing athlete. I just wanted to make sure that whatever I could pass on, I passed on."

Working in Hall's favor is that he is universally respected on the team. He was elected captain as both a junior and senior and injected confidence into the program during the quarterback transition in spring. New York Giants linebacker Clint Sintim, a former Virginia standout, dubbed him "Do-It-All Hall," a nickname that has stuck.

"Without putting a number on it," Groh said, "Vic is one of the most respected by coaches and teammates that we've had."

Groh has not named the Cavaliers' starting quarterback (Jameel Sewell and Marc Verica are also in the mix), but he also has not quieted his praise for Hall.

He admitted that if candidates were equal, the respect others have for Hall would be a factor.

If that is the deciding factor, then the man who was taught to always stand behind his leader will have his team standing behind him on Saturday. All signs indicate that the face of the 2009 Cavaliers will be the starting quarterback -- even the sign on Route 29.



 

Cavaliers need a ‘special’ effort in 2010
By Michael Phillips
Published: September 5, 2009

Special teams were a bright spot during Ron Prince's unhappy tenure as the head coach at Kansas State: 18 TDs and 15 blocked kicks.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The emphasis this year is on scoring touchdowns with the special teams unit.

Sound familiar? Sure, it's an aspect of Beamerball. But this season the concept is migrating north to U.Va.

Entering today's season opener, the Hoos have retooled their special teams, brought back coordinator Ron Prince and put more of an emphasis on the unit. The players are all raving about it, though coach Al Groh keeps things in check.

"We haven't done anything yet," he said. "It's all nice talk."

What they have done already is match last season's output of special teams touchdowns -- zero. To fix the problem, Groh is shuffling some of his top players into the special teams units.

It starts at the very top, with quarterback Vic Hall, who will return punts today against William and Mary.

"Whoever is necessary to give us the best personnel and special teams, that's what we'll do," Groh said.

The excitement has proven contagious. Walk-on Matt Snyder, a Deep Run grad, will get playing time at wide receiver today.

Earlier this week, he answered several questions about the offense and his standing, before finally changing the topic on reporters.

"You guys are talking about the depth chart on offense," he said. "But everybody here is really excited about special teams."

Overseeing the unit is Prince, the former Cavaliers offensive coordinator. Prince had a tumultuous run as head coach at Kansas State, and after being fired mid-season last year has returned to U.Va. to work under Groh once more.

One thing not under fire during his time with the Wildcats was his return units -- they scored 18 touchdowns and blocked 15 kicks.

Linebacker Aaron Clark, a fifth-year senior who participates on special teams, said he's noticed increased attention paid to the unit, not necessarily in practice time -- since that's limited -- but in focus and energy.

"It's a different mindset," he said. "You always think you're doing enough until something else comes along and you're like, 'Wow, we really stepped it up.'"

The question will be whether fans get the opportunity to see a big return today. U.Va. faces one of the top kicking games in FCS football, as Tribe punter David Miller and kicker Brian Pate were both All-CAA last year.

Of course, it's also possible they'll see a blocked kick -- there were a handful during this year's open practices -- to inaugurate a new wave of non-offense scoring at U.Va.
 

New-look Cavs open season with Tribe
By Jay Jenkins
Published: September 5, 2009

The waiting game is over.

After countless drills during the grind known as training camp with teammates lined up across the way, Virginia finally faces another foe on the grass-covered field tonight at 6 p.m. at Scott Stadium.

The Cavaliers (0-0) kick off the 2009 season against in-state foe William & Mary (0-0), which enters as a 19-point underdog.

“I am so ready to hit somebody else,” said Virginia linebacker Denzel Burrell. “It has been a long time coming. We are ready to throw on the pads and get going.”

While the contest does not have the national appeal of the season-opening contest from last year, which saw Virginia get drubbed 52-7 by top-ranked Southern Cal, facing the Tribe could present challenges.

“There’s a lot of mystique or a lot of fanfare with a team like USC, [more] than there is with William & Mary, but we have to prepare the same way,” said Virginia linebacker Aaron Clark. “Whether they have a Trojan symbol on their helmet or a Tribe symbol, you can’t worry about the grandeur that comes with a lot of teams.”

With Texas Christian, the nation’s 17th-ranked team, providing a tough test next week at Scott Stadium, Virginia should learn more about the product that will be on the field, which is often tough to determine in the preseason.

“You practice against yourself for 28 days, so you speculate that, ‘Oh, we dominated the offense today,’” Clark said. “Then they’ll come back and throw long touchdowns, so it’s all back and forth when it comes to practicing.

“You never know what you’ve got until the first game.”

Virginia will enter the program’s 120th campaign with a new look on offense. The Cavaliers replaced former offensive coordinator Mike Groh with former Bowling Green coach Gregg Brandon after finishing 105th in total offense last year.

With the move came an overhaul of Virginia’s playbook, leaving the team with a much-ballyhooed spread offense.

What it will look like remains to be seen.

“What we have always been interested in, one, offensively, is making the ball move,” coach Al Groh said. “Whatever system best fit the players that we had, that’s what we have always been interested in. So we are really not a run-oriented operation. We are not a pass-oriented operation. “We haven’t thought of being the pro-style or open offense. We just want to move the ball the best way we can with the players that we have. So when the ball moves, we are comfortable. And when it doesn’t, we are less comfortable. So we are very comfortable with what we are doing, and we chose it.”

Who operates the system today is also a mystery, and Al Groh hinted that more than one could see time. Vic Hall, considered the clear favorite, battled Jameel Sewell and Marc Verica, the 2007 starter and 2008 starter, respectively, in the preseason.

“We’re impressed with all three of them,” Al Groh said. “I think there’s a good chance that more than one of them will play in games this year, so it’s not that big of a deal.

“Players are comfortable with all three players at quarterback.“

There is no such drama at William & Mary. In fact, the Tribe, a program that went 7-4 last year and narrowly missed the FCS playoffs, comes a storybook subplot.

They will start quarterback R.J. Archer, a former standout at Albemarle High. A senior, Archer was a regular at UVa football games throughout his childhood.

“I am looking forward to it,” said Archer, who will be making his second career start at quarterback. “Watching so many games there growing up, it is going to be exciting to get back there and play.

“It should be great. Growing up, I obviously thought I was going to be playing at UVa, but the chance to get to come back and play against them, it is going to be really neat.”
 

Prince aims for special impact
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: September 5, 2009

When Ron Prince left his cozy job as Virginia’s offensive coordinator to become head football coach at Kansas State in the wild and wooly Big 12 Conference in 2006, he searched his soul to determine how he could most contribute to the Wildcats’ program.

He hired offensive and defensive coordinators and realized he could make a big difference coaching special teams. There hadn’t been much of a tradition in that aspect at K-State, and Prince envisioned it as a way to create some magic in a league where offenses were giving scoreboards astronomical gyrations.

Having experienced great success in developing one of major-college football’s best array of special teams, Prince packed his storehouse of knowledge with him when he returned to UVa after his three-year run in the Midwest. He hopes to breathe life into a phase of Wahoo football that has been fairly stagnant for years as the program’s special teams coordinator.

Prince’s Kansas State teams put up what he termed as “gaudy” numbers during his time there. Check out these K-State accomplishments:

- Nine kickoff returns for touchdowns

- Nine punt returns for touchdowns

- Led the nation in kickoff returns in 2006

- Led the nation in punt returns in 2007

- Over three years, was fifth in the nation in blocked kicks (15).

When UVa head coach Al Groh decided to change the composition of his coaching staff last December, he saw an opportunity to make a dramatic impact in special teams, which traditionally hadn’t been so special in Charlottesville.

For instance, the last time the Cavaliers returned a kickoff for a touchdown was in 2004 when Marquis Weeks took one to the house in a dramatic comeback over North Carolina, and jokingly said afterwards that it wasn’t that big a deal, it was like running from the cops.

In fact, Virginia has returned only four kickoffs for touchdowns since the Frank Quayle era ended in 1968.

Difference-making punt returns are equally absent from the Cavaliers’ recent history. Alvin Pearman was the last to take one back for a score, and that was in 2004. UVa has only five punt returns for touchdowns since 1990.

When it comes to non-offensive touchdowns in the ACC since 1992, Virginia ranks 10th in the 12-team league, just ahead of Duke and Maryland.

Prince hopes to change all that, and while it happened overnight at K-State, there’s no guarantee it will occur that quickly here.

“We think we’ve made a lot of progress with the instillation and the attitude, the schemes and the techniques that will upgrade this, but you just don’t cross the line and suddenly become an expert,” Groh said of UVa’s concentrated emphasis on special teams. “It’s going to take some repetition and game experience that hopefully will continue to bring this along.”

Prince said he made success in special teams a stated objective of the program when he arrived in Manhattan, Kan., where his team had to find scores and momentum-changing plays on special teams.

“That was a direct contributor in the two games we won over [favored] Texas,” Prince pointed out. “In a home game against Texas, we blocked a punt and had a punt return to help swing a wild third quarter to our favor. In Austin, we returned a kick for a big touchdown that allowed us to never trail.”

Those plays gave the coaches confidence and got the players juiced. They bought into it totally and took pride in becoming difference-makers on special teams, even though seven of his 11 special teams guys last year were walk-ons.

“We did things that were pretty advanced,” Prince said. “We went around and heavily researched that first year and came up with schemes for all six of our special teams units.”

He hired a special teams assistant from the San Francisco 49ers, and together, they did a lot of legwork. They came up with a lot of sophisticated stuff.

Prince studied three successful NFL teams where he had access to people that most college coaches don’t, contacts developed over time that didn’t mind sharing ideas. He didn’t visit colleges but studied videotape, listened to speeches, read books by college coaches who have had great success in that phase of football.

“The biggest part of it is the players accepting it and having desire to participate,” Prince said. “None of these players except for punters, kickers and returners get a lot of exposure. A kid doesn’t think, ‘I’m going to pick this school because I can be an R4 in coverage or protect the punter.

“But those yards count and a kid can take pride in knowing a tackle on special teams add to his tackle count or that their block or return might make the nightly sports news or SportsCenter. Once it catches hold of the players, that’s where we saw the growth, the doubling of our practice and creativity.”

Specifically, he remembers going down to Texas A&M, where there was no doubt in his or his players’ minds that they were going to block the Aggies’ punt the first time A&M lined up to kick. K-State did block that punt. Same thing against Texas Tech, that one returned for a TD.

“That’s where we would like to get to in time here,” Prince said. “That gives it all credibility with the players. They see the excitement on the sidelines on a play like that.”

His goal was to steadily improve K-State’s defense to the point it could take advantage of special teams play and bring the Wildcats a conference championship. Alas, Prince ran out of time, with the school making a coaching change after last season. Still, he looked back with warm memories of his special teams breaking most of the school records.

Groh and Prince have already started to build those units at UVa, hoping that over the longhaul it will be a source of pride for the Cavaliers.

“We’re including a number of players on the depth chart on these units that may not participate on that unit this year, but if they’re getting background work on it, then when their time comes they’ll have just that many more years of the techniques and skills that are necessary to become really, really good special teams players,” Groh said.

Wahoo fans wouldn’t mind seeing a big special teams play in tonight’s season opener against William & Mary — something that would give Prince a quick sell to everyone in the program.
 

Three keys to a Virginia victory
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By Staff Reports
Published: September 5, 2009

Three keys to a Virginia victory
No linebacker letdown: The Cavs' secondary will shut down everything in its path, but if the inexperienced linebackers can't get settled down in a hurry, the Tribe will pick apart the defense with short passes.
Getting their kicks: One team enters this game with a proven solution at kicker and punter. It's not the guys in orange. Robert Randolph needs to prove he can hit long field goals, and a similar spotlight will shine on punter Jimmy Howell.
Alone on an island: The new spread offense will keep the offensive linemen apart from each other, increasing accountability at the position. There can't be any weak links, or it will be a long day for whomever lines up behind center.
 

What to do when practice gets boring
Michael Phillips
Sep 04, 2009

Yesterday the Cavs conducted their 44th practice since their last football game, all the way back in 2008. And while coach Al Groh is undoubtedly just as emphatic about instruction, he understands that the players are ready to get back at it. To fight that, he keeps the practices competitive.

“We feel it’s important to have a competitive element to every practice, and establish a mentality with the players that no matter what you’ve done, you have to prove yourself again,“ he said. Addressing the fact that it’s been 44 practices against the other unit, he said that “our defenses have a pretty good idea of what the plays look like, which makes it more difficult to execute them. And our offenses know what the blitzes look like, so they’re less likely to be successful.“

In other words, it’s time to finally play some football. Come back here tomorrow night for updates from Scott Stadium, and of course pick up Sunday’s Times-Dispatch.
 

UVa looks to end skid in openers
The Cavaliers have won just three of eight opening games under head coach Al Groh.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

Virginia director of athletics Craig Littlepage already has made a change at the top of one of his primary revenue-producing sports this year.

Don't assume he wants to make that a regular occurrence.

Much has been made about the future of UVa football coach Al Groh, whose Cavaliers entertain William and Mary at 6 p.m. today in the 2009 season opener, but most of his college brethren are in the same situation.

Finish 9-3 and you might be named coach of the year. Groh has been named ACC coach of the year in two of his first eight seasons.

Finish 3-9 and you'll be cleaning out your office.

Chances are, Virginia will be somewhere in between, although the Cavaliers have won nine games twice under Groh. They have never failed to win five games during the Groh tenure.

If asked by a recruit about Groh's future, what would Littlepage say?

"That he is our coach," Littlepage said in a late-August interview. "That I fully support him as our coach. He has been our coach for the previous seven years -- I'm sorry, eight years -- and if you look at the totality of what he's done, he's certainly put together a good program."

Programs are measured in terms of losses, but there are other indicators, such as donations and season-ticket sales.

In 2006, Virginia announced that it had sold out its allotment of season tickets (39,347) for the third straight year. In 2007, UVa didn't announce a final figure but began single-game ticket sales by acknowledging the sale of 39,000 season tickets.

By last year, the number had dipped to 34,000 and the number provided by Virginia for this year was 30,434 as of Friday.

"In terms of tickets sold, yes, we're down some over what our goal was," Littlepage said. "As a result, we were able to get into some of the single-game and package sales, so the opportunity to make up some of that ground is there."

Virginia's athletic fund-raising goal for 2009 was $16.8 million, the same amount that was raised in 2008. So far, UVa has raised $13.6 million but the capital campaign does not expire until Dec. 31.

Clearly, Virginia has four months remaining in which to meet its goal, but 98 percent of the donations had been received by this time a year ago.

It is possible that past donors are waiting to see what happens with the 2009 football team.

Littlepage sounds as if he can live with that.

"From my perspective, I'd say the health of Virginia football is good," said Littlepage, who dismissed men's basketball coach Dave Leitao in March. "I'm personally as enthused and excited about the upcoming year as I have with any of our football teams previously.

"In listening and reading and being around people and around the team, there's a lot of anticipation for this season, given the returning players that weren't with us a year ago, given the returning players from last year's team [and] some of the newcomers."

In William and Mary, Virginia faces an opponent that went 7-4 last season, snapping a streak of three straight losing seasons. The Tribe traditionally plays at least one Division I-A opponent each season and frequently gives its higher-classified opponents a battle, including losses to North Carolina in 2005 (49-38) and North Carolina State last year (36-24).

William and Mary has not played at Virginia since 1995, when the Cavaliers prevailed 40-16, but the Tribe stunned UVa 41-37 at Scott Stadium in 1986.

That William and Mary team was led by quarterback Kenny Lambiotte, a transfer from Virginia, where he had played basketball. The Tribe's quarterback this year, senior R.J. Archer, grew up in Charlottesville and is the son of a UVa alumnus.

Virginia has lost its opener in five of eight seasons under Groh, including the last three, so nobody is looking past the Tribe toward Week 2 opponent TCU. This season is all about momentum -- on the field and the box office.
 

W&M vs. U.Va.: New looks collide in Charlottesville
By Dave Fairbank
247-4637
September 5, 2009

Two new offenses will be on display when Virginia faces William and Mary in the season opener for both Saturday at Scott Stadium.

The Cavaliers' change is schematic, with new coordinator Gregg Brandon's spread offense, while William and Mary's adjustment is tied more to personnel and a new quarterback.

Virginia aims to win its first season opener since 2005. The Tribe, a Football Championship Subdivision program, steps up in class against a Bowl Subdivision opponent it hasn't faced since 1995.

While William and Mary will be learning on the fly against Virginia's new offense, the Cavaliers at least have the start of a book on W&M's offense because of Jimmye Laycock's longevity and success.

"It's pretty obvious those players come into that program and have done the same things repetitively for a long time, so their execution is at a very high level," Virginia's Al Groh said. "That's much more desirable than to be a surprise-and-change team — that in order to keep other people from knowing what you're doing, you're always changing what you do. That usually confuses your players more than the other team."

From Virginia, expect a lot of no-huddle, shotgun snaps to quarterbacks, and sets with four and five wide receivers.

Don't be surprised to see quarterbacks Vic Hall and Jameel Sewell each get playing time. They could be on the field at the same time, as Brandon hopes to force opponents to defend sideline-to-sideline and create space for Virginia's playmakers.

"We will do whatever it takes to get that (consistent) level of performance (at quarterback) in any particular game," Groh said. "Play one, play two, play three, play one every other play. Just whatever it takes at that position to play well enough."

Hall, a senior, is getting his first extended time at quarterback since his record-setting days at Gretna High, while Sewell will play for the first time since 2007 after serving an academic suspension last year.

In addition, quarterback Marc Verica, the Cavs' leading passer who played in 11 games last year, waits in the wings.

For the Tribe, senior R.J. Archer, who grew up in nearby Earlysville and attended Virginia games as a youngster, takes over for Jake Phillips at quarterback. He played receiver for two years, but switched back to quarterback last season and apprenticed behind Phillips.

"We've got good overall speed, we've got some depth defensively, and we're playing fast," said Tribe coach Jimmye Laycock, who enters his 30th season at his alma mater. "Offensively, I think we're still searching for the identity of what kind of offense we're going to have this year, or what our personnel is going to allow us to have."

Archer replaced the injured Phillips against Villanova and saw spot duty in several other games in 2008.

"I don't want to ask too much of R.J. too soon," Laycock said. "I don't want to put him in too many tough situations right away. So I guess I'm thinking a more conservative approach offensively, let our defense play, and hopefully have a good kicking game. That's maybe the kind of team we're going to have right now."
 

Timing of Payne’s departure may reduce transfer options
Ex-coach praises Tech’s Grimm
By Doug Doughty

I’m hearing Temple as a possible destination for Keith Payne, the former Group AAA football player of the year, who reportedly is leaving Virginia on the verge of his redshirt junior season.

My source reminds me that Payne’s original recruiter for Virginia was Al Golden, who was the Cavaliers’ defensive coordinator and also had recruiting responsibility for northern Virginia.

Maybe Payne-to-Temple makes sense but this isn’t like Peter Lalich enrolling at Orgeon State in late September last year. Most schools already are in session; UVa and Virginia Tech, for example, have been in class for two weeks.

That was part of the reason why ex-Michigan linebacker Marell Evans from Varina could not transfer to Virginia, despite mutual interest from both parties. The UVa admissions office wasn’t wild about accepting a student 10 days after the start of classes.

I’m reminded of the situation three years ago, when offensive lineman Eddie Pinigis transferred to Liberty on the eve of the 2006 season. Roanoke Times archives indicate that Pinigis made his decision Aug. 22, 2006, and, if he had waited three or four days later, Liberty would have been unable to take him.

If he wants to play in 2010, which would be his fifth – and final – season of college eligibility, Payne needs to get enrolled somewhere as soon as possible. And, it might not be his first choice, depending on admissions practices.

Pinigis was able to play for Liberty in 2006 after playing for Virginia in 2005, but I’m not sure those rules are still in place for transfers from I-A to I-AA programs and, at 5:30 on a Friday afternoon in September, confirmation isn’t readily available.

VIRGINIA STILL HASN’T confirmed Payne departure and it would be interesting to know if head coach Al Groh would accept a change of heart. I can say that it has been two years since Groh has been as complimentary toward Payne as he has been this preseason.

Payne had lost weight and was in the best shape of his career, but he was stuck in a logjam at tailback, where the competition has included two fifth-year seniors, Mikell Simpson and Rashawn Jackson, as well as redshirt freshman Torrey Mack.

Jackson is listed as the Cavaliers’ No. 1 fullback on a depth chart distributed this week, but it’s hard to visualize UVa in any traditional two-back sets. Groh joked at his news conference this week that Jackson was listed as the No. 1 fullback because his mother would be happy about it.

Groh said there would be instances when Virginia would use two running backs in its new spread offense, but, in all likelihood, a second running back would be in the slot. Jackson said as much at UVa’s preseason Meet the Team Day.

Some Virginia fans are always going to wonder what would have happened if Payne had gotten in shape earlier, been given more of an opportunity or been moved to defense. Remember, he was the guy who shut down Percy Harvin in Oakton’s stunning state-championship win over Landstown.

AN EARLIER REFERENCE was made to ex-Virginia quarterback Peter Lalich and a call to Oregon State revealed that the Beavers are still waiting to hear from the NCAA on Lalich’s eligibility status.

In the Oregon State media guide, it is written that Lalich essentially was redshirted in 2008, when he started Virginia’s first two games, then suspended and ultimately dismissed from the team, only to arrive at Oregon State for the start of classes in late September.

I’m not sure that Oregon State or the Lalichs couldn’t find a physician and make a case for a medical hardship based on Lalich’s emotional state at the time of his departure from UVa. But, I can’t see the NCAA not making an issue of those two games he played in ’08.

Lalich currently is not listed on the Beavers’ two-deep quarterback depth chart.

IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG to hear back from Mike Bolin, the football coach at James Wood High School in Winchester, concerning the whereabouts of 2008 Washington Post All-Metro place-kicker Andrew Lloyd.

Lloyd, who was 7-of-13 on field goals last year and converted three field goals of 40 yards or longer, committed to the Hokies as an invited walk-on around the time of signing day in February. However, he was not listed on Tech’s preseason roster and did not appear on a roster that was updated after the start of classes.

It turns out, Lloyd still plans to enroll at Tech but is sitting out the first semester as a grayshirt, Bolin said. By that time, fifth-year Hokies’ place-kicker Matt Waldron will have exhausted his eligibility and Lloyd will join a group of kicking candidates that currently would include Justin Myer, Chris Hosley, Cody Journell and Zack Pickard.

THE EARLIER NOTE on Keith Payne reminds me of a preseason conversation I had with his coach at Oakton High School, Joe Thompson.

Thompson, commenting on the surprising difficulty he has in getting recruiters interested in his players, said that Cody Grimm was the best player he has ever coached. Grimm, now listed at 5 foot 11 and 210 pounds, is starting at Virginia Tech for the first time as a fifth-year senior.

You would have thought that the Grimm name would have been enough for some recruiters. Grimm’s father, Russ, was a legendary offensive lineman for the Washington Redskins’ Hogs, but it was hard for Cody even to break into Tech’s lineup until he got two starts at linebacker late last season.

IN PREPARING A LIST of NFL players from the state of Virginia, I counted 30 ex-Hokies on NFL rosters as of Friday and 29 ex-Cavaliers still in camp. I could be off by one or two players, but you can assume that the totals are almost even.

Some of the ex-Hokies and ‘Hoos who have dropped by the wayside since last season include offensive lineman Matt Lehr (Tech), offensive lineman Patrick Estes (UVa), defensive lineman John Engleberger (Tech), offensive lineman Jon Dunn (Tech) and wide receiver Marques Hagans (UVa).
 

Virginia Shuts Out Portland To Open Season, 3-0
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/04/2009

PORTLAND, Ore. - Virginia sophomore and Hermann Trophy candidate Tony Tchani (Norfolk, Va.) scored two early goals and the Virginia men's soccer team cruised to a 3-0 victory over Portland in its opening match at the Portland Nike Invitational Friday night at the Clive Charles Soccer Complex in Portland, Ore.

Virginia (1-0), which had scored one goal in its three preseason exhibition contests, saw its offense flourish in its season-opener. The Cavaliers fired 11 shots (six on goal) and Tchani had the fourth multi-goal game of his career.

Virginia improved to 42-21-3 all-time in season-openers, dating back to the 1941 season, while UVa head coach George Gelnovatch improved his mark to 11-3 in season-openers since his first year at the helm in 1996. Gelnovatch also moved one victory closer to milestone win No. 200 for his career, as Friday's triumph over Portland improved his all-time record to 196-76-22.

Tchani got Virginia on the board early, gathering a ball at the edge of the penalty box and rocketing a shot over the head of Portland goalkeeper Austin Guerrero. Tchani, a preseason candidate for the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy, tallied his first goal of the season and the 10th of his career to put the Cavaliers up, 1-0, in the seventh minute.

Tchani scored his second goal of the game in the 15th minute, volleying a bouncing ball in the box past Guerrero and putting the Cavaliers up, 2-0. Tchani's second goal of the season was the 11th of his career. That score held up for the rest of the first half.

In the second half, freshman Will Bates (Chester, Va.) was inserted into the line-up and he did not waste time making his presence known. In the 48th minute, Bates had a long run down the left side of the field and put a shot away from six yards out on the ground and near post. For Bates, it was the first goal of his young career.

Diego Restrepo posted the shutout for Virginia and played the entire 90 minutes of the match. Restrepo, a redshirt junior and transfer from South Florida, earned his first-ever career start in a Virginia uniform and had a save.

Portland (0-1) goalkeeper Guerrero had three saves in defeat.

Virginia continues action at the Portland Nike Invitational on Sunday, Sept. 6, when it faces the University of Washington at 3 p.m. (eastern time). Live statistics will be available at VirginiaSports.com.

MATCH NOTES: Virginia improved to 42-21-3 all-time in season-openers, dating back to the 1941 season ... Cavaliers' head coach George Gelnovatch improved to 11-3 in season-openers during his tenure and tallied his 196th career victory ... Tchani scored multiple goals for the fourth time in his career, as he scored two goals in three games during the 2008 season ... redshirt junior and transfer from South Florida Diego Restrepo, junior Mike Volk, sophomore Greg Monaco and freshman Ahkeel Rodney all earned their first career starts ... freshman Will Bates scored his first-career goal ... Virginia had not played on the West Coast since the 2005 season, when it traveled to the UCSB adidas Classic in Santa Barbara, Calif., and defeated UC Riverside and tied UC Santa Barbara to open the season.
 

Cavalier Womens Soccer Downs Arizona 4-1
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/04/2009

TEMPE, Ariz. – The No. 11 Cavalier women’s soccer team captured its third consecutive victory, downing Arizona 4-1 Friday afternoon in the first game of the Sun Devil Desert Classic on the campus of Arizona State. Four different players scored for Virginia, who won its first game west of the Mississippi River since 2000.

“This was a very good result for us,” said head coach Steve Swanson. “Given the travel yesterday and the heat, I am proud of the effort. We got a total team effort tonight.”

The Cavaliers (3-1) took a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute of play. Amanda Stewart (West Chester, Pa.) found Lindsey Miller (Nashua, N.H.) at the top of the box, who placed a shot just inside the far post for her first goal of the season. Virginia would take that 1-0 lead into the break.

“Lindsey and Amanda did a good job coming off the bench and giving us a spark at the right time,” said Swanson. “The first goal was huge and let us settle down. It allowed us to keep adding on in the second half and put the game away.”

Early in the second half, the Cavaliers doubled their lead as Jess Rostedt (Kent, Ohio) scored off a cross from Caitlin Miskel in the 50th minute for her third goal of the season. Miskel set up another goal off a cross in the 64th minute as Sinead Farrelly (Havertown, Pa.) tallied her second goal of the season. Kika Toulouse (Arlington, Va.) made the score 4-0 on her free kick goal in the 72nd minute. The shutout was spoiled by Arizona (0-3-1) as Samantha Drees scored on a penalty kick with one second remaining.

“We finished some great goals tonight,” said Swanson. “We didn’t move the ball as well as we can early in the game, but after the first goal and throughout the second half, we played some good soccer and took advantage of the chances we were creating.”

Virginia outshot Arizona 18-6 in the game. Chantel Jones (Midlothian, Va.) made one save, but had her 353-minute shutout streak snapped with the last second penalty. Devon Wharf made four saves for the Wildcats.

The Cavaliers conclude play in the tournament on Sunday as they meet host Arizona State. Game time is slated for 1:30 p.m. MST (4:30 p.m. ET)

VIRGINIA 4, ARIZONA 1

Arizona (0-3-1) 0 1 1
#11 Virginia (3-1) 1 3 4

Scoring Summary
UVa. Lindsey Miller 1 (Amanda Stewart 2) 38’
UVa. Jess Rostedt 3 (Caitlin Miskel 1) 50’
UVa. Sinead Farrelly 2 (Caitlin Miskel 2) 64’
UVa. Kika Toulouse 1 (unassisted) 72’
UA. Samantha Drees 1 (penalty kick) 90’

Shots: UVa 18, UA 6
Corners: UVa 1, UA 4
Saves: UVa 1 (Jones 1), UA 4 (Wharf 4)
Fouls: UVa 11, UA 5

Weather: 102 degrees, partly cloudy
Attendance: TBA

Game Notes: The game was the first ever for the Cavaliers in the state of Arizona, the 20th different state Virginia has played in … Kiley Naylor made her first career start … Miskel tied her career high with two assists, matching the two she had against Arizona in 2007 at Klöckner Stadium … Erica Hollenberg made her collegiate debut.
 

Madison Collects Career Victory No. 250
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/04/2009

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Virginia head coach Michele Madison collected her 250th career victory Friday as the Cavaliers (3-0) defeated Providence 2-1. Freshman Tara Puffenberger scored both goals for the Orange and Blue to mark her first career collegiate goal.
Madison, now in her 21st season in the college ranks, is in the midst of her fourth year at Virginia.
"We are building this program one brick at a time," Madison said. "I am proud of this team and 250 wins is a nice milestone to have. It just shows what a great staff and great players I have to work with. It's all about teamwork in my mind."
Providence scored its only goal 7:02 into game, marking the first time the Cavalier defense has allowed a goal this season. Nellie Poulin got by UVa's Kim Kastuk on a breakaway to put the Friars up 1-0. Teammate Adrienne Marois contributed the assist.
Virginia outshot Providence 10-4 in the first half but trailed after 35 minutes of play.
In the second half, the offense continued a strong pace and Puffenberger, a native of Dallas, Pa., knotted the game at one with her goal just 1:24 into the second half. Michelle Vittese tallied the assist after a deflection.
Puffenberger then tipped in the game-winner at 51:36 on a penalty corner. Floor Vogels was credited with the assist.
The Cavaliers finished the game with 20 shots to Providence's eight. UVa also had an 8-2 advantage on penalty corners.
All-American goalkeeper Rachel Chamberlin tallied eight saves in goal for the Friars, while Kastuk finished with one save.
"We knew it was going to have to be a team effort," Madison said. "The team that played the best defense was going to win the game. Their keeper (Chamberlin) was phenomenal. She made one save after another."
Virginia returns to action at noon Monday on the road against No. 16 Old Dominion.
 

Cavaliers Dominate Preseason ITA Rankings
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/04/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia men’s tennis team had a strong presence as the ITA announced its 2009-10 preseason singles and doubles rankings. The Cavaliers led all schools with seven players ranked in the preseason top 125 singles while also being the only school to have two top-20 doubles teams.

Among the seven Cavaliers ranked in singles, two are ranked among the top 15. Junior Sanam Singh (Chandigarh, India) is No. 9, while classmate Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.) is No. 14. Seniors Houston Barrick (Brentwood, Tenn.) and Lee Singer (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) are ranked No. 50 and No. 56 respectively, while sophomore Drew Courtney (Clifton, Va.) is No. 84. Sophomore Steven Eelkman Rooda (Amersfoort, The Netherlands) earns his first career ranking at No. 112 and first-year Julen Uriguen (Guatemala City, Guatemala) is No. 116.

In the preseason doubles rankings, the team of Barrick and Singh are ranked No. 4, while Shabaz and first-year Jarmere Jenkins (College Park, Md.) are No. 17.

The Cavaliers begin their fall season next weekend, Sept. 9-11, as they host the UVa Invitational at the Snyder Tennis Center.
 

Fraser and Stevens Ranked in Preseason Rankings
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/04/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia women’s tennis team had two singles players and one doubles team ranked as the ITA announced its 2009-10 preseason singles and doubles rankings.

In the 125-player singles rankings, sophomore Emily Fraser (Rye, N.Y.) is No. 54 and senior Jennifer Stevens (Miami, Fla.) is No. 73. Together, the pair is ranked No. 20 nationally in doubles.

The Cavalier women’s team opens its fall season next weekend, Sept. 9-11, at the William & Mary Invitational. The team opens its home season the following weekend with the UVa Fall Invitational at the Snyder Tennis Center.
 

Wrestling Earns Highest Ranking Ever in Preseason Poll
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/04/2009
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
All-American Chris Henrich is ranked second nationally at 174 pounds in the preseason.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia wrestling team is ranked 20th in the preseason Division I rankings, released today by D1Wrestling.net. The ranking is the highest at any time in program history, and it marks the third straight year the Cavaliers have cracked the Top 25.
Five Virginia wrestlers are listed in the individual rankings, highlighted by Chris Henrich (Jr., Lansdale, Pa.), who is No. 2 in the 174-pound class. Henrich earned All-America honors last season and went 40-3. Brent Jones (Sr., Burke, Va.) is ranked ninth at 197 pounds, while Nick Nelson (Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa.) is 10th at 141 pounds. Ross Gitomer (Sr., Flemington, N.J.), returning from an injury last season, starts the season ranked No. 17 at 125 pounds, while Matt Bonson (So., Lewistown, Pa.) is 21st at 133 pounds.
Virginia has starters back at eight weight classes from last season, and also returns 2009 redshirts Michael Chaires (So., Scotia, N.Y.) and Shawn Harris (So., Cleveland, Ohio) and Danny Gonsor (So., Cleveland, Ohio) to the mix.
The Cavaliers open the 2009-10 campaign on Nov. 7 when they play host to Anderson and Campbell in a double dual at Memorial Gymnasium.
D1CollegeWrestling.net Preseason Rankings
1. Iowa
2. Iowa State
3. Ohio State
4. Cornell
5. Boise State
6. Maryland
7. Oklahoma State
8. Minnesota
9. Nebraska
10. Edinboro
11. Missouri
12. Central Michigan
13. Wisconsin
14. Oklahoma
15. Indiana
16. Illinois
17. Lehigh
18. Penn State
19. Old Dominion
20. Virginia
21. Virginia Tech
22. Kent State
23. Hofstra
24. Michigan
25. Penn


 

White: Bernardino's Competitive Fire Still Burning
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 09/04/2009
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- In little more than a month, his teams will open the season against the University of Florida, a perennial power in NCAA swimming.
If Mark Bernardino had grown a little tired of the routine, it would be understandable. This, after all, is his 32nd season as head coach of the UVa men's and women's teams, and he's overseen untold practices and workouts during his tenure, often at hours when many people in this town are still asleep.
Yet his passion for coaching is palpable when he talks about what he's built and what he hopes to achieve at Virginia.
"I love it," Bernardino said. "I wouldn't want to do anything else."
For that, his alma mater can be thankful. A Pennsylvania native, Bernardino came to UVa as a first-year student in 1970 and, save the two years he spent as a sales rep for Procter & Gamble, has been here ever since.
He earned a bachelor's degree from the McIntire School of Commerce in 1974, a master's from the Curry School of Education in '78. He starred on the swimming team and qualified for the 1972 Olympic Trials. While pursuing his master's degree, he was an assistant swimming coach at UVa. And then, in August 1978, he was promoted to head coach.
The program has flourished under Bernardino, especially over the past dozen years. In men's swimming, the Cavaliers have won 12 ACC titles, including 10 of the past 11, and in March they placed ninth at the NCAA championships, their best-ever finish.
The UVa women have won two straight ACC championships -- seven in all -- and they finished 12th at the NCAA meet in March. Bernardino has collected 26 coach-of-the-year awards from the ACC. Given all that, it's easy to take the program's success for granted.
"If you were doing that in football, if you were doing that in basketball, if you were doing that in just about any sport, I think people would say, 'Wow, that's a damn good program,'" Bernardino said in his office at the Aquatic and Fitness Center.
"I think we take the most pride in the fact that we are consistently good. We are consistently going to be a challenger for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship, every single year, and we're consistently going to be a top-16 program at the NCAA championship meet. I guess that's been our hallmark.
"We've consistently produced all-ACC athletes, we've consistently produced all-Americans, we've consistently produced athletes who compete on the international level and medal at that level. We consistently produce first-team academic all-American swimmers. We consistently produce a large number of all-ACC academic athletes."
The constant during the Cavaliers' run, of course, has been Bernardino, who strives to ensure his approach doesn't grow stale.
"I always take the perspective that every year is truly a new year, because 25 percent of our team wasn't there the year before," he said. "I don't recycle any training workouts. I write fresh workouts every single day ... I view every year as a very, very distinct opportunity to make something special happen with a new group of kids."
Spending time away from Charlottesville has helped him grow as a coach. Bernardino was head men's coach of the U.S. team at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, this summer, and he held the same post at Beijing in the summer of 2001.
Bernardino said he relishes the "opportunity to work with some of the best collegiate swimmers from so many different universities around the country, and to talk to them about how they train and the things they do, and what they do to mentally prepare.
"Most impressive is how they come to not just myself, but any of the coaches, for suggestions on how to improve themselves. It's enriching and it's rewarding, because we learn from those athletes. Hopefully they learn from us as well. And being able to take a group of athletes and in a very, very short period of time, blend those athletes and create a team feeling and a team atmosphere, that's a lot of fun. And it's marvelous to see how young people, in the name of their country, even though they're at opposing universities and compete hard against one another all year long, how quickly they become friends, and how important it is to each of them to represent their country."
That Bernardino's UVa teams will be strong again this season seems a given. Returning standouts include Mei Christensen, the reigning ACC women's swimmer of the year, and Matt McLean, John Snawerdt, Scott Robison and Taylor Smith for the men.
"I guess I can say our goal is we want to repeat with both teams as ACC champions," Bernardino said. "The men have found themselves as a top-10 program, and we are presenting to this team that it's one thing to make it into the top 10 once, but we're not consider ourselves a success unless we can stay in the top 10, and it's very, very important for us to try to remain in the top 10 this season.
"The women have been in the top 10 in the past. They were 12th at NCAAs this past year, so we want to try to get them into the top 10 and have both programs in the top 10 at the same time."
The most significant offseason development in the program? Probably the hiring early last month of Rich MacDonald as diving coach. He'd been in that position at East Carolina University for nine seasons.
"He's out of the shoot very quickly, and he's very aggressive in recruiting," Bernardino said. "Historically speaking, we have not scored very many diving points at the conference level, and we've never scored a single point in diving at the national level. And Rich has been charged with the responsibility of bringing our diving program from the lower level of the ACC up at least to the middle level of this conference in diving in the next couple of years."
Facilities -- or the lack thereof -- have held back UVa's divers, but visitors to the Aquatic and Fitness Center will notice a change. New this year is a 5-meter platform, and that "will attract better divers," Bernardino said. "Heretofore we had no ability to practice on a tower whatsoever."
So how successful can the Cavaliers be in swimming and diving? Bernardino's teams have yet to seriously contend for NCAA titles, but he's not ruling that out.
"I don't think you should ever put a ceiling on where you can be and what you can accomplish," he said. "I think if we can continue to move forward, if we can continue to compete against teams that are at the very top level of NCAA swimming, and we can continue to attract -- which we do -- a lot of good strong recruits, then I think the sky's the limit."