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Streaking Cavaliers aren't getting overconfident
 By JOHN GALINSKY / Daily Progress staff writer
Oct 15, 2002

 
Before the season, overconfidence seemed among the least likely issues to arise for the Virginia football team. So it must be a positive sign of their unexpected prosperity that the Cavaliers are talking about not getting carried away with their five-game winning streak and rapidly improving bowl chances.

At 5-2, UVa needs just two victories in its final six games to qualify for a bowl bid. That would qualify as a huge success for a team picked to finish eighth in the ACC in a preseason media poll.

But coach Al Groh and his players insist they aren't discussing bowls or polls or anything other than the task at hand: Saturday's home game against North Carolina (2-4).

"We've won five games, which we're very pleased about," Groh said. "I think the players have a lot of reason to feel confident about themselves. They've been presented with a lot of challenges and they've been able to win games in the face of a full gamut of challenges, so they ought to feel pretty good about that.

"My attitude is, right now, I'm just trying to figure out where the sixth [win] is going to come from. … If we should be so fortunate to get that one, then we're going to try hard to find where the seventh one is going to come from."

The Cavaliers already have won as many games as they did last season. Their current winning streak is their longest in four years.

As Groh likes to say, confidence is the result of demonstrated performance, and Virginia has demonstrated its ability to find ways to win games. They have overcome a halftime deficit three times and have won the past three games by a total of 14 points.

"We're definitely confident right now," said quarterback Matt Schaub. "But it's up to the leaders and veterans to keep the young guys from getting too confident. We just have to focus on our next game. We can't start looking ahead."

Said freshman defensive end Brennan Schmidt: "I don't think we're overconfident. I know personally that as a defense we have a lot of room for improvement. We're giving up a lot of yards. We're making a lot of mistakes out there. We're winning games but we want to keep getting better."

Indeed, it's fair to say no team that ranks 98th in the nation in total defense and 81st in total offense has any business getting full of itself.

"I can assure you, fellas, I don't know how we're going to play [against UNC]," Groh said. "But however we play - good, bad or indifferent - it won't be because we got cocky in a week's time."

On the mend. Senior linebacker Angelo Crowell, the team's defensive captain and leading tackler, missed the rest of last Saturday's 22-17 victory over Clemson after injuring a knee in the first quarter.

Groh said the injury is less severe than the one Crowell suffered two weeks ago to his other knee. That time, he returned to practice by midweek and played in the next game.

Groh said he won't know until later this week whether Crowell can play against the Tar Heels. For now, Crowell must deal with pain in both knees.

"He's not much of a candidate for a three-legged race right now," Groh said.

Gotta hand it to 'em. The Cavaliers have been hit with a rash of hand injuries lately.

Sophomore tailback Alvin Pearman broke a bone in his right hand two weeks ago but played a key role in defeating Duke and Clemson. He wasn't alone.

Four starters played against Clemson with casts on their right hands: cornerbacks Jamaine Winborne and Almondo Curry, linebacker Bryan White and center Zac Yarbrough.

Yarbrough, who has a bum thumb, is still playing on offense, but he has relinquished his long-snapping role on extra points and field goals to Ryan Childress.

Neither Winborne nor Curry has picked off a pass this year. But Winborne said he was inspired by Pearman, who has caught four passes despite his cast.

"We want to get one [interception], bring one back to the house," Winborne said. "If Alvin can catch, we can too."

Truly special. Ever since giving up a kickoff return touchdown to South Carolina, Virginia's coverage teams have been outstanding. That was the case against Clemson, when they held Derrick Hamilton - the ACC's all-purpose yardage leader - to an average of 18 yards on six kickoff returns.

As a result, the Tigers started six drives inside their own 18-yard line, including three inside the 10.

Groh mentioned Marquis Weeks, Alex Seals, Jason Snelling, Willie Davis and Jay Dorsey among the coverage men who excelled against Clemson.

Few flags. The Cavaliers are the least-penalized team in the ACC. They have been called for 36 penalties in seven games, compared to a school-record 90 in 12 games last season.

"Some of it is the [officiating] crews that you get," said Groh, who came to UVa emphasizing the importance of minimizing penalties. "There are certain crews, it doesn't make any difference what happens, you're going to get penalties. Certain other crews you get to do more - I don't mean illegal stuff, it's interpreted a different way.

"But I'll chalk part of it up to the fact that in everything, this team is listening very well to everything that's being told to them, and they understand that's part of the formula." Virginia was flagged just once for five yards against Clemson, the fewest penalties in Groh's 19 games as coach.

Rising stock. Freshman linebacker Darryl Blackstock was named ACC defensive back of the week after making 11 tackles, including a sack, against the Tigers. He now has six sacks, one behind ACC leader Shawn Johnson of Duke.

Game time. Virginia's game at Georgia Tech on Oct. 26 will start at 3:30 p.m. and be televised regionally by ABC.


 
Record-tying effort surprises freshman RB
 
By DOUG DOUGHTY
THE ROANOKE TIMES

   CHARLOTTESVILLE - Wali Lundy almost sounded apologetic Monday at the mention of his record-tying 11 receptions in a 22-17 victory over Clemson.

    "That's really a record that Billy ought to have when he leaves there," said Lundy, deferring to Virginia senior Billy McMullen.

    "When they came and told me, I was like, 'Whoa!' It didn't feel like that many receptions."

    Actually, McMullen still has a share of the UVa record for receptions in a game that was set by Joe Kehoe in 1960. McMullen twice had 11 receptions last year, the second against the Cavaliers' opponent this week, North Carolina.

    While McMullen is a wide receiver who holds most of Virginia's receiving records, Lundy is a running back who is leading the team in rushing as a freshman.

    Lundy, a 6-foot-1, 212-pounder from Delran, N.J., also leads the team in receptions with 38. McMullen, who set a school record last year with 83 receptions, is second this year with 30.

    Lundy, an all-state wide receiver as a junior at Holy Cross High School, catches virtually everything thrown his way and is still uncomfortable with a drop - his only drop of the season - against Wake Forest.

    His 11 receptions Saturday were for a total of 78 yards, with only one more than 9 yards. Lundy's 6.9-yard per-catch average is the lowest of the Cavaliers' top eight receivers.

    "Some of those passes are like running plays," UVa quarterback Matt Schaub said, "but we don't throw those 3- and 4-yarders just to be throwing 3- and 4-yarders. With some of the guys we have, we feel we can break one."

    Lundy has a 31-yard run and a 34-yard reception, but his longest play of the season was on a 58-yard return of the opening kickoff at Duke.

    "When you're a running back, you're always itching to take one all the way," Lundy said.

    The ACC record for receptions by a freshman is 58, set by ex-Maryland H-back Frank Wycheck in 1990 ... UVa tight end Heath Miller, a redshirt freshman, had his seventh touchdown reception of the season Saturday and is nearing the ACC record (eight) for a tight end, established by North Carolina's Mike Chatham in 1979.

    PERSONNEL: Somewhat conspicuous by his absence Saturday was UVa's other tight end, Patrick Estes, who has three touchdown receptions. Estes did not dress for the Clemson game. Fullback Kase Luzar took some snaps at tight end, his one-time home, with Estes out.

    Coach Al Groh said linebacker Angelo Crowell 's injury was not as serious as the knee injury he suffered two weeks earlier, which caused some in the media to ask, "What injury?" Crowell was back at practice by midweek after sustaining the earlier injury, Groh said.

    Of UVa's starting 24 players Saturday, including specialists Tom Hagan and Kurt Smith, nine were freshmen or redshirt freshman. That included 6-7, 286-pound Brian Barthelmes, described as "a brawler" by Groh, who made his first start at left offensive guard.

    IMPACT PLAYER: Outside linebacker Darryl Blackstock, named ACC defensive back of the week, had his team-high sixth sack against Clemson. Blackstock also leads the Cavaliers in tackles for loss with eight and has 12 quarterback pressures (nobody else has more than five). He is tied for second in the ACC in sacks.

    JONES BACK: Virginia recognized its all-time rushing leader, Thomas Jones, in ceremonies before the game. Former first-round NFL draft pick Jones is in his third year with the Arizona Cardinals, who were idle Sunday. Two of Jones' sisters are enrolled at UVa.

    BY THE NUMBERS: Virginia, riding a five-game winning streak, has been outgained by a total of 399 yards in the last four games. ... A key statistic Saturday was Virginia's average field position to start its 13 possessions, the Cavaliers' 38-yard line. The average starting point for Clemson on its 12 possessions was the Tigers' 22. ... UVa has lost two fumbles in the last five games after losing seven in the first two.

    ODDS 'N' ENDS: WSET has picked up its option on the Cavaliers' game Oct.26 at Georgia Tech and will begin its telecast at 3:30 p.m. ... UVa (5-2, 3-1 ACC) is a five-point favorite over North Carolina (2-4, 0-2). The Cavaliers are 2-1 as favorites and 3-1 as underdogs this season. ... The celebrant in a post-game photo published by several state newspapers including The Roanoke Times, was UVa nose tackle Justin "Snacks" Walker, who was incorrectly identified as Greg Zimpel, a walk-on who was issued the same jersey number (99) as Walker but did not play.

 

 

That flag on the play likely isn't against U.Va.



Published October 15, 2002

A year ago, it took Virginia very little time to hurt itself with penalties. In the first quarter of the season opener at Wisconsin, a clip nullified a 74-yard touchdown pass that would have given the Cavaliers a 10-0 lead. Virginia went on to lose that game and ended up the third-most penalized team in the ACC.

After seven weeks this season, Virginia is the least-flagged team in the conference, drawing on the average five penalties for 43 yards. The Cavaliers had one flag in last week's 22-17 victory against Clemson, a false start on their first snap.

Better execution? Yes, Virginia coach Al Groh said. Among other things.

"Some of it's circumstances, and probably some of it is the (officiating) crews you get," he said. "We could jump up and take a great deal of credit for it, but I think part of it is just who they assign to you. There's certain crews where it doesn't matter what happens, you're going to get penalties. You're just going to get them. (With) certain other crews you get to do, you know, more. I don't mean illegal stuff, it's just interpreted another way.

"But I'll chalk part of it up to ... this team is listening to everything that's being told to them. And they understand that's part of the formula." ...

Groh received some encouraging news on linebacker Angelo Crowell's injury, but he isn't ready to declare his defensive captain a go for Saturday's home game against North Carolina.

"This knee doesn't appear to be as severe as the one he hurt two weeks ago," Groh said. "... But I think with him, as well as a couple of other players, we're just going to have to see them work tonight to really be able to know. ... The trainer can give you all the medical information there is, but then it's what the player's able to do."

Crowell was in for 22 plays before injuring his knee in last week's victory against Clemson. It was unclear whether it was the same knee he had hurt two weeks earlier against Wake Forest. Crowell was able to play the following week at Duke.

Groh said tailback Michael Johnson was close to returning last week, but Johnson, a Heritage alumnus, missed his fourth consecutive game with a sprained ankle. ...

When Virginia's players gathered to watch tape of the Clemson game, chances are they hooted over Billy McMullen's stumbling, bumbling 1-yard touchdown run. Chances also are they gushed over Elton Brown's pancake that made it possible.

On a fourth-and-goal end around, Brown pulled from his right guard position and flattened Tigers cornerback Justin Miller, who otherwise would have had little difficulty stopping McMullen.

"I saw him at the last minute, and he was on the outside," Brown said. "I just unloaded on him and threw my whole body at him. You know, 320 (pounds) going at 190, the law of gravity says you're going to win."

It brought back memories for Virginia linebacker Darryl Blackstock, Brown's teammate at Heritage High.

"Man, that was crazy!" Blackstock said. "Big E just crushed that guy. I saw him do the same thing in high school. We were practicing on the baseball field back at Heritage and Elton pushed back this kid who weighed 315 pounds and was about 6-3. Made him flip twice. Man, I'll never forget that."...

Blackstock, who had 11 tackles and a key sack in the victory over Clemson, was named one of the ACC Players of the Week.