They are first and second in the nation in completion percentage. One is the reigning ACC player of the year. The other is the conference’s career leader in passing yards and touchdown passes.
If Virginia’s Matt Schaub and N.C. State’s Philip Rivers play up to their usual high standards Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium, “the game might take six hours,” said UVa coach Al Groh.
But if history is any guide, those anticipating a high-scoring battle between two of the country’s top quarterbacks may end up disappointed. For whatever reason, neither senior has fared particularly well in their head-to-head matchups.
In two starts against the Wolfpack, Schaub has averaged 149 passing yards and completed 54.7 percent of his throws - his lowest figures against any ACC team. He led Virginia to just 14 points in those two games.
In three games against the Cavaliers, including two losses, Rivers has not thrown for a single touchdown. That’s remarkable considering he has 82 TD passes in 47 games and has failed to throw for a score just six other times in his collegiate career.
“Certainly that’s been brought to my attention,” Rivers said Wednesday of his lack of success against UVa (5-3, 3-2 ACC), which is currently tied for second place in the conference with N.C. State (6-3, 3-2), Georgia Tech and Clemson.
Neither Rivers nor Schaub offer much explanation for their relative ineffectiveness in this series, other than to credit the opposing defense. Indeed, it’s been a defensive duel the last three years, with Virginia prevailing 24-17 in 2000, N.C. State recording a 24-0 shutout in 2001 and the Cavaliers eking out a 14-9 victory last November.
“The competitive nature of this game makes it hard to score a lot of points against each other,” said Schaub, who threw for two touchdowns in last year’s matchup. “It’s just whatever wins. Whatever way you can score, you have to take it.”
Surprisingly, Rivers rushed for a touchdown in each of his three games against Virginia. But his inability to put up his normal numbers through the air seems to make little sense, especially considering UVa’s pass defense was mediocre at best the past three years.
The Cavaliers intercepted Rivers once in each meeting and held him to an average of 239.7 passing yards, a bit below his career average of 253.2. More importantly, the Wolfpack averaged just 16.7 points in those matchups, compared to 32.3 in his other starts.
“I think it’s been a combination of both,” Rivers said. “They’ve done a good job defensively against us and we weren’t as good offensively against them.”
Groh doesn’t claim to have any secrets when it comes to containing Rivers. He was still in the NFL in 2000, when Bryson Spinner outplayed Rivers, who threw an interception late in the fourth quarter. The past two games have been different stories, Groh pointed out.
Two years ago in Raleigh, Rivers was efficient, completing 21 of 30 passes for 217 yards. The Wolfpack rushed for 196 yards and three touchdowns. Its defense also limited Virginia to 215 total yards, so coach Chuck Amato didn’t call on Rivers to win the game.
“I think the only reason that he didn’t [throw a TD pass] is because Chuck was very charitable that day,” Groh said. “It had more to do with Chuck than it did with us. Last year, we were a little more successful against [Rivers].”
Rivers threw 47 times in last year’s meeting, completing 28 for 236 yards, but State’s only touchdown came on Rivers’ 2-yard run with 1:49 left in the game. The nine points matched the lowest total for the Wolfpack since Rivers stepping in as starting quarterback the first game of his freshman season.
In all, Rivers has thrown 121 passes against Virginia without a touchdown.
“That’s pretty great for a secondary,” said UVa safety Jermaine Hardy. “We have to look into that and see what we did the last three years and go with that.”
Schaub, meanwhile, had one of his worst games the last time Virginia traveled to Raleigh. He completed 15 of 27 passes for 149 yards as the Cavaliers failed to score for just the second time in 208 games.
But at the time, Schaub was an inconsistent sophomore making his fourth start. He was a different quarterback last year, when he threw for 28 touchdowns and was named ACC player of the year. He did what was necessary against the Wolfpack, throwing TD passes to Ottowa Anderson and Patrick Estes as the Cavaliers rushed for 197 yards.
Last year’s game also was played in a cold, driving rain that made it difficult for either quarterback to throw. The forecast for Saturday is sunny skies and, possibly, big passing numbers.
After all, both QBs have been on top of their games recently. Schaub is completing 71 percent of his passes, tops in the country, and has averaged nearly 300 passing yards since his return from a separated shoulder. Rivers has thrown 21 TD passes in nine games and has a 70.8 completion rate.
Of course, neither says he will worry about stats this week. All that matters, both insist, is the final score.
“I think the two players [in the ACC] that mean the very most to their teams are Matt Schaub and Philip Rivers,” Groh said. “I don’t think you could find two players who are more integral to their teams’ success.”
Scattershooting around the ACC, while noting there are four ACC teams
ranked among the nation’s top 16 in scoring defense ...
One of those is Virginia, ranked No. 16 in that important category. In fact,
that’s the main defensive statistic that Coach Al Groh pays close attention
to. It really doesn’t matter if you’re giving up yardage as long as teams
don’t score.
After eight games, UVa is giving up 16.6 points per game. That’s a far cry
from last season when the Cavs finished 50th in the nation in that statistic
by giving up 24.9 points per game.
What does Groh attribute the improvement to?
“More talent, more experience for that talent and continuity in the scheme and
with each other,” Groh said during Wednesday’s ACC Coaches teleconference.
By the way, Florida State is fourth in the nation in the category (12.1),
Maryland is fifth (13.6), and Georgia Tech is No. 13 (16.0 per game). UVa’s
opponent this weekend, N.C. State, is seventh in the ACC in scoring defense,
giving up an average of 27.3 per game.
Playing for second. That’s exactly what Virginia and N.C.
State will be doing on Saturday when the teams clash in Raleigh. The two teams
are among five ACC teams with two losses, all fighting it out for second in
the league behind Florida State.
“We’re both in the same boat,” said Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato, affectionally
called “Chuckie Chest” by adoring fans because of the coach’s huge chest (from
working out over the years). “We’re both trying for the same thing. Everybody
will be out there playing hard, no matter how many bandaids we are wearing.”
State may have more band aids than Virginia. Star tailback T.A. McLendon has
missed four full games due to an array of injuries, the latest a knee injury
that required arthroscopic surgery.
“He has to be listed as doubtful,” Amato said. “There is a chance. The
swelling is down but when his knee locked up after the Clemson game (Oct. 16),
maybe that was the Good Lord’s way of saying, ‘You don’t need to play in the
Duke game. You may really blow it out.’”
Meanwhile, wide receiver Richard Washington will not play because of two
cracked ribs. Starting corner Lamont Reid, who missed the last two games with
a shoulder injury, could be back.
Family affair. Both North Carolina coach John Bunting and new
Duke head coach Ted Roof have found solace for their team’s long seasons
within the family confines.
Bunting leans on wife, Dawn, a former women’s basketball, softball and
volleyball coach, to help him cope with the increasing grief cast his way by
alumni and fans.
“Right now it’s difficult but I’m able to go home every night and wake up
every morning knowing that I’ll have an opportunity during the day to speak
with her and talk with her about the various situations that have occurred
during the course of the day,” Bunting said.
He often asks her for advice but sometimes he gets more than he bargains for,
as was the case after the last-minute loss to Arizona State, UNC’s 10th
straight loss at home.
“When all the people cleared out of the house after that game, I thought I had
been through all the venting and all this and all that,” Bunting said. “I
still had one more person to deal with.”
Meanwhile, Roof won the hearts of his players by playing daring football and
throwing some new wrinkles into the game, such as playing three quarterbacks
and running some wishbone formations. Still, with the loss, Roof found himself
second-guessing a lot of decisions.
That is until he got home.
“The one saving grace that I have is that when I got home, my five-year-old
boys were waiting for me. They hugged me and said, ‘Daddy, we love you.’ And
for a brief moment there were no problems in the world,” Roof said.
Irish mystique. Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said that
he has always tried to educate his young players about the mystique of Notre
Dame, the school’s long and hallowed football tradition.
Obviously some of them have needed it over the years. For instance in 1993,
FSU players Chris Cowart and Kez McCorvey referred to legendary Notre Dame
coach Knute Rockne as Rock Knutne.
The Irish may be 2-5 this season but Bowden only has to point to last year
when the Domers stuck it to FSU in Tallahassee as a reminder of what Notre
Dame can do.
One thing is for sure. Bowden will not have his team wearing green caps with
FSU on them when they travel to South Bend this year as they did the last time
the Seminoles traveled to Notre Dame. While Bowden meant the gesture to honor
the tradition of the Irish, former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz used it as an
insult to motivate his team.
“Lou ate that up,” Bowden said. “Lou made us eat those green hats.”
Techno Ralph. Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen is a strong
believer in modern technology helping win football games. Coaches don’t watch
the old game films anymore, in fact it’s not even just video tape ... the
game’s gone digital.
“I told Dr. Yow when she offered me the job that I couldn’t take it unless we
had at least five digital stations (for coaches, players to review plays and
opponents),” Friedgen said. “Now, we have 28 [viewing stations]. I think it’s
the difference in two or three wins a year.”
Short yardage ... Groh said that tailback Wali Lundy will
be ready to go against N.C. State and will be an integral part of the game
plan as will Alvin Pearman. ...After turning the ball over three times in its
opener against Georgia, Clemson has committed only six turnovers in seven
games and none of the Tigers’ last seven opponents have scored a single point
off a Clemson turnover. ...By the way, Tiger fans have come up for a cute name
for Bowden’s offense, which lines up quickly without a huddle and waits for
the offensive play to be sent in from coaches, who are reading the defense.
The name? “The Hurry Up and Wait Offense,” of course.
...Carolina, 1-7, has not won an ACC game this season but Coach John Bunting
believes the Tar Heels will crack through before the year is over because they
are running the ball better (640 yards on the ground in the last three games).
...Bobby Bowden snapped at a caller on his radio show this week when the
caller asked if the coach would keep son Jeff as the team’s offensive
coordinator. “OK, let’s get rid of Jeffrey. Who do ya’ll want to hire in his
place? Do ya’ll want the guy in Athens, Ga.? Do you want to get him?
Vanderbilt shut them out in the first half, but is that who you want? They
scored 16 against UAB last weekend? OK, let’s change Jeffrey.” After Bowden
collected himself, he said, “I can’t believe a guy asked me if I’m going to
fire my son.”
The picks. Last week: 4-1. The ‘New ACC’: 0-2. Overall:
38-13. This week: Clemson 24, Wake Forest 16; Tennessee 33, Duke 19; Florida
State 34, Notre Dame 17; Maryland 24, UNC 17; Virginia 21, N.C. State 20.
Senators says BCS needs fixing
ROBERT GEHRKE
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The Bowl Championship Series shuts out too many schools in its goal
of crowning a college football champion and needs to be repaired, senators told
representatives of the bowl system Wednesday.
"I don't know if you guys know how it looks to fans of teams that aren't part of
this system," said Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. "It looks un-American. It really does.
It looks unfair. It looks like a rigged deal."
Created in 1998 by the six most powerful college conferences, the BCS guarantees
that the champions of those conferences will play in one of the four most
lucrative postseason bowl games, leaving only two at-large berths.
Former BYU coach LaVell Edwards said the BCS system also makes it harder for
teams outside the alliance to recruit, since there is little chance the players
will ever be able to compete for a national championship.
Division I-A football is the only college sport not to have a playoff system.
BYU, which won the national championship in 1984, is the only team other than
Notre Dame outside the six BCS conferences to have won a national championship
since 1945.
In the 20 years before the BCS started, only one school other than Notre Dame
that is not currently in the Big East, ACC, Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 or Pac-10
played in one of the series' four bowls.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a BYU graduate, said the current system raises enough
questions of fairness that it is in college football's best interest to fix it
instead of forcing Congress to intervene.
NCAA President Myles Brand said he is open to a system that would be more
inclusive, but does not believe that there is a need for radical changes or
adoption of a playoff system.
Harvey Perlman, chancellor of the University of Nebraska, said the current
system is the fairest way to determine a national champion and provides adequate
opportunity for schools outside the BCS to play their way into contention.
A team that finishes in the top 12 of the BCS standings is eligible for
consideration, and a team in the top six automatically gets a spot.
And Keith Tribble, chairman of the Football Bowl Association and chief executive
officer of the Orange Bowl Committee, said the bowl games are attracting more
fans, benefiting their host communities and generating more money than ever,
paying out $800 million in the last five years.
"For the past 90 years, bowl games have been the heart and soul of college
football. It has never been healthier," Tribble said.
Tulane President Scott Cowen disagrees. In 1998, the Green Wave went through the
season undefeated, but were shut out of the top-tier games. A year later, the
same thing happened to Marshall.
"There is no doubt in my mind that the current system is unjust and
unjustifiable," said Cowen, who also heads a coalition of more than 50 schools
that are not part of the BCS.
This year, TCU is 8-0 but was only 12th in the latest BCS standings and could be
shut out of a lucrative bowl.
The projected revenue for the four 2004 BCS games is $118 million, but only
about $6 million will go to the non-BCS schools unless one of them qualifies for
a major bowl game.
Cowen's group is scheduled to meet with the presidents of the conferences in the
BCS system on Nov. 16 to discuss potential changes to the BCS.
"If they are allowed to continue that kind of monopoly, they will suffer the
same fate of any other monopoly in the country. They will become bloated,
inefficient ... and eventually kill the golden goose," said Sen. Bob Bennett,
R-Utah.
Artists at work
BY AL FEATHERSTON : The Herald-Sun
afeatherston@heraldsun.com; 419-6606
Oct 30, 2003 : 12:54 am ET
RALEIGH -- Virginia's Matt Schaub and N.C. State's Philip Rivers grace the cover
of the 2003 ACC Football Media Guide.
The side-by-side cutout photos make the two senior quarterbacks appear to be
duplicates of one another. Why not? Virginia's No. 7 and N.C. State's No. 17 are
almost the same size, their styles are strikingly similar and they've both
posted some amazing passing numbers over the last two years.
"Probably the two best in our conference," UNC coach John Bunting said of the
two quarterbacks. "I think both these quarterbacks are extremely similar in that
they're very competitive and tall in the pocket. They're both great
quarterbacks.
"I've said all along that I think Philip Rivers is a coach's dream. ... Schaub
also makes a lot of great decisions."
Some of their statistics are eerily similar. Rivers' career pass efficiency
rating of 139.56 is 11th in ACC history, just ahead of Schaub at 137.44. In the
last two years, Rivers has thrown 41 touchdowns and 13 interceptions; Schaub has
thrown 37 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. And Schaub's 2003 completion
percentage of 70.95 is the best in the nation -- though only a hair better than
Rivers' percentage of 70.83.
"I had a brief conversation with [an NFL] scout who I know well, and I was
answering some of his questions about Matt," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "The
comparison of the two of them came up in the conversation, and I told him I
thought that they were both really pretty much the same player, especially when
you look at them.
"People are going to say that the delivery is a little bit different from each
player, but when the ball is in the air, for both players, the ball is out in a
hurry. They make all the throws. They throw from one hashmark to the sideline.
They throw in-cuts. They throw quickly against the blitz. They both have
comparable accuracy percentages over the last two years. They both are vital to
the success of their team. There certainly are a great many things that they
have in common."
Groh suggested that the big difference between the two was Rivers' early arrival
on the ACC scene.
"What I think is remarkable is the way he played as a freshman and a sophomore,"
Groh said. "There are a lot of quarterbacks who are playing well and have played
well throughout their careers, but very few of them are prepared to play like
Rivers in his first two years -- whether it's [Heisman Trophy winner] Carson
Palmer or Matt Schaub."
Rivers is, of course, the most prolific passer in ACC history. But it was Schaub
who won the ACC player of the year award in 2002. Saturday, the ACC's two best
quarterbacks face off at Carter-Finley Stadium when Virginia visits N.C. State.
"I think it will be a very interesting game to watch," Bunting said. "Hold on to
your hats!"
But Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato pointed out that the two rivals never will be on
the field at the same time.
"Philip is more concerned about going against the University of Virginia's
defense than he is about going against Matt Schaub," Amato said. "I really don't
think I'm going to say, 'You've got to outplay him.' He's got to outplay their
defense."
That's been a problem for Rivers over the course of his career. In three
previous games against the Cavaliers, he is 1-2 and has averaged 239.7 yards a
game -- his eighth-lowest average against ACC opponents. And Virginia is the
only ACC school that he hasn't burned for a touchdown pass.
"Certainly, that's been brought to my attention," Rivers said. "It's probably a
combination of things. They're good on defense, and the two games we've lost, we
haven't been great offensively."
The Pack's senior leader was asked if his failure to throw a TD pass in three
games against the Cavs bothered him.
"Maybe it does in that that could have been the difference between winning and
losing the two we lost," he said. "If it comes along with a win, that would be
great."
Schaub hasn't had that much better luck against the Pack. He's 1-1 as a starter
and has thrown for exactly 149 yards in both games against N.C. State. He wasn't
able to get the Cavs a point in the 2001 loss in Raleigh, but he did throw for
two short touchdowns in Virginia's 14-9 victory last year in Charlottesville.
"I think our two defenses played so well against each other's offense," Schaub
said. "I think the competitive nature of this game and what goes into it makes
it hard to score a lot of points against one another because our defenses played
so well."
Last year's game probably made the difference in ACC player of the year honors.
The media's vote came the week after that game -- before Rivers engineered N.C.
State's upset of Florida State and Schaub led Virginia past Maryland.
Amato suggested that the two quarterbacks were so close together in performance
that the outcome of the vote might have been tipped by the last play of the
game.
"The last play of the game, the ball hit a receiver in his hands in the end
zone," Amato said. "It would have been a phenomenal catch, but had he caught
that and N.C. State would have won, I wonder if the vote would have gone the
other way?"
Rivers pointed out that quarterbacks are judged as much on their winning
percentage as on their passing stats. He suggested that is why he and Schaub no
longer are Heisman Trophy front-runners -- their teams have lost three times
each.
"The deal with the Heisman is winning games," Rivers said. "We've both been
trying to win a game more so than to have good numbers or a good day. He can't
help that he got hurt early in the year. He just about all he can do in the
games he's played."
Those eye-popping completion percentages are evidence of how well the two
quarterbacks have played, though Rivers said both quarterbacks benefit from
their offensive schemes.
"In both of our offenses, our backs are involved, which should be a complete
pass every time we throw to them," the Wolfpack senior said. "I think a lot of
that is due to our experience and our patience. Younger quarterbacks tend to --
and even I did it -- try to make that big play. We play within our system and
try to move the ball with first downs, and by doing that, you're going to have
that higher competition percentage."
Rivers actually has completed 73 percent of his passes this season to his wide
receivers, although that includes Tramain Hall, who occasionally lines up as a
running back. The remainder of his passes have gone to his running backs (15
percent) and his tight ends (12 percent).
Just 40 percent of Schaub's passes go to his wide receivers. He spreads things
out more evenly to his tight ends (34 percent) and backs (26 percent).
"That's the main reason why we can complete so many balls," Schaub said. "That
way, we don't have to force too many things downfield. We can come down to our
tight ends or running backs on swing routes or check downs and let them make
some yardage and keep making positive plays instead of having to keep looking
for chunks of yardage."
Rivers and Schaub got to spend some time together last summer, when they both
appeared at the ACC Football Kickoff at Greensboro, Ga. They traded practice
ideas and war stories and came away liking and respecting each other.
"I knew him a little before," Schaub said. "He's definitely a great player and a
great person and represents their university in an A-plus fashion."
Rivers returned the compliments.
"He's a good guy," he said. "I got to talk to him a little bit. He seems very
laid back and calm -- one of those laid-back, calm older guys."
But Rivers and Schaub will put the good feelings aside when N.C. State and
Virginia meet Saturday. Second place in the ACC is at stake for the two teams --
first place among ACC quarterbacks is at stake for the two individuals.
That brings up something else Rivers said last summer, when a reporter tried to
compare his statistics with Schaub's.
"Those kind of things, you get into comparing and you're not going to win,"
Rivers said. "You can analyze it to death and say, 'If this' and 'If that,' but
the bottom line is, which team wins."
|
Richmond Times-Dispatch
|
Oct 30, 2003
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PIVOTAL PLAY: Last Nov. 16 in Charlottesville, on a raw, damp day, N.C. State's Philip Rivers ran for a touchdown and completed 28 of 47 passes for 236 yards. He was intercepted once. Virginia's Matt Schaub connected on 14 of 26 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns, and he wasn't intercepted.
The game wasn't decided until cornerback Jamaine Winborne, in the end zone, batted down a fourth-down pass by Rivers with 17 seconds left to preserve U.Va.'s 14-9 upset of the 20th-ranked Wolfpack.
Later that month, Schaub was named ACC player of the year. Rivers had to settle for a spot on the all-conference second team.
"The last play of the game, if the kid from N.C. State catches it . . . I wonder if the vote would have gone the other way," N.C. State coach Chuck Amato said yesterday. "One play! How about that?"
The Wolfpack (3-2, 6-3) plays host to the Cavaliers (3-2, 5-3) on Saturday afternoon at sold-out Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C. Rivers, a senior, is averaging an ACC-high 323.1 yards passing. Schaub, a senior who missed two full games and most of another with a shoulder injury, is fourth with a 255.3 average.
QUESTION MARK: N.C. State's star tailback, sophomore T.A. McLendon, had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee twice recently and might not play against Virginia.
"I think it's very, very, very doubtful," Amato said yesterday, "but it could happen."
McLendon, the ACC rookie of the year in 2002, has been slowed by various injuries this season. He's rushed for 308 yards and four touchdowns in five games.
MANY HAPPY RETURNS: Three ACC players rank among the top 10 nationally in kickoff-return average. North Carolina senior Michael Waddell (31.9) leads Division I-A, Duke junior Senterrio Landrum (30.5) is third, and U.Va. freshman Tony Franklin (28.4) is ninth.
Among ACC teams, Clemson ranks first in kickoff returns (30.4) and last in punt returns (4.2).
"We've got the same two guys returning kickoffs that are returning punts," Tigers coach Tommy Bowden said, referring to junior Derrick Hamilton and sophomore Justin Miller.
"You would not think there'd be that much of a difference, but there is, and we're kind of scratching our heads trying to figure out why."
OUCH: Duke (2-6), which has lost five consecutive, visits 19th-ranked Tennessee (5-2) on Saturday in a nonconference game. A crowd of more than 100,000 is expected at Neyland Stadium.
"We've got to enjoy being in the atmosphere and that environment and not worry about how many [fans] there are," said Ted Roof, Duke's interim coach. "They're not going to block and tackle."
RISING STAR: Georgia Tech safety James Butler wasn't heralded coming into the season, but he's building an impressive resume. Butler, a 6-3, 210-pound junior, made 12 tackles and intercepted two passes in the Yellow Jackets' 7-3 win over Maryland on Oct. 23.
Butler, the ACC's defensive back of the week, leads the conference with five interceptions.
"He's a very intelligent football player and a very athletic player," Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey said. "I'm happy for him, but we knew it all along. It's just a matter of other people now recognizing it."
WAKE UP THE ECHOES? A season ago in Tallahassee, Fla., Notre Dame stunned Florida State 34-24. The fifth-ranked Seminoles are heavily favored to avenge that loss Saturday when they visit South Bend, Ind., but the Fighting Irish (2-5) and their proud tradition worry Bobby Bowden.
"I'm aware of the tradition of Notre Dame," FSU's coach said. "I guess that's what scares me as much as anything: knowing what they've done through the years and what they're capable of doing."
HIGH STAKES: With four regular-season games left, Wake Forest is 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC. The Demon Deacons still must play Clemson, North Carolina, Connecticut and Maryland.
"Two years ago, we were 6-5 and did not get a bowl invitation," Wake coach Jim Grobe told reporters in Winston-Salem, N.C. "Last year, we were 6-6 and were fortunate to get in. So our guys know what's at stake. We obviously have to win at least two more to even have a chance, but two more may not do it." - Jeff White