Bunting impressed by Hagans' play
By Jim Furlong / Daily Progress correspondent
October 19, 2005

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Coach John Bunting answered many questions Tuesday about Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans during his weekly press conference. He also praised the Cavaliers, as a group, for their 26-21 home victory last Saturday over then-fourth-ranked Florida State.

“I told our team I anticipate [Virginia’s] best game,” Bunting said. “Their quarterback had a career day against Florida State. ... He was an absolute magician on the field. And, of course, it takes two to tango. Their tight ends and receivers made the catches.

“Virginia played an outstanding game; marvelous in terms of execution and the emotion they played with, particularly against a team like Florida State. Their defense played with tremendous emotion.”

Bunting compared Hagans, who threw for a career-high 306 yards against the Seminoles, to former Clemson quarterback Woody Dantzler. When Clemson visited Scott Stadium in 2000, a 31-10 romp over the Cavaliers, Dantzler sparkled with 374 yards of total offense and touchdown runs of 75 and 45 yards.

“I went back and looked at Woody Dantzler, but Hagans throws the ball better,” Bunting said. “He is accurate in the pocket, accurate outside the pocket. He’s Dantzler-like quick. He made plays getting hit, going sideways, getting smashed.

“What he did [against Florida State] was phenomenal. Hagans has a tremendous awareness of where everybody is. He feels the rush and is able to escape the rush. It really takes a well-orchestrated defensive front to get him on the ground.”

North Carolina defensive tackle Kyndraus Guy said he watched “every second” of the UVa-FSU game. Guy said the UNC defenders are well aware of Hagans’ elusive runs and repeated ability to use his speed to create an impact.

“The main thing, when they go to pass, is to keep him in the pocket,” Guy said. “He’s listed at 210 [pounds], but he plays like he is 225.

“We have to gang tackle him and make him suffer.”

North Carolina ranks 14th among all Division I teams for sacks, averaging 3.2 per game.

Just as important as bottling up Hagans, Bunting wants to see his North Carolina football team produce a “big stretch run.”

The Tar Heels (2-3, 1-1 ACC) play four of their next five games at home, starting Saturday at noon when Virginia invades Kenan Stadium for a televised duel.

“I want our team to show our fans that we are for real,” Bunting said. “That we can compete and win. [Saturday’s] game is particularly important. We’re at home and we haven’t beaten Virginia in three years. It’s important for us to have a level of consistency.”

The Tar Heels, who have one of the nation’s most-difficult schedules, have been inconsistent on both sides of the ball, and lack an effective rushing attack. Fifth-year senior quarterback Matt Baker, a first-year starter, has performed well most of the time and he ranks fourth in the ACC for total offense, averaging 244.6 yards per game.

North Carolina faces an uphill climb to become bowl eligible. Its next four foes, including Miami, Boston College and Maryland are a combined 19-6.

After opening with losses to Georgia Tech and Wisconsin, UNC rebounded to upset North Carolina State and Utah.

Bunting thought his team was on the way up, but the Tar Heels flopped Oct. 8. Louisville stampeded 69-14 at home - scoring the most points by an opponent in UNC’s football history (a total of 1,132 games).

Last week, Bunting gave his players several days off “to refresh” and shake off that loss.

The open date also gave senior wide receiver Jarwarski Pollock more time to recover following knee surgery on Oct. 7.

The 5-foot-8, 170-pound Pollock, one of the ACC’s smallest players, said Tuesday his knee is fine and he’s ready to go against the Cavaliers.

While senior kicker Connor Hughes, an All-ACC candidate, may break UVa’s record for career scoring on Saturday, Pollock hopes to break a UNC school record.

Pollock is second on UNC’s career list for catches (160 for 1,764 yards). He needs needs five more catches to equal the school record.

NOTES: Virginia owns a 16-5-1 record against North Carolina in the last 22 meetings. The Cavaliers crushed the Tar Heels 56-24 13 months ago at Scott Stadium. The two schools will collide for the 110th time, and have competed against each other every year since 1919. …Virginia coach Al Groh once helped UNC beat the Cavaliers. Groh was a defensive assistant for five seasons (1973-77) in Chapel Hill and the Tar Heels won four of five games in that span. … Two current UNC assistant coaches - Gary Tranquill and Andre Powell - once coached at UVa for George Welsh. … Seven players from the state of Virginia are listed on the 2005 UNC roster.
 

Hagans' play still drawing praise
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
October 19, 2005

Al Groh stopped just short of saying that the play of Marques Hagans on Saturday night during Virginia’s 26-21 win over Florida State was the greatest game ever played by a signal-caller at the university.
“I thought [Hagans] was remarkable the other night,” Groh said. “I’m trying to be respectful and understanding of the performances of many terrific Virginia quarterbacks who have preceded Marques, when I say that it’s got to be one of the better games that a Virginia quarterback has ever played.”
Groh said he heard from a couple of people that he values who “have already weighed in their opinion on it and have said it’s the best game a Virginia quarterback ever played, particularly considering the stage he was on.”
It should come as no surprise that those two opinions came from former standouts at quarterback. And it shouldn’t be a shocker that both wore Virginia orange and blue during their college careers.
Groh didn’t offer any names, but when asked on Tuesday during his weekly press conference if the dynamic duo was Mike Groh and Matt Schaub, he smiled and said, “They’re two of the guys on the panel, yes.”
Hagans tossed two touchdowns - one to Wali Lundy and one to Jonathan Stupar - and did not throw an interception as he completed 27 of 36 pass attempts against FSU.
Up next for Hagans? North Carolina’s pass defense, which is ranked 10th in the conference and 90th in the country.
UNC coach John Bunting, whose team is 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the ACC, watched the Cavaliers (4-2, 2-2) play and watched their quarterback dance all over the field.
Bunting said Hagans “had an absolute career day.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a quarterback make as many plays as he did in that game. And I’m talking about some guys who have been around - Darian Durant [a former UNC QB] and even some pro guys,” he said.
What Hagans did, however, could not have happened without some help.
“Obviously, it takes two to tango,” Bunting said. “He had to have people who were catching the ball. The tight end made a great catch, the wide receivers made some great catches.”
Indeed, 11 different Cavaliers caught passes. And 22 of 27 of the team’s receptions were made by a tight end or a wide receiver, a group that includes eight players.
“I think we played great,” said UVa wide receiver Fontel Mines. “The wide receivers and the tight ends, we went out and made a lot of catches. Everybody had at least one catch. You don’t see that often throughout the country, playing so many wide receivers and everybody getting a catch.
“I am sure the coaching staff is proud of us and I am proud of everybody.”

A BYE WEEK: North Carolina got an extra week to prepare for Virginia, now ranked No. 23 in the country.
That could be good or bad. The last time UNC played they gave up 69 points to Louisville. It will have been 14 days for the Tar Heels to think about that total.
“That Louisville team, nobody has slowed them down for two years,” Groh said. “I noticed they got another 46 or something the other day. They have had numbers like that and it has been pretty frequent.
“I don’t think we are necessarily patterned to be the same type of team that Louisville is, so I don’t know that there is necessarily a lot of comparison at this point that we can make.”
When asked made he made of the 69 points that UNC allowed, Groh picked his words carefully.
“One of the things that I have learned is never to gloat over anything like that,” Groh said, “because you are always just one game away from having it happen to you yourself.”

BROOKS IS BACK: Virginia LB Ahmad Brooks made just four tackles against Florida State, a low number by his standards, but he was on the field for a season-high 52 plays and played on the inside of the Cavs’ 3-4 defense. Against Maryland, the only other game that Brooks played in, he was at outside linebacker.
“I thought that execution-wise [Brooks] did pretty decent for the first time,” Groh said referring to Brooks’ return to inside linebacker. “Now his stamina has got a ways to go.”
When Brooks is tired, Groh has the option of inserting Antonio Appleby, a true freshman, into the game. Appleby was on the field for 17 plays against the Seminoles.
“Antonio Appleby did a real nice job taking significant plays [against FSU], so that we could keep Ahmad from ever having to go long stretches at a time, other than the last couple of series when he was in there primarily on the nickel.”
“That’s a big load for a true freshman to carry, to come into a game like this and take as many turns as he did.”
Late in the game, with Florida State trying to make a comeback, Brooks was a mainstay in Virginia’s nickel defense.

DABBLING IN THE DEPTH CHART: There was little movement in the two-deep released by the program on Tuesday.
Mike Brown is listed ahead of Chris Gorham as a starter at cornerback. Tom Santi is one spot ahead of Jason Snelling at fullback. Also, Brooks is listed as the starter at inside linebacker.
Those moves should come as no surprise. All three players had those duties against Florida State and in a starting capacity.
Brown, a true freshman, has been on the field for 139 plays, including 54 against FSU. He has made 11 tackles and broken up one pass.
Virginia will need more plays from Brown, especially since another true freshman, Chris Cook, is out for the remainder of the regular season with a broken foot (suffered at Boston College).
When asked of Brown’s early impact, Groh said: “It’s more a case of we’ve been carrying Mike than he’s been helping us.”
Santi is no stranger to the fullback position. He started practicing at the spot when Snelling was sidelined last year with a foot injury.
Even with Santi at fullback, he serves more as a blocker and a passing target than ball carrier.
Snelling has 13 carries this season for 88 yards, both numbers that would be higher if the fullback had not suffered a relapse of medical conditions, which are unrelated to injuries. It was the same type of problem that forced Snelling to redshirt in 2003.
The only player that has been ruled out for Saturday’s game is outside linebacker Jermaine Dias (foot sprain).

HALL GETTING A LOOK: Virginia has six quarterbacks on scholarship. One of those players has taken some work recently as a defensive back.
Vic Hall, a true freshman from Gretna High School, has worked at cornerback. Why? It is a numbers game.
Marcus Hamilton, Gorham and Brown are the lone healthy options at cornerback, as long as Tony Franklin is a starter at safety.
Hall has “really shown a very quick aptitude to pick things up,” Groh said.
“He is very explosive. It appears that - with our short exposure to him - whatever you ask Vic Hall to do athletically, he’s still Vic Hall.
“He’s got that whatever to him.”
Hall has not played yet this season, keeping alive the potential for a redshirt season.

CHIP SHOTS: Virginia needs to win two games to become bowl eligible. UNC needs to win four of its final six games, but they play four of the next five at home. … Even if UVa wins its final four ACC games, it might not be enough to win the Coastal Division title. Virginia Tech is 3-0 in league play and if they only lose to the Cavaliers, they will still win the division. …
UVa cornerback Marcus Hamilton is one of three players in the league with four interceptions this season, joining Duke’s John Talley and Georgia Tech’s Philip Wheeler. “He’s like a different player right now, mostly as a result of his confidence,” Groh said. “He’s seen it all. He’s got his techniques down. He’s got his reads down.” …
Virginia has scored twice this season on its opening drive. One of those scores came against Florida State. … The average attendance at Virginia’s home games (61,790) ranks fourth in the league. Florida State (82,451), Clemson (79,333) and Virginia Tech (65,115) rank ahead of the Cavaliers. Duke ranks last with an average of 16,959 fans per home game. …
The Cavaliers lead the ACC in kickoff coverage and red zone defense and turnover margin in conference games. … Groh said right tackle Brad Butler, who served a one-game suspension against Florida State, did not watch that game from the sidelines, although he would have been allowed to.

 

Hot-handed and ailing, he'll play
By Doug Doughty
981-3129
The Roanoke Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Marques Hagans, who developed a tight hamstring during the course of play Saturday, was among a group of Virginia players held out of practice Monday night.

Sometimes secretive about injuries, Cavaliers' coach Al Groh showed no concern about Hagans' availability for the Cavaliers' game Saturday against North Carolina.

Hagans attempted 36 passes this past Saturday in a 26-21 victory over Florida State and also had nine rushing attempts -- three resulting from sacks -- but the Cavaliers (4-2, 2-2 ACC) aren't looking to reduce his workload.

Hagans has been sacked 19 times this season -- four more than during the entire 2004 season.

"This might be an extreme example," Groh said, "but if you'd said to Phil Jackson, 'think the Bulls can continue to win if [Michael] Jordan has to score 30 points per game,' I'd have said, 'That's why we have Michael on the team."

Groh said tributes continue to roll in for Hagans, who was 27-of-36 passing for a career-high 306 yards in the win over the then-No. 4 Seminoles.

"I'm trying to be respectful and understanding of the performances of many terrific quarterbacks who preceded Marques when I say it's got to be one of the better games a Virginia quarterback has ever played," Groh said.

"There have been two of those former quarterbacks who have already weighed in with their opinion on it and have said it was the best game a Virginia quarterback ever played, particularly considering the stage he was on."

Groh's son, Mike, was the UVa quarterback in the program's only other victory over Florida State, in 1995, and now serves as the Cavaliers' quarterbacks coach. Matt Schaub, now with the Atlanta Falcons, holds virtually all of UVa's passing records.

"They're two of the guys on the panel," Al Groh said.

Finishing problems

Groh had indicated that fourth-quarter play was one of Virginia's downfalls in a 28-17 loss at Boston College, and it almost proved to be the Cavaliers' undoing again Saturday night, when they were outgained 143-0 in the final frame.

Florida State had seven first downs in the fourth quarter and Virginia had one, and that came on a penalty.

"I think it was effective," Groh said when asked to sum up his team's fourth-quarter performance. "The thing that put us in a bind was the unfortunate penalty that we had on third down and six inches. Had we picked up that first down, which we should have been able to do, who knows what would have happened?"

Groh was referring to an illegal-substitution penalty followed by a Florida State sack, which forced the Cavaliers to punt from their 12. Florida State needed to go only 47 yards for the touchdown, which when followed by a successful two-point conversion made it a 26-18 game with 12:31 left.

UVa later got an 8-yard reception from Michael Johnson on first down that went for naught when Hagans, who had trouble handling a low shotgun snap from Brian Barthelmes, fell on the ball for a 4-yard loss.

"We weren't really using the shotgun before Brian was injured," said Groh, who had used Jordy Lipsey at center for the previous 2 1/2 games. "This was the first game we tried to make pretty extensive use of him in there.

"It's [the shotgun] important against the rush Florida State has because they're on you so fast and penetrating so aggressively that it's advantageous to give the quarterback a head start. There were certainly a number of occasions where that helped Marques out."

Explanation sought

Groh, who said he only corresponds with the ACC office after a win, indicated he would send a tape of a fourth-quarter play in which UVa sophomore Chris Long was called for roughing-the-passer.

Television replays showed Long with his hands around Drew Weatherford's waist before Weatherford had let go of the ball. Long fell on top of Weatherford but did not slam him to the ground.

"All I want to say is, 'Help me out here, ACC people. What should I tell this player?' " Groh said. "What should he have done?"

Theft ring

Tony Franklin's interception with about 50 seconds remaining was the Cavaliers' 10th of the season -- one more than they had in 12 games last year.

"Biggest play I've ever made," said Franklin, who also had one of Virginia's seven pass break-ups, a major improvement after they had notched a total of 11 in the first six games.

Up for honors

Senior tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson is one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award, handed out annually to the nation's best college lineman. The award, for which down lineman and defensive players lined up within 5 yards of the football are eligible, will be presented at a dinner in Houston on Dec. 7.

Ferguson, who missed two games with injury before playing against Florida State, is one of three ACC players in contention for the honor. Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka and Miami's Eric Winston are the others.

Odds 'n' ends

Groh said the Cavaliers will be without starting outside linebacker Jermaine Dias (sprained foot) for the fourth game in a row. "Sometimes a sprain is worse than a break," Groh said. ... Wide receiver Kevin Ogletree and defensive end Alex Field made their debuts Saturday night, along with fellow true freshman wide receiver Maurice Covington. Exactly half of the players in UVa's 22-man recruiting class have been in a game. ... Stat of the week: UVa is now 19-0 all time when scoring 26 points.

 

After sky-high victory, Cavs likely to return mostly to the ground
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© October 19, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE — And now back to your regularly scheduled Virginia offense.

The Cavaliers upended then-No. 4 Florida State Saturday despite rushing for just 20 yards — their lowest total since last season’s FSU game.

They’ll take it. The bottom line was a victory that vaulted Virginia back into the top 25 and injected new hope into a season that appeared to be slipping away.

But with North Carolina up Saturday, look for Virginia to try to re-establish the running game that had become its trademark over the past two years.

“It’s been a little bit sporadic,” coach Al Groh said.

Virginia ranks seventh in the ACC and 62nd in the nation in rushing, averaging 145 yards per game. Last year, the Cavaliers led the ACC and ranked seventh in the nation, at 242.8 yards per game.

Some of the drop-off can be attributed to injuries. Tailback Wali Lundy sprained his foot in the season opener and is just now rounding into shape. Left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson and center Brian Barthelmes both missed games with injuries. Right tackle Brad Butler served a one-game suspension last week.

This week, the offensive line is intact for the first time since the Duke game Sept. 24.

“We hope to build a little rhythm and a little continuity,” Groh said.

Two ex-Cavs give Hagans the ultimate compliment

One reason Virginia abandoned the run against Florida State was because the Seminoles loaded up against it defensively. Another was that quarterback Marques Hagans could do no wrong.

Groh said Saturday night that there “probably haven’t been too many games played by a Virginia quarterback that were better than that.”

On Tuesday, Groh said a pair of former Virginia quarterbacks — Matt Schaub and Mike Groh — told him to drop the “probably.”

“They said it was the best game a Virginia quarterback has ever played,” the coach said.

Hagans completed 27 of 36 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns, without throwing an interception. He eluded a relentless pass rush all night, despite pulling a hamstring in the first half.

That sore hamstring kept Hagans out of practice Monday. He will be available Saturday, Groh said.

Reserve QB practicing at corner — just in case

One of Virginia’s quarterbacks of the future, prized recruit Vic Hall, has been working at cornerback to provide depth at one of the team’s thinnest positions.

“We want to be prepared for any eventuality,” Groh said.

Groh said the move is temporary. The dynamic freshman from Gretna, Va., is expected to return to quarterback after the season.

Meanwhile, Hall has picked up his new position quickly, teammate Chris Gorham said.

“He’s definitely an athlete,’ Gorham said. “I’m sure you’re familiar with what he did in high school.”

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Hall set the state record for total offense, amassing 13,770 yards at Gretna High.

Quick hits …

Tickets for the Temple game Nov. 5, which was reported to be sold out, have become available after the Owls returned part of their allotment. They are available for $30 by calling 1-800-542-UVA1. ... Groh said linebacker Jermaine Dias will miss his fourth straight game Saturday with a sprained foot. Mark Miller will again start in his place. ... Kicker Connor Hughes needs just three points Saturday to break the oldest record in the Virginia book, the 293 career points established by Norfolk’s own Eugene Mayer from 1912-1915.

 

Last exam does wonders for Cavaliers
Virginia boosts its midterm grades with an upset of Florida State, but the Cavaliers still have some work to do.
BY DARRYL SLATER
247-4641
October 19 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Dawn cracked the horizon on Sunday before Emmanuel Byers went to sleep. He and about 10 teammates stayed up until 6:30 a.m., watching Virginia's 26-21 upset of Florida State, which they recorded with TiVo. Byers, Michael Johnson, Tony Franklin and Marques Hagans - among others - sat around the television, celebrating the win that saved their season.

Six games into an 11-game schedule, Virginia is 4-2, 2-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavaliers need two wins to become bowl eligible. Just one, really, because the Temple game is a sure blowout.

After beating No. 4 Florida State, though, their aspirations are greater than six wins. "We believe that we can beat anybody," Byers said.

For bravado, then, they'd earn an A-plus. Here's how the Cavs' other parts rate, just past midseason.

QUARTERBACK

Marques Hagans carried Virginia's running game when it sagged. And his passing precision has improved throughout the season. He has completed 111 of 178 passes for 1,342 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Grade: A

RUNNING BACKS

Hampered early by a sprained left foot, Wali Lundy is on track for the worst season of his career. He has 131 rushing yards in five games. But he showed promise against Florida State, catching a touchdown pass. Hagans has three of U.Va.'s eight rushing touchdowns.

Grade: C-

WIDE RECEIVERS

Deyon Williams is the Cavs' top wideout (29 catches for 368 yards and three touchdowns). Tight ends Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar have performed admirably as Heath Miller's replacements. They've combined for 334 receiving yards and three touchdowns. If the Cavs involve Fontel Mines more, which they've done lately, this group will add to U.Va.'s versatility.

Grade: B+

OFFENSIVE LINE

Virginia has given up 19 sacks, 10th of 12 ACC teams. Some of those happen because Hagans is a scrambling quarterback who can get caught trying to do too much. The line hasn't shown its potential because three of five starters have missed games. This is the first week since the second game that the unit is intact.

Grade: B

DEFENSIVE LINE

The pass rush was better against FSU, but Virginia coach Al Groh wants improvement. The Cavs focused during Monday's practice on pass rush. They rank ninth in the ACC with 11 sacks. Linebacker Kai Parham has seven of those. The nose-tackle trio of Ron Darden, Kwakou Robinson and Keenan Carter struggled in a loss to Maryland and must perform better.

Grade: C

LINEBACKERS

With inside linebacker Ahmad Brooks out because of injuries, Parham has shined. He's fourth in the ACC with 55 tackles, and his sacks are tied for the league lead. The 6-foot, 224-pound Mark Miller was gutsy, but too small, as Brooks' replacement inside. With Brooks back, Miller is now outside, occupying the injured Jermaine Dias' spot.

Grade: B+

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Though U.Va.'s pass defense ranks second worst in the ACC (258.2 yards per game), juniors Marcus Hamilton and Tony Franklin are better than the ranking. Hamilton, a cornerback, has four interceptions. Franklin, a safety, has two. True freshman corner Mike Brown must improve. "It's more a case of we've been carrying Mike than he's been helping us," Groh said.

Grade: C

SPECIAL TEAMS

Connor Hughes is 13 of 15 on field goals. Chalk up part of his success to Kurt Smith handling kickoffs, giving Hughes a rest. The Cavs have the ACC's fourth-best kickoff coverage unit, and redshirt freshman Cedric Peerman ranks fourth in the league in kickoff returns (28.2 yards per return).

Grade: A

COACHING

Credit Groh for winning perhaps the biggest game of his college career against Florida State. Still, he and defensive coordinator Al Golden struggled to find solutions to the draw and option plays Maryland repeatedly ran - though injuries and inferior personnel are partially to blame. With almost all of his injured players back, it'll be interesting to see how Groh handles a five-game homestretch in which just one game, Temple, is a definite win.

Grade: B+

OVERALL

The Cavs get brownie points for the Florida State victory - one of college football's biggest upsets this season. But it's clear they must remain healthy to succeed. Their backups have struggled. If Virginia beats North Carolina on Saturday and, after a bye week, crushes Temple, the Cavs will be 6-2 heading into their three final (and most intriguing) games: Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Miami.

Grade: B+

U.Va. uses its bench to beat Florida State
BY DARRYL SLATER
247-4641
October 19, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE -- A strange thing happened early Sunday morning after Virginia's marathon upset of Florida State, a physically and mentally exhausting 26-21 win that lasted 4 hours, 7 minutes.

Some players told U.Va. coach Al Groh they felt fresh.

Fresh? After such a taxing game?

Attribute the feeling to Virginia playing more guys, adding depth that Groh has long craved.

Three true freshmen played for the first time: defensive end Alex Field and wide receivers Kevin Ogletree and Maurice Covington.

Sophomore defensive end Vince Redd, a converted linebacker, also saw time on U.Va.'s four-man pass rush. And true freshman linebacker Antonio Appleby played well in relieving Ahmad Brooks, Groh said.

Because of injuries and true freshmen not being ready during the early part of the season, Groh said the Cavs were playing like they had in the past.

"A lot of guys having to carry the whole load or a major part of the load," he said. "It's critical that we find out now that (the depth) wasn't just a one-game deal, that we can get that kind of performance, that kind of help, every week."

INJURY UPDATE

Outside linebacker Jermaine Dias will not play Saturday at North Carolina. He's missed the past three games with a sprained foot. The injury appears to be more serious than running back Wali Lundy's sprained foot, which kept him out just one game.

"Certainly the period of rehab would indicate that," Groh said. "Sometimes, these sprains of ankles and feet take longer than breaks do. When you hear that a guy's got a sprain instead of a break, that's not necessarily good news."

Quarterback Marques Hagans did not practice Monday, resting the right hamstring he tweaked last Saturday. Groh was optimistic about Hagans playing at UNC.

BUTLER BACK

Right tackle Brad Butler will return this week after serving a one-game suspension for a late hit on Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka. Butler was allowed to be on the sideline against FSU, but he wasn't there.

Groh decided not to appeal any plays by BC that he initially said were probably too rough.

"We're not interested in eye-for-an-eye justice," he said. "There have been some similar plays in many games that have been conducted this year. ... They don't bother me. They happen."

FORMER RECRUITS

Virginia recruited UNC starting quarterback Matt Baker and wide receiver Jesse Holley, who leads the Tar Heels with 261 receiving yards.

Groh didn't offer a scholarship to Baker, who visited U.Va., because the Cavaliers had already landed Hagans.

Looking back, Groh said he probably would've tried to pursue Holley more aggressively at the end of the recruiting process.

THIS AND THAT

Temple returned several hundred tickets from its allotment for the Nov. 5 game at Scott Stadium. They'll be on sale starting today for $30 each. A game time hasn't been announced, but Groh said if the game isn't televised, it will likely start at 3 or 3:30 p.m. ... Kicker Connor Hughes has 291 points, two shy of tying Gene Mayer's school record. It's U.Va.'s oldest record. Mayer, a Norfolk native, played from 1912 to 1915 and had 46 touchdowns and 17 extra points.

Can U.Va., Tech fans handle the truth?
David Teel
October 19 2005

Remember your first time? No, not that first time. The first time a prosecutor slapped you with a subpoena and swore you to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

My first came last week, and journalism ethics (not an oxymoron) compel release of the testimony to the gentlemen and scholars who frequent the message boards at thesabre.com and techsideline.com.

Mr. Teel, do you realize why we called you here today?

To explain the difference between simile and metaphor?

Don't start ...

OK, I'm guessing it's because I hit the daily double last week.

Precisely. You impugned the football programs at Virginia Tech and Virginia, our commonwealth's only Division I-A entrants. You demoted the Hokies on your top 25 ballot and disparaged the Cavaliers' handling of Brad Butler's suspension.

And your point is?

Tech fans have you pegged as Al Groh's shoeshine boy. Virginia faithful are convinced you wear maroon panties.

So I've gathered from my inbox. Sure wish they'd compare notes before hitting "send."

Let's address some of the charges. Are you, in fact, a pencil-necked geek?

Card-carrying.

Are you a binky-sucking liberal?

I traded in my binky for a bottle of single-malt years ago and voted for McCain in the 2000 Virginia primary.

Did you attend/apply to Virginia or Virginia Tech?

Nope. James Madison '81.

Grad school?

For an aspiring sportswriter? LOL.

Withdraw the question. Has any member of your immediate or extended family attended either of these hallowed institutions?

No. I was raised by wolves in the wilderness.

Last warning, Mr. Wiseguy.

No. I was raised on the Jersey shore and in Baltimore, where we cheered for Notre Dame, Maryland, Army and Navy. We didn't know Frank Quayle from Don Strock.

Then why do you dislike Virginia?

Don't.

Say something nice about the Cavaliers.

George Welsh ranks among my favorite characters of the last 20-plus years. So do Terry Holland, Jim Copeland, Jeff Jones, Debbie Ryan, Marques Hagans, Jason Wallace and Bryant Stith.

I notice you didn't mention the current football coach. What's wrong? He doesn't suck up to you media types?

No, and neither did the folks I mentioned. All I'd like from Groh is a little more transparency and little less ego. His players and assistant coaches surely have fascinating stories; help us tell them. And save the NFL references for the recruits; Bill Walsh he's not.

And you, sir, are not Red Smith.

Touché.

Seriously, can you blame Virginia fans for recoiling at the hysterical Butler coverage? One writer said it was the dirtiest play in college football history.

That guy should meet Jack Tatum and Conrad Dobler in a dark alley.

Now about Virginia Tech.

Sure. Thinkin' about re-doing the Teel estate in Hokie Stone.

Why did you vault Georgia ahead of Tech in your top 25?

Because Georgia won impressively at Tennessee. It's a judgment call worthy of weekly evaluation.

Say something nice about the Hokies.

Frank Beamer could retire tomorrow and proceed directly to the College Football Hall of Fame. He's that good a coach, and Tech was wise to extend his contract through 2012. He'll be guaranteed more than $2.8 million a year at deal's end, a bargain given the market.

Then why do you often question Beamer's methods?

Because each of us is endowed with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty and the second-guessing of coaches. Besides, when it comes to disciplining lawbreakers in his program, I believe Beamer skews soft.

Who would win a Tech-Southern California national title game?

The Hokies gave the Trojans fits last year. No reason to suspect this would be different.

Who wins the Tech-Virginia game Nov. 19?

Talk to me Nov. 18.

Fair enough. Finally, for clarity's sake: Do you have any association with Virginia or Virginia Tech?

I've gotten lucky in Charlottesville and Blacksburg.

TMI.

You wanted answers.

I think I'm entitled to them.

You want answers?

I want the truth!

You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has games. And those games have to be guarded by men with laptops. Who's gonna do it? You? I have a greater responsibility than you can fathom. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, enhances games. You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that laptop. You need me on that laptop. We use words like participle, adjective and transition. We use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use 'em as a punchline. I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a laptop and stand a post.
 

Is next QB just around the corner?
Hall, recently shifted to defense, could be Hagans' heir apparent
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Oct 19, 2005
U.VA. AT UNC
SATURDAY: Noon ON THE AIR: TV - WTVR-6; Radio - WRVA (1140), 11:30 a.m. PAGE E4: Virginia notes

CHARLOTTESVILLE For the past two seasons, the University of Virginia's starting quarterback has been a 5-10 dynamo with fleet feet and a powerful right arm.

That man, Marques Hagans, is a senior. Might the Cavaliers' quarterback in 2006 have a similar skill set?

It's too early to say, but the player who most closely resembles Hagans as a quarterback - 5-9, 175-pound Vic Hall - has been working recently at cornerback.

Hall, a freshman who has yet to play this season, was moved to defense after U.Va.'s Oct. 8 loss at Boston College, a game in which starting cornerback Chris Cook broke his leg and backup cornerback Chris Gorham suffered a concussion.

He may eventually move back to quarterback, but Hall will stay at corner for now. Although Gorham played Saturday night against Florida State, the Cavaliers remain thin at that position.

"With Chris Cook out, and a couple of other circumstances," Virginia coach Al Groh said yes- terday, "we want to be prepared for any eventuality, and we want to do it in the long range, rather than having to do it in the immediacy."

At Gretna High, Hall rarely played on defense. Still, the move to cornerback hasn't fazed him.

"He's really shown a very quick aptitude to pick things up," Groh said. "He's very explosive. It appears, just with our short exposure to him, that whatever you ask Vic Hall to do athletically, he's still Vic Hall."

Hall left Gretna as the most productive quarterback in Virginia High School League history, a distinction previously held by Ronald Curry, whom Hagans succeeded at Hampton High. Hall went 47-5 as a starter and led the Hawks to back-to-back state Group AA, Division 3 titles.

With 13,751 yards of career total offense - 8,725 passing and 5,026 rushing - Hall ranks fifth nationally in that category. His 104 touchdown passes are a VHSL record.

Of the six scholarship quarterbacks at U.Va., only Hagans is in his final season of eligibility. The others are junior Christian Olsen, sophomore Kevin McCabe, redshirt freshman Scott Deke and true freshmen Hall and Jameel Sewell (Hermitage High).


 

U.VA. NOTES
Richmond Times-Dispatch Oct 19, 2005

ONE FOR THE AGES: Marques Hagans' performance Saturday night in Virginia's 26-21 upset of then-No. 4 Florida State won't soon be forgotten. Hagans completed 27 of 36 passes for a career-high 306 yards and two touchdowns, and he wasn't intercepted.

"I'm trying to be respectful and understanding of many terrific Virginia quarterbacks who have preceded Marques when I say that it's got to be one of the better games that a Virginia quarterback has ever played," Cavaliers coach Al Groh said yesterday.

"There have been two of those former quarterbacks who have already weighed in with their opinion on it and said it was the best game a Virginia quarterback ever played, particularly considering the stage he was on."

Groh didn't identify those QBs, but when asked if he was referring to his son Mike Groh and Matt Schaub, the fifth-year coach smiled and said, "They're two of the guys on the panel, yeah."

LOOKING AHEAD: U.Va. students and fans may still be buzzing about the conquest of the Seminoles, but Groh and his staff have Carolina on their minds. No. 23 Virginia (2-2, 4-2) plays at North Carolina (1-1, 2-3) on Saturday afternoon.

"Since 10 o'clock Sunday morning, that's all I've been looking at," Groh said. "Everybody else is looking in the past, but for the past 50˝ hours, all we've been looking at is the future."

REINSTATED: His one-game suspension behind him, senior offensive tackle Brad Butler will start against UNC. U.Va. punished Butler for an illegal block he threw Oct. 8 against Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka.

Butler has been "very upbeat, very positive," Groh said. "He's understands the circumstances, he's put it behind him and is trying to get everybody else to do that same thing."

Groh said he wasn't sure how Butler would react to the national notoriety he attracted.

"We tried to be very understanding of his circumstances," Groh said, "and tried to embrace him for who we know he is and be very supportive of him, and let him know that if others wanted to distance themselves from him, it certainly wasn't going to be the team."

On BC's fourth play from scrimmage in that game, offensive guard James Marten was called for a personal foul after a low block on U.Va. linebacker Kai Parham that appeared to come after the whistle. The Eagles exhibited questionable behavior on several other plays, in the opinion of Virginia's coaching staff, but Groh chose not to send any videotape to the ACC office for review.

"We're not interested in eye-for-an-eye justice," Groh said yesterday, "and there have been some similar plays in many games that have been conducted this year, and despite the strident commentary from certain people [about the Butler-Kiwanuka incident], our only question was, 'What makes this one different?'"

TAKE THAT: Few outside the program expected Virginia, which had lost two in a row and fallen from the Top 25, to upset Florida State. But the U.Va. the players never lost faith, according to sophomore nose tackle Keenan Carter.

"We just said all week that we were going to go out and shock the world," Carter said early Sunday morning at Scott Stadium.

"Everybody had us down. Everybody was like, 'U.Va. is out of it now. They're sorry, they're this and that.' But like I said, we shocked the world, baby. We beat FSU. They were No. 4 in the country. Not no more."

Senior tailback Wali Lundy said: "It's just a great feeling to be a part of this team right now, especially when everybody was doubting us and nobody really believed we could win this game.

OUT OF ACTION: Outside linebacker Jermaine Dias, a sophomore who started Virginia's first three games, will not play against UNC, Groh said. Dias sprained his foot Sept. 24 against Duke and hasn't played since.

"Sometimes these sprains of ankles and feet and so forth, sometimes they take longer than breaks do," Groh said. "So when you hear that a guy's got a sprain instead of a break, that's not necessarily good news."

MAKING THE CUT: U.Va. offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson yesterday was named one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award, given annually to a selection committee's choice as the finest lineman in college football.

Ferguson is a four-year starter at left tackle.

The other Lombardi semifinalists: Boston College's Kiwanuka, Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk, Minnesota center Greg Eslinger, UCLA linebacker Spencer Havner, Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil, Tennessee defensive tackle Jessie Mahelona, Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny, Alabama linebacker DeMeco Ryans, Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas, Miami (Fla.) offensive tackle Eric Winston and Texas defensive tackle Rod Wright. - Jeff White

 

Hagans a headache for Florida State
Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 19, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE - For the most part, Florida State's defense did a good job of keeping Virginia in check last Saturday. It held the Cavaliers to 20 yards rushing. It forced UVa to kick four field goals. And its defensive front consistently got pressure on the quarterback.
One thing tilted the game in Virginia's favor according to FSU head coach Bobby Bowden: "We couldn't stop that dadgum number 18."

No. 18 would be quarterback Marques Hagans, who turned in a performance destined to be part of Charlottesville lore for quite some time. The senior threw for a career-high 306 yards and two touchdowns, completing 27 of 36 passes with no interceptions. He managed to escape pressure and make a play when it seemed there was no play to make on several occasions.

"I'd like to say that I've seen everything he's got, but I haven't," center Brian Barthelmes said. "He just always amazes everybody."

The two touchdown plays were good examples. On the first, Hagans was forced out of the pocket to his right and fired on the run to tight end Jonathan Stupar, who was well covered by FSU linebacker Ernie Sims. Hagans threaded his throw into a tight space on the sideline for the score.

On the second touchdown, Hagans scrambled to his right and, with two Seminoles blitzers on the verge of taking him down, managed to dump the ball off to tailback Wali Lundy, who rumbled 16 yards into the end zone to put UVa ahead 23-10 at the half.

"I've never seen a quarterback beat us with a one-man show," Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden said. "The last time that happened to us was Oklahoma in the (1981) Orange Bowl - J.C. Watts. Watts did it in about 30 minutes. This guy did it the whole game."

But was it the best game ever by a Virginia quarterback?

"There have been two of those former quarterbacks who have already weighed in their opinion on it and have said it's the best game a Virginia quarterback ever played," UVa head coach Al Groh said, relaying the opinion of Mike Groh and Matt Schaub. "Especially considering the stage he was on."

A favorable impression

Vic Hall's permanent home might not be at cornerback, but for the time being, he's grabbed the coaches' attention.

Hall, a record-setting quarterback from Gretna High, began practicing at cornerback last week after Chris Cook (Heritage) broke his leg against Boston College and will miss the rest of the regular season. The injury left UVa shorthanded at cornerback with sophomore Chris Gorham, freshman Mike Brown and junior Tony Franklin, a starting safety, the only other players on the roster besides starter Marcus Hamilton with experience at the position.

Hall played sparingly in the secondary at Gretna, usually coming in as a safety in Hail Mary situations near the end of games, but he has caught on fast.

"He's really shown a very quick aptitude to pick things up and he's very explosive," Groh said. "It appears just with our short exposure to him that whatever you ask Vic Hall to do athletically, he's still Vic Hall."

Hall has not played a game at cornerback and might not if Virginia's defensive back situation steadies. Groh still expects him to be in the mix at quarterback this offseason when the Cavaliers will seek a replacement for Hagans.

"Frankly, he was quite impressive last week (at corner)," Groh said, "but he's been impressive at quarterback, too."

Extra points

Left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson is one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award, given to the nation's top lineman. Ferguson missed two games with a left knee sprain but returned to the lineup last week against Florida State. ? Outside linebacker Jermaine Dias (sprained foot) will not play for the fourth straight game. "Sometimes these sprains of ankles and feet ? take longer than breaks do," Groh said. "When you hear that a guy has a sprain instead of a break, that's not necessarily good news." ? A limited number of tickets have been returned for Virginia's game against Temple on Nov. 5. They will go on sale today for $30 and can be purchased online at www.virginiasports.com or by calling the UVa ticket office at 1-800-542-UVA1.

 

Win filled with Prince's
Head coach Groh, offensive coordinator Prince unveil unsuccessful trick plays, show reliance on young receivers
Walker Freer, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

There was a magician present Saturday night at Scott Stadium -- and his name wasn't Marques Hagans. No, this magician prefers to work his magic from the sideline instead of from the field.

His name is Ron Prince and he is Virginia's offensive coordinator. In Virginia's 26-21 win over Florida State last Saturday, Prince reached deep into his bag of tricks and pulled out some gems, the likes of which haven't been seen around Scott Stadium since former coordinator Bill Musgrave departed for the NFL in 2002.

On three separate occasions against the Seminoles, someone other than Hagans threw a pass for the Cavaliers -- a stark change from past game plans in which the most daring plays have been long downfield passes.

But facing a speedy Seminole defense, Prince and head coach Al Groh went to the drawing board and, displayed "nothing-to-lose" attitude.

Sophomore wide receiver Emmanuel Byers got the first shot to test out the Florida State secondary, before even Hagans himself, when he lofted a nearly-intercepted pass to Deyon Williams off of a double reverse on Virginia's first offensive play of the game. He got another chance near the end of the first half, again throwing an incomplete pass, this time to Ottowa Anderson.

Running back Wali Lundy, the other magician's helper Prince tapped with his wand, also failed to convert, missing on a pass intended for Hagans, two plays before Byers second attempt.

Unfortunately, the results weren't as satisfying as Prince or Groh had hoped they would be -- and in his press conference yesterday, Groh spoke to the short lifespan both successful and unsuccessful trick plays enjoy.

"All those [trick] plays only have a short shelf life, too," Groh said. "Once it's out, it's out. Those plays rely on the great element of surprise and for the [opposing] team to be in the right defense for it to work."

In addition to the "trickeration" they displayed Saturday, the Cavalier coaching staff also showed a willingness to play younger offensive players in a high-profile situation, gently pushing Byers who, when not moonlighting as a quarterback, is a back-up wide receiver, and Maurice Covington, a true freshman, into the spotlight. While each had only one catch against Florida State, both came at important junctures. Byers' number 19 was called on third and 16 from the Florida State 49-yard line, and he came through, hauling in a 28-yard reception after the ball appeared to pass right through the open hands of Seminole free-safety Roger Williams. The completion moved Virginia down to the Florida State 21-yard line and set up Hagans's touchdown pass to Jonathan Stupar on the next play.

Covington's first career catch came on Virginia's first drive of the second quarter. Facing second and 16 from its own 16-yard line, Hagans rolled out and fired a bullet to Covington on the sideline to the Virginia 31. Kicker Connor Hughes capped that drive with a 37-yard field goal, giving Virginia a 13-10 lead.

"I always wanted to be a quarterback," Byers said. "Freshman year football and varsity [in high school], I played running back and was back-up quarterback but never started."

He also gave some credit to Prince, the director of the show.

"Coach Prince, he's a smart guy," Byers said. "He can come up with a lot of different things. I think all of them will be surprises."

But if fans are worried that receivers and running backs will soon take over Hagans's job, have no fear.

"The skill position guys thinking they can throw the ball is probably in the same proportion to the amount of people who think they can be the coach," Groh said. "The only difference is that those skill guys have to demonstrate it in public."

Groh added that Byers "just throws [the ball] better than the rest of them."

Should the magician choose to reach into his black hat instead of his magic bag next game, defenses beware: He has the right rabbits to get the job done.

 

Rested Heels get ready for Cavs
UNC facing tough schedule as it attempts to become eligible for bowl game
By Bill Cole
JOURNAL REPORTER

CHAPEL HILL

The last break in the season is over at North Carolina, leaving the Tar Heels six games in six weeks to try to grab a spot in a bowl.

UNC got back to full work Monday after having had only two light practices last week. Coach John Bunting thought that his players needed to rest for the stretch run, which will start Saturday against Virginia at Ke-nan Stadium.

"These kids have been working really hard since summer," Bunting said. "They had a tremendous summer, and they had a very good training camp. And they played four very, very hard, tough, emotional games in a row, and then we had a lackluster performance at Louisville. So I think it was good for them to have a break."

UNC is 2-3 and needs four wins to become bowl eligible. But those wins must come against six ACC opponents, some of which are the conference's finest teams.

The time off last week allowed Jarwarski Pollock, a senior receiver, to recover from arthroscopic knee surgery to repair torn cartilage. Pollock is wearing a knee brace, but Bunting expects him to play as he resumes his quest for the six catches he needs to become UNC's career leader in receptions.

"I wouldn't say that we needed (the break), but it came at the right time for us," Pollock said. "We played five hard games, and now we've got another six hard games to go. So in a way it came just in time."

The players also used the time off to get their last game off their minds. UNC was thrashed at Louisville two Saturdays ago, giving up 69 points, the school record, and losing by 55. The defense reverted to some bad habits that night, but defense is only one of several pressing matters that Bunting wants to clear up before playing Virginia.

Kyndraus Guy, a defensive tackle, expects this week's practices to be brutal, because he expects the players to be pushing themselves.

"We need mental focus," Guy said. "We lost a lot of that when we went to Louisville. We said collectively we were going to correct that. Maybe (we had) a little chip on our shoulders with our two wins back to back. Maybe we thought Louisville wasn't the same team that they were last year. But whatever it was, we decided that we can't have that again against no team."

Bunting's teams have shown an ability at times to recover from bad beatings. Last season, UNC had a week off after being pummeled by Utah 46-16, then upset unbeaten Miami 31-28 at home. In the 2001 season, Bunting's first, UNC was battered at Texas 44-14, had an unexpected week off when games were postponed because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and whipped Florida State by 32 points in its next game.

UNC has also lost three games under Bunting after having a week off.

"This Saturday we'll see," Bunting said. "Those were two very important wins (over FSU and Miami) in our football program. And this (game) perhaps is even more important because it's the beginning of a stretch run, and it's at home."

Last season's win over Miami sparked a finish in which UNC won three of four games for its first winning season and first bowl game since the 2001 season. Bunting clicked off a list of concerns that must be addressed if that is to be matched: an improved running game now that Ronnie McGill is back at tailback, fewer turnovers and more consistency from the offense, and better tackling from the defense.