Groh: ACC's divisional system keeping the race alive
By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.
After deciding in September to play a redshirt freshman quarterback and stick with him through his growing pains, Virginia is remarkably still in contention in the Atlantic Coast Conference with four games to play.

The Cavaliers (3-5, 2-2) have lost four of their last six games, but a 23-0 victory against North Carolina last Thursday night, combined with general improvements in the team's performance and seeming parity in the league, make the stretch drive crucial.

"It's a great benefit of how the conference is lined up right now," coach Al Groh said Tuesday. "If you can work your way through the first part of the season and continue to improve, and if other things around the conference help position you as such, you have a chance to be in the race at the end of the season."

Virginia plays North Carolina State, another team that has played inconsistently but still has a chance to win its division, on Saturday at Scott Stadium.

It's the start of Virginia's most difficult stretch of the season.

Virginia is just 1-3 against a marginal slate of non-conference teams, but has blanked Duke and the Tar Heels while losing to No. 21 Georgia Tech and Maryland. After the Wolfpack, it plays at Florida State, plays host to Miami and at Virginia Tech.

In a season when no ACC team has gone unbeaten, the any given Saturday theory is one that gives the improving Cavaliers hope for salvaging something of the season.

"The whole emphasis is on win your division. Regardless of what precedes it, if you can win your division, you're in the final game and if you're in the final game, whether you're 5-6 or 6-5 or 7-4 or whatever it is, if you're in the championship game, then you win one more game and you're in the playoffs," Groh said.

In this case, the playoffs is the ACC's spot in a BCS bowl game.

But for all the excitement over the improved play and presence of quarterback Jameel Sewell, as well as a defense that is giving up fewer big plays, the Cavaliers need to keep focusing on getting better every day, not feeling like they have turned the corner, Groh said.

"I'm not really big on the `turn the corner' business," he said. "There's always something coming the next week that can make you turn the corner in the wrong direction. Whenever you feel like you've turned the corner or you're pretty solid or you've got it made, then you lose a little bit of the urgency ... to prove yourself."

Besides, it's not like the Cavaliers suddenly have gotten everything figured out.

"There were a number of things from the game last week that, while we played better, we can't continue to have," Groh said, listing dropped passes - there were at least five - and penalties as areas where immediate improvement is required.

"We've got to get those viruses out of our system this week or else, if we're still afflicted with them Saturday, we're going to have trouble," the coach said.

The Wolfpack (3-4, 2-2) comes into the game in the same situation as Virginia. Its two victories are more impressive - they came against Florida State and No. 18 Boston College - and its losses came at home against No. 24 Wake Forest and at Maryland.

"We're at similar stages, trying to get over the hump," Chris Long said.

"It's a wild year in the ACC," Long said. "A couple of weeks ago, if we had told you all the season's not over, I think a lot of people would have smirked at us.

"Well, it's not."

Notes:@ Freshman defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald leads the ACC with 11 tackles for loss. ... N.C. State won the last meeting, 51-37, in a duel between Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers and the Cavaliers' Matt Schaub. Each quarterback threw four TD passes and they combined for 803 passing yards. ... Virginia has won six of the last nine matchups in the series.

The Barbers, Identical Twins, Are Not as Alike as They Look
By JOHN BRANCH
Published: October 25, 2006

Dawn had not arrived, but Tiki and Ronde Barber, twin stars of the N.F.L., had been at the Fox News studios in Midtown Manhattan for hours. Ronde — the one in the crisp suit without the perfectly placed pocket square — stood outside the green room.

Tiki and Ronde Barber were indistinguishable for much of their lives, and even at 31, they sometimes confuse even themselves. More Photos »

A woman approached, gave a kiss and began talking to him as if they were old friends.

“I’m Ronde,” he said, politely interrupting. He had never seen her before.

“No, you’re not,” she said. “You’re Tiki.”

Close.

Tiki and Ronde. All famous pairs have an order to their names, and that is theirs, though Ronde is seven minutes older. The two were indistinguishable for much of their lives, and even at 31, they sometimes confuse even themselves.

On air at “Fox & Friends,” Tiki halted last week as he said something about the two of them on the morning news program that he is a co-host for on Tuesdays. Ronde had joined him as a co-host that day.

“Did you hear that?” he asked. “I almost said, ‘Tiki and I.’ That is really weird.”

They slept in the same bedroom growing up in Roanoke, Va., and again for two years at the University of Virginia. They shared an apartment after that. Rarely was one Barber without the other. Even girlfriends looked to their earrings to tell them apart: a hoop for Tiki, a round stud for Ronde.

But they are, by comparison, much different now, so different that they can no longer imagine living the other’s life.

The random selection of the N.F.L. draft spun them in opposite directions in 1997: Tiki to New York City, Ronde to Tampa, Fla. They unwittingly became a social experiment about the effects of nature versus nurture.

In this case, nurture won.

“The hard thing to imagine is what if Tiki landed in Tampa and I landed in New York?” Ronde said. “We have similar personalities. Would I be doing all the things he does? Would he be living a life like mine? That’s what I always think about.”

He shrugged, as if giving up on an impossible riddle.

“It boggles,” he said.

Tiki became a Pro Bowl running back for the Giants and leads the N.F.L. in rushing this season. He lives with his wife, Ginny, and their two young sons in an Upper East Side condominium, a home shared with Ginny’s parents. Tiki is an emerging media personality and a friend of many New York power brokers. He plans to retire at season’s end to pursue business opportunities. He is often seen at charity events or on television, wearing an Italian suit.

Ronde became a Pro Bowl defensive back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns on Sunday in a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. He lives with his wife, Claudia, and their two young daughters in a 7,100-square-foot house that sits by a lake, a home shared with a room-sized golf simulator, a home theater and six cars. Ronde does some radio and television work and plans to play several more seasons. He often can be found on a golf course or on a fishing boat. For him, the first name in style is Tommy Bahama.

“I’m a true believer that environment really shapes you,” Claudia said. “They came into their true and developed personalities from their environment, when they had to separate.”

She called Ronde and Tampa “a perfect fit,” something that is also true about Tiki and New York.

The Giants and Buccaneers play at Giants Stadium on Sunday — the Barbers’s latest, and likely last, head-to-head meeting. In a few months, they will become even more different, no longer linked by profession.

Ronde Barber was in New York last week on an off day for both players. It was hardly a day off. In promoting their latest children’s book, “Teammates,” they zigzagged around Manhattan with a traveling party that included their business manager, Mark Lepselter; their editor at Simon & Schuster, Paula Wiseman; and a couple of large men who doubled as drivers and bodyguards.

Barber Tour 2006 took them from appearances on Fox to ABC’s “Good Morning America” to ESPN’s “Cold Pizza,” through a slew of radio interviews, a Barnes & Noble book signing and, finally, a photo shoot for People magazine, where they are sure to be celebrated for their similarities.

When seen separately, the Barbers are hard to tell apart. In Manhattan, people stared at Ronde when he walked down the sidewalk. Many called him Tiki, and congratulated him for his brother’s recent rushing performances. He rarely corrects the mistaken identity.

Tiki, 20 pounds heavier, looks like Ronde slightly inflated. Other differences require keener eyes. Ronde has a cross-stitch scar in his eyebrow from when he slipped running up carpeted stairs in bowling shoes. He has a fake front tooth, from when he was blindsided by a tree in their grandmother’s yard, chasing a soccer ball that Tiki had lobbed into the air. (“I caught the tooth, though,” Ronde said proudly.) He has five mostly hidden tattoos. Tiki has none.

A sound man from “Good Morning America” approached to attach a microphone to Ronde’s jacket.

“Tiki?” he guessed.

“Ronde,” Ronde said.

Ronde is quite adept in front of the cameras — less polished than Tiki but an equal at improvisation and humor. When the microphones are gone, Ronde uses more colorful language. Everything about him feels just a grade or two more casual.

“He speaks his mind,” said Ginny, who dated Tiki through college before they married. “Tiki is more politically correct.”

Those close to the two joke that Ronde is the “evil twin.”

“Ronde is the edgier version of the two,” Lepselter said.

They have always been different in that way, but geography widened the divide.

“We were more like me before Tiki came here,” Ronde said. “Tiki was always a cerebral dude, but it’s been exacerbated with him here.”

Far less certain is how things would be different if fate had tossed each to the other city. The Barbers wonder if Tiki would have tired of a smaller market or if he would have not known the difference, being raised in a small city. Or if Ronde would have diligently expanded his off-field public profile in New York the way Tiki has.

“We’re ambitious in different ways,” Tiki said. “And because of where he is, some of the things I do never entered his radar screen.”

Lepselter outlined the endorsement deals of the two. Tiki’s list is far longer, but Lepselter said he does not craft a deal for Tiki worried what Ronde will think.

“It’s the same talents,” Lepselter said. “It’s just a different mentality.”

Ronde, who said he would probably settle in Charlottesville, Va., when he retires, admitted that he envied some of what Tiki has.

“Certainly, yeah,” he said. “It’s a different lifestyle, and I enjoy it when I am up here. Honestly, I don’t think I could do it as much as Tiki does. I like recreation too much. But we are somewhat living vicariously through the other, especially when it comes to this king-of-media persona he has taken on.”

Tiki finished a telephone interview and was asked the question in reverse, whether he envied what Ronde had.

“Not really,” he said.

“He wishes he had a flowing, graceful golf swing like I have,” Ronde said, the type of gentle jab that the two trade often, a shtick that plays well during interviews.

“I do wish I could play golf like he does, because everyone’s always asking me to golf, and I have to decline,” Tiki said.

And that neatly summed up their outlooks: One plays golf for enjoyment, the other would like to because of the networking possibilities.

“Where they are has partly crafted their personalities,” Lepselter said. “Ronde could adapt to being a New Yorker. Whereas, with no disrespect to Tampa, Tiki would jump out the window if he lived there. Now, coming out of the draft, it would have been different. But in 2006 ... ”

At the book signing, the brothers engaged each autograph seeker, some obviously nervous, with smiles and banter. A woman mentioned that she ran a kiosk nearby that sold hats that can be embroidered with messages. Ronde jokingly said he could use one that read, “I’m not Tiki.”

A few minutes later, he had one. And he wore it.

 

High noon not good for Wolfpack
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
October 26, 2006

Scattershooting around the ACC, while wondering how much longer Duke’s losing streak (now 15 games) will last ...

Meanwhile, Virginia coach Al Groh’s Cavaliers will have a few oddities on their side when they host N.C. State in a crucial game for both teams this weekend at Scott Stadium.

First off, the Wolfies haven’t won here since 1994 (State has lost its last three times in Charlottesville). Secondly, N.C. State is 0-3 in noon games this year. Lastly, State ranks 114th nationally (out of 119) in turnover margin.

Turnovers and penalties cost the Wolfpack a potential win at Maryland last weekend, including a key interception thrown by sophomore quarterback Daniel Evans, who was under extreme pressure by the Terps’ defense.

“Maryland came after us a lot more than what they had in the past,” said State coach Chuck Amato (affectionately nicknamed Chucky the Chest by ACC sportswriters). “And that sure helped stop the running game as much as anything.”

The pressure also affected Evans, who was sacked four times and felt the heat of the pass rush on several other occasions, leading to both his interceptions.

So, what about that noon kickoff?

The Wolfpack is unbeaten in home night games (3-0), but haven’t performed well in the high-noon starting times.

In fact, in State’s four losses this season (three of them in noon kickoffs), the Wolfies haven’t been productive in the first quarter: 23 yards against Akron; 29 against Southern Miss; 41 versus Wake.

“It seems like we are starting real slow in the first half,” tailback Toney Baker said. “We need to get that corrected.”

Despite all the woes, Amato said his team, which owns a 3-4 overall mark, but is 2-2 in the ACC, still has a chance to win the Atlantic Division.

“We’re going after the division championship,” Amato said. “Things are going to get real interesting. This isn’t over yet.”

That’s probably the same thing Virginia’s players are thinking. And, while the Cavs are still mathematically alive to become bowl eligible, even if they don’t make postseason play, they can sure make life miserable for the remaining teams on their schedule starting with N.C. State.

Losing with class

Halos to Carolina coach John Bunting for showing class in last Thursday night’s loss at Virginia.

During warm-ups, sophomore linebacker Garrett White, who was supposed to have played some for the injured Larry Edwards, made an obscene gesture toward the Virginia fans in the stadium.

Bunting told White (who hails from Miami) to take off the uniform and to watch the game in street clothes from the sideline.

“He wasn’t asked ... he was told,” Bunting said of the action. “He did something that is unbecoming of any young person, certainly in this football program and this great university. We did what was the right thing to do. I talked about how this [atmosphere at Scott Stadium] would be and you’ve got to show some restraint. It’s part of growing up.”

Seminoles sweating

Did you ever believe you’d see Florida State in last place in the ACC’s Atlantic Division? Did you ever think you’d hear Seminole players talking about becoming bowl eligible?

That’s what’s going on in Tallahassee, Fla., this week as the ’Noles travel to College Park to take on Maryland.

“It’s something I never dreamed I would have to be concerned with,” said FSU center John Frady. “But that’s what we’re left facing. We’ve still got to worry about getting ourselves bowl eligible.”

The Seminoles are 1-3 in the ACC, last in the Atlantic Division, and all of a sudden they’re talking about how tough beating their remaining three league opponents (Maryland, Virginia and Wake) will be.

Said FSU running back Lorenzo Booker: “There are some teams on our schedule we are going to have to be ready to play because we could lose to Maryland, we could lose to Virginia, we could lost to Wake Forest.”

Stat of the Week I

Over the last five games, Clemson has averaged 317 yards rushing, 1,268 yards (6.9 yards per carry) and 17 TDs.

Stat of the Week II

Wake Forest freshman QB Riley Skinner is having an uncommon year. He’s ranked No. 1 nationally among freshmen QBs (and second overall) in interceptions percentage with only one in 109 pass attempts. He’s one of only three QBs in the country with only one interception (Texas A&M’s Stephen McGee, and Mississippi State’s Omarr Conner are the others).

Quote of the Week I

After watching freshman running back C.J. Spiller show off state champion sprinter speed on a 50-yard TD run, then juking two Georgia Tech defenders out of their shorts on another 50-yard scoring play, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden had this to say: “That’s God and recruiting.”

Quote of the Week II

Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen decided to kick a field goal on fourth-and-1 at the N.C. State 1-yard line with two minutes remaining in the game, a kick that gave the Terps a 26-13 lead. State charged back and scored to make it 26-20, then tried an onside kick, which Maryland recovered and ran out the clock.

About his decision to get the insurance field goal, the Fridge said:

“I’m glad I kicked the field goal. I didn’t want to. Reason prevailed. My testosterone lost.”

BC’s Brady?

After Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan shook off yet another injury prior to game time last week, he guided the Eagles to a big road win at Florida State, making BC bowl eligible for an unprecedented eighth straight year under coach Tom O’Brien.

Ryan wore a protective boot on his injured left foot on Wednesday of game week and for the second time this season got a game-time starting nod from O’Brien. The QB delivered with a 16-of-26 performance for 262 yards. He took several hits from the FSU defense, but didn’t come out of the game.

“Matt, he’s our Tom Brady,” said teammate L.V. Whitworth, in reference to the New England Patriots’ starter. “He’s a great quarterback.”

O’Brien said he hasn’t seen a better quarterback in the league this season than Ryan, who is now 11-2 as BC’s starter.

Davis 50-50

If you think that Clemson’s starting tailback James Davis, who leads the ACC in rushing, will miss tonight’s game at Virginia Tech, don’t hold your breath.

He’s been listed as questionable after suffering a stinger to his shoulder in last week’s big win over Georgia Tech.

Davis came out of that game for three series in the second quarter with the sore left shoulder, but returned.

“Nothing was going to stop me tonight,” Davis said. “I don’t care if my shoulder was broken.”

Hmmm. We are betting he’ll show up tonight in Blacksburg.

Blue unis

Virginia’s all blue uniforms have been a big hit with the players and recruits.

“I like ’em,” said UVa offensive tackle Will Barker. “It’s a nice change. They look good.”

Wide receiver Kevin Ogletree: “The team likes them. It shows some uniqueness in our uniforms. If you look good, you feel good and if you feel good, you play good.”

The players said there were rumors before the Maryland game two weeks ago about a uniform change (offensive coordinator Mike Groh hinted the night before there might be a switch). When they arrived at Scott Stadium, the uniforms were unveiled to the players.

“There was a lot of excitement,” said Barker.

No word yet on what the attire will be for Saturday’s home game against the Wolfies.

Short yardage ...

... For the second straight week, Virginia’s defense will be up against a Cignetti: last week, UNC offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti, Jr.; this week, N.C. State tight ends coach Curt Cignetti. ... Incidentally, N.C. State has lost its last four contests in Charlottesville, last winning here in 1994. ... Virginia is ranked No. 2 in red zone offense against ACC opponents only and also is No. 1 in the ACC in red zone defense. ...Wahoos receiver Deyon Williams is ranked fifth in the conference among active career receiving

leaders with 1,233 yards. ... UVa’s Josh Zidenberg and Mike Brown rank second in the ACC in special teams tackles with eight apiece. ... Meanwhile, Cavalier tailback Jason Snelling is in the ACC’s top 10 (No. 8) in most plays of 20 or more yards with seven (that includes running backs and wide receivers).

... Three ACC teams share one thing in common: they all experienced their last shutout at the hands of UVa: Maryland in 2004; and most recently UNC and Duke. ... Virginia linebacker Jermaine Dias is tied for the ACC lead in forced fumbles with two along with Clemson’s Gaines Adams and FSU’s Buster Davis. ... When Jameel Sewell starts at QB for the Cavs this Saturday it will be the first time in Virginia history that a freshman will make as many as six starts. ... Why does Al Groh constantly preach the value of turnovers? Here’s why: in UVa’s wins this season, the Cavs are plus eight in turnovers; in their losses they are minus six in turnovers. ... On the recruiting front, big New York offensive lineman John Elliott (No. 3 overall prospect in the state by Rivals), has narrowed his list to seven schools: UVa (which he said is recruiting him hardest), BC, Michigan, UNC, Rutgers, WVU and Maryland.

The picks

Last week: 4-2. To date: 46-16. Tonight: Clemson 33, Virginia Tech 20. Saturday: Boston College 42, Buffalo 7; Vanderbilt 24, Duke 21; Maryland 17, Florida State 14; Georgia Tech 24, Miami 17; Wake Forest 27, UNC 14; Virginia 24, N.C. State 21.

 

ACC NOTES
Richmond Times-Dispatch Oct 26, 2006

LONG-TERM PLANNING: Among ACC coaches, no one is a bigger proponent of redshirting than Wake Forest's Jim Grobe.

"Our plan has been to try to play older players, to try to put mostly veteran guys on the field," Grobe said on yesterday's ACC coaches' teleconference. "We have no problems if we have a freshman . . . who's good enough to play right away, but our goal as we continue to build our program is" to redshirt whenever possible.

The Demon Deacons (2-1, 6-1) are ranked No. 24 by The Associated Press heading into their game at North Carolina (0-4, 1-6) on Saturday.

"I think it's starting to pay off," Grobe, who's in his sixth season at Wake, said of his redshirting policy. "Certainly we're a more mature football team than we've been since I've been here."

Carolina coach John Bunting said: "I think they're seeing the results of patience, both within his program and within [Wake's] athletic department, and the way they've done things."

TOUGH TASK: Games between UNC and Wake always are intense. The Sunday night announcement that Bunting would be fired as the Tar Heels' coach once the season ends, Grobe said, is likely to further stoke Carolina's players.

"It'll get ratcheted up a [level] with their players wanting to play well for John," Grobe said.

Of UNC's decision to dismiss Bunting, Grobe said, "I was shocked, to be honest, that it happened this early."

Bunting said he's not sure what effect the announcement will have on his players' performance Saturday.

"I've been in locker rooms for 35-plus years, as a player and as a coach," Bunting said. "It's sometimes hard to detect through the week [how a team will play], and it's sometimes hard to detect the day of the game."

ZERO TOLERANCE: North Carolina lost 23-0 at Virginia last Thursday night. During warmups, UNC's Garrett White made an undisclosed gesture to fans at Scott Stadium, and Bunting ordered the reserve linebacker to watch the game in street clothes.

Was it a tough call to bench White?

"Not in the least," Bunting said yesterday.

ELITE COMPANY: Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey doesn't like to compare teams from different seasons, and he declined yesterday to speculate on how Clemson would fare against the Florida State teams that once dominated the ACC.

Gailey made it clear, however, that he's impressed with the Tigers, who pummeled his Yellow Jackets 31-7 last weekend at Death Valley.

"I know we played Notre Dame," Gailey said, "and I felt Clemson was a better football team top to bottom than the Notre Dame team we faced."

Georgia Tech opened the season with a 14-10 loss to the Fighting Irish in Atlanta. Notre Dame is ranked No.11 in the latest AP poll, and Clemson is No.10.

WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR: With many of the ACC's perennial powers struggling, it's become fashionable to criticize the conference this season.

Boston College coach Tom O'Brien noted, however, that the ACC lost 51 players in April's NFL draft, including 12 in the first round. And that group didn't include former Virginia star Ahmad Brooks, who was selected in the NFL's supplemental draft.

The ACC will soon replenish its talent pool, O'Brien said. "If they want to take shots at us, they better be careful, because down the road it might come back to haunt them."

TAKING IT IN STRIDE: A vocal portion of Florida State's fan base believes the time has come for Bobby Bowden, the winningest coach in the history of major-college football, to step down.

After an uncharacteristically poor regular season, the Seminoles upset Virginia Tech in the first ACC championship game. But FSU (2-3, 4-3) is last in the Atlantic Division this season heading into its Saturday night game against resurgent Maryland (2-1, 5-2) at Byrd Stadium.

"I've been coaching 54 years," Bowden said yesterday, "and I haven't had 54 winning seasons, you know, so I've been through it before."

Asked how he deals with the criticism, Bowden said, "I have to not worry about it and coach my football team. And tell my team not to worry about it, because most of that stuff is overrated."

The Noles are coming off a 24-19 loss to Boston College in Tallahassee.

"They're about as solid a football team as you can get," Bowden said of the Eagles. "They do the right things. I've always felt like Tom O'Brien and his staff did about as good a job with a program as you can do." -- Jeff White
 

Deke helps Cavs' cause in practice
Doug Doughty

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- When the captains took their positions for the coin flip last Thursday night at Scott Stadium, the sight of No. 15 had more than a few Virginia fans scouring the rosters in their programs.

Aside from pregame warmups, it is the closest that Scott Deke, a reserve quarterback, has come to the field in his three seasons at Virginia.

Deke, whose family moved to Roanoke before his first year at UVa, accompanied the Cavaliers' permanent captains after being named scout-team player of the week.

Then, on Monday's Cavalier Call-In, coach Al Groh recognized Deke (pronounced DAY-kee) as the BB&T Student-Athlete of the Week.

"He's a very positive, chipper, high-energy member of the squad," Groh said. "He's developing very nicely at the position. He's doing some things much, much better. He takes a lot of pride in what he does; [he's] an excellent student and a real gentleman."

Deke, a third-year sophomore, has operated the scout team virtually since his arrival at UVa and was recognized for impersonating North Carolina quarterbacks Cam Sexton and Joe Dailey prior to the Cavaliers' 23-0 triumph over the Tar Heels.

"It's very important for Scott to do well with that," Groh said. "He runs a great operation for us."

Deke, a 6-foot-3, 214-pounder, had higher aspirations than the scout team when he committed to Virginia in July 2003. The oldest son of former VMI football and track athlete Daryl Deke, Scott passed for 2,150 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior at Loyola High School in Palisades, Calif.

Prior to his senior year in high school, Deke attended UVa's summer camp, where he showed such promise that Virginia made him a scholarship offer while Virginia Tech starter Sean Glennon and others remained under observation.

No one expected Deke to beat out Marques Hagans, the Cavaliers' starting quarterback for the 2004 and '05 seasons, and he entered this season with two older quarterbacks -- senior Christian Olsen and junior Kevin McCabe -- in front of him.

When redshirt freshman Jameel Sewell became a contender for the starting job, Deke fell to fourth on the depth chart. He is among a small group of scholarship players who do not routinely travel to road games.

"It's frustrating from my own perspective because I expect a lot from myself," Deke said, "but I don't get down on the team."

Deke knows that consistency has held him back.

"Some days, I go out there and throw it well," he said. "Other days, I look like a rookie. It's definitely something that's held me back. It has nothing to do with preparation. I feel I know the offense."

He also knows every opponent's offense.

"I go in and watch film with the defensive coaches and I also talk to coach [Mike] London about tendencies that might give the defense any sort of advantage," he said. "I take it as a big responsibility. The coaches give me a lot of power. Typically, you'll see young guys on the scout team. This is my opportunity to be a leader."

Quarterbacks with Deke's credentials and lack of playing time occasionally give thought to transferring, possibly dropping to Division I-AA, where they can have instant eligibility. He's staying where he is.

"I've never considered going anywhere else," said Deke, a government major who could graduate in 312 years if he were so inclined. "This is where my heart's always been. I appreciate the education; that's really what's most important."

Olsen completes his eligibility this spring and there is no has been no declaration on McCabe's plans for 2007. McCabe is on schedule to graduate and if he does not return, that would leave Sewell, Deke and freshman Marc Verica as the only upperclassmen among the scholarship quarterbacks.

At this point, Sewell is certain to have the No. 1 job going into the spring, but don't count out Deke for the No. 2 slot.

"I think he will definitely compete for that spot, come spring practice," Groh said. "He makes some throws every day where I can see some real improvement. He certainly warrants a real opportunity."
 

Starsia regrouping following perfect season, national title
Cavaliers must replace bevy of playmakers, leaders
By Whitelaw Reid / Daily Progress staff writer
October 26, 2006

They were only scrimmages. And they were being played some four months before the start of the regular season. But that didn’t stop Georgetown and Navy from bringing everything it had against Virginia, the defending NCAA champions.

“They were both pretty pumped up to play us,” said UVa senior tri-captain Drew Thompson.

Can you imagine what Virginia, which went undefeated last season, will be facing once the games start to count?

For what’s it worth, the Cavaliers lost to Georgetown and defeated Navy.

“It’s just the fall and we’re just getting to know each other,” Thompson said, “but everybody worked hard. I think it was a really productive fall.

“It was good to get a lot of guys in there because we’re trying to figure out a lot of new positions and see who works well together.”

With the loss to graduation of several key cogs such as Matt Ward, Kyle Dixon and Michael Culver, Virginia will certainly have a new look when it takes the field for its first regular-season game in February.

UVa coach Dom Starsia said his team was noticeably different throughout Fall Ball.

“We clearly do not run by you as easily as we did a year ago,” Starsia said, “but when you graduate Kyle Dixon and Matt Ward in particular, you would expect for that to happen.

“We definitely could experience more ups and downs, especially in the early part of the year, because we do have some new people in some new roles, but no complaints … I think we’re doing fine.”

Senior goalie Kip Turner was one of the fall’s biggest highlights.

“I thought he was our best player,” Starsia said. “That gives us a reason to be very confident.

“It may be at the end of the day that we need to hold down the fort at the defensive end early in the season while the young offense gets its feet on the ground.”

With Culver gone, senior tri-captain Ricky Smith will help Turner anchor things in the back. Virginia will most likely feature a number of young players who will need some guidance.

Starsia said freshmen defenders Ken Clausen, Ryan Nizolek and John Borror all had strong showings. “They’re all going to play and make a strong impression on this program before all is said and done,” he said. “It’s as strong a group of first-year poles that I’ve ever had. I think all of those guys would be playing is we had a game tomorrow.”

Brian Carroll, a midfielder, was another freshman who stood out. The coaching staff likes his athleticism and poise.

“He was the Baltimore City Player of the Year in football last year, so he’s just a strong athlete,” Starsia said.

“In recruiting we thought he was somebody who could come in and play right away for us, and he’s certainly met all those expectations.”

Other players who Starsia said had good fall showings:

- Junior Jack Riley

“He stepped up a little bit and played the way we thought he was capable of. He may be somebody who steps into that first midfield for us.”

- Sophomore Steve Giannone

“We’ll fool around with him in the defensive midfield because he’s so fast and so aggressive coming up the field, but before it’s all said and done, he may be too valuable of an offensive player not to have on the offensive midfield.”

- Sophomore Gavin Gill

“[Gill] came back more prepared for the start of fall lacrosse than anybody in the program.”

Meanwhile, senior Foster Gilbert and sophomore Max Pomper both missed the scrimmages due to injuries. Gilbert is recovering from a sports hernia while Pomper was nursing an Achilles’ injury.

However, Starsia said he expects both players to be at full speed by the start of the season.

The biggest difference from last year? There was a lot less yapping on the practice field.

“You don’t graduate Culver, Dixon, [J.J.] Morrissey, Ward and [Matt] Poskay and all that chatter and not feel the effects of it,” Starsia said with a chuckle. “We are a team that has a little bit different personality and is still trying to figure some things out, but it’s a great group of kids that have worked really hard. I like our chances.”

 

UVa defensive end Long on being perfect
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 25, 2006

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Few things make for a better post-game locker room than a shutout win like Virginia had at Duke last month.
Every defensive player got in on the fun. Jon Copper and Nate Lyles each had a pair of sacks. Jeffrey Fitzgerald flashed some moves, intercepting a pass and returning a fumble for a touchdown. Marcus Hamilton added to his collection with two interceptions. Spirits were high across the board.

But deep down inside, something was eating at defensive end Chris Long. He didn't play well. At least not as well as he would have liked. And it wasn't like the first two weeks of the season, when he was credited with two tackles in two games.

"I feel like I wasn't moving forward. I was moving forward the first two weeks," he said. "The Duke game I was kind of stagnant with my play. And at that point I kind of took a step back and said 'You know what? that's pretty unacceptable.'"

Things changed at practice for Long. Small things became important, like what steps to take or where to put his hands. He made sure he ran to the ball on every play.

He worked smart, not just hard.

"When he first started practicing here, it was like a dog chasing cars," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "It was just all effort. But he's learned how to direct and focus that effort toward the things that are actually going to result in performance."

Since his revelation at Duke, his play has taken off. In the last three games, Long has 22 tackles, six tackles for a loss, three sacks, three quarterback hurries and a forced fumble, living up to his preseason hype as an all-ACC caliber player.

"Every snap is a clinic (with him)," N.C. State coach Chuck Amato said. "He plays the game like it is supposed to be played. He comes off the ball with a flat back.

"He beats people off the football, because he has a great reaction to a stimulus. His hands and his feet never stop. He is so good."

He wasn't always. Baseball was Long's first love - and superior sport - early in his high school career at St. Anne's-Belfield in Charlottesville.

Despite his father Howie's gridiron prowess, football didn't come easy for Chris.

"The opposing teams, they were like, 'Wait a second. This guy's dad is in the Hall of Fame? He's nothing like him,'" Chris said. "Once I decided to play football, I wanted to be good at it."

His football work ethic was forged there and then.

It's how he became an all-state player at STAB and earned a scholarship offer from Virginia when at first only Division I-AA teams were interested. It's how he's able to make plays against physically superior players. It's why he's the only junior of the team's four captains.

The better Long gets, the more comparisons he'll get to his father, an eight-time Pro Bowler for the Raiders who earned two NFL defensive player of the year awards. Though he's shied away from such associations in the past, the younger Long is fine with it now.

Howie is not one to intrude, but his wealth of football experience is there for Chris to draw on whenever he wants it.

"He's not going to offer anything. I'm going to have to ask it," Chris said.

"That's been the way we've operated since I was in high school and decided I was going to take the sport seriously, so as to avoid the dad who is always interjecting and being in the son's lifestyle instead of just taking a step back."

So how often does Chris ask his father for advice?

"All the time," he said.

Anything to get better.


 

NBA Wants Players to Leave Guns at Home
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK — David Stern understands having a gun to protect your home. He's not convinced carrying one on the streets makes you any safer.

For that reason, the NBA commissioner said Wednesday that he would prefer his players leave their firearms behind when they go out.

"It's a pretty, I think, widely accepted statistic that if you carry a gun, your chances of being shot by one increase dramatically," Stern said during his preseason conference call. "We think this is an alarming subject, that although you'll read players saying how they feel safer with guns, in fact those guns actually make them less safe. And it's a real issue."

It's one that was raised recently when Indiana's Stephen Jackson shot a gun in the air at least five times outside an Indianapolis strip club on Oct. 6. He originally told police he fired in self-defense during a fight in which he was hit by a car.

The NBA's collective bargaining agreement allows players to own licensed guns, but they can't carry them on any league or team business. Asked what kind of firearm rule he would want if collective bargaining weren't involved, Stern said: "I would favor being able to have a firearm to protect your home. Period."

He added that walking the streets carrying guns was "dangerous for our players," but said there has been no further discussion with the union about strengthening the policy.

Union spokesman Dan Wasserman said it already was bolstered in last year's agreement, at the request of the league.

"In response to issues raised by the NBA during bargaining last year," he said, "a provision was added to the collective bargaining agreement that subjects the players to discipline if they bring any kind of firearm, even if it's licensed, to an NBA arena, practice facility, or even a team or league offsite promotional appearance."

Wasserman also said that the dangers of firearms are discussed during the rookie transition program, where players are "informed of the legalities of it, what you can or can't do, and the pros of cons of having a weapon are discussed extensively."

With the start of the season less than a week away, Stern also addressed the arena situation in Sacramento. The city's residents will be asked to approve two ballot measures on Nov. 7 that would increase local sales tax as part of the Kings' quest to replace Arco Arena with a new downtown building.

The measures are considered long-shots to pass, and Stern seems to understand why after claiming that a deal between the city and the developer hasn't been finalized.

"In the absence of a deal between the city and a developer, I don't know what any fair-minded citizen of Sacramento is being asked to vote on," he said. "I would love to see them support an arena development, but I would tell them that they better make sure that the city gets with it to see whether the deal can in fact be done. Right now there is no deal anyplace."

Also, Stern said he expected to rule on Larry Brown's grievance with the Knicks sometime during the second week of the season. The Knicks refused to pay the remainder of Brown's contract after firing him one year into a five-year deal.

 

New conditioning program provides boost
Conditioning coach Shaun Brown brings skill, experience
Clayton O'Toole, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor

Part three of this five-part series leading up to Virginia's first game Nov. 12 will offer a look at how a new addition to the strength and conditioning staff has impacted Virginia's entire offseason program.

Strength and conditioning coach Shaun Brown was one of head coach Dave Leitao's less-publicized hires since arriving in Charlottesville in 2005 -- less publicized, but certainly not less qualified.

Brown came to Charlottesville following eight years as a head strength coach in the NBA, six years with the Boston Celtics and two years with the Toronto Raptors. Prior to the NBA, Brown spent six years as head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Kentucky, with additional stints early in his career at Providence College and Rutgers.

At Virginia Media Day earlier this month, every player commented on the rigor of Brown's workouts and the intensity of the man himself.

"[Brown] throws so many things at you," junior guard Sean Singletary said. "We never do the same thing. He's always varying his workouts, but everything is always at a very high intensity level. It's a lot of work."

Throughout the offseason, Virginia players met with Brown four to five days a week, mixing a strength-based weight program in with a more conditioning-focused regimen.

Brown "pushes you like crazy," senior guard J.R. Reynolds said. "He pushes you hard in the weight room and with running. He'll push you to the top. He's always motivating us to get better."

Each player entered this offseason with different, specific, goals in mind. For many -- like junior Tunji Soroye -- the offseason allowed time to gain muscle weight. Soroye added 30 pounds since the end of last season, weight the team hopes will allow him to hold his position on the block more effectively this season. Singletary found himself focused on a similar goal as Soroye.

"I gained 12 pounds in order to dish out punishment, not take it," Singletary said. "I'm in better shape. We never had someone to work with like Sean Brown. It was an intense end of summer and fall session with lifting and conditioning. I hadn't done major work since I've been here. He definitely knows what he's doing."

Virginia's players certainly kept busy this offseason. Some, like Reynolds, traveled out of the country to compete on other teams. Those who stayed in Charlottesville, however, found the experience both valuable and enjoyable.

"A typical [summer] day would be class in the morning and then lifting," sophomore guard/forward Mamadi Diane said. "After lifting, [we would do] just a little work with the managers -- rebounding, ball handling, a lot of playing too. Just shooting and doing stuff on our own. The days were pretty full in the summer. But it was fun."

Virginia's offseason, however, was not all fun and games. Sophomore forward Laurynas Mikalauskas described some of the team's more taxing activities.

"We've been doing yoga for a couple months," Mikalauskas said. "I like it."

Clearly, this offseason has been one of significant change and -- hopefully for Cavalier fans -- progress.