U.VA. NOTES
Wednesday, Oct 03, 2007 - 12:06 AM

Former hoops staffer credited with an assist
Rob Lanier is no longer on Virginia's basketball staff, but he gave some help to his former colleagues in their pursuit of Sylven Landesberg, a 6-6 guard from Queens, N.Y.

Lanier left Virginia in May to become an assistant at the University of Florida. The Gators began recruiting Landesberg, but the family liked other schools more, especially U.Va.

"So after we told Florida, 'We're very flattered that you're interested, but that's not really where we want Sylven to go,'" said Steve Landesberg, Sylven's father, "Rob called us back a month ago and said there's no better fit for Sylven than the University of Virginia."

Sylven Landesberg, who's considered the No. 1 senior in New York City, committed to U.Va. last week. He's a senior at Holy Cross High, where he's closing in on the career scoring record held by former Virginia swingman Willie Dersch.

Cavaliers aim to match winning streak of'04
A victory at Middle Tennessee State (1-4) on Saturday night would give U.Va.'s football team its longest winning streak in three years. The Cavaliers (4-1) have won four straight since an opening-day loss at Wyoming.

In 2004, Virginia won its first five games before losing at Florida State.

The Blue Raiders are coming off a 47-6 rout of Sun Belt Conference rival Florida International, and their team speed concerns U.Va. coach Al Groh. So does their quarterback, 5-10, 198-pound true freshman Dwight Dasher, whom Groh compared to former Virginia star Marques Hagans.

In his two starts, Dasher has completed 24 of 41 passes for 409 yards and three touchdowns. He's rushed for 111 yards and two TDs.

"He is just that: He's a dasher," Groh said yesterday. "You can just see on the tape, he's got that little presence about him."

Lalich was observer in blowout of Pitt
Last weekend's 44-14 rout of Pittsburgh was the first in which U.Va.'s No. 2 quarterback, true freshman Peter Lalich, did not play at least one series.

In his four appearances, Lalich has completed 27 of 43 passes for 260 yards and one touchdown, with one interception. Starter Jameel Sewell is 63 for 110 passing for 589 yards and five TDs, with two picks.

Groh said Lalich's progress in practice has "continued to be good, some days a little faster than others, but that's normally the course with a player so early in his career. And we certainly don't have any change of thought in the value of the [two-quarterback] rotation or any new hesitancy to use it.

"It's just as we said right in the beginning: that the utilization of the quarterbacks is going to be based on game situations and what particular style of play that that game situation might call for."

Mosley represents the future at safety
Of the four players on U.Va.'s two-deep at safety, Nate Lyles and Jamaal Jackson are seniors, and Byron Glaspy is a junior. The next generation at safety includes true freshman Corey Mosley, a Henrico High graduate who's expected to redshirt this season.

"We think he's going to have a good future there," Groh said. "He's fast, he's tough. He's got a punch to him."

Receiver Ogletree may be out for the season
U.Va. reaches the midpoint of the regular season Saturday, and time may be running out for wide receiver Kevin Ogletree to play this year. Ogletree, a junior who led the Cavaliers in receiving last season, had surgery in early April to repair the torn ACL in his left knee.

"Anybody who think he's going to play any time soon probably has about seven fantasy football teams too," Groh said yesterday.

Asked if that meant Ogletree, who has a redshirt year available, would not play this season, Groh said, "I don't see any signs of it right now."

Ogletree has reached a stage in his rehabilitation at which players sometimes improve "dramatically over the course of a few weeks," Groh said. "But right now, it's not something that's certainly imminent."

-- Jeff White

 

Bivens enjoys expanded role
He's climbed from special-teams units to backup linebacker
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE Sometimes, when his frustration builds, John Bivens has to remind himself that he's only a redshirt freshman and has three-plus years of college eligibility left.

The 6-2, 233-pound Bivens was among the stars of the University of Virginia's spring football game in April. At Prince George High, Bivens starred at safety, and he added much-needed speed to U.Va.'s corps of linebackers, a group not known for its swiftness.

Bivens had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after spring practice ended, but he entered training camp as Jon Copper's understudy at one inside-linebacker spot. Bivens had a setback with his knee in August, however, and ended up missing U.Va.'s first two games.

"I never had to go through any injuries at Prince George," he said yesterday. "Having to deal with it has been a little frustrating at first, but I'm starting to overcome it and starting to think positive about the situation."

To help him deal with adversity, Bivens said, he turned to "my family, my faith, my friends, my teammates and my coaching staff. They're really here for me and sticking with me and waiting for me to get healthy."

His college debut came Sept. 15, when he played on the kickoff-return team against North Carolina. A week later, he was on the same special-teams unit against Georgia Tech.

His role grew last weekend. For Pittsburgh's visit to Scott Stadium, Bivens was added to the kickoff-coverage team, and he made an immediate impact. He opened the second half with an impressive open-field tackle, bringing down Pitt's T.J. Porter after a 15-yard return.

"The first tackle of my career," Bivens said, smiling. "It's been a long time. I've been waiting about a year and a half now to actually get out there, so making that first tackle was very exciting. I can't even explain the feeling."

Bivens, like true freshman cornerback Ras-I Dowling, has shown a knack for making plays, Cavaliers coach Al Groh said, and "we're continuing to look for opportunities for him."

Virginia (4-1), which plays at Middle Tennessee State (1-4) on Saturday night, released an updated depth chart Monday, and for the first time this season Bivens is listed on the second team. He's behind Copper, a junior who for the second straight season leads U.Va. in tackles.

How much Bivens plays linebacker during games is up to Groh and defensive coordinator Mike London. "I just know I'm fully prepared, if my name is called, to go out and get the job done." Bivens said.

Whatever his role, he plans "to continue having a major impact on special teams so I can contribute to my team."

And his knee?

"I'm taking it slow, day by day," Bivens said. "It's getting better every day."

 

Groh: Pitt's set led to fake FG
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia football coach Al Groh has a habit of never letting a thought die.

For two weeks, it was all about running back Cedric Peerman and how Peerman wasn't just carrying the football for Virginia's football program; he was carrying the Cavaliers' "flag."

In recent days, Groh has been talking about legendary indoor and outdoor volleyball star Karch Kiraly, profiled in the current issue of Sports Illustrated.

Groh even knows the correct pronunciation of Kiraly's last name, KEY-rye.

"He's the greatest male volleyball player in history and he just retired," said Groh in a Sunday teleconference. "I've got [the article] right here. When asked how he prepared to win Olympic gold, Kiraly replied, 'I never did. I only prepared to win the next play.'

"I think it really applies to games. We talked about that [Saturday] morning at the team meeting and we talked about it before and at halftime of the game."

The context for Groh's comment Sunday was a question concerning Virginia's decision to run a fake field goal that resulted in a touchdown that put the Cavaliers ahead 44-14 with 5:25 left.

The Pittsburgh media asked Panthers' coach Dave Wannstedt if he thought the Cavaliers might have been "running up" the score.

"We have been on both sides of the coin on those," Wannstedt said. "My philosophy is: we have to stop them. It is our responsibility to stop them. If somebody wants to throw the ball on the last play, then throw it. We should sack them or intercept it."

In going for the fake field goal, Virginia also might have run the risk of alerting teams to the running ability of holder Vic Hall, who set the Virginia High School League record for total offense while at Gretna High School. Hall starts at cornerback for the Cavaliers.

"We want to know the biography of the holder on every team we play," said Groh, implying that other teams prepare the same way. "If the punter is also the holder, we have a different perspective on that than if the quarterback was the holder. I'm sure that teams are well aware of [Hall's] accomplishments as a quarterback."

According to Groh, Pittsburgh was in a defensive formation on the field goal that made the fake field goal automatic.

"It was an opponent-specific call," Groh said. "We could call 'white' any time that the look was there and the look was probably only going to be there on that hash mark. If we get other looks, we would have other possibilities to do things with Vic."

At that point, with UVa leading 37-14, the call would not necessarily have come from the bench.

Or would it?

"I wouldn't say 'not necessarily; I wouldn't say 'necessarily,'" said Groh, who then invoked Kiraly. "You're supposed to play your best on every play, regardless of the time or the score in the game. You're just trying to win the next play.

"The play was there, Vic called 'white,' and it didn't have anything to do with minimizing the score or maximizing the score."

Upcoming opponent

Virginia's opponent this week, Middle Tennessee, has let it be known that it no longer wants to be known as Middle Tennessee State or MTSU. The Blue Raiders refers to themselves as MT.

n MT head coach Rick Stockstill, a former Clemson assistant, is not the only member of the staff with ACC ties.

Second-year defensive coordinator Manny Diaz previously coached linebackers and safeties at North Carolina State.

Stockstill is a graduate of Florida State, as are Diaz and tight ends coach Brent Brock. Running backs coach Willie Simmons played at Clemson, as did wide receivers coach Justin Watts; cornerbacks and special teams coach Antonio Goss played at North Carolina, and assistant head coach Les Herrin coached at Clemson and North Carolina.

They said it

Groh on the likelihood of wide receiver Kevin Ogletree playing this season after reconstructive knee surgery in April:

"Anybody who thinks he's going to play any time soon probably has seven fantasy football teams."

Odds 'n' ends

After completing 13 of his first 17 passes Saturday, UVa quarterback Jameel Sewell completed three of his last 14. One reason that UVa did not use true freshman Peter Lalich, Groh said, was a desire to have Sewell end the game on a positive note. ... Of Sewell's 31 attempts, 24 went to tight ends or running backs. ... Sewell's 9-for-9 start gave him 12 straight completions over two games. During one stretch, Sewell threw four touchdown passes in nine attempts.
 

Many happy returns for Cavs' Hall
Vic Halls play-making promise has helped him overcome his share of mistakes.
By MELINDA WALDROP | 247-4634
10:42 PM EDT, October 2, 2007
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE - It was a very familiar place for Vic Hall, but one he hasn't visited in a while.

With 5:25 left in Saturday's game against Pittsburgh, Hall was in the end zone after scoring on a 4-yard fake field-goal attempt in Virginia's 44-14 victory.

It was hardly a new experience for Hall, whose 104 passing touchdowns as a quarterback at Gretna High School set a Virginia record.

But midway through his redshirt freshman season of 2005 at Virginia, dwindling depth at cornerback shifted Hall from QB to cornerback, and he's remained there. After spending 2006 as a backup corner and as a gunner on punt coverage, Hall's role has broadened this year to include kick returning, and he's also the holder on field goals and extra points.

Honestly, though -- does he miss the end zone?

"Yes," Hall said. " ... If I could help the team out being on offense then I would, but right now it's defense. So it's just whatever to help the team."

Against Pitt, in addition to scoring his first TD, Hall rolled up 86 yards on four punt returns to earn ACC Specialist of the Week honors. Virginia began its second possession on its 49 after Hall's 22 yard punt return, then scored its fourth touchdown of the first quarter after his 45-yarder gave the Cavs the ball at the Pitt 21.

"He's so explosive," senior center Jordy Lipsey said. "He makes plays whenever he touches the ball."

While Hall waits for the ball to drop into his arms, he's picturing returning it for a touchdown something that hasn't happened yet.

"Being on defense, you don't get a chance to touch the ball a lot," he said. "So when you do get a chance, you've got to have the mentality to score."

First, though, Hall has to master catching. His fumbled punt led to Pitt's second-quarter touchdown the second straight week a Hall fumble gave opponents points.

"There's no worse feeling than making a mistake to hurt your team, so I'm working hard to fix that," Hall said.

Virginia coach Al Groh said Hall promised him after the Pittsburgh game that he wouldn't fumble again.

"Vic takes this very seriously, whether it's defense or special teams," Groh said. "He's not a player who makes a lot of repeat errors. He takes things and learns from them."

Hall's education began early in his first season as a starting cornerback. He was burned for a touchdown in U.Va.'s 23-3 season-opening loss at Wyoming, then picked on as North Carolina racked up 339 passing yards in a 22-20 Cavalier win on Sept. 15.

UNC's Hakeem Nicks carried him the final few yards into the end zone on a 53-yard touchdown pass as Hall vainly tried to strip the ball.

"That's one thing about the cornerback position," U.Va. sophomore defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald said.

"A lot of people can make mistakes on the interior, like at my spot, and it won't get noticed. But if they make one mistake, it's just them and the other guy. ... But (Hall) doesn't worry about that. He knows if he just does his technique that the coaches teach him, he'll be all right."

Hall, who has 20 tackles and has broken up one pass this season, could be tested again against a Middle Tennessee offense that has put up 693 yards in its last two games.

He's not shying away from the challenge.

"You have your ups and downs," Hall said. "You've got to learn at a different level, and also a different position. I have to learn somehow. Whatever happens just makes me stronger and makes me better."

 

Raiders QB reminds Groh of former Hampton great
By Melinda Waldrop | Daily Press
4:53 PM EDT, October 2, 2007
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Middle Tennessee grabbed the nation's attention by putting up 42 points on Louisville in the second week of the season. But Virginia coach Al Groh thinks the team his Cavaliers will face on Saturday in Murfreesboro, though different, is even more dangerous.

True freshman quarterback Dwight Dasher took over the Blue Raiders' offense after Joe Craddock hurt his back in the second half against LSU. In two starts since, Dasher has 520 of MTSU's 693 yards (409 passing, 111 rushing), five touchdowns and no turnovers.

"You can just see on the tape, he's got that little presence about him," Groh said. "In trying to paint a picture for the players, he's a (former Cavalier) Marques Hagans-style quarterback. He's gained a lot of his yards as he's escaped from pressure (with) change of direction, stop-start runs, those kind of things that are very electrifying to those people who are cheering for his team but not much fun for the other side."

Rick Stockstill, in his second season as MTSU head coach, was an assistant at Clemson from 1989 to 2002, spending much of that time as quarterbacks coach. Groh said Dasher reminds him of former Tigers quarterback Woody Dantzler, who became the first college QB to rush for more than 1,000 yards and pass for 2,000 in the same season in 2001.

"We have to get after the quarterback," U.Va. defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald said. "We are more conscious that he is more of a mobile quarterback, so we have to worry about rush lanes and whatnot, but we still have to rush the passer. We can't be conservative out there."

FINALLY, A FULLBACK

Sophomore Rashawn Jackson is emerging as something the Cavs missed last season a big fullback who can block, run and catch.

Jackson's 5-yard touchdown catch was one of Virginia's four first-quarter scores against Pitt and demonstrated the versatility the 6-foot-1, 254-pound Jackson brings to the backfield.

"It gives us more options to answer some questions and solve some problems, and obviously it gives us another capable ball carrier there too," Groh said. "We certainly lacked that circumstance last year."

ODDS AND ENDS

Left tackle Eugene Monroe, who missed this past weekend's game with a knee injury, practiced Monday and is being evaluated daily, Groh said. ... While junior linebacker Jon Copper leads the Cavs with 37 tackles, junior Clint Sintim is fifth and second among LBs with 26, and second on the team with six quarterback pressures. "He's well past the halfway mark of his career at the position," Groh said. " ... His opportunity is here to break through to a new level of performance."

 

Will Lalich play for UVa again this season?
By MELINDA WALDROP | Daily Press
4:54 PM EDT, October 2, 2007
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE - True freshman quarterback Peter Lalich didn't play in last Saturday's 44-14 victory against Pittsburgh after attempting just 10 passes the week before against Georgia Tech. Coach Al Groh said Lalich may have gotten into the game earlier had Pitt not pulled within 16 points near the start of the fourth quarter. That cut a 30-0 Virginia lead to 30-14.

"We certainly don't have any change of thought in the value of the rotation or hesitancy to use him," Groh said. "It's as we said in the beginning the utilization of the quarterbacks is going to be based on game situations."

Sophomore Jameel Sewell completed his first nine passes against Pitt before a shaky third quarter resulted in a 16-for-31 performance. Groh said better footwork and body positioning would combat such streakiness.

"We'd like to hit 12 or 15 in a row," Groh said. "But by the same token, I think staff-wise, we understand that it is what it is. This is who the player is. On the plus side of it, he is one of those players who can get very hot and give you seven or eight in a row like he does."

 

UVa Notebook: Fifth-year senior holds his own in first start
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 2, 2007

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Gordie Sammis found out last Monday that he would start at left guard for Virginia against Pittsburgh, but he didn't tell his family, not wanting to jinx it.
The rarely used guard had some nerves. His roommate, right guard Ian-Yates Cunningham, didn't help.

"I was like, 'Nervous yet? Nervous yet?' He was like, 'Yeah, I'm nervous,'" Cunningham said. "We were like, 'Dude, you're fine man. You've played in games before.'"

Yes, but not like this. Sammis, a fifth-year senior who in his career had never been in on more than a handful of plays on field goals and in garbage time, filled in admirably at left guard for Branden Albert, who shifted to left tackle for an injured Eugene Monroe.

Sammis earned an imaginary game ball from coach Al Groh (UVa can't hand them out anymore because they might be considered an improper benefit).

Sammis' take?

"I did well enough to get the job done," he said.

He wasn't even sure if he would be back this season. Sammis finished what he presumed to be his third year of eligibility in four years with the school last season. That's when it came to light that he had been in for the final three plays of a 51-0 win over Akron in 2004 during what was supposed to be his redshirt year.

"At the time, I didn't know the NCAA handbook," Sammis said. "I thought it had to be certain (number) of plays. ? It's once you get on the field."

Virginia filed a petition for Sammis to get another year of eligibility, something the NCAA is usually reticent to dole out.

"I just tried to keep positive with it," said Sammis, who went through the offseason program as though he were going to be reinstated. "It was one of those things where if I thought about it, going, 'Aw, man. I don't think it's going to happen,' it would affect my outlook on working out and during spring ball.

"I always acted like I was coming back."

The NCAA approved his request but required him to sit out the first two games this season. A backlog of players had always prevented him from having a major role during his first four years. Asked of what held Sammis back, Groh simply made a list: "Elton Brown. Branden Albert. Brian Barthelmes."

Presented with an opportunity Saturday, though, Sammis took full advantage.

"He's really indicative of the attitude and morale of the team," Groh said.

First glance

The 44-14 blowout win over Pittsburgh gave Virginia a chance to get an extended look at some of its younger players who had not been in a game before. On defense, that group was mostly defensive backs, because the Cavaliers almost exclusively used their dime defense in the fourth quarter.

That gave Virginia a chance to see true freshman cornerback Ras-I Dowling on plays from scrimmage. Dowling has been a special teams standout since the Cavaliers burned his redshirt, making his mark on kickoff coverage with 12 tackles in four games.

"He is one of those players whose production seems to be outgrowing his freshman year at a good pace," Groh said.

Rotation not nixed

True freshman quarterback Peter Lalich did not get in to Saturday's game, but Groh hasn't abandoned the idea of a rotation at the position.

It mostly had to do with how well starter Jameel Sewell was playing. Sewell completed his first nine passes and finished with three passing touchdowns and 169 yards. He also ran for 64 yards.

"Like we said right at the beginning, the utilization of the quarterbacks is going to be based on game situations and what particular style of play that game situation might call for," Groh said.

Groh indicated that had Virginia's lead not been cut to 16 early in the fourth quarter, Lalich likely would have entered the game.

Extra points

Monroe (right knee) practiced Monday and will have his status for this Saturday's game re-evaluated at the end of the week. ? For those who think wide receiver Kevin Ogletree is ready to return from the ACL surgery he had in April, Groh says think again. "Anybody who thinks he's going to play any time soon probably has about seven fantasy football teams too," he said. "I don't see any signs of (him returning this season) right now." ? Groh did say that he thinks wideout Maurice Covington (left hand) will return at some point this season. He did not give a timetable for the junior's return.


 

Hall showing Cavs his versatility
October 3, 2007 12:35 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

CHARLOTTESVILLE--University of Virginia sophomore Vic Hall is finally showing what he can do with the ball in his hands.

Hall, a former star quarterback at Gretna High School, is now a Cavaliers' cornerback, punt returner and holder for the field goal unit.

As a defensive back, he hasn't had an opportunity to handle the ball. But at his other two positions, Hall has shown Virginia fans what he's capable of: making big plays.

He's leading the nation in punt returns with a 23.3-yard average. He had returns of 22 and 45 yards to set up first-quarter touchdowns in the Cavaliers' 44-14 rout of Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Hall (5-foot-9, 181 pounds) also scored on a 4-yard run on a fake field goal from his holder position en route to being named Atlantic Coast Conference special teams player of the week.

Cavaliers head coach Al Groh said Hall's returns, "weren't easy runs."

"He had to do something to get started," Groh said. "A couple of them, he was bounced, jostled and contacted right after he caught the ball and again shortly thereafter. We got some real good blocking on it, but a lot of that was just on Vic. He gets all the credit for that."

Hall said the mentality he had as one of the top dual-threat high school quarterbacks in the nation is now paying off for him. He was anxious when he saw that Pittsburgh's alignment called for a fake because he would again be able to showcase his offensive skills. He reached the end zone with ease.

"That's the mentality I try to have," Hall said. "On defense, you don't get to touch the ball a lot. So when you do get to touch it, you've got to have the mentality to score."

It hasn't been all swell for Hall, who has struggled some at cornerback and has fumbled two punt returns.

But Groh said he's willing to put up with those growing pains because Hall is a team player who rarely makes the same mistake twice.

Hall said he's already practicing to correct his miscues.

Road tripping

The Cavaliers' visit to Middle Tennessee State Saturday is Groh's 11th nonconference road game in his seven-year tenure. He's just 3-7 in such contests.

Virginia's last nonconference road outing was a 23-3 loss at Wyoming in the season-opener. Last season, it fell 38-13 at Pittsburgh and 31-21 at East Carolina. The Cavaliers' last nonconference road win came in a 27-24 victory over a 2005 Syracuse team that finished 1-10.

Groh said the Cavaliers aren't the only team with road woes, pointing out losses by Oklahoma and Penn State this past Saturday and USC's close win over Washington.

"It's a challenging circumstance," he said. "It's not a virus that just suddenly came to Charlottesville and rested here."

Tight ends producing

The Cavaliers are known for quality tight ends, but this may be their deepest unit yet.

Senior Tom Santi is the team's leading receiver with 17 receptions for 194 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Jonathan Stupar is the second-leading receiver on the team with 16 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown. Even third-stringer John Phillips has four catches for 42 yards.

Santi was more of a blocker last year, but with the offensive line playing well, he's been able to show his versatility this season. Groh said he's emerged into the ACC's best tight end.

"In earlier seasons, he was blocked into some very specific roles," Groh said. "Now he's on the line, he's in motion, he's separated from the line, he's an inside receiver, he's an outside receiver, he's a moving blocker, he's a stationary blocker. He fills in a few blanks for us that we would otherwise have this year."

Monroe returns
Cavaliers' junior left tackle Eugene Monroe returned to practice on Monday, but his status is still questionable for Saturday's game at Middle Tennessee State, Groh said.

Monroe missed the Pittsburgh game with a knee injury and was replaced at left tackle by left guard Branden Albert. Senior backup left guard Gordie Sammis then replaced Albert. According to the team depth chart, that would be the scenario against the Blue Raiders if Monroe can't play.

Ogletree's return a fantasy

If anyone is holding out hope that junior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree will rejoin the Cavaliers this year, Groh said they're living in fantasy land.

Ogletree suffered a torn ACL in spring practice. He's performed routes on the side during practice, but hasn't joined the team for drills.

"Anybody who thinks he's going to play anytime soon, probably has about seven fantasy football teams, too," Groh said. "I don't see any signs of it right now."

Groh said he does expect junior wide receiver Maurice Covington to recover from his wrist injury in time to play again this year.

 

Motivation not an issue for Cavs
October 1, 2007 12:35 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

CHARLOTTESVILLE--The University of Virginia football team's 23-3 loss to Wyoming in the season-opener is now officially buried, but not forgotten.

The Cavaliers have proven with four straight victories that they're far from the bunch that was embarrassed on Sept. 1.

However, after an impressive 44-14 nonconference home victory over Pittsburgh this past Saturday in Scott Stadium, Virginia players said they don't want to entirely forget what happened in Laramie, Wyo.

It's serving as motivation as the Cavaliers (4-1, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) prepare to visit Middle Tennessee State (1-4) on Saturday.

When asked what's sparked the Cavaliers' revival, sophomore starting quarterback Jameel Sewell said, "A passion."

"We've got a fight in our heart," Sewell said. "It's like we're playing with a chip on our shoulder. We're not giving in to nobody. We know the ability we have and the capabilities we have."

Sewell has been one of the primary reasons for Virginia's improvement. He played so poorly against Wyoming that it opened the door for a quarterback rotation with true freshman Peter Lalich.

But Lalich's opportunities dwindled in Virginia's 28-23 win over Georgia Tech on Sept. 22. On Saturday, Lalich didn't play at all.

Sewell finished the game 16-of-31 for 169 yards and a career-high three touchdown passes. He also rushed 11 times for 63 yards.

"Jameel was phenomenal," Cavaliers' junior running back Cedric Peerman said. "He was on point with his passes. We are just blessed to have that guy as our quarterback."

The Cavaliers may be blessed to have Peerman, too. He had 174 all-purpose yards, including 24 carries for 87 yards and two touchdowns against Pittsburgh.

The performances of Sewell and Peerman were combined with outstanding special teams play and a solid defense.

It all has Groh warning his players about overconfidence. He's told them, "don't forget where we came from and how we got to this point."

In other words, remember Wyoming and handle prosperity the right way.

"We've discussed that as a team," Groh said. "The fact that now all of a sudden there will be a few more members on the bandwagon telling the players how great they are and what they can do. We're making sure we emphasize the only important people to listen to."

Sammis steps up

The Cavaliers played without junior left tackle Eugene Monroe on Saturday. Zak Stair was listed as Monroe's backup, but the Cavaliers didn't replace the standout in conventional fashion. Instead, they moved left guard Branden Albert to left tackle and inserted backup guard Gordie Sammis into Albert's position.

Sammis passed the test with ease, Groh said. The coach isn't allowed to award game balls any longer because of NCAA rules, but he said he gave Sammis an "imaginary" game ball.

Sammis, a fifth-year senior, who was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA earlier this year, made his first career start.

"When a guy comes in like that and does that kind of a job and we don't miss a beat, that's a substantial contribution," Groh said. "If you just came in with the game up on the screen and you had never heard of Eugene Monroe, you would've just thought, 'That's the normal Virginia offensive line that I'm looking at.'"

Faked out
The Cavaliers put up their 44th point on Saturday by using a little trickery. They called a fake field goal with 5:25 remaining while leading 37-14. Holder Vic Hall ran a 4-yard touchdown on the fake.

Groh said the call wasn't done to run up the score on the Panthers. He said it was an automatic call given the alignment Pittsburgh's field goal defense was in. Panthers head coach Dave Wannstedt didn't take offense at the call.

"When we got the look, Vic called 'White' and that's what occurred," Groh said. "It didn't have anything to do with minimizing the score or maximizing the score. It was just trying to win the play as it presented itself."

Slebonick sees action

Former North Stafford High School standout offensive lineman Patrick Slebonick saw the first action of his career for the Cavaliers on Saturday. Slebonick, a 6-foot-5, 296-pound backup left guard, played on Virginia's final drive of the game.

 

Not in the Middle of nowhere
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
October 2, 2007

So, who the heck is Middle Tennessee State, and why the heck is Virginia playing at Murfreesboro, Tenn., this weekend?

Well, Middle Tennessee State is defending champions of the Sun Belt Conference (Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, North Texas and Troy), and goes by the nickname the Blue Raiders.

A good story

Virginia’s decision to accept a road game at MTSU is an interesting story.

Two years ago, the Mid-American Conference had decided to accept Temple as a new member beginning this season. Because of that move, Temple would no longer be able to fulfill an obligation to play a game at Middle Tennessee State in 2007.

Trying to solve the problem, the MAC searched for a school to replace Temple on Middle Tennessee’s ’07 schedule. In exchange, the MAC was willing to offer four home games with MAC teams to any school that would fulfill Temple’s obligation.

Virginia saw this as a great opportunity to automatically gain four future home games against any MAC teams of the Cavaliers’ choice, any time UVa wanted them.

About the Blue Raiders

Now, more about Middle Tennessee.

The school moved from Division I-AA to I-A in 1998 and is located in Murfreesboro, a city of 81,000, and situated only about 30 miles from Nashville.

MTSU has 22,000 students and is the oldest and largest undergraduate university in the state of Tennessee. Approximately 50,000 alumni live within 100 miles of campus.

The Blue Raiders nickname came about in 1934 in a newspaper contest and the winner admittedly borrowed the name from the Colgate Red Raiders. Previously, the teams at MTSU had been referred to as either the Teachers, the Normalites, or the Pedagogues, none of which, I would suspect, would make good headlines.

Stockstill’s pedigree

What you should know is that the Blue Raiders are coached by Rick Stockstill, whom UVa fans will remember for his days on the Clemson coaching staff.

He coached under Danny Ford, Ken Hatfield, Tommy West and Tommy Bowden at Clemson, then under Lou Holtz and Steve Spurrier at South Carolina before taking on the MTSU head-coaching job last season. A former quarterback at Florida State, Stockstill knows offense and that has shown with the Blue Raiders.

Last week, for instance, MTSU scored 47 points in the first half and took out most of the starters in a 47-6 rout of Florida International.

For the past two-and-a-half weeks, Stockstill has gone with freshman quarterback Dwight Dasher, who replaced the injured senior Joe Craddock. Dasher has been more than spectacular, including 240 passing yards and 58 rushing yards against Florida International.

“To me, Dwight is only going to get better,” Stockstill said after the game. “I think we’re just getting to the tip of the iceberg with him. We did more this week than we did last week, obviously, because he had a whole week to prepare. We can build on this week, but obviously we’ll be playing a different animal in Virginia. But Dasher hasn’t given us any reason to think that he can’t do it and that he can’t do even more.”

Stockstill compared Dasher to another name from the past that Virginia fans will remember: former Clemson quarterback Woody Dantzler. Dantzler gave the Cavaliers a lot of headaches when he ran Stockstill’s offense in Tiger Town.

The Blue Raiders are 1-4, but have been aggressive in scheduling, having already lost to Louisville and LSU, both road games, this season.

A lot of people would call this a potential “trap game,” where it’s akin to the Super Bowl to Middle Tennessee, and a game that Virginia may not be particularly fired up to play.

But UVa coach Al Groh can easily get his team’s attention when he points out 47 points in one half and 44 more by the Blue Raiders in a losing effort against Louisville.

As Groh has pointed out, there’s so much talent out there, that any team that’s not ready to play can easily lose. The college football landscape is dotted with examples of that philosophy.

One of those dots is Laramie, Wyo. Surely, the Cavaliers have not forgotten.
 

Groh knows a trap when he sees one
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
October 3, 2007

One famous NFL coach once hung mousetraps all around his team’s locker room during game week, sending a message to his players not to eat the cheese.

His team was a proverbial favorite heading into the perfect “trap game” scenario.

We don’t know whether or not Virginia coach Al Groh has invested in any mousetraps this week, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea as the Cavaliers, riding a four-game winning streak, head to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to face Middle Tennessee State.

Now, we’re talking trap game.

Ripe location

The homestanding Blue Raiders have been Division I-A only since 1998. They play in the Sun Belt Conference and they’re 1-4 as they prepare to host UVa in a 31,000-seat stadium.

In the old days, the terminology was that the favorite team was “ripe for the pickin’” or ripe for an upset. It’s because the favorite would often overlook an underdog or not take it seriously.

All Groh has to do is click on the film of Blue Raiders quarterback Dwight Dasher for a few minutes and he’ll get the Cavaliers’ attention.

No cupcake

MTSU might be 1-4, but it doesn’t fit into the category of Rent-A-Victim. The Blue Raiders are not a team that’s happy to get a good payday, take a 45-0 thumping and be merrily on their way.

Quite the contrary. They have taken on all comers this season. Scored 42 on Louisville, but gave up 58. Scored 47 in the first half last week against Florida International (that’s a team, not an airport). Heck, Miami (23-9) and Maryland (26-10) combined barely scored that many on Florida International in entire games.

Of course, they didn’t score against LSU in a 44-0 thumping. Maybe they were Rent-a-Victim that weekend.

Still, it’s exactly the kind of game that Virginia has to be extremely cautious with. It’s the kind of game where the Cavaliers have been ambushed before. You know, the ones where UVa is an ACC team, on the road, maybe not real juiced up to play, while the other team considers it one of the biggest games in school history, draws a huge crowd, plays out of its mind.

Speaking from experience

Ambush. Trap game. Upset. A long ride home.

Happened in Laramie, Wyo., earlier this year. Happened in Greenville, N.C., last year. Almost happened in the Carrier Dome the year before.

Ask Hall of Famer George Welsh about it and he’ll gladly tell you to avoid such conflicts if possible.

I’ll never forget what he said about Virginia getting ambushed in Wyoming to start the season. Something like, “Why would you schedule a game in Wyoming in the first place?”

Welsh spoke from experience.

His 1999 team had a game scheduled on the road, at 18th-ranked BYU, at night, and the Cavaliers escaped by the skin of their teeth in a 45-40 shootout that wasn’t decided until the final minutes, which were after midnight Eastern time.

At one point in that game, Welsh was so disgusted with the scenario that he supposedly turned and growled to one of his assistants, ‘If you ever want to be a head coach, make sure you don’t work for an AD who was a basketball coach.’

Welsh’s theory was that an AD who had been a football coach would have never scheduled such a stupid game.

Groh can’t blame anyone for the trip to Middle Tennessee this week. He felt rather giddy about getting a “deal that he couldn’t refuse.” Excuse the gangster reference, please.

But by taking the road game to MTSU, Groh gets four home games of his choosing from the Mid-America Conference in a deal that got new member Temple off the hook for a game it couldn’t oblige at MTSU. If you followed that, go to the head of the class.

If you didn’t, don’t worry about it. It probably means the Cavs will have more home games than road games the next few years.

Getting back to the MTSU trip, Groh is putting a huge emphasis in keeping his Cavaliers focused this week and, without prompting, brought it up at his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

“This is a pretty big challenge for our team,” Groh said right out of the blocks. “One of the bigger challenges so far this year because we really haven’t handled this type of circumstance very well the last two times we’ve been out ... that is a non-conference game on the road.

“We definitely feel very challenged to prove ourselves under this set of circumstances,” he said. “As such, we got really good concentration from the players [on Monday] toward that objective. They’re well aware of what’s at stake here. If we’re going to keep this thing going, there are a number of things that we’re aiming to improve our own performance, and to prepare ourselves for this team we’re playing that’s clearly a different team in the last two games.”

That would be since Dasher, a true freshman, has taken over at quarterback. MTSU coach Rick Stockstill compared Dasher to former Clemson quarterback Woody Dantzler, whome Stockstill coached in Death Valley.

Dasher and Dantzler may sound like a couple of escapees from Santa’s reindeer corps, but Wahoo fans will remember how Dantzler used to slice and dice defenses into the dirt during his ACC days.

Dantzler ranks No. 12 all-time in ACC annals in total offense with 8,249 yards, and 2,615 of that was running the football out of what was then Rich Rodriguez’s offense that Rodriguez took to West Virginia, where he now features Pat White at quarterback.

Stockstill’s MTSU offense is a combo of that old Clemson offense with a little bit of other junk mixed in.

Groh may not have hung mousetraps, but he has gotten his point across.

Senior center Jordy Lipsey aptly summed up the situation this way on Tuesday:

“We understand there’s still a long way in the season to go. Like the old cliche, we need to focus one game at a time,” Lipsey said. “We’re going to be going into a situation where it’s a big game for them with us coming to town. They’ve played a lot of big teams before, so they’re not intimidated by us. We can’t lose focus.”

Wyoming, 23-3. East Carolina, 31-21. Pittsburgh, 38-13. All losses. All monumental landslides.

Need any more reminders?

 

Road skid on Cavs' minds
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
October 3, 2007

About 10 seconds after Al Groh sat down to meet with reporters Tuesday inside John Paul Jones Arena, Virginia’s football coach tried to put a 30-point win over Pittsburgh in the rearview mirror by voicing considerable concern.

In odd and unprompted fashion, Groh spoke of his desire to turn over a new leaf. In other words, the coach wants to win a non-conference game on the road.

Virginia (4-1) has lost three straight against non-league foes outside of Scott Stadium. In fact, the Cavaliers have been outscored, 92-37, in that span and have not led a non-league game on the road since winning at Syracuse in 2005.

“We have closed the book on Chapter 5 and moved on here to the next one,” Groh said. “This is a pretty big challenge for our team - one of the bigger challenges so far this year - because we really haven’t handled this type of circumstance very well the last two times we have been out; that is a non-conference game on the road.

“We definitely feel very challenged to prove ourselves under this set of circumstances.”

On paper, the Cavaliers’ next foe, Middle Tennessee State (1-4), appears to be a perfect victim. The Blue Raiders rank among the nation’s worst in almost every offensive and defensive category.

Groh is not buying into that and said his team had “really good concentration” during Monday’s practice session.

“I think they are well aware of what’s at stake and that if we are going to keep this thing going, as we have been fortunate to move on, that there are a number of things that we are aiming to improve at in our own performance,” Groh said.

The Blue Raiders, who registered their first win on Saturday over winless Florida International in a Sun Belt showdown, look like a different team, Groh said, with true freshman Dwight Dasher under center.

The dual-threat rookie has started the past two games in place of the injured Joe Craddock (back), rushing for 111 yards and two touchdowns and passing for 409 yards and three scores.

“They are a different team now than they were,” Groh said. “It really kind of started in the fourth quarter of the LSU game [on Sept. 15], when Dasher came in. And he is just that, he is a dasher.

“You can just see on the tape, he’s got that little presence about him. In trying to paint a picture for the players, he’s a Marques Hagans-style quarterback … gains a lot of his yards as he has escaped from pressure, changing directions, stop-start runs, those kind of things that are very electrifying to those people who are cheering for his team, but not much fun for the other side.”

Two years ago in preparation for Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball, Groh inserted Vic Hall into the scout team to simulate what his squad would encounter.

The coach is not as lucky this time around with Hall starting as one of the team’s cornerbacks.

“Vic helped us out with that. Unfortunately, Marques is tied up today,” Groh said of Hagans, who is playing wide receiver and serving as the No. 3 quarterback with the NFL’s St. Louis Rams. “We couldn’t import him back.

“We just have to set the situations up and caution the players to the fact that, obviously, it is going to be a lot more difficult to corral whoever the guy who is doing it in the game than whoever is doing it [on the scout team].”

Injury update

Virginia junior Eugene Monroe was listed on the school-issued depth chart as one of two options at left tackle.

Monroe, who injured his knee against Georgia Tech, did not play in the 44-14 win over Pitt. He was, however, in uniform and practiced Monday night.

Groh said he was uncertain what Monroe’s status would be for Saturday’s game at Middle Tennessee.

“It is hard to tell,” Groh said. “It will take us through the week.

“We just agree that we are going to go day-to-day with it and kind of check in at the end of the week.”

Monroe said after Sunday night’s game that he was progressing rapidly. Groh confirmed that.

“If he wasn’t, it would be a pretty serious circumstance,” Groh added.

Groh said it remains unrealistic to talk about the return of wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, who had surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament during spring practice.

The coach does, however, expect to have wideout Maurice Covington back later this season.

Staying with Sammis?

If Monroe is unable to play, it is assumed that Gordie Sammis would earn his second straight start at left guard, which would require Branden Albert to shift to left tackle.

Sammis said he played the entire first half and into the fourth quarter against Pitt, before junior Zak Stair auditioned at left tackle.

Having played substantially for only the second time in his career (the other came against Temple), Sammis said he actually had the pleasure of checking his game grade from offensive line coach Dave Borbely.

“He said I did a good job,” Sammis relayed. “I was just happy to be able to help.”

Sammis said he failed to check the amount of plays that he was in for.

“I didn’t count and it was one of those things were I didn’t even bother to check because I was focused on Middle Tennessee,” he said.

The mentality needed to jump into the playing rotation was something Sammis said he has maintained all season.

“I have to take the approach that I am one sprained ankle away from getting in the game anyway,” the fifth-year senior said. “So I want to prepare as hard as a I can. It was just nice to now so that I could get as many reps and prepare myself physically as well as mentally.”

If allowed by the NCAA, Groh said he would have given Sammis a game ball. Sammis joked that the imaginary game ball would remain in his “mind.”

Extra points

Despite allowing 31 points per game, Middle Tennessee leads the Sun Belt in scoring defense. The figure is good enough for 85th nationally. … Virginia true freshman Chase Minnifield is still recovering from an ACL injury suffered during a basketball game, but Groh said the rookie has worked in practice of late at cornerback and at wide receiver. Sources have confirmed that Minnifield would prefer to play on the defensive side of the ball. … True freshman Jared Green is hopeful that he will be on the travel list for this weekend’s game as an insurance policy. Green, who has not played this year, is recovering from a broken finger, but has returned to practice. … Inside linebacker John Bivens, who is a redshirt freshman, said he hopes to land a spot on the nickel or dime package in the near future. Bivens had minor surgery on his knee after spring practice and suffered a setback during training camp but has played of late on special teams. … Groh used adjectives such as fast and tough when talking about true freshman Corey Mosley. The rookie is working and will stay at safety, Groh said. … UVa is currently 109th (of 119) in the country in total offense with an average of 294 yards per game. The lone ACC team behind Virginia is Virginia Tech (285.6). Ironically, only three teams ranked in the bottom 25 in the nation in total offense boast a winning record. Mississippi State (3-2) joins the Cavaliers and Hokies in that regard.

 

Virginia loses basketball recruiting target
Daily Press
8:34 PM EDT, October 2, 2007
 

Lance Goulbourne, a 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward from The Hun School in Princeton, N.J., won't be coming to Virginia next season. Goulbourne has committed to Vanderbilt after narrowing a long list of suitors to the Commodores, Virginia and Marquette, the three schools he officially visited.

"He liked (Virginia) a lot and liked the staff," Goulbourne's coach, Jonathan Stone, said by telephone Tuesday. "I think he just felt more comfortable at Vanderbilt."

Goulbourne averaged a double-double for the Raiders as a junior in 2007 while helping them to the NJISAA Prep A Division state championship, the school's first state crown since 1992.

Goulbourne also had offers from West Virginia, Michigan, Seton Hall, Miami (Fla.), Rutgers and Northwestern. He made his decision Monday night.

"I went on my last visit (to Vanderbilt) this past weekend and I just felt real comfortable with the coaching staff and the players that will be there when I'm there," Goulbourne told Vandy.com. "I felt real comfortable with the academic situation, and my whole family went down there with me and they loved it. So I felt it was the best spot for me."

Earlier this week, the Cavaliers received their first commitment from the class of 2008 in Sylven Landesberg, a 6-6, 195-pound combination point and shooting guard at Holy Cross High School in Flushing, N.Y.

 

Reynolds' renewed approach
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
October 3, 2007

In a way, it was a chance meeting.

But for Mark Reynolds, a 20-year-old entering his junior season, it was an experience that altered his future in baseball.

Tonight in Phoenix, Reynolds proves that encounter has done wonders - the former University of Virginia standout and Major League rookie is expected to start, play third base and bat in the middle of the lineup for the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs.

Reynolds, three years removed from notebooks and notecards, hit .279 with 17 homers and 62 RBI in 111 games during his debut season in the majors. His work helped Arizona win the National League West and cast a different light on an unforgettable friend that he gained.

The “meeting” came in the fall months of 2003, weeks after Virginia had hired Brian O’Connor to coach its baseball team. After hiring Karl Kuhn as his pitching coach, O’Connor struck gold, bringing Kevin McMullan from the Atlanta Braves organization back to college baseball.

During the months that followed, Reynolds and McMullan built an odd bond.

At one point, Reynolds claimed that he did not have a partner for weight lifting. McMullan, an intimidating drill-sergeant figure at quick glance, volunteered for the job.

Later on, McMullan sized Reynolds up accurately - as both agree. The talent was there in his

6-foot-1, 200-pound body, but the attention to detail left much to be desired.

It finally reached a crossroads. Having been blown away by the commitment that former Clemson shortstop and current San Diego star Khalil Greene demonstrated during his senior year, McMullan relayed the teaching point.

“This is no discredit to Khalil, but I told Mark, ‘You have a lot more skills, physically-gifted tools than Khalil Greene,’” McMullan recounted. “But I told him that Khalil Greene paid attention to all the little details, he gets after it in the weight room and he even makes a conscious effort when he plays catch with a purpose.

“I told him if he started doing those kind of things that he could probably play in the big leagues in a short period of time. That was the end of our conversation about it.”

That - and countless other subtle reminders - stuck in Reynolds’ head.

“I was definitely not the hardest worker and the most focused person on the baseball field and it helped me having Coach Mac there to be on my butt every single day,” Reynolds said from Arizona on Monday. “I am talking about off days, during the winter, during the summer … he was on my butt every single day of the week.

“That definitely contributed to my success going forward into professional baseball. It’s something I will never forget.”

Batting second in Virginia’s lineup most of 2004, Reynolds was subjected to thankless duties. He bunted when asked. He moved runners over for the sake of the team. He learned to do the little things.

Reynolds’ stats paid the price - he hit .274, fifth-best among regulars, but blasted 11 homers and was drafted in the 16th round by the Diamondbacks.

“Mark was never overwhelmed as a player here,” O’Connor said. “He rose to the occasion in some big situations for us here and he was never afraid of anything.

“I could tell early on that he needed to do some work in regards to consistency, but you knew Mark was a free spirit and loved to play. He would stay out here at the ballpark all day if he could. He loved the game and with that attitude and talent it’s no surprise that he is doing what he is doing in the big leagues.”

Reynolds’ rise to the major leagues did not follow the path of his former teammate Ryan Zimmerman, now the starting third baseman and cornerstone of the Washington Nationals franchise.

He toiled in the lower tiers of the Diamondbacks’ organization until earning 20 at-bats in spring training with the team’s big boys and an eventual date with the Double-A affiliate in Alabama.

After hitting .306 through 37 games, Reynolds got the words that he feared would never come.

“I was sitting on a bus in Mobile (Ala.) wondering if I was ever going to get to the big leagues,” he recounted. “And suddenly I was called up and now I’m here getting ready for the playoffs. It is unbelievable. I can’t really explain how it feels. It is just a fun feeling and I can’t wait for it to happen.”

Upon arrival in Arizona, Reynolds landed a spot in the guesthouse with another player that knew McMullan quite well.

Chad Tracy, who played under McMullan at East Carolina, graciously took Reynolds in. Ironically, Tracy had been the team’s third baseman, and his arrival on the disabled list opened the door for Reynolds’ call-up.

“Tracy is like a big brother to me,” Reynolds said. “He took me into his house and made it feel like home. You want to feel comfortable and you want to feel like you are at home and I think that’s part of the reason why I am off to such a good start.

“It wasn’t odd at all. I would even go into his house and his wife would make us breakfast every morning.”

Despite the hospitality, Reynolds knew he was a slump away from Mobile.

“I definitely didn’t want to sign a lease to any apartment,” he joked.

Luckily, Reynolds erupted offensively upon his arrival - he started 17 for 37 with three homers, a pair of triples and three doubles. More importantly, the college shortstop played flawless defense.

“Once I got here and I got off to a good start, I got an apartment, got acclimated to the big league life and I am just living it up,” Reynolds said. “You can’t ask for much more - we are in the playoffs and playing the Cubs.”

Reynolds promised, despite the national audience and the added pressure of the playoffs, that he would remember his Virginia roots tonight. And yes, Reynolds will remember that barking voice that pushed him through practices at Virginia.

“Coach McMullan knew what I could do and he wanted for me to believe that, as well,” Reynolds said. “He believed in me, he knew I had the potential to play in big leagues and he never quit on me.

“I love him for that and he has been a key component in the background that no one really knows about.”