Success under pressure not new for UVa
Virginia's ability to win close games reminiscent of 2002 squad
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
October 10, 2007

Virginia coach Al Groh predicted 2002 would be a “season of resolve” for his program.

The Cavaliers proved that to a degree, winning nine games with an assortment of previously unknown heroes.

Plenty of similarities have been drawn between that squad and the current model of Cavaliers.

In 2002, UVa won six games by less than two touchdowns, including four games by five points or fewer. This season, Virginia (5-1) has won its collection of contests by a total of 50 points, a figured aided drastically by a 30-point win over Pitt.

Andrew Pearman, perhaps more than any of his teammates, can buy into the comparisons. The junior tailback watched that contingent of Cavaliers closely and often in person - his brother, Alvin, played running back for UVa that season.

“The big thing in 2002 was that guys stepped up that weren’t big deals before,” the younger Pearman recounted. “I think we have that on this team, and we are probably going to have more of that the next few weeks.”

Pearman, who scored two touchdowns last week against Middle Tennessee State, said both teams showcased a “refuse to lose” mentality.

“I think it is about having more heart than a lot of teams do and saying, when you are down, that you are not really down,” Pearman said. “It is really hard to be down and have all the odds against you and still literally have a positive attitude.

“Most of the teams, when you see that happen, they will have a lot of guys with their head down and they are giving up. Our team is not like that. We always feel like we are in the game and we have confidence in each other.”

That attitude was prevalent on Saturday when Virginia managed to win despite trailing three times in the game. The final rally, which was capped by a 34-yard field goal from Chris Gould, came after UVa ran its hurry-up offense to near perfection.

“Winning a game on the road is a huge deal for any team because it is hard to win a game in general, but it’s really hard to win on the road,” Pearman said. “And to come back the way we did and have that drive that we had at the end of the game, it was wild.

“I’d never been a part of a team that’s had to do that. It was very inspiring and a little bit nerve-racking at the end, but we had some confidence and it was a lot of fun.”

In or out?

Virginia wide receiver Maurice Covington, who has been sidelined the past three weeks, will not play against Connecticut (5-0) on Saturday.

The same - at least at this point - cannot be said in regards to cornerback Chris Cook, left tackle Eugene Monroe and running back Cedric Peerman.

Groh said on Tuesday that the status on the three players would not be determined until later in the week.

After widespread fears of the worst-case scenario, tests on Cook on Sunday determined the junior had a sprained knee.

According to sources, Cook's injury is likely to sideline the junior a few weeks, making a viable target date for games at North Carolina State (Oct. 27) or at home against Wake Forest (Nov. 3).

“You’ve seen players get pretzeled to a lesser degree than that who have had significant injuries,” Groh said. “That was a positive response.”

Monroe, who has missed two games since injuring his right knee late against Georgia Tech, said he could have played if needed last week and is close to returning to action.

“It’s definitely progressed,” Monroe said. “Before, when it first happened, we said we would take it day-by-day and by the time the Middle Tennessee game came we thought it would be a benefit to just continue with that and see how it goes this week.

“It’s definitely moving forward.”

Monroe said it has been comforting to watch Gordie Sammis, who is playing left guard, and Branden Albert, who shifted from guard to tackle, both play admirably during his absence.

“I say impressed but not surprised at all because Branden is very athletic and I see Gordie in practice every day and he always gets the job done,” Monroe said. “So I was confident with the decision the coaches made to shift the line in that manner.”

Monroe will test his knee out on Saturday prior the game before making the final decision.

“It’s really just that day,” he said.

The information on Peerman is less definitive. In what seems to be a positive sign, Groh confirmed that it is not a high ankle sprain, as was feared.

“It’s his foot,” Groh said. “I haven’t been given a date and right now, as with all of them, he is working hard to get back and I would say he is on a day-to-day [basis] until we find out which way he is going to be able to go - probably won’t be able to determine that until later in the week.”

The candidates for increased playing time if Peerman cannot play include redshirt freshman Keith Payne and Pearman. Groh also said fullback Josh Zidenberg remains an option in certain packages.

“Most likely [Payne and Pearman will] both be involved, although the players are aware we’re going to scrutinize the performance in practice this week very closely,” the coach said. “Not that we don’t always, but [we are going] to really grade it to a T, and based on that performance we will make a decision.

“We want them to understand that part of this is, it is competitive, and the way to get more playing time is to show us in practice that you are the one deserving of more playing time. And that will make it clear cut for us, but part of the intent is that will help each player raise the level of his game.”

Covington, while ruled out this week, did return to practice on Monday.

“He started to participate [Monday] on a limited basis,” Groh said. “The information I was given, he can participate on a limited basis and that was as a result of his appointment [Monday].”

A welcome addition

Virginia landed its 13th commitment for the 2008 recruiting class last week when punter Jimmy Howell told members of the staff that he had a change of heart.

Howell, who stands at 6-foot-6 and 238 pounds, had originally given a verbal commitment to Northwestern before a late offer from Virginia complicated his decision.

From West Florence High in South Carolina, Howell was averaging 44.5 yards per punt this season until he was sidelined with a thigh bruise. Since returning, Howell has increased his average.

Howell’s commitment is significant - Virginia’s two punters, Ryan Weigand and Chris Gould, are both seniors. The only other punter on the Cavaliers’ roster, John Thornton, is a junior and has not appeared in a game.

A two-year deal

How or why Virginia landed a two-game series with Connecticut remains a mystery to Groh.

“It was on the schedule and I said, ‘Fine, we will go play it,’” he pointed out. “I don’t even know if there is a return on the game.

“I seem to recall who the first game of the season is against next year. I would have to go into my folder of future games to find out who else we play next year besides [Southern Cal].”

There is in fact a return game - Virginia will travel to UConn next year in what will be the team’s lone non-league road game. The Cavaliers will host East Carolina, Richmond and Southern Cal, which will be the season opener.

UConn coach Randy Edsall said the game was a result of the expansion process in the ACC that landed Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech in the league. All three are former Big East schools.

“In terms of the breakup with the ACC and the Big East, this was a home-and-home we got from that split up,” Edsall said. “I guess you could call all the legal ramifications from it.”

A struggling unit

At the end of the 2006 season, Virginia ranked among the worst teams in the ACC in numerous categories.

There were, however a few exceptions - the Cavaliers led the league in fewest penalty yards and red-zone offense and finished third in passing defense.

Virginia also excelled in kickoff returns, averaging almost 24 yards per attempt.

The Cavaliers have not experienced success to that degree through their first six games this season. In fact, Virginia and its 20.1-yard average ranks ninth in the league and ahead of only Wake Forest (18.6), Maryland (17.8) and Clemson (17).

“We have been concerned about it for a while,” Groh said. “We are not getting the production that we have in the past. It used to be, when we [received], we had high expectations on every one.

“We still have those hopes, but obviously we need to get this thing going here.”

The coaching staff has tinkered with the blockers on the unit and held auditions for some of the other spots.

“We have tried a number of different combinations in there, some of which have improved it,” Groh said. “We have a number of spots that are performing better with it, but we still have that one or two guys that are coming free off of it.”

Extra points …

If Peerman is unable to play, Groh said Virginia would select from a lengthy group in determining a kick returner to start alongside Pearman. The list includes Raynord Horne, Chris Dalton, Mikell Simpson, Payne and Zidenberg. … Virginia linebacker Jon Copper currently leads the team in tackles. The junior has made 46 stops. Copper also leads the team in plays with 468. … Vic Hall, who had a would-be touchdown called back due to a penalty, lost his ACC lead in punt returns last weekend. Hall is averaging 16.3 yards, which was surpassed by Virginia Tech’s Eddie Royal (19.6).

 

Confidence not an issue for Gould
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
October 10, 2007

A lot of thoughts were rattling around in Chris Gould’s head when made his trot to redemption from the sidelines to the middle of the field with 12 seconds on the clock Saturday night.

Virginia trailed 21-20, thanks in part to his missed extra-point attempt early in the fourth quarter. This was an opportunity for the senior kicker to make amends and win the game.

The earlier miss weighed heavily on Gould, who is enjoying his best season as a Cavalier. Short memory is the key.

Hoping for redemption

“I knew [the missed PAT] was a key play of the game and that I missed it,” Gould said Tuesday, looking back on the game. “I said to some other coaches and other players that I was going to get a chance to win it, and ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be there when you need me.’”

He couldn’t help but look into the eyes of his teammates when he was walking the sidelines and thought to himself there was no way Virginia was going to lose on his account.

“I told myself that if I get the chance, I’ve got to bury [Middle Tennessee State],” Gould said.

That’s exactly what he did. His 34-yard field goal from the right hash mark was good, lifting the Cavs to a come-from-behind, 23-21 win over the host Blue Raiders, and extended UVa’s winning streak to five in the process.

Never in his college or high school career had Gould made the game-winning field goal, although he had dreamed it, rehearsed it since he was a kid.

That was only a natural thought considering big brother, Robbie, is the kicker for the Chicago Bears, and their father, Robert, was a college soccer player drafted by the St. Louis Steamers of the MISL.

“A lot of kickers replay that a thousand times when they’re out there on the practice field, whether they’re just fooling around or actually out there doing last-minute field goals on Friday’s with Coach [Al] Groh,” Gould said. “Every time you go out for the kick, you have to have the same routine, because if anything changes, you might be thrown off and not be prepared to make the field goal.”

Just staying relaxed

So if all that, the focus on the setup routine, the visions of peering into his teammates’ eyes on the sidelines, and the pressure of kicking the winning points weren’t enough, Gould had even more stuff to deal with before he could finally clear his mind and focus on just striking the ball exactly where and how he wanted.

There was the timeout factor. He kind of figured that MTSU coach Rick Stockstill would call one in an attempt to “freeze” the kicker.

“I guess after I missed the extra point that [Stockstill] probably figured I had a chance to miss this one, too,” Gould reflected.

Still, he and holder Vic Hall discussed the possibilities of a last-second timeout, so Gould went out onto the field and stood for about 5 seconds to give the Blue Raiders the chance to do so.

“I didn’t want to be in the ready position and then be sitting there for 5 seconds and then have them call a timeout,” Gould said. “You want to stay loose and relaxed, and if you tense up right before you go, chances are you’re not going to make the field goal.”

After he judged that time would not be called, he gave the signal to snap the ball and the kick was true. It was his eighth straight converted field goal of the season, the longest streak by a UVa booter since Connor Hughes’ nine in a row in 2005.

Naturally, he was swarmed by teammates for the winning kick, but he still had work to do. Gould also had to handle the kickoff chores, and it was obvious how juiced up he was. He addressed teammates to each side of him, encouraging them to cover the kick because there was still 8 seconds remaining.

It was also obvious that the teammates were willing to listen. They respected their kicker, not only for his skill, but for his toughness, his leadership.

A couple of weeks ago, Gould made a classic form tackle on the kickoff, a rarity for a kicker in football. You know how it is. You’ve seen some garish attempts, or rather non-attempts, by kickers to tackle someone. Usually it’s laughable.

The guy that Gould hit wasn’t laughing.

Certainly that helped raise an already strong image of him with his teammates.

“A lot of times they say, ‘Oh, you guys don’t hit ... you guys just sit on the sidelines all practice ... you’re not out there working as hard as we are,” Gould said, sharing some of the comments from teammates about the kicker’s way of life.

“I don’t think that it’s we’re not working as hard, but our job is just less exertion,” the kicker said. “It’s more of an art form. But when you go out there and make a tackle like that, they say, ‘Geez, we didn’t know you had it in you.’”

As Groh pointed out, the kicker received some good-natured ribbing and congratulations about the hit.

“They just made jokes,” Gould said. “They tell me they think I’m a linebacker now.”

One thing they don’t joke about is his ability. Gould, who had a solid year from 39 yards and in, but was shaky on the longer field goal attempts in 2006, has been much improved this season.

He has made 9 of 10 in six games thus far, including all three from 40 or longer (including a career-long 51), with his lone miss coming from inside 30. But to his credit, there were some snapping/handling issues that led to that miss.

Currently, he is tied for 23rd nationally in field goals per game (1.50), but only six of those in front of him have been as accurate.

He attributes some of that to changing from a three-step to a two-step approach on his kicks, much like his brother’s style. The thought is that a kicker may sacrifice some length in exchange for accuracy.

The change hasn’t taken anything away from Gould’s length as noted previously.

He was just pleased that his parents, who are always at the games, were in the stands for this particular evening.

“Not many kickers get that opportunity, so when they do and come through, that’s one of the major ways they’re evaluated,” Groh said. “Now he’s had a chance to do it and he did it very well.”

 

Thrust in spotlight, Payne shows stuff
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
October 9, 2007

Keith Payne was visibly torn.

After running for 70 yards against Middle Tennessee State, Virginia’s redshirt freshman would have preferred to chat solely about the most significant performance of his young career.

Yet, Payne’s thoughts were with a teammate and fellow running back.

During the first half against MTSU, junior tailback Cedric Peerman suffered an ankle injury that kept the ACC’s leading ball carrier on the sidelines and eventually saddled him a protective boot.

“It was a blessing for me to be out there,” Payne said, “but I really hope Ced gets better as soon as possible so that we can be out there at the same time.”

Payne, after running for just 12 yards on four carries in Virginia’s first five games, was thrust into the spotlight in the second quarter to help salvage the Cavaliers’ winning streak.

Appearing unsure how to attack the defense at times and showcasing struggles with pass protection, Payne’s impact was not truly felt until the third quarter. During that 15-minute session, Payne carried the ball nine times for 57 yards and four first downs.

“I thought he looked pretty comfortable out there,” Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell said. Sewell echoed the same sentiments for tailback Andrew Pearman, who added 56 receiving yards and 45 more on the ground.

Many Virginia fans had expected Payne to make a bigger impact early in the season. That faction probably did not expect Peerman to rush for 548 yards during a four-game stretch that followed the season-opening loss at Wyoming.

Watching Peerman excel, Payne said, made his wait easier to swallow.

“I tried to remain patient because I figured God had a plan for everything and Cedric had been playing great and helping us win,” Payne said. “I feel like whatever helps the team win is what we need to do on offense.”

Payne, who had never played in a road win before, said the emotion felt during the Cavaliers’ comeback win was “simply amazing.”

“It was a moment,” he added. “We stuck together the whole time and we didn’t crack at all. We kept positive with each other and the outcome was positive, too.”

It was exactly what Payne expected down the stretch.

“This team … it is like a brotherhood,” he said. “Your brother has your back and you make sure you have his too.

“There is a special connection between everybody right now.”

Injury update

During his weekly coach’s show Monday night, Groh was asked early in the program about the status of cornerback Chris Cook (leg) and Peerman (ankle).

“They are both alive, they’re happy and they’re smiling,” Groh joked before elaborating. “Obviously, when a player can’t finish the game, it is not an insignificant circumstance.

“Cedric still had some tests to undergo [Monday] – nothing out of the ordinary. They just hadn’t been done yet before we could get a result on that. I am kind of anxiously awaiting that.”

The news was somewhat clearer on Cook, who was injured during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s win while defending a pass.

“Chris Cook had his X-rays and such done [Sunday]. He has a sprain,” Groh said. “A sprain can be of certain degree, certainly, but he has a sprain … and this early in the week, we are going to take a day-to-day attitude with them.

“I’d say by Wednesday we’ll have a better idea as to whether they have a chance to be in or be out for this week coming up.”

 

Cavs to rely on 1-2 punch
U. Va. hoping RBs Pearman, Payne can carry ground game
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007 - 12:05 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- University of Virginia tailbacks Keith Payne and Andrew Pearman stopped by the media room at John Paul Jones Arena at different times yesterday.

Had they arrived together, it would have been easy to tell them apart.

"I'm like half his size," Pearman said.

Pearman is a 5-10, 168-pound junior from Charlotte, N.C., whose brother, Alvin, capped an exceptional U.Va. career by being named all-ACC at tailback in 2004. The elder Pearman now plays for the Seattle Seahawks, though his season ended prematurely when he torn an ACL recently.

Payne, a redshirt freshman from Herndon, is a bruising 6-3 234-pounder who "can be very intimidating for people on the defense," Andrew Pearman said.

After starting tailback Cedric Peerman left in the first quarter with an injured right foot Saturday night, U.Va. turned to Pearman and Payne. They didn't disappoint as Virginia rallied past Middle Tennessee 23-21.

"We just looked at each other and said, 'We've really got to do it. We've got to be a 1-2 punch. We've got to do what Cedric has done, the best we can,'" Pearman recalled yesterday.

Payne, who had entered the game with four carries as a Cavalier, rushed 18 times for a game-high 70 yards.

"Basically, being my first game, I made some rookie mistakes," said Payne, The Associated Press' Group AAA player of the year as an Oakton High senior. "I guess my performance was OK, but I know I can do a lot better."

Pearman carried only five times against the Blue Raiders but gained 45 yards and ran for two touchdowns. He also caught five passes for 56 yards, including a 19-yarder to open the fourth-quarter drive that ended with Chris Gould's game-winning field goal at the :08 mark.

Come Saturday, when U.Va. (5-1) hosts Connecticut (5-0) at Scott Stadium, Payne and Pearman may well be asked to top those performances. Cavaliers coach Al Groh said yesterday that he'll prepare this week as if Peerman, a 5-10, 208-pound junior who's the ACC's second-leading rusher, won't be available against UConn.

"I think that's the only prudent thing to do," said Groh, who doesn't expect a decision to come on Peerman's status until late in the week.

Pearman, a study in old-school fashion yesterday in his low-top navy Chuck Taylors, said he and Payne don't feel added pressure with Peerman hurt.

"We're just going to do our best to get in where we fit in," said Pearman, whose voice is uncannily similar to that of his big brother. "We obviously can't do the same things that Cedric did, but together, cumulatively, hopefully we're going to do some good things."

Payne models his running style after that of another super-sized tailback, Eddie George. Asked which tailback he compares himself to, Pearman paused before answering.

"A little bit smaller Alvin Pearman?" he said, smiling. "I don't know. Or a lot smaller. But faster."

Pearman had a storied high school career, but only now is he beginning to stand out as a college player. He began his career at the University of Hawaii, where he redshirted in 2004, before transferring to U.Va.

He sat out the '05 season, then struggled with personal issues and an injury last season. Pearman withdrew from U.Va. before the fall semester was over, spent the spring semester at home and then was returned to school this summer.

Payne's path to U.Va. was more direct. Even before he arrived, many Virginia fans had built Payne into something of a mythic figure. Part of it was his size, and part was his tour de force in the 2005 state Division 6 title game, in which Payne outplayed Florida-bound Percy Harvin in a 28-7 rout of previously unbeaten Landstown.

To Payne, his performance wasn't that unusual.

"I guess it was the fact that Percy Harvin was part of it, and it was the state championship game, that hyped it up," Payne said.

 

Player statuses unknown
Cook's injury just a sprain; Peerman awaits ankle results
Tuesday, Oct 09, 2007 - 12:06 AM Updated: 08:41 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The knee injury that the University of Virginia's top defensive back suffered Saturday night apparently wasn't as serious as originally feared.

On his radio show last night, U.Va. coach Al Groh said junior cornerback Chris Cook has "a sprain . . . and at this point, this early in the week, we're going to take a day-to-day attitude with that."

Cook hurt his left knee when he landed awkwardly after breaking up a pass in the fourth quarter of Virginia's 23-21 win over Middle Tennessee. Also injured in that game was Cavaliers tailback Cedric Peerman, the ACC's second-leading rusher. Peerman, also a junior, hurt his right ankle in the first quarter. He was on crutches in the second half, his foot in a boot.

U.Va.'s medical staff had more tests to run on Peerman yesterday, Groh said last night. "Nothing out of the ordinary, they just have to be done before we can get a result on that. So I'm kind of anxiously awaiting that."

Virginia (5-1) hosts Connecticut (5-0) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

"I'd say by Wednesday we'll have a better idea as to whether [Peerman and Cook] have a chance [to play against UConn]," Groh said.

Also yesterday, a decision on the starting time of U.Va.'s Oct. 20 date with ACC rival Maryland at Byrd Stadium was postponed.

ESPN/ABC exercised six-day options for two Oct. 20 games: Miami at Florida State and Virginia at Maryland.

ABC will carry the Miami-FSU game at 3:30 p.m. or 8 p.m. U.Va. will play Maryland at 3:30 p.m. or 8 p.m.

If the game is at 3:30 p.m., it will be on ABC. If the game gets the 8 p.m. slot, ESPN2 will carry it.

An announcement will come no later than noon Sunday.

 

Timely breakout game for younger Pearman
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Andrew Pearman's performance Saturday night at Middle Tennessee brought some joy to a family that wasn't having a very good week.

Pearman is the younger brother of former Virginia running back Alvin Pearman, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Sept. 30.

Alvin Pearman, a third-year NFL player, had been traded from Jacksonville to Seattle before the season.

It was the second time the older Pearman had sustained a torn ACL in his left knee. He required reconstructive surgery as a sophomore at UVa in 2002 but was available for the start of the next season and became a 1,000-yard rusher and All-ACC selection in 2004.

Knee injuries seem to follow the Pearman brothers. Last year it was Andrew, who required surgery after the fourth game. He already had missed two full seasons, one while redshirting at Hawaii and the second after transferring to Virginia.

The fourth-year junior was switched from receiver to running back in August but was having a nondescript season until Saturday night, when he accounted for 138 all-purpose yards in a 23-21 victory over Middle Tennessee.

"It's the most impact he's had in a game since he's been here," UVa head coach Al Groh said.

Pearman had five receptions for 56 yards, including a 19-yarder on the Cavaliers' game-winning drive, and carried the ball five times for 45 yards and two touchdowns.

On his first touchdown, Pearman took an option pitch from quarterback Jameel Sewell and went airborne at the end of 21-yard run.

"At my size, I know I'm not going to run over anybody," said Pearman, listed at 5-foot-10 and 168 pounds. "It was funny. I did it in practice once over Vic Hall. He laughed about it [Saturday] and was like, 'Remember when you did that to me?' "

Pearman and redshirt freshman Keith Payne shared tailback duties after starter Cedric Peerman suffered a foot injury in the first quarter. UVa is preparing as if Pearman and Payne will be carrying the load again Saturday, when the Cavaliers (5-1) entertain Connecticut (5-0) at 3:30 p.m.

"I think that's the only prudent thing to do," Groh said.

On the other hand, Groh isn't prepared to say Peerman won't play. Practice requirements can vary, especially for a fourth-year junior with three 100-yard games to his credit.

"While we would like him out there, he doesn't have to be out there all four days to play in a game," Groh said.

In the afterglow of Saturday's win, Pearman didn't know when he would speak to his brother. But they had communicated, by the time the UVa players met with the media Tuesday.

Said Andrew: "I think it put a smile on Alvin's face to see that I did well and that we won in the circumstances we were in."

More injuries

The prognosis for cornerback Chris Cook is more promising than originally believed Saturday night, when he landed awkwardly while breaking up a fourth-quarter pass and was helped from the field. Groh said on his radio show Monday night that Cook has a sprained knee.

n Groh said that team doctors have allowed wide receiver Maurice Covington to return to practice after conducting tests on a broken hand that has kept him out of action for the past three weeks.

More tests would be required before Covington could be cleared to play in a game, Groh said.

n Offensive tackle Eugene Monroe was optimistic about a return this week after missing two games with a sprained knee.

Punter commits

Jimmy Howell, a 6-foot-6 punter from West Florence (S.C.) High School, has become the 13th player to commit to Virginia for the entering class of 2008.

Howell earlier had changed his mind but elected to take a second look at Virginia after Californian Matt Zubyk backed out of a commitment to UVa in order to sign with Stanford.

Howell is the quarterback for West Florence and also plays basketball and soccer.

Odds 'n' ends

At the season's midpoint, junior linebacker Jon Copper from Northside High School has a team-high 46 tackles for the Cavaliers, 10 more than runner-up Chris Long. Copper had a team-high 81 tackles in 2006. ... True freshman Ras-I Dowling did not make his first appearance until the second game but has a team-high 16 special-teams tackles, 12 on kickoffs. Next is walk-on Josh Zidenberg with 11 special-teams tackles. ... Zidenberg, a junior fullback, did not have a rushing attempt or a reception in his college career until he caught an 11-yard pass on UVa's final drive Saturday.
 

Like 5-1 Cavs, 5-0 UConn still seeking respect
By ED MILLER , The Virginian-Pilot
© October 10, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE

Call it the Respect Bowl.

Virginia is 5-1, unbeaten in the ACC and the winner of five straight games - the ninth-longest streak in the country.

Yet, in part because of a soft schedule, the Cavaliers aren't being talked about as serious ACC title contenders.

Nor have they cracked the Top 25.

Connecticut, Virginia's opponent Saturday at Scott Stadium, is 5-0, one of 11 unbeaten teams in Division I-A. But the Huskies have also feasted on soft opposition, with wins against Duke, Temple and Maine. And let's face it: Is there anyone who doesn't hear "Connecticut" and think "basketball?"

Connecticut gained Division I-A status in 2000 and first had a full complement of 85 scholarships in 2002. The Huskies joined the Big East in 2004.

Virginia coach Al Groh said Tuesday that he didn't know how Connecticut went about building a competitive program so quickly.

"All I know is what they are right now," he said. "What they are right now is very good."

The Huskies' defense ranks fourth nationally in points and yardage allowed, ninth against the pass and 15th against the run. Connecticut averages 36.6 points a game and is sixth in the nation in turnover margin.

Virginia players said they had not yet begun studying the Huskies in detail, but they said UConn has their attention.

"They're undefeated," tailback Andrew Pearman said. "That's all you need to know."

As for Virginia, the Cavaliers seem content in their role as an under-the-radar bunch with a knack for winning close games. Groh said his team is both "humble" and "hungry."

And not without recognition. Virginia just missed making the USA Today coaches poll and had 22 points in the AP poll.

"There is some respect," tackle Will Barker said. "But I think every week we've got to go out there and we've got to earn it."

Peerman's status for Saturday still unknown

Groh didn't shed much light on the status of junior tailback Cedric Peerman, who left Saturday's win against Middle Tennessee with a foot injury.

Peerman was leading the ACC in rushing before that game. He's now second, behind Georgia Tech's Tashard Choice.

"I haven't been given a date" when he might return, Groh said. " I'd say he's day to day."

If Peerman improves later in the week, he could be available Saturday, even if he doesn't practice. As a veteran player, Peerman doesn't need a full week of practice to prepare for a game, Groh said.

If Peerman can't go, the Cavaliers could split carries between Andrew Pearman and Keith Payne, who shared duty against Middle Tennessee. Both played well, with Payne picking up 70 yards on 18 carries and Pearman running five times for 45 yards and two touchdowns.

Two bits of good news on the injury front

Left tackle Eugene Monroe said he's on the mend and could play Saturday. Monroe has missed the past two games after hurting his knee in Virginia Tech's win against Georgia Tech on Sept. 22.

Branden Albert moved from left guard to Monroe's left tackle spot, and reserve Gordie Sammis filled in for Albert. With 324 rushing yards the past two weeks, the line has hardly missed a beat. Monroe said he could have played last week but wasn't quite ready.

Groh said cornerback Chris Cook's knee injury wasn't as bad as originally feared. Cook twisted his leg after landing awkwardly Saturday. X-rays showed a sprain, not a ligament tear. His status for this Saturday is unclear.

If he can't play, candidates to replace him are redshirt freshmen Mike Parker and Trey Womack and true freshman Ras-I Dowling of Deep Creek High School.

Start time for game vs. Maryland still up in air

The start time for the Oct. 20 game at Maryland won't be announced until Sunday. ESPN/ABC is exercising an option on the game; it will kick off either at 3:30 p.m. on ABC or 8 p.m. on ESPN2.

 

Rush of maturity for U.Va.'s Payne
Keith Payne gets the chance to show what he can do after growing on and off the field.
BY MELINDA WALDROP | Daily Press
10:50 PM EDT, October 9, 2007
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Keith Payne must have wondered if he would get this opportunity. An array of accolades followed Payne to Virginia in 2006. After rushing for 2,059 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior to lead Oakton High in Herndon to a state championship, Payne was the Associated Press' Class AAA Player of the Year. SuperPrep ranked him the No. 21 running back in the country and the eighth-best player in the state, and he was a third-team EA Sports All-American. The superlatives have been harder to come by in college. First, Payne redshirted. Then, this summer, he was briefly suspended for poor academic performance. "That happening definitely was a wakeup call," Payne said. "It really sobered down my life from all the hype I had in high school. It definitely brought me back down to reality. I learned a lot. I learned how to be a teammate. I learned how to be a motivator and show by example." After finally getting a chance to demonstrate that knowledge last weekend, Payne will have another chance on Saturday. With Cedric Peerman out with a right foot injury for most of Virginia's game at Middle Tennessee, Payne led the Cavaliers with 70 yards on 18 carries as U.Va. (5-1) rallied for a 23-21 victory.

No details of Peerman's injury were provided Tuesday, but the Cavs are preparing to play Connecticut at home on Saturday without him.

"I think that's the only prudent thing to do," U.Va. coach Al Groh said.

That means a bigger role for the 6-foot-3, 234-pound Payne, and for 5-10, 168-pound junior Andrew Pearman, who had 45 yards and two touchdowns on five carries against MTSU.

"No one on the team runs like Cedric," Pearman said. "He's just a bowling ball. He can make people miss and just break tackles. Keith, he's just huge. He can be very intimidating for people on the defense, and he can break tackles as well. I'm half his size, so I can't really run through anybody, but I kind of bring speed.

"We obviously can't do the same things as Cedric did, but together, cumulatively, we're gonna hopefully do some good things."

Neither Payne nor Pearman had much chance to contribute as Peerman averaged an ACC-best 113 rushing yards through Virginia's first five games.

But Payne, who had four carries for 12 yards going into the Middle Tennessee game, stayed focused.

"I'm always thinking I'm getting in, and I prepare that way," he said.

After Peerman's injury, Payne's results were mixed. He had a 17-yard run at the start of the third quarter, and first-down runs of seven and six yards on the Cavs' 85-yard touchdown drive that spanned the third and fourth quarters.

But on U.Va.'s next possession, he fumbled, watching and praying as the ball bounced in slow motion out of bounds at the Cavs' 8-yard line.

"With it basically being my first game, I made some rookie mistakes," Payne said. " ... I guess my performance was OK, but I know I can do a lot better."

That includes making better cuts and improving on the blocking he never really concerned himself with as a hulking high school star.

"In high school, I was definitely bigger than anybody, and I was playing a skill position, so there really wasn't many thoughts into how to block someone, or how to do this and that," Payne said.

"But now it's different. Technique is really the key. I feel like technique is gonna help me perform better instead of just my body size."

As for Payne's off-field concerns, Groh was satisfied with the player's final summer-school grades, and is keeping an eye on him this semester.

"We'll see whether it was a short-term lesson or whether it's a long-term one," Groh said. "I hope it was more of a lifestyle and life perspective motivation. If all it did was touch his attitude toward football, then we didn't achieve the entire objective, which was to reach for more and have a greater expectation of himself in everything he does."

 

Pearman makes the most of opportunity
BY MELINDA WALDROP | 247-4634
10:36 PM EDT, October 9, 2007
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Andrew Pearman's career at Virginia has been interesting, with a transfer from Hawaii in 2004 and a withdrawal from school because of personal reasons last year.

But until last Saturday's game at Middle Tennessee, it hadn't been memorable.

Pearman, who had seven catches in four games in 2006, contributed modest numbers in Virginia's first five games this season. In his wide-receiver/running-back role, he had 57 yards on 12 carries and 53 yards on four catches.

Those statistics shot up in the Cavs' 23-21 victory against MTSU. With leading rusher Cedric Peerman out with a foot injury, Pearman caught five passes for 56 yards and rushed for 45 yards and his first two touchdowns of the season on five carries.

"I felt really good. I felt really relaxed," Pearman said. "I definitely didn't expect it. I practiced to play but I didn't expect to get out there as much as I did."

Pearman's first touchdown ended in an acrobatic flip after he hurdled defenders at the 3-yard line. His second came as he slid around the right pylon on an option pitch.

"That's the most impact he's had on any game since he's been here," Virginia coach Al Groh said.

The performance came at a fortuitous time for the Pearman family. Andrew's older brother, Alvin, a running back for the Seattle Seahawks, tore his ACL on Sept. 30 and is out for the season.

"I think it put a smile on Alvin's face to see that I did well," Pearman said.

Pearman said his preparation for Saturday's game won't change even if Peerman can't play. His reps in practice will be the same -- although he can't guarantee the same will be true for his sleep patterns.

"Last Friday I slept fine," he said. "We'll see about this Friday."

HOLDING THE LINE

Left tackle Eugene Monroe, who's missed the past two games with a knee injury, said he's "definitely moving forward" but that he wasn't quite ready to play at MTSU.

"I feel pretty good right now," he said.

In Monroe's absence, left guard Brandon Albert has shifted to tackle and career backup Gordie Sammis has filled in capably at tackle. The Cavs rushed for 173 yards in a 44-14 win against Pittsburgh on Sept. 29 before picking up 151 against Middle Tennessee.

"I'll say (I'm) impressed, but not surprised at all," Monroe said. "Brandon's very athletic, and I see Gordie every day in practice, and he always gets the job done."

QB CONFIDENCE

Jameel Sewell's 5-for-5 effort in the Cavs' game-winning drive against MTSU solidified his teammates' faith in him even as it highlighted his hot-and-cold play. The last-minute drive was necessary after Sewell threw an interception that led to Middle Tennessee's go-ahead touchdown.

"We've always had confidence in Jameel," offensive lineman Will Barker said. "He's a tough guy. He's gonna go out there and give it all he has. ... He threw a pick, but it didn't get him down. He still came back and ran a hell of a two-minute (drill)."

ODDS AND ENDS

Cornerback Chris Cook, who landed awkwardly on his leg while making a tackle against MTSU, suffered a sprained knee. ... Wide receiver Maurice Covington, who hasn't played since the third game of the season because of a broken hand, participated in Monday's practice on a limited basis, but won't play this week.

 

Peerman remains uncertain
By Andy Bitter
abitter@newsadvance.com
October 10, 2007

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Al Groh may not have ruled Virginia tailback Cedric Peerman out for this week's game against Connecticut, but he sure sounded Tuesday like he was preparing to be without the team's leading rusher.
"I think that's the only prudent thing to do," Groh said.

Peerman, who has rushed for 585 yards and five touchdowns this year, underwent tests Monday night to determine the severity of the right foot injury that left him in a walking boot and on crutches by the end of Saturday's game at Middle Tennessee.

As expected, Groh was vague about the details of the injury, only

confirming that Peerman hurt his right foot and not his ankle.

Peerman will be re-evaluated later in the week, when coaches will determine if he can play. To be clear, Groh hasn't ruled the former William Campbell star out.

"As a four-year veteran, he's at a stage in his career that while we would like him to be out there (in practice), he doesn't have to be out there four days to be prepared to play in a game," Groh said. "If he's available at the end of the week, he'll know what to do."

If Peerman cannot go, the Cavaliers will split carries between junior Andrew Pearman, one of the fastest players on the team, and redshirt freshman Keith Payne, who at 6-foot-3, 234 pounds is more of a bruising back. They combined for 115 rushing yards, 56 receiving yards and two touchdowns last weekend.

"I think it's a great combination," Payne said. "However we can tear down defenses to win games."

With Peerman shouldering the load, they haven't had many chances to run the ball so far. This season, Peerman has accounted for 113 of Virginia's 224 carries. Payne has 22. Pearman has 17.

"Every week we practice like we're going to play," Pearman said. "It really doesn't change much as far as getting reps and practicing hard."

Redshirt freshman Raynard Horne would move up to the No. 3 running back spot if Peerman is unavailable.

Fullback Josh Zidenberg, who usually makes his mark on special teams, also would see an increase in playing time, due in large part to his blocking ability. Zidenberg caught his first career pass in a critical moment on UVa's game-winning drive last Saturday, two plays before Chris Gould's game-winning field goal.

In other injury news, cornerback Chris Cook (Heritage) has a knee sprain and is day-to-day. The junior's left knee buckled when he landed after knocking down a fourth quarter pass against Middle Tennessee.

That it was only a sprain was probably the best news Virginia could have gotten. Looking at the replay, it appeared as though it could have been a serious injury.

"He came down at a very awkward angle," Groh said. "You see players get pretzeled to a lesser degree than that who have had significant injuries."

Cook has already had an injury to that effect in his career. He broke his right leg on a special teams play at Boston College during the fifth game of 2005 and missed the remainder of the season.


 

UVa Notebook - Gould still wondering about timeout
By Andy Bitter
abitter@newsadvance.com
October 10, 2007

CHARLOTTESVILLE - It's been a popular tactic by NFL coaches to call a timeout immediately before an opposing team's place-kicker attempts a game-winning field goal. Virginia's Chris Gould was surprised Middle Tennessee didn't try that last Saturday.
Gould booted a 34-yard field goal with eight seconds left to lift the Cavaliers to a 23-21 win. It atoned for the extra point he missed earlier in the fourth quarter.

Gould and holder Vic Hall discussed the

possibility that Middle Tennessee might try to call a timeout right as UVa was preparing to snap the ball. The Blue Raiders had already called one timeout to try to ice Gould. They had one more remaining but did not use it.

"I didn't want to get in the ready position and be sitting there for five seconds and let them call timeout," Gould said. "You want to stay loose and relaxed, and if you tense up right before you go, you might not make the field goal.

"I was surprised they didn't call it. I guess after I missed the extra point, the other coach was probably thinking (I've) got a good shot to miss that one too."

Gould made it, the first game-winning field goal of his career.

"A lot of kickers have replayed that 1,000 times (in their minds) when they're out there on the practice field," he said.

Kickoff return lagging

In the past, Virginia's kickoff return team has been one of its stronger special teams units. That hasn't been the case this year.

The Cavaliers uncharacteristically rank ninth in the ACC in kickoff returns, averaging 20.1 yards. Last season, they were third, averaging 23.9 yards.

"There seems to be one or two issues on every return," UVa head coach Al Groh said. "We have been concerned about it for quite a while. ? It used to be when we (received a kickoff) that we had high expectations on every one of them. We still have those hopes, but we have to get this thing going now."

Expect a shakeup this week, especially if Cedric Peerman (foot) can't play. Andrew Pearman will remain one of the returners. The other could be any number of players, including Mikell Simpson, Raynard Horne, Keith Payne, Chris Dalton and Josh Zidenberg.

Still unbeaten

At 5-0, Connecticut is one of 11 remaining undefeated teams in the country. The others are LSU, California, Ohio State, Boston College, South Florida, Missouri, Arizona State, Cincinnati, Hawaii and Kansas.

The Huskies are the only team of those 11 that is not ranked, in large part because of their schedule. UConn's victories have come over Duke, Maine, Temple, Pittsburgh and Akron, who are a combined 8-20.

Connecticut is in its eighth season since moving from Division I-AA to I-A, so most Cavaliers players don't know too much about the

program.

"They're undefeated," Pearman said. "That's all you need to know."

Extra points

Wideout Maurice Covington (broken left hand) resumed practice on a limited basis this week. Groh said he is still a long way from returning to game action. ? The start time for UVa's game at Maryland on Oct. 20 will be decided Sunday. It will be either a 3:30 p.m. start and televised on ABC or an 8 p.m. start on ESPN2. ? The Cavaliers are not ranked in either poll, but they are close. They received 67 votes in the USA Today/Coaches Poll, tops among non-ranked teams. They got 22 votes in the AP Poll, putting them 33rd overall. Virginia was last ranked in October of 2005, getting up to No. 23 following an upset of No. 4 Florida State. UVa dropped out of the polls the next week after a 7-5 loss at North Carolina.

 

One key position fits three 'sizes' for Cavaliers
October 10, 2007 12:35 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

CHARLOTTESVILLE--University of Virginia football coach Al Groh refers to his top three running backs as Small, Medium and Large.

Medium is 5-foot-10, 208-pound junior Cedric Peerman, who was carted off the field during Saturday's 23-21 victory over Middle Tennessee State with a right foot injury.

Groh hasn't ruled the Atlantic Coast Conference's second-leading rusher out for this Saturday's homecoming contest against Connecticut (5-0), calling him, "day-to-day."

However, it appears likely that Peerman will miss at least one game.

That's why Groh is looking for junior Andrew "Small" Pearman and red-shirt freshman Keith "Large" Payne to step up in practice this week.

The duo combined for 115 yards and two touchdowns after Peerman exited in the first half of the Cavaliers' victory over Middle Tennessee State.

It isn't clear who will start for Virginia (5-1) on Saturday.

"Most likely, both will be involved," Groh said of Pearman and Payne. "The players are aware that we're going to scrutinize the performance at practice very closely [and] really grade it to a T. Based on that performance we'll make a decision."

Before the Middle Tennessee State game, Pearman and Payne had 68 combined rushing yards in their careers.

The 6-foot-3, 234-pound Payne had the bulk of the rushes in Peerman's absence on Saturday, finishing with 70 yards on 18 carries.

Pearman (5-foot-10, 168 pounds) turned in the most dazzling plays, including touchdown runs of 5 and 21 yards. He finished with 45 yards on five rushes, but also caught five passes for 56 yards.

Pearman said he and Payne have different running styles, but he hopes they form a potent combination.

"Keith, he's just huge," said Pearman, the younger brother of former Cavaliers' standout running back Alvin Pearman. "He can be very intimidating for people. He can break tackles as well. I'm half his size, so I can't go through anybody, but I can bring the speed and stuff like that."

There's one glaring similarity between Pearman and Payne: they both had to overcome adversity to get to this point.

Pearman withdrew from classes at Virginia last fall for personal reasons following knee surgery. He was a wide receiver last season, and he began fall practice this year at the same position.

But one day, he was abruptly asked to switch to running back, the position he played at Providence High School in Charlotte, N.C.

"It literally was out of nowhere," Pearman said. "Coach Groh just said, 'You're meeting with coach [Anthony] Poindexter and I was like, 'For what? He's the running backs coach.' And he was like, 'You're playing running back now.' That's kind of how it worked."

Payne's adversity was in the classroom. He wasn't meeting the academic expectations of Groh and the Virginia coaching staff.

Groh suspended the talented Payne from the team in June as a way to teach him a lesson that reached beyond football. Payne rejoined the Cavaliers after summer school grades were released during fall practice.

"I hope it was more of a lifestyle and life perspective motivation," Groh said. "If all it did was touch his attitude toward football then we didn't achieve the entire objective, which is to reach for more and have a greater expectation of himself in everything that he does."

The time away from the team certainly hit home with Payne. The Herndon native who models his game after former NFL star running back Eddie George, said, "I learned a lot. I learned how to be a teammate."

He added that the suspension was, "a wake-up call."

"It really sobered down my life from all the hype I had in high school," Payne said. "It definitely brought me back down to reality."

The reality for the Cavaliers on Saturday could be that Peerman won't play.

And if not, Payne and Pearman may be counted on heavily.

The two shared a brief conversation after they realized they would be pressed into action at Middle Tennessee State.

Said Pearman: "We looked at each other and said, 'We've got to be a 1-2 punch. We've got to do what Cedric has done the best we can. We've got to represent the running backs and have a good time out there.'"

Notes
Junior left tackle Eugene Monroe is listed as the starter on the Cavaliers' depth chart for Saturday's game. He missed the past two games with a knee injury.

Standout junior cornerback Chris Cook suffered a sprained left knee against Middle Tennessee State and may miss the Connecticut game. Redshirt freshman Trey Womack is listed as Cook's top backup.

Junior wide receiver Maurice Covington returned to practice on Monday after missing the past three games with a broken hand. Covington isn't expected to play on Saturday.

 

Pitching strong in opening game of intra-squad series
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
October 10, 2007

Greg Miclat raced 20 yards to his left, corralled a line drive off the bat of Ryan Smith in center field and started screaming at the dugout.

At 100 percent, Miclat would have taken a different course of action: he would have fired the ball home from the outfield.

Five months after surgery on his throwing arm, that is not yet an option for Miclat, who typically plays shortstop. Instead, Virginia coach Brian O’Connor allowed the junior to play in center in the first game of the Orange and Blue World Series, but stopped live action when the ball reached Miclat’s glove.

The emotion displayed by Miclat on the potential sacrifice fly was quite symbolic of the enthusiasm displayed in a contest eventually won, 3-0, by the Orange team at Davenport Field.

“When you have 16 new players on your roster it is good to do this. It is as close as you can come to a game,” O’Connor said. “We are in separate dugouts, wearing different colored uniforms and it’s for bragging rights.

“The guys came out and played with a lot of intensity and that is the way you want to do it.”

The contest, as one might expect with the team’s ace, Jacob Thompson, on the mound, was dominated by pitching early on. Thompson, who went 11-0 last year, hurled four innings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out four.

Thompson was matched by four scoreless frames from sophomore Jeff Lorick, who earned the start for Blue team coach Karl Kuhn.

“It is nice to see your No. 1 go out there and pitch well, but the bright spot for me was seeing Jeff Lorick go out there and throw four shutout innings,” O’Connor said. “Anytime you split your squad it is going to be a lower-scoring game, but overall the play was very good.”

Right-hander Robert Morey, who entered the game for Thompson in the fifth, earned the win after the Orange team scored a lone run in the sixth and added two insurance runs in the seventh.

Morey can thank David Adams, who paced the Orange team with two runs and three hits. One of those hits included a towering opposite-field homer in the seventh that traveled 350 feet before clearing the right-field wall.

“I have never done it here,” Adams said of hitting a blast to right. “I did it in high school once. I think that is it.”

O’Connor added: “That is good to see. That shows how strong David Adams is. I hope we see a lot of that this spring.”

He battles with two strikes and David is a very advanced hitter for his age. Rather than pulling off the ball against a lefty with a little bit of movement, he stayed with the pitch and drove the ball the other way.”

The Orange team, which also got hits from Jake Cowan, Jarrett Parker, Morey and Smith, did not celebrate in length. The Blue team’s pitching staff was the likely reason. Kuhn’s team boasts sophomore Matt Packer, junior Jake Rule and seniors Michael Schwimer and Pat McAnaney.

“They have some real good arms coming along the way,” Adams said, “but I think we have some arms to match them. We will see.”

The second game in the three-game series will be played Thursday at 4 p.m. The deciding game is scheduled for Sunday at 6 p.m.

The two teams will also play another three-game series - contests will be played Oct. 16 (6 p.m.), Oct. 18 (4 p.m.) and Oct. 22 (3 p.m.). A seventh game, with a format yet to be determined, is planned for Oct. 23 (6 p.m.).

Extra bases …

O’Connor did not rule out using Miclat in the outfield on a limited basis early in the spring. “You never know what happens,” O’Connor said. “Early in the season we have so many games bunched up - we have four games the first two weekends and games during the middle of the week - and he is probably not going to play every game at shortstop, so that’s an option to play him in center field to give his arm a rest. He gets great jumps off the bat, so you may see him play out there early on.” … The Blue team finished with four hits, two of which came from freshman Dan Grovatt. In the seventh inning, Grovatt slapped a double to left field. “Danny is a gamer,” O’Connor said. “If you come out and watch Danny take BP, he isn’t going to do anything real impressive, but when the game is on the line, he takes good hacks. … O’Connor likes the way his young outfield is shaping up. “I think we are going to have a lot of options, left-handed and right-handed, in our outfield,” he said. “We are going to be young but we are going to have some options out there.”

… Morey’s outing on the mound proved something to O’Connor: pitching with runners on base is not a problem. The rookie stranded four runners. “I like Robert Morey,” the coach said. “He is a competitor, he attacks the hitters and he has a great arm. He topped out at 93 mph tonight and he has a good breaking ball. We see things in games in this series and it’s going to be like that in the spring. It was good to see him raise up his game and maybe that elevates his status heading into the spring.”

… For Thompson, it was the fourth outing of the fall. O’Connor had rested his ace earlier in the practice period after the right-hander logged a heavy workload as a sophomore with Virginia and later with Team USA. Despite pitching a near perfect game, Thompson was frustrated with himself and his control. “I was tired tonight and it felt like I didn’t have that extra zip or good control on my pitches,” he said. “I was just trying to pitch to the batters and mix pitches in, keeping them off balance. I was lucky because I left a lot of balls over the plate and I got behind a lot of hitters.” … Tyler Cannon, who played shortstop for Virginia last year, was the top pick in the draft for the series by Kuhn for an obvious reason. Kuhn wanted Cannon to be his top option behind the plate catching, something the sophomore did at times in high school. Orange team manager Kyle Werman followed by drafting Thompson and Adams with his first two picks.

 

Farrakhan blazing his own path
Grandson of Nation of Islam leader looks to shine on the hardwood
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
October 9, 2007

Recently, Virginia freshman Mustapha Farrakhan was on campus when his phone rang. On the line was his grandfather.

It was pretty good timing since Farrakhan is taking a religion class this semester.

What better sounding board than Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader?

“Sometimes learning about other religions can be confusing,” said Mustapha Farrakhan, 18, “so sometimes I’ll just call him and he’ll clarify something and help me out a little bit.”

Of course, the conversations aren’t always so serious. Believe it or not, the Farrakhans like to engage in a little trash talk.

“He always tells me he’s going to dunk on me,” said Farrakhan, smiling. “He’s always clowning. It’s funny because a lot of people don’t see that side of him.”

Farrakhan, whose father works for his grandfather as a supreme captain in the Nation of Islam, comes to Virginia with notoriety mainly because of his lineage. That, however, is something the 6-foot-4, 175-pound guard would like to work on.

With the official start of basketball practice just a few days away, Farrakhan – as hard as it may seem - is hoping he can make fans think hoops and not religion when they hear his last name.

However, the Chicago native says he’s gotten used to the constant curiosity about his family.

“That pretty much goes with being a Farrakhan,” he said. “That’s what we’re pretty much known for.

“I guess it might seem odd to see that a Farrakhan is playing basketball, so that’s why [people] always ask the questions.”

This is certain: Virginia coach Dave Leitao is excited about having Farrakhan in the fold. Leitao beat out hometown favorite Illinois for the guard’s services.

Farrakhan, Leitao said, is the classic combo guard.

“He has a pretty good skill package,” Leitao said. “He can shoot the ball and is athletic. He’ll go up and catch alley oops. He has speed and quickness. He has a pretty decent ball-handling package, although it’s not that of a true point guard. But he can handle the ball better than a normal [shooting guard].”

Farrakhan realizes he’ll have to compete for playing time this season. Fellow freshmen Sam Zeglinski and Jeff Jones also play the backcourt.

In the beginning, Farrakhan says he will have modest goals.

“I just want to play as hard as I can and when my number is called and give it my best effort,” he said. “I don’t want to set anything too high and put a lot of pressure on myself. I just want to go out and play as hard as I can.”

Sophomore Will Harris has been impressed by Farrakhan in offseason pickup games. Farrakhan always seems eager to learn.

“It’s a transition coming in from high school into a top-notch program like we have here,” Harris said, “but he works real hard and is always willing to take advice from upperclassmen.”

Farrakhan, whose favorite NBA player is Kobe Bryant, says he doesn’t try and pattern his game after anybody’s. One of the things he prides himself on is playing the right way.

“I think I have a pretty good IQ for the game,” he said, “but I try and do whatever the coach wants me to do. Coach is really stressing defense to me right now.”

Farrakhan says one of his biggest adjustments so far has been on the academic side of things – getting used to larger classes. His average class at Thornton Township High had about 25 students.

Another big adjustment has been being away from his parents for the first time. “We’re a close-knit family,” he said, “so

sometimes I get a little homesick.”

Farrakhan’s father, also named Mustapha, has been a big part of his son’s athletic career. The elder Farrakhan, or “Big Mu” as he is known, rarely missed even a practice of his son’s in high school.

The impact that Farrakhan’s father has had was obvious when the younger Farrakhan talked about the highlight of his basketball career – a game in which he scored a modest 15 points in the state tournament.

“It was the way that I scored them – toward the end of the game,” Farrakhan explained. “My dad always tells me that being the leader on the team and the team captain, you have to know when to take over the game sometimes. That was a pressure game. If you lost, the season was over.”

Farrakhan expects his parents to be at most of his games this season. Over the years, his grandfather has been to a handful. He says he’s hoping that the family patriarch can make it down to at least one in Charlottesville this season.

During the recruiting process, Leitao had the chance to talk with Farrakhan’s grandfather on the phone. The coach says he’s looking forward to chatting in person with the man who took over as spokesman for the Nation of Islam after Malcolm X’s assassination in 1965.

Leitao says Farrakhan’s parents have done a great job making him understand that he’s his own person.

“His mother and father in particular have made sure to try and integrate him in a way that would allow him to think like that and live like that,” Leitao said. “Obviously when you have that name, it brings about comments and people look at him differently, but I think when he’s looking at himself, he sees himself here as a normal first-year guy that happens to play basketball and is trying to learn his way around more than anything.”

Farrakhan’s teammates have been taken with his humility.

“When he’s in the locker room, you can’t tell that he’s from a [well-known] family like that,” Harris said. “He’s just real down to earth and just fits in real well with anybody.”

Harris says he can’t imagine what it would be like to grow up with the last name Farrakhan.

“I’m sure that he probably feels some pressures that a lot of us don’t have to feel - with all the opinions flying around,” Harris said.

Farrakhan just shrugs his shoulders when asked about those pressures.

“I’m not thinking about any of that stuff now,” he said. “I just play ball and focus on what’s going on right now.

“One day I want people to know me not only as Mustapha and the grandson of [Louis Farrakhan],” he said, “but as a basketball player as well. That’s what I’m working toward.”