By an inch, Cavs survive again
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
October 21, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - After further review - and another review - Virginia remains
undefeated in the ACC.
Mikell Simpson, a week after seeing the field for just one play, scored on a
1-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds remaining to lift Virginia to an
improbable, 18-17, victory over Maryland at Byrd Stadium.
The sophomore tailback, an afterthought in the Cavaliers' offense as a wide
receiver, rushed 16 times for 119 yards and caught 13 passes for another 152,
giving Virginia coach Al Groh his first road win over the Terrapins since
returning to his alma mater.
"It was an inspiring effort," said Groh, who is now 75-74 all-time as a college
coach. "These players have a lot of heart. This is another example of the team
power they have worked so hard to build - the confidence they have in each other
and the way everyone has everyone else’s back.
"Guys had to step up and make plays. We believe that if one guy makes a play, we
all make a play; if one guy has a hard time, we all have a hard time. There was
great confidence on the sidelines, especially in the latter part of the game.
The players had great confidence and faith in themselves."
With the win, Virginia (7-1, 4-0 ACC) regained sole possession of first place in
the Coastal Division by a half-game over Virginia Tech. The Cavaliers’ current
seven-game winning streak tied the longest string during a single season.
It was also the fifth win by five points or less, something no team in country
has accomplished.
“Our M.O. evidently is to give as many people as possible heart attacks,” said
senior defensive end Chris Long. “Hospitals are probably buzzing right now
around Charlottesville. But we are just trying to win games and have more points
than the other team.”
Virginia’s victory came only after a pair of instant replays on the team’s final
drive confirmed calls in the Cavaliers’ favor.
The first - a ruling on a spot for a reception by Simpson - kept the drive
alive. The latter, which came on Simpson’s dive into the end zone, secured the
victory.
"When I was in the air I looked down with the ball to see where the yellow [end
zone] line was because it sticks out so much on the field. I knew it was a
touchdown," Simpson said. "I saw it. I crossed it. The only thing that scared me
was the fourth-down play when I stretched out for it.
"That was the only question mark that I had."
Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen maintained a different opinion on both plays that
were reviewed.
"I actually had a pretty good view. I saw the ball come out on the goal line,"
Friedgen said. "I saw it and I don’t think he had possession. You really don't
see anyone overrule too many calls anymore.
"I watched the replay on the Jumbotron and the receiver looked to be out of
bounds to me on the fourth-down play. I know they are professionals up in the
booth reviewing, so I’m sure they’re doing the right things."
The final drive, which started at Virginia’s 10 with 7:42 left, included two
quarterbacks - Peter Lalich replaced Jameel Sewell for two plays in the middle
of the drive after the starter blacked out momentarily - and required one
third-down conversion and the critical fourth-down reception by Simpson.
“[Maryland’s] defense was getting tired,” Simpson said. “Before the drive even
started, everyone looked in each other’s eyes and said we have to make it happen
right now or we’re not gonna add another win in our column. That goes to show we
will not crack in those situations.”
One play after Simpson’s lunge for the first-down marker at the Maryland 10 kept
the drive alive, the junior burst up the middle of the field for a 9-yard gain
that took the ball to the 1. The Cavaliers called a timeout with 28 seconds left
to set up Simpson’s dive. The play, which was designed to be run to the outside
behind a pulling Branden Albert, changed when Simpson saw an opening.
Maryland stopped Virginia’s attempt at a two-point play, but back-to-back
penalties on Maryland’s kickoff return and its final play secured another close
victory for Virginia.
On the drive, Simpson accounted for 92 yards and the possession was praised by
Groh for its creativity.
"Obviously, there were some great calls upstairs that [the game] came down to,"
Virginia’s coach said. "There were some pretty gutsy calls and some pretty gutsy
execution when the game was on the line.
"Once again, we're showing that this is a team that isn't going to crack."
The Terps, who led 14-10 at halftime, added to its cushion with a 41-yard field
goal with 8:53 left in the third quarter.
Virginia, which remains without a third-quarter touchdown on the season, did put
some points on the board in the frame in what proved to start the second
straight come-from-behind win. The score came with 2 seconds left in the third
quarter when Virginia defensive end Chris Long beat a pair of offensive linemen
and crunched Maryland quarterback Chris Turner in the end zone.
Long, who had 10 tackles in the first 45 minutes of the game, gave Virginia’s
its first safety since 2005 (North Carolina) and cut the deficit to 17-12.
For the game, Virginia gained 439 yards of total offense, its highest output of
the season. Maryland, which was held to 103 yards passing, finished with 233
yards on 53 plays and had its two-game winning streak snapped.
In the first half, Virginia easily outgained Maryland in total yardage, 251-169,
but the Cavaliers trailed for most of the session.
Virginia’s lone lead came after its opening possession and in strange fashion.
Mikell Simpson, who entered the game with 38 all-purpose yards on the season,
caught three passes for 38 yards, fueling an 8-play, 66-yard drive that led to a
36-yard field goal from Chris Gould.
It marked the fifth time this season that Virginia scored on its opening
possession, but the lead did not stand long.
Maryland answered with a balanced drive - quarterback Chris Turner completed two
passes for 31 yards and Keon Lattimore carried the ball five times for 27 yards,
three of which came on a touchdown run by the senior tailback with 6:53 left in
the first quarter.
The Terps scored again on their first possession of the second quarter. Once
again, the score came on the ground. Lance Ball, who had eight carries for 47
yards in the first half, capped a 53-yard scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown
scamper.
Trailing 14-3, Virginia’s defense showed drastic improvements, forcing
back-to-back Maryland punts. That bought time for the Cavaliers’ offense - with
3:35 left in the first half, Simpson broke free up the middle for a 44-yard
touchdown run. It was the longest run of his career.
"He really stepped up and showed what he can do today," Groh said. "I really
want to highlight Mikell for what he did for his team today. But without
subtracting anything from what he did, a lot of other kids did the exact same
thing. It just wasn't as visible.
"We had a little bit of a tough go early on defense, and a lot of guys had to
step up and change what they did. We had some lulls on offense, but when we
really needed it, between our quarterback, our protection and Mikell, we came
through. We needed a contribution from all three phases of our team today and we
got a contribution from all three."
Virginia plays Saturday at North Carolina State (2-5, 1-3 ACC) at 4:30 p.m. The
contest will be aired on ESPNU.
Extra points …
Virginia tight end Tom Santi injured his foot on the first offensive play from
scrimmage. Groh said Virginia would be without Santi for some time. … Simpson’s
271 all-purpose yards are the most by a player in the program since Thomas Jones
had a school-record 333 against Buffalo in 1999. Simpson’s total ranks sixth in
school history. … Virginia played the contest without cornerback Chris Cook,
fullback Rashawn Jackson and running back Cedric Peerman.
Simpson has license to thrill
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
October 21, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- During a preseason media session over the summer, someone
asked Virginia coach Al Groh to describe Mikell Simpson’s role on the team.
The little-used sophomore had been practicing at both wide receiver and running
back. One scribe suggested, “So, he’s your Secret Agent?”
Groh said, “Yeah, I’ll go with that.”
Saturday night, favored Maryland found out just how much of a secret Simpson had
been. Saturday night, he was more like a secret weapon rather than a secret
agent.
The Pennsylvanian may just have been the week’s best-kept secret.
In what had to be one of the most dramatic performances in the history of
Cavalier football, the unheralded, sparsely-used Simpson carried the Wahoos to
the winner’s circle again Saturday night with an inspiring, 271-yard performance
in a heart-stopping, 18-17 upset over the host Maryland Terrapins.
Up until UVa’s trip across the Potomac, Simpson’s No. 5 had only two carries and
four receptions in seven games.
UVa’s leading rusher Cedric Peerman sidelined three weeks ago with a foot injury
and Andrew Pearman was bothered by health
issues early in the week.
That left Keith Payne as the only healthy back of note.
Simpson was there to provide depth. He provided much more.
All Simpson did was rush 16 times for 119 yards and haul in 13 passes for 152
more and scored both touchdowns to extend UVa’s winning streak to seven games,
which tied the school record for most consecutive wins in a single season.
The 271 yards total offense was the sixth-best in the history of Wahoo football,
only one yard shy of Frank Quayle’s 272 against Maryland in 1968.
More importantly, Simpson had 14 touches on the Cavaliers’ nail-biting, 16-play,
90-yard drive for the clinching touchdown in the waning minutes of the game. He
had five catches for 48 yards and nine rushes for 48 more, including the Reaper
Cheating dive into the end zone for the winning touchdown from a yard out with
16 seconds to play.
Yeah, we know that adds up to 92 yards, but there were some penalties that
extended the march.
“I knew I scored because my knee touched the [goal] line,” Simpson said after
the game. “I started playing running back on Monday in practice and I practiced
hard all week.”
That was quite a performance from a player that participated in only six games
last season and had 13 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown in addition to 12
catches.
No wonder Maryland’s sideline must have asked: “OK, No. 5, just who are you, and
what have you done with Mikell Simpson?”
He truly had been somewhat of a mystery man until Saturday night. Rated the
fifth-best player in the state of Pennsylvania out of Harrisburg High School
(where he played for former Navy head coach George Chaump), Simpson narrowed his
college choices to Virginia and Alabama.
Until Saturday night, Virginia fans probably had wondered what ever happened to
Simpson, who played only one play in last week’s win over Connecticut.
“I have been waiting for this opportunity ever since I left high school,”
Simpson said. “I came to Virginia thinking I can do the same thing I did in high
school. Tonight, the opportunity presented itself and I took full advantage of
it.
“This was the first week since summer camp where I was actually practicing in
the backfield,” Simpson said. “I got a lot of reps out there and I came out
today and made some big plays and ended up getting a lot more reps in the game.”
The unheralded back ran the Cavaliers back into contention late in the first
half when he bolted 44 yards for a touchdown that drew Virginia within 14-10.
“[Maryland] overplayed us on that play and I cut back, and Gene Monroe blocked
the safety, and I just trusted my speed,” Simpson said.
Groh was impressed with his new playmaker, just as much as he was with the
entire team effort as the Cavaliers continued their cardiac-kids finish.
Virginia has won the last three games by a total of four points.
“[Simpson] really stepped up and showed what he could do today,” Groh said.
“Mikell has been waiting for this for a long time and we said, ‘Let’s ride him
and see what happens.’”
Just like all those secret agents before him, John Drake (the original Secret
Agent Man), James Bond, and Austin Powers ... the Wahoos’ secret agent, Mikell
Simpson, saved the day.
”This shocked me,” Simpson said. “I am still kind of in shock.”
So is Maryland.
Better late...
Simpson's last-minute TD runs Cavs' streak to 7
Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 - 12:07 AM Updated: 12:38 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- If Hollywood had produced this script, no
one would have believed it.
On any other night, University of Virginia defensive end Chris Long's tour de
force would have been the main storyline to emerge from last night's ACC
football game at Byrd Stadium. But such dominance from Long, an All-America
candidate, has become almost routine.
The story last night was the play of Mikell Simpson, a seldom-used sophomore who
turned in one of the most remarkable -- and improbable -- performances in U.Va.
history.
Simpson's 1-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds left lifted the Cavaliers to an
18-17 victory over Maryland before a homecoming crowd of 52,782. The
fourth-quarter comeback was the third consecutive for Virginia (4-0, 7-1), but
neither of the previous two came close to matching this one for drama.
In the 42 final seconds, two plays were reviewed by the ACC video crew. Both
went U.Va.'s way.
On the first, the ruling that Simpson had barely gained the necessary 4 yards on
fourth down from the Terrapins' 14, was upheld. Then, after a shovel pass from
sophomore quarterback Jameel Sewell to Simpson went for 9 yards, Simpson took a
handoff from Sewell and went airborne on second down.
Simpson lost the football before he came down in the end zone, and the Terrapins
recovered. But the officials' initial call -- that Simpson had the ball in his
possession when it crossed the goal line -- stood after another heart-stopping
delay.
The Harrisburg, Pa., resident, who spent most of his time at tailback but also
played wide receiver, finished with 119 yards and two TDs on 16 carries. He
caught 13 passes for 152 yards. On the Cavaliers' final drive, Simpson touched
the ball 14 times and gained 92 yards.
"He really stepped up and showed what he could do today," said Al Groh,
Virginia's seventh-year coach.
The Cavaliers' two-point conversion attempt failed, but Maryland (1-2, 4-3) went
nowhere in the final 16 seconds, and Groh's team raced off the field to
celebrate its first win at Byrd Stadium since 1999.
Virginia has won seven consecutive games, its longest streak since 1990. The
Cavaliers held the Terps to 64 yards of offense in the second half. Sewell, a
Hermitage High graduate, completed 22 of 35 passes for 243 yards and wasn't
intercepted.
Long had four tackles for loss, including two sacks, knocked down two passes and
hammered Maryland quarterback Chris Turner in the end zone with 2 seconds left
in the third quarter to pull U.Va. to 17-12.
"Clearly, there's no better player in college football than Chris Long," Groh
said. "He performs like a star but doesn't act like a star."
Had Cedric Peerman, the ACC's second-leading rusher, been healthy, Simpson might
not have played last night. But Peerman is out with an injury, as is starting
fullback Rashawn Jackson. Another tailback, Andrew Pearman, was banged up during
the week, and so Groh gave Simpson, who'd struggled until last night, another
opportunity.
Simpson didn't squander it. By halftime, his rushing and receiving totals were
greater than his career totals coming into the game.
Four minutes into the second quarter, Virginia trailed 14-3, and a Maryland
blowout seemed possible. The Cavaliers, after all, were 12-24 in road games
under Groh before last night. But Virginia's defense, led by Long, steadily
gained control of the line of scrimmage, and an offense not known for big plays
produced one to remember.
Simpson capped a spectacular first-half effort by running 44 yards for a
touchdown. Chris Gould's PAT made it 14-10 with 3:35 left in the second quarter,
and the Cavaliers with into the break with their confidence soaring.
Groh played the field-position game perfectly in the second half, as Gould's
pooch punts kept Maryland deep in its territory.
Tailback Keith Payne, in his first start for Virginia, ran well, though he was
overshadowed by Simpson. Payne, a redshirt freshman, gained 69 yards on 13
carries.
U.VA. NOTES
Sunday, Oct 21, 2007 - 12:07 AM
Simpson reappears to spark Virginia
Who in the world was that guy in the white No. 5 jersey tearing through the
Maryland defense last night?
Mikell Simpson, that's who. Remember him?
Simpson, a sophomore who seemed to have vanished from Virginia's offense,
reappeared in stunning fashion at Byrd Stadium.
The sophomore from Harrisburg, Pa., entered the game with these season totals:
two carries for minus-9 yards and four receptions for 31 yards.
Splitting time at tailback and wide receiver last night, Simpson had career
numbers by halftime: four carries for 72 yards and one touchdown, and five
receptions for 54 yards. He stunned the Terrapins with a 44-yard TD run with
3:35 left in the second quarter, helping U.Va. pull to 14-10 by halftime.
Injuries mounting for Cavaliers
Maryland's best offensive lineman, guard Andrew Crummey, fractured his left
fibula Oct. 6 against Georgia Tech and is expected to miss the rest of the
regular season. The Terrapins were without several other key players last night,
and so was Virginia.
Among the Cavaliers who, because of injuries, didn't make the trip to College
Park were three starters: tailback Cedric Peerman (foot), cornerback Chris Cook
(knee) and fullback Rashawn Jackson (hamstring).
"Everybody's got problems now," U.Va. coach Al Groh said Thursday. "Everybody's
losing guys now."
Kevin Ogletree, who was the Cavaliers' top wide receiver in 2006, had surgery in
early April to repair the torn ACL in his left knee. Ogletree, a junior, has yet
to play this season, but he's practicing "without any limitations," Groh said.
Ogletree still has "a little hitch in his gait," Groh said, and it's unclear
whether he'll play this season. Ogletree, who wasn't on Virginia's travel squad
this weekend, has a redshirt year available.
Going into spring practice, Ogletree and Maurice Covington were the projected
starters at wideout. Covington, also a junior, started last night, his first
appearance since Sept. 15, when he broke his left hand late in U.Va.'s win at
North Carolina.
Virginia loses leading receiver
For the second straight game, a U.Va. starter suffered an injury on the first
play from scrimmage. Last weekend against Connecticut, it was Jackson. Last
night, it was senior tight end Tom Santi, who appeared to hurt his right ankle
at the end of a 9-yard reception.
Santi, putting no weight on his right leg, was helped to the training room by
U.Va.'s head trainer, Ethan Saliba, and orthopedic surgeon David Diduch. Santi
emerged with a pair of crutches. Through seven games, Santi had 23 catches for
284 yards and three touchdowns, all team highs.
U.Va. raises profile in D.C. area
Of the players U.Va. brought to Byrd Stadium last night, only reserve tailback
Raynard Horne (Baltimore) lists his hometown in Maryland, though offensive guard
Branden Albert (Rochester, N.Y.) went to high school in Glen Burnie, Md.
Starting next year, the state will be better represented in the U.Va. program.
Of the players who have committed to the Cavaliers for 2008, four live in
Maryland: Devin Wallace, Rodney McLeod, Cameron Johnson and Colter Phillips.
Cavs still have road work to do
Groh went into last night's game hoping to cross Byrd off the list of ACC
stadiums where he had yet to win in seven seasons as coach at his alma mater.
Under Groh, the Cavaliers have won at Clemson (2001), at Duke (2002, '04 and
'06), at North Carolina 2003 and '07), at Georgia Tech (2004) and at Wake Forest
(2002).
As U.Va.'s coach, Groh was 0-3 at Maryland before last night. He's 0-1 at Boston
College, 0-1 at Miami, 0-2 at N.C. State, 0-3 at Florida State and 0-3 at
Virginia Tech.
Groh likes TV exposure
Last night's game was Virgnia's eighth of the season. All eight have been
televised, though some of the networks -- such as ESPN2, which broadcast last
night's game -- are more easily found than others.
Groh said such coverage is important in recruiting "from the standpoint of
visibility, especially out of the area, those players who don't have the
opportunity to come in person and watch us play." -- Jeff White
Safety first: Long gives Virginia a chance
By Bart Isley / Daily Progress staff writer
October 21, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Saturday started off as an impressive day for Virginia's
Chris Long. The senior All-America candidate was featured on ESPN's College
Gameday pre-game show early Saturday morning.
Luckily for the Cavaliers, it finished up as an even more impressive Saturday as
Long shined in the Cavs' 18-17 victory over Maryland in Byrd Stadium.
The St. Anne's-Belfield product put together a career outing, matching his
career high in tackles and sacks while also setting a new career high for
tackles for a loss. Long finished with 10 tackles - 3 1/2 of which were for a
loss - two sacks and two pass break-ups.
"Clearly, there is no better player in college football than Chris Long," said
Virginia coach Al Groh. "He performs like a star but doesn't act like a star."
Long dominated throughout the contest, but he made the biggest impact with just
2 seconds left in the third quarter. After Chris Gould pinned the Terrapins on
their own 8-yard line, Long exploded through the line on first down, swimming
past his man at the point of attack, then blew by Jack Griffin, Maryland's
backup right tackle who was pressed into action after starter Dane Randolph went
down.
Griffin tried to reach Long, who was lined up near the center, but Griffin was
about three steps too slow. Long then crushed Maryland sophomore signal-caller
Chris Turner about 2 yards deep in the end zone for a safety. It pulled Virginia
within five points. Long and the defense held Maryland to just three points in
the second half and 231 yards of offense in the game.
"You get a feel for things as the game moves on," Long said of the safety. "You
try to make adjustments to your game. I kind of had a good plan for what I was
going to do and just executed within the defense."
Long and Nate Lyles combined for a critical tackle for a loss of Keon Lattimore
on first down that helped force a critical Maryland three-and-out late in the
second quarter. Long also had one of his pass break-ups at the line of scrimmage
on second down of the three-and-out. On the ensuing offensive drive, Mikell
Simpson ripped off a 44-yard touchdown run that put Virginia within four points
of the Terrapins at the half.
As has been the case most of the season, Long and the rest of the Virginia
defense's heroics kept Virginia close. Then the offense mustered a last-second
comeback on a 1-yard plunge by Simpson that kept the Cavs unbeaten in the ACC.
"We knew Maryland's capabilities coming in to the game," Long said. "We were not
making plays in the first half. We made some adjustments in the second half.
Coach made some great calls and things went in our favor."
ESPN's feature highlighted Long's football lineage and his desire to make a name
for himself. While he's already done an awful lot to make sure that happens,
Saturday night's performance certainly added to his lore. Long was named a
Lombardi Award semi-finalist earlier this week and picked up Midseason
All-America honors from three separate media entities. He leads the ACC in sacks
and leads the nation's linemen in pass break-ups.
The win was Long's first against Maryland since he was a freshman reserve. It
also avenged a particularly painful loss to the Terrapins last season that cost
the Cavaliers a trip to a bowl game. Missing a bowl trip won't be an issue this
season.
While Simpson will be heralded as the hero of the game for Virginia, Long's
spectacular performance was what really made Simpson's night count.
Cavs make it seven in a row
By DOUG DOUGHTY, The Roanoke Times
© October 21, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md.
Virginia’s fourth fourth-quarter victory of the season was its most
scintillating of all.
Mikell Simpson capped the game of his career by diving 1 yard with 16 seconds
remaining to lift the Cavaliers past Maryland 18-17 at Byrd Stadium.
It was the seventh straight victory for the Cavaliers, who had not defeated
Maryland in College Park during the seven-year Al Groh coaching tenure.
The Cavaliers pulled out the win after losing quarterback Jameel Sewell to
injury on a play that was nullified by penalty.
True freshman Peter Lalich entered the game on first-and-20 from the U.Va. 40
with 3:42 left. It was Lalich’s first appearance in exactly four weeks.
After a pair of 5-yard gains and a delay penalty, Sewell returned with 2:16
left. On third-and-15, Sewell’s pass to Maurice Covington went incomplete, but
the Terps’ Kevin Barnes was called for interference at the 20.
Three straight Simpson runs picked up 6 yards before the Cavaliers called
timeout with 1:49 remaining. The Cavaliers picked up the first down on a 4-yard
completion to Simpson.
That play was reviewed, as was the winning touchdown.
Maryland (4-3 overall, 1-2 ACC) took advantage of its early opportunities and
the Cavaliers (7-1, 4-0) squandered theirs. The Cavaliers were playing from
behind the rest of the night.
Virginia was down 14-3 and going nowhere in a hurry before Simpson, a redshirt
sophomore, broke through the Maryland defense and raced 44 yards for a touchdown
with 3:35 remaining before halftime.
Simpson, who hadn’t left the bench one week earlier in a 17-16 victory over
Connecticut, singlehandedly kept the Cavaliers in the game Saturday with 126
all-purpose yards in the first half.
Simpson wasn’t even listed on the depth chart but had four rushing attempts for
72 yards and five receptions for 54 yards. He had touched the ball only seven
times – four receptions, two rushing attempts and one kickoff return – through
seven games.
The Cavaliers, ranked 108th out of 119 Division I-A teams in total offense, had
251 yards in total offense at the half but failed to capitalize on trips inside
Maryland’s 20-yard line on each of their first two possessions.
On the first, Chris Gould kicked a 36-yard field goal to give Virginia a 3-0
lead with 11:31 remaining in the first quarter; then, after a 3-yard touchdown
run by Maryland’s Keon Lattimore, Gould missed a 32-yard attempt.
Maryland followed with a seven-play, 53-yard touchdown drive that included four
straight Lance Ball runs and a Ball reception before a 1-yard Ball plunge with
11:57 remaining in the first half.
The Terps had 169 yards at the half, very little of it on their last three
possessions, when U.Va. defensive end Chris Long became a man possessed. In the
second quarter alone, Long had three tackles for loss, including his ninth sack
of the season, and two pass break-ups.
Virginia quarterback Sewell had the kind of first-half performance that has been
his norm. After completing eight of his first nine attempts, with the lone miss
coming on a drop, Sewell misfired on his next four throws and was 3 for 10 to
end the half.
It didn’t help that tight end Tom Santi, the Cavaliers’ leading receiver for the
season, suffered a sprained right ankle on Virginia’s first offensive play and
missed the remainder of the game. Leading rusher Cedric Peerman did not make the
trip and now has missed two full games and part of a third.
The Cavaliers had a chance to grab some momentum to start the second half but
Maryland was able to add a 41-yard Obi Egekeze field goal at the end of a drive
that included two Virginia personal fouls – one on a late hit and the other on a
facemask infraction.
Virginia kept driving into Maryland territory, stalling and sending pooch-punter
Gould into the game. It finally paid off when Chris Turner dropped back on
first-and-10 from the 8 and was hammered by Long for a safety.
That cut the deficit to 17-12 and gave Virginia five points in the third quarter
all season.
Virginia was to drive to the Terrapins 30-yard line, where Maryland twice
stuffed Sewell for no gain on quarterback sneaks.
Maryland QB's musical family
By DOUG DOUGHTY, The Roanoke Times
© October 21, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md.
The emergence of Maryland sophomore quarterback Chris Turner has led to a
revival in interest in the musical ensemble known as RATT.
Turner’s father, John, was the original drummer for RATT, described by Wikipedia
as a “glam medal band.”
Translation: RATT was a “hair” band.
John Turner apparently left RATT before the 1984 distribution of its biggest
hit, “Round and Round,” and is now involved in the software industry.
Chris Turner began the fall as Maryland’s No. 3 quarterback behind Jordan Steffy
and Josh Portis, but then Portis was suspended on the eve of the season and
Steffy suffered a concussion Sept. 29 in a 34-24 victory at Rutgers.
Turner, a 6-foot-2, 214-pounder from Simi Valley, Calif., made his first career
start Oct.6 against Georgia Tech and led the Terps to a 28-26 victory at Byrd
Stadium.
The Terrapins made a scholarship offer to Turner in 2005 after fellow
Californian Portis turned down an offer from Maryland and signed with Florida.
Portis played in six games for the Gators as a true freshman in 2005 but
transferred to Maryland after Florida took an oral commitment from Tim Tebow.
Portis told Maryland’s student newspaper, The Diamondback, that he was declared
ineligible by the school after being found guilty of cheating on a pop quiz. A
news release about Portis’ suspension was distributed to the media 45 minutes
before the Terps’ opener against Villanova.
By the end of his college basketball career in 1999, Obinna Ekezie was
recognized as one of the top rebounders in Maryland history. Now, the Terrapins’
football team has a place-kicker named Obi Egekeze, who won the starting job
this year after backing up Dan Ennis for two seasons. Egekeze’s full name is
Chukweume Obi Egekeze.
Maryland has player named Olugbemi Otulaja, a transfer defensive lineman from
Marist whose father is a prince of the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. Otulaja’s father
was the heir to the throne but would not move back to Nigeria after his father’s
passing. ... Virginia also has a transfer from Marist, tight end Arthur
Singleton, who has not played in a game. Neither has Otulaja.
Injuries
For the second week in a row, Virginia lost a player to injury on its first
offensive play. Against Connecticut, it was fullback Rashawn Jackson, who
suffered a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the trip to Maryland. On
Saturday, it was tight end Tom Santi, who was helped from the field after a
9-yard reception.
- Maryland went into the game without preseason All-ACC guard Andrew Crummey,
who has a broken fibula, then lost left guard Jaimie Thomas on a 2-yard loss
that left the Terps with a third-and-5 from the 8 on their second touchdown
drive. No problem. Jack Griffin (6-foot-7, 308) replaced him and the Terps
picked up 7 yards on a pass from Turner to Lance Ball.
Personnel
Virginia rushing leader Cedric Peerman and cornerback Chris Cook did not make
the trip due to foot and ankle injuries. A big surprise in the first quarter was
sophomore Mikell Simpson, who had four receptions all season before he caught
three balls for 38 yards on the Cavaliers’ first drive.
- Maryland linebacker Erin Henderson, one of 10 semifinalists for the Butkus
Award, returned to the Terps’ lineup. Henderson injured a knee against Georgia
Tech and, after an open date, was a game-time decision Saturday night. Henderson
is the younger brother of E.J. Henderson, a two-time ACC defensive player of the
year as a Terrapins’ linebacker in 2001-2002.
Odds ’n’ ends
Virginia defensive end Chris Long, named one of 12 finalists for the Lombardi
Trophy that goes to the nation’s top lineman, has been named to midseason
All-America teams picked by five on-line services. ... On hand in the press box
were two scouts from the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., and one from the
Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.
Next for Virginia
The Cavaliers travel to Raleigh, N.C., for a 4:30 p.m. game with a North
Carolina State team that had lost three games in a row and was 1-5 before
winning at East Carolina 34-20 on Saturday. Wolfpack head coach Tom O’Brien is a
former Virginia offensive coordinator who was the head coach at Boston College
from 1997-2006.
Terps toppled
UVa. wins on 1-yard TD by Simpson with :16 left
By Heather A. Dinich | Sun reporter
October 21, 2007
College Park - Maryland lost more than its homecoming game
against Virginia last night - the Terps also lost their second starting
offensive lineman in two weeks.
Left guard Jaimie Thomas broke his right fibula early in the second quarter and
is out for the rest of season, coach Ralph Friedgen said last night after his
team's disappointing, 18-17 homecoming loss to Virginia. Right guard Andrew
Crummey broke his left fibula on Oct. 6 against Georgia Tech.
"We've got five offensive linemen right now, that's it," Friedgen said. "I have
to find someone that can come up and help. There's a lot of walk-ons and young
freshmen who aren't ready to play yet. It is what it is. I told our players they
have been down this road before. Their character will be tested."
It already has been.
Fullback Cory Jackson played with a broken hand, linebacker Erin Henderson, who
just returned from a knee injury, has had a broken thumb since the West Virginia
game and chipped a tooth last night. There were just too many factors for
Maryland (4-3, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) to overcome last night, but the
biggest one was previously unheralded Mikell Simpson, whom Friedgen said he knew
"nothing" about.
Simpson, a reserve running back who had averaged just 6.3 yards of total offense
before last night's game, finished with 271 - more than Maryland accumulated as
a team - and scored the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds left before an
announced homecoming crowd of 52,782.
Continued woes on the offensive line, an inability to score a touchdown in the
second half and a costly fourth-quarter penalty hurt the Terps.
Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell completed a pass to Simpson on
fourth-and-four with less than a minute to play to extend the Cavaliers'
game-winning drive.
Then with his trailing 17-12, Simpson scored on a 1-yard dive with 16 seconds
left, breaking the plane of the goal line before losing the ball. Both plays
were reviewed by the officials but not overturned.
"I'll probably get in trouble again, but I had a pretty good view of it,"
Friedgen said of the touchdown. "I don't have the side angle, but the ball came
out on that goal line. I saw it come out. He didn't have possession.
"I never see anybody overrule anything anymore," he said. "I'm looking at the
replay on the JumboTron, the guy was out of bounds on the fourth-down play,
too."
But it was a costly 15-yard pass interference call against Kevin Barnes on
third-and-16 a few plays earlier that changed the momentum of the game.
That gave Virginia a first down at the Terps' 20.
"I seen the receiver touch the ball," Barnes said. "Me and the ball got there
the same time. Blatant pass interference that close in the game? You don't make
that call."
Midway through the fourth quarter, Maryland opted not to go for the first down
on fourth-and-one from the Virginia 42, and pinned the Cavaliers back at their
10-yard line after a 32-yard punt by Travis Baltz.
Virginia (7-1, 4-0) moved the ball 90 yards in 15 plays over the final 7:26.
Simpson, who was playing in place of injured Cedric Peerman (foot) - the
second-leading rusher in the ACC - finished with 119 rushing yards on 16 carries
and 152 receiving yards.
Cardiac Cavs
Virginia rallies to beat the Terps for its NCAA-leading fifth win by five points
or fewer.
By David Teel | 247-4636
October 21, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, MD.
For the fourth time in the 118 seasons of Virginia football, a Cavaliers team
has won seven consecutive games.
Suffice to say, none of the previous streaks was like this.
For an NCAA-leading fifth time this year, Virginia won a game by five points or
fewer, defeating Maryland 18-17 Saturday on Mikell Simpson's 1-yard touchdown
plunge with 16 seconds remaining.
The score capped a 90-yard, 15-play drive and was a fitting conclusion for
Simpson, a sophomore heretofore this season invisible. He rushed for 119 yards
and two touchdowns on 16 carries and caught 13 passes for 152 yards.
Simpson was most effective on the edges, running in space and eluding tacklers
with subtle moves and raw speed.
In the season's first seven games, Simpson gained 1 yard on two rushes and 31
yards on four receptions. On the final drive alone, he caught five passes for 48
yards and rushed nine times for 44 yards — Simpson's first touchdown went for 44
yards, that in the second quarter.
The Cavaliers (7-1, 4-0 ACC) overcame two major penalties in the final minutes.
Officials called tackle Eugene Monroe for being downfield and center Jordy
Lipsey for holding.
The most critical flag was against Maryland (4-3, 1-2). On third-and-15 from the
Terps' 20 with 2:17 remaining, Jameel Sewell's pass for Maurice Covington fell
incomplete, but Kevin Barnes interfered, giving Virginia a first down at the 20.
With 49 seconds remaining, the game came down to fourth-and-4 from the 14.
Sewell connected with Simpson in the left flat, and defenders knocked him out of
bounds right at the sticks.
A measurement gave the Cavaliers a first down by a nose, after which the spot
was reviewed and confirmed.
A 9-yard shovel pass to Simpson moved the ball to the 1, and everyone in Byrd
Stadium knew who was going to get the ball. Simpson vaulted into the end zone
but also lost the ball, Maryland's J.J. Justice recovering.
"I actually had a pretty good view," Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said.
"I saw the ball come out on the goal line. I saw it and I don't think he had
possession. You really don't see anyone overrule too many calls anymore."
Indeed, a video review confirmed the call on the field.
"There was great confidence on the sideline in the latter stages of the game,"
Virginia coach Al Groh said.
Ya think? These Cavaliers have won games by two, five, two, one and one, and
Sewell has now directed late scoring drives to overcome deficits in three
consecutive games.
Virginia almost doubled Maryland in offense, 439 yards to 233, and neither team
committed a turnover. The Terps gained only 64 yards in the second half against
a defense led by linebacker Jon Copper (12 tackles) and end Chris Long (10
tackles, two sacks — one for a safety — and two pass deflections).
"Clearly there's no better player in college football than Chris Long," Groh
said.
Virginia also won seven straight games in 1914, '49 and '90. The Cavaliers' last
4-0 ACC start was 1995, when a team quarterbacked by current offensive
coordinator Mike Groh shared the conference championship at 7-1 and defeated
Georgia in the Peach Bowl.
The Cavaliers had themselves to blame for the 41-yard Obi Egekeze field goal
that gave the Terps a 17-10 lead in the third quarter. End Jeffrey Fitzgerald's
roughing-the-passer penalty and freshman cornerback Ras-I Dowling's
personal-foul facemask gave Maryland 30 yards.
After Chris Gould's punt pinned Maryland at its own 8, Long planted quarterback
Chris Turner for a safety with two seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Long lined up at right end and raced inside offensive tackle Scott Burley with
minimal contact. He had a clear path to Turner, who had no chance to avoid the
sack.
The Cavaliers drove to a third-and-1 at the Terps' 30 following the free kick.
But Maryland's Dre Moore and Erin Henderson stuffed Sewell on consecutive
quarterback sneaks, giving Maryland possession with 12:25 remaining and a 17-12
edge.
Friedgen faced his own fourth-down call moments later. Maryland was a yard shy
at Virginia's 42 and Friedgen elected to punt, and the Cavaliers took over at
their own 10 with 7:42 left.
From there, it was all Simpson and Sewell.
U.Va. season defies logic
By Dave Fairbank
October 21, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, MD. - You can't say you're surprised, now can you?
Virginia's high-wire act of a football season marches merrily along, beyond all
reason and explanation, not to mention odds and luck and the whims of sport.
Of course the Cavaliers were going to keep it close. Of course they were going
to make a game of it. Of course they were going to find a way to win.
Didn't matter that they were in a place where they had been routinely
steamrolled. Didn't matter that they were 90 yards away from the game-winning
touchdown. Didn't matter that they were relying on a guy who wasn't even on the
depth chart and recorded a grand total of one play a week ago.
Yet here Virginia is: Following Saturday's 18-17 hyperventilation job at
Maryland, the Cavaliers are unbeaten in the Atlantic Coast Conference, winners
of seven in a row, and in control of their own fate as it pertains to a trip to
Jacksonville on Dec. 1.
The Cavs impress no one, except in their ability to hit the finish line first
and identify different people to get them there. Right now, that suffices.
Virginia has won games by two points, five, two, one and one. Sometimes the
opposition has provided assistance, sometimes the Cavaliers overcame their own
limitations.
On Saturday night, a little of both occurred, along with a healthy dose of
controversy at the end.
Virginia folks are convinced that Mikell Simpson cleared the goal line with the
ball on the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds remaining.
Maryland types, meanwhile, likely will go all Zapruder film and insist that the
ball was rotating out of Simpson's hand as he crossed the goal line. It should
have been a fumble, which the Terps recovered and which would have been the
game.
We know which way the zebras ruled. Virginia now heads off to yet another
exceedingly winnable game at North Carolina State this week, with one
predictable hero and another newly minted one.
The predictable one was Chris Long, the All-America defensive end and
havoc-wreaker supreme.
Long recorded 10 tackles, two sacks, 31/2 tackles for loss and a mountain of
frustration for the Maryland offense. He made like Dikembe Mutombo, batting down
a couple of passes, and planted Terps quarterback Chris Turner in the end zone
for a critical safety late in the third quarter.
Virginia's stealth hero was Simpson, who until Saturday was better known for who
his high school coach was than anything he had done himself in college.
The redshirt sophomore from Harrisburg, Pa., was coached by George Chaump, the
ex-Navy and Marshall head coach.
Simpson accounted for 271 yards (119 rushing, 152 receiving) and both U.Va.
touchdowns against Maryland. He got in for one play the week before in a 17-16
win against Connecticut and had exactly six touches in the Cavaliers' first
seven games.
"I have been waiting for this opportunity ever since I left high school,"
Simpson said. "I came to Virginia thinking I can do the same thing I did in high
school. Tonight, the opportunity presented itself and I took full advantage of
it."
Indeed, with regular back Cedric Peerman on the shelf and backup Andrew Pearman
saddled with what coach Al Groh called health issues, it was left to Simpson and
redshirt freshman Keith Payne to carry the load at running back.
Virginia's offense still largely consists of tailback left, right and up the
middle, and quarterback Jameel Sewell dumping the ball to his backs and tight
ends.
The Cavaliers were also missing fullback Rashawn Jackson, and when tight end Tom
Santi went down with an ankle injury on the game's first play, the offense had
to adjust even more than usual.
Much of the adjustment revolved around getting the ball to Simpson, on handoffs,
swing passes and shovel passes. He had 14 touches on the final drive, accounting
for 92 yards (ah, the magic of penalties).
So as the Cavaliers hit the second half of the ACC season, the only thing you
can say is they find ways to win. There are worse things to say about a team.
Picking up the slack
By Andy Bitter
abitter@newsadvance.com
October 21, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Both Virginia and Maryland played Saturday's game without
some of their best players. It seems to be the norm in college football these
days.
"Everybody's got it and everybody's got it to a good degree," Virginia head
coach Al Groh said of the injuries.
The Cavaliers were without leading rusher Cedric Peerman (foot) and cornerback
Chris Cook (left knee), neither of whom made the trip. The Terps didn't have
quarterback Jordan Steffy (concussion) or preseason All-American right guard
Andrew Crummey, who broke his leg against Georgia Tech two weeks ago.
Virginia has had a rash of injuries in the last year. It lost wideout Kevin
Ogletree and cornerback Mike Brown in the offseason due to ACL tears and didn't
have left tackle Eugene Monroe for two games because of a knee injury.
Groh couldn't recall this many injuries during his college playing days at UVa
in the mid-'60s or his first head coaching stint at Wake Forest from 1981-86.
He said it is major factor in determining how well a team does each season.
"The teams that seem to be a disappointment, it was because their teams didn't
remain the same," Groh said. "It's not the same team that was expected to do
well.
"When (your team stays) in tact, now you have the continuity by which your team
progresses during the course of the year. But when you're constantly patching
guys in there, you go back to a few weeks ago and you're not making the kind of
forward progress that's necessary late in the season."
Santi hurt
Senior tight end Tom Santi injured his right ankle on the first play of the game
and did not return.
Virginia's leading receiver entering the game with 23 catches for 284 yards,
Santi caught a nine-yard pass from Jameel Sewell near the Maryland sideline but
did not get up. UVa's trainers helped him directly off the field without letting
him put any pressure on his right foot.
He was in street clothes on crutches in the second half with his foot in a
protective boot.
Prime exposure
Almost all of Virginia's games this season have been on regionalized TV channels
(Lincoln Financial Sports) or those that are typically difficult to find on
cable (Versus, ESPNU and Comcast Sports).
Saturday's game at Maryland on ESPN2 was the first time the Cavaliers played on
an easily accessible cable television channel.
"I think it certainly is (valuable) from the standpoint of visibility,
especially out of the area," Groh said. "(It helps) those players who don't have
the opportunity to come in person and watch us play, maybe particularly even
more so in their junior year when they are developing their interest in teams.
"Particularly for out of area players, it's got its greatest value."
UVa's game next week against N.C. State is on ESPNU.
Strong D.C. commitment
Though Groh has said the Cavaliers have not put any particular emphasis on
recruiting the nation's capitol, four of the 13 verbal commitments they've taken
for 2008 have been from Washington D.C.-area players - DB Cameron Johnson
(D.C.), WR Rodney McLeod (Hyattsville, Md.), TE Colter Phillips (North Bethesda,
Md.) and DB Devin Wallace (Ford Washington, Md.).
"There are a lot of the kind of schools up there that this school and this
message resonates very well with," Groh said.
Of the 24 members of Virginia's 2007 class, four hailed from the D.C. area - WR
Jared Green (Oakton, Va.), QB Peter Lalich (Springfield, Va.), TB Max Milien
(Arlington, Va.) and OT Lamar Milstead (D.C.).
Extra points
Wideout Maurice Covington returned after breaking his left hand on the last
drive of the North Carolina game five weeks ago. ? Fullback Rashawn Jackson
(hamstring) did not make the trip. ? Keith Payne made his first career start at
tailback.
UVa pulls out another dramatic win
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
October 21, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Of the 67 players who traveled with Virginia for the
Maryland game Saturday night, 66 of them would have been a safer bet to be the
star than tailback Mikell Simpson.
It seems fitting that the ACC's unlikeliest leader is in that position because
of an unlikely hero.
Simpson finished with 271 total yards and two touchdowns, the second of which
came on a one-yard plunge with 16 seconds left to lift Virginia to an improbable
18-17 come-from-behind win over Maryland at Byrd Stadium.
Simpson had 16 carries for 119 yards and 13 catches for 152 yards.
"He really stepped up and showed what he can do today," Virginia coach Al Groh
said.
The Cavaliers (7-1, 4-0 ACC), who tied the school record with their seventh
straight win, have won two straight games by one point and five this season by
five points or fewer.
That Simpson even had a major role was shocking. The sophomore got in for one
play last week against Connecticut. He had 90 total yards in his entire career
entering Saturday, but was called upon because Andrew Pearman was dealing with
unspecified health problems.
Simpson was Virginia's go-to guy all night, especially with the game on the
line. Trailing 17-12, the Cavaliers needed to go 90 yards in the final 7:42 to
win the game. They did just that.
Simpson had 14 touches and gained 92 yards on the final drive (UVa was backed up
by several penalties). He caught a 15-yard screen pass to get the ball to the
Maryland 45, then followed it up with runs of seven and eight yards.
Virginia was flagged for a holding penalty on its next play and, even worse,
watched quarterback Jameel Sewell limp off the field with an injury.
When Sewell returned two plays and a delay of game penalty later, UVa faced a
third-and-16. Sewell threw a pass to Maurice Covington that fell incomplete, but
the official raced up the field to throw a late flag for pass interference on
Maryland's Kevin Barnes.
Three plays later, the Cavaliers faced fourth-and-four at the Maryland 10.
Sewell, as he had done numerous times all day, threw a swing pass to Simpson,
who darted toward the left sideline and the marker. He got it by an inch, a spot
that was upheld by replay.
Simpson caught a shovel pass on the next play for nine yards, getting down to
the one-yard line. With 16 seconds left, he vaulted over the top of the pile for
the go-ahead score. Officials reviewed the play to see if he had fumbled, but it
was ruled he didn't.
Maryland (4-3, 1-2) has two conferences losses, one in overtime and one by one
point.
Despite being playing without preseason All-American guard Andrew Crummey, the
Terrapins were able to control the line of scrimmage in the first half. They led
14-3, getting 104 first-half rushing yards and two touchdowns from the tailback
combination of Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball.
Virginia entered the game with the third-best rushing defense in ACC games,
allowing 88.3 yards a game.
But it was Simpson up the middle on a 44-yard touchdown run that pulled Virginia
within 14-10 heading into halftime.
Obi Egekeze made a 41-yard field goal with 8:53 left in the third to put the
Terps up 17-10.
Late in the third quarter, Virginia faced a fourth-and-six from the Maryland 33.
Instead of trying a long field goal, the Cavaliers punted. Chris Gould pinned
Maryland at its eight-yard line with a 25-yard punt.
It paid off. On the Terrapins' next play, Chris Long made an inside move and
sacked Chris Turner in the end zone for a safety to get UVa within 17-12 on the
last play before the end of the quarter.
Long had two sacks and 3 1/2 tackles for a loss in the game.
"Clearly there is no better football player in college football than Chris
Long," Groh said. "He performs like a star but doesn't act like a star."
Virginia held Maryland to 64 yards of offense in the second half and just two
first downs.
Breaks (not involving bones) go Cavs' way
October 21, 2007 12:36 am
COLLEGE PARK, Md.--As Curt Shilling put it long before last night's heroics,
Destiny is an exotic dancer's name. Improbable success rests on performance.
You'll never convince Virginia's Cavaliers that they're fated for good things,
even though they appear to have rabbit's feet as standard issue in their
uniforms, along with face masks and shoulder pads.
But it's sweat and effort (with a dash of good luck) that have resulted in one
of the most bizarre stories in an odd year in college football.
Last night's stunning 18-17 victory at Maryland was Virginia's seventh straight,
and keeps the Cavaliers (7-1, 4-0) in the mix for a shot at the Atlantic Coast
Conference championship game. In that surreal two-month streak since a
humiliating opening loss at Wyoming, they've won twice by one point, twice by
two and once by five.
Sounds a lot like another team. The Cavaliers are doing a spot-on impression of
the 2006 Terrapins.
Last year, Maryland rebounded from consecutive 5-6 seasons with a 9-3 record
with six victories by a touchdown or less. This edition of the Cavaliers rode a
six-game win streak into Byrd Stadium that included margins of 2, 5, 2 and 1.
You could have dubbed last night's game the resiliency bowl. While the Cavaliers
were maximizing their incomplete offensive attack, the Terrapins were in
survival mode as well. They had lost their quarterback to a concussion and their
best blocker to a broken leg in the past three weeks--and won both games in that
span.
Last night, Maryland allowed at least 392 total yards for the third straight
game and was outgained by more than two lengths of the field. The Terps are 2-1
in that stretch.
Virginia already was without senior tailback Cedric Peerman, who led the
Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing until suffering a right foot injury two
weeks ago against Middle Tennessee State. Then its most reliable receiving
threat, tight end Tom Santi, was helped off the field after catching a pass on
the game's first play from scrimmage.
But the Cavaliers stayed competitive thanks to a name everyone knows-- and one
no one did.
Chris Long might have sewn up All-America honors last night--if anyone had been
watching this game instead of Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.
He was spectacular, with 3 tackles for loss, two pass deflections and two sacks
of Maryland sophomore Chris Turner, including a bone-crushing safety.
You've heard of Long. You probably haven't heard of Mikell Simpson, a
little-used sophomore who entered the game with minus-9 yards rushing on two
carries and four pass receptions all season.
Simpson merely had a game that would have made Tiki Barber, Thomas Jones or
Frank Quayle proud. He ran for 119 yards and two touchdowns (including the
game-winner with 14 seconds left) and caught 13 passes for 152 yards.
Maryland defensive coordinator Chris Cosh couldn't have game-planned to stop
Simpson, because he had no tape to study. Al Groh had been touting his
"Large-Small" combo of 234-pound Keith Payne and 168-pound Andrew Pearman as
fill-ins for Peerman, whom he dubbed "Medium."
When neither proved effective last night, Groh turned to Simpson, who did a
little bit of everything. He handled the ball on 14 of Virginia's 15 plays
during its 90-yard scoring drive, capping it by leaping over the goal line for
the winning score with 16 seconds left. He also extended the drive by getting a
first down by inches on a fourth-down pass in the final minute.
Peerman might not need to rush back if Simpson continues to excel.
As scintillating as the victory was for Virginia, it had to be crushing for
Maryland. The Terrapins lost another blocker from their already thin line when
340-pound guard Jaimie Thomas limped off in the second quarter with an apparent
broken leg.
They got a Herculean effort from junior linebacker Erin Henderson, who made 18
tackles in his first game back from a knee injury. But maybe the breaks that
buoyed the Terps in 2006 are going against them in 2007.
Maybe it's the Cavaliers' turn. They certainly believe it is--and they're doing
all they can to make sure of it.
Steve DeShazo: 540/374-5443
Terps Lead, Then Fall Low
Once Again, Maryland Jumps Ahead, Only to Let Virginia Squeeze Past for Seventh
Straight Win: Virginia 18, Maryland 17
By Marc Carig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 21, 2007; D01
On one side of the field stood a team that had crafted a gaudy record mostly on
its ability to finish strong. On the other stood a team that had built a solid
mark despite a tendency to fade down the stretch. And midway through the fourth
quarter last night, Maryland and Virginia had filled their expected roles, with
the Terrapins jumping to an early lead and the Cavaliers charging late.
From there, it was as if each team followed a script they had spent the past six
weeks writing.
Little-used Virginia running back Mikell Simpson scored from one yard out with
16 seconds left, capping a dramatic and controversial final drive to help the
Cavaliers rally to beat the rival Terrapins to a 18-17 victory in front of an
announced crowd 52,782, the seventh largest in school history.
"That's what we are," Virginia Coach Al Groh said of his team's comeback, which
resulted in the Cavaliers' first victory at Byrd Stadium since 1999. "We don't
have a lot of stars. We don't have fantastic talents. But what we do have is a
lot of togetherness."
As expected, Virginia's defensive line caused trouble for the Terrapins.
All-American defensive end Chris Long lived up to his billing, sacking Chris
Turner twice -- once for a safety to trim Maryland's lead to 17-12 late in the
third quarter. Long finished with 10 tackles, 3 1/2 of them for losses. He also
batted down two of Turner's passes.
"There's no better player in college football than Chris Long," Groh said.
Terrapins inside linebacker Erin Henderson enjoyed a marquee evening in his
return from injury. Henderson, who played through a broken thumb and cut his lip
late in the game, recorded a career-high 18 tackles, eclipsing his previous best
against Clemson last season.
But the Cavaliers rallied with help from an unexpected source. Simpson, a
reserve who had four carries to his credit entering the game, finished with 271
rushing and receiving yards including a 44-yard touchdown run in the first half.
Simpson saved his best work for last, with 78 yards on Virginia's decisive
drive.
"It was definitely a tough loss," Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen said. "On that
last drive, it just seemed like things didn't go our way. We faced some more
adversity."
After taking over at its 10-yard line with 7 minutes 42 seconds left, Virginia
drove 90 yards, aided by a pass interference penalty on Terrapins cornerback
Kevin Barnes with two minutes left.
"If I were in the NFL, I'd get fined a lot of money for saying what I want to,"
Barnes said. "But I don't believe it was a pass interference. But the [referee]
did, and I've got to live with it. . . . I just don't want the refs to decide
the game."
Virginia then converted on a critical fourth down deep in Terrapins territory
when Cavaliers quarterback Jameel Sewell hit Simpson for a four-yard gain.
Virginia converted by the nose of the football, and the officials' spot survived
a video review, though Friedgen said he though Simpson had been stopped short.
Video review came into play again, this time on Simpson's winning touchdown
dive. The Terrapins contended the ball had come loose. But the review went in
Virginia's favor.
"I knew I scored," Simpson said of the close calls. "I looked down to see the
yellow line [goal line], the ball crossed and they hit it out. I really wasn't
too worried about that. The play that got me was the fourth down. . . . I didn't
know if I had it."
Virginia tied a single-season school record by winning its seventh straight
game. The Cavaliers improved to 4-0 in the ACC for the first time since 1995.
The Terrapins fell to 4-3, 1-2.
Maryland jumped to a 14-3 lead behind first-half touchdown runs by Keon
Lattimore and Lance Ball. But the Terrapins managed just one score after that, a
41-yard field goal by Obi Egekeze early in the third quarter that pushed the
lead to 17-10.
Long helped change the momentum with his sack of Turner. Matched up one-on-one,
Long blew by tackle Scott Burley to hit Turner.
"I didn't have time to react to that," Turner said. "It was just so fast."
Both teams suffered injuries to key players in the first half. Tight end Tom
Santi, Virginia's leading receiver this season, left the game after the first
play from scrimmage with an injury to the lower part of his right leg.
Maryland left guard Jaimie Thomas left the game early in the second quarter
because of an injury to his lower leg. Friedgen said after the game Thomas
suffered a broken leg and will miss the rest of the season.
It added up to what had already looked, in a way, predetermined. Virginia became
the only team in the country to win five games by five or fewer points. And the
Terrapins surrendered a double-digit lead for the fifth time this year.
"It's a humbling loss," Turner said. "We've just got to regroup, we've got to
regroup. It doesn't feel good. It hurts."
Staff writer Adam Kilgore contributed to this report.
Cavaliers' Simpson Bursts On to Scene With 271 Yards
By Adam Kilgore
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 21, 2007; Page D10
Al Groh left Mikell Simpson off Virginia's preseason depth chart, but not
because he doubted Simpson's ability. Groh envisioned Simpson as both a running
back and wide receiver, a weapon who could damage a defense with his versatility
and his speed. "His position is 'good player,' " Groh said before the season.
But Simpson spent the first seven games of the season as an afterthought, rarely
getting on the field, much less carrying the ball. Simpson had not delivered on
his promise until Virginia's 18-17 victory at Maryland's Byrd Stadium last
night, when he stunned the Terrapins -- and anyone who follows the Cavaliers --
with 271 total yards, serving as Virginia's leading receiver, leading rusher and
unexpected hero.
On Virginia's game-winning, 90-yard drive, Simpson gained 78 yards and
culminated the march by flipping over a pile of Maryland tacklers and across the
goal line. It was a surreal way to end a surreal performance.
"I never dreamed of this," Simpson said. "But things happen. This is one of
those moments that it happened."
Before last night the sophomore had run the ball twice and caught four passes
this season, a total of six touches for 22 yards. Without any warning during the
week that his role would increase, Simpson surpassed those numbers on Virginia's
first drive. He torched Maryland with a combination of swing passes, screens and
draws, using the speed that made him a top-15 running back recruit from
Harrisburg, Pa.
He had awaited this chance, his first game as only a running back, since
graduating from high school. Simpson rushed 16 times for 119 yards and two
touchdowns, catching 13 passes for 152 yards, an emergence that bordered on
unbelievable. Against Connecticut a week ago, Simpson did not even step on the
field. He had not carried the ball or caught a pass since Sept. 22 against
Georgia Tech, when he caught one pass for six yards; it had been nearly a month
since Simpson so much as touched the ball in a game.
Still, when Virginia needed a play most, the Cavaliers called on Simpson. Facing
second and 12 from Virginia's eight with less than seven minutes remaining,
offensive coordinator Mike Groh called for a shovel pass to Simpson, who weaved
16 yards for a first down. The next five plays all went to Simpson too, and he
carried the ball from the Virginia 23 to the Maryland 30.
When Virginia had fourth and four from the 14, Sewell hit Simpson on a swing
pass to the right. He caught the ball just beyond the line of scrimmage and
darted for the first-down marker, stretching the nose of the ball to the 10 as
he was pushed out of bounds. He followed that with his acrobatic, game-winning
touchdown.
"Never would have thought that," defensive end Chris Long said. "He's always had
that talent. It's like his birthday, like he was born into college football
today."
If so, it closely followed another birthday. Under his eyes, Simpson wore black
stickers with the name "Jayda" written in silver, the name of his niece who was
born two weeks ago.
Simpson's ascension began Monday. He had practiced mostly at wide receiver
throughout the season, but this week, the return of top wideout Maurice
Covington from a hand injury gave Virginia more depth at wide receiver. It
allowed Simpson to move to running back and help replace injured starter Cedric
Peerman. Simpson seemingly took the place of Andrew Pearman, who returned kicks
but received no carries.
"We just decided that this is something Mikell's been waiting for for a long
time," Groh said. "Let's ride him and see what happens."
Simpson's first highlight moment came in the second quarter, with 3:35 left to
play in the half. He began Virginia's drive from its 34-yard line with an
11-yard gain on a screen pass from Jameel Sewell. Two plays later, he ran a draw
play to the right, cut back and bolted untouched 44 yards for Virginia's first
touchdown. Once he dashed behind Maryland's secondary, he further separated from
his pursuers.
It was a play Simpson had waited to make, and his teammates believed he could.
As Simpson shuffled off the podium post-game to make room for Groh, his coach
insisted Simpson stay a little longer.
"He deserves the moment," Groh said.