Discontent Grohs
As Cavs struggle, coach endures withering criticism from fans
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 - 12:07 AM

MARYLAND AT VIRGINIA

Saturday:7 p.m.
On the air:TV -- ESPNU; radio -- WRVA (1140), 6
Page C3: Virginia notes Discontent Grohs
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE By any measure, the Virginia Cavaliers are one of the worst teams in college football. And that's not helping the approval rating of U.Va.'s beleaguered coach.

Want proof? Check the message boards on Web sites devoted to U.Va. sports. Or tune in to the "Cavalier Call-in," eighth-year coach Al Groh's weekly radio show.

On Monday night -- two days after Duke snapped a 25-game ACC losing streak by pounding U.Va. 31-3 -- a caller offered this sarcastic comment to Groh:

"Coach, it's unfortunate the way things have gone, but I just want to thank you for returning U.Va. football to the Dick Bestwick era officially. You've taken a well-respected program that George Welsh took 19 years to build and you've managed to completely tear it down."

The caller also questioned the qualifications of U.Va.'s offensive coordinator, who happens to be Groh's eldest son, Mike. In his third season as coordinator, Mike Groh oversees a unit that ranks last among Football Bowl Subdivision teams in scoring offense and second-to-last in total offense.

Al Groh declined to address the caller's question, saying, "I think in this particular case that we've dealt with enough negativity on this call. I think we'll move on."

Virginia (0-1, 1-3) hosts Atlantic Coast Conference rival Maryland (1-0, 4-1) on Saturday night at Scott Stadium. A loss would give the Cavaliers their worst record after five games since 1982, when they started 0-5 and finished 2-9.

Groh's contracts runs through the 2011 season, but he's not a lock to return next year. The Cavaliers are 52-40 under Groh, but only once have they beaten Virginia Tech. Groh was named ACC coach of the year in 2007, when the Cavaliers won nine games, but that doesn't seem to count for much these days. Not when his team has been outscored 128-36 through four games.

"It's unfortunate to see," Virginia quarterback Marc Verica said about the criticism. "You kind of wish people would have your back more, have your coach's back, because this program's done a lot of great things under Coach Groh here. And for things just to be down at this point, to turn your back or to get down on someone, that's not the right way to handle it. It's easy to assess blame and it's easy to point fingers. But what I do know is that it's hard to be accountable and to take ownership of things.

"Coach Groh does that. He's accountable to us, he's accountable to the coaches. He takes ownership in things."

Junior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree said: "If there's stuff circling around, we don't live in holes. I'm pretty sure some kids hear about it. But like I said, our job is to play for our coaches and come every day trying to get better. We're a family, and we're going to stick together until we can't anymore."

At his weekly press conference yesterday at John Paul Jones Arena, Groh noted that no one is more disappointed by the team's poor start than the coaching staff.

"Every week there's a tremendous amount put into this," Groh said. "Every week between 90 and 100 hours, just to have the sense of satisfaction that comes from the accomplishment of the team playing well. So for anybody involved who puts in that amount of time, and if you don't get any reward for it, that's a difficult end of the week."

Asked whether the talk about his job security bothered him, Groh said, "I don't think about my future. I just think about the next game. That's for all you guys to write about.

"I try to respect the game . . . and coach the team the way we think it needs to be coached and do for the players, whatever that might mean -- encourage, admonish, direct, care for -- the things that go with the title of being head coach in college football."

 

Negativity talk on hold
Doug Doughty

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- For the first time in his last four meetings with the media, Virginia football coach Al Groh did not use the word "negativity" Tuesday.

Groh's mission has been to avoid the negative vibes that have from resulted three losses in the first four games.

While the media generally tries to be diplomatic, that hasn't always been the case with callers to Groh's radio call-in show.

The last caller to Groh's show Monday "congratulated" Groh on returning UVa football to the days of Dick Bestwick, who was 16-49-1 between 1976-1981.

"My question is this," continued the caller, identified as "Mick," from parts unknown. "What demonstrated performance has Mike Groh shown that proves he should be offensive coordinator?"

Mike Groh is the head coach's son.

"Actually, I think, in this particular case, we've dealt with enough negativity on this call," Al Groh responded to the caller. "I think I'll move on to the next one."

UVa has lost five consecutive games to Division I-A foes dating back to 2007, contributing to speculation over Groh's future as Cavaliers' coach.

"It's unfortunate to see," UVa No. 1 QB Marc Verica said. "I kind of wish people would have your back more [and] have your coach's back. That's not the right way to handle it.

"It's easy to point fingers; it's easy to assess blame. But what I do know is, it's hard to be accountable and to take ownership and Coach Groh has done that. This program has done a lot of great things under Coach Groh and we can't let any negativity divide us."

Co-captain Clint Sintim voiced similar thoughts Saturday, when he was asked following a 31-3 loss to Duke if he felt people would be jumping off the UVa bandwagon .

"The truth be told, it's never been any different since I've been here," Sintim said.

'Hoo said it

Groh on his Sept. 8 radio show when asked about a possible Division I-A playoff: "My hope and my ambition is to be an active coach here for a while."

The second part of his answer: "I don't expect [a playoff] to happen while I'm active."

Slow starter

Mikell Simpson, who ended the 2007 season with a 170-yard rushing day against Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl, has carried 48 times for 108 yards in 2008.

Simpson, who is averaging 2.2 yards per attempt, had a stretch Saturday when he did not have positive yardage on six straight rushing attempts.

"It's been one of the weekly items we've discussed," Groh said. "If we had a clearer answer or solution, maybe I could tell you.

"Every team has a core of guys who need to step up and make [big] plays. That's part of the responsibility that goes with being in that role and, right now, we're not getting enough of those plays."

Simpson's breakthrough game last year came against Maryland, which visits the Cavaliers at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Simpson had 271 all-purpose yards -- 152 receiving, 119 rushing -- in UVa's 18-17 win in College Park, Md.

n Groh said on his radio show that Keith Payne's ineffectiveness as a pass protector had kept him from touching the ball in the first three games. Payne, the Group AAA player of the year for Oakton High School in 2005, had five carries for 36 yards at Duke.

Personnel

Rodney McLeod, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound cornerback from Hyattsville, Md., became the fourth true freshman to play for the Cavaliers this season. McLeod joins classmates Jimmy Howell, Austin Pasztor and Cameron Johnson.

McLeod was on the field for 22 plays, mostly in nickel and dime pass-coverage situations, and had a tackle for loss when Duke's Kevin Jones attempted to run out of punt formation. Pasztor (6-6, 310) played most of the final three quarters at left offensive guard following an injury to Zak Stair.

By the numbers

Virginia finds itself among the bottom seven in Division I-A in five offensive categories, including dead last -- 119th -- in scoring offense. The Cavaliers are 118th in total offense, 117th in rushing offense, 116th in passing efficiency and 113th in turnover margin.

UVa is also 98th in scoring defense. The Cavs' three I-A opponents have scored more than 42 points per game.
 

Groh shrugs off talkon his future with Cavs
October 1, 2008 12:15 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

Al Groh is a veteran in the coaching profession. He has worked on a major college or professional coaching staff every year since 1970.

That's why he knows what comes with the territory when you don't win--you're usually fired.

"That's the nature of the business," Groh said. "It is what it is. It doesn't make any difference why it's that way. [Coaches] understand that."

But Groh's University of Virginia players don't quite see it that way.

Cavaliers' starting quarterback Marc Verica defended Groh yesterday from the overwhelming criticism the head coach has faced as Virginia (1-3, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) has gotten off to a miserable start that has seen it outscored 128-20 in three contests against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents.

"It's unfortunate to see," Verica said of the criticism that includes calls from fans for Groh to be fired. "You kind of wish people would have your back more, have your coach's back because this program has done a lot of great things under coach Groh."

The Cavaliers are 54-40 in Groh's tenure which began in 2001. He was named ACC coach of the year in 2002 and 2007.

But Virginia has also suffered two losing seasons under Groh (in 2001 and 2006) and is likely headed for a third.

Still, Verica said giving up on Groh isn't the answer.

"For things to be down at this point, to turn your back or get down on someone, that's not the right way to handle it," Verica said. "It's easy to assess blame and it's easy to point fingers, but it's hard to be accountable and take ownership of things. Coach Groh does that. He's accountable to us. He's accountable to coaches."

Groh said all the talk about his future isn't a concern. He said he's too busy preparing the Cavaliers for Saturday's home contest against Maryland.

But he did defend himself, saying that he's more than just a coach at Virginia. He said his job is also to "encourage, admonish, direct, and care for" his players.

He added that he takes the losses harder than anyone, including those who are calling for his departure.

"Every week there's a tremendous amount put into this--every week between 90 and 100 hours just to have the satisfaction that comes from the accomplishment of the team playing well," Groh said. "So for anybody involved to put in that amount of time, if you don't get any reward for it, that's a difficult end of the week."

DOWNRIGHT OFFENSIVE

Virginia offensive coordinator Mike Groh has been under the same scrutiny as his father.

The unit he's in charge of is ranked last in the nation in points per game (9.9). It's next-to-last in yards per contest (251.2), 117th out of 119 FBS teams in rushing offense (66.0 yards per game) and 113th in turnover margin (-1.75).

"It's like a drought right now," Verica said.

The Cavaliers have scored just three offensive touchdowns all season, none through the air. Junior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree said the unit is under pressure to do something soon.

"It's making us look in the mirror and say, 'We're the offense. We've got to put some points on the board,'" Ogletree said. "We definitely feel pressed to make some plays."

STAYING AFLOAT

The Cavaliers are concerned that negativity can destroy any hopes of making a turnaround this season. They've stressed not breaking into cliques and speaking ill of teammates and coaches.

Al Groh has also emphasized that his players don't listen to outsiders, especially media reports regarding the team.

He said the coaches "will give it to them straight, good or bad."

"If I started telling you how to write a column, why should you pay any attention to me?" Groh said to reporters yesterday. "If I started telling the players, 'Hey bring your statistics book in here, I'll help you with it.' If somebody was smart, they'd say, 'Why are you listening to that guy?' Go see the statistics teacher."

CULPEPER GRAD IN MIX

Former Culpeper High School standout Terence Fells-Danzer has made his first appearance on the Cavaliers' depth chart. The redshirt freshman is listed as the backup to senior inside linebacker Antonio Appleby.

But Groh said Fells-Danzer is still a work in progress.

"To keep it in the most positive way possible, nothing dramatic," Groh said of the reason for Fells-Danzer's rise. "It's just that this is a player with a long future in front of him and the way for his development to occur is to be part of the mix and to have the responsibility of keeping up with the challenges of getting prepared for every game."
 

Groh unfazed by doubters in stands
By Jay Jenkins
Published: September 30, 2008

During and after Virginia’s 28-point loss on Saturday at Duke, Cavalier fans voiced their displeasure in the outcome on message boards and radio shows.

With Virginia (1-3, 0-1 ACC) ranked dead last nationally in offensive scoring and ahead of just one team in total offense, some called for the termination of offensive coordinator Mike Groh.

Others went higher up the football program’s food chain, asking to have head coach Al Groh’s contract, which runs through 2011, bought out sooner rather than later.

Apparently, that public outcry did not bother Al Groh personally.

“I don’t think about my future,” he said. “I just think about the next game. That’s for all you guys to write about.

“I just try to do the things to coach the team the way we think it needs to be coached and do for the players, whatever that might mean, encourage, admonish, direct, care for, the things that go with the title of being head coach in college football.”

Many fans have threatened to boycott Virginia’s remaining home games, including Saturday’s contest with Maryland, if changes were not made. One student confirmed that the student body was debating wearing blue and not orange to the contest as a measure of protest.

That and the lack of support for the Cavaliers’ coaching staff did not sit well with junior quarterback Marc Verica.

“It’s unfortunate to see,” Verica said. “I kind of wish people would have your back more, had your coach’s back because this program has done a lot of great things under coach Groh and for things just to be down at this point, to turn your back or to get down on someone, that’s not the right way to handle it.

“It’s easy to access blame and it’s easy to point fingers, but what I do know is that it’s hard to be accountable and to take ownership of things and Coach Groh does that. He is accountable to us; he is accountable to the coaches. He takes ownership of things and so do we.”

Verica pointed at his own performance against Duke. Making his second career start, the junior tossed four second-half interceptions.

“That was a poor performance [against Duke] by myself, and I take ownership of that,” Verica said. “I am accountable to Coach Groh and I am accountable to my teammates, so it is just my goal right now to improve, to get better, but we stick together.

“We can’t let any negativity divide us at this point. We just have to improve and stay together.”

Groh said he is hopeful that his players will block out the outside distractions and remain focused on improving in practice.

“We would hope that they would just rely on those people who are professionals in the field, who are going to give it to them straight good or bad,” Groh said. “This is where we are and this is what we need to do.”

Having coached football since 1967, Groh said he recognizes why coaches and coordinators receive heat during rough patches in seasons, warranted or not.

“I understand why every head coach and offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator, under most circumstances, become the target,” he said. “I was told here recently by somebody within their organization that the person that is getting criticized in Indianapolis is [Colts offensive coordinator] Tom Moore.

“He has only directed the most prolific offense in the NFL for a number of years, but because they are not prolific this year, apparently Tom has lost his touch.”

Virginia has not been prolific on offense, however, since 2004 when the Cavaliers ranked No. 24 in total offense nationally and boasted the ACC’s best rushing attack.

Telling stat

Since Virginia’s victory in the Music City Bowl in 2005, the Cavaliers have been outscored 152-42 in the third quarter of games.

This season, UVa has allowed 42 points in the third quarter and netted just one field goal.

Wait-and-see approach

It remains to be seen if Virginia running back Cedric Peerman, who has rushed just 20 times this season, will play against Maryland.

The senior is nursing a leg injury and was held out of the Cavaliers’ contest against Duke as a precaution.

“We will have to see what the practice week brings,” Groh said Tuesday afternoon. “Obviously, it has been 40 hours since the last time we saw him [practice]. When he’s ready to be Cedric, he’s going to start the game.”

Groh said Peerman had been diligent in his rehab work for the injury, which is not related to the season-ending injury that he suffered against Middle Tennessee State last year.

“He is getting multiple treatments a day,” Groh said. “How fast does Mother Nature work with him? There’s nothing other to be done with him than just what he is doing.”

Getting a boost

Terrence Fells-Danzer, a redshirt freshman, replaced true freshman Steve Greer on this week’s team-issued depth chart at one of the inside linebacker spots.

When asked what the former Culpeper High standout had done to warrant the climb, Groh took the high road, noting that “nothing dramatic” had taken place in Fells-Danzer’s development.

“This is player with a long future in front of him,” Groh said, “and the way for his development to occur is for him to be part of the mix and to have the responsibility of keeping up with the challenge of getting prepared for every game.”

A big load

According to the depth chart, outside linebacker Cam Johnson weighs just 220 pounds. That is a tad off.

Groh said by his last account that the true freshman, who played against UConn and Duke, was 253 or 254 pounds.

Tackling third down

In the first half against Duke, the Cavaliers failed to convert on any of their seven third-down opportunities.

Progress was made in the second half as UVa kept five of eight drives alive by converting on third down.

There is more to the critical down, Verica said, than just moving the chains for offensive purposes.

“Third downs are obviously very important, but third downs don’t just involve the offense,” the quarterback said. “When you take the field you are also thinking about the defense. Maybe the defense just had a 10, 11, 12-play drive so they are tired. They are on the bench. They need to recover so you can’t go three-and-out and put them back on the field again.

“That puts them in a bad position so you definitely need to convert third downs. It is very important not to just sustain drives and to score points, but to also make sure your defense can recover.”

Virginia currently ranks 11th in the ACC in time of possession, ahead of only Maryland.

 

What might have been for Virginia
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: September 30, 2008

You either love Al Groh or you don’t. You are proud that he’s Virginia’s head football coach or you want his head on a silver platter.

With turmoil swirling around Groh after the Cavaliers’ 1-3 start, fans are looking for reasons as to why the program is struggling in the coach’s eighth year on the job.

Those who don’t like Groh are playing the blame game, pinning all the problems on Al and his son, Mike, the team’s offensive coordinator. Those who defend Groh look deeper for the root of the problem.

During his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Al Groh was asked why the team is relying so heavily on seniors and freshmen, and what happened to the middle classes. UVa has only 16 seniors on its roster, compared to 72 freshmen and sophomores.

Off-field troubles

The coach was quick to point out that “some unexpected absences” depleted those classes if not the entire roster.

“Two guys are not on the team because of personal health issues that we expected to have a significant role on the team,” Groh said. “We have some guys not on the team because of academic issues who we expected to be on the team.

“We have a couple of guys not on the team because of medical injury situations,” he added. “A combination of those things have made some of these young players take on roles that those [absentee] players had been expected to take on.”

The coach didn’t mention a few more who were dismissed for misconduct, although the fan base is more than divided on whether or not the latest, sophomore quarterback Pete Lalich, should have been booted or suspended.

When you take the time to examine what has happened to the players who made unexpected or in perhaps a couple of cases, expected exits, it’s easier to see what this team could have looked like if everyone had taken care of business.

By our count, there are a dozen players missing that were anticipated to play key roles on this year’s football team.

Personal accountability

We’re not defending actions by those players, but we don’t believe Groh should be blamed for their shortcomings, which has set his program back. As many as eight of those players would have either started or played significant minutes — minutes and starts that are now given to inexperienced players.

In fact, 19 players have made their career debuts in the first four games.

A graphic accompanying today’s column gives you a visual idea of what Virginia’s football team would look like if things had gone as planned.

When you inspect that roster, that’s a pretty good football team — certainly one that wouldn’t be 1-3 at this point.

We’re not making excuses for Groh, but facts are facts. There’s not many college football programs that could withstand such a purge of talent without feeling negative affects.

While the defense took the brunt of the personnel losses with eight players, the offense may have been hit harder because of the positions in question.

For instance, the Cavaliers lost their top two quarterbacks, including Jameel Sewell, who would have been starting for his third year — the year in which most players begin to play their best football. Then there was Lalich, the player that Groh structured his entire offense around in the offseason.

Sewell is sitting out this season because of academics, but not your normal academic casualty. He is actually eligible by NCAA standards but not UVa’s standards. In other words, he could have played this season at just about any other FBS school in the country.

As a result, the Cavaliers were forced to thrust Marc Verica into the starting job before he was ready. Bless him, he’s giving it everything he’s got and Wahoo fans should applaud his grit and determination.

However, Virginia felt like Verica would come into his own during his fourth or fifth year in the program. He’s a redshirt sophomore playing for the first time and is going through the growing pains that Sewell experienced when he was similarly forced to play before he was ready back in 2006 when the two quarterbacks ahead of him didn’t meet expectations.

Take starting left guard Branden Albert, who turned pro a year early, and experienced tailback/receiver Andrew Pearman, add them to Sewell and Lalich and the offense improves dramatically.

Defensively, among those who would have started or played key minutes, include cornerback Chris Cook, cornerback Mike Brown, defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald, defensive end Sean Gottschalk, and end/linebacker Olu Hall, who was one of the top recruits in the state a few years ago. Hall and Fitzgerald transferred to Kansas State after having academic issues at UVa.

Then there are linebackers John Bivens (career-ending injury that sent him to the UVa baseball team), J’Courtney Williams (misconduct), and Darnell Carter (academics) that would have added depth to those spots.

Again, we don’t condone what these various players may have done to get themselves in hot water, but if you are a coaching staff that’s trying to fill those voids, it’s easy to see why Virginia is struggling.

The old coaches used to say that you could count a loss for every freshman that you start. Well, that speaks for itself.

Just for the moment, though, pretend you’re a member of the coaching staff and one by one, key players are dropping like flies. What would you do?

Now you know why coaches get Pepto-Bismol transfusions on a weekly basis and spend a lot of sleepless nights during football season.

At one point in my life, my goal was to become a football coach. Man, I’m glad I changed my mind.

 

The signs, they are a-changin’
Paul Wiley
Published: Wednesday, October 1 2008

The more things change, the more they stay the same. What’s old is new again. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
The hubbub about this sign ban has, amazingly, kept its pace even a month into school. It hasn’t suffered the usual fate of the college cause, doomed from the get-go to be tossed aside in favor of some newer, more pressing and oh-so-much more dire crisis. While the blank signs protest wasn’t executed flawlessly in the Richmond game, the fact that there are rumblings of a second protest for Saturday’s tilt against Maryland shows just how deeply this is getting under students’ skin.
And I’ve gotta say: I love it.
But you may be shocked — shocked, I say — to learn that this isn’t the first time students of our beloved University have had to deal with pressures from the administration when they try to express themselves at a sporting event. Surely not at this school, the very paragon of unchecked intellectual freedom, never wavering from its devotion to Jeffersonian ideals.
Yet in the late 1970s, that was very nearly the case.
Those were the days when basketball was king at Virginia. The Cavaliers had won what still remains our only ACC men’s basketball championship in spring 1976 on the back of the incomparable Wally Walker. My parents were undergraduates at the time and lived by the mantra, “Football is social, basketball is serious.”
Those were the days when students got their tickets by waiting in line, not online. The terrace outside old U-Hall was packed with tents and lawn chairs as early as two weeks before a Carolina or Maryland game — base camp for basketball junkies. Terry Holland, Jeff Lamp and Marc Iavaroni and the rest of the Cavaliers’ hardwood heroes would swing through, bringing pizza and sandwiches to keep morale high. There was no such thing as a casual fan.
But that fervor led to the student section getting a little rowdier than was comfortable for the powers-that-were. Referees and opposing teams alike were treated to a barrage of something less than the full vocabulary of the student body. The exact limits of obscene speech is an issue to be settled by courts much higher than those made of parquet, but University officials decided they’d had enough and cracked down.
The president at the time, Frank Hereford (more infamously remembered as The Man Who Canceled Easters Weekend), wrote an open letter to the student body in this very publication. His ultimatum was simple, direct, and dire: Clean up your act, or we won’t let you into games anymore.
Student response was quick in coming. Instead of griping, students got creative. The next game was against Maryland and its reviled coach, Lefty Driesell, whose most prominent feature (aside from garish plaid jackets and red slacks) was his glistening bald head.
The Pep Band took matters into its own hands, arming each student entering the game with a laminated sheet. On one side was a caricature of Lefty, his cheeks puffed out and steam spewing from his ears in cartoon anger, a fuel gauge about to burst superimposed on his ample forehead.
On the other side was a list of 50 of the most vile, profane, stomach-turning taunts and jeers the band could concoct. If I were to reprint even one, my editors would show me the door in record time. Suffice it to say, mothers and anatomically impossible acts made several repeat appearances.
How did that solve the problem, you ask? Instead of every student screaming a semi-intelligible string of four-letter words, the leaders of the Pep Band would simply hold up a sign with a number on it — let’s say 42. Everyone would look down at his or her sheet, read what was there, and begin chanting “Forty-two! Forty-two!”
Hereford wrote another letter the next day, commending the student body on its ingenuity that didn’t sacrifice one iota of fandom.
So what’s the moral here? Don’t get mad, get creative. And more importantly, get organized. This is an era of instantaneous information. One clever computer geek can access the grades for an entire program with the click of a button. Facebook pictures and profiles provide more than enough fodder for getting under visitors’ skin. We can come up with something better than “Greivis has a big nose,” or “J.J. sucks” (though both are true).
As hard as it may be to stand behind the Cavaliers right now, that’s exactly what has to happen if this sign ban will ever be repealed. Show them that what they’re stifling is, for the most part, beneficial. Show them that we can actually pay attention at a game and make our voices heard at that crucial moment.
Show them we’ve still got what it takes.

Fridge, Franklin pull out all the stops
Coach Friedgen is determined that his team – and apparently, the media – not take Virginia lightly.

At his weekly media luncheon, he trotted out all the cautionary rhetoric today to boost the 1-3 Cavaliers to everybody in earshot.

He said Virginia has won 19 out of 21 ACC home openers. “They’ve got great size and are very athletic. Their offensive line is very strong.,” Friedgen said.
And then this: “I don’t think the score last week was really indicative of the game.”

Let’s hope not for Virginia’s sake since it lost 31-3 to Duke.

Later, offensive coordinator James Franklin said Maryland hasn't earned the right to make assumptions about beating anybody.

"Let's be honest. We haven't proven yet that we're consistent enough to take anyone lightly," Franklin said.

Posted by Jeff Barker
 

Motivating the Terps
Coach Friedgen referred to the Virginia game as a "trap."

He knows that:

* The Cavaliers lost to Duke, 31-3, and are having a miserable season.

* The Terps are coming off a big road win against a nationally ranked opponent. As we all know, big efforts are sometimes followed by puny ones.

But it shouldn't be hard to motivate the Terps given that they now believe they could have a memorable season, and that the Virginia-Maryland rivalry has the weight of history behind it.

Consider that:

* Virginia has won 12 of the past 16 meetings with Maryland. The teams have played every year since 1957.

* Most Maryland players will remember last season, when Mikell Simpson scored the winning touchdown with 16 seconds left in an 18-17 Virginia win.

I think what will really propel the Terps is that each game they win makes the next one more significant. Once the team has started to build something, there is increasingly more incentive to ensure that it's not knocked down.

Posted by Jeff Barker
 

U.VA. NOTES
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2008 - 12:07 AM
 
Matoaca's Burd gets opportunities on offense
He didn't have a catch in Virginia's first two football games this season, but Kris Burd is emerging from the shadows.

Burd, a 5-11, 189-pound redshirt freshman from Matoaca High School, plays slot receiver for the Cavaliers. He had two receptions against Connecticut on Sept. 13 and three against Duke on Saturday.

"He's a young guy who has some talent, and he wants to be good," said Kevin Ogletree, U.Va.'s best wideout. "He looks at the game as an opportunity to showcase that. He's been waiting awhile to get his turn, and he's happy he's in there. I think he'll make some plays for us down the road."

Coach Al Groh said Burd "comes to work every day. He's got a good toughness about him. He wants to be a good player."

Receiver Ogletree's lost track of quarterbacks
Forgive Ogletree, a redshirt junior from Queens, N.Y., if he can't keep track of all the quarterbacks he's played with at U.Va.

"I think Shawn Moore threw me one back in the day," Ogletree said yesterday, eliciting laughter from reporters at John Paul Jones Arena.

When Ogletree was a true freshman in 2005, Virginia's quarterback was Marques Hagans. In 2006, first Christian Olsen, then Kevin McCabe and, finally, Jameel Sewell started at QB for the Wahoos.

Sewell started all 13 games in 2007, a season Ogletree missed while recovering from knee surgery. But Sewell, a former Hermitage High School star, was placed on academic suspension in January and won't return to U.Va. until 2009.

So far this season, Groh has used three quarterbacks: Peter Lalich, Scott Deke and Marc Verica, who's heading into his third game as the starter. Lalich, who was dismissed from the team last month, transferred to Oregon State and started classes Monday.

Freshman could replace Hall in punt returns
The Atlantic Coast Conference's punt return leader, North Carolina's Brandon Tate, is averaging 28.2 yards per return. Virginia's Vic Hall is averaging 3.5.

Hall, a junior who starts at cornerback, struggled with his decision-making in U.Va.'s 31-3 loss at Duke. Several times he let punts bounce past him, resulting in poor field position for U.Va.

Groh said yesterday that redshirt freshman Chase Minnifield probably is the next option at punt returner.

Baker gets good news: a basketball scholarship
As expected, Calvin Baker has been placed on scholarship for 2008-09.

The scholarship became available when U.Va. basketball coach Dave Leitao dismissed big man Laurynas Mikalauskas from the team in late August.

A junior guard from Newport News, Baker isn't assured a scholarship for 2009-10. Scholarships are renewed annually, and Baker's status may hinge on Leitao's recruiting needs for 2009-10.

Baker, who began his college career at William and Mary, is in his third year at U.Va. He paid his way in 2006-07 and 2007-08, and Baker would not have been on scholarship this academic year had forward Will Harris, who transferred to Albany, and Mikalauskas not left U.Va. in August.

In 2007-08, Baker started eight games and was the Cavaliers' fourth-leading scorer at 8.6 points per game.

Men's team vs. alumni in lacrosse scrimmage
Want an early look at the U.Va. men's lacrosse team? Then stop by the University Hall Turf Field on Friday night.

At 9 o'clock, Dom Starsia's current players will scrimmage a team made up of U.Va. alumni, most of whom compete in Major League Lacrosse. The game is free and open to the public.

Among those expected are Matt Ward, Ben Rubeor, Kyle Dixon, Conor Gill, J.J. Morrissey, Brett Hughes, Kip Turner, Chris Rotelli and Ricky Smith.

"We could get hammered," Starsia said. "It'll be great for our guys. It'll be great to see [the alumni] and be on the same field with them. We don't take these things too seriously, but at the same time, it'll be a good challenge."

U.Va.'s two official scrimmages will be Oct. 11 at Navy. Virginia will meet Georgetown at noon and Navy at 2:30 p.m. - Jeff White
 

Only 101 reasons to like Mason

Recommend 0 Buck Harvey - Roger Mason Jr. attended an exclusive middle school that included, among others, Chelsea Clinton. He designed his house in Maryland.

He has his own construction business, and that figures. A Washington Wizards executive says Mason might be the only player who could make more money outside the NBA than in it.

His father was an outstanding eye surgeon who died of kidney failure when Roger Jr. was 11. Then, Roger Jr. decided he had to be “the strong one” because he had a little brother and two little sisters.

The stories go on and on. The newest Spur is part Steve Kerr and part Bruce Bowen, with some David Robinson thrown in, and Mason arrived Monday at the Spurs' media day with the personality in place. Mason went from camera to camera, greeting everyone with a handshake and a smile.

But it won't be long before no one cares. For about the first six weeks of the season, Mason will be asked to ease the loss of Manu Ginobili, and there are reasons to think he can't.

There are also reasons to think he can.

Specifically, there are 101.

The Spurs settled on a few less this past summer when they signed Mason. He is versatile, he can shoot 3-pointers, and he can defend.

They love who he is, too. He's a smart, engaging man who fits in this locker room. Mason has earned his success, and this goes back to when he left Virginia after three years.

He entered the draft because some analysts thought he would be a top-15 pick. Some scouts don't remember rating him that high, but none of it mattered when Mason crashed to the floor during a workout before the draft. He still has the scar on his right shoulder from the surgery that followed, not far from a tattoo in honor of his late father.

Mason fell to the second round. The injury kept him out for nine months, and then he was caught in a regime change in Chicago. He went to Greece and Israel, the kind of path other Spurs have taken before, if just to play again.

He played summer league, too, and the Spurs brought him into their summer program in 2006. They liked him but had no place for him, and the next summer, the Spurs brought him back. Then they offered him a small, three-year deal that wasn't fully guaranteed, and he chose to return to the Wizards in a make-good year.

Mason had bet on himself. And when Gilbert Arenas went down early, Mason slid over a few seats on the Wizards' bench and helped stabilize a group that wasn't supposed to make the playoffs. But it did.

“He has meant as much to this team as myself or Caron Butler,” Antawn Jamison said last spring. “He's one of those stories of a guy who wouldn't give up.”

His coach, Eddie Jordan, called Mason “the quiet assassin” because he showed no emotion on big shots, and the Wizards wanted him back. Handcuffed by negotiations for Arenas, however, they couldn't counter the Spurs' offer.

Few saw the signing as significant. Mason wasn't the sexy free agent that Corey Maggette was, and this goes back to the scouts' initial impression of Mason. He's never been physically imposing; it takes time to appreciate what he does on the floor.

That's partly because it's taken time for Mason to get better. For example, a year ago, he would end every summer workout the same way. His trainer, Joe Connelly, would require Mason to make five consecutive 3-pointers.

This summer, Mason took it further. Connelly says Mason missed only two days; the day Mason signed his contract with the Spurs, he flew back to the Washington area and was in the gym that night.

“He's no longer just a spot-up shooter,” Connelly said Monday. “He's revolutionized his game, and here's my prediction. He will be a candidate for the league's most-improved player award.”

The Spurs aren't anticipating that. But they don't yet know what Connelly knows, and what happened the day before Mason left for San Antonio earlier this month.

Connelly didn't have Mason make five 3-pointers to end the workout. Mason instead shot 109.

And made 101.

 

Players shine at Ranked Plus One event
Singh wins title in A-2 singles flight, takes doubles final with teammate Inglot; freshman Shabaz runner-up in A-1 singles
Emily Bareford, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Published: Wednesday, October 1 2008

Sophomore Sanam Singh continued his success from last year in the Ranked Plus One Invitational tournament in Charlottesville, winning the title in the A-2 singles flight. Virginia men’s tennis had a strong showing at the U.Va. Ranked Plus One Invitational this past weekend, winning one singles and one doubles flight.
Sophomore Sanam Singh continued to remain dominant for Virginia, capturing the title in the A-2 singles flight. He defeated senior Enrique Olivares of East Tennessee State, who is ranked No. 31 nationally in a close but decisive match (7-6, 6-4).
“Singh is playing at an extremely high level,” head coach Brian Boland said. “His ability to play an all-court game has come a long way over the last couple of months.”
Sophomore Michael Shabaz also played in the final for the A-1 flight, losing to No. 39 Duke sophomore Reid Carleton. Shabaz was able to push the match to three sets with a final scoring of 7-6, 4-6, 6-2. Even though he lost in the singles championships, he had a very impressive win in the quarterfinal match by defeating No. 10 ranked sophomore John-Patrick Smith of Tennessee. Smith was runner-up in the NCAA singles championships last year, losing to Virginia graduate Somdev Devvarman.
“Smith is one of the best players in the country,” Shabaz said. “I have been playing a lot of tennis and working on my game, and it paid off. It was a close match and it could have gone either way, but I was able to come out on top.”
Though Shabaz was upset in the singles, he bounced back to take the A-3 doubles flight final with senior partner Dominic Inglot. The pair ended with a top performance, defeating Smith and Tennessee junior Davey Sandgren in an 8-5 final.
“Michael Shabaz had a great weekend,” Boland said. “He deserves all of the success because he has put so much time in over the last several months getting himself into shape and he still has room to improve as he will continue to get better each day.”
Also having a notable performance for Virginia were freshman Drew Courtney and junior Houston Barrick. In the third-place match for the A-1 singles flight, Simon Childs of Louisville defeated Courtney 6-3, 7-6. Courtney made a great effort to get to the third-place match, though, as he had to first beat a string of competitive players. In an earlier match against No. 67 Nebraska junior David Bendheim, Courtney made a comeback after dropping the first set but winning the next two in a final match score of 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
“Our first-year [students] are doing so well,” Boland said. “Drew Courtney beat several ranked players this weekend, showing what a tremendous amount of improvement they have made in such a short time.”
Barrick had a stellar performance in his singles match, defeating No. 55 Tennessee sophomore Boris Conkic 2-6, 7-6, (10-7). The match went on to a tiebreaker ending with Barrick coming out on top.
“Barrick is playing his best tennis yet since he arrived at Virginia,” Boland said. “His development as a player is incredible and he has made huge strides over the last several months. His game is coming together and is growing into what we knew he was capable of.”
Though this was only the second tournament of the season for Virginia, but the players are already showing a strong level of play.
“They deserve the success thus far because they have all worked so hard,” Boland said. “I am so pleased at where we’re at already for this season.”

Ricky Williams fights off urge to use pot

MIAMI — Ricky Williams says he was briefly tempted to smoke marijuana during the Miami Dolphins' bye weekend, an act that could have ended his roller-coaster NFL career. Williams has been in the league's substance-abuse program since 2002 and has tested positive for marijuana.

Williams told The Miami Herald for Tuesday's editions that when players were given Friday off, "automatically your mind, which is so constrained since training camp began ... says, `I'm free, what can I do?'"

(enlarge photo)IN this Aug. 23, 2008, file photo, Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams, right, dodges a tackle by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson during a preseason NFL football game at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. Williams says he was briefly tempted to smoke marijuana during the Miami Dolphins' bye weekend, an act that could have ended his roller-coaster NFL career. Williams has been in the league's substance-abuse program since 2002 and has tested positive for marijuana. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
"So there was definitely an urge," he said. "But I just thought about what I have to lose, and it was easy. The urge didn't last very long."

Since 2004, the Dolphins running back has played only 16 NFL games, including three this year. If Williams were to smoke marijuana again, he would likely be out of the NFL for good because he has already violated the league drug policy four times.

"There's no space, no wiggle room for me," Williams said.

He said that doesn't scare him, because he feels he's in control and on the right path. He said he successfully combated the latest urge to smoke by meditating instead, which gives him the same "feeling of being free" as marijuana.

"A lot of times when people have some kind of addiction, what happens is they make a mistake and trip up and afterward say, `I don't know what I was thinking,'" he said. "If you always try to be aware of what is going on in your mind, you won't ever get to that point where it's too late."

The 1998 Heisman Trophy winner and 2002 NFL rushing champion said it's normal to have an urge to smoke. Williams is tested nine times per month on a random basis. The man who administers the urinalysis for the NFL sometimes shows up at Williams' home before dawn.

Williams said he will not smoke marijuana again while he's in the NFL, but he's uncertain whether he'll abstain when his career ends.

"I'd be lying if I said I'm never going to do it again after I'm done," he said. "I don't know. I don't spend much time thinking about it."