Which Cavs will show up?
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 7, 2008

Film director Victor Fleming would be proud of the looming showdown.

After haplessly strolling through back-to-back road defeats, Virginia’s football team showcased its best Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde impression on Saturday in a 31-point win against Maryland.

Which brand of Cavalier football should be expected on Saturday at noon against East Carolina, a program riding a two-game losing streak?

Your guess is likely as good as Al Groh’s.

“The only way that [Maryland-type performance] can happen is that collectively we’re the same guys and we’re the same team this week throughout the course of the week that we were last week,” Virginia’s football coach said. “That will get us back to that point and probably that point won’t be good enough to continue to beat some of the teams that we’re playing. So if we want to do better than we did last week, we are going to have to do better.

“If we want more, we are going to have to do more to get there. But we did more than we did the week before, so we got more back. I would say the competition will continue to step up, so not only does our team, in and of ourselves have to progress, we also have to be ready to match the increased level of competition as the teams get better and better.”

Virginia (2-3, 1-1 ACC) did, in fact, enter the Maryland game with the nation’s worst scoring offense and was ranked near the bottom in numerous other categories.

Yet after allowing the Terrapins to register more offensive yardage than what was managed by Duke, which beat UVa 31-3, the Cavaliers emerged with their first league win in front of a sparse, yet energetic crowd.

“It would be a little rash to say that we’re going to win them all 31-0, but we certainly did see on a play-to-play basis our ability to execute different schemes, whether it’s on offense or defense, that if we do it the right way we can execute the scheme and get good results with it,” Groh said. “One of the words that you hear coaches use all the time is, ‘consistency.’

“Once you find out that a player is a consistent performer, then you find out that your team is a consistent performer. Then you have a better sense of what you’re going to get every week.”

East Carolina (3-2, 1-1 Conference USA) has been as mysterious of late as the Cavaliers. The Pirates upended Virginia Tech and West Virginia, a pair of programs that played in BCS bowl games last year, and Tulane to open the season before falling to N.C. State and Houston.

“We take our reading that at this stage that the two highly most rated teams that they played are Virginia Tech and West Virginia,” Groh said. “Those are the teams that they beat and played their very best against. “So, we take our reading off of their performance against those two best teams as to what East Carolina is capable of, so we can see what the benchmark is for their performance and clearly we have to aim at that, and above that benchmark, to be competitive in the game.”

Inside the play

Virginia quarterback Marc Verica likes to think of himself as a mobile quarterback.

No threat to join the Virginia track & field team, the redshirt sophomore danced past a Maryland defensive end and sprinted to the end zone for the Cavaliers’ first rushing touchdown in two games.

“It was a read play where during the exchange between me and Cedric, I’m reading the defensive end,” Verica explained. “We leave him unblocked. If he rushes up the field, my job is to pull it and run with it and if he stays wide, I can give it to Cedric and there will be a good running lane there.

“He kind of played it in between, but I thought I could beat him so I pulled the ball and I think I made a move on him there and kind of froze him and then I just outraced the next guy to the end zone, so that was exciting.”

 

UVa’s Board of Visitors endorses bubbled practice field
By Aaron Lee
Published: October 7, 2008

A bubbled-over football field could be the answer athletic officials at the University of Virginia are searching for as they look to limit the number of team practices canceled by inclement weather.

The idea has circulated for more than two years among officials, but was formally brought before UVa’s Board of Visitors last week. The board endorsed the idea, and will next take it up once a design for the bubble is completed.

The project’s cost is estimated at $8 million and includes installing an artificial surface and a foundation for an air-supported structure over the field.

“We can just fit a football field inside it,” Jon Oliver, UVa’s executive associate athletics director, said of the proposed bubble, which would stand roughly 70 feet tall at its highest point.

The university has not begun raising money — all private funds — for the project, but Richard Murray, UVa’s associate athletics director for public relations, said the school is looking at putting the bubble in the area of Onesty Hall near University Hall.

UVa has approximately 650 students competing at the varsity level each year and does not have an indoor space that meets what today is considered an ample indoor practice area by many schools, such as the University of Texas, which has a bubble, Oliver said.

As of now, UVa teams often hold practices in The Cage facility next to University Hall when weather prevents practices outside, Murray said.

The $8 million price tag on the facility includes an estimated $3 million to create an endowment to maintain the facility at an estimated cost of $150,000 a year, Oliver said.

The money planned for the facility also includes funds to replace parking that is lost to the proposed bubble’s construction — per a university mandate.

Oliver said the life of the bubble is estimated at 10 years and that officials have talked about trying to raise money in the future to create a tens-of-millions-of-dollars permanent indoor facility.

The cost of replacing the bubble itself is estimated at $1 million, he said.
 

Holtz lives up to his famous surname
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: October 7, 2008

Don’t expect to see East Carolina football coach Skip Holtz calling in to ESPN’s “Dr. Lou” segment any time soon. That’s where coaches and players call in to see the advice of “Dr. Lou,” who in reality is former coaching great Lou Holtz, who just happens to be Skip’s father.

Instead, Skip will keep his questions private about his upcoming game with Virginia at high noon on Saturday in Charlottesville. When he makes his weekly phone call to Dad, there will be discussion about the Cavaliers.

“I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of that,” Holtz said Tuesday about the Dr. Lou episodes that are featured as part of ESPN’s college football game coverage. “Every time we talk on the phone, I make sure he’s not taping me so that I don’t make a surprise appearance on Thursday night’s ‘Dial Dr. Lou.’”

Off to a quick start

While the elder Holtz, a Hall of Famer, has been a great sounding board for his son, Skip has done pretty well on his own. In fact, Skip is the second-fastest ECU coach to reach the

23-win mark at the Greenville, N.C., school (only behind Hall of Famer Pat Dye), and is in his fourth season as head coach of the Pirates. His team beat Virginia in their last meeting, a 31-21 decision at ECU in 2006 (aaaarrrrgh), and the Pirates were ranked as high as No. 14 in the national polls last month after posting back-to-back upsets over Virginia Tech and West Virginia.

Coming off a bye week (just like the last time ECU played Virginia), Holtz’s Pirates stand at 3-2 after consecutive losses to N.C. State in overtime (30-24), and a 17-point loss to Houston (41-24) in the last two outings. Now, his team is catching a Virginia squad that is getting its act together, having upset Maryland 31-0 last weekend.

Impressed with Verica

“The difference between Duke [a 31-3 UVa loss] and Maryland is that I see a quarterback [Marc Verica] that is kind of evolving on film,” Holtz said. “The quarterback played the first two games on the road and was thrown into an unfortunate situation in the Connecticut game as late as all that happened. But he’s developed and gotten better and better.”

Holtz is convinced that his Pirates are going to see more of the Virginia team that shut out Maryland as opposed to the one that was beaten by Duke.

Studying game tapes of the Cavaliers, Holtz said he has been impressed with the defense all season long, but that he couldn’t help but notice the offensive improvement.

“[Virginia’s] defense is big and physical, very athletic and has a great third down package,” Holtz observed. “I really like what Coach [Al] Groh is doing as far as the scheme. He’s putting his players in a position to succeed defensively. It’s not fancy, they just line up and coach the fundamentals.”

Offensively, the difference in Duke and Maryland wasn’t fancy either.

“They were able to come out and the offensive line took over the ball game,” Holtz said. “When they were able to run it, then all of a sudden it opened up a lot of avenues for them with the play-action pass.”

Verica, a sophomore, played his best game in his third start and Holtz thought that the UVa field general did a good job of managing the game.

Though he has studied the Cavaliers extensively, he has also been preoccupied with trying to heal his team’s wounds. ECU experienced a meteoric rise in the polls after the two upsets and a late-game win over Tulane, setting off a euphoria in eastern North Carolina that hasn’t been felt in a while.

“For a group of guys that had never been ranked, I think they were just excited to be where they were,” Holtz said. “It was almost like we were trying to protect something we never earned.”

Those who festoon themselves in purple and gold were anticipating the best, and even one interview ended with Holtz being told, well, now that your hard games (Tech and WVU) are over, you can run the table.

“I said, whoa, whoa … there’s 10 games left on the schedule,” Holtz cautioned. “We’ve been very humbled the last two games. We’ve had time to sit down and talk about it, evaluate it.”

Saturday will be his second trip to Scott Stadium, having accompanied his father’s South Carolina team here in 2002, a game that was Virginia’s line in the sand after having dropped its first two games to Colorado State and Florida State. The Cavs rallied behind quarterback Matt Schaub and knocked off the No. 22 Gamecocks.

Skip Holtz was Lou’s offensive coordinator, a job he had taken to be close to his family. Skip had led Connecticut football from the depths of I-AA football to the playoffs and a 10-win season. As a reward, he had been offered a longterm contract as the Huskies had received an invitation to join the Big East and ground had been broken for a new stadium.

Blood is thicker than water, and the youngest Holtz decided he couldn’t turn down his father’s offer.

“It was very difficult to leave Connecticut. I had put my name on the program and built something,” the ECU coach said. “Unfortunately, my mother got sick. Financially, leaving Connecticut was not a smart decision and I was the head coach of a team that had won 10 games and had a lot of good things going on. But my wife said that 20 years from now, when my mom and dad were gone, would I regret the move?”

The Holtz’s picked up and moved to Columbia, S.C., where things were interesting. He took over as the Gamecocks’ offensive coordinator, a job he was confident that he could handle. Working for Lou at Notre Dame as the OC, Skip helped the Irish to a 21-2-1 record as coordinator and his offense was ranked in the top 10 nationally during the 1991 and ’93 seasons.

In Columbia, he experienced some of the same criticism that Virginia offensive coordinator Mike Groh is going through now.

“It’s great from a family standpoint to have the opportunity to work together,” Skip Holtz said. “It’s very difficult in the situation as far as working for your father. I say that from the standpoint of knowing my situation with my father’s background being all on offense and as much of an offensive coach as he was.

“Mike is probably going through this as well,” Holtz said. “Being the offensive coordinator, every time we did something well it was Coach Holtz and his experience. And every time we did something poor, it was that stupid son of his. It’s a challenge.”

His critique of Mike Groh’s job?

“When you look at the success of what they’ve had the last couple of weeks with the way the quarterback has started a groove, [Mike’s] done a real nice job with that offense,” Holtz said.

Virginia’s offense is only one of Holtz’s problems when his Pirates, a touchdown underdog, comes to Scott Stadium for Holtz’s 100th game as a head coach on Saturday.

He’s hoping he won’t have to make an emergency call to Dr. Lou.
 

U.Va. trying to put win in perspective
Wednesday, Oct 08, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 03:14 AM

EAST CAROLINA AT VIRGINIA

Saturday:Noon
On the air:TV -- WRLH, radio -- WRVA (1140), 11 a.m.
Tickets:(800) 542-8821, www.virginiasports.com
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Smiles and laughter punctuated tight end John Phillips' answers yesterday. The same was true for quarterback Marc Verica and safety Byron Glaspy and the other University of Virginia football players who showed up for interviews at John Paul Jones Arena.

An impressive win can have that effect on a team, and U.Va. is coming off a 31-0 rout of ACC rival Maryland. The victory snapped the Cavaliers' two-game losing streak and lifted the spirits of players who knew that critics had been ripping them and their coaches.

"It's always a better atmosphere when you win," Phillips said. "When you win, that's just a lot of positive energy floating around, and hopefully we can build off of that."

Glaspy said: "I think morale's really high right now, and everybody has the sense they want to build on it."

The next chance comes Saturday afternoon, when Virginia (2-3) plays East Carolina (3-2) at Scott Stadium.

One-game wonders abound in college football, and U.Va.'s veterans know a loss to ECU would negate the gains made in the victory over Maryland.

"That game is over and done with," senior linebacker Clint Sintim said. "It wasn't the Super Bowl, but it was a great win for our program. Now, we have to bounce back and try to beat a very good ECU team."

Sintim, who leads the ACC with five sacks, said he'll tell his younger teammates "not to live off [the Maryland] game. Don't let that game be the signature mark of our season, but rather build off that game. There were a lot of positive things that went on in that game, and really try to embrace those positive things and move it on to the next week and try to have another big win. I think the worst thing we could do is think, 'Well, that game was the best game that we could possibly have this year, and that was our Super Bowl.'"

Forgive Verica if he wants to savor the victory over Maryland as long as possible. A week earlier, in his second start, he threw four interceptions in a 31-3 loss to Duke, which had dropped its previous 25 ACC games.

"Any time you play that poorly, a tough week's going to follow," Verica said. "You can say, 'You gotta put it behind you,' or 'You can't worry about it,' but I think until you get out there again [that] next Saturday, it's hard to put that behind you.

"I was really looking forward to this game all week, just to redeem myself and show my teammates and the coaches and everyone that I can play at a high level and this team can win with me."

Redemption tasted sweet for the redshirt sophomore from the Philadelphia area. Verica completed 25 of 34 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns against the Terrapins, and he wasn't intercepted. He also ran for a TD as the U.Va. offense piled up 427 yards to end what Verica last week had called "a drought."

"I guess you could call it a monsoon," he said yesterday. "It was fun for everything to just click the way it did. There was a collective sigh of relief on our part, so it's something to build on. In our preparation for ECU, we'll keep in mind that we can make big plays, we can get first downs and we can put up points. And it takes tremendous pressure off the defense, so we're going to try to build on that."

 

U.VA. NOTES
Wednesday, Oct 08, 2008 - 12:07 AM

ECU coach familiar with Grohs' situation
Skip Holtz, son of the legendary Lou Holtz, was on his father's staff at the University of South Carolina for six seasons, the first five as offensive coordinator. So the younger Holtz, who's in his fourth season as East Carolina's coach, appreciates better than most the challenges facing Al and Mike Groh in their working relationship at Virginia.

Al Groh is in his eighth season as the Cavaliers coach. The older of his two sons, Mike, is in his eighth year on the U.Va. staff and third as offensive coordinator.

Virginia (2-3) hosts ECU (3-2) on Saturday afternoon.

"It's great from a family standpoint to have the opportunity to work together," Skip Holtz told reporters on a conference call yesterday.

Professionally, however, it can be difficult. Skip Holtz left the University of Connecticut, where he had been the coach for five years, to join his father's staff at South Carolina, and the working arrangement proved to be unpopular with many fans.

"I know in my situation, with my father's background being all on offense and as much of an offensive coach as he was, it seems like, as a son -- and I know Mike is probably going through this as well being the offensive coordinator -- every time we did something well it was [because of] Coach Holtz and his experience," Skip Holtz said. "And every time we did something poor, it was that stupid son of his calling the plays.

"It is a challenge in a lot of respects, but for me, I know as I mentioned earlier, it was a family decision when I went back to work for him again, and it was a great situation off the field to be around my mom and my dad and have my kids around. It presents a lot of challenges, because when is he Coach and when he is Dad? To me, it came pretty natural, and I'm sure it does for Mike as well."

Dowling showing how special he is
With due respect to Marcus Hamilton, who now is with the Chicago Bears, Ras-I Dowling may be the most talented cornerback at U.Va. since Ronde Barber.

Dowling, a 6-2 200-pound sophomore from Chesapeake, missed the opener with a leg injury and sat out more than a quarter of U.Va.'s game against Duke with cramps. Even so, Dowling is tied for second among ACC players with three interceptions.

"You guys know Ras-I's an unbelievable athlete," U.Va. wide receiver Kevin Ogletree told reporters yesterday. "He has, I guess, the perfect body size and strength for a corner. He's 6-2, 6-3, can jump and he's real, real athletic. His upside is great, and I like seeing him out there when the ball's in the air. Sometimes he's better than that receiver going to get the ball, and you almost know he's going to come down with it."

Scholarship honors Bob Olderman
A scholarship has been established in memory of Bob Olderman, who was an all-ACC offensive guard for U.Va. in the'80s. Olderman, who later played for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, died in 1993 at the age of 31 from a rare form of lymphoma.

Joan and Mike Walters, Olderman's aunt and uncle, donated $2 million to the Virginia Athletics Foundation to start the Bob Olderman Student-Athlete Fund. Their gift will endow an annual scholarship for student-athletes who play Olympic sports at Virginia. Mike Walters is a U.Va. alumnus.

The Walterses were recognized at the U.Va.-Maryland game Saturday night at Scott Stadium, as were Olderman's parents, Bruce and Judy; his widow, Jackie, and their son, Justin; and his brother, Chuck.

More help along U.Va. sidelines
A team in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision is allowed nine full-time assistant coaches. On game day, most teams have at least four assistants on the sideline, along with the head coach.

In Virginia's first four games this season, however, three assistants were on the field and six in the press box. That changed Saturday night, when defensive line coach Levern Belin came downstairs and joined Bobby Diaco (special teams/linebackers), Dave Borbely (offensive line) and Anthony Poindexter (running backs/assistant special teams) on the U.Va. sideline. -- Jeff White
 

Sintim makes 'L' of a tribute
By Doug Doughty

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Clint Sintim leveled some serious-sounding allegations Saturday in the aftermath of Virginia's 31-0 victory over Maryland.

Ex-Cavalier All-American Chris Long, who has been involved in several of the promotions for UVa's "Power of Orange" campaign, was wearing one of Sintim's No. 51 jerseys as he raised a "Power of Orange" flag before the game.

"He stole it," said Sintim with mock indignation. "I'm telling you, he's a thief. You'd think, with all the money he makes, that he wouldn't have to steal."

In reality, Sintim was honored by the gesture.

"That was cool," said Sintim, who roomed with Long, the 2007 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. "I figured I would return the favor."

Long, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, is starting at defensive end for the St. Louis Rams but had an open date last week.

"We were going back and forth during the game," Sintim said. "I told him, 'If I have a chance, I'll throw up an 'L' for you."

Sintim, a fifth-year outside linebacker, got his ACC-leading fifth sack in the third quarter. He cocked his left arm in the shape of an "L," a gesture that Long used for a brief time in 2007.

Fittingly, Sintim's sack was the 22nd of his career, tying him with Long for seventh on UVa's all-time list.

More numerology

UVa fans had to do a double-take Saturday when they saw No. 28 making tackles and breaking up passes, because the only No. 8 on the Cavaliers' roster was Eric Thornton, a freshman wide receiver from Richmond.

Unlike the rest of the players, the No. 28 on the field did not have a name on his jersey. Turns out, it was Rodney McLeod, a true freshman from Oxon Hill, Md., and DeMatha Catholic High School.

McLeod was credited with one pass break-up and three unassisted tackles, not all of them as No. 28. He began the game as No. 26 but had to change jerseys when officials realized that McLeod and UVa's other No. 26, Cary Koch, were on the same special-teams unit.

The only restriction against duplicate numbers is that the players not be on the field at the same time.

"I'm not sure what number I'll be wearing now; they haven't told me," said McLeod, who prefers No. 26.

Waterboy

A 7 p.m. kickoff and temperatures in the 60s virtually guaranteed that Virginia would not experience the cramping that sidelined Sintim and cornerback Ras-I Dowling for 21 plays in a 31-3 loss to Duke, but the Cavaliers left nothing to chance Saturday.

"I drank enough water for at least four or five people," said Sintim, who confessed that he made frequent trips to the rest room. "I was taking fluids all day.

"My strength coach, Coach [Matt] Balis, every opportunity he had, he was on my back, [saying] 'drink water, drink water,' and throwing Gatorades in my pocket."

'Hoo said it

"I was really looking forward to this [Maryland] game all week, just to kind of redeem myself and show the coaches and my teammates that I could play at a high level and that this team could win with me. During the week, it was wearing on me a little bit. I was really, really anxious to get out there," said quarterback Marc Verica, previously 0-2 as a starter.

Odds 'n' ends

McLeod played 36 plays Saturday, mostly in "dime" situations, when the Cavaliers used six defensive backs. Linebacker Jon Copper, the team's leading tackler, came off the field in specialty situations and played only 28 plays. ... The homestand's times are varied. Saturday's game between UVa (2-3) and East Carolina (3-2) is noon, with an Oct. 18 date with North Carolina scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
 

Optimistic Cavs seek results
Virginia is inspired by last week's win against Maryland, but coach Al Groh is searching for greater accomplishments.
By NORM WOOD | 247-4642
October 8, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE - — Virginia coach Al Groh knew exactly where Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen was coming from last Saturday after U.Va.'s 31-0 win when Friedgen questioned where he had missed the boat in trying to motivate his team.

Groh is in a similar situation this week — trying to keep a team focused after suddenly discovering a tiny smidge of prosperity. All of the ills weren't cured in the win against Maryland, but it did give U.Va. (2-3 overall, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) reason to be optimistic heading into Saturday's game against East Carolina.

Now, how do you turn optimism into results?

"This is what we all fret over," Groh said.

In the it's-amazing-what-can-change-in-a-week category (college football version), Groh's week has been astounding. Last week, he answered questions about his job security. This week, the critics have quieted and he's gathering inspiration from the past. As far as his players are concerned, they've done their best to completely ignore criticism.

"You have to block that out," linebacker Clint Sintim said. "Coach Groh always tells us the only things that really matter are the players and the coaches. Those are the only people that are going to help us win."

Groh compares this season's U.Va. team, which features 72 freshmen or sophomores (tied with Virginia Tech for second youngest in the ACC), to the 2002 U.Va. team — another very young squad led by junior quarterback Matt Schaub.

In '02, U.Va. started 0-2 before reeling off six consecutive wins. U.Va. finished that season ranked No. 22 with a 9-5 record and a win against No. 15 West Virginia in the Continental Tire Bowl.

Groh didn't suggest this season's team is about to go on an extended winning streak, but he acknowledged that now is the time to have a sense of urgency. Three of the next four games are at home, including contests against ECU, North Carolina and Miami.

"You're in the meat of the schedule," Groh said. "If you're going to do something (this season), you better starting putting some streaks together."

Despite having season highs in points, scoring defense, first downs (26), rushing yards (201) and passing yards (226) against Maryland, and converting more than 39 percent of its third-down opportunities (10-for-17 against Maryland) for the first time this season, U.Va. still ranks at or near the bottom of the ACC in all of the aforementioned categories except passing offense.

At least quarterback Marc Verica showed progress. He helped U.Va. jump to sixth in the ACC in passing offense (193 yards per game) with the best passing day of his short career. He completed 25 of 34 passes and also had U.Va.'s first two touchdown passes of the season.

"There was a collective sigh of relief on our part, so it was something to build on," said Verica, who threw four interceptions Sept. 27 in U.Va.'s 31-3 loss at Duke.

"I was really looking forward to (the Maryland) game all week just to redeem myself and show my teammates and coaches I can play at a high level."

Some of U.Va.'s players were even stunned at how effective the entire offense was last weekend. U.Va. already was ahead 21-0 at halftime. In his eight seasons at U.Va., Groh's teams had enjoyed a halftime lead of 21 or more points just seven times before last Saturday night.

"That's kind of shocking for us," tight end John Phillips said. "For the past few years … we've been kind of a fourth-quarter team. That was a good relief. I know our defense was pretty happy. They're getting pretty used to playing in close games, so we gave them a chance to take some breathers and take some chances."

U.Va. faces an ECU team that is trying to bounce back after losing its last two games. ECU (3-2) defeated ranked opponents Virginia Tech and West Virginia in its first two games to climb as high as No. 14 in the national rankings. Groh said he's studying the Tech and West Virginia games closely to prepare for ECU. U.Va. lost its last meeting with ECU, 31-21 in '06.

Groh is aware the boo-birds and fans who want his head on a stake could return if U.Va. isn't able to handle ECU. He's already prepared for that kind of atmosphere.

"I think our mentality generally for seven-plus seasons has been our back (is) against the wall," Groh said. "When in fact that might be the actual case, nothing is any different."

 

Possession receiver? That's not Ogletree
By Norm Wood
October 8, 2008

There's no question wide receiver Kevin Ogletree understands his role on Virginia's football team as a deep threat, but he's also not shy about defining what he doesn't want his job to entail.

Ogletree helped U.Va. (2-3 overall, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) snap out of its passing funk in last Saturday's 31-0 win against Maryland with a 51-yard touchdown catch. It was the Cavaliers' first passing touchdown of the season. He also added a 15-yard touchdown catch later in the game and finished with five receptions for 100 yards.

He already has two 100-yard-plus receiving games this season, including 103 against Richmond. If he has another 100-yard-plus receiving game, he'll become just the seventh player in U.Va. history to have three such games in one season.

With a penchant for turning catches into big plays, Ogletree defies the term "possession receiver," which is reserved for dependable receivers who can pick up first downs but aren't necessarily expected to break off big yards after the catch. As a matter of fact, Ogletree is offended by the term.

"I feel like I have a responsibility to make plays down the field. … I don't think anybody wants to be called a possession receiver or wants to be a possession receiver," said Ogletree, who will lead the Cavaliers on Saturday against East Carolina (3-2) at Scott Stadium. "I feel like that's kind of a slap in the face to a receiver."

QUOTABLE
"We ought to leave the doors to the bandwagon closed for about six or seven weeks (at the start of each season). Nobody can get on. Nobody can get off."

— U.Va. coach Al Groh on how attitudes about East Carolina changed after the Pirates plummeted out of the national rankings after losing to back-to-back games to N.C. State and Houston.
 

Virginia continues dominance in night games
Cavaliers have not lost a night game at home since 2004; team gained energy from crowd watching Maryland game Saturday
Blair Capps, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, October 8 2008

Senior linebacker Clint Sintim gave the Cavaliers renewed energy in their win against Maryland. Is there something to be said for outside circumstances determining the outcome of football games? Saturday’s victory against Maryland demonstrated a complete turnaround from past weeks, leaving some Cavalier fans wondering how their team could have improved so quickly. When one tries to examine the many factors involved in a victory, lots of little things can add up to create a favorable situation for a win.
The mystique surrounding night games has long been a point of contention for football fans. Historically, the home team in a night game has the advantage. This season, Virginia was blown out by the Huskies in Connecticut’s first night game against an FBS opponent. Virginia has its own home-field advantage in night games, too, having gone undefeated in home night games since 2004.
“We’ve been intrigued by it and done some research on it, and it seems to be one of the phenomena of college football in general,” coach Al Groh said of night games in which “one team doesn’t have an overwhelming talent advantage.”
Virginia demonstrated there are exceptions to this phenomenon last season, though, winning three night games away from Scott Stadium, including a 48-0 shutout in the Hurricanes’ last game in the Orange Bowl.
“I thought that what that team did last year to win three night games on the road was pretty substantial,” Groh said.
In Saturday evening’s contest, the crowd, relatively small compared to the one that showed up for the home opener against Southern California, had reason to cheer. Sintim throwing up the “L” and celebrating with his friend and former Cavalier standout Chris Long brought back shades of last season’s run to the Gator Bowl. The level of positive energy was high, with the crowd offering the team a standing ovation while the Cavaliers headed to the locker room at halftime.
“We do feed from the crowd, and they were very energetic out there, and I think that that got us going a little more,” redshirt freshman safety Corey Mosley said. “It was exciting out there.”
The element of surprise in the stands Saturday may have contributed to fans’ high energy level. Heading into this game, against a team that had knocked off California earlier in the season and downed ACC powerhouse Clemson just last week, expectations were not sky-high for a struggling Virginia team. The win, combined with the sheer dominance displayed by the Cavaliers did not just surprise spectators.
“It would be pulling everybody’s leg to say that I was sitting in the room Friday night thinking, ‘I think we can win this 31-0,’” Groh said.
Moving from the realm of intangibles, the return of Virginia senior tailback Cedric Peerman provided a badly needed jump-start to the Cavaliers’ running game. Junior running back Mikell Simpson, after having struggled during the early part of the season, displayed flashes of the ability that allowed him to shine during last season’s matchup against the Terrapins, one of the three games the Cavaliers won at night away from home.
“To have Cedric back essentially, for all intents and purposes, for the first time this season, as everybody could see, made a great difference,” Groh said.
Maryland’s poor pass defense, currently one of the worst in the nation, meanwhile, allowed Virginia quarterback Marc Verica to turn in a standout performance more along the lines of Tim Tebow than Jimmy Clausen. His diving touchdown run and 51-yard bomb to Kevin Ogletree for the first passing touchdown of the season showed Verica’s versatility and vindicated him after last weeks embarrassment at Duke.
The Cavaliers showed signs of improvement this week, which allows a bit of hope for fans heading into Virginia’s next matchup at home Saturday against East Carolina.

Cavs want to buildmomentum off big win COLLEGE FOOTBALL
October 8, 2008 12:15 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

The challenge for the University of Virginia football team is much different than it was last week.

Before the Cavaliers' surprising 31-0 victory over Maryland, they were trying to figure out what it would take to stop the bleeding of a horrific start that hit a low point with a 31-3 loss to perennial cellar-dweller Duke.

Now that they may be stabilized, the Cavaliers (2-3, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) are working on dealing with a bit of success.

Seniors like outside linebacker Clint Sintim are preaching to the younger players that no matter how good the win over Maryland felt, it's in the past.

"I think the worst thing we can do is think, 'Well that game was the best game that we can possibly have this year and that was our Super Bowl,'" Sintim said.

The Cavaliers now turn their attention to nonconference foe East Carolina (3-2) for a noon contest on Saturday at Scott Stadium.

It's the second of three straight home games that Virginia head coach Al Groh is counting on to jump-start the Cavaliers' season.

Groh said any team that puts together a successful season has to have a winning streak somewhere along the line. A win on Saturday would give the Cavaliers their first winning streak of the year.

Groh said the Cavaliers are always under pressure to win, but even more so now that they've gotten off to a slow start.

"I think our mentality here for seven-plus seasons is that our back is up against the wall every week," Groh said. "So when in fact that might be the actual case, nothing is any different."

Fan support

The crowd of 50,727 that was on hand in the Cavaliers' victory over Maryland was the lowest Scott Stadium turnout in years.

It was noticed by Sintim and Groh, but both said they appreciated those who were there. Virginia fans had plenty of reason to be thrilled during the dominant performance.

"I think we gave the fans no choice but to cheer the other day," Sintim said. "I don't think there were too many opportunities where they could say, 'Boo' or 'You [stink],' or whatever."

Pasztor shines

True freshman left guard Austin Pasztor, 17, made the first start of his career against Maryland, and Groh said he had a solid performance.

Groh said Pasztor made no mental errors, gave up no sacks and no quarterback pressures.

He called the Fork Union Military Academy product "a rough brawler," who doesn't try to earn style points.

"It wasn't always pretty, but if there's any position that doesn't quite look like ballet, it's in there," Groh said. "It's just about getting the job done."

Work in progress

Sintim likes to talk, especially to his opponents on the field. He's trying to tone it down a bit now that he's a senior co-captain, but on Saturday he picked up a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct after Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was tackled at the end of the first half.

"I was running my mouth a little more than I probably should have," Sintim said. "That was a bad decision by me and not very captain-like."

Pick a number

Virginia true freshman cornerback Rodney McLeod had to switch from No. 26 to No. 28 early in the Maryland game. McLeod and wide receiver Cary Koch both share No. 26, which is fine as long as the players aren't on the field at the same time.

The Cavaliers' coaching staff didn't realize both are on the punt return team until they were on the field together, and officials asked McLeod to change uniforms. McLeod doesn't know what number he'll wear against East Carolina.

"I like [26] better," McLeod said. "I guess I've grown into it."

 

Virginia Shell Shocks Maryland and the ACC: Will it Last?
On a cool night in Charlottesville, Va., fans piled in Scott Stadium with their signs and a noticeable frustration. They were expecting a blowout and the 31-0 final score may have well been their prediction...
by Ben Gibson (Columnist)
0 134 reads
Game Recap
October 05, 2008
 

On a cool night in Charlottesville, Va., fans piled in Scott Stadium with their signs and a noticeable frustration. They were expecting a blowout and the 31-0 final score may have well been their prediction.

As for the actual victor, that was quite a different story.

The Maryland Terrapins entered this ACC rivalry with an incredible amount of momentum. The Terps had knocked out the ACC favorite Clemson 20-17, they had embarrassed the Cal Bears at home and were coming to a place where they had overcome a 20-0 deficit in 2006 to pull out an improbable victory.

Oh yeah, they had also lost in the final seconds at home last year to the Cavaliers and were nearly a two-touchdown favorite against a team that had not scored more than two offensive touchdowns in a game this season!

Well boys and girls, that's why they play the game: Virginia did not just stun Maryland for the victory, they beat them in every single phase of the game.

The heroes for Virginia were many, but credit should first be given to Cedric Peerman. The senior running back has been plagued by injury his entire career, but when he is even somewhat healthy, opponents can see just how valuable he is to his team.

Peerman was listed as questionable before the game, but he left little doubt to just how good he is as he ran right through the Terp defense.

Peerman's physicality ignited a much maligned offensive line that finally began to look like a unit worthy of FCS competition. When Peerman went out with his 110 yards, junior Mikell Simpson picked up where he left off with his incredible speed.

Maryland may not have let Simpson go off for over 300 all-purpose yards like last year, but that is only because the other Virginia playmakers had already taken care of business.

Quarterback Marc Verica, in just his third start of his career, had a night to remember. Last week against Duke he fell apart with four interceptions and led Virginia to a humiliating loss.

This night he was unstoppable, finding Kevin Ogletree twice in the air (the first time a 51-yard dart to get the crowd going) and even scampering in for a touchdown.

He was efficient, he was accurate and he did not turn the ball over. Verica did exactly what his team needed him to do, and it could not have come at a better time.

Now that the Pete Lalich fallout has passed, maybe Virginia is better off with a good and talented youngster like Verica behind center. Verica knows the role of being a back-up well; he never got his shot at high school until injuries thrust him in the spotlight.

Verica did not shy away from it, and his stellar play earned him a spot at Virginia. Now his stellar play at Maryland might just earn Virginia a chance to save their season.

The offense was impressive, but the defense also played inspired football. Virginia's young players like Corey Mosley and Cam Johnson proved that they will be future stars for the Orange Crush Defense. However, the biggest names on the Virginia defense were Clint Sintim and Ras-I Dowling.

Both of these leaders held Duke in check last week until they both went out with cramps in the third quarter. By the time they re-entered, that game had been decided. On Saturday, they were not to be denied. Maryland claims two of the top offensive threats in the conference, and Virginia absolutely stuffed them.

Da'Rel Scott only mustered 36 yards on 11 carries, and Darrius Heyward-Bay did not even pick up one reception.

The Terps tried two quarterbacks, and yet their first play over 20 was not until the third quarter, and the ball was immediately coughed up for a turnover.

Maryland can only be left scratching their heads but, amazingly, so is Virginia.

Cavalier fans could only watch and wonder who these people were in the blue jerseys. This was a team that was finishing tackles, making key blocks, and making key plays. Virginia had been one of the worst teams on third down in the country and last night they were 10-of-17. Maryland was just 4-of-13.

Virginia had not thrown for a touchdown all year long. Last night, Verica got two to go along with his 226 yards.

Virginia even went for it on fourth-and-one to try and put the final nail in the coffin.

What? Mr. Conservative, Al Groh, rolling the dice?

Groh has been under unbelievable pressure from everyone, and yet his team was ready to make him look good. Groh said that he and his staff made a concentrated effort on that fourth down conversion to not "overcoach" it. Well maybe that philosophy has extended to the entire game.

Virginia looked like a team having fun. They were playing loose, they were playing together, and they were playing to win. I wonder if maybe the Grohs did finally learn to let the players take ownership and give them some freedom.

Teams can't win if the coaching staff does not believe in them, and for so long it looked like that is exactly what was going on. Mike Groh has led the Virginia offense to be ranked dead last in the country but no one would have known that last night.

I have no idea what this win means for Virginia. Have they turned a corner? Is Maryland just really that inconsistent? Will this win be forgotten the rest of the year?

Virginia has often had trouble standing its own prosperity. However, the schedule does set up well for them. The Cavaliers now stay at home to face an ECU team that has lost two straight. I really do not know what will happen the rest of 2008, but I do know one thing.

For this week, Virginia fans can proudly eat their bowl of Turtle Soup.

 

Holtz news conference
Pirates have to earn starts
Holtz say he'll pull poor performers
Monday, October 06, 2008

Skip Holtz challenged his East Carolina football team on Monday to start earning its keep as a team.

Coming off a bye week and two consecutive losses, the fourth-year head coach wants to make sure every member of his starting lineup is earning his playing time, he said today during his weekly news conference.

If they're not, they will be replaced, regardless of seniority.

"I think some guys right now are holding down a position on both sides of the ball, whether it be because they have a lot of starts next to their name or because they're a senior," Holtz said of the 3-2 Pirates, whose unbeaten start to the season was derailed in losses to N.C. State and Houston.

"If they're not performing at a certain level, then we need to open up the position and we need to evaluate them."

Holtz said numerous positions were in need of another look, and that the competition for starting roles is back on in many areas of the team.

Holtz said his seniors have to play the best football of their careers in order to be guaranteed a place on the field, and that he won't consider a player's previous history as a starter when trying to get the team back to winning, beginning this Saturday at Virginia.

"When you're not getting that kind of performance from some of your upperclassmen, it's hard to look your underclassmen in the eye and explain to them why they're not getting the opportunity," Holtz said.

"This is a game of productivity. You've got to reward the people who are productive. I don't think we can stay status quo when things aren't working."

Beyond personnel, Holtz also stressed Monday the need to further evaluate the successes and failures in the Pirates' overall offensive and defensive schemes, as well as critique the choices in play-calling by the himself and his staff.

Injuries

The week off allowed ECU to drastically trim down its injury list and upgrade many of the players previously listed as doubtful to probable for Saturday's noon kickoff in Charlottesville.

Holtz said senior receiver T.J. Lee was back in practice Sunday night after being sidelined with a foot fracture. Senior defensive end Marcus Hands is also back after back spasms, and was able to play in last Thursday's jayvee game against Hargrave Military.

Also likely to play with foot injuries against Virginia are senior defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell and junior end Scotty Robinson.

Junior reserve quarterback Taylor Mazzone was added to the disabled list after separating his shoulder against Hargrave, joining senior offensive tackle Stanley Bryant, who remains out with his knee injury.

Holtz also said redshirt freshman linebacker Matt Thompson (unspecified) was out. Still questionable to return against the Cavaliers are senior safety Leon Best (ankle) and sophomore fullback Kevin Gidrey (thumb surgery).

 

Dr. Jekyll, meet Mr. Hyde
By Brian Bailey
©2008 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.

You just never know what you’re going to get in college football these days.

Take East Carolina. The Pirates were world beaters for two weeks. Since then ECU has a win over Tulane and back to back losses to N.C. State and Houston.

East Carolina came from behind to get past a Green Wave team that Army destroyed this past weekend. Houston was just 1-3 when the Cougars came to Greenville and took out their frustrations on the Pirates.

You just never know.

Take Virginia. The Cavaliers were blown out by Southern Cal in week one, which was pretty much expected. Then Duke lays a beat-down on the Cavs to the tune of a 31-3 pasting.

Maryland then traveled to Charlottesville with the momentum of a win over Clemson in Death Valley. The Terps were talking ACC title. That’s when Virginia came to life, and pounded the Turtles 31-0 this past Saturday night.

You just never know.

Will you get Dr. Jekyll or will it be Mr. Hyde?

Pirate coach Skip Holtz knows first-hand that the saying “any given Saturday” is ringing especially true this football season.

“There is a tremendous amount of parity in college football,” said Holtz. “It’s difficult, but the team that can stay focused and concentrate on the task at hand is the team that will have the most success.”

Most great teams get better as the season continues. Sure, mistakes are made, but the teams that adjust and learn from those mistakes are the teams ready to play for championships in November.

Holtz knows his team is not following the winning formula, at least not yet.

"I don't think we're playing as well in the fifth game as we did in the first two. I don't think we're playing at that same level," said Holtz. "It's very hard to put a finger on exactly why.

"I don't think we're as together as a football team as we need to be right now. That's something that we've talked about. I'm very honest with them. I'm not a bag of tricks guy to try and motivate them. I'm very honest with them and I think we have to go back to holding everybody accountable, from coaches to players to being productive.”

You get the feeling that UVa coach Al Groh and the Cavaliers had that same attitude after their loss to Duke.

Homecoming for Holland

East Carolina athletic director Terry Holland spent most of his career on some part of the University of Virginia campus.

Holland was Virginia’s basketball coach from 1974-1990, leading the Cavaliers to a pair of Final Four appearances. He is the school’s winningest basketball coach with a record of 326-173.

Holland also spent six years as the AD at UVa. He was the major force behind the fundraising campaign that helped to build the $86 million expansion of Scott Stadium and the Carl Smith Center.

Holland looks forward to his trip back to Charlottesville this weekend.

“The main thing for us is to leave there with a win,” said Holland. “I can assure you that the Virginia people feel the same way. They weren’t very happy about losing down here two years ago.

"It’s just part of the game. You’re always playing against people you like and respect, but you really want to like them and respect them more after you win.”

Holland says Virginia was ranked 6th nationally when the Cavaliers agreed to play East Carolina in this series.

“This is brother against brother, and friend against friend,” said Holland. “Both teams need to win this game very badly, and that’ll certainly be the focus.”

Coach Holtz says the matchup with Virginia is another highlight of the Pirates' non-conference schedule.

“This is a great game for us,” said Holtz. “Just like the other three games against BCS teams, this is a great opportunity for our football team.”

Maybe the Pirates will leave Mr. Hyde in Greenville this week.

 

2008 Virginia Basketball Season Preview & Predictions
Written October 6, 2008 by Jack Jones

Just two short years ago Virginia earned a share of the ACC conference title, but last year the team took a major step back by going 17-16 and 5-11 in league play. That was with Sean Singletary contributing almost 20 points and more than six assists per game. He’s gone, and so is Adrian Joseph’s 10 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest. Without those two to help keep this team in games, we see it being a long year for Cavaliers basketball. The defense is going to have to improve greatly over last year’s squad that was probably the worst in the ACC or else this team will finish dead last in the conference. The odds on Virginia winning the national title are a long shot at 1,000 to 1.

The front court was hit hard by injuries a year ago and that was a big reason for so many of Virginia’s defensive problems. Tunji Soroye played in only two games last season as he battled both knee and back injuries. He was granted a medical hardship waiver for a fifth year of eligibility and his shot blocking prowess will help the team’s interior defense. Laurynas Mikalauskas is a physical inside player who missed 13 games with shoulder problems, but he should be healthy to start the year. Mike Scott had to play a lot of center last year, but the 6′8″ power forward should do a lot better moving back to a more natural power forward position. For depth, Jamil Tucker is a decent shooter, Jerome Meyinsse is a good defender and rebounding specialist, while two freshman in John Brandenburn and Assane Sene should eat up some minutes.

Without Singletary, the Virginia backcourt is going to have to work a little harder in order to get the offense going. There is hope with freshman Sylven Landesberg, who is a tall guard at 6′5″ and a good scorer. Head coach Dave Leitao also thinks he can run the point if needed to. Sammy Zeglinski should be the main ball handler. He’s coming off a freshman season that was limited due to an ankle injury. There is also junior Calvin Baker, who can play either spot pretty well. Jeff Jones plays the two spot and needs to regain his early season form after fading to end the year. Mamadi Diane is the leading returning scorer and can shoot the ball well from behind the arc, but won’t get as many easy looks without Singletary out there.

Final Analysis

We just don’t see Virginia being all that good this year. The team lost it’s heart and soul in Singletary and doesn’t have the kind of talent needed to replace a superstar like him. If this team can finish anywhere above last in the ACC you would have to think it was a surprisingly good season for Leitao’s bunch, however that’s where we find them in our ACC basketball predictions. If you want to look at the college basketball odds on Virginia before each game, we recommend BetUS, where you can get up to 145% in signup bonuses for opening a new account. Read our BetUS review for more information on why we like their company.

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Virginia QB rebounds from bad week
By LARRY O'DELL
The Associated Press
Tuesday, October 07, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — If Marc Verica can have a game like he did against Maryland after spending a week down in the dumps over his nightmarish second start as Virginia's quarterback, what might he accomplish now that his confidence is soaring?

That's one of the questions for the enigmatic Cavaliers — lopsided losers to hapless Duke and dominant winners over heavily favored Maryland — at the midpoint of a season that suddenly has a glimmer of promise.

Next up for Virginia (2-3) is East Carolina, which knocked off two ranked teams to rise as high as No. 14 before losing two in a row to drop out of the rankings. As the Pirates (3-2) review film of Virginia's last two games, they're bound to wonder whether the guy in the No. 6 jersey who accounted for three touchdowns in Saturday's 31-0 blowout of Maryland is the really the same QB who threw four interceptions against Duke the week before.

"It was extremely uplifting for my confidence," Verica said Tuesday of his near-flawless performance against Maryland: 25-of-34 passing for 226 yards and two touchdowns, one TD rushing and no turnovers.

Verica admitted that his abysmal performance against Duke was hard to forget as he prepared for the Terrapins.

"Any time you play that poorly, until you get out there the next Saturday it's hard to put that behind you," Verica said. "During the week it was wearing on me a little."

The goal now, Verica said — individually and for the team — is to build on Saturday's success.

"Hopefully we can play like that every week," Verica said.

One of the beneficiaries of Verica's ability to bounce back is wideout Kevin Ogletree. In a departure from the Cavaliers' usual dink-and-dunk passing game, Verica heaved a 51-yard touchdown pass — Virginia's first of the season — to Ogletree late in the first quarter.

"He's got a strong arm," Ogletree said.

Verica wasn't supposed to be the quarterback throwing to Ogletree this season, but returning starter Jameel Sewell was lost to academic issues and his replacement, Peter Lalich, was kicked off the team after an underage drinking arrest. Verica got the nod over fifth-year senior Scott Deke.

"We just have to keep working on that timing, working on the little things that can make us an explosive unit," said Ogletree, who leads the Cavaliers with 27 catches for 318 yards.

As good as Verica was Saturday, Ogletree said, "I know Marc's best days are ahead of him."

Other players shared a similarly cheery outlook Tuesday, in stark contrast to the gloom that hung over the team last week.

"Morale is really high now," said safety Byron Glaspy.

But he and fellow senior Clint Sintim have seen enough ups and downs in their careers to know they can't let the euphoria distract them from continuing to improve — a message they will help coach Al Groh impart to their younger teammates.

"Don't let that game be the signature mark for the season, but build on it," Sintim said. "We have a long list of games, a lot more competition."