Making progress
After an embarrassing start, Cavs show signs of they can raise performance
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2008 - 12:07 AM

NORTH CAROLINA AT VIRGINIA

Saturday:3:30 p.m.
On the air:TV - ABC; radio - WRVA (1140), 2:30
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Midseason report card CHARLOTTESVILLE The 52-7 loss to Southern California was bad, as was the 45-10 defeat at Connecticut. For the University of Virginia football team, however, the unquestioned low point came Sept. 27.

On that afternoon, Duke ended its 25-game losing streak in ACC play by pounding U.Va. 31-3 at Wallace Stadium.

It was an embarrassing moment for a Virginia program that had ended last season in a New Year's Day bowl. The loss dropped the Cavaliers' overall record to 1-3, and Al Groh's chances of returning as coach in 2009 seemed remote.

The mood is no longer as bleak. The Wahoos rank 111th nationally (out of 119 teams) in scoring offense and 62nd in scoring defense, but they've won two straight since the debacle at Duke, whipping Maryland 31-0 and East Carolina 35-20.

"We're a completely different team since that game," sophomore quarterback Marc Verica said yesterday.

Tough tests remain for U.Va., including dates with No. 21 Wake Forest, No. 17 Virginia Tech and, this weekend, No. 18 North Carolina. But at 1-1 in the ACC, the Cavaliers are in the Coastal Division race. And at 3-3 overall, Virginia is a candidate to advance to a bowl.

The Times-Dispatch's midseason grades for the Cavaliers:

Quarterbacks
Peter Lalich, who started the first two games for U.Va., was dismissed last month and now is at Oregon State. His replacement, Verica, has steadily improved.

However, Verica must cut down on his interceptions - he's thrown seven in five games - but he's completed 65.9 percent of his passes, for 794 yards and three touchdowns. GRADE: B

Running backs
Like the rest of the offense, the backs have undergone a transformation since the loss to Duke. Not coincidentally, the Maryland game was the first in which senior tailback Cedric Peerman was totally healthy. He rushed for 110 yards against the Terrapins and 173 against East Carolina. The team's No. 2 tailback, Mikell Simpson, totaled 115 yards rushing in those victories. GRADE: B

Receivers
The return of Kevin Ogletree, who missed last season with a knee injury, has given the Cavaliers the game-breaking wideout they lacked in 2007. Ogletree has 31 catches for 383 yards and three touchdowns. Senior John Phillips (25 catches for 233 yards and one TD) might be the ACC's top tight end. GRADE: A-

Offensive line
Left tackle Eugene Monroe has been a force all season, but only recently have his teammates begun to consistently open holes for U.Va.'s running backs.

Austin Pasztor has acquitted himself well at left guard since moving into the starting lineup for the Maryland game, and the other first-year starters on the line, guard B.J. Cabbell and center Jack Shields, are progressing. Will Barker, a three-year starter at right tackle, has played better recently. Virginia has allowed only seven sacks this season, the third-fewest in the ACC. GRADE: C

Defensive line
The Wahoos' base defense is the 3-4, and they lost all of their starting linemen from last season, including ends Chris Long and Jeffrey Fitzgerald. Not surprisingly, their replacements have struggled at times this season, but ends Alex Field and Matt Conrath and nose tackle Nick Jenkins are rapidly improving. Conrath and Jenkins are redshirt freshmen. GRADE: C

Linebackers
Clint Sintim, a four-year starter at outside linebacker, leads the ACC in sacks with seven. Senior Antonio Appleby has five tackles for loss, and the other starter at inside linebacker, senior Jon Copper, remains one of the league's premier run-stoppers. First-year starter Denzel Burrell has been solid on the outside. GRADE: B

Defensive backs
Sophomore Ras-I Dowling, who was slowed by a leg injury early in the season, has three interceptions and may be the best gifted cornerback to play at U.Va. since Ronde Barber. Junior Vic Hall has been steady at the other corner.

At safety, redshirt freshman Corey Mosley (Henrico High School) has the potential to be a four-year starter. The contributions of cornerbacks Chase Minnifield (redshirt freshman) and Rodney McLeod (true freshman) in passing situations have bolstered the secondary. GRADE: B

Special teams
Groh isn't happy with any of these units. Kicker Yannick Reyering (4 for 7 on field goals) has been inconsistent, and true freshman Robert Randolph may replace him. True freshman punter Jimmy Howells' average of 37.5 yards ranks eighth in the ACC. U.Va. ranks 65th nationally in kickoff returns and 88th in punt returns. GRADE: D

 

U.VA. NOTES
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2008 - 12:07 AM

Offense loves Peerman's hits
As much as other members of U.Va.'s offense like talking about Cedric Peerman, they prefer watching -- and listening to -- the senior tailback run.

Peerman, who missed Virginia's Sept. 27 loss at Duke because of a knee injury, returned to run for 110 yards and one touchdown a week later in a 31-0 win over Maryland. He followed that up Saturday by rushing for 173 yards and two TDs in a 35-20 victory over East Carolina.

"The best thing about blocking for Ced is just hearing the impacts that happen when he hits guys right in front of you," senior offensive tackle Eugene Monroe told reporters yesterday at John Paul Jones Arena.

Quarterback Marc Verica can get distracted after handing the ball to Peerman.

"I just turn around and want to see what's going to happen with him, whether he's going to break it," Verica said. "So then the coaches yell at me, because I'm not carrying out the fakes and making the play look like a pass."

Deke makes most of his moment
Peerman would rather talk about his teammates than himself. His closest friends included backup quarterback Scott Deke, a graduate student who threw his first touchdown pass Saturday on a fake field goal.

"It was a very special moment," Peerman said. "He hasn't played a lot over the past four or five years, and he's always talked about it to me. . . . And when he finally did it, I was just so ecstatic for him, I was so proud of him for making the type of throw that he did. I ran out on to the field, and we met sort of halfway on the field. I think he forgot he had to hold the extra point, he was so happy."

Coaches noted for longevity
Of the 12 teams in the ACC, only five have not changed coaches since 2001 Virginia (Al Groh), Virginia Tech (Frank Beamer), Florida State (Bobby Bowden), Maryland (Ralph Friedgen) and Wake Forest (Jim Grobe). Tommy Bowden, who began at Clemson in 1999, resigned under pressure Monday.

"Not that any of us need reminding, but it certainly underscores to all of us the challenging nature of this profession," said Groh, whose first season at U.Va. was 2001.

Tate has Wahoos' sympathy
Next up for U.Va. (1-1, 3-3) is ACC rival North Carolina (1-1, 5-1), which visits Scott Stadium on Saturday. The 18th-ranked Tar Heels will be without their star return man, senior Brandon Tate, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Notre Dame last weekend.

"Even though we're playing them, you wouldn't wish that type of injury on anybody, especially somebody in his last year," U.Va. linebacker Clint Sintim said.

Hard hits don't excuse misses
Redshirt freshman Corey Mosley, who has started the past three games at safety, is known for his punishing tackles. But Groh wants the former Henrico High School star to concentrate more on bringing ballcarriers down than on making "SportsCenter"-worthy hits. Mosley missed several tackles against ECU.

"He's been pretty pointedly reminded of that here over the course of the last 48 hours," Groh said yesterday.

Conrath named rookie of week
The ACC's rookie of the week, U.Va. defensive end Matt Conrath, is from Chicago and roots for the White Sox. The 6-7 Conrath, a redshirt freshman, was a promising left-handed pitcher in high school, and he admitted yesterday that he misses the sport.

"I do," Conrath said, "but I really never had the same passion for baseball that I did for football." -- Jeff White
 

Cavs' next focus: special teams

CHARLOTTESVILLE --There was a time in Virginia's football season when special teams were little more than an afterthought.

Now that the offense and defense have stabilized, however, the Cavaliers' kicking game is getting a second look.

The tipping point came Saturday, when Virginia took a 28-6 halftime lead against East Carolina. Coach Al Groh figured there was one way the Pirates could get back in the game: a long runback of the second-half kickoff.

Sure enough, ECU's Dwayne Harris responded with a 59-yard return and the Pirates cut the deficit to 28-13 with 9:16 left in the third quarter.

Virginia got a late touchdown to put the Pirates away, 35-20, but none of the special teams escaped Groh's wrath.

"This isn't a free year's subscription to be on these teams," Groh said. "You've got to start making some [plays] if you want to be on these teams. It got quite a bit of attention [Sunday] evening, but it gets quite a bit of attention every Sunday evening.

"We've really got to shake something loose with that. These games are going to be too close over the second half of the season to be trying to win with two units. We've got to get all three units involved."

Vic Hall, who returned seven punts for a total of 21 yards in UVa's first five games, had returns of 15, 16 and 9 yards against ECU, but a missed block prevented an even longer gain, Groh said.

Virginia's best kickoff return of the day was nullified by what has become a weekly hold or block in the back.

"We have to improve with the kicking of the ball in all phases," Groh said. "We've got to kick the ball better than we have for six games, we've got to punt the ball better than we have for six games and we have to do a better job with placements."

Two of punter Jimmy Howell's punts were downed inside East Carolina's 20, but one of those was a 24-yarder that was fair caught at the 19 and the other a 23-yarder downed at the 14.

Howell's longest punt of the day, a 49-yarder, flew into the end zone.

"We're getting little bang for our buck in terms of the amount of time that's been invested," Groh said. "All of those units are definitely on call, and the individuals who comprise those units are on call."

Virginia (3-3 , 1-1 ACC) will face the ACC's top punt-return unit Saturday when 18th-ranked North Carolina (5-1, 1-1) comes to Scott Stadium for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff, but the Tar Heels will be without the services of return specialist Brandon Tate. Tate suffered a season-ending knee injury Saturday in a 29-24 victory over Notre Dame.

Cedric Peerman, who has rushed for 383 yards in his last two games, returned 40 kickoffs in his first two seasons at UVa and said he would be willing to reprise that role.

Groh isn't concerned about overworking Peerman so much, as his previously injured knee could be aggravated in pileups.

Breaking through

John-Kevin Dolce does not appear on the Cavaliers' two-deep but has made a successful move from inside linebacker to defensive end, where he is getting 20 or more snaps a game in obvious pass-rushing situations.

Dolce, a 6-foot-1, 240-pound sophomore from Bayshore, N.Y., was redshirted in 2006 and did not play in a game last season. He was involved in two sacks against Richmond and had a solo sack against East Carolina.

"He's kind of a hybrid player," Groh said.

"He's got quickness and he's got real natural strength, explosive strength, which compensates for not having as much bulk. The things that occur in pass rush play a little bit more into his game."
 

Cavs' defense growing up fast
After a forgettable start, U.Va.'s freshmen and sophomores have become a stingy bunch.
By DAVE FAIRBANK | 247-4637
October 15, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE - — Two victories in a row and 66 points from a previously stagnant offense overshadowed Virginia's defensive improvement in the past several weeks.

The Cavaliers have permitted just two touchdowns in the past eight quarters and have held each of their last three opponents to fewer than 303 yards of total offense.

"I think we're a lot better team defensively, as well as a better team overall," linebacker Clint Sintim said as Virginia (3-3, 1-1 ACC) prepares to host No. 18 North Carolina on Saturday.

"We said in the beginning of the season that this would be a young team and it would take time for us to gel and get better," Sintim said. "This is just the product of a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication during the week in getting prepared for games, and it's finally showing up on Saturdays."

Showing up on Saturdays are a handful of Virginia's young defenders. The Cavs' depth chart lists 14 freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores in the rotation.

"It was hard for me, not knowing exactly what to expect coming into the (season-opening) USC game," said redshirt freshman defensive end Matt Conrath, who has started all six games and has seven tackles for losses. "After six games, I kind of know what to expect. I realize the speed of the game. I think that was the biggest transition."

Southern California and Connecticut exploited Virginia's inexperience, both going for more than 500 yards and a combined 97 points. The Cavaliers still rank 11th in the ACC in scoring defense (24.7) and ninth in total defense (350.5). But their numbers the past three games — 17 points per game and 282 yards per game allowed — would put them in the middle of the pack.

The Cavaliers fast-tracked true freshmen Cam Johnson (linebacker) and Rodney McLeod (defensive back), who are part of the team's long-yardage packages of extra linebackers and defensive backs.

"From the first day of practice," coach Al Groh said, "the athletic skills were quite apparent. But the ability to step in there and use those in a team setting needed some development. Once they got to the stage that at least they could go in and know what to do and learn from doing that, they were going to give us more firepower in there."

Virginia's "nickel" and "dime" defensive packages provide more speed and versatility. Sintim usually lines up at defensive end and rushes the passer. The Cavs are better able to cover receivers and blitz different players from different angles.

"We spend a whole day dedicated to third down and nickel package," Sintim said. "It's a big emphasis here at Virginia, and it's something that we work heavily on every week."

Sintim leads the ACC in sacks (7.0) and is fifth nationally, tops among linebackers. He recorded six the past three games, and his 24 career sacks are tied for fourth in school history.

"It's something I definitely enjoy doing," he said. "It gives me a chance to just go after the quarterback. It's not as much responsibility as playing regular linebacker. My mind-set is, try to get to the quarterback on every play that I'm rushing. It really gives me a chance to cut loose."

North Carolina (5-1, 1-1) is off to its best start since 1997. The Tar Heels have won three straight, including last week's win over Notre Dame and a 38-12 demolition of a Connecticut team that beat the Cavs 45-10. The Heels haven't won in Charlottesville since 1981, a span of 13 games.

"I don't think we set too many number goals," Sintim said. "Obviously, the biggest goal you have as a team is to win a game. That's it. I mean, any time you can hold a team under 300 yards, that's great. Any time you can keep the other team off the scoreboard, like we did the other week, that's pretty good, too.

"Just being there for our offense and try to help them out as much as possible, and knowing that they'll return the favor if we're not as effective as we should be — that's what we strive to do as a team."

 

UNC defense wary of Cavs' Peerman
Senior ran wild on Tar Heels in 2007
Robbi Pickeral, Staff Writer
Comment on this story

CHAPEL HILL - If No. 18 North Carolina is to halt its 13-game losing streak at Virginia this weekend, it needs to slow an all-too-familiar foe -- Cavaliers tailback Cedric Peerman.
The senior ran for 173 yards and two touchdowns against East Carolina on Saturday, and the Tar Heels (5-1) are no stranger to his style.

"That Peerman kid, it seems like he's been there forever - five, six years, it seems like,"' UNC linebacker Mark Paschal said.

Actually, it's five (he redshirted in 2004). But it's not surprising that it may seem like longer for the Tar Heels.

Last year, he shredded UNC's defense for 186 yards and a touchdown in Virginia's 22-20 win. In 2006, he had five carries for 32 yards as a reserve during Carolina's 23-0 loss. He also carried 11 times as a freshman, but only for four yards. UNC won that game 7-5.

"He's a really good running back, he's one of the tougher runners that we play,'' Paschal said. "Not one person is going to bring that guy down; he does a lot of things really well, he catches the ball well. But yards after contact is what I've really seen on film from that guy; he's a tough competitor and he's somebody we're going to have to take a good look at this week."

The Tar Heels are giving up 132.5 rushing yards per game this season.

Peerman is averaging 75.8 rushing yards per game and has scored four rushing touchdowns.

 

Highlights from Al Groh's Weekly Press Conference
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com
Release: 10/14/2008
Courtesy: Jim Daves/UVa Media Relations

Virginia ends its 3-game homestand Saturday at 3:30 pm against long-time rival North Carolina. The Tar Heels are 5-1 overall this season (1-1 in the ACC) and are coming off a hard-fought 29-24 win over Notre Dame last week. The Cavaliers have posted two convincing wins in their last two contests, including a 35-20 victory over East Carolina last Saturday. Virginia has not lost to the Tar Heels in Charlottesville since 1981, a span of 13 consecutive victories.

Virginia head coach Al Groh talks about the tussle with the Tar Heels.

Q: Is UNC picking off all these passes because they’re getting a great pass rush or are the DBs just that good?
Groh: It looks like it’s more secondary play. A few of them have come under rush but ... they’ve got two safeties who really track the ball hard—(Trimane) Goddard and (Deunta) Williams—we’re quite familiar with them. They were real good high school players and they’re really after the ball and they believe it belongs to them which is the way that everybody wants their safeties to play and they do a real nice job with it. They’re impressive in what they do.

Q: Speaking of North Carolina, they’re averaging nine yards on first down. What makes them so good on first down and what do you have to do to slow them down?
Groh: They have quite a variety in their offense. A lot of formation changes, shifts, motions, whatnot to distract (and) confuse the defense. The plays usually end up repeating pretty much from week to week. But the pre-snap looks change so one of the critical things to do in that circumstance is, from our playing standpoint, try to keep it uncomplicated for the players.

Q: You played well here at home in the last couple of games. How important was it to kind of turn this season around?
Groh: We’ve got quite a ways to go before we say we turned it around. We are only at the halfway mark; we’ve got six to go. We’re making progress towards pretty much what we thought the course of the season would be.

Turn around the won-loss results for sure. Change the course of the way that we expected things would be this year? The course maybe necessarily hasn’t changed. What we have some players who are becoming more sure of themselves, more sure of their teammates. We have a quarterback now who’s got expectations of himself, instead of, ‘I wonder what’s going to happen.’ I mean the kid goes into the first game he’s ever played in, he’s probably not going to play like Johnny Unitas. He’s trying to see what it’s going to be like just like we are. Now he’s got a good look at what it can be, but that position as much as any position sports, confidence is so important, so fleeting. And now he’s got some evidence to have some confidence.

Q: Matt Conrath was saying the reason why you guys are doing well now is because the young players have kind of settled into their roles. Do you agree with that assessment?
Groh: Sure, but unless we have exactly the same players in exactly the same jobs next year, it’ll be that circumstance with anybody taking on a new role next year.

An important thing on the team is that everybody understands what their role is, and how to do their role. And Matt certainly is one of those players, that in the early going (it was) no different with Matt playing defensive end than with Marc (Verica) playing quarterback, (they had) never been in a game before, uncertain as to how he is going to perform, enthusiasm for that but you know, doesn’t know how it’s going to turn out. (He was) just trying to hang on, survive, do the best he can. Now he can see progress. (He) can see things that he could not do in the early part of the season, and he can see the same play last week and he executed it well. Well, his confidence goes up. So it happens along the line.

Q: You and Butch Davis are both former NFL guys. What kind of relationship, if any, do you have with him?
Groh: (I’m) very respectful of what Butch has done. He’s had a great record of success every place that he has been. His teams reflect a philosophy and style that we can relate to and that we respect. And while we both were in the NFL our comings and goings were just more pleasantries, but obviously now we go to conference meetings ... and go in the same room for quite a few hours.

I like Butch. Those things that he says in the meetings are things that I can relate to and out of the meetings I enjoy talking with him.

Q: Can you talk about the evolution of defensive things year, in particularly over the last couple of games being able to play more sub packages and being able to do maybe a few more things on the defense?
Groh: Actually, we haven’t played our sub package any more. What we have done is alter it personnel wise a little bit. There are a couple of young players that have established that were ready to come in and help us, particularly Cameron Johnson and Rodney McLeod.

From the first day of practice the athletic skills were quite apparent but the ability to step in and use those in a team setting obviously needed some development. Once they got to the stage that at least they could go in and know what to do and learn from doing that, they were going to give us more fire power in there, so that’s helped us out by being able to do that.

With some of their skills, (we’re) now turning the pages in that section of the book to put a few things in in the scheme that maybe we felt tied down from doing in the previous games.

Q: It’s rather impressive what North Carolina has done with a backup quarterback. He almost came in without skipping a beat. Can you please talk about that?
Groh: Yes, he’s done an awesome job. If you study the tapes and you see the throws that Cameron Sexton’s making, you couldn’t ask any more and perhaps sometimes you couldn’t ask as much, out of a so called starting quarterback. It’s been great.

Q: Butch Davis said last week that Sexton had done a good job of using his time with the scout team, that some guys go down there and they just kind of mail it in, whereas it is a good opportunity to get in a lot of throws. In fact Marc Verica was here earlier and said he really benefited from that. Can you actually get more action there than you do if you’re up among three guys?
Groh: Sure, and frequently as is the case in some periods when each side trades the scout team players, those guys who are preparing. And the top line guys are staying over on the other field, that those guys throwing for the scouts are actually throwing against the top-level coverage guys.

Right now we are doing a lot of our first line guys against each other, but that still helps those guys. We’ve got our best receivers going against our best cover guys, our quarterback throwing against the best cover guys we have, rush guys going against the best pass protectors we have. But that’s definitely beneficial, yes.

Q: North Carolina still has in Brooks Foster and Hakeem Nicks, two very good receivers. With the loss of Brandon Tate hurt Carolina more on special teams and the return game?
Groh: Probably. Obviously with what Brandon Tate has done—and that’s a very unfortunate situation, we certainly feel for him, we’ve had players here who have had their college career ended in the same way. It’s a sad thing to see for a kid who’s invested so much and I can certainly empathize with his feelings and how his team and how his coaches feel. But you’ve just to move on with your team and that he’s ... the (NCAA’s) all-time career leader (in kick returns) ... clearly nobody on the Carolina team or any team has done what he has done. So his special teams work has been dynamic.

In terms of the receiving game, actually Nicks has got twice as many catches as anybody else on their team. There’s probably a reason for that, as would be on any team. The coaches have figured out that the most dynamic receiver needs to the ball the most.

Q: What can you say about the effectiveness of your wide receivers, Kevin Ogletree and Maurice Covington?
Groh: It’s made a big difference. Clearly it’s opened up the game for us, it’s opened up the game vertically. With our passing attack, that’s more than likely had a positive impact on how teams have to respond to that and what it might be able to do for the running game.

Q: What is Eugene Monroe like? He’s a guy Mel Kiper says might be the No. 1 pick in the draft and he was the No. 1 player coming in out of high school, but you would never know it (to talk to him).
Groh: (He’s) unassuming, a great example of a kid who despite kudos that are passed his way by others, the successes that he’s had as a student and a player, has absolutely no degree of entitlement in his outlook on things. He’s got a lot of humility and he understands that what he’s able to achieve will be as a result of his commitment and his performance. As a result, he’s been from the start a hard working player in practice every day. (He’s) very committed to his performance and his excellence, that shows in his schoolwork and he takes direction. He’s fun to see every day.

Q: I assume if he could be a first-round draft pick this year that somebody probably liked what they saw of him if he came out last year. Did you ever discuss that with him? I can’t imagine he approached you on the subject.
Groh: Briefly because it was not something that Gene was particularly interested in from the outset. It was very important to him to get his degree, which he’ll do in three-and-a-half years. And it was important to him to finish with his class and his teammates.

He and I talked about his circumstances recently and he is a player who has clearly profited by playing his full four years. His skill level, his execution this season is substantially upgraded from what it was last year.

Q: Is there another side of Eugene that we never see? He is always a low-key guy. Does he ever get emotional?
Groh: Oh, yeah. To sit and chat with him, he’s very relaxed and smiling, and you can have a very engaging conversation with him. (He’s) outgoing on the practice field. He and Clint (Sintim) in particular have fun challenging each other. But he’s not going to jump up in the air and do that (pumps fist). That’s not his style.

Q: Does the UConn game, when you watched North Carolina play against them and obviously having seen them in person, get your attention just because of how good UConn is?
Groh: Oh, sure ... I’m sure Butch is very pleased with his team, very pleased with his team. We all say this because we all understand that it works this way. They’re taking the ball away, they’re not giving it up, and they’re playing great on special teams. And they have some big play performers on offense so that every drive doesn’t have to be a 12-play drive. That’s a great formula.

We’d all subscribe to that formula if we knew that it was guaranteed. And if you can play on that formula, you’re going to win a lot of games, on top of the old fundamentals of block well, beat blocks, tackle well.

If you can beat blocks and you can tackle well and if turn the ball over or play poor special teams, it’s going to be hard to win. And by the same token those things can certainly compensate in some other areas, and that’s very much been the case. That doesn’t diminish the record; that really in my mind embellishes it, that they’re able to get their players to buy in to doing those particular things.

Q: North Carolina’s linebackers looks like a good collection of guys, don’t they?
Groh: Oh, yes. (Quan) Sturdivant is big and he can run. Bruce Carter is every coach’s dream ... and what they want him to look like. (He’s) tall, 6-3, 6-4, good burst, real good burst, good nose for the ball. He closes the field in a hurry. Very much certainly has caught our eye.




 

Cavs' revival in sync withPeerman's personal one
October 15, 2008 12:15 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

As a newly licensed minister, the title of the Rev. Cedric Peerman's first sermon was "A Call To Catch Men."

But lately men have had a hard time catching Peerman.

That's because when Peerman isn't delivering sermons at his church in Gladys, he's breaking tackles and long runs as a University of Virginia running back.

Peerman's Virginia teammates have yet to hear him preach, but if he performs the way he has on the field the past two games, it may be a sight to behold.

"I've heard Ced is a tremendous speaker," Cavaliers' sophomore quarterback Marc Verica said. "I've really been looking forward to witnessing it myself."

What Verica and his teammates have witnessed is a healthy and focused Peerman.

It's no coincidence that the senior's resurgence has led to the revitalization of the Cavaliers' season.

He rushed for 173 yards, including touchdown runs of 79 and 60 yards, in Virginia's 35-20 victory over East Carolina this past Saturday.

He hopes to continue the success in the Cavaliers' upcoming home game against No. 18 North Carolina (5-1, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Scott Stadium.

The Cavaliers (3-3, 1-1) have won two games in a row after losing three of their first four contests. The running game has amassed 403 yards in wins over Maryland and East Carolina.

"We've been very good these past two games, but they've only been two games," Peerman said. "We're not going to be satisfied with that We're unified in the fact there's so much more we have to do to keep winning games."

It all starts with Peerman.

He missed all of the Cavaliers' 31-3 loss to Duke on Sept. 27 with a leg injury.

He sat out the second half of last year after injuring his foot against Middle Tennessee and eventually having season-ending surgery.

Mikell Simpson excelled in place of Peerman last season and was expected to share the role this year.

But while Simpson has been inconsistent, Peerman has been the steadying force the Cavaliers needed. It all started against Maryland when he ran for a bruising 110 yards and a touchdown in Virginia's 31-0 win.

"The best thing about blocking for Ced is just hearing the impact when he hits guys right in front of me," Virginia senior left tackle Eugene Monroe said. "It's like a car crash every time. You almost want to ask him if he's all right, but I know it's not him who's hurting."

Verica has enjoyed the same sight. He's started just four games for Virginia, but he has heard the same complaints from the coaching staff over and over: He isn't completely carrying out fakes because he's too busy anticipating Peerman's next collision.

"It's just an exciting thing to watch," Verica said. "He's explosive. He's fast. He's quick, and he's tremendously strong. So just to have a guy like that in the backfield, it just ignites the whole team."

The coaching staff has been ignited by Peerman, too.

Cavaliers head coach Al Groh was seen running up and down the sidelines pumping his fists as Peerman scored on the two long touchdown runs against East Carolina.

Groh said the excitement came from the realization that he has a player he can count on in Peerman.

"Coaches, they've got the same human feelings that the players do," Groh said. "And when you see demonstrated performance, it gives us confidence just like it gives the players confidence."

Empathy for Bowden, Tate

The big news in the ACC this week is the resignation of Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden and the season-ending torn ACL and MCL suffered by North Carolina senior wide receiver Brandon Tate.

Groh and Virginia senior linebacker Clint Sintim expressed empathy for both.

"Not that any of us need reminding, but it certainly underscores to us the challenging nature of this profession," Groh said of Bowden, who was under pressure after a 3-3 start. "Tommy won an awful lot of games down there. It's unfortunate to see."

Sintim said he never wants to see anybody go through the injury sustained by Tate, who is the NCAA's all-time leader in combined kick-return yards with 3,523.

"Any time a player of that caliber has that type of injury," Sintim said, "it's disheartening."

Tough luck for Stair

Cavaliers' senior left guard Zak Stair may not see the field again as a starter. Stair suffered a knee injury against Duke and has missed the past two games. He likely won't face North Carolina. True freshman Austin Pasztor has taken over the position and performed so well that Groh said Stair will have a hard time earning his job back.

"What are you going to do? Tell the guy that's playing really well, 'You can't play anymore,'" Groh said. "Then the other guys look at you like, 'What are you doing here?'"

 

Short memory helps Verica
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 14, 2008

In some magical way, Virginia quarterback Marc Verica has blocked out a forgettable experience at Duke.

The four-interception performance dropped the Cavaliers to 1-3 overall and gave the Blue Devils their first ACC win in four years.

Having a sense of amnesia, of course, is a well-suited trait for a quarterback at any level.

“That was a couple of seasons ago,” said Verica, who has guided Virginia to back-to-back wins. “[Duke] is not even in my mind anymore. We have improved a ton since then. We are a completely different team since then.”

Virginia coach Al Groh was pleased when he was told about Verica’s mature mentality.

“That’s nice to hear,” Groh said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “It’s particularly good to hear Marc about the quarterback position, because whatever the result of the game is, that’s a position that has to be played with a short memory.

“I am sure he will do this — he has all the family background to know it — but I’m sure [New York Giants quarterback] Eli Manning is trying to forget this morning. It just shows that so much of how that position plays, that’s how the team goes. He had to listen to a lot of stuff for a long time and it obviously didn’t get him down. He’s a world champion for it. I am sure he will be able to shake one evening’s worth of play.”

Verica said the credit for his progression — he ranks fifth in the ACC in passing yardage per game — should be given to offensive coordinator Mike Groh, who doubles as the team’s quarterback coach.

“He has been the biggest influence on me while I have been here,” Verica said. “There’s no way I would have ever had the chance to be a starter if it wasn’t for his coaching.

“When I came in here I was completely raw. I had some ability and he recognized that, but he made it very apparent to me that I had a lot of work to do. Just through his coaching and his everyday approach to our team has just helped me to develop. He deserves all the credit really for my development over the last two years. It is definitely a positive relationship.”

Groh said Verica’s confidence has been matched by numerous players on the team thanks to the two-game winning streak, but that progress remains relevant to the team’s last performance.

“We’ve got quite a ways to go before we say we turned it around,” the elder Groh said. “We are only at the halfway mark; we’ve got six to go. We’re making progress towards pretty much what we thought the course of the season would be.

“What we have are some players who are becoming more sure of themselves, more sure of their teammates. We have a quarterback now who’s got expectations of himself, instead of, ‘I wonder what’s going to happen.’ I mean the kid goes into the first game he’s ever played in, he’s probably not going to play like Johnny Unitas. He’s trying to see what it’s going to be like just like we are. Now he’s got a good look at what it can be, but that position as much as any position sports, confidence is so important, so fleeting. And now he’s got some evidence to have some confidence.”

Making a push

On the roster, John-Kevin Dolce remains listed as a linebacker. On the field, the sophomore plays in sub packages as a defensive lineman.

Dolce is not complaining.

“I think the name of the game is versatility,” he said. “If I have to be down on the ground, I will do it. If I have to be standing up, I will do it.”

Dolce is listed at 240 pounds.

“I probably will end trying to gain a little bit more, but not too much because you never know where they will put you. I could still possibly be standing up.”

Groh, who called Dolce a “hybrid player,” praised the youngster.

“He has quickness,” the coach said. “He has real natural strength. If you’ve seen him he looks like that wall over there with more curves in it.

“He has real natural strength, explosive strength, which compensates for him not having as much bulk. The quickness, movement game — the things that occur on pass rush – play a little bit more to his style of game, but there are a lot of nose [guard] that can play that way, too, that might not necessarily be able to take guys on all day long.”

Fast starts

Despite losing starting quarterback T.J. Yates to a broken ankle, North Carolina ranks second in the ACC in scoring offense.

The Tar Heels (5-1, 1-1 ACC) have enjoyed a big-play ability, posting 11 runs at least 15 yards and 16 passing plays that went for more than 20 yards.

“They have quite a variety in their offense,” Groh said. “A lot of formation changes, shifts, motions, whatnot to distract [and] confuse the defense.

“The plays usually end up repeating pretty much from week to week, but the pre-snap looks change so one of the critical things to do in that circumstance is, from our playing standpoint, [is to] try to keep it uncomplicated for the players.”

 

Tar Heels feel the pressure in C’ville
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: October 14, 2008

Wahoo fans simply refer to it as “The Streak.” Tar Heel fans consider it more of a curse.

Whatever the reference, the South’s oldest rivalry has taken a wicked turn over the past quarter century with Virginia’s mysterious domination of the series against rival North Carolina in Charlottesville. None of the players on either UVa’s or UNC’s rosters were even born the last time the Tar Heels won a game in Scott Stadium — 1981.

That’s 13 — if you’re superstitious and a Carolina fan, you may not want to read on — count ‘em, 13, straight Tar Heel losses in C’ville.

Virginia coach Al Groh always blows off any mention of streaks, and predictably did so when the topic came up during his press conference on Tuesday. Virginia players said that such streaks don’t have any bearing on Saturday’s 113th (there’s that number again) renewal of the rivalry. Some of them weren’t even aware of the streak.

It’s on their minds

However, North Carolina’s players were aware and talking about their impending visit to their unluckiest of venues in the ACC.

Asked about “The Streak” or “The Curse” (you choose), several Tar Heels had an opinion.

“I think that would be a huge step just to get that off our back,” said UNC linebacker Mark Paschal. “Every year it seems like we play Virginia [and people say], ‘Well, you haven’t beaten them there in 30 years or whatever.’ I would love for some guys next year to be sitting in this seat and not having to answer this question.”

Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks realizes that Charlottesville is not an easy place to win. In fact, Virginia has won 25 of its last 30 home games dating back to the last three contests of the 2003 season.

“It’s just a hostile environment,” Nicks said of Scott Stadium. “It’s going to be a fight there to the last minute. We can’t get mixed up and caught up in that situation. We’ve got to look at it like it’s another game.”

But is it just another game?

Storied history

It used to be THE GAME on Virginia’s schedule. The two teams used to meet on Thanksgiving Day, once playing host to President Calvin Coolidge and the First Lady among 20,000 fans on Turkey Day in 1928, not one of UVa’s better years. Carolina won 24-20.

Since the two crusty old rivals first met in 1892, the Tar Heels lead the series 56-52-4, but the UNC drought in Charlottesville is inexplicable.

Me, I think it’s downright freaky.

There are a lot of weird streaks, curses in sports that no one can explain.

One of the most famous ones, The Curse of the Bambino finally died a few years ago. Others are alive and well, although perhaps not quite as noteable: The Chicago Cubs and the Curse of the Billy Goat (no title since 1908); Cleveland Browns and the Curse of Paul Brown (no title since 1964); Philadelphia Eagles and the Curse of Frank Gifford (no title since 1960); Cleveland Indians and the Curse of Chief Wahoo (no title since 1948); Buffalo Bills and the Curse of O.J. Simpson (no title since 1965); Minnesota Vikings and the Purple People Eater Voodoo Hex (no title — ever).

We could go on, but you get the picture.

Oh, there is one more. Clemson basketball’s 53-game losing streak in the city of Chapel Hill, where the Tigers have NEVER won a game. They lost in double-overtime at the Dean Dome last February. That’s an NCAA record for the longest home winning streak against one opponent.

Strange things happen. Ask some of the Virginia football players about some of the strange things that

happened during their 29-game losing streak to Clemson before Shawn Moore & Co. finally ended that jinx in 1990.

Freaky, I’m telling ya.

Mack Brown will never forget the 1996 game here (the eighth straight loss in the streak) when his No. 6 Tar Heels came to Charlottesville expecting a Fiesta Bowl bid after mopping the Scott Stadium turf with the underdog Cavaliers.

Carolina led 17-3 after three quarters and appeared on its way to a multi-million dollar bowl payday until Virginia dug in and the Tar Heels experienced a fourth-quarter meltdown.

UNC drove to the UVa nine-yard line and should have settled for a field goal that would have virtually locked the game away. But, as then-Cavalier coach George Welsh will tell you, Brown got greedy. He decided to try to score a touchdown.

Virginia defensive coordinator Rick Lantz noted UNC’s tendency in such situations, grabbed freshman defensive back Antwan Harris on the sidelines and told the youngster: “They are going to throw the ball to this spot … If I put you in there, will you promise me you’ll run to that spot?”

Harris said yes and followed orders. On the third down play Harris was in the proper spot, picked off a Chris Keldorf pass and raced 95 yards for a touchdown, igniting a 17-point,

fourth-quarter rally that saw Virginia pull off a 20-17 upset that knocked the Tar Heels out of a major payday.

For the next three years, Harris used to joke that his Cavalier teammates called him “One Play” for that famous interception. Others called it the “Six Million Dollar Interception.”

Is that freaky enough for you?

Then how about 2002, when Carolina led 21-0 at halftime only to lose 37-27?

Remember Marquis Weeks’ 100-yard sprint through the Tar Heels’ kickoff coverage team to open the second half? That’s when Weeks said later, it was just like running from the cops. The return sparked a 37-point UVa second half, the largest comeback in Wahoo history.

Even Groh admitted Tuesday that he didn’t know the streak went back to 1981 when Dick Bestwick was in his last season at Virginia. Even that game was close, 17-14, considering that UVa finished that season with a 1-10 record and the Tar Heels were ranked 13th (that number again) at the time.

Maybe it’s the curse of Dick Bestwick, who played at North Carolina.

UVa linebacker Clint Sintim, who also was unaware of the streak, did know one thing:

“Hopefully that won’t change.”

Virginia's Cedric Peerman Is the Most Underrated Back in the ACC
It's no secret that the health of running back Cedric Peerman has been a huge factor in the turnaround of fortunes for the Virginia Cavaliers...
by Ben Gibson (Columnist)
 

It's no secret that the health of running back Cedric Peerman has been a huge factor in the turnaround of fortunes for the Virginia Cavaliers.

When Virginia suffered its worst ACC loss under Al Groh's tenure, a 31-3 annihilation by Duke, Peerman could only watch from the sidelines. Despite his injured leg, Peerman came to Coach Groh throughout the game asking to play. Groh told him that he needed to wait—Virginia would need him later on at full strength.

In the short term it looked like a foolish decision. Virginia's offense squandered many first half opportunities with the ball inside Duke territory. Unable to move the ball on the ground, the pressure was put on sophomore Marc Verica to shoulder the load in just his second start at quarterback.

Without the run, Verica faltered, committing a painful four interceptions in the second half.

The dogs were out in Charlottesville. Everyone, including yours truly, was calling for Groh's head on a silver platter. Against Maryland, a record low turnout appeared. Fans had lost faith.

Enter Peerman.

Even at less than full strength, Peerman ran for 110 yards on just 17 carries against the Terps before being taken out of the game when he tweaked his ankle. He also led the team with seven receptions and was the critical component of helping Virginia take third and longs to third and manageables.

The Cavaliers were one of the worst third down teams in the country before Maryland, but those yards Peerman got on first and second down helped Virginia convert 10 of 17 third downs.

Of course, that was just Maryland. Who can trust a win over the Jekyll and Hyde team of the ACC?

Well, against East Carolina, Peerman took his game to the next level. With his team demoralized after two Verica interceptions, Peerman sped off on an incredible 79-yard sprint to give Virginia a 7-6 lead.

He added another big 60-yard run later in the first half to help spark 28 unanswered points by Virginia that built a comfortable margin and helped give them their second improbable victory in as many weeks.

I am not one for outlandish claims, but the truth is Cedric Peerman may be the best running back in the ACC.

That doesn't mean he will necessary be an NFL superstar, and he probably will not come close to first team all-ACC because of the team he plays for, but "hoo" has done more with less?

Peerman ranks in the top five of every single rushing category. Peerman is only a 10th of a yard behind Boston College's Montel Harris for the most yards per carry with 7.2 yards.

He is fifth in rushing average, but that just begins to explain the way he impacts the game. Peerman is also a tremendous receiver for his inexperienced quarterback. Peerman ranks sixth in receptions and all-purpose yards in the ACC.

Peerman carries his team, literally, scoring a third of the team's total touchdowns and garnering several yards after contact.

That is perhaps Peerman's greatest strength: his attitude. Verica has said before that Peerman inspires his teammates through his actions. His ability to absorb contact and dish out some punishment of his own has inspired the maligned offensive line and helped give Verica the poise he needs to give Virginia an offense.

Peerman may not be outspoken, but his playmaking speaks for itself.

Virginia's offense prior to Peerman's healthy return was dead last in offense. The Cavaliers had not even scored a passing touchdown until its fifth game of the season! Now with Peerman's playmaking, the Cavaliers have risen 20 spots in total offense, blasting by some rather big names like Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Auburn, and Michigan.

The truth is that you when you assess Peerman, you have to take all of these statistics and remember that not only is Peerman just getting to be at full strength, but that he has had to split time at running back with last year's breakout star Mikell Simpson.

Peerman led the ACC in rushing before he went down last season against Middle Tennessee State, and critics wanted to say it was only because of the level of competition.

Well, Peerman is performing just as well this season with an offensive line that lost three of its five starters from 2007 and facing defenses that are completely geared to stop him, since Virginia is throwing a quarterback out there who has only played a handful of games in his career.

That offensive line has improved a bit from the complete meltdown against the USC Trojans to open the year, but Peerman is still succeeding in spite of the line as opposed to because of it.

Just look at Simpson. The speedster was one of the top ACC backs last year, notching over 250 all-purpose yards against Maryland last season. This season, with this new O-line, Simpson is averaging only three yards per carry and just 37.2 yards per game despite 21 more carries than Peerman.

Has Simpson forgotten how to run, or has the line simply created zero lanes? I am going with the latter.

Peerman may not get the publicity of a C.J. Spiller or Jonathan Dwyer, but he is just as critical, if not more so, to his team's success. He will face a very stiff challenge from a North Carolina team that enters Charlottesville with a great deal of momentum after knocking off media darling Notre Dame.

Still, the Tar Heels have not won in Charlottesville since 1981—and if UNC cannot stop Peerman, that streak will continue.


 

Jones leads behind the scenes
Associated Press
Published: October 14, 2008

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Thomas Jones huddles with the New York Jets’ other running backs an hour or two before every game and lets loose from the heart.

“He always gives us a speech that gets us really fired up,” Leon Washington said. “That’s the thing I like the most. He brings so much enthusiasm before games and at halftime. People don’t see that.”

A bulldozing running back on the field with biceps that bodybuilders envy, Jones is as elusive as they come around the media. In his ninth NFL season and second with the Jets, Jones shuns the spotlight and gives few peeks into his personal life.

“He has that certain knack where he knows the right thing to say to get the team going and get everybody in the right mind-set to take care of business,” wide receiver Chansi Stuckey said. “He’s also one of the funniest guys on the team with his commentary and all his kidding around.”

No kidding? Jones, the all-time leading rusher at UVa, handles most interviews with a polite but no-nonsense, businesslike approach.

“When I’m in the locker room and on the field, I like to be vocal with the guys,” he said, “because I know what it takes to win and I’ve been on winning football teams and played in a Super Bowl.”

Even Brett Favre is a big fan, telling reporters last week that Jones is one of the Jets’ emotional leaders.

“He’s an outspoken guy, but not in a negative way,” Favre said. “He’s always the one calling us up, breaking the team down. After a tough loss, he’s the first one to speak up in the locker room. Those are things that you can’t coach.”

Since being acquired from Chicago before last season, the 30-year-old Jones has heard his share of criticism for not providing as big a spark to the running game as expected.

He’s had three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons, but made it into the end zone just twice last year. Jones rushed for only 65 yards in the Jets’ 26-14 win over Cincinnati on Sunday, but ran for two touchdowns and caught a scoring pass for his first career three-TD game. He has 319 yards rushing and three TDs, along with 12 catches for 60 yards and a score through five games.

While Favre has given the passing game an expected boost, Jones has gotten more than 18 carries in a game only once: in Week 1, when he ran 22 times for 101 yards and a touchdown against Miami. Still, he refuses to complain.

“We’re working well together as an offense,” Jones said. “We’re running the ball when we need to and throwing the ball when we need to. You want to have a balanced offense.”

Jones, the son of Virginia coal miners, is so grounded perhaps by the fact that football isn’t all that defines him. He’s a budding businessman who recently started his own music production company, Outta Pocket Entertainment, and signed promising Atlanta-based R&B singer Myko (MEE-ko). The 24-year-old artist’s first single, “Late Nite Creep,” was produced by the late Static Major and is getting plenty of airplay around the country.

“He’s a natural talent and he can really sing and he writes his own songs,” Jones said. “During the season, I’m focused on football, but I have some really good people working for me and putting everybody in the right place and keeping me informed.”

Jones previously dabbled in the music business, appearing in videos for R. Kelly, Jay-Z and Trina.

“I love music and I love just sitting in the studio and watching a song go from just lyrics and beats to a song,” Jones said. “It’s a great opportunity for me and it’s something that’s fun.”

Jones and Myko met through mutual friends a few years ago, and the running back liked what he heard. A video for “Late Nite Creep” was shot at Jones’ Miami home, and Myko’s debut album, “Options,” is due out in February.

“I got to see the business side of Thomas and I had kind of gotten to see the friend side before then,” Myko said by telephone while driving home to Atlanta after a performance in Myrtle Beach, S.C. “He’s a cool guy and he’s like my big brother. When he told me what he wanted to do and I saw how he handled his business off the field, it was pretty much a no-brainer for me.”

Myko has also gotten to see the side of Jones the Jets rave about.

“He’s a jokester, man,” said Myko, who used to root against Jones whenever he played against the Falcons. “When it’s business, it’s business, but when he’s around us or his family, if he finds something to crack on you about, he’s going to roast you. He’s got a great personality and he’s a hard worker, so it’s a great mix.”

Myko makes sure he keeps up to date with Jones’ performances every week, hoping now for plenty of trips into the end zone.

“When he has a good day, we have a good day — or even a good week,” Myko said with a big laugh. “We always check the stats and call him and mess around with him. So, we’re always praying the boss has a good day.”

 

Carlisle returns to Indianapolis
Associated Press
Published: October 14, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS — Rick Carlisle sounds much more relaxed these days.

The former Pacers coach spent much of his time in Indiana answering questions about Ron Artest and the team’s chronic off-the-court problems and injuries. The former Virginia player went from leading the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2004 to getting fired following the 2006-07 season after the Pacers missed the playoffs.

A drained Carlisle didn’t rush back into coaching, spending a year as a basketball analyst for ESPN. Now, he’ll return to Indianapolis as coach of the Dallas Mavericks for a preseason game tonight.

He has no hard feelings about his time with the Pacers and is excited about visiting Conseco Fieldhouse.

“I’m looking forward to it,” a rejuvenated Carlisle told the Associated Press in a telephone interview. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in the building for a game. I worked with the Pacers for a stretch of seven out of 10 years. There’s a lot of history there, a lot of good friends and a lot of success.”

Carlisle had a 181-147 record during his four seasons with Indiana. In 2003-04, the Pacers’ first season under Carlisle, the team went 61-21 for the best record in the NBA.

But his success was overshadowed by his struggle to manage talented but volatile players.

Artest and Stephen Jackson were the two most prominent players in the 2004 brawl between Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans that started the unraveling of a team that had the potential to make several title runs. Artest requested a trade early in the 2005-06 season. The Pacers continued to have off-the-court problems, most notably involving Jackson and Jamaal Tinsley.

After all that, it was easy for Carlisle to take time off.

“It was great,” he said. “It gave me a chance to recharge the coaching batteries, spend time with the family and have a great experience at ESPN.”

Carlisle hasn’t completely stepped away from controversy. The Mavericks sent Eddie Jones to Indiana last week for Shawne Williams. Carlisle coached Williams when he was a rookie, and always thought highly of the young talent.

But Williams was among the Pacers players who had a way of finding trouble. He was arrested last September after a traffic stop when an officer found marijuana in the SUV he was driving. He pleaded guilty to driving without ever having received a license, while a drug charge was filed against a passenger. The Pacers suspended Williams for three games.

Months later, he left a game early after learning a murder suspect in Tennessee had been arrested shortly after leaving Williams’ Indianapolis home.

Though his friends did much of the damage, Williams’ reputation, and that of the Pacers, was compromised in each situation.

Carlisle believes a change of scenery will be good for Williams.

“I had a very good experience coaching Shawne his rookie year,” he said. “My feeling is that he’s a good kid and a very hard worker and a guy that has a terrific skill set and ability level to continue to get better as a player in this league.”

A bigger challenge for Carlisle will be getting the Mavericks to win a championship. The Mavericks reached the NBA finals in 2006, but they’ve lost in the first round of the playoffs the past two years. The 2006-07 team had the league’s best record and the league MVP in Dirk Nowitzki, yet lost to Golden State.

“We have a group that’s had a couple of rough years, and I know that they’re motivated and want a chance to do better than a lot of people think we’re going to do,” Carlisle said.

As excited as Carlisle is about moving forward, he’ll have no choice but to look back today.

It won’t be the same. The stars of his Pacers era are all gone. Jermaine O’Neal is in Toronto, Stephen Jackson is playing for Golden State, Artest is with the Houston Rockets and Reggie Miller is retired.

The only player remaining on the roster who was a star for Carlisle is Tinsley — and the Pacers told him not to show up for camp after numerous off-the-court issues. Now, Indiana’s stars are Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy, and the Pacers have traded for point guards T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack.

Carlisle said he expected Pacers president Larry Bird, his former boss and longtime friend, to move the team back to respectability.

“Larry Bird has a plan that’s going to lead to a lot of success,” he said. “He’s getting the right kind of players in there. I just think that they’re going to continue to get better every year.”