Tough, touted tackle
Monroe's quickness, character make him top NFL prospect
Friday, Oct 17, 2008 - 12:07 AM

NORTH CAROLINA AT VIRGINIA

Saturday:3:30 p.m.
On the air:TV -- ABC; radio -- WRVA (11:40), 2:30 p.m.
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Football practices at the University of Virginia are closed to the public and the media, and so the only witnesses to the battles between Eugene Monroe and Clint Sintim are coaches, teammates and selected others.

Sintim, a senior linebacker, leads the ACC in sacks. But you might not guess that if you saw him only in drills against Monroe.

"Every Wednesday, we go into a one-on-one pass-rushing drill, and that's really my day to try to work him over," Sintim said this week. "It doesn't work as often as I'd like it to, but he definitely makes me better. It's extremely hard to get around him, and a lot of the moves I try on him don't work as well as they do in the game."

Monroe, a three-year starter at left offensive tackle, is known for thwarting defenders. He's yet to make the all-ACC team -- injuries marred his sophomore and junior seasons -- but the 6-6, 315-pound senior is ranked No. 1 on ESPN football analyst's Mel Kiper Jr.'s "Big Board" for the next NFL draft.

"I definitely see why he's No. 1," Sintim said. "He's extremely talented, he's massive, and he has great feet. Going against him every day in practice really elevates my game. Hopefully I can say I elevate his, but I probably don't."

U.Va. (1-1, 3-3) meets 18th-ranked North Carolina (1-1, 5-1) in a Coastal Division clash tomorrow at Scott Stadium. Look for the Cavaliers to run behind No. 75 often as they try to secure their third straight victory.

The NFL talk is a distraction, Monroe acknowledged this week, but he knows it's unavoidable. He hears it "each week from teammates or family who might see it on the Internet or wherever. I'm a Virginia player right now, and I just got to get ready for the games each week here. Once the season's over that'll take care of itself."

Monroe, who has 15 siblings, fits the image of a "gentle giant" off the field. He speaks softly and thoughtfully. He carries himself with dignity and humility. He's on track to graduate early. His coaches and teammates love him.

"A great example of a kid who, despite kudos that are passed his way by others and successes he's had as a student and as a player, has absolutely no degree of entitlement in his outlook on things," U.Va. coach Al Groh said.

That Monroe would become a stellar college player is no shock. Heading into his senior year at Plainfield High School in New Jersey, he was ranked by some analysts as the No. 1 prospect in the nation's Class of 2005. Monroe had scholarship offers from such schools as Southern California, LSU, Oklahoma and Ohio State. In the end, though, the bond he'd formed with the coaching staff at U.Va. proved decisive.

The Cavaliers haven't won as many games as those perennial powers during his career, but Monroe said he has no regrets.

"I hope that I can continue to improve, and my final games will be better than anything that I've done so far, but I think I am pleased," he said. "I've had a great time at the university, and I've gotten to play with some great players."

As a true freshman, Monroe backed up D'Brickashaw Ferguson, whom the New York Jets selected fourth overall in the 2006 draft. Monroe played next to Branden Albert, now a Kansas City Chiefs rookie, in'06 and'07, and for three years he faced defensive end Chris Long in practice.

"He is a player who has clearly profited by playing his full four years," Groh said of Monroe. "His skill level and his execution this season is substantially upgraded from what it was last year.

"It was the same thing with Chris. Chris was a real good junior, but he was an awesome, just off-the-charts senior, and Gene now is progressing that way."

 

Cavaliers’ Monroe focused on right now
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: October 16, 2008

Eugene Monroe is more comfortable fighting off a fierce pass rush than he is in fielding questions from a bunch of media types looking for a good story.
It’s not that Monroe can’t handle the probing. He gives thoughtful answers to just about everything. However, he’d rather not talk about himself. Instead, he would prefer his game do the talking for him.
If you’re not familiar with Monroe, he’s the gentle giant of a left offensive tackle for Virginia. He just might be the best tackle in all of college football, an opinion shared by ESPN’s draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., who has the Cavalier senior ranked No. 1 on his Big Board as the NFL’s projected top pick.
Should you meet Monroe, don’t expect him to talk about it. He’s oblivious to the fact by his own admission. He considers such chatter a distraction from the task at hand: beating favored North Carolina this Saturday in Scott Stadium.
An unassuming giant
Actually, should you meet Monroe, you would never suspect that he’s so highly regarded by NFL talent scouts. His size, 6-foot-6, 315 pounds might give it away, but his demeanor doesn’t.
Coach Al Groh, who signed Monroe out of Plainfield, N.J., said people would find his big tackle as “a quiet, unassuming, great example of a kid who has absolutely no degree of entitlement,” despite the kudos passed his way.
Those who cover Virginia on a regular basis found that out in a hurry about Monroe, who was ranked the No. 1 lineman in the country coming out of high school. One recruiting service even ranked him as the top prospect at any position in the entire nation.
However, when Monroe first stepped foot on campus, he didn’t pack his credentials. He was the first to point out that all those honors were for high school, that he was starting all over and had a lot to learn.
Slowed by pains
A couple of injuries, including a dislocated kneecap, made it even a longer journey. He played half a season without full mobility but still got the job done.
If you know Monroe, then you know that wasn’t good enough. Well, maybe it was for his coaches, but not for himself.
“It was difficult playing, knowing that I could perform better if I was healthy,” Monroe said this week during his preparation for the 18th-ranked Tar Heels. “I was thankful I was able to get back to 100 percent.”
Virginia is on a two-game winning streak and one of the main reasons is the improvement of a young offensive line. Monroe is the only senior on the unit, joined by a junior, two sophomores and a true freshman.
“Finally starting to block the right people,” Monroe said of the line’s cohesion. “That’s the main thing. We’re doing now what we should have been doing at the beginning of the season.”
He pointed out that miscommunication, mental errors and getting used to playing together had been holding back the line’s progress, which in turn held back the running game and the passing game, making new quarterback Marc Verica’s job that more challenging.
As a result of the improvement, the Cavaliers have rushed for more than 200 yards in each of their last two outings, pulling off upsets over Maryland and East Carolina.
“That’s definitely an indicator of how well your team is performing,” said Big Gene the Blocking Machine. “When you can run the ball like that, it opens up the passing game and the quarterback can be more comfortable. And we have a young quarterback, so it’s even better when we can put up numbers like that.”
Verica is most grateful that Monroe feels that way.
“He’s the No. 1 NFL prospect for a reason,” the Cavaliers’ quarterback said. “He’s unbelievably talented. He’s big. He’s quick. He’s just a rare combination of size and athleticism and he’s a fierce competitor, too. I’m really fortunate for Gene to have my back like that.”
Monroe has given up only one sack since some time during the 2006 season, and that was this season, though Groh said that could be attributed more to the quarterback holding onto the ball too long than Monroe’s pass blocking ability.
For his effort last week, and a team-leading 88 percent grade for his play against ECU, Monroe was voted ACC offensive lineman of the week, a game in which he played every offensive snap.
No wonder scouts froth at the mouth when Monroe’s name is mentioned.
But that’s not his concern right now.
“It’s unavoidable to hear it each week from
teammates or family that might see it on the internet,” Monroe said of his NFL draft status. “But I’m a Virginia player right now and I have to get ready for the games each week. When the season’s over, that will take care of itself.”
Monroe would likely have been a first-rounder had he come out after his junior season, but he wanted to get his degree from UVa, something he will do in three and a half years, and he wanted to finish with his class and his classmates.
“He is a player who clearly profited by playing his full four years,” Groh said. “His skill level, his execution this season, is substantially upgrade from what it was last year.
“What I see him do one-on-one every day, dealing with twists, calling things out, well, it was the same way with Chris Long. Chris was really good as a junior, but was an awesome, off-the-charts senior. Gene is now progressing that way,” Groh said.
Just ask UVa linebacker Clint Sintim, who is the national leader in sacks by a linebacker, about Monroe. He figures if he can beat Monroe in practice, then he can beat anybody.
“Every Wednesday, we go into our one-on-one pass rushing drill, and that’s really my day to try to work him over,” Sintim said with a smile. “It doesn’t work as often as I’d like it to.”
By the way, Sintim did scan the room just to make sure that the massive tackle had exited before he made that statement.
“Gene definitely makes me a better player,” Sintim said. “It’s extremely hard to get around him and a lot of the moves I try on him don’t work as well as they do in a game.”
Sintim might appreciate it if someone lets Monroe know that he said good things about him, so maybe the talented tackle will take it easy on him next Wednesday.
But first, Monroe’s got work to do. He’s got Carolina on his mind.

 

Aerial attack keeps Heels road favorite
UNC winless in Charlottesville since 1981; Groh refuses big-picture perspective, focusing on each week’s matchup
Cayce Troxel, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Published: Friday, October 17 2008

After sitting out 2007 with a knee injury, Kevin Ogletree has built on his solid 2006 season with an equally impressive 2008. Ogletree leads Virginia’s wide receivers with 31 receptions and three touchdowns. The Virginia football team is just trying to take this season one step at a time.
Implementing a day-by-day, week-by-week, game-by-game approach, coach Al Groh refuses to allow his players to look too far ahead in the season’s schedule. With No. 18 North Carolina (5-1, 1-1 ACC) visiting Charlottesville tomorrow, the Cavaliers (3-3, 1-1 ACC) can’t afford to let their focus drift too far from the present.
While the squad managed to follow up its unexpected shutout of Maryland two weeks ago with yet another decisive home win against East Carolina last week, defeating the Tar Heels should prove to be a tall task for a Virginia team still trying to find its feet after a shaky first half.
“They’ve got a lot of playmakers on their team,” senior linebacker Clint Sintim said. “They have a lot of playmakers in the skill positions, and their defense is very talented so it’s definitely going to be a challenge for our team.”
Sintim and the rest of the Cavalier defense, in particular, will be tested by North Carolina, a team that boasts one of the more potent offensive attacks in the ACC. Led by a trio of highly touted receivers — “one of the top receiving corps in the nation” Sintim said — the Tar Heels average nine yards on first downs alone and have scored at least 28 points in five of their six outings thus far this season. Junior Hakeem Nicks leads the talented wide receivers with four touchdowns, 5.5 catches per game and 92.2 receptions yards per game.
While the Tar Heels’ first-string quarterback, sophomore T.J. Yates, is out for six weeks because of an ankle injury suffered in the team’s lone loss against Virginia Tech, junior Cameron Sexton has performed well in Yates’ absence. He even garnered ACC Player of the Week honors in his first start this season against Miami, when he threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 completions. In North Carolina’s come-from-behind victory against Notre Dame last weekend, Sexton completed a career-high 18 passes on his way to racking up 201 yards through the air, and his completion percentage of 56.7 percent on the year is well above his 2006 season completion percentage of 41.9 percent.
“It’s a very versatile offensive system,” Groh said. “Very versatile on formations they use, very versatile and flexible in the schemes that are employed and very, very versatile in the type of personnel they employ.”
The Tar Heels’ flexibility on offense will be somewhat impaired Saturday, however, after senior wide receiver Brandon Tate suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the game against Notre Dame. Although Tate is only ranked second in receptions among the team’s receivers, he averages an astounding 23.5 yards per catch and has been a key player on special teams for the Heels as well, averaging 27.7 yards on kick returns, good enough for 18th in the nation.
North Carolina may be without one of its most lethal special teams gamechangers in Tate, but so far this season, the Cavaliers have failed to stop returns of any kind, whether from opponents’ best players or not. On average, Virginia has given up 23.6 yards on opponents’ kickoff returns, ranking only 96th in the nation.
“We’ve got to do a much better job with our kickoff coverage and kickoff return teams,” Groh said. “We’re getting nothing out of that and nothing in an absolute sense with little bang for our buck in terms of what’s invested in them.”
Though the Cavaliers’ special teams’ unit continue to struggle, the Virginia offense has found new life after posting dismal statistics in its first four games of the season. Following a horrific four-interception day in the team’s loss to Duke, sophomore quarterback Marc Verica has shown poise under center as of late, posting a completion percentage of more than 75 percent the past two games.
“I’ve always tried to let adversity affect me in a positive way,” Verica said. “Use it to light a fire and motivate yourself to bounce back.”
The young quarterback has received support from an emerging group of receivers, led by junior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, as well as from a powerful running game, highlighted by senior tailback Cedric Peerman. Responsible for a crucial first down to set up the Cavs’ game-winning field goal last year in Chapel Hill, Peerman ran over Pirate defenders in the win against ECU last weekend, piling up 173 rushing yards on 16 carries, including two carries of 60 and 79 yards. Against the Tar Heels, however, both Peerman and Verica will have to be especially careful with the ball; North Carolina not only leads the nation in turnover ratio, possessing a slew of aggressive defensive players who have forced eight fumbles on the year, but the Heels also are first in the NCAA in interceptions, with 14 picks thus far this season.
“They’re taking the ball away,” Groh said. “They’re not giving it up.”
Virginia will be looking Saturday not only to extend its two-game win streak, but also its home dominance against North Carolina. Virginia has not lost to the Tar Heels in Charlottesville since 1981, successfully stifling the Tar Heels in 13 straight matchups on the Cavaliers’ home turf.
Under Groh’s system, however, it’s just one game at a time, no looking forward and no looking back.
“Every week you have to approach it like a one-game season, so I think it would be more fitting to say that we’ve had two winning seasons in a row the past couple of weeks, as [Groh] likes to put it,” Verica said.
After six games, or seasons, the team appears to be on the right track, as displayed in its last two upset wins. The challenge now for the Cavs will be to continue to maintain their recent momentum in the second half of the season.
“We’re actually only halfway through right now,” Sintim said, “So we have the opportunity of seizing something special.”

In 6 weeks, will I eat my words?
Friday, Oct 17, 2008 - 12:07 AM
By PAUL WOODY
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST

Two weeks ago, the opinion here was that Al Groh should be replaced as the football coach at the University of Virginia when this season ends.

The Cavaliers have since won two games in rather im pressive fashion.If Groh was at fault for the mess at the beginning of the season, he deserves credit for the cleanup.

The Cavaliers now have six ACC games of varying degrees of difficulty.

If Groh successfully directs the Cavaliers through the remainder of the season, he won't go anywhere.

And I will look for seasoning to place on the words I will have to eat.

This is not a new experience. Often wrong, never in doubt. That's the code we live by in the opinion business.

So, why stop now?

Virginia will beat North Carolina tomorrow in Charlottesville.

Yes, North Carolina is ranked No.18 in the country, and Butch Davis is on the verge of turning the Tar Heels into a national power.

But they are not yet good enough to waltz into the stadium of a hot team and leave with a victory, especially with their game-breaking player, Brandon Tate, out for the season.

All sorts of dominoes are falling the Cavaliers' way.

Clemson once appeared to be a considerable obstacle. Now, the Tigers have a new coach.

Clemson has been criticized for allowing Tommy Bowden to go in the middle of the season.

Big-time college coaches work in a high-risk, high-reward profession. Bowden had a buyout clause in his contract. Clemson showed him the money.

Bowden will be OK. The Clemson program is another matter.

When a coach leaves at mid-season, it is a sign the program is in disarray. That is a bad sign for the Tigers and a good sign for Virginia.

Perhaps the best sign for Virginia is the lack of dominant teams in the ACC this season.

National rankings and reputations don't matter. The important thing is to build momentum as the season progresses.

The Cavaliers are on the verge of doing just that.

Miami comes to Charlottesville this season, and the Hurricanes can't be dismissed. But these are not Category 4 Hurricanes. They can be beaten, especially by a team that grows more confident each week.

Georgia Tech and Wake Forest are formidable challenges. Losing at Wake Forest was the last straw for Bowden. Georgia Tech's option attack looks simple to defend, but no one is able to stop it.

The Cavaliers will need some of their 2007 magic to win in Atlanta and Winston-Salem. It will be difficult to find.

That leaves the Virginia Tech game in Blacksburg.

Hokies fans think Groh is good enough to lead the Cavaliers to above-average seasons but not good enough to beat Frank Beamer.

Beamer's 6-1 record against Groh lends some weight to that theory.

No one loses all the time. What once looked like a certain "W" on the Hokies schedule now is nothing of the sort.

How certain am I? As certain as I was two weeks ago that Groh should go.

So, at my house, we're laying in an ample supply of seasoning, just in time for Thanksgiving.

 

Virginia’s linebackers stick together
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 16, 2008

At one point during Saturday’s victory over East Carolina, Rich Bedesem, Jon Copper and Steve Greer stood on grassy field at Scott Stadium within a few yards of each other.
During that moment, in essence, the past, the present and the future of Virginia football at linebacker were mixed together.
Bedesem, a former Virginia linebacker in his first year as a graduate assistant coach for the Cavaliers, can certainly relate to the various challenges that face Copper and Greer.
“It’s great having him here,” said Virginia coach Al Groh. “He was one of our guys right from the start. He really understands how we think and why we do things. Whenever those kind of positions have been open we have always been very interested in having our own guys come back and give them a chance to get started in this business.
“As soon as Richie had indicated interest in doing it and we had a spot open for him it just worked out naturally and we are really pleased that he’s here. He’s doing a real good job for us.”
It was late in Bedesem’s career when playing time became scarce at times as injuries mounted and the infusion of younger talents were thrust into the lineup to add speed and versatility.
Copper has been in a similar role of late, finding himself watching from the sidelines as speedy players such as Rodney McLeod enter for critical third down plays.
It has taken a toll on Copper’s tackle totals. In 2006 and 2007, the fifth-year senior amassed a total of 190 tackles, leading the team in both campaigns in the category.
Currently, Copper ranks second on the team with 44 stops, trailing fellow senior linebacker Antonio Appleby by a pair of tackles.
“I don’t care,” Copper said. “I don’t care about that. Rodney came in and he is playing a position that I started the season playing and he is doing an excellent job.
“Antonio is playing at a really high level right now. I think he gives us a little more versatility out there because of his size. He had a great game [against ECU], he had a great game against Maryland and as long as he is doing well I am happy.”
With the team-first mentality a constant for Copper, he has taken it upon himself to assist Greer with his early progression.
“Steve is really intelligent,” Copper said. “He has good reads and he really studies the game. He is very fast. He is much faster than I ever was.
“He is going to be a real good player here.”
If that happens, Greer said it will be due in part to Copper.
“I have a bunch of nicknames on the team: Cop, Jr., Little Cop, Cop’s little brother … there are a bunch of them,” Greer chuckled. “What I have been trying to do this year mainly is just follow Copper.
“Before I came here all the coaches said, ‘Copper does things the right way.’ I figured if I can I learn from that it would help me out. And it has been really helpful.”
Greer, listed at 6-foot-2 and 218 pounds, has marveled at how the coaching staff, including Bedesem, managed to keep Virginia’s players excited despite losing three of the season’s first four games. Virginia now sits at 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the ACC and awaits North Carolina (5-1, 1-1) on Saturday.
“A couple of my friends were calling and asking me what was up, but we kind of knew it would take some time to come together and we have put two wins together,” Greer said. “The coaches just kept saying, ‘Stick together,’ and we actually did it.
“As you see it is paying off.”
Greer said his decision to come to Virginia, one that included a late offer, is paying off, too.
“As soon as I came in and saw the atmosphere with all the guys, it was even better than what I thought it would be,” he said. “The first couple of games were tough, but in these past couple of games it has been a blast seeing ourselves come together as a team.
“There has been a lot more bonding and unity going on.”
Injury report
Virginia released its weekly injury report Thursday night and starting placekicker Yannick Reyering (knee) was ruled out for Saturday’s game.
Running back Mikell Simpson (neck) is listed at questionable.

 

UVa Insider, the column: Life without Lalich

To me, Virginia’s modest two-game football winning streak is all about closure.

Just think. When was the last time anybody mentioned the name, “Peter Lalich?”

It is not my intention to defend the people responsible for dismissing Lalich from the UVa football team, nor is it my intention to demean Lalich.

I’m just struck by how quickly he’s been forgotten.

Winning will do that, but what came first, the chicken or the egg?

I think it’s safe to say, if Lalich were still going back and forth to Charlottesville General District Court, that he would be a major distraction.

Since it was confirmed Sept. 29 that Lalich had enrolled at Oregon State, his former teammates have been nothing if not focused.

With North Carolina coming to town Saturday, I was hesitant to pitch the “closure” theory to Groh on a teleconference today.

“No, we never felt that we couldn’t move forward, that we were stuck in the mud and had no traction,” Groh said. “Definitely not the case on that.

“But once the issue was resolved and there was clarity to it, clearly we were able to define our circumstances and go ahead at that point.”

It hasn’t bothered Groh that the Lalich questions have ended.

“That’s a nice thing, yes,” he said.

OF COURSE, one reason that people haven’t been talking about Lalich is his successor, Marc Verica. Verica’s 65.9-percent completion percentage is second behind Wake Forest’s Riley Skinner (68.1) among ACC quarterbacks with enough attempts to rank among the league leaders.

It will be interesting to see if Verica continues to play at a reasonably high level and what effect that might have on the 2009 quarterback picture, when Jameel Sewell is slated to return for a fifth year after serving a one-year academic suspension.

At the time of his suspension, Sewell had made 22 consecutive starts and fans couldn’t wait for his return following Lalich’s dismissal. Sewell might be better suited to UVa’s spread offense because of his running ability, but Verica is the more accurate passer.

Verica had 14 straight completions Saturday against East Carolina and was 19 of his last 21.

GOOD TRIVIA QUESTION: Who is Virginia’s all-time leader in all-purpose yardage?

WESTERN BRANCH has sent more than a half-dozen football players to Virginia Tech over the past 15 years, but a commitment from Western Branch wide receiver-defensive back Javanti Spurrow broke a lengthy drought for UVa at the Chesapeake school.

Lew Johnston, who retired in 2006 after 22 seasons as the Western Branch coach, said he believes the last UVa player from Western Branch was Davian Clifton.

Clifton, a 1985 Western Branch graduate, was a redshirt sophomore defensive tackle at UVa when he was awarded his first and only letter in 1987.

Johnston, who has come out of retirement this year to coach at Joliff Middle School in Chesapeake, was a spectator at the recent Western Branch-Oscar Smith game and had the following evaluation of UVa recruit Perry Jones.

“I don’t know where they see him,” said Johnston after watching Oscar Smith race to a 42-6 win, “but he really showed me some things at running back.”

Jones, a 5-foot-9, 190-pound tackling machine, is projected as a defensive back by the Cavaliers.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Frank Quayle, who had 4,981 all-purpose yards between 1966-68.

Alvin Pearman was second, with 4,969 yards between 2001-2004, but I can’t remember writing or hearing that Pearman was approaching Quayle’s record.

In fact, referees did not approve an apparent Pearman reception in the 2004 MPC Computers Bowl that would have given him the school record, but Quayle played during an era when freshmen were not eligible and UVa never played in a bowl.

Pearman also had extenuating circumstances, having missed the last four games of the 2002 season after tearing an ACL.

Pearman suffered a second ACL tear in the third game of the 2007 season, when he was playing for the Seattle Seahawks, and is a free agent. He didn’t turn 26 till August.

DOUG DOUGHTY

 

Scott Stadium: A haunted house for Tar Heels
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Posted: October 15, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- There aren't any North Carolina players who have won a game at Virginia, but linebacker Mark Paschal at least has a relative who has done it: His father played fullback when the Tar Heels conquered Scott Stadium back in the 1970s.

Not that he'd get anywhere by asking his old man how it's done.


"He probably wouldn't remember, it's been so long ago," Paschal said.

So forgive the 18th-ranked Tar Heels for not getting too caught up in their first national ranking since 2001 and the emerging win-the-ACC buzz. First, they've got a pesky trend they'd like to reverse -- finally escaping Charlottesville with a victory, something they haven't done since 1981.

"In reality, to these kids, it doesn't really make any difference," coach Butch Davis said. "None of these guys were alive back then during that period of time. It's the next game on the schedule. It's a big game. It's an ACC game against a good football team. I keep talking redundantly about it, but this team has done a good job of keeping things in perspective."

Easy for Davis to say -- he has yet to lose there. Not many other North Carolina coaches can make that claim.

Coaches were fired and promising seasons were spoiled for the Tar Heels (5-1, 1-1) after 13 straight mostly disastrous trips to Scott Stadium, which over the years has become their personal house of horrors.

"It's just something that's always in the back of your mind, being a Carolina fan, being a player (for) this university. It's a tough place to play," Paschal said.

One of the nation's most frequently renewed rivalries -- with its 113th edition this weekend, it's the oldest in the South -- has been decidedly one-sided when North Carolina makes the 180-mile trip northeast to Charlottesville.

Since that 17-14 win 27 years ago, the Tar Heels have entered Virginia's home field as a ranked team three times, only to be knocked off each time. Perhaps most famously, coach Mack Brown's 1996 team was 8-1, ranked No. 6 and had the nation's best defense, but lost 20-17 at 24th-ranked Virginia.

While North Carolina is looking to reverse history, Virginia (3-3, 1-1) is discounting it.

"They're playing the best football that I've ever seen since I've been here," Cavaliers linebacker Clint Sintim said. The past "won't have as much bearing on the outcome of the game. The people that are going to win the game are the people that execute and play the best football come Saturday."

Through the years, that often has been Virginia.

The Tar Heels' most recent visit was an unmitigated disaster, a nationally televised 23-0 rout that led to the prime-time benching of quarterback Cameron Sexton and, three days later, the midseason firing of coach John Bunting.

"I don't think we played worth a crap on defense," Paschal said. "That was probably the lowest of the lows. ... It was embarrassing for us as players, it was embarrassing for the university, so it's something that's definitely stuck in my mind."

Coincidentally, that game marked Sexton's last start until a few weeks ago, when he took over for injured T.J. Yates and ineffective freshman Mike Paulus to lead North Carolina to consecutive victories over Miami, Connecticut and Notre Dame.

"In some sense, I felt like when I left that game, it kind of changed my career," Sexton said. "I kind of remember talking to my parents after that game, getting benched on national television, Thursday night, wasn't easy. And we didn't play well. And I kind of said to myself and my parents, 'This is going to be the point that's going to change."'

------

AP Sports Writer Hank Kurz Jr. in Charlottesville, Va., contributed to this report.

Cavs’ Diane healthy
By Whitey Reid
Published: October 16, 2008

When you consider that seven of Virginia coach Dave Leitao’s players missed games last season because of injuries, a logical query heading into today’s first practice of the season is the health of his 2008-09 outfit.
“We’re OK. We’re not 100 percent,” Leitao said. “We have a number of issues that we’re managing that will cost some of the guys a little time here and there, but hopefully there’s nothing chronic that will have to be managed over the course of the season as we have before.”
Leitao’s biggest concern has to be the status of senior swingman Mamadi Diane. The team’s leading returning scorer underwent foot surgery in the offseason and has only recently begun participating in contact drills.
“Mo is still recovering,” Leitao said. “Although he’s healthy, he’s not back to where he was before his surgery, so he’s starting off a little bit behind the eight ball.”
Leitao will be looking for more than just scoring from Diane this season. The
6-foot-5 swingman is one of just two seniors. Leitao says Diane, who did not play in the team’s exhibition games over Labor Day weekend, will be “limited” in the early going.
“He’s probably had only one contact session where he’s went up against defense or defended somebody since the season ended in the spring time,” Leitao said. “Quite naturally, that affects so many other areas. [It affects] his own game, his rhythm, his timing, and his confidence and trusting — as every one has to do after surgery — your body again.
“That’s going to take a little bit of time for all those things to come around. He won’t be himself probably for a little while.”
Another player whom Leitao is keeping his fingers crossed about is fifth-year senior Tunji Soroye. The
6-foot-11 Nigerian played in only two games last season because of knee and back woes.
In the offseason, Soroye didn’t know whether he would be granted a medical redshirt that would allow him to return to school. Leitao said that uncertainty affected Soroye’s rehabilitation.
“When he came back with us in August, I thought he was behind physically,” said Leitao, who will be looking for Soroye to provide a shotblocking presence, “but more behind mentally because I don’t think he had looked at this whole process with any real assurance that he was definitely going to be here.
“This fall, he hasn’t had any health issues with his knee or back — knock on wood. He’s been able to get in better shape and get his mind back around to, ‘Hey, I’m going to be here and I’m going to have a good last year.’ ”
Leitao, whose team opens on Nov. 16 against VMI, can only hope that holds true for the rest of his walking wounded.



 

Molding a quarterback
By Bart Isley
Published: October 16, 2008

When Howie Long first became a starting quarterback for St. Anne’s-Belfield, he didn’t have to do too much.
“The pressure wasn’t put on me at all — it was kind of easy to figure it all out when there’s no pressure on me as a quarterback,” Long said. “My job was to come in on third down and hit a back out of the backfield, pick up five or six yards, get a first down and not make a turnover.”
That game-manager mentality was good enough to lead the Saints to an 11-0 record and a state title in 2006, a campaign where Long, then a
sophomore, threw 21 touchdowns and just a single interception.
This year though, Long has taken a major leap forward as a senior to become the catalyst for an explosive St. Anne’s offense.
He’s made massive improvements this season under the tutelage of new
quarterbacks coach Hunter Price. Price, a former Albemarle star who quarterbacked Randolph Macon, came over to STAB after a stint at Western Albemarle.
“This year, having Hunter here has helped Howie tremendously,” said St. Anne’s coach John Blake. “I’m not a great quarterback coach, I’m more of a big
picture guy. Hunter has done a great job with his technique. He’s made great strides.”
Price went back to basics with Long, teaching him the footwork fundamentals necessary to become a signal-caller teams can rely on. Basic steps, drops, coverage reads and releases have become a daily routine, with the repetition helping Long to get more consistent and help things run more smoothly in the STAB backfield with junior running back Aaron Clark.
“My footwork was awful — he’s helped me out tremendously with that,” Long said. “I wasn’t getting out from under center quick enough because I’d never been taught how to.”
That isn’t surprising though, because Long hasn’t been a quarterback for all that long. He was almost strictly a running back when he played youth football, teaming with former
St. Anne’s star running back Jack Thomasson in the backfield to form what must have been a formidable one-two rushing punch.
But when the pair started playing for St. Anne’s, there was a void at quarterback, and Long figured he’d give the spot a try.
“I chose quarterback because there was no one there but it was also really fun,” Long said. “I felt like I could be in control of the game and it really satisfied me.”
After two years of trial by fire that Long passed with flying colors, Price has helped the senior quarterback become a more polished product, and it’s paid off for the Saints, who have escaped a tough schedule with a 3-3 record, setting up a critical intra-Division II matchup with Covenant this afternoon.
Long has thrown for 1,125 yards and 18 touchdowns already this season while completing almost 60 percent of his classes. Against Virginia Episcopal two weeks ago, Long went 11 for 13 during a 56-35 victory.
“I think I’ve learned more this year with coach Price than I’ve learned the past three years I’ve been here because I haven’t necessarily had a quarterbacks coach,” Long said. “He knows so much about the game and he relates it so well — it makes it real easy to learn.”
Blake, Price and the rest of the staff have also helped Long block out any possible distractions of playing at a school where both his older brothers, Kyle and Chris, were athletic stars.
“It’s been pretty easy with my teammates and coaches, no pressure really gets in from the outside,” Long said.
He’s also taken the
pressure off himself by committing to play lacrosse at Virginia, a sport where he stars as a defenseman for the Saints. Not that pressure has ever been a problem for Long. He has demonstrated a deft touch for staying out of trouble on the field during his time at STAB, alleviating pressure by making solid decisions.
“He’s done a great job throughout his career of not putting him and his team in a bind,” Blake said. “He’s done some tremendous things here and I think he’s kind of been overlooked.”
It’s hard to overlook the polished senior now.