Crowd pleaser: UVa tops Heels in OT
The Cavs' fans storm the field after Virginia comes back to beat No. 18 Carolina.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129 "

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia decided some time ago that fans would not be allowed to storm the playing field after football games at Scott Stadium.

Saturday was an appropriate time to make an exception.

Ushers and security personnel were powerless to stop the crowd that streamed out of the stands following a 16-13 overtime victory over 18th-ranked North Carolina.

UVa coach Al Groh is as law-abiding as the next guy, but "was glad to see the students enjoy themselves," he said with tongue in cheek.

It was UVa's 14th straight victory over the Tar Heels in Charlottesville, many of the comeback variety.

The Cavaliers (4-3 overall, 2-1 ACC) trailed virtually the entire game and did not have a touchdown before senior tailback Cedric Peerman scored on a 2-yard run with 47 seconds remaining in regulation.

Then, after North Carolina's Casey Barth kicked a 28-yard field goal to start the overtime, Peerman scored on another 2-yard run to end the suspense.

Peerman, who finished with 17 carries for 44 yards, said there was no comparison with his 186-yard effort in UVa's 22-20 victory last year in Chapel Hill, N.C.

"That was dramatic," Peerman said. "This was twice as dramatic ."

Barth's 40-yard field goal with 2:22 remaining gave Carolina a 10-3 lead and left Virginia with the daunting task of driving more than 80 yards after kickoff returner Kevin Ogletree slipped at the UVa 17.

Virginia had 168 yards in total offense for the day at that point, but quarterback Marc Verica flawlessly executed the two-minute drill, completing seven passes in a row.

Carolina rushed only three players on occasion, and Verica had more time than at almost any other point in the game. Some would have called it a "prevent defense," the two words that losing coaches always dread.

"We were trying to get to the quarterback, trying to pressure him, trying to be in the right place," Davis said. "We had chances. We probably had at least one or two, or maybe even three, opportunities for interceptions ourselves."

Carolina (5-2, 1-2) outgained the Cavaliers 332-275. The Tar Heels rushed for 166 yards and held UVa to 58.

"Damn heartbreaking," North Carolina linebacker Mark Paschal called it. "Especially being a senior, one of my goals was being able to win up here.

"I thought I was ticked off after the Virginia Tech game [a 20-17 UNC loss]. I'm in a whole new mood right now. I'm pretty upset, pretty frustrated with the way it unfolded."

The Sugar Bowl had a representative at the game and presumably he did not come to see the Cavaliers, who were 1-3 after dropping a 31-3 decision Sept. 27, at Duke. The Blue Devils ended a 25-game ACC losing streak that day.

Since then, UVa has won three straight games, all at home and all as the underdog.

"We clearly think over the last three weeks, that we're starting to find our identity," Groh said.

"A lot of things we think are important showed up today. One is the next-man-up [philosophy]. We took two hits right in the first series."

The Cavaliers' season tackle leader, Antonio Appleby, suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the game. Team interception leader Ras-I Dowling injured his back and also did not play again.

Appleby was replaced by Darren Childs, a fourth-year junior who had played five plays all season and 10 plays in his three-year college career. Childs finished with 10 tackles, nine unassisted.

"If you were looking for an MVP today, you'd have to take a long look at Darren Childs," said outside linebacker Clint Sintim, whose third-down stop forced Carolina to kick a field goal in the overtime. "To come in here and make plays and hit the way he did, that says a lot."

The NCAA no longer allows the practice of giving out game balls to players, but nobody ever said anything about a coach.

Co-captain Peerman gave Groh a game ball Saturday, a gesture that clearly touched UVa's coach, the 64-year-old one-time Carolina assistant.

"It will be something I'll cherish for a long time," said Groh, who paused before adding. "When somebody like Cedric Peerman wants to do that, not only him individually but as a representative of the character and heart of the team, it's very meaningful and very appreciated."

North Carolina entered the game ranked No. 1 in Division I-A in turnover margin, while Virginia was 100th. However, the Tar Heels had zero takeaways and Virginia had three -- two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

"That was stressed all week," said redshirt freshman Nick Jenkins, a 295-pound nose tackle whose second-quarter interception led to a Robert Randolph field goal. "Coach Groh told us all week, 'Don't feed the turnover monster.' "

For seniors like Sintim and tight end John Phillips, it was reassuring to know that Virginia's home winning streak against Carolina would not end on their watch.

Seven of Virginia's 14 consecutive home victories over Carolina have come by seven points or fewer, but Saturday's was the first overtime affair in the series.

"We were coming back and I remember telling one of my peers: 'If we win the game, do you think they'll rush the field?'" Sintim said. "I'm glad I got to see that one more time."
 

Verica shines in clutch
Marc Verica executes the two-minute drill perfectly for Virginia to send the game in OT.
By Mark Berman

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The prevent defense couldn't prevent Marc Verica from shining.

The Virginia quarterback completed seven of eight passes on a game-tying touchdown drive in the final minutes of the Cavaliers' 16-13 overtime win over North Carolina on Saturday.

And now the first-year starter has a memorable late-game touchdown drive on his resume.

The Cavaliers marched 82 yards in 95 seconds to tie the score at 10 on a 2-yard Cedric Peerman TD run and Robert Randolph extra-point kick with 47 seconds to go.

"Every quarterback, his dream is, 'Your team's down in the fourth quarter with two minutes or so left and you've got to drive 80 yards and win,' " Verica said.

"We just seized the moment.

"It's cool, and it's uplifting for the team's confidence and my confidence. It was nice to see we can deliver in that situation."

The 18th-ranked Tar Heels led 10-3 when UVa began the drive on its own 18-yard line with 2:22 remaining.

Time for the Tar Heels to drop back eight players in pass coverage. Time to bring out what Verica called "a soft Cover-2" defense. Most fans call it the "prevent defense," which often fails to prevent a touchdown.

"We had practiced against this look all week," Verica said.

"The prevent defense, if you will."

UNC had successfully used the same defense earlier in the game, and in other games this year.

"You can call it a prevent," UNC free safety Deunta Williams said.

"Our cornerbacks are supposed to back up a little bit.

"We played it too soft. It was just overall bad coverage for us to be in because of the way we played it. We didn't put our hands on anybody."

Verica, a sophomore, completed his first seven passes of the drive. The series included a 26-yard pass to Maurice Covington, a 16-yard pass to Cary Koch and a 17-yard pass to Kevin Ogletree.

"They were trying to force us to throw short passes so they could tackle us inbounds," Verica said. "We were able to find some soft spots."

Verica threw for 80 yards on the nine-play drive.

"They were able to capitalize on our mistakes in soft coverage," Williams said.

It was the third time Verica had run a two-minute drill in a game this year, but the first two times had not been in the second half.

"Marc did a good job settling down in the two-minute drill," said tight end John Phillips, who caught two passes on the drive.

"He knew where the holes were going to be, and made great throws."

The Tar Heels noticed a difference in Verica on that drive.

"He did a better job of not staring at one receiver," Williams said.

Verica also teamed with Phillips on a 19-yard pass to the UNC 4 in overtime, paving the way for Peerman's winning 2-yard TD run. He completed 24 of 38 passes for 217 yards -- his third straight 200-yard outing.

He had completed just 12 of 24 passes for 92 yards entering the fourth quarter. That's when coach Al Groh gave him some encouragement.

"This is your quarter to shine," Groh told him.

Verica appreciated the pep talk.

"I was really happy he still had my back," Verica said.

"Because the first three quarters, ... I wasn't being effective."

And then, when it mattered most, he was.

"A couple completions, and I knew they weren't going to stop us," Verica said of the TD drive.

"We just wanted it too bad."

The drive will add to Verica's swagger, said Phillips.

Well, perhaps.

"I'm not ready to win the Super Bowl," Verica said with a grin.
 

Virginia game highlights

SATURDAY'S STAR

Jon Copper

Virginia linebacker

The Northside graduate had a career-high 16 tackles, including 10 solo tackles. The senior linebacker had to call the defensive signals after linebacker Antonio Appleby got hurt. He also had to help out inexperienced sub Darren Childs, who took over for Appleby. Copper's previous high was 12 tackles against Maryland last season and against Duke this year.

IT WAS OVER WHEN

After Casey Barth kicked a field goal to give UNC a 13-10 lead in overtime, UVa answered with a touchdown. Cedric Peerman ran 2 yards to the UNC 23, and Marc Verica hooked up with John Phillips on a 19-yard pass. Peerman ran two more times, the final time getting in the end zone on a 2-yard run.

GOOD CALL?

UVa coach Al Groh was furious at an official's call in the second quarter. On third-and-six from the UNC 44, Marc Verica lofted an incomplete pass. One official dropped a flag on a UNC defender for holding a UVa receiver. The flag was waved off because the ball was deemed uncatchable; the pass had sailed over that receiver's head. But the receiver had no chance to catch it because of pass interference.

THEY SAID IT

"I don't think it was because we dropped eight [players in coverage]. We just didn't play worth a hoot. It just kind of snowballed on us. We couldn't stop the bleeding."

-- UNC linebacker Mark Paschal on Virginia's game-tying touchdown drive in the final minutes of regulation.

"We really got shocked tonight."

-- UNC safety Deunta Williams.

CRITICAL NUMBERS

1 Carry by tight end John Phillips for no yards. It was the Bath County graduate's first carry of his career.

5 Kicks blocked by UNC's Butch Carter this year, including a field-goal attempt Saturday.

18 Yards of total offense for UVa in the first quarter.

59 Yards of total offense for UVa in the first half.

82 Yards that UVa drove in 1:35 to tie the score in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

-- Staff reports
 

Kick wobbles, but ties

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia freshman place-kicker Robert Randolph didn't know about the Cavaliers' lengthy home winning streak against North Carolina, but his heart was still in his throat Saturday.

The Tar Heels deflected Randolph's final extra-point attempt, but it fluttered over the crossbar, allowing Virginia to send the game into overtime.

No extra point was required when Cedric Peerman scored on a 2-yard run in overtime to lift Virginia past 18th-ranked UNC, 16-13, the Cavaliers' 14th straight win over Carolina at Scott Stadium.

"I got a pretty good piece of it," North Carolina safety Deunta Williams said, "Somehow, it just went in. Of course, it was fortunate for them. God bless them."

Randolph, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound walk-on from Naples, Fla., had not played this season until he was pressed into service Oct. 11 for the Cavaliers' game with East Carolina.

Former All-ACC soccer performer Yannick Reyering handled placements in UVa's first four games and even converted four extra points against East Carolina before a knee injury forced him to the sideline and out of uniform Saturday.

Redshirt freshman Chris Hinkebein took over Reyering's kickoff duties and Randolph was assigned field goals and extra points. He converted his first attempt Saturday, a 37-yarder that cut Carolina's lead to 7-3 in the third quarter.

Randolph came back out for a 39-yard attempt with 6:57 remaining in the third quarter, but it was blocked by Bruce Carter, Carter's fifth block of the season.

"On the first one, I wasn't nervous at all," Randolph said, "but when they blocked the second, the coaches told me I needed to speed up."

If he hadn't tried to speed up, maybe Williams would have gotten more of his hand on the wobbly final extra point.

"It was a real tense moment," Randolph said. "It was like the whole thing was in slow motion. The play couldn't end fast enough."

By the numbers

Virginia has now won its last two overtime games, including a 13-12 victory over Wyoming in 2006. The Cavaliers had lost their first four overtime games. ... Virginia has not had a turnover in its last three games against North Carolina, all victories. ... UVa junior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree had six receptions for 72 yards and eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for his career. ... Outside linebacker Clint Sintim had his ACC-leading eighth sack of the season. ... North Carolina sophomore tailback Shane Draughn, making his first career start, rushed for 138 yards. ... UNC outgained the Cavaliers 133-18 in the first quarter.

Odds 'n' ends

Darrell Green, named to the NFL Hall of Fame earlier this year, raised UVa's "Power of Orange" flag. Green's son, Jared, is a redshirt freshman wide receiver and had a 26-yard reception. ... UVa's 295-pound freshman nose tackle Nick Jenkins said he did not have a interception in high school at Good Counsel in Olney, Md. He victimized UNC's Cam Sexton for his first collegiate pickoff.
 

Virginia gets past UNC in overtime
Tar Heels' defense folds in final minutes
By Bill Cole
JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: October 19, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - North Carolina collapsed yesterday and surrendered two touchdowns that allowed Virginia to escape with a comeback 16-13 overtime win.

Cedric Peerman scored on a 2-yard run on the last possession of overtime to wipe out UNC's 13-10 lead and put Virginia ahead for the first time. UNC kicked a field goal on the first possession of overtime to go ahead, breaking a 10-10 tie at the end of regulation.

Down 10-3 with 2:22 left in regulation, Virginia marched 82 yards in nine plays in 95 seconds to score its first touchdown on Peerman's run from 2 yards out and force overtime.

The finish marked the third time in four games that UNC needed a stop in the end zone or near the end zone to win. The defense held against Miami and Notre Dame but buckled under against Virginia.

"It just kind of shows that us that our defense has a lot to improve on," said safety Deunta Williams of North Carolina. "I think that we were dominating for the most part and we really should have answered up at the end and stopped them. It was the same plays, basically."

The Cavalaiers generated 107 yards on their final two possessions. They had 168 yards in the first 57:38. They ran 13 plays on the last two possessions and faced third down once.

The loss kept alive UNC's Scott Stadium Curse. UNC has lost its past 14 games here since last winning here in 1981. UNC also had a three-game winning streak snapped.

"It's damn heart-breaking," said linebacker Mark Paschal of the Tar Heels. "It's frustrating for me as a senior. One of my goals was to be able to win up here. That's no longer going to happen."

UNC fell to 5-2 overall and 1-2 in the ACC. Virginia improved to 4-3 and 2-1 and built its winning streak to three with a little bit of luck on the extra-point on its end-of-regulation touchdown.

Virginia had only one timeout left when it took possession at its 18 after the kickoff after UNC's field goal in the fourth quarter. Its first play lost a yard. And then it moved smartly down the field, shredding UNC's defense, and never needed the timeout.

Quarterback Marc Verica passed for 26 yards on second down to receiver Maurice Covington to the 43. Two passes to tight end John Phillips moved Virginia to the UNC 44. Verica escaped pressure to find receiver Cary Koch for 16 more yards.

Verica passed to receiver Kevin Ogletree for 17 yards. Virginia was at the UNC 11. They teamed up again on a pass that carried to the 2. Peerman took care of the final 6 feet on the next play.

The Tar Heels dropped up to eight defenders in pass coverage on some plays and rushed only three linemen. Williams said he thought the defense might have given too much ground playing a Cover 2 scheme with safeties back to guard against big gains.

"In Cover 2 sometimes the weak spot is the corner ball," Williams said. "It's a combination of the safety getting over top and the corner getting enough depth. So that's one weakness in Cover 2, especially how we run it. They were just able to capitalize on our mistakes in soft coverage."

Paschal said that the defense with eight players dropping into pass coverage has designed plays to apply pressure. He said that UNC played zone defense frequently in Virginia's last drive of regulation and some defenders might not have been in the right places at the right times.

"I don't think (Virginia scored) because we dropped eight," Paschal said. "We just didn't play worth a hoot the last drive. We had so many opportunities to make some plays and didn't. We just had some coverage busts. Things kind of snowballed on us. We couldn't stop the bleeding."

Coach Butch Davis said that UNC was not sitting back on defense on every play of the drive.

"We were trying to get to the quarterback," Davis said. "We tried to pressure him. We tried to be in the right place."

The extra-point attempt was blocked but not enough to prevent it from wobbling just over the crossbar. Robert Randolph, Virginia's kicker, had a 39-yard field-goal attempt blocked in the third quarter. He kicked the extra-point as Williams raced in from the back of the UNC defense.

Williams leaped as the ball crossed the line of scrimmage. He got his right hand on the ball but could not knock it down or divert it to the left or the right.

"I got a pretty good piece of it," Williams said. "Somehow it just went in."

Randolph was startled to see Williams soaring and getting his hand on the ball.

"Once I kicked it I knew it was going in, and I looked up and there was just a hand," Randolph said. "It really came out of nowhere and tipped it."

 

Overjoyed in OT
Cavs win third straight by maintaining mastery over Tar Heels
Sunday, Oct 19, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 05:41 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- From 2 yards out, University of Virginia tailback Cedric Peerman bulled across the goal line, and the celebration began as night fell on Scott Stadium.

Jubilant U.Va. students stormed the field as tens of thousands of other fans roared their approval from the stands. Such on-field chaos is something that university officials, for safety reasons, say they'd prefer not to see, but Cavaliers coach Al Groh wasn't complaining.

"Glad to see the students enjoy themselves," Groh said with a smile after his team rallied to beat 18th-ranked North Carolina 16-13 in overtime yesterday.

The Tar Heels (1-2 ACC, 5-2 overall), not surprisingly, weren't so upbeat as the Cavaliers (2-1, 4-3). UNC keeps finding new ways to lose in this town. Carolina has dropped 14 straight to U.Va. at Scott Stadium since winning there in 1981.

"It's damn heartbreaking," said Heels linebacker Mark Paschal. "It's frustrating for me as a senior. One of my goals was to be able to win up here. That's no longer going to happen."

Yesterday, UNC led 10-3 when Virginia got the ball back with 2:18 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers had only one timeout left. But the Heels, who'd stymied U.Va.'s offense to that point, opted to send only three rushers at Marc Verica, and the sophomore quarterback made them pay for that strategy.

"From their perspective at that point," Verica said, "they're trying to force us to throw shorter passes so they can just tackle us inbounds so the time will wind down. But we were able to find some soft spots in their zones, and we executed tremendously."

The Wahoos needed only 95 seconds to cover 82 yards on a drive that ended with the first of Peerman's 2-yard touchdown runs. That made it 10-9, but the game almost ended there when UNC safety Deunta Williams leaped and deflected Robert Randolph's extra-point attempt.

"Once I kicked it, I knew it was going in," Randolph said, "and I looked up, and there was just a hand. It really just came out of nowhere and tipped it. And from there it was like slow-motion."

The ball continued on its path, barely clearing the crossbar, and the teams went to overtime. UNC got the ball first and had to settle for Casey Barth's 28-yard field goal.

Given its kicking-game woes -- the Heels had blocked Randolph's 39-yarder in the third quarter -- Virginia did not want to risk another field goal attempt. It didn't have to. On second down, senior tight end John Phillips slipped behind a UNC defender and hauled in a 19-yard pass from Verica.

On first down from the 4, Peerman was hit at the line of scrimmage, but fought his way to the 2. On second down he completed the job to extend the Cavaliers' winning streak to three games.

"That just shows the kind of heart that Cedric has," Verica said. "One guy very rarely tackles him."

In his fifth start, Verica failed to find his rhythm until Virginia's final possession of the fourth quarter. But he ran the two-minute drill to perfection, passing to junior wideout Kevin Ogletree for gains of 27, 17 and 9 yards, to senior receiver Cary Koch for 16 and to Phillips for 7 and 6.

"Every quarterback, his dream is, your team's down in the fourth quarter, there's only two minutes or so left in the game and you've got to drive 80 yards to win," said Verica, who finished 24 of 38 for 217 yards and no interceptions.

"That was the challenge that faced us, so we just seized the moment."

UNC came in averaging 31.8 points, and second-year coach Butch Davis' offense operated most of the game against a U.Va. defense missing two key starters -- inside linebacker Antonio Appleby and cornerback Ras-I Dowling -- who suffered first-quarter injuries.

But seldom-used junior Darren Childs played heroically in Appleby's stead, making 10 tackles, including one for loss, and redshirt freshman Chase Minnifield and sophomore Mike Parker helped negate the impact of Dowling's loss.

For those three players "to step up the way that they did against a quality opponent like that was just awesome," Groh said. "We're very proud of those guys, and they certainly were true to the character of the team. And then we talked about the fact that we're going to be at our best at the end, and we certainly were."

Inside linebacker Jon Copper, who played in Appleby's place in passing situations, led the Cavaliers with 16 tackles. Another U.Va. senior, outside linebacker Clint Sintim, had eight tackles, including his ACC-leading eighth sack.

"It was a struggle," Sintim said. "Initially it wasn't pretty. . . . But we were able to bounce back."

 

U.VA. NOTES: Groh has a ball after Cavs' victory
Sunday, Oct 19, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 02:21 AM

Groh has a ball after Cavs' victory
Al Groh is known for his stern demeanor, but Virginia's eighth-year football coach choked up for a moment during his postgame press conference last night at Scott Stadium.

Cedric Peerman scored on a 2-yard run in overtime to lift U.Va. to a 16-13 victory over Coastal Division rival North Carolina. The senior tailback later presented the game ball to Groh.

"It'll be something that I'll cherish for a long time," Groh told reporters after pausing to collect himself. "When somebody like Cedric Peerman wants to do that, not only with him individually, but as a representative and captain of the character and heart of the team, it's very meaningful and very appreciated."

Said Peerman: "You wouldn't believe the hours that he puts in to getting us prepared for games and practices, and he's just very deserving of it, I think, after a win like this."

Phillips: a runner by accident
The first carry of John Phillips' college career came on a botched play. Phillips, a senior who starts at tight end for U.Va., lined up in front of Peerman in the backfield on second and 6 from the Carolina 44 early in the second quarter.

Phillips took a handoff from quarterback Marc Verica and was stopped for no gain. "I don't think you can look forward to seeing that again," Phillips said.

That call isn't in Virginia's playbook, Groh said, and was the result of a communication breakdown.

"I think we'll leave pass-catching as John's principal way of getting the ball," Groh said, smiling.

Phillips had five receptions for 38 yards yesterday. The Cavaliers' leading receiver was junior wideout Kevin Ogletree, who had six catches for 72 yards. That gives him 1,064 yards receiving for his career.

U.Va. now 2-4 in OT
After losing its first four overtime games, U.Va. now has won two in a row. The Cavaliers lost in OT to Duke in 1999, to BYU in 2000, to Clemson in 2003 and to Fresno State, in the MPC Computers Bowl, in 2004. U.Va.'s only overtime win before yesterday had come in 2006 against Wyoming at Scott Stadium.

Sterling defense? It was Childs' play
He wasn't listed on the depth chart, but U.Va. junior Darren Childs got a battlefield promotion when senior inside linebacker Antonio Appleby limped off the field early in the first quarter.

Appleby entered as the team's leading tackler, and Childs rarely had played for the Cavaliers. But he was still more experienced than true freshman Steve Greer or redshirt freshman Terence Fell-Danzer, so Childs got the call from Groh and defensive coordinator Bob Pruett.

He didn't squander the opportunity. Among Cavaliers, only Jon Copper (16) had more tackles than Childs (10), one of whose stops was for a 2-yard loss.

"He has to be the MVP," Virginia linebacker Clint Sintim said of Childs, who's from San Diego. "To make the plays that he did says a lot about that guy. He just really came in here and made tremendous plays, a lot of big hits. I'm proud of him."

Loss of Lalich wasn't a problem
When Peter Lalich was dismissed from the team Sept. 18, Virginia lost the quarterback who had started its first two games. But the Cavaliers have won three straight with sophomore Marc Verica at QB.

Groh was asked Thursday if the Lalich saga the sophomore from Northern Virginia had well-documented legal issues had distracted the team.

"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."

Groh acknowledged that he doesn't miss the questions he had to field about the status of Lalich, who transferred to Oregon State last month.

"That's a nice thing, yes," Groh said.

Home away from home
UNC has six scholarship players from Virginia, including junior Kyle Jolly, who starts at left offensive tackle. Jolly starred at Blessed Sacrament Huguenot.

The other Virginians on scholarship in Butch Davis' program: tight end Ed Barham (Surry County High), wideout Todd Harrelson (Oscar Smith High), fullback Bobby Rome (Granby High), tight end Randy White (Virginia High) and defensive end E.J. Wilson (Brunswick High). -- Jeff White

 

Quick Kicks - UVa vs. North Carolina
Sunday, Oct 19, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 02:28 AM

Final score: U.Va. 16, North Carolina 13 (OT) For starters: U.Va. went three and out on its first possession, which began with a penalty, and then allowed North Carolina to drive 83 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown. Not until the final play of overtime did the Cavaliers take the lead. Turning point: Leading 10-3, North Carolina opted to play the dreaded "prevent defense" when U.Va. took over with 2:22 left in the fourth quarter. Sophomore quarterback Marc Verica had been ineffective to that point, but he calmly picked apart the Tar Heels' zone, leading the Cavaliers on a 82-yard touchdown drive. Star of the game: Darren Childs. He had played in only two of Virginia's first five games, and he probably would have been a spectator yesterday, too, if senior Antonio Appleby hadn't hurt his right ankle early in the first quarter. But Childs replaced Appleby, Virginia's leading tackler through five games, at inside linebacker and made 10 stops -- seven more than his career total before yesterday. The big picture: After U.Va. lost 31-3 at Duke, which had dropped its previous 25 ACC games, it seemed likely that this season would be Al Groh's last as coach at his alma mater. But the Cavaliers (2-1, 4-3) have won three consecutive games since the debacle in Durham and are very much in the Coastal Division title race. Quotable: "I think we played the defense a little wrong. We played it too soft." -- UNC safety Deunta Williams, on Virginia's final possession of the fourth quarter. Go figure: 16. That's how many tackles U.Va. senior linebacker Jon Copper made against UNC. His previous high: 12, against Maryland in 2007 and Duke this season. Next: In a clash of Coastal contenders, U.Va. (2-1, 4-3) takes on Georgia Tech (3-1, 6-1). They'll meet Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. ESPNU will televise the game. The Cavaliers haven't played away from Scott Stadium since their Sept. 27 loss at Duke. Georgia Tech won at Clemson yesterday.

 

Grading the three keys for U.Va.
Sunday, Oct 19, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 02:27 AM

Grading the three keys for U.Va.
B- 1. Use Cedric Peerman to punish Carolina. The senior tailback posted modest statistics -- 44 yards on 17 carries -- but Peerman scored both of U.Va.'s touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime.

B 2. Contain Hakeem Nicks. The junior wideout entered the game as the ACC's leading receiver. U.Va. played most of the game without its best defensive back, cornerback Ras-I Dowling (back injury), but Nicks didn't dominate. He finished with six catches for 90 yards.

A+ 3. Limit turnovers. Talk about a role reversal. UNC came in leading the nation in turnover margin (+1.8), and U.Va. had the most turnovers of any ACC team. Virginia forced three turnovers yesterday and did not give the ball away.


 

UNC didn't play it smart by opting to play it safe
Sunday, Oct 19, 2008 - 12:07 AM Updated: 02:11 AM
By PAUL WOODY
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Even if the North Carolina Tar Heels had won, they would have deserved to lose.

Fortune favors the bold, not the percentage players. North Carolina coach Butch Davis played the percentages the entire second half against the University of Virginia yesterday.

He looked like a wise man, until there was 2:18 left in the game.

Teachable moment No.1 for Davis: "The game is 60 minutes long," said Virginia quarterback Marc Verica. "Not 58, not 59. This team, in the past couple of years, has shown we're great in the last five minutes. We've gotten a lot of wins in crunch time. That's been an identity of our team."

In the final two minutes yesterday, the Cavaliers went boldly where they had not gone in the previous 58 minutes -- down the field for a touchdown to tie the game and force overtime.

They went boldly into the end zone again, in overtime, and won 16-13.

Late in the game, very late in the game, Verica led what would have been an improbable 82-yard drive for many other teams. For the Cavaliers, it's just another Saturday afternoon.

The Tar Heels, leading 10-3, played a "prevent defense" on the Cavaliers' last drive in regulation. It prevented nothing, except an early departure by the Virginia fans.

North Carolina rushed three defensive linemen and dropped eight men into coverage.

"We were trying to get to the quarterback, trying to pressure him, trying to be in the right place," Davis said.

Teachable moment No.2 for Davis: The way to pressure a quarterback is to rush more players than there are blockers. It works almost every time.

Instead, Verica had ample time to look for receivers. His receivers found the open spots in the defense "A soft cover two," Verica said. Verica then found the receivers.

The Tar Heels almost got a break they didn't deserve on the extra point after that touchdown. The kick was partially blocked and the ball tumbled precariously through the air before clearing the crossbar.

"Providence," said Virginia coach Al Groh.

Providence had little to do with the performance of the Virginia defense after the first quarter.

On their initial possession, the Tar Heels ripped and roared 83 yards for a touchdown. They looked as if they meant to erase their 13-game losing streak here so completely that several of those past losses would be reversed as well.

The Tar Heels had several chances to put the game away early, but could not close the deal.

After that, the Virginia defense kept the Tar Heels in a box and out of the end zone. The Tar Heels helped by committing three turnovers.

Those turnovers clearly were on Davis' mind as time dwindled.

Late in the second half and on their overtime possession, the Tar Heels offense was more conservative than a panel of Neo-cons discussing foreign policy.

The only time quarterback Cameron Sexton looked downfield was to see how much time was left on the play clock.

That's no way to win a game, especially a road game in front of 52,000 screaming fans.

The Cavaliers were beatable yesterday. They could not mount a running game of any significance. Verica passed for 217 yards, but 80 of them came on that last drive in the fourth quarter.

But the Cavaliers did what they did so well last year. They hung around and hung around and found a way to win. It's not always pretty, but it is very effective.

"Every team, throughout the course of the year, has to go find its identity," Groh said. "We clearly think over the last three weeks we're starting to find our identity, which is a tough-minded, purposeful team with a lot of resolve.

"There's a lot of trust and unity on the team."

Yesterday, Virginia deserved to win. North Carolina deserved to lose. Justice was served.

 

House of horrors
The Cavaliers stage a late comeback to tie the score in regulation, then win the game in overtime to hand the 18th-ranked Tar Heels a dispiriting defeat.
Robbi Pickeral, Staff Writer
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. - When North Carolina safety Deunta Williams got his hand on Robert Randolph's extra-point attempt with less than a minute left in regulation Saturday night, several Tar Heels thought, for a moment, that it was over -- the game, the 27-year losing streak at Virginia, the three-year postseason drought.
But when the ball wobbled over the crossbar, tying the score and forcing an overtime period during which No. 18 UNC eventually lost 16-13, it extended all of those galling streaks. Again.

"I thought I was a little ticked after the Virginia Tech game," said senior linebacker Mark Paschal, whose team will have to wait another week to try to reach bowl eligibility, and another two years to try, again, to win at Scott Stadium. "But I'm in a whole new mood right now. I'm pretty frustrated, I'm pretty upset with the way this one unfolded."

Can you blame him?

For roughly 57 1/2 minutes, North Carolina (5-2, 1-2 ACC) -- although wobbly at times on offense without injured playmaker Brandon Tate -- pretty much controlled the game.

Running back Shaun Draughn, making his first career start, posted his second career 100 yard game (30 carries, 138 yards), pushing the Tar Heels to a 7-0 lead on their opening drive. The defense held Virginia to 122 yards through three quarters. Linebacker Bruce Carter recorded his fifth special teams block of the season, on Randolph's third quarter 39-yard field-goal attempt.

And although the offense committed three uncharacteristic turnovers, the Cavaliers scored only three points off of them.

"They were tough all day," Virginia tailback Cedric Peerman said.

So tough that after UNC freshman kicker Casey Barth booted a 40-yard field goal with 2:22 left, giving the Tar Heels a 10-3 cushion, it appeared that UNC finally had the game in hand.

That is, until Virginia quarterback Marc Verica (24-38, 217 yards) completed a 26-yard pass. Then a 7-yarder, a 6-yarder, a 16-yarder.

UNC coach Butch Davis said: "We were trying to get to the quarterback, try to pressure him, trying to be in the right place."

But with UNC rushing just three players and dropping eight into coverage, that just didn't happen.

"You can call it a prevent [defense]; our corners were supposed to back up a little bit and I was supposed to stay a little deep, but I think we played it too soft," Williams said. "We didn't sink as much as we needed to, and a couple plays I didn't get over on top of [a receiver] like I needed to. I think it was just overall a bad defense for us to be in at that time because of the way that we played it. I think it was a good call by our coach ... our players just didn't execute it right."

Indeed, Verica completed 7 of his 8 pass attempts on that 82-yard drive before Peerman (17 carries, 44 yards, two touchdowns) rumbled in from 2 yards out. That set up Williams' near-block.

"I got a pretty good piece of it; it just somehow went in," Williams said.

The 1 minute, 35 second drive marked the third time in four games UNC has allowed an opponent to make a late-game push. But unlike against Miami and Notre Dame, UNC couldn't force a game-clinching turnover.

"We probably had one, two, maybe even three opportunities for interceptions ourselves, and we just missed the ball," Davis said. "Those balls had come to us in the previous six ballgames, and today, they didn't come to us."

In the overtime period, Barth booted a 28-yard field goal, but Virginia countered with a 2-yard touchdown rush by Peerman that was set up by a 19-yard Verica pass to John Phillips.

"This game does a lot for our confidence," said Verica, whose team (4-3, 2-1) has now won three straight after starting the season 1-3.

Meanwhile, UNC's players said it only feeds their determination to improve. Although losing for the 14th straight time in Charlottesville and remaining one victory shy of bowl eligibility, may sting for a while.

"It's frustrating losing a game that you've led the majority of the game," Paschal said "Whenever you do that, it's [darn] heartbreaking. It's just frustrating for me as a senior. One of my goals was to be able to win up here, and that's no longer going to happen."
 

Heels hurt by turnovers, errors
Sexton vows to avoid a similar showing
Robbi Pickeral, Staff Writer
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. - North Carolina quarterback Cameron Sexton was frustrated with himself after tossing two interceptions during Saturday's 16-13 overtime loss to Virginia, saying, "I feel like I let down our fans, the state of North Carolina; I feel like I let down the University; I really feel like I let down my teammates pretty good today."
But the redshirt junior said he plans to take that frustration out on future defenses.

"I can promise you one thing: This week, [my teammates] are going to get an unbelievable effort from me," he said. "I'm not going to leave that football center, not a minute, until I fully understand what Boston College is doing every single play. I'm going to be prepared next Saturday to play, and this is not going to happen again."

Sexton said he was prepared for the Cavaliers' 3-4 defense, he just wasn't able to execute. Although tailback Shaun Draughn rushed for a career-high 138 yards, No. 18 UNC's attack often stagnated without explosive receiver Brandon Tate, who suffered torn ligaments in his right knee last Saturday and is sidelined for the rest of the season. Not that anyone would blame Tate's absence for the offensive miscues.

"We made some mistakes in substitutions and formations that really hurt us, trying to shuttle as many different people in trying to replace Brandon Tate -- and that's no excuse," coach Butch Davis said. "Brandon not being here has nothing to do with us not winning this football game. We weren't as sharp and crisp as we needed to be."

Failing to take advantage of field position was the offense's biggest problem, Davis said.

"Too many of our drives ended in fourth-and-3 at about the 40-yard line and having to punt," he said. "...You're one first down away from being in four-down territory and four-down territory probably gives you the chance that some of those drives maybe end in field goals. And every time you don't take advantage of really good field position by capitalizing on it, by scoring touchdowns, which you'd like to do, or putting yourself in the position to kick field goals, it'll come back to haunt you."

Turnovers particularly hurt the Tar Heels' field position.

UNC had driven into Virginia territory early in the second quarter when, on second-and-8 at the 33, Sexton rolled left, and was looking for Hakeem Nicks -- and instead threw straight for Cavaliers safety Byron Glasby.

On Carolina's first possession of the second half, the Tar Heels were near midfield when Cavaliers defensive lineman Nick Jenkins picked off a screen pass intended for Draughn.

Later that quarter, Sexton completed a 19-yard pass to Nicks in UVa territory, but Nicks was stripped of the ball.

The Cavaliers scored only three points on those three UNC mistakes -- but they also kept the Tar Heels from making big plays.

That's something Sexton said he, and his team, will fix by next Saturday's game against Boston College.

"You're going to see a motivated team, and we're not going to take no for an answer, and there's not going to be any lapse," Sexton said. "This is going to be a positive for us ... I can promise you that."

 

'WE DIDN'T BUCKLE'
October 19, 2008 12:16 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

The University of Virginia football team has revitalized its season with a perfect three-game home-stand.

But yesterday's 16-13 overtime upset victory over No. 18 North Carolina was undoubtedly the most improbable of the trio of wins.

Cavaliers head coach Al Groh called the comeback win, which included a blocked extra point barely scraping across the goalpost to tie the game at 10 with 47 seconds left in regulation, "Providence."

"That was an awesome win for our team," Groh said. "Every team throughout the course of the year has to find its identity. We clearly think over the last three weeks we're starting to find our identity, which is a tough-minded, stick-together, purposeful team with a lot of resolve."

Many of Groh's players said it was the best win they've been a part of at Virginia.

It wasn't easy.

Senior running back Cedric Peerman scored on a 2-yard touchdown run in overtime to lift the Cavaliers (4-3, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) to the victory.

Peerman gave the once-beleaguered Groh the game ball afterward.

"He's just very deserving of it after a win like this," Peerman said.

The game-winning score was Peerman's second touchdown of the game. His first, which also came from two yards out, helped tie the game at 10 before true freshman kicker Robert Randolph's suspenseful extra point.

North Carolina safety Deunta Williams tipped the ball, but it wasn't enough to take it off its path. Randolph said he held his breath for a second before exhaling.

"Of course, it was fortunate for [the Cavaliers]," Williams said. "God bless them."

The Cavaliers appeared finished after North Carolina kicker Casey Barth booted a 40-yard field goal to put the Tar Heels (6-2, 1-2) ahead 10-3 with 2:22 remaining.

The margin may not sound like much, but the Cavaliers had accumulated just 168 yards of total offense up to that point and they were faced with an 82-yard drive to tie the game.

But sophomore quarterback Marc Verica, in his fifth career start, calmly directed the nine-play march that took just 1:35 off the clock.

He completed seven-of-eight passes for 80 yards on the drive.

Verica, who finished the game 24-of-38 for 217 yards and no interceptions, said the opportunity to win the game with a long drive "is every quarterback's dream."

"That was the challenge that faced us, so we just seized the moment," Verica said. "We didn't buckle under the pressure. We just focused on our performance and what we had to get it done, and things worked out."

It didn't work out for the Tar Heels, who still haven't won in Charlottesville since 1981, a span of 14 games.

North Carolina supporters may question why Tar Heels head coach Butch Davis elected to run out the clock at his own 20-yard line with 47 seconds remaining following Peerman's touchdown in regulation.

The decision didn't pay off.

The Cavaliers won the overtime coin toss and chose to play defense first. North Carolina picked up one first down, but was stopped at the Virginia 11 and had to settle for a 28-yard Barth field goal.

The Cavaliers took advantage.

Verica's 19-yard pass to tight end John Phillips set them up at the North Carolina 4-yard line, and two plays later Peerman and his teammates were celebrating a key victory that put them above .500 for the first time this season.

"It's still right after the game, but it's got to be in the top three," Virginia senior linebacker Clint Sintim said of where the win ranks in his five years with the Cavaliers. "I really can't remember a time we've won a game in overtime versus a quality opponent like this. This was a hard-fought win."

Sintim and his defensive teammates played a big part. North Carolina running back Ryan Houston scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 8:23 left in the first quarter, but the Tar Heels were held out of the end zone the rest of the game despite 138 rushing yards from running back Shaun Draughn.

"It's just a reflection of the resiliency of our team and the character of our team to never quit and never be out of a game," Peerman said of the victory. "We've come a long way."
 

Better late than never
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 18, 2008

Fighting back tears of joy, Virginia coach Al Groh basked in the moment for a split second.

Several minutes prior, senior running back Cedric Peerman had presented the game ball to Groh, capping off a memorable night that included yet another win for Virginia over North Carolina at Scott Stadium and completed an unblemished three-game homestand.

In improbable — and almost unbelievable — fashion, UVa surged past the 18th-ranked Tar Heels, 16-13, in overtime on a crisp evening in front of 52,342 fans.

It was Peerman that scored a pair of touchdowns on 2-yard runs that pushed the Cavaliers into overtime and later into a frantic celebration that included a sea of students and fans spilling onto the field.

“[Receiving the game ball] will be something I’ll cherish for a long time,” Groh said. “When somebody like Cedric Peerman wants to do that, not only him individually, but as a representative and captain of the character and heart of the team, it’s very meaningful and very appreciated.”

The wild finish, while expected in the rivalry, included some unthinkable heroics after UNC went ahead 10-3 with just 2:22 remaining.

Virginia (4-3, 2-1 ACC), after gaining only 168 yards of total offense on its first 52 offensive plays, methodically marched 82 yards on nine plays that took only 1:35 off the clock.

On the final drive of regulation, quarterback Marc Verica completed 7 of 8 passes for 80 yards and found three different receivers for plays of at least 16 yards to take the Cavaliers’ suddenly-energized offense into North Carolina’s red zone.

“I think we played the defense a little wrong. We played it too soft,” said UNC safety Deunta Williams. “We didn’t think as much as we needed to.In a couple of plays, I didn’t get over on top of them like I needed to. I think it was just overall bad coverage.”

On 1st-and-10 from the UNC 11, Verica fired a pass to his left to Kevin Ogletree for a 9-yard completion. After declining a penalty on the play, Verica threw his lone incompletion into the end zone in the direction of tight end John Phillips.

With ample time and a timeout to allow for a running play, Peerman was given the ball and followed the left side of his offensive line into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown run with 47 seconds left.

“We talk about being at our best at the end of the game and we certainly were,” Groh said of the game-tying drive. “Marc Verica did a great job on the two-minute drive. It’s something we practice a great deal and we did what we’re supposed to do.

“[Verica had] great poise there and some kids came up with some terrific catches and that series was obviously very appropriately called.”

UNC almost avoided overtime after the touchdown.

Robert Randolph, filling in for injured placekicker Yannick Reyering, had his extra-point attempt blocked by North Carolina’s Deunta Williams, but the kick had just enough force to fall beyond the crossbar.

“Once I got the kick off, I thought it was going in without a doubt,” said Randolph, who made a 37-yard field goal in the third quarter to get Virginia on the scoreboard. “There was just one hand that tipped it and it was in slow motion from there.

“It was a very nerve-wracking moment. I tried to keep my eyes on it pretty well, and I just saw it barely sneak over the bar.”

After winning the coin toss, Virginia forced UNC’s offense onto the field to start overtime.

The Tar Heels managed 10 yards and gained a first down with back-to-back carries by Shaun Draughn and then tried a pair of pass plays that sandwiched another run by Draughn.

Virginia’s defense held serve, forcing 4th-and-6 at the UNC 11, which led to a 28-yard field goal from Casey Barth.

Peerman ran for two yards on the Cavaliers’ first play in overtime and set the stage for what Groh said might have been a season-changing result.

With Phillips oddly lined up as a fullback, Verica flipped a floater to the right side of the field that magically landed in Phillips’ hands at the UNC 4.

“It is just one of them plays,” Phillips said. “I will be honest with you, Marc threw that ball up and it was in the lights. I just kind of jumped up about where I thought it was going to come down, and the Lord must have been looking out for me.

“It just fell right into my lap.”

Although fans are forbidden from racing onto the field, police officers and stadium security were no match for the magnitude.

“I was glad to see the students enjoy themselves,” Groh chuckled.

For the game, UNC amassed 332 yards of total offense, including 83 of which came on UNC’s opening drive. That 10-play possession was capped by a 1-yard touchdown by Ryan Houston.

The Tar Heels, who entered leading the national in turnover margin, were plagued by three turnovers forced by Virginia’s defense.

 

Verica, Peerman come up big on tying touchdown drive
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: October 18, 2008

When Virginia got the football back for the last time in regulation during Saturday night’s thriller-diller upset over No. 18 North Carolina, things looked mighty grim.

Only 2:18 remained and the Cavaliers were backed up deep in their own territory, trailing 10-3. An offense that had been stagnant almost all evening was faced with the improbability of going 82 yards under immense pressure.

Virginia needed a hero.

It found several.

Up until then, the Cavaliers had generated only nine first downs all game long and a mere 172 yards offense against a tough, stingy Carolina defense that led the nation in interceptions and turnover margin.

Credit the cool of quarterback Marc Verica for running Virginia’s two-minute drill to perfection in covering the distance and sending the game into overtime, where the Cavaliers won it, 16-13.

In only his fifth start, Verica bounced back from a mediocre-at-best three quarters-plus performance and displayed the poise of a seasoned veteran as he led the Cavs down the field.

Verica completed seven straight passes from his own 18 to the North Carolina 2 before one slipped through tight end John Phillips’ mitts on the goal line with 50 seconds to play.

No biggie. Instead, Verica called tailback Cedric Peerman’s number and the physical running back bulled over North Carolina middle linebacker Mark Paschal and into the end zone.

All that almost went for naught as rookie place-kicker Robert Randolph’s extra point was tipped and barely made its way over the crossbar to tie the game at 10-10 with 47 seconds to play. Carolina decided to take a knee and take its chances in overtime, where Virginia won it on a huge catch by Phillips at the 4-yard line, followed by two more physical runs by Peerman, the final one a two-yard score over left tackle Eugene Monroe for the winning touchdown.

“That’s what every quarterback dreams about,” Verica said of the two-minute drill that knotted the game. “To be given that opportunity, to be able to drive 80 yards in two minutes with your team behind was an opportunity I always dreamed about as a kid. It was really an unbelievable win.”

The big drive got off to an ominous start when return man Kevin Ogletree slipped in the open field at his own 18.

Then Verica went to work.

The sophomore, who has shown a penchant for accuracy, hit Ogletree on the first pass of the drive, but Carolina threw the receiver for a one-yard loss.

Verica wasn’t deterred and threw for 26 yards and a first down to wide receiver Maurice Covington at the 43 against UNC’s version of the prevent defense, a soft Cover-2.

With 1:46 showing on the Scott Stadium clock, Verica hit Phillips on back-to-back passes for seven yards to midfield (1:42 left), and six more to the UNC 44 for a first down with 1:33 to go.

As the atmosphere in the stadium picked up considerably — with fans perhaps sensing a comeback — Verica found wide receiver Cary Koch over the middle for 16 yards to the Heels’ 28, and another first down, with 1:25 remaining.

On the next play, Verica drifted to his right and found Phillips open near the goal line, but the ball sailed through his hands.

Perhaps offensive coordinator Mike Groh caught the Tar Heels off-guard, perhaps reeling from the barrage of passes that truly had Carolina’s defense on its heels — pun intended.

He called a running play over left tackle, but Peerman didn’t just walk into the end zone. The Virginia tailback had to run over Carolina’s Paschal to hit paydirt, setting up a much more dramatic extra point than the Wahoos had wished for.

“I felt like I had good momentum going for me and it carried me into the end zone,” Peerman said modestly of his big TD run.

Truth is, he steamrolled the Carolina linebacker. Nothing was going to keep Peerman out of the end zone.

For Peerman, who had a career-high 186 yards rushing against the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill last season, he finished the game with a mere 44, but he’s never had a bigger 44.

“Rushing yards come and go. We knew it was going to be tough running the ball today, but we found a way to win,” Peerman said. “Last year’s game was really dramatic, but this year it was twice as dramatic.”

There have been a lot of memorable late drives in Virginia football history, and this one has to go down as one of the best.

 

‘Cardiac Cavs’ back at Scott
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: October 18, 2008

After setting an all-time NCAA record last season for close calls, Virginia is at it again. Frankly, we’re not sure Wahoo Nation can take it.

For weeks now, the Cavaliers have been struggling to find their identity as a football team, and after Saturday night’s dramatic, 16-13 upset over No. 18 North Carolina, Al Groh said his team had discovered it.

Bad news for Wahoo fans. Their collective blood pressures and heart rates must have experienced some astronomical gyrations during the final minutes of the 113th meeting of the South’s oldest rivaly.

Carolina, having felt cursed coming into Charlottesville, must have left feeling even worse. The Tar Heels haven’t won in this town since 1981 and Saturday was no different. Again, Scott Stadium turned into UNC’s own chamber of horrors as the Heels lost for the 14th straight time, blowing a 10-3 lead in the final two minutes.

The Streak lives on.

By any means necessary

Virginia has won seven of those 14 games by seven points or less, and the Tar Heels led in all of them. Ranked or not, big bowl game on the line or not, whatever the scenario, the Cavaliers have found ways — sometimes bizarre ones — to derail their crusty old rivals.

This time, UNC’s train left the tracks with 2:18 to play when the Cavaliers mounted a memorable, nine-play, 82-yard drive to deadlock the game and send it into overtime.

You thought last year provided enough excitement when UVa won five games by two points or less, the most ever in one season in major college football history.

Well, the Wahoos delivered one more Cheat the Reaper performance on Saturday night. Fresh off a dramatic win of its own against Notre Dame last week, North Carolina was in the driver’s seat for nearly 58 minutes, although the Tar Heels struggled to score against a hair-chested effort by Virginia’s defense.

Instruction manual

The embattled Groh came into the game stressing a number of major points to his team, and the Cavaliers responded when it counted.

The coach’s list included:

* Don’t feed the turnover machine. Carolina led the nation in interceptions and turnover margin coming in.

Check. The Cavs committed no turnovers.

* Keep the Tar Heels’ special teams from making big plays.

Check. UNC had no big plays in that department.

* Don’t let playmaker wide receiver Hakeem Nicks take over the game. Nicks played a major role in beating the Irish last week.

Double check. He ended up with six catches for 90 yards but never reached paydirt and didn’t torpedo Virginia’s defense even though the Cavaliers lost two key defenders early in the game — cornerback Ras-I Dowling and linebacker Antonio Appleby.

The game was eerily similar to some of last year’s Reaper Cheaters. Virginia kept it low scoring and close to the end, giving itself a chance to win.

When it came to the defining moment, the young Wahoos were golden.

Sophomore quarterback Marc Verica was incredibly efficient when it counted most, connecting on seven consecutive passes on the Cavaliers’ dramatic march at the end of regulation.

Carolina had given him exactly the look, a soft Cover-2 (essentially a prevent defense) that he had practiced against all week in Virginia’s two-minute drill.

While UVa’s offense coughed and sputtered most of the game, it was quite impressive on the tying drive.

“The first half couldn’t have gone worse for us,” Verica said afterward. “I was making bad decisions. Coming out we knew we had to stay focused and execute.”

Did he ever.

And when he methodically engineered that final drive in regulation, he called on his prized back, Cedric Peerman, to get the job done.

As Groh said later, “We didn’t want to over-think the situation. We have an All-American over at left tackle.”

“The Running Reverend” followed big tackle Eugene Monroe along with a pulling right guard B.J. Cabbell, tight end John Phillips and fullback Rashawn Jackson around the left corner, where Peerman bowled over UNC linebacker Mark Paschal.

After UNC managed only a field goal against an inspired UVa defense in the overtime, Verica took up right where he left off in regulation. He connected on a 19-yard pass to Phillips at the Tar Heels’ 4.

Two plays later, Peerman, a licensed minister who isn’t afraid to wear his faith on his sleeve, bolted into the end zone — again behind Monroe — for the winning TD and the upset.

“Those were the two biggest touchdowns of my career,” Peerman said later. “This is the best game I have ever been a part of here.”

It was Virginia’s third straight upset win — all at home, where the Cavs have won 26 of their last 31 games.

Peerman credited the defense for hanging in to give UVa a shot at the end.

“For the defense to be tough like that the whole game was really incredible,” Peerman said. “They dug in and held Carolina’s offense in check and did what they quite often do — put us in a position to win.”

North Carolina coach Butch Davis, who piloted some of the University of Miami’s greatest teams and coached the NFL’s Cleveland Browns but is 0-2 against Virginia, agreed with Peerman.

“[Virginia] has an awful lot of defensive schemes,” Davis said. “They have blitzes — they probably showed three or four different run blitzes today that we had not seen out of them. I told our team when we got to the locker room that Virginia made the plays they needed to make to win the game and I have to give them credit for that.”

Now, standing at 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the ACC, Virginia goes to Georgia Tech next weekend for a key game in the Coastal Division standings.

After observing what Virginia is doing again, the Reaper may decide to take the weekend off.

 

Verica overcomes shaky start to lead comeback
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 18, 2008

The stats were not pretty.

In fact, Marc Verica entered the third quarter of Saturday’s game with as many incomplete passes as those that found receivers.

That all changed in the fourth quarter and the overtime session that followed during Virginia’s miraculous 16-13 victory over No. 18 North Carolina.

“The first half couldn’t have gone worse for us,” Verica said. “I was making bad decisions, we were being penalized and we just couldn’t move the ball. Coming out we knew we had to stay focused and execute and put ourselves in a position to win.”

Verica, who was making his fifth career start, completed 24 of 38 passes for 217 yards and did not throw an interception against a defense that led the nation with 14 picks

It is Verica’s second-best performance in regards to yardage and marked his third straight 200-plus yard performance.

Verica is now 3-2 as a starter.

Childs play

When Virginia linebacker Antonio Appleby left the game in the first half with an apparent foot injury, junior linebacker Darren Childs was thrust into the lineup alongside Jon Copper.

“I didn’t know Antonio went out until I looked over and Darren was right beside me on regular [defense],” Copper said. “I didn’t see Antonio running on the field on the next dime play, so I knew he was out.”

The California native, who entered Saturday’s game with just one tackle this season, had five first-half stops and finished the game with a career-best 10 tackles.

“Darren’s had a good consistent year for us so far,” Copper said. “He knows what to do when he gets out there and today he just had an excellent game.”

Childs was not on the pre-game depth chart. Terrence Fells-Danzer was listed behind Appleby.

Picking it off

Virginia intercepted a pair of passes in the contest, helping the Cavaliers win the turnover battle against the nation’s best team in turnover margin.

Senior safety Byron Glaspy collected a pass from North Carolina quarterback Cam Sexton on the second play of the second quarter and returned it 35 yards. It was the second interception of Glaspy’s career; the first came at Miami last year.

In the third quarter, nose tackle Nick Jenkins added an interception. The redshirt freshman snagged a pass from Sexton at the UNC 38 and rumbled forward four yards.

Jenkins said it was his first interception at any level.

It marked just the second time this season that UNC had thrown a pair of interceptions.

Hall of Fame power

Former Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green raised the Power of Orange flag before the game.

Green was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer. He was introduced by his son, Jared, a redshirt freshman wide receiver at Virginia. Jared also introduced his father at his Hall of Fame induction.

“That was exciting. That was fun,” Jared Green said. “Like he always says, ‘It’s about me.’ He is my biggest fan and one of UVa’s biggest fans.”

The younger Green made his mark on the game, catching a 26-yard pass in the third quarter. It was the longest play of his career.

Extra points …

Virginia cornerback Ras-I Dowling joined Appleby on the sidelines after the first drive. UVa coach Al Groh said he was told it was an issue with Dowling’s back. He did not return and was replaced by the combined efforts from Chase Minnifield and Mike Parker. … John Phillips, a senior tight end for Virginia, had his first career rush in the first half. The play did not net yardage and, ironically, was called incorrectly in the huddle. “I don’t think we will see that again,” Phillips chuckled. … Virginia wideout Kevin Ogletree surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in his career. He finished with six receptions for 72 yards and becomes the 28th player in school history to accomplish the feat. … Clint Sintim registered Virginia’s lone sack of Sexton. The outside linebacker has had a sack in four straight games and has 25 career sacks.

 

Leitao stresses mental strength
By Whitey Reid
Published: October 18, 2008

Toward the end of practice on Saturday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena, Virginia coach Dave Leitao decided it was time to see what his players were really made of.

Leitao’s final drill required groups of players to make 82 end-to-end layups in two minutes. For the mathematically challenged, that’s a deuce about every 1.46 seconds.

On their first attempt, the players hit just 76. On their second, they notched 80. On their third, they made 79.

At that point, Leitao asked Mamadi Diane, one of just two seniors on the team, if he should lower the target number.

“No!” Diane shouted, for all his teammates to hear.

Diane then gathered everyone at midcourt.

“He was telling us to catch our breath since some of us were kind of tired,” explained Virginia sophomore Mike Scott. “He was just saying we had to dig down real deep.

“We realized it was the last drill of practice and we had been going hard for two days. We knew if we could just get through the drill, we would be finished.”

On the fourth attempt, the players finally found their mark, finishing with 85. A dunk by freshman John Brandenburg was the clinching basket.

“Coach was just stressing mental toughness,” Scott said. “We should have made 82 on the first time. It shouldn’t have taken four or five times to do it. It’s all about mental toughness.”

That’s a trait that wasn’t on display too frequently last season when Virginia finished 10th in the ACC.

This season, Virginia must adapt to life without three-time first-team All-ACC guard Sean Singletary, the heart and soul of the team.

Diane is the team’s leading returning scorer, but he will also be counted on to fill some of the leadership void left by Singletary’s departure. That’s what made his rallying-the-troops display during the drill so encouraging.

“I talked to him about [leadership] off the court,” Leitao said, “and I talk to him about it when he’s on the court in allowing him the space to do it.”

When you consider the youth on this year’s Virginia squad — eight of the 13 scholarship players are freshmen and sophomores — Diane’s biggest contributions may have just as much to do with how leads as how he shoots.

Leitao admitted that some of his freshmen — who had only heard about his hard practices — were probably in a little bit of a shock following the first two days in the gym.

“It’s always a little more difficult, especially when you come from high school and you don’t really practice with that kind of intensity for that long period of time before,” he said.

Dunks

Leitao said he had no idea how long Jamil Tucker (shoulder) and Calvin Baker (foot) would be out. “I don’t know from a doctor’s standpoint,” he said, “but you try and concern yourself with how quickly they can get back. We won’t know exactly until we get all the information. Jamil’s has been ongoing for a little while, but it just got worse. Because Calvin’s just came up, [we don’t know] how much time it’s going to cost him.”… Sophomore Jeff Jones twisted his ankle midway though practice and didn’t return. However, Leitao said he didn’t expect the guard to miss any time.