Cavaliers facing road test
U.Va. hopes to fare better at No. 21 Georgia Tech than its prior away games
Monday, Oct 20, 2008 - 12:06 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

The last time it ventured away from home, the University of Virginia football team fell 31-3 at Duke. Two weeks earlier, the Cavaliers had lost 45-10 at Connecticut.

Virginia (2-1, 4-3) heads to Atlanta this weekend for an Atlantic Coast Conference game with 21st-ranked Georgia Tech (3-1, 6-1). Coming off three straight wins at Scott Stadium, including Saturday's 16-13 overtime victory over then-No. 18 North Carolina, the team should be better prepared to face the challenges of the road, U.Va. coach Al Groh believes.

The UConn game marked sophomore quarterback Marc Verica's first start. The Cavaliers' inspirational leader, senior tailback Cedric Peerman, missed the Duke game with a knee injury.

"We just weren't playing with a very strong deck at that time," Groh said last night when asked about Virginia's early-season road woes. "We had some issues offensively. We had all new kickers. We had some issues with a lot of new players on defense, so we probably weren't equipped to be very good at that stage, frankly. It's not fun to say, but that's probably the reality."

The Wahoos' resurgence began Oct. 4, when they stunned Maryland 31-0. A week later, Virginia beat East Carolina 35-20. Like Maryland and ECU had been, UNC was favored to win in Charlottesville, but that didn't faze U.Va.

After the Cavaliers' defense held Carolina to a field goal late in the fourth quarter, it was the offense's turn Saturday evening.

U.Va. needed a touchdown to send the game to overtime, and a 26-yard completion from Verica to wide receiver Maurice Covington ignited the offense. Big plays followed from wideouts Kevin Ogletree and Cary Koch, tight end John Phillips and Peerman, among other Cavaliers, and suddenly the game was tied at 10.

In overtime, after UNC went up 13-10, Virginia needed only four plays to cover 25 yards for the winning touchdown, the final two yards coming on a Peerman run.

"We had to make some plays on offense and defense there coming down the homestretch," Groh said. "Pretty much every play that had to be made, the guys stepped up and did a real good job with it. That's why it was so much a players' win."

For most of the game, U.Va. played without two of its best defenders: linebacker Antonio Appleby and cornerback Ras-I Dowling. Appleby left with an injury to his right foot in the first quarter, and Dowling hurt his back.

Groh said he'll learn more about their health today, but "any time a guy leaves the game that early and doesn't come back, we've got to be suspect as to what his participation might be [in the next game]."

A season ago, when the Cavaliers went 9-4, they won four of six road games. If they don't break through away from Scott Stadium this year, they can finish no better than 6-6 in the regular season.

"I like playing at home," senior linebacker Clint Sintim said. "We do pretty good over here. But it's going to be a different challenge for us to go on the road and to play a talented team in Georgia Tech. I look forward to the opportunity of trying to keep this streak going."

 

Sintim comes close, but still seeks first pick
Posted to: College Football Sports
By Ed Miller
The Virginian-Pilot
© October 19, 2008
CHARLOTTESVILLE

Clint Sintim had his first career interception in his hands.

Dropped it.

Sintim was able to laugh about it afterward, in the glow of Virginia's 16-13 overtime win over North Carolina. Late in the third quarter, he jumped on a Cameron Sexton pass and had nothing but green turf in front of him.

The senior linebacker said he told everyone on the team he would get his first pick this week. He anticipated the route, but when the ball came, he said he was nervous.

"I didn't go for the glory," he said. "I just knocked the ball down."

Meanwhile, Virginia picked off two other passes against the team that was leading the nation in turnover margin. Safety Byron Glaspy had one, and 295-pound nose tackle Nick Jenkins the other.

"Thank goodness my hands weren't too bad," Jenkins said.

Reserves step up after Appleby, Dowling go out

A pair of South Hampton Roads products - linebacker Antonio Appleby (Salem High) and cornerback Ras-I Dowling (Deep Creek) - left the game early with injuries.

Appleby appeared to hurt his ankle. Coach Al Groh said Dowling hurt his back, although he did not have details immediately after the game.

Darren Childs filled in for Appleby and made 10 tackles, second only to Jon Copper's 16. Mike Parker and Chase Minnifield took over for Dowling.

"We took two hits right in the first series with a couple of our best players going out," Groh said. "For Darren Childs, Mike Parker and Chase Minnifield to step up the way they did against a quality program was just awesome. We're proud of those guys for being true to the character of the team."

Groh happy Cavs didn't 'feed turnover machine'

Virginia's offense struggled for much of the day. But it was able to avoid turning the ball over against a Tar Heel defense that led the nation in interceptions, and was tied for the ACC lead in takeaways.

"We told the players we couldn't feed the turnover machine," Groh said. "That had been one of the things that really carried them."

U.Va. extra point a key as UNC's C-ville woes grow

North Carolina's string of futility in Charlottesville extends back to the Dick Bestwick era. Groh had downplayed the streak, which grew to 14 games and dates to 1981.

Asked if he believed in karma, when Robert Randolph's game-trying extra-point attempt was deflected yet managed to float over the crossbar, Groh used another term.

"Providence," he said, joking.

 

North Carolina Clipboard
Robbi Pickeral, Staff Writer
Comment on this story

INSIDE THE GAME
For the third time in four games, UNC allowed an opponent to drive down the field for a potentially pivotal late score. At Miami, safety Trimane Goddard grabbed an interception. Versus Notre Dame, Goddard recovered a fumble.

But at Virginia on Saturday, the Tar Heels (5-2, 1-2 ACC) failed to force a turnover for the first time this year -- allowing the Cavaliers to drive 82 yards in the final three minutes to force overtime --and eventually lost 16-13.

After the game, several players said they didn't execute properly on that drive; as a result, UNC lost in Charlottesville for the 14th straight time and fell out of the polls. Coach Butch Davis indicated Sunday he doesn't plan to change his late-game defensive strategy -- of rushing three and dropping eight into pass coverage -- in that situation. The team will just work to do it better.

"Obviously, it's unbelievable how 20-20 the hindsight is the day after," he said. "... The same things we did in that drive were they same things that had allowed them [Virginia] to have very, very little success the first 57 minutes of the ballgame. Unfortunately, they made some plays at the most inopportune times."

QUESTIONABLE CALL

With 47 seconds left in regulation, Davis opted to take a knee and go into overtime rather than try to push the ball down the field. Why?

"We had no timeouts, and unfortunately ... we did a poor job of not saving [them]," Davis said. "We would have loved to have had 47 seconds and two timeouts or three timeouts with the possibility."

Davis also indicated he was concerned about turning the ball over, so they decided to "take our chances and try to win it in overtime, and unfortunately, it turned out that maybe it was a poor decision on my part."

GAME BALLS

UVA QB MARC VERICA: Completed six of seven passes on the tying drive; finished 24-of-38 for 217 yards.

UNC LB BRUCE CARTER: Made his fifth special teams block of this season, this time on a field-goal attempt.

NEXT UP

Boston College, noon Saturday, Kenan Stadium
 

What a rush!
Paul Montana, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor
Published: Monday, October 20 2008

As Virginia surmounted its improbable comeback and students streamed onto the field at Scott Stadium Saturday following the team’s 16-13 overtime victory against North Carolina, my foot was lodged firmly in my mouth for two reasons.

One was that no one is allowed to cheer in the press box, and my shoe was the best object available to absorb my gleeful hollering. The second, though, was a horse of a different — and darker — color. In the two weeks that preceded this game, Virginia had been rolling, and I was predicting failure against UNC and beyond.

So the Cavs beat up Maryland — a fluke! Then they trounce East Carolina — the Pirates are overrated anyway!

I was 90-percent certain UNC would get the better of Virginia Saturday, and 50-50 that it would be by two scores or more. Early in the first quarter, after Virginia went three-and-out and North Carolina went three-and-in — as easy as 1, 2, 3, and ... they’re in the end zone — I was 100-percent on both.

How did Virginia do it? How does an offense that has scored one field goal — off two UNC turnovers, mind you — for the first 57-plus minutes stampede for a shiny 82-yard touchdown drive in the next minute and a half? Since when did Marc Verica become Joe Montana?

Furthermore, how does a secondary missing its best cornerback, sophomore Ras-I Dowling — who suffered a back injury in the first quarter, Virginia coach Al Groh said — contain one of the best receiving corps in the country? The last time Groh lost Dowling mid-game, Virginia gave up three touchdowns in barely more than a quarter – to Duke.

The only way I can understand this win is to agree with Groh that, just like last year’s team that won five games by two points or fewer, these boys have guts. It comes in the form of inside linebacker Jon Copper telling anyone on the sideline who would listen that his team was going to win, Groh said, and backing up his words with 16 tackles. It’s running back Cedric Peerman getting hammered at the line of scrimmage but refusing to go down or jumping up and screaming with passion after grinding every inch of a 4-yard gain. It’s outside linebacker Clint Sintim racing after the quarterback like a rabid dog after a flank steak again and again.

“A common theme that’s developing with this team, an identity that’s being forged in the last couple weeks, is just a tremendous amount of resolve and just toughness just to push through these adverse situations,” Verica said. “The resolve of my teammates and the coaches has just been awesome the last couple weeks.”

And it’s resolve that, frankly, these guys shouldn’t have. They should be looking over their shoulders at the team that could have been with nine players out of action because of academic, legal or personal issues. They should be yearning to get to 2009, when the current youth can be rejoined by quarterback Jameel Sewell, among others on academic suspension. After they lost to Duke by 28 points, the Cavaliers should have cashed it in for 2008 as so many fans did.

But Groh and co. wouldn’t let that happen. All week, the team spoke of the phrase Groh kept repeating: the one-game season. Next season, they said, was North Carolina.

And looking at the actual 2008 season, each game truly has been a tale of its own. Trying to make sense of what Virginia has done in its first seven games is like trying to merge seven pages from a connect-the-dots book into one unified picture.

The most beautiful part of this win, though, is that this game was make-or-break. Of Virginia’s five remaining games, three are on the road: against Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech. If Virginia had dropped this one to the Heels, Wahoos would have felt distraught about the team’s bowl chances.

“The difference between where that number goes on the left-hand column or the right-hand column is so small,” Groh said. “We’d be saying the same thing about how so many players just fought their hearts out and made plays and played well today if we would’ve had one less point [at the end of regulation].”

Because of that tiny difference, though, there are more people who can feel more comfortable in their positions. Verica is now without question a legitimate ACC quarterback. Offensive coordinator Mike Groh silenced all those critics who were wetting their whistles to again blast him on radio shows and message boards. After the debacle that was Peter Lalich and the catastrophe in Durham, if Groh’s job was in jeopardy, he might have just saved it.

And, one game past the midpoint of the season, I finally feel secure in hopping on the U.Va. bandwagon. The last two weeks, I refused to acknowledge that Virginia was a legitimate team in the ACC. But no more. I’m on the bus.

Of course, now that I say that, Virginia is liable to drop every game the rest of the way.

But, that’s my favorite part about it: Even if the Cavs do go winless, they’ve still got four wins at season’s end. After all that transpired culminating in the 3-31 loss to Duke a little more than three weeks ago, that’s three more victories than a lot of people thought they would have.

 

The drive and overtime that saved the season
Ernie Washington, Cavalier Daily Gameday Editor
Published: Monday, October 20 2008

These are some likely thoughts that passed through Virginia students and fans’ minds with 2:18 left in the fourth quarter and Virginia down 10-3:

“We have to drive 82 yards in that little time left?”

“How is Verica going to pass the ball when he’s struggled during the game?”

”Well, it looks like Virginia’s not really that good.”

Admittedly, all of those thoughts went through my head, and in what will go down as one of the greatest games in recent U.Va. football history, the Virginia offense managed to stun the 52,342 in attendance and pull off a drive for the ages.

To fully comprehend what just happened in the last 2:18 in the game and in overtime, a couple things must be rehashed. The first is that Virginia has been through this exact situation before, in fact as recently as last season.

“We did this against Middle Tennessee State and Maryland last year.” Virginia senior linebacker Clint Sintim said. “We had a different quarterback last year, but the same thing remained constant: We were able to come through.”

The second thing is that this year’s starting quarterback — sophomore Marc Verica — has shown poise and the ability to right an uneven keel throughout the season, and that was no more apparent than during the game-tying drive. Verica did miss some easy throws during the rest of the game, which cast doubt on whether he could lead an 80-yard charge to the end zone, but the way he drove the offense down the field was much more impressive than the game-winning drives of last year’s starting quarterback Jameel Sewell. Against Middle Tennessee State, all Virginia needed was a field goal — which makes a drive a little less stressful — and during the Maryland drive running back Mikell Simpson did most of the work.

Except for Cedric Peerman’s 2-yard touchdown run, Verica did all the work on this game-winner. He completed seven straight passes, the most impressive being a 26-yard pass to senior wide receiver Maurice Covington on the second play of the drive that put the Cavaliers at their 43-yard line and seemed to give the team some hope. Verica provided more than hope as he completed subsequent passes of 7, 6, 16, 17 and 9 yards to put Virginia at the North Carolina 2-yard line.

“As soon as I saw the offense start clicking, I was like ‘We’ve got this in the bag,’” Sintim said.

Well, not exactly, Clint. After the touchdown, there was the little business of an extra point, which was blocked and looked to be no good, but somehow pushed through.

“I just heard the crowd’s reaction; I wasn’t watching it a whole lot,” Virginia senior linebacker Jon Copper said about the extra point that almost was missed. “But then [the crowd] started cheering, so I knew it was good.”

Instead of heartbreak, after North Carolina surprisingly elected to kneel down even though there were 47 seconds left, the game was going to overtime.

It was fitting that after everything Virginia went through, it won the toss and elected to go on defense. It was also fitting that the defense, after allowing a first down, decided to hunker down and stop the Tar Heels and force a field goal.

“We had to step up and make plays,” Copper said. “I think overall we did that.”

Then the offense decided to make plays in overtime, and four plays later Virginia completed the shocking turnaround. Right when Peerman scored the touchdown to win the game, the students went absolutely nuts and, for a few seconds, it felt like there was some apprehension about whether to rush the field. All it took was a brave few souls to rush the field, and the flood began.

“They weren’t [supposed to rush the field],” Copper said. “But you have to let some celebration go, so it was good.”

There should have been no shame in rushing the field. Virginia seemed dead in the water with 2:18 left in the game, and for Virginia to pull off the drive in regulation and then in overtime was amazing. Three weeks ago, Virginia was 1-3, and hope for the season was lost.

After upsetting Maryland and East Carolina, hope seemed lost at the end of this game, too. 2:18 and one overtime drive was all it took for Virginia to not only save a victory but — thanks to Virginia Tech’s loss to Boston College Saturday — to reach a position from which they could potentially win the Coastal Division. Who would have thought?

 

Tudor's Take: What we learned Saturday
By Caulton Tudor
(Raleigh) News and Observer
Posted: Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008

RALEIGH It's not so much parity as mediocrity again this season in ACC football.

With Saturday's road losses by Virginia Tech at Boston College, North Carolina at Virginia and Wake Forest at Maryland, the odds are against the league producing a national top-15 team. In fact, cracking the top 20 in the final polls will be difficult enough.

Here's why: There are three one-loss teams left — Georgia Tech, Florida State and Boston College, all at 5-1 overall. All three have at least one game against the other two. Florida State has two — at Georgia Tech (Nov. 1) and against BC (Nov. 15).

But that's only part of the problem. Outside the league, FSU has to face Florida (Nov. 29), BC hosts Notre Dame (Nov. 8) and GT winds up at Georgia (Nov. 29). The Eagles could possibly be favored against Notre Dame, but FSU and GT almost certainly will be underdogs.

It's hardly a stretch to predict that two teams with 6-2 league records and 9-3 overall marks will meet for the conference championship game on Dec. 6 in Tampa. If so, national interest would be so minimal that television ratings might resemble a soccer score.

The biggest problem in the league hasn't changed a lot, either. It's mundane offensive strategies, magnified by average quarterbacking. With the exception of BC, which has no business whatsoever being 2-1 and 5-1, every team in the league is playing not to lose on offense. The Eagles' Jeff Jagodzinski — with Steve Logan calling plays — has emerged as the only consistently aggressive head coach in the conference.

Even with Hakeem Nicks on the field, Carolina's Butch Davis on Saturday all but shut down his offensive attack during the final few minutes of regulation and in the end got out-Al Grohed by Al Groh. The two offensive units could have switched uniforms, and hardly anyone would have noticed the difference.

At Wake Forest, the injury to kicker Sam Swank and the offensive line's inability to create running room for Josh Adams has led to near complete offensive impotency. It's a real mess.

Hope could be on the way, however.

Clemson's top two targets for Tommy Bowden's replacement are Texas Tech's Mike Leach and South Florida's Jim Leavitt, both of whom are cutting-edge offensive thinkers.

There are others on Tiger AD Terry Don Phillips' list, but Leach and Leavitt are the top two if you automatically rule out likely unapproachable dream hire Mack Brown of Texas. Should the Mackster somehow pull off another national championship, he'd get a salary bump that would rival a banking bailout figure.

• • •

With Carolina's Brandon Tate out of the running, who is your current favorite for ACC player of the year?

Nicks, maybe? FSU running back Antone Smith? BC quarterback Chris Crane? A GT offensive lineman, perhaps Andrew Gardner? An interior offensive lineman hasn't won it but once — Duke's Mike McGee in 1959. In fall fairness, McGee was essentially a two-way player during the one-platoon era. But if ever the stage is set ...

• • •

Groh probably has won his way out trouble at Virginia by sweeping the three straight high-priority home games against Maryland, ECU and Carolina.

The posse hasn't completely disbanded and there are road games ahead at GT, Wake and Virginia Tech. But if he can finish 6-6 and sophomore QB Marc Verica continues to improve, that'll likely be good enough. A loss to Carolina in Charlottesville would have left him in the stew, however.

Some UVa hard hitters still have eyes for UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow, and there'll always be a degree of Jim Grobe talk. But Groh can no longer be described as a gone coach walking.
 

Cavs' backups provingthey're stand-up players
October 20, 2008 12:15 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

When University of Virginia cornerback Ras-I Dowling and linebacker Clint Sintim suffered cramps and exited the game in the third quarter of the Cavaliers' 31-3 loss to Duke on Sept. 27, the team fell apart.

The Cavaliers had that same opportunity against North Carolina on Saturday in Scott Stadium when Dowling and stalwart inside linebacker Antonio Appleby departed in the first quarter with a back and ankle injury, respectively.

But this time, the Cavaliers didn't fold.

They went on to a 16-13 overtime victory--their third-straight win since that miserable outing at Duke.

Head coach Al Groh and his players said the Cavaliers (4-3, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) are simultaneously forming an identity and gaining confidence, while making a push to reach the necessary six wins for a bowl bid.

"A lot of things we think are important showed up [on Saturday]," Groh said. "One is the 'next man up.' We took two hits right there in the first series with a couple of our best players going out. For Darren Childs, Mike Parker and Chase Minnifield to step up the way they did against a quality program was just awesome."

Childs, who is Appleby's backup, was the standout among the replacements. The junior linebacker from San Diego, Calif., finished with 10 tackles, including a few crushing crowd-pleasing shots, in the first significant action of his career.

Minnifield finished with four tackles and a fumble recovery, while Parker provided solid coverage on North Carolina's talented receivers.

"The resiliency on this team is undying," Cavaliers' senior linebacker Clint Sintim said.

That was demonstrated in more ways than just the backups playing well.

Starting quarterback Marc Verica led the team on an 82-yard drive that was capped by Cedric Peerman's 2-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 10 with 47 seconds left. The Cavaliers' defense then held the Tar Heels to a field goal in overtime before Peerman scored on another 2-yard run to provide the victory.

"It's as good of a win that I have been around," said junior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, who became the 28th player in school history to top 1,000 receiving yards in his career on Saturday. "The mood of this team and the power that has come about is great. We just have to keep pushing, persevere and have the ability to never crack."

That was the theme of last year's squad that finished 9-4 and reached the Gator Bowl after winning a NCAA-record five games by two points or fewer.

Groh said this year's team is forming a similar identity.

It's certainly come a long way since losing three of its first four games by a combined 108 points.

During its three-game winning streak, Virginia's defense has given up just 11.0 points per game, capped by a performance against North Carolina in which it didn't allow a touchdown after the first quarter.

"This game does a lot for our confidence," Peerman said of the UNC win. "We know what we are capable of Now it's time to focus on a very good Georgia Tech team."

The Cavaliers visit the No. 21 Yellow Jackets (6-1, 3-1) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Notes

The extent of the injuries to Dowling (back) and Appleby (ankle) haven't been disclosed.

Sintim collected another sack on Saturday, his eighth according to the ACC, but his ninth according to Virginia. He now has 25 in his career according to Virginia, good for fourth on the school's all-time list.

 

Will thrilling win silence Groh critics?
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 19, 2008

As expected, Virginia did not earn a spot in the first edition of the BCS standings when they were released Sunday evening.
The Cavaliers did not receive a vote in either national poll, either.
That did not seem to diminish the memorable feeling enjoyed by the Cavaliers on Saturday after a 16-13 overtime victory was all but stolen from 18th-ranked North Carolina at Scott Stadium.
Trailing by seven with just over two minutes left, Virginia quarterback Mark Verica directed a game-tying, 82-yard drive that ultimately led to the Cavaliers’ third straight win.
John Phillips, who had a pivotal 19-yard catch in overtime, hopes the win and Virginia’s resurgence will silence the critics that longed for coach Al Groh’s departure after a 31-3 loss at Duke.
“It seems like everybody is always bashing coach Groh for some reason,” said Phillips, a team captain. “He has a tremendous knowledge and passion for this game.
“I think Chris Long said it a couple of years ago, ‘If there could be 11 coach Groh’s playing a game we would probably never lose.’ He just brings a passion.”
Virginia running back Cedric Peerman, who scored both of the Cavaliers’ touchdowns on 2-yard runs, echoed those sentiments with his actions following the game, delivering Groh with a game ball.
“I just felt like coach Groh had been through so much in the early part of the season,” Peerman said. “He has put so much time and effort into football and to us kids, and he has to put up with all our mess.
“I know that he has to deal with a lot so anytime we can bless coach Groh, we are going to. That’s what we are all about. We are all about a team.”
Peerman was one of a handful of players that were not able to play or participated at less than full strength during the two road losses that drew the program’s future into question.
“At that stage we just weren’t playing with a very strong deck at that time,” Groh said. “We had some issues offensively. We had some new kickers. We had some issues with a lot of new kids on defense.
“We probably weren’t equipped to be pretty good at that stage, quite frankly.”
The just-expired three-game homestand, which included wins over Maryland and East Carolina, may have showcased what type of team Virginia can be the remainder of the season, Groh said.
The Cavaliers (4-3, 2-1 ACC) now need just two wins to become bowl eligible and they control their own destiny in the race for a spot in the league’s annual championship game.
“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.”
That was also the case in 2007 when Virginia won nine games, six of which were in thrilling fashion and by six points or fewer.
“This win [over UNC] is different though,” Phillips said. “A lot of these guys were there but they weren’t in the game. And for the veterans to feel that emotion again … there’s nothing like it.
“It is hard to explain if you have never felt the emotion like that.”
Virginia, which is 0-2 on the road, will play Saturday at Georgia Tech, which did earn a spot in the BCS standings. The Yellow Jackets debuted at No. 18 and were ranked No. 21 in the AP poll.
The Cavaliers may be forced to tackle Georgia Tech and first-year coach Paul Johnson’s option-based offense without inside linebacker Antonio Appleby.
The senior left with a foot injury on his third defensive play of the game and did not return.
Cornerback Ras-I Dowling also injured his back on the opening drive and did not return.
“I will get more information on that long-term when all these different facilities open up, but any time a guy leaves the game that early and doesn’t come back, we have to be suspect to what his participation might be,” Groh said Sunday evening.