White: Poindexter Ceremony Will Be Family Affair
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/09/2009
By Jeff White
CHARLOTTESVILLE -- They were close friends who did about everything together.
But brothers John and Anthony Poindexter were fiercely competitive, too, which
led to inevitable clashes.
"They disagreed a lot," their father, John Poindexter Sr., said. "They didn't
fight, because I wouldn't allow them to fight. They might have done it behind my
back, but I stayed on them pretty tight."
And for that, and for all the values their parents instilled in them, the
brothers were later grateful.
"I hated it growing up," John Jr. recalled with a laugh, "because it was a
strict, structured environment, but seeing some of the kids I deal with now, I
realize we were really blessed to grow up in the environment we did."
John Jr. is a long way from Forest, where he and Anthony grew up. He's the
football coach at Northumberland High on the Northern Neck. Northumberland (4-0)
plays Mathews on Friday night, but John Jr. will be at Scott Stadium for the
pregame ceremony Saturday afternoon.
How could he miss it? UVa, where Anthony was an All-American safety and now
coaches the secondary, is retiring the jersey of John Jr.'s kid brother.
"I'm proud of him, and I know he's proud of me," said John Jr., who was two
years ahead of Anthony in school and who played football and baseball at Ferrum
College.
John Sr. and Lois Poindexter feel that way about both of their sons.
"Guys were asking me about it here at work," John Sr. said of the retirement
ceremony. "They saw it on the news, and I said, 'I'm a very blessed man, because
I had very little trouble with those two boys.'
"Me and my wife tried our best to raise them the right way, and they turned out
real nice."
As a 12th-grader, John Jr. started at quarterback on a Jefferson Forest High
team that played for the state Group AA, Division 3 title. The Cavaliers lost
that game, but they won state championships in each of the next two seasons,
with Anthony at QB.
Not until Bob Christmas, then Jefferson Forest's coach, talked to him about the
colleges pursuing Anthony did John Sr. realize his younger son was a special
talent.
"I thought he was just a rough little boy that loved to play," John Sr. said.
Anthony became a legend at UVa and might have become an NFL star, too, but he
suffered a devastating knee injury in 1998 that derailed his career.
He played briefly in the NFL but was never again the hard-hitting safety who'd
ruled the ACC.
"I think we took it harder than he did," John Sr. said. "Your children, you want
them to reach the goals that they're shooting for. I reckon that's selfish for
parents, but you always want them to make their goal."
John Sr. recalled a conversation he had with Anthony, then with the Ravens.
"He was telling me, 'It must not have been meant to be,'" John Sr. said. "We all
felt bad about it, because we knew that was his desire. But I learned a lot from
his experience because, to be honest with you, he took it better than we did,
and he never complained or griped about it. That's what makes me feel good about
it.
The elder Poindexter, who works full time at Barker-Jennings Corp. in Lynchburg,
also runs a landscaping business. He won't work Saturday. John Sr. and Lois
planned to drive up to Charlottesville on Thursday night -- they have three
grandchildren here -- and they'll be at the fore of a group about 60 relatives
and friends at the stadium Saturday for the ceremony.
"I'm real grateful for what the University's doing for him," John Sr. said. "Me
and my wife, we don't take that lightly. They don't have to do that, and we are
very proud, because they allowed him to play there and then they allowed him to
come back and coach there. We got a high respect for UVa."
White: 'Hoos Brace for Unfamiliar Foe
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/09/2009
By Jeff White
CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Indiana University's football team played in front of 108,000
fans two weekends ago in Ann Arbor, Mich., the overwhelming majority of whom
were pulling for the home team.
That didn't seem to faze the Hoosiers, who, if not for a controversial call late
in the game, might have upset the Wolverines. So they're not likely to be cowed
by the atmosphere Saturday at 61-500-seat Scott Stadium, where a
less-than-capacity crowd is expected for UVa's Homecomings game.
Indiana is accustomed to playing at Michigan and Ohio State and Penn State, all
of which have enormous stadiums. Still, the Hoosiers may feel a little
disoriented Saturday. They've never played a football game in this state, and
they'll be only the second Big Ten team to visit Scott Stadium.
The first -- Penn State -- went home unhappy after losing 20-14 to UVa on Dec.
1, 2001. That was the final game of Al Groh's first season as the Cavaliers'
coach. Nearly eight years later, his team has had to scramble to prepare for an
opponent it knew little about until recently.
"It makes it tougher, I think," sophomore defensive end Matt Conrath said.
"We've got to really focus in."
In their research, Conrath and Co. have learned what many in the Midwest already
knew: Indiana (3-2) has several game-changing players, including tailback Darius
Willis, wide receiver Tondon Doss, kick-returner Ray Fisher and defensive ends
Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton.
Told that the Hoosiers look good on paper, Groh said, "They look good on video,
too."
Virginia (1-3) looked awful on video, and on the field, for most of its first
two games -- losses to William and Mary and Texas Christian. But the offense,
revamped after the TCU game, started to hum Sept. 19 in a 37-34 loss at Southern
Mississippi, and the long-awaited breakthrough came last weekend in Chapel Hill,
where UVa beat North Carolina 16-3.
Before heading into the locker room, Groh spent a few moments on camera with
Raycom sideline reporter Mike Hogewood. The Cavaliers' usually stoic coach had
to pause to collect himself at one point.
"Actually, I consider myself to be a pretty emotional person," Groh said
Wednesday. "I just a lot of times keep those emotions to myself or have an idea
how to use them to the best purpose."
What got to him after the UNC game, Groh said, was just "a sense of appreciation
for everything that the players put into it to make it come about. And really
being pleased for them to be able to go in and have that sense of satisfaction
that comes from really applying yourself and getting the result that you want."
Now that they have one victory, of course, the Cavaliers want another. If
nothing else, they're a more confident team than the one that headed to Chapel
Hill.
"You always know you can win," senior quarterback Jameel Sewell said, "but when
you actually do it, it's easy to follow through the next couple of days, before
the next game, in a positive manner."
Standouts against UNC included senior tailback Mikell Simpson, who rushed for
100 yards and the game's only touchdown. Not since the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1,
2008, had Simpson, who wears jersey No. 5, run for 100 yards in a game. He also
had four receptions for 45 yards against the Tar Heels.
"We really needed him to step back up," Sewell said. "When his eyes are right
and his wheels are moving right, it's going to be really tough to stop him, and
to get him going will open up a lot of things, because now you've got to focus
so much on where 5 is going."
If Simpson can continue to run effectively, he's "just going to open up a lot of
things for me to do passing-wise," Sewell said. "And if I deliver, we should do
pretty well."
About 20 minutes before kickoff Saturday, Anthony Poindexter will have jersey
retired. Poindexter was a two-time All-America safety at UVa in the '90s and is
now the secondary coach at his alma mater.
His defensive backs distinguished themselves in Chapel Hill, picking off two
fourth-quarter passes and shutting down UNC wideout Erik Highsmith.
"You can tell the secondary's already gotten better, just because he's back
there," former UVa great Chris Slade said of Poindexter, who coached the running
backs last season.
Not coincidentally, Virginia's linemen and linebackers kept constant pressure on
Carolina quarterback T.J. Yates.
"Sometimes the rush bails out the coverage," Groh said. "The guys are open, and
they can't get them the ball because the rush is there right away. Eventually on
the pass-coverage team, particularly on third down, you have to be proficient on
both ends."
Between them, Indiana tailbacks Willis and Demetrius McCray have rushed for 474
yards, and each averages more than 5.1 yards per carry. Willis' 85-yard
touchdown run in the fourth quarter at Michigan gave the Hoosiers a lead they
didn't relinquish until the final three minutes.
Willis and McCray work behind a line that includes three players who weigh at
least 311 pounds apiece, led by 6-8, 331-pound tackle James Brewer.
"They're going to try to run the ball, and again I feel it's going to be on our
front seven," Conrath said.
The Hoosiers like to play smash-mouth football -- they are from the Big Ten,
after all -- but have a well-developing passing game, too, Groh said.
"It's very apparent that they have a real philosophy and system in place, and
we're going to have to do a lot of things really well in all three phases of the
game to be able to compete," he said. "And based on their style and how we hope
to play, we think this will be a very physical game."
Honoring a Virginia legend
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: October 10, 2009
Fourteen years later, random Virginia fans still approach Anthony Poindexter on
the street, in the grocery store, in restaurants and ask about one play in his
illustrious football career.
“The Florida State play ... all the time,” Poindexter said just a few days
before UVa finally gets around to retiring his jersey in a special pre-game
ceremony this afternoon (3:13 p.m. on the field at Scott Stadium).
The FSU play
Now defensive backs coach for the Cavaliers, Poindexter played a key role in one
of the most glorious plays in Wahoo lore on Nov. 2, 1995, when he and teammate
Adrian Burnim stopped Florida State running back Warrick Dunn inches from the
goal line on the final play of the game. The tackle preserved UVa’s 33-28 upset
over the No. 2 Seminoles, ending FSU’s 29-game ACC winning streak since joining
the league in 1992.
The play is forever frozen in the minds of every Virginia fan who witnessed the
dramatic ending.
Poindexter, who came to Charlottesville from Jefferson Forest High School in
Lynchburg, was only a redshirt freshman at the time. From that moment on, those
who didn’t already know quickly realized that he was something special.
He was the fiercest hitter this columnist has ever seen in college football, and
Poindexter’s coach, George Welsh, ranks him among the most elite.
No fear whatsoever
“I can’t say Anthony’s the only one, but he’s one of the two or three [fiercest
hitters Welsh ever saw],” the coach said Friday. “He had no physical fear. I had
a guy at Navy like that, Chet Moeller, but he wasn’t as big or fast as
Poindexter. He was one of the few Midshipmen that tested psychologically that he
had no physical fear for his body.”
Welsh and the Cavaliers won a fierce recruiting battle over Tennessee, Virginia
Tech and North Carolina for Poindexter, who played several positions in high
school. In the end, UVa recruiters Danny Wilmer and Art Markos got their man.
Both of those men will be on the field along with Welsh, Poindexter and several
of Dex’s teammates and players he has coached in today’s ceremony.
“What convinced me that we had something special was that summer when he played
in the high school all-star game and a couple of those coaches told me, ‘You’ve
got yourself a great football player,’” Welsh remembered. “That was the first
indication.”
Poindexter had a knee problem early in college, and UVa, well-stocked at safety,
redshirted him.
The following season, Dex played as a nickel back and as a backup safety,
finding it tough to break into a lineup that included Paul London and Percy
Ellsworth. As Welsh pointed out, Poindexter was just as good, but lacked
experience.
So, Welsh and defensive coordinator Rick Lantz played him as a nickel back and
blitzed him.
In that FSU game, Welsh went to a three-man rush instead of the standard four
and moved the athletic Poindexter to an outside linebacker.
With the game on the line in the waning seconds, the Seminoles snapped the ball
directly to Dunn, who was standing beside QB Danny Kanell in the shotgun
formation and Dunn streaked toward the goal line. Skeet Jones had smelled out
the play and started screaming to teammates. Jamie Sharper got a hand on Dunn’s
ankle and slowed him, maybe even staggered him as the Seminole dived toward the
end zone.
But it was Poindexter and Burnim that were there to stop him, setting off one of
the wildest celebrations in Wahoo history.
To this day, Dunn describes the play as the most disappointing moment of his
football career and, according to those close to him, will go to his grave
thinking that he scored.
“Oh, I know he didn’t,” Poindexter said this week. “If I thought he got in, I
wouldn’t have jumped up in the air like I did.”
While that is the play Virginia fans will remember, Welsh said there were too
many great plays by Poindexter over the length of his career to try and pick out
a few. Dex, primarily a star safety, said the same thing.
There was the incredibly physical performance against Ricky Williams’ Texas
team, when Poindexter & Co. punished the Longhorns star all night. After the
season, Williams said it was the toughest defense he had ever played against.
There were the 19 tackles against Virginia Tech in 1996 and 19 more against
Maryland in 1998.
His bone-jarring hits drew oohs and ahhs from crowds in every stadium, home or
away. If he were around today, he would be a walking ESPN highlight tape.
This afternoon’s pre-game ceremony should be a treat for Wahoo fans and
hopefully there will be a highlight film of some of “Dex’s Greatest Hits,” on
the Scott Stadium big screen so everyone can see what this guy was all about.
“It’s a great honor that this program and this school thought so highly of me,”
Poindexter said about his jersey retirement (UVa doesn’t retire football numbers
any longer, just jerseys). “A lot of people helped me achieve this, my teammates
and coaching staff. You can never do this on your own.”
As always, Poindexter remained humble. There was never a hint of an ego with No.
3, who was the ACC defensive player of the year in 1998 and was one of only two
Virginia players to become two-time All-Americans.
Asked about how he’ll handle things today, the assistant coach chuckled that his
main goal was to have his players and the rest of the Cavaliers ready to play
against Indiana, that he is an insignificant part of what today is really all
about, trying to get a win.
“I’ll probably enjoy it more after the game is over,” Poindexter said. “It’s
still a working day for me.”
There are so many Poindexter stories out there, they won’t fit into one
newspaper article, so The Daily Progress will have more on No. 3’s career in
Sunday’s game coverage.
For now, Welsh said something Friday that wraps up the Poindexter career better
than anything else.
“I’ll give you a quote from [Penn State coach] Joe Paterno about Ted Kwalick
[the Lions’ first two-time All-American],” Welsh said. “Paterno said, ‘God
intended Ted Kwalick to be a football player.’ I feel the same way about Anthony
Poindexter.”
Cavs get final non-conference test
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 10, 2009
A bruiser at heart, Rashawn Jackson is chomping at the bit.
Virginia’s starting fullback admittedly loves Big Ten football and follows it
with a passion.
Jackson gets his wish today as Virginia (1-3), fresh off its first win in a
year, hosts Indiana (3-2) at Scott Stadium at 3:30 p.m.
“Winning against UNC was good for our confidence and we can carry that into
[today’s game],” Jackson said. “I respect Indiana and I respect the Big Ten.
“I really love the Big Ten. I look forward to playing those guys and it should
be a very good game. You just know with the Big Ten that it is going to be a
physical game and the toughest team should win.”
Indiana has lost back-to-back games in league play, falling to Ohio State and
Michigan, after parading with ease through an early stretch of games to open the
season.
In the 33-14 loss last week at home to No. 9 Ohio State, IU managed just 18
yards rushing on 26 carries.
A ranked opponent or not, the setback did not sit well with the coaching staff.
“You want to get to the point where losing is not acceptable,” said IU coach
Bill Lynch. “You get chances and you are going to do everything you can to win a
football game. You do not want to be in a situation where you just want to keep
the game close or be respectful.”
With a win today, however, the Hoosiers can inch closer to the postseason, a
feat they have accomplished just once in the past decade.
“Our players know we can finish our non-conference schedule undefeated,” Lynch
said, “And I think there’s a little bit of a Big Ten school playing an ACC
school.”
It will mark the lone time this season that an ACC foe will clash with a team
from the Big Ten.
“We have a lot at stake,” Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell said. “We like to
think we play in one of the best leagues in the country, and I am sure the guys
in the Big Ten feel the same way.”
Sewell, with a turnover-free performance against UNC, helped lift the Cavaliers
to a victory last week.
Virginia bounces out of league play to complete its non-league slate today.
The Cavaliers did that last year, as well, hosting East Carolina after playing a
league game.
“There seems to be a real excitement about the challenge of playing a Big Ten
team and seeing some of the things that we did [against UNC], as I said after
the game, provide us as an opportunity to use those things to move forward,”
Virginia coach Al Groh said. “But there is no guarantee to that opportunity.
We’ve got to make sure we take advantage of that opportunity or else somebody
else is going to.
“So I think for that reason we will have our eye on this target pretty good.”
In preparing for Indiana, Groh witnessed numerous things that the Hoosiers do
offensively outside of the norm.
“Indiana has a very, very diverse scheme,” Groh said. “They’re doing some pretty
cool stuff. I’m impressed by their scheme. The quarterback, obviously, is a
player who has the capacity to handle a lot of variation in what they do. They
have many different personnel groups, some very unusual formations. They’ve got
the whole passing package … they’ve got quite a bit in the ball-control,
most-likely-to-be-completed game.
“They’ve got a nice play-action game and they will take their shots up the
field. I wouldn’t say it’s beyond a normal amount but they’re going to threaten
you up the field and he handles it all very, very well. You can see [IU
quarterback Ben Chappell is] very smart, very accurate with what he’s done. He’s
impressive in how he plays.”
Indiana’s running game, one that was non-existent against Ohio State, could
struggle as running back Darius Willis was listed as questionable for the
contest.
Virginia does not have the same issues, entering the contest without a player
listed as doubtful for the first time.
UVa football: Will win silence booing?
The Cavaliers were resoundingly booed by the UVa faithful at their last home
game.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129
When last seen at Scott Stadium, neither the Virginia football team nor its fans
wanted much to do with the other.
That was four weeks ago and, while the football team shouldn't expect a hero's
welcome today, the reception is bound to be a little more civil.
The Cavaliers showed improvement during a two-game road trip, particularly in a
16-3 triumph last Saturday at North Carolina, and will seek to add their first
home victory of the season in a 3:30 p.m. meeting with Indiana.
Virginia's last home game, a Sept. 12 date with Texas Christian, attracted the
smallest crowd (48,336) to see a UVa game in 10 years. Today's contest coincides
with homecoming, which should keep attendance above the 45,000 mark.
The UVa team and coach Al Groh can only wish that the fans are in a better humor
than they were at the TCU game, where there was incessant booing as the
Cavaliers fell behind 30-0. Two late Virginia scoring passes resulted in a 30-14
final.
"The interesting thing is the psychology of [booing]," Groh said.
"If it makes thousands of people feel good, then I guess that's good for
thousands of people. But, if what they want is for their team to play better, it
doesn't necessarily.
"I haven't ever been around a circumstance where players were saying, 'Sounds
like they're getting on us, so let's play better!'"
The question came up Monday, when Groh was asked about the North Carolina fans
who had booed their team two days earlier.
The previous night, Groh had come home from the office in time to catch the
final period of the Sunday night NFL game between reigning Super Bowl champion
Pittsburgh and the San Diego Chargers.
Former UVa tight end Heath Miller caught two touchdown passes, the second of
which gave the Steelers a 35-14 lead with 7:24 remaining.
A quick San Diego touchdown, followed by an onside-kick recovery and second TD,
cut the deficit to 35-28 with 4:39 left and contributed to considerable
restlessness in the Heinz Field crowd before Pittsburgh won 38-28.
"Toward the latter part of the game, the Pittsburgh fans were quite vocal in
booing the Pittsburgh Steelers, if you can imagine that," Groh said.
"Just take that as perspective. They just won two Super Bowls in the last [four]
years and they are winning the game, and the fans are booing them."
That might be the only connection between the Steelers and the Cavaliers, who
ended a seven-game losing streak with their win at North Carolina.
Virginia enters play today with a four-game home losing streak dating back to
Oct. 18, 2008.
Most college football scheduling is done years in advance, but the first word of
the Indiana-UVa match-up came when the Cavaliers' 2009 schedule was announced
Feb. 10. Virginia tentatively is scheduled to go to Bloomington, Ind., in 2011.
Original plans were for the Cavaliers to entertain a Mid-American Conference
opponent this year as part of a 4-for-1 deal stemming from UVa's acceptance of a
road game at Middle Tennessee State in 2007.
The original agreement was not in writing and a change in MAC commissioners
added to the confusion.
Athletic director Craig Littlepage has said that UVa will play the first of four
home games against MAC teams in 2010, but subsequent reports have indicated that
it might be reduced to a 3-for-1 deal.
Indiana lost nine of its last 10 games to finish 3-9 in 2008, but the Hoosiers
went to the Insight Bowl in 2007, the first postseason appearance for Indiana
since 1993. Bill Lynch served as interim head coach that year after former head
coach Terry Hoeppner died from brain cancer less than three months before the
season.
Lynch, previously Hoeppner's offensive coordinator, had served as the head coach
at Ball State from 1995-2002, with part of his MAC tenure coinciding with the
time that Virginia offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon spent at Bowling Green as
offensive coordinator and head coach.
Since they coached on the same side of the ball, Brandon and Lynch had little
exposure to each other or their respective units.
Lynch's Hoosiers enter play today as seven-point underdogs but have two
accomplished pass-rushers and some big-play offensive players.
When it was noted that the Hoosiers seem impressive on paper, Groh was quick to
note, "They look pretty good on tape, too."
U.Va’s Woods earns another start
By Michael Phillips
Published: October 10, 2009
To put it mildly, it's been a good couple of weeks for Brandon Woods.
During the scheduled bye week, the fifth-year student married his high school
sweetheart. They'll honeymoon in the Bahamas, but not until next year.
That's because Woods is focused on a different goal right now, starting at
safety for the U.Va. football team.
Because of injuries, he got his first opportunity last Saturday, and made the
most of it. He logged three tackles and a quarterback hurry in front of more
than a dozen family and friends near his hometown of Durham, N.C.
And today, even though starting safety Corey Mosley has returned, coach Al Groh
said that Woods will start against Indiana.
"His performance last Saturday confirmed it," Groh said. "When a player performs
like that, he certainly earns more time."
Groh preaches the phrase "next man up," meaning that when an injury happens, the
replacement needs to be ready to take the field and perform. In a season that's
had some high-profile injuries, perhaps no replacement has excelled to the
degree of Woods.
But things haven't always gone so smoothly.
His junior season was a rough one as he lost his spot to Mosley, then a
freshman, a few weeks in. The knock was that Woods was a poor tackler, something
that's crucial for the player who is the last line of defense between the ball
carrier and a touchdown.
"That's definitely something I worked on," he said. "That was a weakness, but I
feel like it's turning into a strength."
He's also preparing for life outside of football.
During the bye week he and his girlfriend of nine years, Khama, married. She
works in the Air Force ROTC program at VMI, staying close to Charlottesville so
she can be close to Woods during the season.
There were a few teammates on hand, but most importantly, the ceremony was
performed with the blessing of coach Al Groh. Woods also sought out former
teammate Jon Copper, who was married while playing, for advice.
"He's always been a mentor for me," Woods said. "We talked about being a married
man and what it takes, being a Christian man."
But this afternoon, his focus will turn back to football, as he seeks to make
the most of his last months at U.Va.
He's already off to a good start.
Three keys and a prediction - U.Va.
Michael Phillips
Oct 09, 2009
Get your big-screen computer monitors ready, because tomorrow’s Indiana-Virginia
game will be another ESPN360.com broadcast. We’ll live blog from the game, of
course. But let’s wrap up the week with three keys and a prediction before I
head out to another exciting week of prep football here in Richmond, where
parity is the name of the game this year.
Three keys to a Virginia victory:
1) Keep Indiana grounded: Virginia’s pass defense has been strong this season,
led by pressure up front and complimented by an experienced secondary. But
Indiana has a strong receiving corps, and will look to make an impact early with
the deep ball. Sophomore wide receiver Tandon Doss is a particular threat,
having accumulated 104 yards against Michigan and 96 against Ohio State. If the
Cavs can force the Hoosiers into a ground game, it bodes well for Virginia.
2) Setting the table: Virginia has yet to break a kick return for a touchdown
this season, and is averaging 15 yards per return, less than half of what
opponents are getting. Indiana has a potent return team, which the Cavs will
have to shut down. But the return team of Chris Cook and Perry Jones will also
have to get some yardage to help the offense out — in a close game, field
position would be crucial.
3) No sacks: It was a long afternoon last Saturday for left tackle Landon
Bradley, and his assignment doesn’t get any easier this week. Indiana’s
defensive ends, Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton, have a combined 43 career
sacks, and are both on the watch list for the defensive end of the year award.
The offensive line has to give quarterback Jameel Sewell time to work, or
Virginia’s aerial attack won’t get off the ground.
Prediction: Virginia 23, Indiana 20 (OT)
Roommates with famous dads
Michael Phillips
Oct 09, 2009
OK, I lied, one more note - apparently this got eaten by the computer earlier.
This morning’s story was about Chase Minnifield, whose dad, Frank, was an
All-Pro cornerback himself. Freshman year, Minnifield roomed with Jared Green,
whose dad, Darrell, was a Hall of Famer for the Redskins.
So how does something like that come about? Completely randomly, said coach Al
Groh.
He said that if freshman players request a roommate, the request is usually
honored, but in this case, they fell into the random assignment category.
“There was no plan in that,“ Groh said. “But those are two fellas - two dads -
who could certainly teach some pretty good lessons about how to play.“
Beware the college upset -- is Virginia Tech next?
By Doug Doughty
We were sitting at lunch today at Roanoke’s historic Coffee Pot when I advised
local talk-show host Greg Roberts not to be surprised if Boston College gives
Virginia Tech a good game Saturday.
If you caught this week’s Sports Timescast on roanoke.com, you heard my
counterpart, Randy King, say that he expected the Hokies to have few problems
with Boston College and have no problems covering the 13 ½-point spread.
I agreed with him at the time and still wouldn’t be surprised to see the Hokies
hammer the Eagles, but last night’s Nebraska-Missouri game just reinforced what
I’ve been thinking for some time. Every week, there will be a half-dozen college
football outcomes that make absolutely no sense.
And, a half-dozen is probably low.
Having picked unbeaten Missouri to beat Nebraska, I watched the game on and off
for three quarters. A Missouri field goal put the Tigers ahead 12-0 with 1:26
remaining in the third quarter and, while I considered for a fleeting second
that Mizzou might regret not scoring a touchdown, there was no reason to believe
that Nebraska would win the game.
Missouri was playing at home, always an important consideration in Thursday
night games; rain was coming down in sheets and Nebraska hadn’t done anything
for three quarters. The last thing I remember before I fell asleep was Nebraska
throwing a 56-yard touchdown pass to make it 12-7 with 13:56 left.
It occurred to me that the Cornhuskers had put themselves in position to steal
the win, so I was quick to check the ESPN “crawl” upon awakening. I’m sure
there’s a good explanation, but how do you account for Nebraska scoring 27
fourth-quarter points in the rain and on the road against an unbeaten opponent?
AFTER 35 YEARS, you would think I could predict University of Virginia football,
but I can’t, which is good news to UVa fans who might want to hang me over my
pick of Homecoming opponent Indiana, a seven-point underdog.
There were those who picked Virginia outright to beat North Carolina, including
Aaron McFarling and Fearless Forecaster guest picker Rodney Spickard, but talk
all you want about UVa’s hold over the Tar Heels and Al Groh’s seeming October
magic. I didn’t see it coming.
Virginia’s 16-3 upset win over North Carolina was just one of five ACC games I
picked incorrectly. I had Clemson winning at Maryland (Maryland won 24-21), N.C.
State winning at Wake Forest (Wake won 30-24), Florida State winning at Boston
College (BC won 28-21) and Oklahoma winning at Miami (Miami won 21-20).
The Wake-State game was the closest to a pick-‘em that there was. (Gee, I’m
beginning to sound Randy King). State was favored by 2-1/2 points, Florida State
by four, Oklahoma by 7-1/2, Clemson by 12 ½ and North Carolina by 13.
Some of those teams I might have taken with the spread but none of them
outright.
It wasn’t till Wednesday that I checked the Forecasters standings and found that
a previous two-game lead had shrunk to one. I can’t come up with a strategy for
picking football – I always used to favor home teams – but I guess that’s one of
the beauties of college football.
JAMIE OAKES from cavs.corner com reported in his “War Room” column that David
Olson, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback from Irmo High School in Columbia,
S.C., will be in attendance at the Cavaliers’ game Saturday with Indiana.
Clearly, the Cavaliers are in the market for a quarterback again following a
decommitment from Tyler Brosius, a 6-3, 235-pound quarterback from Waynesville,
N.C., who had committed to UVa over the summer but now has given his word to
N.C. State, quickly becoming a haven for Cavalier quarterback targets and
should-have-been targets (Russell Wilson).
Olson is getting looks from a lot of high-profile programs, including a handful
of ACC schools, but Oakes said he does not have any offers. Under normal
circumstances, Virginia could make an offer to Olson and have a good chance of
getting him, but there’s always the specter of Groh’s job security.
Assistants could deal with that issue by assuring prospects that UVa almost
surely would pick a worthy successor if Groh does not return in 2010 but it’s
still an awkward situation.
Quarterbacks, more than any other players, want to be sure of the offensive
scheme that they will be entering. ONE OF THE more interesting tidbits I heard
all week was from Nick Dew, a 6-foot-2, 183-pound defensive end from First
Colonial School in Virginia Beach who has committed to Virginia Tech.
That’s right, defensive end. Dew has been playing defensive end for First
Colonial since the third game of the season, coach Bill McTyre said. Dew
previously played wide receiver and safety and is expected to be a safety or
“rover” for the Hokies.
Dew’s speed is listed at 4.41 for 40 yards and the fact that he’s playing
defensive end emphasizes the combination of power and athletic ability that he
will bring to Tech’s secondary.
Ball control tops Cavs' strategy
October 10, 2009 12:36 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE
--After Virginia picked up its first win of the season last Saturday against
North Carolina, senior quarterback Jameel Sewell said the Cavaliers may have
found a formula for success.
"We're riding with our defense," Sewell said. "If our defense plays every game
like they did today, and we execute and move the ball, nothing spectacular on
our parts we'll be hard to beat."
The Cavaliers (1-3) will test that theory in their homecoming game today against
Indiana (3-2).
Sewell and his offensive teammates know they have to limit turnovers and run the
ball for the team to have a chance. Virginia forced three turnovers and didn't
commit any against North Carolina. The Cavaliers committed 10 turnovers in their
three losses and forced only five.
"So much of everything is about what happens to the ball," Virginia head coach
Al Groh said. "[Turnovers are] such a determinant that it almost trumps
everything else that goes on with the game."
While the Cavaliers' defense has been steady in Groh's nine years, it hasn't
been known for forcing turnovers.
That changed against the Tar Heels when cornerbacks Chris Cook and Chase
Minnifield collected an interception each and Danny Aiken recovered a muffed
punt. The Cavaliers' defense allowed only 174 total yards and nine first downs.
Its motivation came partly from a video the team viewed of former players'
practice habits. The Cavaliers realized they weren't practicing nearly as hard
as former defensive stars such as Chris Long and Darryl Blackstock. Ex-offensive
stars like Cedric Peerman were featured on the tape as well.
"They were just so physical," fifth-year senior safety Brandon Woods said. "It
was a 'hit-first' mentality. But you have to stay physical for four quarters.
You have to beat the guy in front of you every time and if you're beaten on a
play, you have to come back with more tenacity and toughness on the next play."
The Cavaliers will need to take heed to that message again today against an
Indiana team that Groh said is the most-physical squad his team has faced this
season. The Hoosiers have lost their last two games to Michigan and Ohio State
after starting 3-0. They're averaging 25.4 points per game.
Still, the Cavaliers are confident in their defense. It's now ranked 31st in the
nation in total yards allowed (301.7) and eighth against the pass (156.5 yards
per game).
"They're pretty tough, they're fast," Woods said of the Hoosiers. "They run the
[same] spread offense as our offense. We're definitely going to have to make
this a physical game."
The Hoosiers are tough in that area, too. Standout defensive ends Jammie Kirlew
and Greg Middleton have both been All-America candidates in their careers.
Middleton led the nation with 16 sacks in 2007. Kirlew is second in school
history with 46 tackles for loss and fifth with 20 sacks.
Middleton was finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award, given to the nation's best
defensive end, in 2007, when Virginia's Long won it. Kirlew was a finalist last
season.
"These two guys," Groh said, "are really, really good pass rushers."
INJURY REPORT
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Javaris Brown (ankle) is questionable for
today's game. Linebacker Cam Johnson (toe), safeties Rodney McLeod (knee) and
Corey Mosley (knee), kicker Robert Randolph (back) and quarterback Jameel Sewell
(ankle) are probable.
Hoosiers' Carrington no stranger in state
October 9, 2009 2:35 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
The last time Justin Carrington's former Liberty High School teammates saw him
play in person, he was a silky smooth running back who piled up numbers good
enough to be named all-Group AA as a senior.
That was five years ago.
Carrington is now a fifth-year senior at Indiana University, and he's no longer
gliding past defenders en route to big gains.
After never playing defense in high school, Carrington's an outside linebacker
for the Hoosiers (3-2), who visit Virginia (1-3) tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. in a
non-conference contest.
Carrington will have at least 20 high school friends on hand to watch him play
in Scott Stadium.
"I circled this game the first time I found out about it," Carrington said in a
telephone interview this week. "I've been trying to get as many tickets from my
teammates as I could. I want to play well, but I'm not going to put too much
pressure on myself."
Indiana's players are allotted four tickets each, and Carrington, whose
immediate family now lives in St. Louis, was able to corral plenty for the
Virginia game.
He said he's not quite sure who'll show up, with the exception of former Eagles'
quarterback Nick Monaco.
"I'm looking forward to getting a couple of pats on the back from my old high
school teammates," Carrington said. "They're going to say, 'Hey man, I didn't
know you could play defense like that.'"
Liberty head coach Tom Buzzo won't be there, even though Carrington will be on
one sideline and former Eagle Corey Lillard will be on the other. Lillard is a
true freshman safety for Virginia.
He and Carrington asked Buzzo to attend the game, but to no avail.
"It's a tough deal. This isn't the first time we've had two kids playing," Buzzo
said. "But I told him: 'Justin, when you were here, I stayed in this office and
worked for you. I'm going to do the same thing for the kids I have now.'"
Buzzo's work for Carrington paid off.
He backed out of an oral commitment to the Hoosiers when coach Gerry Dinardo was
fired in December 2004. Carrington reopened his recruitment, but still chose the
Hoosiers after then-Miami (Ohio) coach Terry Hoeppner got the job.
Hoeppner died in June 2007 from a brain tumor. Carrington said Hoeppner was the
reason he chose Indiana a second time.
"We talked on the phone a little bit, and I could tell it was a tough time,"
Buzzo said. "But I think they did a good job at the university of keeping the
kids together and getting them through a tough time."
The position switch the following season was easy by comparison.
Still, when Carrington (6-foot, 224 pounds) was asked to move to linebacker, he
consulted Buzzo before giving Indiana's coaching staff his final decision. Buzzo
told him to do whatever it took to get on the field.
Carrington appeared in six games as a freshman running back but has played in
all 30 games since making the switch. He's not a starter, but he plays regularly
on passing downs.
"He gives us a lot of versatility," Indiana linebackers coach Mike Yeager said.
"He gives us a better athlete out there, because he's as athletic as the skill
guys on offense. He can match up with some receivers in man coverage and do all
right."
Carrington said he's doing his best to keep his emotions in check but said he's
excited he and Lillard may both play tomorrow.
Lillard was an eighth-grader when Carrington graduated, but they worked out
together in the summer of 2005. Carrington bequeathed his No. 17 jersey to
Lillard because he knew he had the potential to be a major college player.
Carrington contacted Lillard when he found out about the Virginia matchup but
was stunned to learn Lillard isn't redshirting. Lillard saw his first college
action in Virginia's 16-3 victory at North Carolina last week.
"Two Liberty Eagles on the field," Carrington said, "that's going to be crazy."
Cavaliers Sweep Wolfpack in Dominating Fashion
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/09/2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia volleyball team snapped its losing skid with
a dominating three-set victory (25-16, 25-21, 25-16) over NC State in an
Atlantic Coast Conference match played in Memorial Gymnasium on Friday evening.
The Cavaliers tied a season-best 10 service aces in the match and hit .265 to
put away the Wolfpack.
Sophomore Simone Asque paced the attack, landing 13 kills on 21 swings for a
.381 attack percentage. Junior Kendahl Voelker knocked down eight attacks and
senior Lauren Dickson and freshman Jessica O'Shoney each contributed six kills.
Defensively, Lauren Dickson collected a team-high 11 digs, while junior AJ
Cushman tallied 10. O'Shoney had a match-high six blocks and Voelker added four.
Freshman Rachel Gray dished out a match-high 34 assists and had three service
aces.
For the Wolfpack (7-13, 0-5 ACC), Margaret Salata landed 12 kills, while Keri
DeMar had 11 digs. Alex Smith handed out 25 assists.
The first set started with the Wolfpack and the Cavaliers alternating points,
tying the score at eight. Virginia responded with a 4-0 run to pull ahead, 12-8,
and used a second 4-0 run, en route to a 25-16 set victory.
Capitalizing on consecutive service aces from Voelker, the Cavaliers jumped out
to an early four-point lead in the second frame. NC State responded by stringing
together a 10-4 run to take the lead, 14-12. But a 5-0 run from Virginia put the
Cavaliers ahead 17-14 and allowed them to win 25-21.
Virginia used a 13-point run behind the serving of Gray to break open an even
5-5 tie and run away with a 25-16 set win.
The Cavaliers (7-10, 2-4 ACC) will return to action on Sunday, hosting North
Carolina at noon.
Cavaliers Open Tar Heel Invitational in Fourth Place
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/09/2009
Chapel Hill, NC - The No. 17 Virginia women's golf team opened the first round
of play at North Carolina's Tar Heel Invitational by shooting 4-over 292 to
stand in fourth place in the 18-team field. Michigan State took the early lead
by shooting 3-under 285. Alabama is second at 290 and Tennessee is one stroke
better than the Cavaliers on the leaderboard.
Virginia was led by Calle Nielson's 1-under 71. She is tied for fifth place
after the opening 18 holes. Redshirt freshman Lauren Greenlief, playing in her
first college event, shot even par 72 and is 13th overall. Whitney Neuhauser
carded a 73 and is in 22nd place. UVa freshmen Nicole Agnello and Brittany
Altomare are tied for 42nd overall after completing the first round at 4-over
76.
Michigan State's Laura Kueny shot 69 to own the lead after the first day of
play.
The second round of the tournament is slated for Saturday and the final round
will take place Sunday. Live scoring is online at Golfstat.com.
Tar Heel Invitational
UNC Finley Golf Course
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Par-72, 6,285 yards
First Round Results
Team Results
1. Michigan State 285
2. Alabama 290
3. Tennessee 291
4. Virginia 292
5. Wake Forest 293
6. Florida State 294
7. South Carolina 295
8. Auburn 296
8. North Carolina 296
10. Vanderbilt 298
11. Duke 299
12. NC State 301
13. Denver 302
14. Louisville 304
14. Texas A&M 304
16. Kent State 306
17. UNC Wilmington 310
18. East Carolina 316
Individual Leaders
1. Laura Kueny, Michigan State 69
2. Hannah Thomson, Florida State 70
2. Courtney Ellenbogen, Duke 70
2. Sara-Maude Juneau, Louisville 70
5. Rhea Nair, Alabama 71
5. Lindsey Solberg, Mighigan State 71
5. Macarena Silva, Florida State 71
5. Candace Schepperle, Auburn 71
5. Marina Alex, Vanderbilt 71
5. Calle Nielson, Virginia 71
5. Erica Popson, Tennessee 71
5. Natalie Sheary, Wake Forest 71
Virginia Results
5. Calle Nielson 71
13. Lauren Greenlief 72
22. Whitney Neuhauser 73
42. Nicole Agnello 76
42. Brittany Altomare 76
Cavalier Doubles Team Advances at ITA All-American
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/09/2009
TULSA, Okla. – The Virginia men’s tennis team had a doubles team reach the
quarterfinals of doubles at the ITA All-American Championships as play continued
Friday at the University of Tulsa. Houston Barrick (Brentwood, Tenn.) and
Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.) won their round of 16 match at the tournament.
Barrick and Singh topped Cal’s Pedro Zerbini and Jonathan Dahan 8-4 to reach the
quarterfinals. They will play No. 5 seed Bradley Klahn and Ryan Thatcher of
Stanford on Saturday.
In singles, all three Cavaliers still remaining in the main draw fell on Friday.
Sanam Singh (Chandigarh, India) topped Jay Goldman of Arizona 6-4, 6-4 in the
round of 32, but lost to Eric Quigley of Kentucky 6-1, 6-3 later in the day in
the round of 16. Shabaz had a 6-4, 6-2 win over Jeff Dadamo of Texas A&M in the
round of 32 before falling to No. 2 seed John-Patrick Smith of Tennessee 6-2,
6-4 in the round of 16. Drew Courtney (Clifton, Va.) suffered a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
loss to Alex Lacroix of Florida in the round of 32.
The tournament runs through Sunday at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.
Virginia Drops Hard-Fought Meet to Florida in Season Opener
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/09/2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia men's and women's swimming and diving teams
opened the 2009-10 season Friday with hard-fought losses to Florida at the
Aquatic and Fitness Center. The Gator men defeated UVa 159-141 while the Florida
women won 166.5-131.5.
Senior John Azar and junior Matt McLean paced the Cavalier men while newcomer
Christine Olson led the women. All three were double event winners.
"It was a terrific meet and I was extremely pleased with how we raced," Virginia
head coach Mark Bernardino said. "This was an extraordinary talented team with a
lot of veterans and for our kids to come out and get right in their grill and
race them with as much energy and as much effort as the did really exceeds our
expectations for this early in the season. A lot of those races came from the
heart."
Olson won 100 breast with a time of 1:03.06, followed by Katherine McDonnell,
who placed second in 1:04.12. Olson then led Virginia to a 1-2-3 finish in the
200 breast, finishing in 2:15.75 ahead of teammates Claire Crippen (2:19.15) and
McDonnell (2:19.59).
"It was awesome; such a great experience," Olson said of her first college meet.
"Every single heat you want to cheer and you want to watch. I was really excited
and I think that's why I did well."
Other winners for the Cavalier women included Liz Shaw in the 200 fly (1:59.08),
Lauren Perdue in the 50 free (22.88) and Mei Christensen in the 200 back
(1:56.65). Lauren Smart and Shaw also went 1-2 in the 100 fly, finishing in
54.58 and 55.39 respectively.
"Lauren Smart was outstanding for our women," Bernardino said. "Christine Olson
had a great beginning to her career, as did Lauren Perdue, another first year
who got after it and swam well. Mei and Kat were outstanding Liz Shaw had a
solid meet too. It was just a solid team effort with everybody trying to
contribute."
"It's always one of the most exciting meets when we swim against Florida," Shaw
said. "They are a top-5 team and I love going up against them. They always race
tough and they never die. This was such a great taste of NCAAs for us and it was
a great way to start off the dual meet season."
Azar also led the Cavaliers to two consecutive sweeps in the 100 and 200
breaststroke events. In the 100, Azar clocked a time of 56.63, closely followed
by Tom Casey (58.01) and Simon Norstedt (58.43). Azar, Casey and Norstedt placed
1-2-3 again in the 200 breast finishing in 2:03.01, 2:06.74 and 2:07.01
respectively.
"We love swimming against Florida because our coaches are similar and both teams
have similar racing styles," Azar said. "It's great to go against a team that is
fast this early in the season. I think we did really well. You never know how
fast you are going to swim compared to how you are feeling, but you can't let
that bother you. I am happy and I want to continue to improve throughout the
year."
McLean led the way in the 1000 free (9:13.92) with junior Taylor Smith finishing
second (9:22.29). McLean also placed first in the 500 free (4:27.63) and swam
with Scot Robison, Peter Geissinger and David Karasek to come away victorious in
the 400 free relay (3:00.52).
Scot Robison also placed first for the men in the 100 free with a time 44.37.
"Matt, John and Scot all stepped up," Bernardino said. "I thought Matt Houser
and Tom Casey, an unheralded first-year, really did a nice job. I am pleased
with how our relays raced."
On the boards, Briggy Imbriglia finished second and Alex D'Ambrosio third on
both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards.
Both Virginia squads are back in action on Wednesday, October 21 to take on
Atlantic Coast Conference foe Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.
Baseball to Hold Celebration of 2009 Team, Ring Ceremony Oct. 16
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/09/2009
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Virginia will hold a celebration of the 2009 UVa baseball
team at 6 p.m. Oct. 16 at Davenport Field prior to the start of Game 6 of the
Orange and Blue World Series. Virginia will conduct its College World Series and
ACC Championship ring ceremony at that time.
There will be a video presentation featuring highlights of the 2009 team's
historic season as part of the celebration. Admission for the evening is free of
charge. Free hot dogs and Pepsi will be available for the first 2,000 fans in
attendance.
Fans also will be invited on the field after the game to receive autographs from
the Cavaliers.
Authentic Virginia old-timers hats will be available to the first 100 fans
entering the ballpark for Game 6. The also will be raffle prizes available
during the game, including team-signed baseballs, jerseys and 2009 baseball
cards.
UVa will hold Youth Baseball Day on Oct. 16 as well. All Little League programs
and youth 14 and under are welcome to attend.
At 5:30 p.m., all little leaguers will be welcome to come onto the field and
play catch in the outfield, run the bases and meet the Virginia players. Three
little leaguers will be chosen to throw out the first pitch, while one will be
selected to introduce the lineups for the first inning. Players are encouraged
to wear their baseball uniforms.
Virginia posted a 49-15-1 record last year and advanced to the College World
Series for the first time in program history. The Cavaliers also won the ACC
Baseball Championship and set a single-season school record for victories.
UVa notched its sixth-consecutive NCAA tournament bid under head coach Brian
O'Connor, who earned National Coach of the Year honors. He led the Cavaliers
across the country to compete as the No. 2 seed at the NCAA Irvine Regional,
where they defeated San Diego State and then host and No. 6 national seed UC
Irvine twice to advance to the first NCAA Super Regional in school history.
UVa then won two of three games in the NCAA Oxford Super Regional against
Mississippi to earn a trip to the College World Series, where the Cavaliers made
their first-ever appearance with a loss to eventual national champion LSU, a
victory over No. 2 national seed Cal State Fullerton and a 12-inning defeat to
Arkansas.
The Cavaliers led the ACC in batting (.327), ERA (3.23) and stolen bases (119),
becoming just the second team in league history to lead the conference in all
three categories.
Orange & Blue World Series (All games are at 6 p.m.)
Game 1: Orange 7, Blue 4
Game 2: Orange 9, Blue 2
Game 3: Orange 6, Blue 5 (Orange wins first series, 3-0)
Game 4: Tuesday, October 13
Game 5: Thursday, October 15
Game 6: Friday, October 16
Game 7: Tuesday, October 20