White: 'Hoos Look to Limit Jackets' Options
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/23/2009
By Jeff White

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Storylines abound as UVa's football game with ACC rival Georgia Tech approaches. They include:
*The Yellow Jackets' struggles at Scott Stadium. Georgia Tech has lost eight straight in this town since upsetting then-No. 1 Virginia here in 1990.
*Virginia's October spree. The Cavaliers have won the past seven games (and 12 of the past 13) they've played in this month.
*The Coastal race. Virginia (2-0, 3-3) leads the division, and 11th-ranked Georgia Tech (4-1, 6-1) is second. A win would move the Jackets into first place.
*Recent trends. Georgia Tech has won four straight since a humbling loss to the Miami Hurricanes. Virginia has won three in a row after its first 0-3 start in 27 years.
The teams meet at noon Saturday at Scott Stadium in a game that Raycom will televise. The TV crew figures to dwell on the past, as media outlets in Virginia and Georgia have done all week, but the coaches are focused on the present.
"We are unconcerned and unimpressed with anything that happened that in 2007, '08 or in the previous three weeks," UVa's Al Groh said.
Second-year coach Paul Johnson said his players are aware of the Jackets' losing streak in Charlottesville, "because everybody else has mentioned it. So they know. They're smart kids. They understand."
Ultimately, Johnson said, "I don't know how much motivation that is. These kids really could care less what happened in 1990. They're worried about this year. It just serves to let our guys know that we're in for a hard, tough-fought game, which we know already, because [the Wahoos] came and hit us in the mouth last year, so we know what we're walking into."
A season ago in Atlanta, UVa trailed 14-3 after one quarter but rallied to win 24-17. Each team turned the ball over three times, but the Jackets' mistakes might have been more costly, especially a third-quarter fumble inside the Cavaliers' 10.
The star of Johnson's trademark triple-option offense in 2008 was running back Jonathan Dwyer, who was honored as the ACC player of the year after the regular season.
Dwyer, a junior, is the league's fourth-leading rusher this season, but he's been eclipsed by teammate Josh Nesbitt. A junior from Greensboro, Ga., Nesbitt has rushed for 262 yards and six touchdowns in his past two games -- wins over Florida State and then-No. 4 Virginia Tech. In the ACC, he's third in rushing (89.3 yards per game).
"It's very, very evident that Josh is now a season-and-a-half into this offense," Groh said, "as opposed to a half-season the last time that we saw him."
Nesbitt has excellent speed, but that's not all. At 6-1, 217 pounds, he's a physical runner who can overwhelm defenders, and his decision-making has improved.
"I think he's a lot better at running the option this year than he was a year ago," Johnson said, partly because opponents are determined to shut down Dwyer.
"That's opened some things up for Josh," Johnson said. "He's more comfortable, he's embraced the role of running the ball, and he's clearly a better runner than he was a year ago. I think he's just more comfortable with where he's going and what he's doing."
For Virginia, Jameel Sewell is more comfortable than he was last weekend in College Park, Md. Sewell, the Cavaliers' No. 1 quarterback, left the game with a sprained right ankle late in the third quarter.
He returned to practice this week, though, and is expected to be near full strength against Georgia Tech, which ranks 11th among ACC teams in total defense.
Also back is Mikell Simpson, who leads Virginia in touchdowns with five. The senior tailback suffered a neck injury Oct. 10 in a 47-7 rout of Indiana. He was held out of the Maryland game before being cleared this week.
The outlook is not as promising for defensive end Matt Conrath, a 6-7, 275-pound sophomore who's having a sensational season. Conrath severely sprained his right ankle, on a freak play in the final minute of the first half in College Park, and is likely to miss several games.
Conrath started against Georgia Tech last season, and the 'Hoos could use his experience Saturday against a team averaging 32.4 points.
In junior wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, the Jackets have the ACC's leader in receiving yards per game (95.9). But Thomas averages fewer than four catches per game. His talents aside, Tech is first and foremost a running team, and its average of 281.6 yards rushing ranks No. 2 nationally.
A year ago in Atlanta, Virginia struggled early with the pace of the Jackets' attack and surrendered two first-quarter touchdowns. The Cavaliers didn't panic.
"Coach Groh told us from the start of the game that things probably weren't going to go the way we wanted them to right off the bat, because it's an offense they're used to, and it's something that we're not used to seeing at all," recalled defensive end Nate Collins, who played nose tackle in 2008.
"You play that type of offense once, maybe twice a year, if that. It's something that we have to practice and prepare for with a scout defense, whereas they're doing this every day.
"So Coach Groh told everyone just to stay calm. The first couple drives probably weren't going to go our way, and he was absolutely right. But once we got the hang of it and we saw what was going to happen and everyone made the adjustments, everything just followed together, and we ended up stopping them for the rest of the game."
Much is made of the problems Georgia Tech poses for opposing defenses. Collins, the ACC defensive lineman of the week, says that challenge can be overstated.
"It's just assignment football," Collins said. "This week is going to be maybe a different set of jobs than you're probably used to for each position, but if you think about it, the initial part for every person, just doing your job, is actually easier than any other week. Because you just have one specific thing to do.
"Like at D-end, wherever the quarterback goes, you're keying on him. Don't worry about anything else. Don't worry about the pitch man, that's someone else's job. And in the middle, it's just worry about the dive, from A gap to A gap. If you see the running back, you have to tackle him every single time, regardless of if he has the ball or not, because if not, he's a blocker."
To Collins, the issue is straightforward.
"If everyone does their job on the defense like they're supposed to, then this offense won't work, and we'll force them to do other things," he said.
A victory Saturday would put the Cavaliers over .500 for the first time in nearly a year, and they'd move ever closer to bowl-eligibility.
"We're definitely looking at this game as a huge game as far as where we are as a team and where we can go in the future," senior offensive tackle Will Barker said.
Outside linebacker Denzel Burrell said: "We've experienced some of the lowest of the lows early in the season, and I guess what people can say are some of the highest of highs, as of now. But we have to stay where we are and stay within ourselves. We're 3-3, nothing to boast about, and we just have to keep working hard.
"We're feeling good, but we're feeling like the job isn't done yet."

U.Va.'s Jackson runs with his big chance
By Norm Wood
| 247-4642
October 24, 2009

After the display Rashawn Jackson put on in that high school gym the first time Virginia coach Al Groh laid eyes on him in person, there was a part of Jackson that worried he'd blown his chance to become a Cavalier.

Far from it.

Groh saw exactly what he wanted from the big man, including the intensity needed for a guy to play fullback in a pro-style offense. Last week, Jackson's role changed, as he filled in for the injured Mikell Simpson at tailback and rushed 19 times for 90 yards and a touchdown in U.Va.'s 20-9 victory at Maryland. Today against No. 11 Georgia Tech (6-1 overall, 4-1 ACC), he might be right back at fullback if Simpson is able to handle the load at tailback after suffering a neck injury two weeks ago.

Jackson remembers that day at St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City, N.J. — his high school alma mater. He was playing a pickup basketball game so physical that most NBA general managers would've been proud.

"I remember kind of getting into it with one of my friends and running down the court," said Jackson, a 6-foot-1, 245-pound senior. "It became kind of a verbal game with some profanity and all that. I remember I dunked the ball and I was screaming in my friend's face."

After the 360-degree dunk, Jackson turned to his right and saw Groh standing on the track above the court. Jackson had no idea Groh was coming to visit that day, but Groh was grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Amidst all the profanity, I see Coach Groh," said Jackson, who was considered by most recruiting analysts to be one of the nation's top 10 fullbacks coming out of high school. "All I could think was, 'Oh, he's got to hear me cursing and going crazy.' I kind of felt bad, but it was in the heat of the game. … He saw the competitive nature and he gave me some leeway there."

U.Va. (3-3, 2-0), which today will try to hold on to first place in the ACC's Coastal Division, eventually won the recruiting struggle for Jackson's services. Despite having scholarship offers from Nebraska, Southern California, Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State, Boston College and Rutgers, Jackson liked Groh and the coaching staff at U.Va.

Jackson had hopes of playing a role at U.Va. similar to the one he played for St. Peter's, where he ran 91 times for 938 yards and had 11 catches for 113 yards while scoring 25 touchdowns as a senior. It quickly became apparent that wasn't anywhere close to what his role would be in Charlottesville, as he was moved from fullback to linebacker midway through his redshirt year in 2005.

As a redshirt freshman, he played backup inside linebacker, special teams and goal-line fullback. Though it wasn't what he'd envisioned, it ended up being the perfect primer.

"It was a pretty good role for me to prepare for what I had to do the next year, which was when I was a true fullback in the (I-formation)," Jackson said. "Of course, I came in thinking I was going to get the ball, but I didn't. It still worked out, and it's working out."

In 23 games at fullback in the '07 and '08 seasons, and the first two games of this season, he carried the ball just 36 times for 134 yards and had 22 catches for 125 yards and a touchdown. Then, when U.Va. made the transition out of the no-huddle spread offense it installed at the start of this season and back to the pro-style offense, Jackson's contributions suddenly expanded.

In the last four games, he has had 38 carries for 197 yards and a touchdown to go along with 14 catches for 148 yards. Against Indiana, he had eight carries for 73 yards, including six rushes for 61 yards after Simpson went out with the neck injury in the third quarter. Jackson's biggest impact came in the fourth quarter against Maryland, when he had nine carries for 44 yards and a touchdown.

"Through the course of the (Maryland) game, and then as we went through those final five or six minutes, it was very apparent that he had that 'give me the ball' attitude," Groh said. "So, that factored into the thinking there. It wasn't so much about the plays first or 'run this play.' It was 'Hey, this guy wants the ball, and he wants the game, so give it to the guy who wants it.' "

Each week, Jackson establishes a new set of personal goals specific to the coming game. Last week, he wanted to run for 100 yards, and he came up a little short. This week, he has a simple goal — one he has gotten used to over the years as a fullback.

"I just want to contribute any way I'm asked to and help us get the win," said Jackson, who has a degree in sociology and who is a graduate student in the education program.

"A few weeks ago (when U.Va. was 0-3), we saw our situation. We decided we can either tuck our tails or fight back and do something about it. As you can tell, the character of this team is not to just lay down and quit."

Virginia's five keys to beating Georgia Tech
By Norm Wood
¦ 247-4642
October 24, 2009

Keys to the game for Virginia
GOT TO STAY HEALTHY

Quarterback Jameel Sewell and running back Mikell Simpson are expected to play today, which is good news for U.Va., but the Cavaliers can only be effective on offense if they can keep those guys in the game. The offensive line has to be more dependable (ACC-worst 24 sacks surrendered) to exploit Georgia Tech (78th in nation in total defense with an average of 378 yards per game, but gave up just 344 last weekend to Virginia Tech).

KEEP 'EM CONTAINED

Georgia Tech has had 35 plays of 20 yards or more this season, including 11 that resulted in touchdowns and 12 completions to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. What's the best way to keep Georgia Tech's triple option under wraps? Harass quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who is averaging 217 yards total offense per game, by sticking to assignments in the running game and not falling for play-action.

FINISH IN THE RED ZONE

U.Va. leads the nation in red-zone scoring (17 trips; 10 touchdowns and seven field goals), but Georgia Tech's defense has been solid stopping teams inside the red zone (25th in the nation in red-zone defense; 24 trips for 18 scores, including 13 touchdowns). The Cavaliers need to continue to finish strong.

CONTROL THE CLOCK

Last week, Georgia Tech held a nearly 17-minute time-of-possession advantage against Virginia Tech (including almost 15 minutes in the second half) and won 28-23. Last season, U.Va. finished with an 81/2-minute time of possession edge against Georgia Tech in the Cavaliers' 24-17 victory. Get the point?

WIN TURNOVER CATEGORY

After having a minus-six turnover margin in the season-opening loss to William and Mary, U.Va. has had a plus-nine margin in its last five games combined. That's important considering Georgia Tech, despite running the risky option, enters today with the best turnover margin in the ACC (plus-five).

— Norm Wood
 

Three keys and a U.Va. prediction
Michael Phillips
Oct 23, 2009

As usual, the high school scene calls for me tonight. But first, a look ahead to tomorrow’s big game. Also, come back tomorrow morning for a brief item on hoops practice with Tony Bennett.

——————-

No. 11 Georgia Tech at Virginia

Where: Scott Stadium (cap. 61,500), Charlottesville

When: noon

On the air: TV: Raycom (Fox); radio: WRVA (1140), WINA (1070), 11 a.m.

Tickets: $42 all seats

Records: Virginia 2-0 ACC, 3-3, Georgia Tech 4-1, 6-1

Players to watch: GT — QB Josh Nesbitt, 6 rushing TDs in last two games, PR Jerrard Tarrant, leads the ACC with 24.9 yard punt-return average, WR Demaryius Thomas, leads ACC with 95.9 receiving yards per game. UVa — WR Kris Burd, 18 catches, 251 yards, 1 TD, K Robert Randolph, 9-for-9 on field-goal attempts, CB Chris Cook, 2 interceptions.

Notable: Former Virginia offensive lineman Ray Roberts will have his jersey retired at halftime.¤.¤.The Cavs have won eight straight in Scott Stadium against the Yellow Jackets.¤.¤.Georgia Tech’s last victory in Charlottesville came in 1990, when it knocked off No. 1 Virginia 41-38 on a last-second field goal.¤.¤.Since 1982, the Cavs are 9-1 against the Wreck when committing fewer turnovers.¤.¤.Both teams have a positive turnover margin on the season.¤.¤.In the last four games, the Yellow Jackets have averaged 37 minutes of possession time per game.¤.¤.The winner will lead the ACC Coastal Division.¤.¤.U.Va. has not allowed a first-quarter score since the William and Mary game.¤.¤.The Cavs have now won 12 of their last 13 October games.

Three keys to U.Va. victory:

1) Stay upright — Virginia’s defenders will have to resist the Georgia Tech cut blocks, and stay on their feet to shut down the triple-option attack. In addition, the cornerbacks will have to resist the temptation to help out the run coverage, because when they do that, it will often turn into a long touchdown pass. Linebacker Cam Johnson will have to be particularly careful as he sometimes is called on for pass coverage when the offensive formation dictates it.

2) Field position — For the second-straight week, this is crucial to the game, because it has been a weak spot all season for U.Va. Kickoffs will have to travel longer than they have in previous weeks, where possessions starting on the 40-yard line were the norm, and kickoff returns will have to come back farther than they’ve been brought. On punt returns, Chase Minnifield is averaging 4.7 yards per runback, with his longest a 23-yard effort.

3) Stick to the plan — Georgia Tech thrives on the confusion its triple-option offense creates, and that often means that teams fall behind early. It’s important for quarterback Jameel Sewell to stick with the game plan, even if the Cavs find themselves behind early in the game. Last year in Atlanta, the Yellow Jackets struck early, but by the end of the game the Hoos had chipped away at the lead, and claimed victory.
Prediction: Georgia Tech 30, U.Va. 20
 

Jackets sting multiple ways with triple option
By Michael Phillips
Published: October 24, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- For the U.Va. defenders, it's time to put on the blinders.

Last year, the Wahoos were able to do something that has eluded most teams who have faced the Yellow Jackets this year -- shut down their triple-option offense.

Quarterback Josh Nesbitt and running back Jonathan Dwyer form the bulk of the attack. Or so an opponent thinks, until all of a sudden receiver Demaryius Thomas catches a long touchdown pass.

"It kind of lulls people to sleep sometimes," Virginia linebacker Denzel Burrell said. "If you're off your game plan for one play, it can be a 60-yard touchdown."

The confusion starts at the line of scrimmage, where the linemen are shuffled around to create a number of variations on the same basic play. So while the defense might think they recognize it, it's actually a different look.

As a result, U.Va.'s defensive linemen will be given specific responsibilities, and they'll have to stick with them despite where they think the ball is.

"The biggest thing is going to be staying focused and doing your job," Nate Collins said. "You're pretty sure that the QB handed it off, but you do your job, and keep your eyes on him no matter what happened."

Even if the Cavs stay focused, they'll still be dealing with tremendous athletic talent in Nesbitt and Dwyer.

The other thing Georgia Tech has going for it is versatility. The Yellow Jackets run the offense every week, but opponents only see it once a year. That's created headaches for Virginia coach Al Groh, though he said that he benefits somewhat from having played against them last year.

"Well, it's certainly a smoother week than it was at this time last year," he said. "Now we can watch the game video and see things that worked, and also see things that were really an issue."

There was a handful of both in Virginia's 24-17 victory in Atlanta.

But that's enough to give the players some confidence that they can dethrone the Yellow Jackets and win the battle for first place in the ACC Coastal Division.

Groh also knows, however, that Georgia Tech will be ready for whatever Virginia has.

"They've got their projections, too," he said. "So we would expect a counter move on their part."
 

Jackets: Eight is enough at U.Va.
October 24, 2009 12:36 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--

The last time Georgia Tech defeated Virginia in Scott Stadium, the Cavaliers were the No. 1 football team in the nation.

They boasted several players who enjoyed long careers in the NFL and are now retired. Virginia sophomore guard Austin Pasztor (a two-year starter) wasn't even born yet.

The date was Nov. 3, 1990, when Scott Sisson drilled a last-second field goal to give Georgia Tech a thrilling 41-38 victory en route to a share of the national championship.

Virginia has won the past eight meetings in Charlottesville since that classic contest. The Cavaliers hope to extend the streak today at noon when the No. 11 Yellow Jackets (6-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) visit in a key ACC matchup.

"Wow," Virginia senior linebacker Denzel Burrell said when told of the Cavaliers' home dominance over Georgia Tech. "Pressure's on."

Not only are the Cavaliers (3-3, 2-0) hoping to continue a streak, they want to remain atop the conference's Coastal Division.

They've won three straight games after an 0-3 start, including wins over conference rivals North Carolina and Maryland.

"Everyone was tired of losing," Cavaliers' senior defensive end Nate Collins said. "No one was going to accept losing. By everyone having that mentality, it helped us out a lot."

That mind-set could come in handy against a Georgia Tech team that boasts the No. 2 rushing offense in the nation (281.6 yards per game) and an offensive system that Cavaliers head coach Al Groh called "tricky."

Second-year head coach Paul Johnson brought the flex-bone offense to Atlanta from Navy and had immediate success, but struggled against the Cavaliers in a 24-17 home loss last year.

Johnson said his team had "a zillion" chances to win, but was done in by three turnovers and a Virginia offense that ran 75 plays and amassed 396 yards of total offense. Johnson said the Cavaliers "smacked us in the mouth."

Collins said the defense figured out playing Georgia Tech's offense isn't as difficult as it seems.

"It's just assignment football," Collins said. "This week is going to be maybe a different set of jobs than you're probably used to for each position. But if you think about it, it's just doing your job. It's actually easier than other weeks because you have one specific thing to do."

Johnson said he feels his team's back is "against the wall" because although the Yellow Jackets picked up a key conference win over Virginia Tech last Saturday, they may not be able to afford another loss to remain in the race for the division title.

The Yellow Jackets fell to Miami on Sept. 17, while the Hokies have already beaten the Hurricanes and may not lose another ACC game.

"It's an elimination game for us," Johnson said of today's contest. "If we don't win the game our chances of winning the Coastal Division are not very good."

The Cavaliers figure to have a say in the Coastal race, as well. They've revived their season behind a stingy defense that has risen to No. 21 in the nation in yards allowed. They've also reversed the turnover problems they had earlier in the season. They've forced nine turnovers and committed just one during their winning streak.

The Cavaliers believe takeaways can be a key today, as well.

Collins said because the Yellow Jackets pitch the ball around so much in their option offense, they often fumble.

"It's just being alert and trying to stay on your feet as much as possible," Collins said. "As many people as we can swarming to the ball is going to be a big issue for us as well. We've just got to continue being physical like we have the last couple of weeks. I don't think this game is going to be any different for us on defense."

INJURY REPORT

Virginia sophomore defensive end Matt Conrath (ankle) won't play today. Sophomore Zane Parr will start in his place.

Senior quarterback Jameel Sewell (ankle) is listed as probable. Sewell left in the third quarter of the Cavaliers' win over Maryland last Saturday.

Senior running back Mikell Simpson (neck) missed the Maryland game, but is expected to play today. He isn't listed on the injury report.

 

A battle for the Coastal perch
By Jerry Ratcliffe
Published: October 24, 2009

In most cases, time of possession is one of the most meaningless statistics in football.

Not today in the high-noon showdown between current ACC Coastal Division leaders Virginia and visiting Georgia Tech. In today’s game, time of possession could mean everything.

There’s a reason that 11th-ranked Georgia Tech leads the ACC in that statistic, more meaningful to the Yellow Jackets than the rest of the league. Coach Paul Johnson’s option offense thrives on controlling the football, grinding out long drives and eating up precious minutes of the clock while keeping the opposing offense on the sidelines champing at the bit.

That’s where not only does Virginia’s defense come into play in today’s game, but the Cavaliers’ much-maligned offensive line as well. If UVa is to spring an upset and keep its home winning streak against the Yellow Jackets intact, then coach Al Groh’s defense must prevent Georgia Tech from controlling the football and the Cavaliers’ O-line must control the line of scrimmage when it’s up at bat, to help keep Josh Nesbitt, Jonathan Dwyer and their cohorts off the field.

Rewinding to last year’s UVa upset of the Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium, that’s exactly what happened.

Last year’s blueprint

After a rough start, it appeared Tech just might run the Cavs out of Atlanta, Groh and his coaching staff made some adjustments that contained the Jackets’ offense and forced some turnovers that led to the 24-17 upset.

Groh had told his defense not to panic, that it might take a couple of series to see Tech’s speed and to see the option in person, which is so much different than on film or a scout team’s simulation in practice.

After seeing what they were dealing with, the Cavaliers held the Yellow Jackets to 83 yards and held Tech to its second-lowest rushing total of the season in 2008.

“It wasn’t all perfect,” Groh said at his weekly press conference. “We had a lot of issues during the course of the game. Some of those issues were solved frankly because we had an effective offense that day and cut down on [Tech’s] time of possession.”

Hold on to the ball

Virginia had possession of the pigskin for eight minutes, 36 seconds more than the Jackets, which is significant in a game like this one.

Johnson still believes his team should have won the game. Three turnovers didn’t help the Ramblin’ Wreck’s cause, nor did a fumbled punt.

Groh was right, however, in pointing out the value of Virginia’s offense in that game.

The longer Virginia held onto the ball, the longer Tech’s offense was on the sidelines and the more anxious the Jackets got when they returned to the field, pressured to make something happen.

Last year, it was Marc Verica and Cedric Peerman that engineered UVa’s offensive show, which accounted for nearly 400 yards and 23 first downs.

Today, it will have to be Jameel Sewell and Mikell Simpson. Or it could be Verica and Rashawn Jackson. Or a combination of all of the above?

Sewell is listed as probable, while Simpson did not appear in the injury report.

Personally, we think Vic Hall could be the difference because he just might line up anywhere, and usually that’s a good thing for the Cavaliers.

One thing is for sure, Virginia’s O-line is going to have to punch holes in Tech’s defense, which is ranked No. 56 in the country in rushing defense and No. 84 in passing defense. They’re going to have to protect Sewell or Verica, too.

The Jackets might not have the best defense in the world but they are pretty nasty when it comes to rushing the passer. Virginia may just be the worst team in the country in protecting their passer, ranked No. 118 out of 120 FBS schools in giving up sacks.

That will have to cease.

Defensively, all eyes will be on the two unproven players tasked with replacing injured defensive end Matt Conrath — sophomore Zane Parr and true freshman Will Hill.

There will be tons of pressure on UVa’s front seven to play assignment football, while the secondary must prevent being lulled to sleep with Tech’s running attack, then get sucked in on play-action for a lethal downfield pass.

The legendary George Welsh said it best a couple of weeks ago when he noted that most teams don’t know how to defend Tech’s offense, but if you can stop the run, then the Yellow Jackets struggle to win with a one-dimensional passing game.

Thusly, that is Virginia’s mission today. The front seven has to play sic ’em without being fooled by the misdirection, while the offense plays its own version of ball control.

If the Cavaliers can be successful in those phases, then Georgia Tech’s losing streak in Charlottesville — which dates back to before some of the players on both sidelines today were even born — then the streak will live on.
 

Resurgent Cavs get a big test
Associated Press
Jameel Sewell and Virginia put a three-game winning streak on the line today in a home game against No. 11 Georgia Tech.
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 24, 2009

Four weeks ago, few would have predicted what would be on the line at Scott Stadium today.

The start time (noon) and the television slot (Raycom) where the contest was placed are proof.

Yet with a pair of three-game winning streaks on the line, Virginia (3-3, 2-0 ACC) and No. 11 Georgia Tech (6-1, 4-1) play in what could ultimately determine the champion of the league’s Coastal Division.

“We try to take it one game at a time, but this is a big game,” Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell said. “We know they are ranked 11th in the country and we know we have to match Georgia Tech on the field.”

The Yellow Jackets enter on the heels of their biggest win of the year, last week’s upset over Virginia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

“It is about as good a challenge as we could look for this week in an opponent,” said Virginia coach Al Groh. “Sure could make a pretty strong argument, the hottest team in the ACC with a unique system of play in two of the three elements of their team.

“They passed a lot more tests than we have.”

Virginia, which beat Maryland 20-9 last week, has history on its side. Georgia Tech has not won in Charlottesville since 1990, and coach Paul Johnson has pointed that out to his players.

“He reminded us we have a chance to make history,” linebacker Sedric Griffin told reporters. “It has been 19 years. Some of these kids were not born when Georgia Tech got its last win there.

“We really want to go up there and have a good showing.”

A five-point favorite, Georgia Tech is under the impression that it will require its best game to end the streak. That is partly because Virginia has played remarkably better in the past three contests.

“[Virginia] reverted back to what they used to do. They scrapped the new offense; they’re back to running the same offense they ran forever under Al and they stopped turning the ball over,” Johnson said. “They were a turnover a minute earlier in the year. They weren’t giving themselves a chance to play, but the last three games they have created turnovers, they’ve taken care of the ball and that’s the difference between winning and losing.

“When you look statistically, they’ve been pretty good defensively the whole time, but they couldn’t survive the turnovers.”

Scott Stadium not a favorite spot for Georgia Tech's Jackets
Georgia Tech last beat UVa in Charlottesville back in 1990, when the coach was Bobby Ross.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

The last time Georgia Tech won a football game in Charlottesville, Bobby Ross was the Yellow Jackets' coach.

Ross never coached at Scott Stadium again.

However, he'll be in attendance today when 11th-ranked Georgia Tech (6-1 overall, 4-1 ACC) meets Virginia (3-3, 2-0) at noon in search of its first victory at Scott Stadium since 1990.

"Has it been that long?" Ross asked Thursday. "I had no idea."

Ross, who was in Roanoke to address a group of Patrick Henry High School boosters, lives in Lexington and said he will be sitting with members of his family Saturday.

It won't be his first trip to Scott Stadium since 1990. His son, Kevin, was the running backs coach on Al Groh's Virginia coaching staff from 2001-04, and Charlottesville was a regular Ross destination during that time.

In 2004, Bobby Ross accepted the coaching job at Army, whose chief rival was the Naval Academy, when current Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson ran the show until he took over the Yellow Jackets' program in 2008.

"It doesn't surprise me, the job [Johnson's] done down there," Ross said. "Heck, we couldn't beat him. He does as good a job of in-game adjustments as I've seen in college football."

Ross' 1990 Georgia Tech team defeated then-No. 1 Virginia 41-38 on a 37-yard Scott Sisson field goal with seven seconds remaining and went on to share the national championship.

Georgia Tech was picked No. 1 in the college coaches' poll, and Colorado was the choice in The Associated Press writers' poll.

So, what does Ross remember about the 1990 Virginia-Georgia Tech game?

"That they almost called it off," Ross said. "The turf had been burned the night before the game and they eventually had to get turf from one of the practice fields and replace it."

Vandals had snuck into the stadium several hours before sunrise and set the artificial surface on fire in the middle of the field. A quick repair job foiled the defacers, however.

Then the Jackets knocked UVa from the top of the poll.

Ross remained at Georgia Tech through 1991, then moved on to the San Diego Chargers in the NFL. Ross' five-year tenure in San Diego included reaching Super Bowl XXIX.

Georgia Tech has had four head coaches in the post-Ross era (Bill Lewis, George O'Leary, Chan Gailey and Johnson), but has remained successful. One more win would give the Jackets their 13th consecutive year with at least seven victories.

Georgia Tech has had at least a .500 ACC record for 15 consecutive seasons. The only Division I-A team with a longer streak is Florida with 23.

Former Georgia Tech AD Dave Braine, now retired and living in Blacksburg, once said that the Yellow Jackets could hope to win nine or 10 games on occasional basis but "they will never do that consistently."

Ross said he didn't think Braine's statement was particularly outrageous, "but, this scheme gives [Johnson] a little better chance," Ross said.

The Yellow Jackets have a triple-option attack featuring quarterback Josh Nesbitt and running back Jonathan Dwyer, last year's ACC player of the year. Last week, Tech completed one pass but had the ball for more than 38 minutes in a 28-23 upset of then-No. 4 Virginia Tech.

Ross likens Georgia Tech's triple-option to the wide-tackle six defense that he installed at Maryland following his arrival. The wide-tackle six was widely identified with coach Jerry Claiborne's Virginia Tech teams of the 1960s.

"Eventually, people caught up with it," said Ross, who won ACC titles at Maryland in 1983, 1984 and 1985, "but, at first, they just hadn't seen it."

On Saturdays when VMI is at home, Ross, an alumnus, can be found at Keydets' games. When VMI is on the road, as it is today at Presbyterian, Ross frequently will go to a Virginia or Virginia Tech game.

He buys his own tickets, admitting that they're often harder to get in Blacksburg.

He was a secondary coach for the Kansas City Chiefs in the late 1970s and early '80s and pays attention to the coverages, but mostly he likes to watch the line of scrimmage.

Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer coached under Ross at The Citadel, and Ross marvels at the success his pupil has had in Blacksburg, much of which Ross attributes to Beamer's ability to hold onto his assistants.

UVa, on the other hand, really hasn't been the same since assistants Al Golden, Ron Prince and Danny Rocco took head-coaching jobs following the 2005 season.

"Now, Prince has come back," Ross said, "but, do you realize, there's only one assistant still there, [Bob] Price, who was there with Kevin at the beginning. It makes a difference."
 

Georgia Tech leads resurgence of triple-option offense
Submitted by SHNS on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 11:06 By VITTORIO TAFUR, San Francisco Chroniclecollege footballShareThis OK, maybe no one has ever described former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer as a wise man, but he is a funny man and he is one of only two coaches to win both a college national title ring and a Super Bowl ring (the other is Jimmy Johnson).
Switzer is a Fox television analyst these days and he is loving life. Why? Because, thanks to coach Paul Johnson and 12th-ranked Georgia Tech, the triple-option offense is back, baby.
"People think it's extinct because it hasn't been around the last 10 years or so, but it would still work today -- look at what Johnson has done," Switzer said. "It's all about having top-notch personnel. ... Dinosaurs would stomp people if they were still around, too."
Originally, there were three variations of the triple-option: the wishbone Switzer used; the veer; and the I-formation that Nebraska's Tom Osborne won a national title with in 1997.
Paul Johnson's is a hybrid of the three. The quarterback lines up with running backs on each side of him. He reads the defense, runs to a side and either runs it himself, pitches it to the outside back or ... takes a step back and throws it deep.
If you eliminate one defensive player with the read and one with the pitch, that's 11-on-9 for the offense. Plus, you're making defensive players run laterally instead of attacking.
Last week, in Georgia Tech's 28-23 win over Virginia Tech, quarterback Josh Nesbitt ran 23 times for 122 yards and three touchdowns. He only completed one pass in seven attempts, but it did go for 51 yards.
"It's the best rushing offense in football," Switzer said. "And if you have a guy who can throw the ball, it is a great passing offense too because the defense has to commit. You're going to have a receiver 15 yards behind the secondary a lot."
Between 1969 and 1990, 11 of the 22 national champions ran a triple option. Switzer and the Sooners hit the mountain top in 1971, setting the NCAA rushing record at 472 yards a game.
Johnson arrived at Navy in 2002, after winning two I-AA national titles at Georgia Southern, and turned around a team that had gone 1-20 the previous two years. The Midshipmen went 45-29 in Johnson's six years. Johnson went to Georgia Tech last year and went 9-4. This year, they're 6-1.
"There has been a misconception that the triple-option is a three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust offense," Johnson said.
Nesbitt leads the Yellow Jackets with 624 yards and nine touchdowns. Running back Jonathan Dwyer, last year's ACC player of the year, has 593 yards and five touchdowns.
"Teams don't see it these days and then whammo, Georgia Tech comes out of nowhere," Switzer said. "It's beautiful stuff."
 

October 23, 2009
Steve Megargee
Rivals.com College Football Staff Writer

If college football's most prestigious individual prize were named after Robert Ripley instead of John Heisman, Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas would win the award in a landslide.

Thomas is putting together the type of improbable season that could make him a featured exhibition in one of those Ripley's Believe It Or Not museums.

Thomas, a 6-foot-3 junior, is ranked among the nation's top 20 players in receiving yards per game while playing on a team that runs the ball 82 percent of the time. He has more than two-thirds of the Yellow Jackets' catches. In Georgia Tech's two biggest games this season -- against Miami and Virginia Tech -- Thomas had all of his team's receptions.

Thomas has proved that a receiver can emerge as an All-America candidate and a legitimate NFL prospect while being part of an offense that runs an option attack. If that scenario seems a bit unusual, you're not alone. Even the guy accomplishing this feat once was a doubting Thomas.

"I never thought it would happen," Thomas said. "... I never thought I would be one of the [nation's] top receivers. I always wanted to, but I never thought it could happen."

Thomas wasn't alone in that regard.

Georgia Tech receivers Colin Peek and D.J. Donley decided to transfer after the 2007 season following the hiring of Paul Johnson, who planned to install the option attack that had worked so well for him at Navy. Wide receiver James Johnson chose to give up football while remaining enrolled in school, though his decision resulted more from injuries than the change in offensive philosophy.

Thomas considered following his former teammates out the door.

"I thought about it," Thomas said. "Everybody was saying how in the triple option, they don't throw the ball much. I got a phone call from [quarterback] coach [Brian] Bohannon. He told me to give it a chance, so I stayed and gave it a chance. I liked it."

His faith in the system was rewarded last season, when Thomas caught more passes for more yards than he had compiled the previous year in former coach Chan Gailey's pro-style attack.

In his second season in this system, Thomas is a major reason Georgia Tech (6-1 overall, 4-1 in the ACC) heads into Saturday's game at Virginia (3-3, 2-0) with the No. 12 position in the initial BCS rankings.

Seven games into the season, Thomas has 27 catches for a career-high 671 receiving yards and has matched his previous career high with four touchdown receptions. He is averaging an astounding 24.9 yards per catch, which ranks him second in the nation to USC tight end Anthony McCoy.

Johnson said he believes Thomas always had the capabilities to put up these kinds of numbers. The difference this season is the improvement of the entire passing attack.

"Bay-Bay's always been a good player," said Johnson, referring to Thomas by his nickname. "We're probably a little better at protecting the passer, and he's made a lot more big plays this year. We've probably thrown him the ball deep more than last year."

Instead of complaining about a system that gives him few chances to touch the ball, Thomas has learned to make the most of his opportunities. Georgia Tech rarely dumps the ball off to him or throws him a screen pass. When the ball is thrown in Thomas' direction, it usually is a deep pass that can produce a game-changing result.

And in the rare games when Georgia Tech has chosen to throw more than a dozen times, Thomas has offered a hint of what types of statistics he could produce if he played in a spread offense. When Georgia Tech attempted 14 passes in a 42-31 victory at Mississippi State, Thomas caught eight of them, for 174 yards and a touchdown.

"He's got great size and great ball skills," Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said. "When you're playing them, 100 percent of your focus is on stopping the run. When you're doing that, he gets lots of one-on-one matchups. With his size and ability, he makes plays in those one-on-one matchups."

Many of those skills came from his years on the basketball court. Thomas has played basketball all his life and didn't start competing in organized football until the spring of his freshman year at West Laurens High School in Montrose, Ga. John Kenny still remembers crossing paths with Thomas shortly after he took over as the football coach at West Laurens.

"Who's that kid?" Kenny asked the principal.

"Demaryius Thomas," the principal answered.

"He wasn't in my football meeting,'' Kenny said. "I don't remember him.''

"No, coach, he's a basketball and track guy," the principal said.

"Well, he's a football guy now," Kenny replied.

Sure enough, Kenny talked Thomas into participating in spring football his freshman year. Thomas would go on to play football at West Laurens for three more seasons and developed into a three-star prospect.

But he also continued to play basketball and filled a key role on West Laurens' state championship team his sophomore year in high school. Former West Laurens basketball coach Paul Williams cites one play as evidence of Thomas' extraordinary athleticism. Thomas threw the ball inbounds from under the opposing team's basket. When the guy who caught the pass missed a 3-point shot, Thomas took one step inbounds and made a one-handed dunk.

"I think he could have played Division I basketball," said Williams, now the coach at Camden County High School in Kingsland, Ga. "I called him 'The Future.' That was his nickname because I knew he was going to really good. He was something else. He was a hard worker. He had all the tools."

Thomas continues to put those basketball skills on display each week.

All those years jostling under the basket have helped him learn how to outmaneuver defenders for long passes. If Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt throws a deep pass up for grabs, Thomas seemingly can outleap any defensive back for the ball.

"He's almost tight end size," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "He's in the 230-plus range [he is officially listed as 229] and has good jumping ability, so he plays high. With the size of his body and his natural height of 6-3 and with the ability to jump high, there have been a lot of plays where he's boxed that defender out. Clearly, a lot of teams are playing with corners that certainly aren't 6-3."

Those skills should make him a natural red-zone target at the next level, whenever he opts to go pro.

Rob Rang, a senior draft analyst for nfldraftscout.com, said his site rates Thomas as a potential second-round pick, though he personally considers Thomas more of a third-round selection. While his physical build might bring back memories of first-round flop Mike Williams, Thomas possesses speed that Williams, a former USC star, lacked.

"He has that second burst that is pretty unique for guys of his size," Rang said. "He can be a big-play guy. That's what I questioned about Mike Williams. The only reason he made big plays at USC was the talent around him. This guy has talent around him, but he's also making big plays on his own that I didn't see Mike Williams make."

Rang noted that Thomas needs to develop into a more dominant blocker and that playing in an option attack has left Thomas unpolished as a route runner. Thomas inevitably will hear that criticism whenever he gets ready to begin his pro career.

But that he currently projects as an early round draft pick shows that a wide receiver can survive -- and even thrive -- while working in an option attack. Thomas offers the following advice to receivers worried about playing in this type of offense.

"Just listen to the coach," Thomas said. "Don't listen to anybody else. Watch film on Tech. Once you get a chance, it's going to be a big play. It's not going to be one of those short passes. We do throw the ball."

And when they do throw the ball, it almost always ends up in Thomas' hands.

 

A first look at the Cavs’ new coach
The Daily Progress/Megan Lovett
By Whitey Reid
Published: October 24, 2009

On Friday afternoon, media members had the chance to watch a Tony Bennett basketball practice. Reporting on the actual practice, per university policy, was not permitted.

However, the new Virginia coach took questions afterward.

“We’re just trying to work hard,” said Bennett, whose team opens its season against Longwood on Nov. 13. “We certainly have a lot of work to do. We’re just trying to get better every day.

“I think sometimes we’ll take a couple of steps forward, and then there’s been a practice where we’ve taken a step back. But I think the guys, for the most part, are really challenging themselves. What I’m trying to preach to them is that this year will be defined by how unified we are as a group…that’s kind of the theme I’m pushing to them.”

Bennett, who will be on hand at ACC media day in Greensboro, N.C. on Sunday, along with Virginia sophomore Sylven Landesberg, said defense has been a major point of emphasis since the official start of practice eight days ago.

“We’re trying to work on the areas that will get us competitive — and that’s certainly going to be rock solid defensively,” Bennett said. “I sound like a broken record, but be sure with the ball, rebounding on the defensive end and not allowing as many second-chance points.”

Virginia redshirt sophomore Sammy Zeglinski, who sat out of practice due to a sprained left ankle — it’s nothing serious and he’s expected back shortly — appeared to be in Bennett’s ear throughout the practice.

“I was kind of just trying to listen in on everything,” said Zeglinski, who redshirted as a freshman due to a right ankle injury. “Every time that he was [on the sideline], I was trying to talk to him and see what he was thinking about.

“I’m learning every day…I’ve learned a lot — just seeing how offense works and all the mistakes that are made and trying to help people out when they make them, and things like that.

“It’s a learning process.”
 

Asque Leads Cavaliers to Sweep of Maryland
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/23/2009

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Virginia volleyball team started its two-match road swing with a convincing 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-19) victory at the University of Maryland on Friday evening in the Comcast Pavilion.

Landing a season-high in kills, and tying a career-high, sophomore Simone Asque led Virginia’s attack by tallying a match-high 21 kills. Junior Sydney Hill helped paced the attack with eight, while junior Kendahl Voelker contributed seven.

Freshman Rachel Gray dished out 35 helpers to control the offense and senior Brittani Rendina led the defense with 16 digs. Senior Tara Hester added a season-best 11 digs and from behind the line, junior AJ Cushman landed two service aces to go with eight digs.

For Maryland (10-13, 2-8 ACC), Maddi Lee knocked down a team-best 10 kills, while Sam Rosario collected a match-high 21 digs. Katie Usher tallied nine kills on 15 attempts, with no errors, and added three blocks.

Virginia used an 8-3 run midway through the opening frame to gain control of a close battle, forcing the Terrapins to use both of their timeouts. But the Cavaliers were unable to gain momentum with the lead, as Maryland responded with a 4-0 run out of a short intermission, cutting Virginia’s advantage to 17-13. The Terrapins continued to chip into the Cavaliers’ lead, coming as close as two, at 20-18, before Virginia strung together four-straight points behind the service of Cushman, bringing the score to 24-18. Asque secured the win at 25-19 by knocking down her 10th kill of the frame.

The Cavaliers opened the second set on a 4-0 run, but that would turn out to be the largest lead that either team would hold, as there were 11 tie scores and 10 lead changes throughout the stanza. With the score tied at 22, Maryland committed an attack error and called a timeout. Asque then landed a kill out of the break to give Virginia a set point opportunity, 24-22, but an attack error brought the Terrapins within one. The Cavaliers again relied on Asque to deliver the set-point kill, as she led the squad to a 25-23 win.

A 12-4 run in favor of Virginia midway through the third set brought the Cavaliers from behind 5-8 and gave them a commanding 18-12 lead. Virginia built on the lead and the Cavaliers used the momentum to carry them to a 25-19 victory.

Virginia (8-13, 3-7 ACC) will be back in action tomorrow night, facing Boston College in Power Gym. Opening serve is slated for 7 p.m.
 

Men’s Tennis Advances Seven at ITA Regional
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/23/2009

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Virginia men’s tennis team had an impressive day of play Friday as action continued at the ITA Atlantic Regional. The Cavaliers had seven players advance to the round of 16 in singles and had three doubles teams advance to the quarterfinals.

In singles, top-seeded Sanam Singh (Chandigarh, India) advanced with a pair of straight set wins over Anderson Walls of Navy and Jon Pine of Virginia Tech. No. 2 seed Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.) also had a pair of straight set wins, defeating Chris Brown of Howard and Ryan Gromley of Penn State. Houston Barrick (Brentwood, Tenn.), seeded fourth, had a 6-2, 6-3 win over Jeff Kessler of Saint Joseph’s and a 6-2, 6-4 win over Warren Hardie of Penn State. Fifth-seeded Lee Singer (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) topped Mikey Clarke of Georgetown 6-1, 6-1 and Jason Lee of Penn State 7-5, 6-2. Drew Courtney (Clifton, Va.), the No. 8 seed, defeated Guillaume St. Maurice of Penn State and Filip Rams of Temple by identical 6-3, 6-2 scores. No. 16 seed Jarmere Jenkins (College Park, Ga,) topped Bryan Weinetz of Penn State 6-1, 6-1 before upsetting No. 6 seed Keziel Juneau of William & Mary 6-2, 6-2. Unseeded Milo Johnson (Tulsa, Okla.) posted a pair of upsets, defeating No. 10 seed Tobias Fanselow of Old Dominion 7-6, 6-2 and No. 19 seed Krisztian Kroscko of VCU 0-6, 6-3, 6-4.

In doubles, the top three seeds, all from Virginia, advanced the quarterfinals. Top-seeded Barrick and Singh topped Yakov Diskin and Kris Muzalewski of Old Dominion 8-5. No. 2 seed Jenkins and Shabaz scored an 8-6 win over Thibaut Charron and Kroscko of VCU. Third-seeded Courtney and Singer defeated Will Beck and Patrick Daciek of Virginia Tech 8-6.

The tournament continues Saturday with the round of 16 and quarterfinals of singles and the quarterfinals of doubles.
 

Women’s Tennis Has Strong Day Two at ITA Regional
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/23/2009

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia women’s tennis team continued play Friday at the ITA Atlantic Regional on the campus of Virginia Tech. The Cavaliers had a strong day two of the event as main draw play began, advancing six singles players and two doubles teams.

In singles, all six Cavaliers in the main draw advanced to the round of 32. Lindsey Hardenbergh (Fairfax Station, Va.), the No. 2 seed, opened play with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Thaddea Lock of Marshall. No. 4 seed Jennifer Stevens (Miami, Fla.) recorded a 6-2, 6-3 win over Sarah Lotto from Penn State. Emily Fraser (Rye, N.Y.) the No. 5 seed, defeated Maggie MacKeever of Maryland 6-4, 6-1. Sixth-seeded Erin Vierra (Norwell, Mass.) topped West Virginia’s Stephanie Lafortuen 6-2, 6-1. Hana Tomljanovic (Boca Raton, Fla.), a No. 9-16 seed, advanced with a 6-1, 7-6 win over Lauren Sabacinski of William & Mary. Neela Vaez (Perrysburg, Ohio), who advanced to the main draw through qualifying on Thursday, topped Katherine Bulling of James Madison 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.

In doubles, two of the three Cavalier teams in the main draw advanced. Top-seeded Stevens and Tomljanovic cruised to an 8-1 win over Kuehn and Sebia of Georgetown. No. 3 seeded Hardenbergh and Vierra defeated Kedzierski and Robinson of Saint Joseph’s 8-3. Vaez and Riley Blanks (Santa Barbara, Calif.), who reached the main draw through qualifying, lost to No. 5 seed Blakely and Johnson of Virginia Tech 9-7 in the first round of the main draw.

The tournament continues Saturday with the round of 32 and round of 16 of singles and the round of 16 of doubles.
 

No. 3 UVa Set for ACC Battle at No. 6 Wake Forest
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/22/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The third-ranked Virginia field hockey team (14-2, 1-2 ACC) heads to Winston-Salem, N.C., for a conference battle with No. 6 Wake Forest (10-4, 1-2 ACC) at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The two teams met back on Oct. 11, with UVa earning a 3-2 overtime victory. The win marked the first in the last 15 meetings between the two teams.
The Cavaliers have had a week off, dropping a 2-1 decision in overtime to second-ranked North Carolina last Saturday.
Sophomore Paige Selenski contines to lead the Virginia offense with 20 goals this season. Freshman Tara Puffenberger has eight goals while senior Traci Ragukas has scored seven times. In the cage, junior Kim Kastuck has a 0.78 goals against average to go along with a .771 save percentage.
Wake Forest is coming off wins over Providence (4-3 in overtime) and Louisville (2-1) last weekend.
Freshman Lizzie Rae paces the Demon Deacons with 10 goals on the season, while teammates Aileen Davis and Kaitlin Piosa have each contributed four goals apiece. Kaitlyn Ruhf has a 2.21 goals against average and a .655 save percentage in goal for Wake Forest.
The win over the Demon Deacons earlier this season gave the Cavaliers a 16-15 advantage in the all-time series.
 

Cavaliers Open Fall Preview in Seventh Place
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/23/2009

Wilmington, NC - The No. 18 Virginia women's golf team shot 12-over 300 and is in seventh place following the opening round of play at The Fall Preview/Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, N.C. The 18-team tournament features 16 teams currently ranked in the top-30 of the Golfstat rankings.
USC charged out of the gate to grab the early lead. The fifth-ranked Trojans shot even par 288 and enjoy a five-shot advantage over cross-town rival UCLA and Pac-10 foe Arizona State. The Bruins and Sun Devils finished Friday's play at 5-over 293.
Virginia was led in the opening round by Calle Nielson's even par 72. She is tied for ninth overall after the first 18 holes. UVa freshman Brittany Altomare carded a 74 and is in 25th place while classmate Nicole Agnello shot 75 and finished the first round in 36th position. Whitney Neuhauser is 64th at 79 and Lauren Greenlief posted an 81 and is in 72nd place.
Arizona State's Carlota Ciganda and Alabama's Camilla Lennarth share the first-round lead at 4-under 68.
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.

Fall Preview/Landfall Tradition
Country Club of Landfall
Wilmington, N.C.
Par-72, 6,325 yards
First Round Results

Team Results
1. USC 288
2. UCLA 293
2. Arizona State 293
4. Duke 296
5. Alabama 298
6. Auburn 299
7. Virginia 300
8. Denver 301
8. Michigan State 301
10. Purdue 302
11. Pepperdine 303
11. New Mexico 303
13. Wake Forest 304
14. Georgia 305
14. Oklahoma State 305
16. LSU 307
17. North Carolina 308
18. UNC Wilmington 317

Individual Leaders
1. Carlota Ciganda, Arizona State 68
1. Camilla Lennarth, Alabama 68
3. Cydney Clanton, Auburn 70
3. Cheyenne Woods, Wake Forest 70
5. Lindy Duncan, Duke 71
5. Rebecca Hellbom, New Mexico 71
5. Laura Kueny, Michigan State 71
5. Belen Mozo, USC 71
9. Numa Gulyanamitta, Purdue 72
9. Stacey Kim, Duke 72
9. Calle Nielson, Virginia 72
9. Inah Park, USC 72
9. Lizette Salas, USC 72
9. Marta Silva Zamora, Georgia 72

Virginia Results
9. Calle Nielson 72
25. Brittany Altomare 74
36. Nicole Agnello 75
64. Whitney Neuhauser 79
72. Lauren Greenlief 81