Sunday Night Football
Oct. 25, 2009
9:12 p.m.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Got back from ACC Operation Basketball in time to participate in to Al Groh's regular Sunday night teleconference.

UVa's three-game winning streak ended Saturday afternoon at Scott Stadium, where No. 11 Georgia Tech ran wild in a 34-9 victory.

In a game in which the Yellow Jackets totaled 79 plays to only 44 for the Cavaliers, the unquestioned star of Groh's defense was senior Nate Collins.

A starting end in UVa's first six games, Collins moved back to his former position, nose tackle, for Georgia Tech's visit and finished with a career-high 16 tackles.

At left end in Virginia's 3-4 scheme Saturday was a player making his first start at any position: sophomore Zane Parr. He was officially credited with 12 tackles, by far a career high.

"That's pretty good work for those guys," Groh said of Collins and Parr. "They should be positive about that."

Until last weekend, Parr had been used primarily in passing situations. But in College Park, he replaced the injured Matt Conrath at right end in UVa's base defense for the final two-plus quarters against Maryland.

"It was a good move up for him a week ago when he had to step in on an unexpected situation," Groh said Sunday night. "Then yesterday was not of a dissimilar nature in that he played so many more plays than he ever has before.

"He had a few in there that we'd like to change. But overall, given those circumstances, let's say if everybody in a Virginia uniform had had the same kind of day as Zane Parr did, we would have liked the looks of things a lot better."

Also of note from the teleconference:

*Groh elaborated on his decision to not use Rashawn Jackson more Saturday. Against Maryland, the 6-1, 245-pound tailback has rushed 19 times for 90 yards -- both career highs -- and a touchdown.

Against Georgia Tech, Jackson carried only once, for no gain on third-and-goal from the 2, and that was late in the first quarter.

"He had the ball there right early, down on the goal line," Groh said. "They weren't very well-run plays. We only had the ball for, regrettably, [44] plays in the game. A number of those came when we had a margin to overcome ... That didn't leave room for a lot of running plays. And frankly, those plays that he had early in the game weren't particularly well-run."

*Early in the fourth quarter, senior outside linebacker Aaron Clark was helped off the field after hurting his knee. If Clark isn't available this weekend against Duke, his replacement will be redshirt freshman Billy Schautz.

Clark has been part of a three-man rotation at outside linebacker with senior Denzel Burrell and sophomore Cameron Johnson.

*The Jackets finished with 447 yards of offense. Still, Groh said, "defensively we had quite a few positive plays. We had 46 plays in the game of 3 yards or less, which is a pretty good number. But what tarnished that was four or five plays -- the long pass play before the half, two of those option runs in the fourth quarter that created touchdowns, and two of the draw plays that kept drives going that created touchdowns."

*Georgia Tech leads the ACC in rushing by a huge margin. Virginia's next opponent, Duke, leads the conference in passing by a huge margin.

"Very clearly, it's a whole different world," Groh said. "Certainly a big change of gears."

The Wahoos (2-1, 3-4) host the Blue Devils (2-1, 4-3) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The game won't be televised, but it can be seen on the Internet at ESPN360.com.

*Tight end Joe Torchia missed five games last season with a separated left collarbone, and he's banged-up again. On the injury report released Thursday night, the 6-6, 250-pound junior was listed as questionable because of a shoulder problem.

Torchia played against the Jackets, however, and caught one pass for 3 yards. He also had a 14-yard reception that was nullified by a holding penalty.

Groh applauded Torchia's toughness.

"At one point last week, there was a feeling that he'd be having surgery early this week," Groh said. "And then further examinations ruled that out and enabled him to play. He went quite from one extreme to the other, so certainly there was probably some discomfort involved in his circumstance."

-- Jeff White

 

Collins out to tackle Virginia's problems
October 26, 2009 12:36 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE

--Nate Collins feels as if his college football career has been a blur.

The Virginia senior defensive lineman was the only true freshman to play for the Cavaliers in 2006.

And while his classmates are redshirt juniors, Collins knows the final five games of this regular season could be his last in a Virginia uniform.

That sense of urgency is evident on the field.

Collins was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Linemen of the Week after a game-changing interception return for a touchdown in a win over Maryland on Oct. 17.

On Saturday, he was the Cavaliers' primary bright spot in an otherwise glum 34-9 Atlantic Coast Conference home loss to Georgia Tech.

Collins, who started the first six games at defensive end, registered a career-high 16 tackles while playing nose tackle, a position where statistics are rarely accumulated.

"Nate Collins looked like he made about 100 tackles," Cavaliers head coach Al Groh said following the loss to the Yellow Jackets.

Collins wasn't as impressed.

He said he's not thrilled about his showing because it came in a loss for Virginia (3-4, 2-1 ACC).

Still, there's no denying Collins (6-foot-2, 290 pounds) is enjoying an impressive season. He's second on the team with 47 tackles, just two behind team leader Steve Greer, a true freshman inside linebacker.

No defensive lineman has led Virginia in tackles since ex-defensive end Chris Slade did so in 1991.

Groh said he moved Collins from end to tackle against the Yellow Jackets because of the way he played in a 24-17 win over Georgia Tech last season.

Collins, who played nose tackle all of 2008, made six solo tackles in that contest and recovered a fumble that set up a touchdown.

"He was a nose tackle last year and he excelled at it for this game," Groh said. "So frankly I would've been questioning myself if the game was over and we hadn't played him at nose tackle. We put him back there to take advantage of what he did last year. He probably made more plays today than he did last year."

Collins' versatility on Virginia's defensive line is nothing compared with the variety of spots he played at King & Low-Heywood Thomas High School in Port Chester, N.Y.

Collins had to wear a jersey that could change numbers so he would be eligible for his different positions.

Collins said the school had about 50 students in his graduating class. He played defensive end, fullback, running back, tight end, linebacker and even quarterback.

Collins said before the Maryland game that his last touchdown came as a high school quarterback.

"I threw five picks in that game, too," he recalled with a laugh.

But Collins' play of late hasn't been anything to chuckle about.

He's earning his way into consideration for ACC postseason honors. He's probably garnering more attention from NFL scouts than before this season, too.

After his interception in the Maryland game, he even earned bragging rights in the living quarters he shares with a few Virginia defensive backs, including standout cornerback Ras-I Dowling.

"I have one up on them now," Collins said, "because no one in the house has a touchdown."

Virginia regroups, moves on
By Jay Jenkins
Published: October 26, 2009
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After rehashing the video from Saturday’s crippling loss to Georgia Tech, Virginia turned the page.
The 362 rushing yards that the Yellow Jackets amassed with their triple option in the 34-9 victory are merely a teaching point.
The same could be said for the Cavaliers’ failure to convert on third down, the ability to reach the end zone in the red zone and the inability to create a viable running attack against a defense that allowed 564 yards to their past three opponents.
“We have to stay positive. We have to let this go,” Virginia senior quarterback Jameel Sewell said. “It’s done. We lost to Georgia Tech and it’s done. We have to look forward to Duke and finding a way to beat Duke.
“It’s not too difficult, we just need to keep looking forward and think about the next game.”
Virginia was not ready to turn the page on Georgia Tech until it was outscored 21-3 in the second half.
Due to that, the Cavaliers are relegated to scoreboard-watching mode — winning out over the final five games would still require a Georgia Tech (7-1, 5-1 ACC) loss against Duke or Wake Forest to play for the league title.
“We came into the locker room at halftime and we knew we were playing for the [ACC] championship,” said Georgia Tech running back Anthony Allen, who scored twice. “We had to come out in the second half and take it home. We had to play smash-mouth football, and that’s what we did.”
While the Yellow Jackets are jockeying for a trip to the title game, Virginia must find a way to score touchdowns.
The Cavaliers (3-4, 2-1) were held touchdown-less for the first time since losing 13-3 to Clemson last November, and the
offense has reached the end zone just once in their past eight quarters of play.
“When we got in scoring territory [against Georgia Tech], we hurt ourselves,” Virginia senior running back Mikell Simpson said. “And if you look at red-zone performance versus them, they scored touchdowns when they got down there and we settled for three points.
“That was kind of the biggest difference.”
Virginia’s defense, the best facet of the program’s operation of late, must also regroup. After limiting the Yellow Jackets to a pair of field goals and a touchdown in the first half, fatigue set in and tackles were missed aplenty.
“Not being able to get them off the field like we pride ourselves so much on [hurt],” Virginia linebacker Denzel Burrell said. “This week we knew it was going to be a different game on third down. It was less about the pass rush and more about assignment football.
“We just couldn’t get them done and get them off the field on third down. They kept moving the chains on us.”
 

When lightning strikes
Andrew Seidman, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor
Sports
October 26, 2009 0

It was a day of indiscernible plays, fluctuating weather and lots of mud-sliding. If you had difficulty following the path of the ball, you weren’t alone.
Fans at the Virginia-Georgia Tech game coped with precipitation that varied from a drizzle to a downpour. Photo by Bennett Sorbo.

Fans at the Virginia-Georgia Tech game coped with precipitation that varied from a drizzle to a downpour. Photo by Bennett Sorbo.

“It was kind of a tale of two halves,” senior linebacker Denzel Burrell said.

I’ll try to tell it.

Kickoff: 70 degrees, cloudy, light rain. About 20 fans scattered along the Hill.

It appears the slaying of the animated Yellow Jackets by Cavman has startled Georgia Tech junior quarterback Josh Nesbitt and coach Paul Johnson — Georgia Tech burns two timeouts in the first seven minutes. The first allowed Johnson to plan an ingenious fourth-down play: false start. At the time, I thought the sequence of events quite peculiar ­— usually time outs are called to get everyone on the same page — but this one apparently left the Tech offense even more confused.

Or maybe Johnson is just smarter than the rest of us. “They have Chase Minnifield!” the clever coach recalled. “He hasn’t called for a fair catch all season!”

One bobbled punt return and bone-crushing hit later, the Yellow Jackets recover the ball on the Virginia 11-yard line — essentially a 33-yard pass play. The ensuing drive results in a field goal. Georgia Tech leads, 3-0.

6:54 left in 1st quarter: A steady rain and naïve hopefulness blanket the stadium.

After Virginia’s second three-and-out to start the game, the defense holds Tech to six plays. Junior bulldozer Jonathan Dwyer rushes the ball up the gut for a first down, but on the next play, sophomore running back Embry Peeples is met by junior cornerback Ras-I Dowling in the backfield; advantage, Dowling. Georgia Tech is forced to punt on fourth down, but a botched snap results in a turnover-on-downs, giving Virginia the ball at Tech’s 44.

Lined up under center in a two-tight end set, senior quarterback Jameel Sewell flashes the Cavaliers’ first sign of life with a 23-yard strike down the middle to freshman wide receiver Tim Smith — only his third reception in the last four games. A few plays later, coach Al Groh determines the precise range of sophomore kicker Robert Randolph: 48 and a half yards.

“Yeah, certainly not much further than that,” Groh said.

The cross bar does all the rest: game tied, 3-3.

Warning: The following sequence of events may give you the impression that Virginia may actually win the game. You might even think Virginia is going to the ACC Championship game … you might also be clinically insane. Proceed with caution.

On the following Tech possession, Nesbitt coughs up the wet ball — and why not? He’s pitched it about 50 times already — he might as well toss it to senior linebacker Aaron Clark, just for kicks. This is Johnson at his best — with everyone already trying to contain his dynamic “triple option offense,” he figures he’ll add a fourth, just to keep Groh on his toes.

Virginia takes over on the Georgia Tech 25-yard line and Sewell wastes no time in finding senior receiver Vic Hall off a play-action fake on a corner route to the fringe of the goal-line. But the offense is paralyzed once it reaches the red zone, as the Cavaliers cannot punch the ball in from the 2-yard line.

“We just got out-executed at the point of attack a couple times,” Groh said. “Had a decent play called on third down that was well-defensed, and I felt like the prudent decision at that time was with the score tied was to take the points in the rain, and get the lead.”

It would be tough to disagree with Groh about this point — his offense had three chances to score from two yards out and looked hesitant and complacent to take the three points each attempt. There was no reason to think a fourth-down try would yield any better result. And, at halftime, Virginia only trailed by seven points to the best offensive team they’ve faced this year. The Cavaliers were still very much in the game.

Start of 3rd Quarter: No Rain — ominous in a way yet to be determined.

Are you ready for the ramblin’ wreck? Seventeen of Georgia Tech’s next 18 plays will be of the rushing variety. And the Yellow Jackets will score after 10 exhaustive minutes of power-running football. You can choose to read about it, or light yourself on fire — no rain to stop you at this point.

On first down, senior Nate Collins, who switched from defensive end back to his old position at nose tackle against Georgia Tech, gobbles up Dwyer at the line of scrimmage for one of his career-high 16 tackles. But on the very next play, Nesbitt scrambles from the pocket, fakes an invisible pitch that Burrell follows convincingly and jukes past the defense for a 13-yard gain. And that’s the beauty of Johnson’s offense — even when 2008 ACC Player of the Year Dwyer stumbles on first down and it seems as if the Virginia defensive line has put a clamp on Tech’s ground attack, the quarterback responds immediately with a new look. It is a relentless strategy that Nesbitt has crafted to near perfection, and it is the reason why Georgia Tech ranks No. 11 in the country and may currently be the best team in the ACC.

“Everyone was in it for the whole drive,” Burrell said. “Everyone was real intense and everything — everybody kept telling everybody else, ‘Play like a pack of crazy dogs, keep flyin’ to the ball and something good will happen.’”

But Virginia was unable to halt the Yellow Jackets’ 10-minute odyssey across the field.

After slowly encroaching on Virginia territory with an onslaught of modest four- to five-yard rushes, Dwyer transforms into a train, bursting down the sideline and plowing over senior cornerback Chris Cook to the 4-yard line.

4:13 left in 3rd: Let there be light!

The return of the sun emits cheers from the crowd, ‘cause, well, there ain’t much else to cheer for.

Public Service Announcement: “Severe Weather in the Area”

Anthony Allen strikes lightning in the fourth quarter, gaining more than half of his 103 yards rushing in the final period. His explosiveness is unmatched when Nesbitt pitches the ball to him in the backfield.

“He made himself hard to tackle today,” Groh said. “He’s a big player, he’s out there on those smaller defensive backs of 230 pounds. We didn’t do a good enough job on him obviously.”

Ultimately, the three-headed monster of Nesbitt, Dwyer and Allen is too much for Virginia to contain. It was a combination of an inefficient Cavalier offense that left the defense stranded on the field, coupled with the defense’s inability to stop the ramblin’ wreck on third downs that led to the 25-minute disparity in time of possession, and ultimately to a victory for the Yellow Jackets. This isn’t to say, however, that the defense played a terrible game. Collins was nearly flawless in his resumption of the nose tackle position. Sophomore defensive end Zane Parr notched a career-high 12 tackles filling in for the injured Matt Conrath, and constantly swarmed Nesbitt in the backfield.

“I thought we had a lot of good plays on defense,” Groh said. “Not enough — but there was a lot of one-, two-yard plays in there.”

There’s a reason Georgia Tech is No. 2 in the nation in rushing. And there’s reason to believe Virginia will play better against Duke next week.

Bennett has rep for his defense
The new UVa coach was a big help to Wake coach Dino Gaudio as he changed systems.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- When Wake Forest coach Dino Gaudio was installing a new defense prior to the 2008-09 men's basketball season, he corresponded frequently with then-Washington State coach Tony Bennett.

"When I became the head coach at Wake, we were not a very good defensive team," said Gaudio, a former Deacons' assistant who was promoted following the death of Skip Prosser in July 2007.

"In [Prosser's] last year -- and that's my fault; I was like his top guy -- we were 241st in the country defensively. So, I said, 'We've got to do something different defensively.' "

Gaudio and his staff started the researching the Pack Line defense popularized by Dick Bennett, a former head coach at Wisconsin, Wisconsin-Green Bay and Washington State. Bennett's son, Tony, had taken over as the Cougars' head coach in 2006.

"I called Tony's dad, Dick, and had conversations with him," said Gaudio, whose comments came during Sunday's ACC Operation Basketball preseason media event in Greensboro. "And as we were going through that first year, I can't tell how many times I called Tony. I'd ask him, 'Tony, what about this?' Or: 'how would you handle that?'

"That sort of fostered a friendship."

Fast forward a year -- less than a year actually -- and Bennett was being introduced as Virginia's new coach.

"There was a little thing that happened the other day and I was watching film and I was like, 'I know I want to do it this way,'" Gaudio said, "and I almost picked up the phone and called Dick.

"I decided, 'Nah, I'm not going to put him in that spot.'"

Gaudio doesn't just have elements of the Pack Line in his defense.

"It's everything," he said.

As opposed to defenses that are geared toward pressuring the ball and creating turnovers, the Pack Line is predicated on packing the lane and contesting shots, even outside shots. Bennett said Sunday that one the most important statistics, in his eyes, is 3-point percentage defense.

"We play it 'A to Z' like his dad taught it," Gaudio said.

"It's funny. Tony and I were in the restroom and I said, 'Tony, it's been terrific for us.' He says, 'Yeah, we're tweaking it a little bit. When my dad comes to practice, he might get mad at me.'

"I told him, 'Tony, we're running it just like your dad taught it. Tell him to come to our practice."

At Wake, the Deacons practice with a dotted line at 17 feet, same as Virginia.

"Know what, my dad will tell him everything." Bennett said. "He's like that. He'll tell him, 'Sure, this is what you do.'

Bennett said that his father has been consumed with golf during his retirement in Wisconsin and has not been to Charlottesville since his son was introduced in late March.

"He spends his time Googling new golf clubs on the Internet," Tony said.

The master may need to find his way to Charlottesville if he wants a look at Virginia's version of the Pack Line.

"I don't know if he'll come to games or not," Bennett said. "He didn't come to that many at Washington State, just a couple here and there. He's real big on 'this your deal; you can call me any time.'"

Dick Bennett won't offer his advice unsolicited, "although, if he watched a couple of our practices, he might,' " son Tony said.

The Cavaliers, coming off a 10-18 season, were picked to finish 11th out of 12 ACC teams in a preseason poll conducted Sunday.

"He said his dad told him: 'Send me a couple of practice tapes,'" Gaudio said. "Tony said he hadn't sent them."

With the announcement Sunday that ACC teams will make a record 293 appearances on television this season, Dad will get a look at the Cavaliers soon enough.

UNC, Duke co-favorites to win ACC
By Whitey Reid
Published: October 26, 2009
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GREENSBORO, N.C. — In Tony Bennett’s office at John Paul Jones Arena, a poster from the movie “Rocky” is prominently displayed.
The first-year Virginia coach hopes his players see it whenever they walk in.
“I said, ‘I want you guys to embrace this mentality of being a fighter, of being an underdog-mentality program because we have to earn and gain some
respectability back,’” Bennett said. “That’s going to take some time, but that’s the mentality I want in the program.”
By now, Virginia players should certainly be able to relate to Rocky’s plight, sans the success.
Last season, UVa was picked by the media to finish 12th in the 12-school ACC. The Cavaliers ended up 11th, and replaced former coach Dave Leitao with Bennett at season’s end.
On Sunday afternoon at ACC Media Day, Virginia was predicted to finish 11th.
The Wahoos finished ahead of cellar-dweller N.C. State.
North Carolina and Duke finished tied for first. It was the first tie in the 41-year history of the poll.
Clemson was picked third.
Georgia Tech, buouyed by the return of Gani Lawal and the arrival of freshman phenom Derrick Favors, was fourth.
The Yellow Jackets were followed by Maryland, Wake Forest, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Boston College and Miami (10th).
Duke big man Kyle Singler was tabbed as ACC preseason player of the year, while Georgia Tech freshman Derrick Favors was picked “freshman of the year.”
Being selected to finish so poorly in the poll didn’t seem to faze Bennett.
“I mean, you can’t get too wrapped up in where they project you — good or bad,” Bennett said. “Hopefully you can use this as motivation for your players. I don’t know what program wouldn’t.
“But I’m not too concerned by [the poll]. It’s really not about that now. It’s about us establishing a program.”
At least one person at Media Day was convinced it’s not going to take Bennett long. Wake Forest guard Ishmael Smith spoke glowingly of Bennett and his style of defense. It just so happens to be the same system that the Demon Deacons employ. Wake Forest coach Dino Gaudio picked it up from Bennett’s father, the former Wisconsin and Washington State coach.
“I think [the addition of Bennett] automatically makes them a great defensive team,” Smith said. “It does wonders.
“And they have good players. Sylven Landesberg is a heckuva player. I think they’ll be a really good team because it’s not like they were getting blown out last year. We had a tough [game in Charlottesville].”
Landesberg, last season’s ACC Freshman of the Year, had left by the time the media poll was released. But prior to that, he said he expected, like many, to see the usual suspects picked near the top of the league.
“You’ve got Carolina, Duke and I think Georgia Tech will do pretty good this year,” Landesberg said. “I haven’t seen much of [Favors], but from what I hear, he’s really good.”
Landesberg, who hails from New York, has set his expectations high for his team.
“The league lost a lot of players, and a lot of people left for the draft,” he said. “We could definitely compete with anybody.”
Coming off a 10-win season, Bennett seems realistic in his expectations.
“There’s just a building process that has to take place,” he said. “Do fans understand that, do media, do alumni? Not all.
“But you have to have a plan and you have to stick to it…my expectations are that it’s going to take three or four years to get your guys in place.”
Bennett said there was no point in blowing smoke right out of the gate.
“I’m not about hype,” he said. “The proof will be in the pudding. It’s more substance than style. What good does [hype] do?”
To that end, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, when asked about Bennett taking over for Leitao, said he is taking a wait-and-see approach.
“I think Tony Bennett did a great job at Washington State,” Krzyzewski said. “I have no idea how he’ll run his system, but I’ll find that out throughout the year.”
Dunks
Joining Singler on the All-ACC First Team were Greivis Vasquez of Maryland, Trevor Booker of Clemson, Malcolm Delaney of Virginia Tech and Ed Davis of North Carolina…Vasquez finished second in the voting to Singler for Player of the Year. Booker was third.
 

New names, new games in ACC basketball
Tyler Hansbrough & Co. are history, but lots of contenders will try to be the next stars as the new season unfolds.
By Robbi Pickeral
Staff Writer
Posted: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009

No more Tyler Hansbrough.

Or Gerald Henderson.

Or, for that matter, Tyrese Rice, Ty Lawson, Jeff Teague, Jack McClinton or Toney Douglas, who had become the faces of the ACC over the last four years.

Now that they're all playing professionally, left behind are a smattering of familiar veterans who have already proven they have what it takes to make this "their" conference, plus a group of underclassmen overshadowed until now.

With about two weeks before the opening of the regular season, those left behind are competing to become the new faces of the ACC.

Six players are in the spotlight: Maryland's Greivis Vasquez, Duke's Kyle Singler, Clemson's Trevor Booker, Virginia Tech's Malcolm Delaney, Virginia's Sylven Landesberg and Miami's Dwayne Collins.

And six are coming out of the shadows: North Carolina's Ed Davis, Wake Forest's Al-Farouq Aminu, N.C. State's Tracy Smith, Florida State's Solomon Alabi, Boston College's Rakim Sanders and Georgia Tech's Derrick Favors.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Greivis Vasquez, Maryland: Love his fiery personality or hate it, the 6-foot-6 senior has plenty of game to go with his swagger. Last year, the second-team all-ACC selection became the first Terrapin to lead his team in points (17.4), rebounds (5.4) and assists (5.0), and he's an early favorite to be named the league's player of the year this season.

Kyle Singler, Duke: The 6-8 junior is moving from the post to the perimeter, but his duties don't change much: play lots of minutes (32.2 last season), score lots of points (18), lead his team - to the Final Four, Blue Devil fans hope. He was a second-team all-ACC player last year and should be a first-team performer this season.

Trevor Booker, Clemson: If not for the plethora of talented guards in the ACC last season, the bruising 6-7 forward would have been a first-team all-league choice. After averaging 12.1 points and 7.8 rebounds in 102 consecutive starts, the senior returns as one of the top post players in the nation. He's also the only Tiger with a guaranteed starting slot.

Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech: This 6-3 junior is an ACC rarity this season: an experienced point guard. Expect him to take advantage. The big-play maestro averaged 19.4 points and 3.44 assists in league play last season - and that was while facing the likes of Lawson, Teague, McClinton and Douglas every night.

Sylven Landesberg, Virginia: Last season's ACC Rookie of the Year was a multidimensional threat, averaging 16.2 points a game. The 6-6 guard will be key to new coach Tony Bennett's system.

Dwayne Collins, Miami: The three-year starter opted to pull his name out of the NBA draft and return for his senior year because he knew he could be the rugged focal point of the Hurricanes after the departure of McClinton. The 6-8 forward was 10th in league play in rebounds (6.7) last season, and if he can be the Canes' go-to guy, he will not only improve his draft stock, but the rebuilding Canes' chances of surprising a few teams as well.

OUT OF THE SHADOWS

Ed Davis, North Carolina: His teammates call him "Easy Ed" because of his easygoing personality, but the 6-10 sophomore is anything but easy for opponents to handle. He came on strong offensively late in the season after averaging 5.6 rebounds in ACC play, leading to speculation that he might join Hansbrough, Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green in the NBA draft. Instead, he should start in one post position, and star.

Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest: He probably would have been a top-five draft pick had he chosen to go pro; instead, the 6-9 sophomore becomes the go-to guy after the Deacons lost their top two scorers, Teague and James Johnson, to the NBA. He averaged 8 rebounds last season and recorded 10 double-doubles. Expect those numbers to soar.

Tracy Smith, N.C. State: With Brandon Costner, Ben McCauley and Courtney Fells gone, the 6-8 junior forward gets the chance to show off more of his low-post moves and build on his 10 points-a-game average this season. And he'll need to. N.C. State isn't expected to fare well in the standings this season, but a consistent Smith gives the team something to build on.

Solomon Alabi, Florida State: Douglas' 21.5 ppg garnered much of the opponents' attention last season, but this year the 7-1 sophomore will stand front and center. He led the league in blocks, and he should improve his 8.4 scoring average. The native of Nigeria has been playing serious hoops only since he was 15, so coaches think he will only get better and better.

Rakim Sanders, Boston College: Even without Rice, folks are expecting big things this season in Chestnut Hill. One reason is Sanders. The 6-5 guard averaged 12.9 points and 4.4 rebounds last season and was the team's co-defensive MVP. He appears to be one of those do-it-all guys who is only going to get better at, well, doing it all.

Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech: The top freshman in the country hasn't been overshadowed by anyone, but he could be the forward to bring the Yellow Jackets out of the ACC shadows. At 6-10, he and future NBA first-rounder Gani Lawal should make an unforgettable frontcourt.

Staff writer Ken Tysiac contributed to this report.

Davis Wins Bridgestone and Ties UVa Scoring Record
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/25/2009

Greensboro, NC - Virginia junior Amory Davis tied the Virginia tournament scoring record while winning the UNCG Bridgestone Golf Collegiate Sunday. Davis shot 5-under 67 during the final round to win the 54-hole event by one shot at 11-under 205. Davis' total equaled the previous best tournament scoring record set by Jimmy Flippen in 1995, Steve Marino in 2001 and Jeremy Luce in 2003.
Davis 205 also toppled the event's scoring record by a single stroke.
Davis helped the Cavaliers to a second-place finish in the 15-team tournament that wraps up UVa's fall season. Virginia shot 7-under 281 during the final round to complete the tournament at 14-under 850. Georgia Tech finished seven shots ahead of UVa to win the team title.
The tournament marked the fifth time this fall the Cavaliers finished in the top four of a tournament. UVa's score of 14-under-par was the best tournament total during sixth-year Bowen Sargent's tenure at Virginia.
Davis' victory was the first of his career and marked the second time this season a Cavalier has finished first at a tournament. Ben Kohles tied for first place at the season-opening Maryland Intercollegiate. Davis' previous best tournament score was 207 at the VCU Shootout in 2008.
Davis bogeyed just four holes over the course of the tournament, recording 13 birdies and one eagle. He had six birdies and a single bogey during the final round.
"I just made more long putts than I have ever made before," Davis said. "Seven of my putts were over 20 feet. I've never putted that good in my life from that distance. My short putting wasn't nearly as good. I only had four bogeys and three of those were three-putts and the fourth was a three-putt from the fringe."
Will Collins shot 68 during the final round, his best 18-hole score this season, to give the Cavaliers a big boost Sunday. Collins finished 15th overall at 2-under 214. Ben Kohles was 22nd at 215, including a 73 Sunday. Sophomore Bruce Woodall posted the best tournament score in his career, shooting 2-over 218, to place 30th. He shot 75 during the final round. Kyle Stough was 40th at 222, including a 73 Sunday.
"I'm very excited for Amory and the team," Sargent said. "It was a tremendous fall season for us. To have two players win individual championships, that says a lot about the depth of this team. We were very consistent all semester. These guys have just done a tremendous job."
Virginia managed to defeat four teams ranked in Golfstat's top-30 during the event including No. 12 Tennessee, No. 16 Augusta State, No. 21 Duke and No. 30 Virginia Tech. UVa completed the fall with a head-to-head record of 60-9 in five tournaments.

UNCG Bridgestone Golf Collegiate
Par-72, 7,217 yards
Forest Oaks Country Club
Greensboro, NC

Final Results
1. Georgia Tech 283-281-279-843
2. Virginia 289-280-281-850
3. Michigan 283-277-293-853
4. Augusta State 287-283-284-854
5. Tennessee 288-282-291-861
6. North Carolina 293-284-287-864
7. Virginia Tech 291-291-288-870
8. Michigan State 286-284-301-871
9. Duke 290-283-299-872
10. Purdue 289-287-300-876
11. Toledo 291-291-295-877
12. UNC Greensboro 284-296-301-881
13. VCU 288-291-304-883
13. Minnesota 293-291-299-883
15. Notre Dame 302-289-297-888

Individual Leaders
1. Amory Davis, Virginia 70-68-67-205
2. Jack Fields, North Carolina 72-63-71-206
2. Jack Newman, Michigan State 67-69-70-206
4. John Tyler Griffin, Georgia Tech 68-68-72-208
4. Mitchell Krywulycz, Augusta State 69-69-70-208
6. Lion Kim, Michigan 70-69-70-209
6. Henrik Norlander, Augusta State 70-70-69-209
6. Ben Pisani, Minnesota 68-69-72-209
9. Kyle Scott, Georgia Tech 71-68-71-210
10. Jack Schultz, Michigan 66-69-76-211
10. Matt Thompson, Michigan 73-67-71-211

Virginia Results
1. Amory Davis 70-68-67-205
15. Will Collins 75-71-68-214
22. Ben Kohles 73-69-73-215
30. Bruce Woodall 71-72-75-218
40. Kyle Stough 75-74-73-222
 

Cavaliers Finish Fifth at Fall Preview
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/25/2009

Wilmington, NC - The No. 18 Virginia women's golf team moved up two spots on the leaderboard during the final round of play at The Fall Preview/Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, N.C., to place fifth. The tournament, held at the site of the 2010 NCAA Championships, featured 16 teams ranked in the current Golfstat top-30 rankings.
Virginia freshman Brittany Altomare wrapped up a terrific fall campaign at Virginia by finishing second against some of the nation's top individual players.
Virginia shot 7-over 295 during the final round to complete the three-day tournament at 27-over 891. Duke overtook UCLA during the final round to win the tournament at 17-over 881, one shot ahead of the top-ranked Bruins.
Altomare shot 2-under 70 Sunday to finish as the runner-up at 1-under 215. Auburn's Cydney Clanton took medalist honors at 6-under 210. Altomare's final score was seven shots better than her previous best tournament score. It was the first top-10 finish of her UVa career.
Fellow freshman Nicole Agnello was the Cavaliers' number-two finisher, placing 24th at 7-over 223. She posted a 74 Sunday. Calle Nieslon was also tied for 24th at 223 including a 76 Sunday. Lauren Greenlief was 63rd at 233. The redshirt freshman carded a 76 over the final 18 holes. Whitney Neuhauser was 75th overall at 239. She shot 75 during the final round.
The tournament was Virginia's final event of the fall season.

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

Team Results
1. Duke 296-297-288-881
2. UCLA 293-290-299-882
2. Auburn 299-295-288-882
4. Arizona State 293-299-297-889
5. Virginia 300-296-295-891
6. Purdue 302-291-299-892
7. Wake Forest 304-287-304-895
8. Denver 301-297-300-898
9. Alabama 298-310-295-903
10. Michigan State 301-305-298-904
11. Georgia 305-301-306-912
11. North Carolina 308-303-301-912
11. LSU 307-298-307-912
14. Oklahoma State 305-301-307-913
14. New Mexico 303-312-297-913
16. USC 288-309-319-916
17. Pepperdine 303-303-313-919
18. UNC Wilmington 317-303-313-933

Individual Leader
1. Cydney Clanton, Auburn 70-70-70-210
2. Brittany Altomare, Virginia 74-71-70-215
3. Camilla Lennarth, Alabama 68-79-69-216
3. Cheyenne Woods, Wake Forest 70-69-77-216
5. Stephanie Kono, UCLA 73-71-73-217
5. Alison Whitaker, Duke 77-71-69-217
7. Stephanie Sherlock, Denver 73-71-74-218
7. Numa Gulyanamitta, Purdue 72-72-74-218
7. Carlota Ciganda, Arizona State 68-74-76-218
10. Candace Schepperle, Auburn 75-68-76-219
10. Jennifer Johnson, Arizona State 73-71-75-219

Virginia Results
2. Brittany Altomare 74-71-70-215
24. Nicole Agnello 75-74-74-223
24. Calle Nielson 72-75-76-223
63. Lauren Greenlief 81-76-76-233
75. Whitney Neuhauser 79-85-75-239
 

No. 12 Virginia Wins Third Straight, Shuts Out Boston College 2-0
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/25/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Freshman Will Bates (Chester, Va.) extended his scoring streak to four games, netting the game-winning goal in the 58th minute, to lead No. 12 Virginia to a 2-0 victory over visiting Boston College Sunday afternoon. Brian Ownby (Glen Allen, Va.) had the Cavaliers' other goal, while Neil Barlow (Herndon, Va.) assisted on each.

The Cavaliers (10-3-1, 3-3 ACC) earned three points toward their standing in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and won their third-straight game. With the loss, Boston College's record went to 9-7, 3-3 in the league. A crowd of 1,610 was at Klöckner Stadium.

"I think that was our most complete 90 minutes of the year," said Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch. "We defended well and converted on our scoring chances."

In goal for UVa, Diego Restrepo (West Palm Beach, Fla.) posted the shutout, his sixth of the year. He had two saves, including a diving stop in the last 10 minutes of the match that preserved the shutout.

The teams played to a scoreless first half, with the Cavaliers holding a 9-5 advantage in shots. Bates scored the difference-maker in the 58th minute, taking control of a through ball by Barlow and finishing hard to the near post from six yards out.

Bates has now scored in four-straight games for UVa, and leads the team with six goals this season.

Ownby tallied the insurance goal in the 73rd minute, finishing a similar ball from Barlow and beating BC goalkeeper Ayotunde Ogunbiyi from 10 yards out. It was Ownby's second goal of the year and Barlow's team-high fourth assist.

For the match, Virginia out-shot Boston College, 17-11, and held a 7-5 corner kick advantage.

Ogunbiyi finished with seven saves in goal for the Eagles.

Virginia improved to 4-3 all-time vs. BC, and snapped a three-game Boston College winning streak dating back to the 2007 season. UVa also improved to 6-2-1 this year at Klöckner Stadium.

Up next, Virginia travels to ACC foe Maryland for a Halloween night match. Kick-off on Saturday, Oct. 31 from Ludwig Field in College Park, Md., is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 

Women’s Soccer Plays No. 5 Wake Forest to Scoreless Draw
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/25/2009

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Virginia women’s soccer team concluded the road portion of its 2009 regular season with a 0-0 tie at No. 5 Wake Forest. The Cavaliers move to 7-5-4 overall and 2-4-2 in the ACC with the draw, while the Demon Deacons go to 12-3-2 overall and 4-2-2 in the ACC.

“This has been traditionally a tough place for us to get a result, so while we would have liked to get three points, we will take the tie,” said head coach Steve Swanson. “I was pleased with the effort and we had chances to get a goal to win this game. There were enough positives from this game that we can take into next week when we have a pair of key home games to close out the regular season.”

Overall, the Demon Deacons outshot the Cavaliers 12-9, while each team had six corner kicks. Chantel Jones (Midlothian, Va.) made four saves in net for the Cavaliers to post her second consecutive shutout and her sixth of the season. Amanda Barasha made two saves for Wake Forest.

The Cavaliers return home next week to conclude the regular season with a pair of home games. Virginia hosts Florida State on Friday night and Miami on Sunday afternoon.

WAKE FOREST 0, VIRGINIA 0

Virginia (7-5-4, 2-4-2) 0 0 0 0 - 0
#5 Wake Forest (12-3-2, 4-2-2) 0 0 0 0 - 0

Scoring Summary
none

Shots: UVa 9, Wake 12
Corners: UVa 6, Wake 6
Saves: UVa 4 (Jones 4), Wake 2 (Barasha 2)
Fouls: UVa 20, Wake 14
 

October 25, 2009
Jets’ Ferguson Follows Long Road to Hometown Street Named After Him
By GREG BISHOP

FREEPORT, N.Y. — The street sign contains 22 letters, an apostrophe and 2 spaces, all scrunched together, white lettering on green background, fighting for space.

D’Brickashaw Ferguson Way runs nearly two miles through the city that produced its namesake, past the mayor’s office and the library. Last week, D’Brickashaw Ferguson himself sat atop a ladder, his head inches from the sign, as cars cruised down Merrick Road, their drivers honking and shouting at the giant Jet distracting traffic.

“Some people have a billboard,” Ferguson said. “Some people have a building. I have a street.”

He laughed, adding, “It feels weird.”

Drafted fourth over all in 2006, Ferguson took the long road to becoming an elite offensive tackle, the bodyguard for quarterback Mark Sanchez and a 25-year-old whose name already stretches across that sign.

He described the process as slow and difficult, like that of a young ninja who questions his master, falls in line, undergoes rigorous training and becomes more powerful, more accurate, more precise.

“I’ve had some early skirmishes,” Ferguson said. “But the big fight? It’s coming.”

Over omelets at a local diner, Ferguson spent an hour detailing his development, how he built himself from potential bust to potential star, brick by brick.

Raised in this village on the South Shore of Long Island, in a community diverse in ethnicity and income, Ferguson developed varied interests. His father, Edwin Sr., grew up in the Bahamas, where he pursued fencing, karate and bodybuilding. His mother, Rhunette, worked as a registered nurse and health teacher.

Their youngest son earned a black belt in karate, played saxophone in the school band and majored in religious studies at Virginia. From the beginning, Edwin Sr. cultivated an analytical approach to problem solving, a four-step process — set goals, form hypothesis, test hypothesis and adjust.

“It’s the Winston Churchill in us,” Edwin Sr. said, invoking the British politician. “Never give in. Never give up.”

Ferguson rarely struggled until his rookie season. In his first outing, against Tennessee, the speed of the game, he said, “wowed” him. He was no longer in control. The moment felt enormous.

There was much to digest, each step building toward the next. He learned what it felt like to be overpowered, to be beaten around the edge. He developed countermoves, but before he could use them effectively, he needed improved foot speed and hand techniques.

“I didn’t know what I didn’t know,” Ferguson said. “I can watch all the tape, but I don’t know what it feels like, so it’s not real. It looks like video. I had to feel it.”

Like Sanchez, Ferguson struggled with the intense scrutiny all high draft picks in New York receive. Each week, he blocked the opposing team’s top pass rusher, and no one, he said, showed patience.

Experience brought confidence. And confidence was calming, allowing Ferguson to use his father’s methods to break the game into its smallest elements, me versus him, one play.

This season, Ferguson faced the Titans for the fourth time in four seasons. He earned a game ball for his performance, a rarity at his workmanlike position.

The game no longer wowed him. He felt back in control.

First, he needed Sal Alosi, the team’s strength coach. After Ferguson’s second season, with the Jets searching to close their rotating door at left guard, he sat down with Alosi.

All the bust talk motivated Ferguson, as did the Jets’ plans to fill their offensive line with two more Pro Bowlers.

“I felt the pressure of the city,” Ferguson said. “I didn’t want to be the weak link. You should never say D’Brickashaw and bust in the same sentence. You should never even think that. It should be D’Brickashaw, Pro Bowl, D’Brickashaw, Jets, Super Bowl.”

Alosi proved a punishing, exacting mentor, a trainer whom nose tackle Kris Jenkins described in training camp as: “There are worse things than practice. And his name is Sal.”

Alosi met Ferguson daily for extra running, extra weight training, even long jumps. Ferguson added 70 pounds on his squat lift, exceeded 400 pounds on the bench press, set the offensive lineman record with 26 pull-ups. Physically, he looked different, muscles more defined, broader than before.

Next came Bill Callahan, an offensive line sensei who landed with the Jets after he was fired by Nebraska in 2007. For two years, Tony Wise had tutored Ferguson, but their styles did not mesh, slowing his development.

Callahan taught Ferguson how to approach defenders, how the small details, like hand placement and square shoulders and film study, made the difference. At first, Ferguson was hesitant, but eventually he discovered that he could not block each defender the same way, that knowing that an end preferred to speed rush was not enough.

He needed to know every move, every countermove. This was similar to his father’s teachings — set goals, form hypothesis, test hypothesis, adjust.

“Just because you used one set on one guy and had success doesn’t mean you can use that exact set, that exact timing, the next time,” Ferguson said. “That might be the exact wrong answer. Bill developed that.”

Growing up in Freeport, Ferguson spent many a Saturday night lying on the bench in front of his parent’s bed, watching boxing on HBO. Ferguson’s favorite boxer is Mike Tyson, but the respect goes deeper than Tyson’s ferocious knockouts.

Edwin Sr. showed him the techniques that fighters, who start on equal footing, close to the same size and weight, used to gain an edge.

Football is similar, Ferguson said, particularly at left tackle, when time slows and crowd noise fades and the game becomes basic — no analyzing, no studying; defeat or be defeated.

“It’s like when you step in the ring,” he said. “I love that. You rewind. You think of your preparation. You think of everything you did throughout the week, your life, the practices, the intensity. Everything flashes, and you come right back to that point. And it’s like, game on.”

On his rewind, Ferguson may hear Alosi in his ear, or Callahan’s detailed instructions. He may remember sparring with his father, or the film of his opponent that he watched that week. He may think about where he came from, or how he has given back, buying letter jackets for the Freeport High School football team and paying $60,000 in scholarships from his charity.

From the base he built the last two seasons, Ferguson says he sees future exponential growth.

“I know more of what I should know,” he said. “I know more of what I didn’t know. That unknown isn’t as large as it once was. If everyone was patient, the success wouldn’t be as rewarding. Now, I smile. Maybe I needed that, to show the grand difference.”

A few weeks back, the family took a drive down D’Brickashaw Ferguson Way. As they passed familiar landmarks, the same streets, Edwin Sr. became overwhelmed with emotion. Because for so long, that street was what their family knew, where they came from, where they lived.

“It had become more than that,” Edwin Sr. said. “Now it’s a reflection of the kind of man he has become.”

Barrick and Singh Win ITA Regional Doubles Title
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/25/2009

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Virginia’s Houston Barrick (Brentwood, Tenn.) and Sanam Singh (Chandigarh, India) won the ITA Atlantic Regional doubles title on Sunday as the Cavaliers continued their dominating performance at the event. In addition to the doubles title, Virginia had a pair of players advance to the singles final.

Barrick and Singh won the doubles title after a pair of victories on Sunday. The Cavaliers had three of the four teams in the semifinals, where Barrick and Singh topped Keziel Juneau and Sebastian Vidal of William & Mary 8-4, while Drew Courtney (Clifton, Va.) and Lee Singer (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) defeated teammates Michael Shabaz (Fairfax, Va.) and Jarmere Jenkins (College Park, Ga.) 8-5. In the final, Barrick/Singh topped Courntey/Singer 8-4.

The singles semifinals were comprised of all Virginia players. Top-seeded Singh advanced to the final with a 7-5, 6-1 win over fifth-seeded Singer. No. 16 seed Jenkins advanced with a 7-5, 6-1 win over fourth-seeded Barrick. The singles championship will be played at a later time.
 

Vierra Advances to ITA Regional Final
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/25/2009

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia women’s tennis team continued play Sunday at the ITA Atlantic Regional on the campus of Virginia Tech. First-year Erin Vierra (Norwell, Mass.) advanced to the singles final, while the Cavaliers had two teams advance to the doubles semifinals.

Vierra advanced to the final with a pair of wins on Sunday. In the quarterfinals she topped Erin Clark of Richmond 6-3, 6-0. Later in the day she defeated teammate Jennifer Stevens (Miami, Fla.) 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals. She will play Nadine Fahoum of Old Dominion in the final on Monday. Fahoum defeated Virginia’s Lindsey Hardenbergh (Fairfax Station, Va.) 6-3, 6-2 in the other semifinal.

In doubles, both Cavalier teams in the quarterfinals advanced to the semifinals. Top-seeded Stevens and Hana Tomljanovic (Boca Raton. Fla.) scored an 8-3 win over the William & Mary duo of Cepeda and Pop. Third-seeded Hardenbergh and Vierra won 8-5 over William & Mary’s Acharya and Sabacinski.

The tournament continues Monday with the round of finals of singles and the semifinals and finals of doubles.
 

Virginia Rowing Successful At Princeton Chase
Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Release: 10/25/2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE - The Virginia rowing team competed at the Princeton Chase on Sunday, entering five boats in the Varsity Eight race and one in the Novice Eight race.

UVa's Varsity Eight 'A' (coxswain Sidney Thorsten, Jennifer Cromwell, Helen Tompkins, Desiree Burns, Katrin Reinert, Lauren Hutchins, Lauren Shook, Nora Phillips and Summers Nelson) finished second behind Yale with a time of 14:48.479. The Bulldogs won the race with a time of 14:46.323 and Princeton was third with a time of 15:02.822.

Last weekend (Oct. 17-18) at the Head of the Charles regatta, UVa was nearly 17 seconds behind Yale in the Championship Eight race. This week at Princeton, the Cavaliers were a mere two seconds behind. Virginia 'B' finished in fifth place (15:33.060). The Virginia 'B' boat was coxswain Sarah Pichardo, Claudia Blandford, Marie Long, Cara Linnenkohl, Martha Kuzzy, Christine Roper, Inge Janssen, Kristine O'Brien and Betsy Nilan.

"It was a great race," Virginia head coach Kevin Sauer said. "They closed the gap on Yale significantly from last week and it was a really, really great effort."

Virginia had three other entries in the Varsity Eight race, which had a grand total of 54 entries. Virginia 'C' (coxswain Molly Frear, Caroline Sweeny, Hunter Terry, Erin Hawes, Sarah Borchelt, Keziah Beall, Jenny Shultis, Susie Chalker, Marelle Myers) finished 17th (16:00.057).

Virginia 'D' (coxswain Sarah Shanfield, Ruth Retzinger, Lieve Pitts, Pamela Baylor, MacKenzie Leahy, Chelsea Simpson, Francesca Lauritano, Morgan Joseph, Megan Hooley) finished 24th (16:20.688).

Virginia 'E' (coxswain Miriam Kaplan, Hannah Jenkins, Elspeth Missel, Elizabeth Webb, Reva Geier, Jenn Lampen, Liza Tullis, Katherine Stewart, Colleen Bauk) finished 37th (16:45.138).

"This was the first race of the fall for a number of girls," associate head coach Steve Pritzker said. "It was good to see that we can compete with some of the best teams in the country."

Virginia's novices (coxswain Erin Friedlander, Erin Metcalf, Taylor Levine, Scotia Stein, Susanne Grainger, Ann Reid, Allison Lyons, Jenny Tomlinson, Ainsley Landster) finished third in their race with a time of 16:26.02. The top two finishers were Princeton (16:13.9) and Columbia (16:25.7).

"This was the first time down the race course for some of the novices and I think they did a great job," novices coach Sarah Cannon said. "Our coxswain steered a great race and for our team to do as well as we did was a great way to start the season."

Virginia concludes the fall portion of its schedule with the Rivanna Romp on Sunday, Nov. 15.