The Daily Bull encourages early and often
voting in the poll below for Virginia's best field goal kicker. Just a
reminder that Kenny Stadlin is a paid up subscriber a frequent DB
contributor....
Move to Hughes
influenced by stats
Politics not an
issue
By DOUG
DOUGHTY
Exclusive to roanoke.com by 5 p.m. Thursdays
There is a book that Virginia
football coach Al Groh carries with him in which he keeps NCAA statistics to
peruse at his convenience.
During a recent idle moment,
Groh glanced at the Division I-A field-goal leaders and was struck by how many
of them played for good teams.
Mike Nugent of No. 3 Ohio State
is 20-for-20, Nate Kaeding of No. 6 Iowa is 19-for-20 and Jared Siegel of No.
15 Oregon is 18-for-19. The Division I-A leader in field goals, Nick Browne,
plays for a TCU team that is unranked but standing atop the Conference USA
standings at 7-1.
The NCAA rates kickers according
to field goals per game. All of the above-mentioned kickers are over 90
percent; some of the teams with kickers making 80 percent of their field goals
are Georgia, Marshall, Maryland, Minnesota and undefeated Bowling Green.
In that context, Virginia should
consider itself fortunate to be 6-3 despite converting only of seven of 11
field-goal attempts.
After watching redshirt freshman
Kurt Smith miss field-goal attempts of under 30 yards in back-to-back games,
Groh may have decided not to press his luck any further when he confirmed
Thursday that true freshman Connor Hughes will kick Saturday at Penn State.
Hughes, a two-time All-Group AA
place-kicker at Lafayette High School in Williamsburg, had not played this
season and will remain eligible for a redshirt year until he sees action
Saturday.
He will become the 14th true
freshman to play for the Cavaliers this season, including fellow walk-on Mark
Miller, a linebacker from Birmingham, Mich., who plays exclusively on special
teams.
Although Hughes will handle
field goals and extra points, Smith may retain kickoff duties.
"That’s not a non-answer," said
Groh on his regular Thursday teleconference. "I just haven't decided yet."
Hughes actually becomes the
third place-kicker used this season by the Cavaliers, who did not attempt a
field goal in the first two games but used sophomore Bryan Smith on extra
points against Colorado State and Florida State.
Kurt Smith (no relation) handled
kickoffs in the first two games and took over extra-point duties when Bryan
Smith missed two of three PAT kicks against Florida State. Nobody ever said
which of the Smiths would have attempted a field goal if necessary in the
first two games.
Kurt Smith has handled all
kicking responsibilities since that game, except for three kickoffs against
South Carolina, when Groh reacted to a Gamecocks return for a touchdown by
having Bryan Smith kick high and short on UVa's last three kickoffs.
ONE OF THE MOST HUMOROUS
Internet posts I saw in the last week suggested that "politics" were the only
reason that Hughes wasn't already kicking for the Cavaliers.
Hey, if politics were an issue,
don't you think that Bryan Smith, son of legendary Hampton High School coach
Mike Smith, would have kept the job?
Mike Smith has announced his
retirement and, presumably, won't be in position to assist many future
Crabbers on their college choice. However, at the time that Groh went from
Bryan to Kurt Smith, there was no hint that a Smith retirement was imminent.
Without watching practice, I'm
guessing that Kurt Smith was kicking in games because he was the most
successful kicker in practice. What the Cavaliers have discovered, or already
knew, is that kicking in practice isn't the same as kicking in games.
Smith has come across as
level-headed whenever he has spoken to the media, most recently this week,
when he said an open date had enabled him to do the kind of extra kicking that
would leave his leg weary during a normal game week.
When asked about his prospects
for making a game-winning kick, Smith said, "I hope it comes down to that.
Obviously, I haven't had the best season, [but] I have confidence in my
ability."
TIME WILL TELL if Kurt Smith --
or either of the Smiths, for that matter -- will have another chance to serve
as the Cavaliers’ place-kicker. Hughes reacted well in the clutch last year,
when he also played quarterback for a state championship team, but that's not
the same as kicking in front of 108,000 at Beaver Stadium.
The crowd was no consideration
for Groh, who said, "The only thing that entered in the decision was, who
would make more kicks?"
As I think back on the best
Virginia kickers, most of them have been a little flaky. A little
flaky? That might be putting it mildly. I'm always reminded of Jake McInerney,
a spacy-looking guy who sat the bench for a couple of years, then made 31 of
37 field-goal attempts over the 1989 and 1990 seasons.
Rafael Garcia had a world of
talent but I believe the records would show that he was a bit of a partier.
Before Garcia, the Cavaliers had Kenny Stadlin, a chrony of Newport News
sportswriters David Ol' Teel and Dave Fairbank during their misspent
journalistic youth.
I believe that a half-crazed
ex-kicker -- or the ghost of a former kicker -- was among the suspects in 1990
when a fire burned a hole in the artificial turf at Scott Stadium on the eve
of the battle between unbeatens UVa and Georgia Tech. It remains one of the
unsolved mysteries in UVa sports annals.
UVa Insider readers are asked to
vote for UVa's greatest all-time field-goal kickers in the accompanying poll.
ON A SADDER NOTE, longtime
readers of this column should know how much respect I have for ex-Virginia
football coach Danny Wilmer, who remains in mourning over the passing of his
father, Donald, who died Wednesday morning at the UVa Medical Center.
"He was just a guy named Joe,"
said Danny Wilmer from his family's home in Buena Vista. "He would go to games
with me. He liked to go recruiting with me. One time, I took him down to North
Carolina into a gym. He didn't like to go into gyms. He told me, 'There's too
much dust.'
"He wanted to be outside,
watching football, not watching football [prospects] play basketball. He had
never a chance to go to college. [World War II] broke out and they drafted
him. He was in four major campaigns, he came home and he was 23 years old."
The Buena Vista Baptist Church
is accepting contributions in Donald Wilmer's name at 2174 Chestnut Ave.,
Buena Vista, 24416. Danny Wilmer, who recruited many of UVa's oustanding
players in the 1980's and '90s, can be reached by mail at 917 Blue Ridge Dr.,
Troy, Va., 22974.
Building a better list of recruits
By Jerry Ratcliffe
/ Daily Progress sports editor
Nov 7, 2002
|
R anking high school football prospects is a difficult task, one
that I have struggled with since creating our annual Gold List some 12
years ago.
Then, former Lynchburg sports editor Jeff Motley, a close friend of
mine, and myself decided to publish an annual list of the top 25 senior
football prospects in the state of Virginia. We did an admirable job of
putting together the Gold List, also a Silver list of the next 25 and a
juniors-to-watch list.
Between the two of us, we saw several of the prospects and talked to
numerous high school coaches and college recruiters in order to come up
with our final product. When Motley left the business to become the
public relations director for NASCAR, it was up to me to carry on with
the list, which I did.
It is a time-consuming and difficult task to not only assemble all
the information but to actually rank the players in order. The best
gauge for anyone who doesn't actually see all of the prospects, is to
rate them in accordance to what schools are recruiting them.
Fair or not, that is the best way to get the job done.
Well, this year there are going to be changes in the Gold List, which
should make it more timely and more accurate than any list of its kind.
We've done the recruiting this time and landed the Beast of the East:
Mike Farrell.
A team effort
Farrell, who writes a weekly recruiting column for us that focuses on
UVa and Virginia Tech prospects, will team with me to produce this
year's Gold List, which will come out on Thanksgiving Day.
Why Farrell?
That's easy. He's simply the best. He is the East Coast recruiting
analyst for Rivals, a national network of recruiting gurus. Farrell has
great connections up and down the coast and across the Old Dominion.
He is the only recruiting analyst in the country that focuses solely
on the East Coast and especially on the Big East and ACC.
But that's not what persuaded us to go with Farrell. What I like
about him is that he is the only analyst that I know of who pores over
hours of film of prospects.
"I have seen every kid that I rank, at least once," Farrell said.
Most so-called recruiting experts don't gather film or analyze
players directly. In fact, many of them take the Rivals rankings and
tweak them so they look slightly different. Ouch.
Commitment to fact
Farrell doesn't post rumors, although there have been times when a
recruit, perhaps tired of the whole recruiting process and the phone
calls, might lead him and other analysts astray. Ahmad Brooks was a
perfect example of that last season, telling callers that he was going
to Tennessee or leaning this or that way, when all along he intended on
coming to Virginia.
Farrell only releases commitments when he knows they are fact and are
ready to be released by the recruit and his family. You see, integrity
is the key here.
Farrell also speaks to the recruits on a daily basis and builds a
rapport with them so that he can get the most accurate information from
them.
So, it was a slam dunk for us to bring him aboard to enhance what we
feel is already strong coverage of UVa recruiting. Readers who follow
the Hokies should be delighted that Farrell will bring more Tech
recruiting information to The Daily Progress than ever before (see it
every Thursday).
Gold List 2002, coming Thanksgiving Day. Don't miss it.
|
Walk-on Hughes to handle kicking
By John Galinsky
/ Daily Progress staff writer
Nov 7, 2002
|
Perhaps it was inevitable as soon as Kurt Smith's 25-yard field
goal attempt sailed wide right against Georgia Tech two weeks ago.
Virginia coach Al Groh has decided to change kickers. He said
Thursday that true freshman Connor Hughes will handle field goals and
extra points in Saturday's game at No. 19 Penn State.
Hughes beat out Kurt Smith and Bryan Smith, the other two kickers on
the roster, during practice this week.
"He made more kicks than the other guys," Groh said.
The other two have had their chances. Bryan Smith, a sophomore, began
the season as the starter but missed a pair of extra points in the
second game against Florida State. Kurt Smith, a redshirt freshman, has
done all of the kicking since then, but he has been inconsistent. He has
made 7 of 12 field-goal attempts, with all of his misses coming from
inside 40 yards. He also has missed two extra points.
When Kurt Smith shanked the short kick against the Yellow Jackets,
Groh decided not to try any more field goals during the game. He went
for it on fourth down three times deep in Georgia Tech territory,
failing on each occasion, as the Cavaliers lost 23-15 and saw their
six-game winning streak come to an end.
Groh said he has not decided whether Kurt Smith will continue to
handle kickoffs, as he has done all season.
Hughes, a recruited walk-on from Lafayette High in Williamsburg, has
not kicked in a college game but he has impressive high school
credentials. He made 30 field goals and 241 extra points during his
career, making him one of the most prolific high school kickers ever. He
finished second nationally in career PATs and third in field goals.
Hughes twice kicked 49-yard field goals in the state playoffs,
leading Lafayette to the 2001 Group AA championship. He converted 47 of
49 extra points as a senior and was a two-time all-Group AA selection in
both football and soccer.
How Hughes handles the pressure of kicking in front of 108,000 fans
at Beaver Stadium remains to be seen. Groh said he was not concerned
about that or burning the freshman's redshirt season. Hughes will become
the 14th true freshman to play for the Cavaliers this season.
"The only thing that entered into it," Groh said, "is we're looking
for more made kicks."
LJ on the run. Field goals may not matter much if the Cavaliers can't
slow down Penn State tailback Larry Johnson, who is on a bit of a roll,
to put it mildly.
In an Oct. 19 victory over Northwestern, Johnson set a school record
with 257 rushing yards. He broke that mark last Saturday with 279 yards
against Illinois. That number would have been higher had his second
84-yard touchdown run not been called back by a holding penalty.
Johnson "has the potential to set the whole tone of the game," Groh
said. "He's really a dynamic player."
Under coach Joe Paterno, Penn State doesn't promote players for
individual awards, but Johnson's teammates believe he deserves Heisman
Trophy consideration.
"Just look at his stats," said quarterback Zack Mills.
Johnson is the nation's fifth-leading rusher at 135.7 yards per game.
His average of 7.1 yards per carry is better than any of the backs ahead
of him. He has rushed for 11 touchdowns and also caught 35 passes for
308 yards and three TDs.
"He doesn't get as much attention as other running backs, but what he
means to this team is incredible," said receiver Bryant Johnson. "He can
run, block, catch passes and he makes things happen. He has big-play
capabilities."
Even Paterno put in a mild plug for Johnson, saying "if [Heisman
voters] are going to consider a running back, I think Larry is one of
the ones they should consider."
Johnson could help his Heisman chances with another big day against
the Cavaliers, who have the nation's 106th-rated rushing defense. But he
says that isn't his focus.
"I'm not really into the Heisman thing," he said. "I'm just into
winning games and being noticed by the NFL. Coach Paterno is right. He
considers it being a team thing instead of this person winning this and
this person winning that. I just want to win these last three games."
Getting crowded. With its recent expansion, Scott Stadium now
accommodates more than 60,000 fans, but the whole place is still dwarfed
by Penn State's home venue.
Next to Michigan's "Big House," Beaver Stadium has the nation's
largest official capacity (107,282) thanks to the addition of 12,000
seats last year. Nearly 111,000 fans squeezed in to see the Nittany
Lions whip Nebraska on Sept. 14.
Saturday's crowd will be the biggest any of the Cavaliers - including
Groh - have performed in front of.
"I'm sure they'll be a little shocked, but they'll get used to it,"
said Larry Johnson. "Our crowd is a good crowd but it's not a harassing
crowd like Pittsburgh."
Extra points. …An ACC officiating crew will work the game. Paterno
has complained about Big Ten officials, saying bad calls have cost his
team two victories.
… Groh and Paterno are both advocates of a playoff system in college
football. Paterno said if Miami stays undefeated and does not get to
play for the national championship, it would be "a travesty."
… Groh said freshman safety Willie Davis, who sprained his ankle
against North Carolina, will miss his second straight game. "I don't
know when we'll see him again," Groh said.
… Saturday's game marks the end of Virginia's two-game contract with
Penn State, but Groh said he would like to play the Nittany Lions in the
future. "I think it's a good series," he said. "It's accessible for the
fans of both teams. They're a classy operation in everything they do."
|
Scouting the future at Hargrave-Fork Union game
By DOUG DOUGHTY
Exclusive to roanoke.com by 5 p.m. Fridays
CHATHAM -- As I was driving to Hargrave Military Academy with professed sports
fans and loyal Roanoke Times subscribers Steve Whitney and Gene McBurney,
McBurney asked me, "Have you seen any college games this year?"
It's moments like that when you know you're really having an impact.
Advancing deadlines and an impending trip to State College, Pa., has caused me
to begin this column while Hargrave and Fork Union were still in the third
quarter. It had not occurred to me that they would be playing 15-minute
quarters, which should have been obvious considering their postgraduate
mission.
It was the 12th game in a rivalry that began in 1992, not long after Hargrave
had added a postgraduate program. Before Friday, Hargrave had won seven of the
11 meetings between the teams and the Tigers were the dominant team again
Friday, winning 28-14.
Hargrave entered the game with a 6-1 record and a more noteworthy cast of
college-bound athletes, headed by linebacker Ahmad Brooks, a 2002 Parade
All-American who signed with Virginia but did not meet NCAA eligibility
guidelines.
At 6-4 and 236 pounds, Brooks was hard to miss. For one thing, he has moved to
outside linebacker from his projected spot on the inside. Given his speed and
ability to rush the passer, it is conceivable he could surface as an outside
linebacker at UVa, although he is awaiting results of a Nov. 7 test to learn
if he is eligible for 2003-2004. He reportedly came up short when he took the
test Oct. 12.
On this day, Brooks was a star among stars -- maybe 20 or more of them,
counting both teams -- headed to Division I-A programs. The best play I saw
was an interception and apparent 85-yard return for a touchdown turned in by a
Fork Union defensive back whose No. 31 was not listed in the program. So
stunning were the defender's break on the ball, hands, speed and moves in the
open field that I got out of my seat and walked to the other side of the field
in order to determine his name.
Turns out, it was Josh Hyman, who was listed as No. 17, a uniform that was not
in evidence on the Fork Union sideline. Hyman, a receiver on some great teams
at Deep Creek High School in Chesapeake, told writers at the Virginia High
School League All-Star Game this summer that he was committed to Virginia
Tech, although the Hokies have hesitated to take Hyman's commitment until they
have a better feeling for him academically.
There were three 2002 UVa signees in the game, Brooks and his would-be Fork
Union teammates, Keenan Carter and Robert Armstrong. Carter (6-2 1/2, 367) and
Armstrong (6-3, 304) lined up next to each other at defensive tackle in Fork
Union's 3-4 defense. The early line on Carter was that he was woefully out of
shape, but Fork Union's only touchdown came when Carter hit Hargrave
quarterback Oliver Taylor, forcing an interception that teammate Michael
Vronosevich returned 88 yards for an interception.
Armstrong, who said he has made the required test score, has legitimate size
and athletic ability, and he and Carter aren't Fork Union's beefy players.
Curtis Lewis, a 2002 University of Pittsburgh signee, took snaps at tailback
while listing at 5-10 1/2 and 298 pounds and also spelled Armstrong and Carter
on the defensive line.
Two other Fork Union players who caught my eye were wide receiver Jesse Pellot-Rosa
Jr. and linebacker Taj Henley, football and basketball teammates at George
Wythe High School in Richmond. A pair of former Cave Spring High School
players, Robbie Powell and Ryan Jones, start at center and right guard,
respectively, for Fork Union.
Several players from The Roanoke Times circulation area had impressive
showings, including ex-Pulaski Couny tight end Matt Roan, who scored the first
Hargrave touchdown on a pass from Oliver Taylor on a fake field goal, and Fork
Union defensive end Wes Hall from Marion. Calvin "C.J." Bannister from William
Fleming in Roanoke started for Hargrave in the secondary.
Cavs tired of saving their best for last
Virginia, which has fallen behind by big margins in its last two games, looks to
put a complete game together today.
By DOUG DOUGHTY
THE ROANOKE TIMES
If Virginia has developed a reputation for second-half comebacks, that's a
reputation no team would want to perpetuate.
After facing halftime deficits of two touchdowns or more in three of their last
four games, the Cavaliers (6-3) are hoping for a better start today when they
visit Penn State (6-3) at 3:30 p.m. at Beaver Stadium.
"We have no choice but to get out of the gate fast," UVa safety Jerton Evans
said. "We feel, if we can put four quarters together, we can beat anybody. But,
really, how would you know?"
The Cavaliers, riding a six-game winning streak, trailed by 23 points at
halftime in their last outing before falling to Georgia Tech 23-15.
UVa coach Al Groh dismissed the notion that the slow starts are a trend.
"We've looked at it and discussed some things," Groh said, "but a lot of it was
just the reality of what was going on at the time."
For instance, when the Cavaliers fell behind North Carolina 21-0 at the half,
two first-half drives fizzled after delay penalties inside the Tar Heels'
10-yard line. UVa came back to win 37-27.
"It's a hell of a lot bigger issue with you guys [in the media] than it is with
me," Groh said.
Groh had a similar reaction to the flap over the scheduling of the UVa-Penn
State game, which was to have been played Sept.7 until UVa had a conflict.
"You've heard me say many times, 'I'll play the games whenever and wherever they
want me to play them,'" Groh said.
That's fine for Groh to say, Penn State coach Joe Paterno implied. Groh has had
the benefit of an open date going into the game today.
"Obviously, with a week off and [UVa] having some coaches who have had some
experience with our staff and our team, we have a tough game ahead of us,"
Paterno said.
The Nittany Lions felt that familiarity helped UVa last year when Cavaliers
defensive coordinator Al Golden, a Penn State assistant in 2000, came up with a
defensive scheme that was instrumental in a 20-14 UVa win.
UVa essentially dropped eight defenders into coverage and dared the Nittany
Lions to pass, a strategy that might not be as successful this year. Penn State
relies heavily on tailback Larry Johnson, who broke a school record by rushing
for 279 yards Saturday in an 18-7 victory over Illinois.
"We didn't really put in anything new," Groh said. "We just took some things
that were in our system. It was a nice way to play that game, but, if you don't
assume we'll play the same way, you might be making a mistake."
The Cavaliers did not practice for eight days after the Georgia Tech game and
Groh says the break had its desired effect. Sack leader Darryl Blackstock, for
one, would have had difficulty playing last week after suffering a back injury
against Georgia Tech.
"He's a pretty dynamic player," Groh said. "The injury he had in that game made
him a pretty ordinary player."
This will be the ninth game without a break for Penn State, which originally
would have had an open date this week. Tim Curley, the Nittany Lions' athletic
director, agreed to the change.
"I told Tim that I didn't like it," Paterno said. "All I know is that I got a
telephone call that Virginia had two games scheduled on the same date and they
wanted to get out of our game and play it later in the year.
"I said, 'It is hard for me to believe that they would have a contract for two
teams, but OK.' I'll let it go at that. I don't know whether it has ever
happened to me before. I really don't know. I think it is water under the dam."
Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage said last year that football
scheduling was done by the football staff, although Groh said the Penn State
game and South Carolina games were scheduled without his involvement.
He pointed out to a reporter from Pennsylvania that the Cavaliers' first three
games were against Colorado State, Florida State and South Carolina - a trio of
2001 bowl teams.
"It's not like we were playing Mankato State," he said.
Big crowd, vengeful Lions await Cavs
Well-rested Va. seeks fast start
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Nov 09, 2002
U.VA. AT PENN STATE
TODAY: 3:30 p.m. ON THE AIR: TV - WRIC-8; Radio - WRVA (1140), 3
With 5:18 left in the second quarter, Kurt Smith booted a 28-yard field goal to
give Virginia a 6-3 lead over Clemson. That was on Oct. 12. That was also the
last time the Cavaliers scored in the first half, a span of 65 minutes and 18
seconds and count- ing.
U.Va. (6-3) has outscored its opponents 192-76 after intermission this season.
Before halftime, though, Virginia's opponents hold a 172-77 edge. The Cavaliers'
fans, and the media, have made much of the team's slow starts. Second-year coach
Al Groh doesn't share their concern, at least publicly.
"It's a hell of a lot bigger issue with you guys than it is with me," Groh told
reporters on a conference call Thursday.
Against North Carolina on Oct. 19, U.Va. trailed 21-0 at the break but stormed
back to win 37-27. A week later, however, Georgia Tech built a 23-0 halftime
lead over Virginia and held on for a 23-15 victory in Atlanta.
The Wahoos, idle last weekend, are in State College, Pa., today for a 3:30 game
with 19th-ranked Penn State (6-3). Virginia's quarterback, junior Matt Schaub,
grew up in West Chester, Pa., and has attended several games at Beaver Stadium.
"I think up there it's going to be important for us to get out to a fast start
and establish something early," Schaub said, "so we don't fall behind, because
it's a tough place to [rally] from a deficit."
Falling behind UNC early is one thing. Virginia played that game in the friendly
confines of Scott Stadium, and the Tar Heels are among the ACC's weakest teams.
This is Penn State, which has one of the nation's premier tailbacks in Larry
Johnson and whose losses were to teams ranked among the top 13 nationally this
week. Moreover, Beaver Stadium has been expanded to seat more than 107,000, and
the home fans want nothing more than to see the Nittany Lions avenge the
season-ending loss they suffered in Charlottesville last fall.
"We can't be doing this with Penn State," said junior cornerback Art Thomas, a
Mechanicsburg, Pa., resident who was one of Virginia's heroes in last year's
game.
"They'll be up 21 in the first half, and they might just double that in the
second half. They're capable of doing that. We just have to come out and play
four quarters of football."
Virginia returned to practice Monday after having the previous week off. Groh
wanted his players, who began practice Aug. 1, refreshed and rejuvenated for the
final stretch of the longest regular season in school history. Some, including
offensive guard Elton Brown and safety Willie Davis, are still banged up, but
all appreciated the break.
"A lot of guys were drained," Thomas said. "Right now we have a new sense of
life."
The Cavaliers played in front of 79,406 fans at Florida State on Aug. 31. Nearly
30,000 more than that are expected this afternoon, but the crowd's size "doesn't
really matter," said senior linebacker Merrill Robertson, U.Va.'s leading
tackler.
"It's going to be a great atmosphere to play in and all, but we're worrying
about [what happens] between the lines, and that's it. It doesn't matter if
there's 10,000 people out there."
Penn State lost its first four games in 2001 before turning its season around.
Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions entered their Dec. 1 regular-season finale at Scott
Stadium needing only to beat Virginia, already assured its first losing season
in 15 years, to clinch a bowl berth.
Nothing doing. The Cavaliers, down 14-6 at halftime, rallied to win 20-14. PSU
quarterback Zack Mills threw three interceptions and, on the game's biggest
play, lost a fumble that Thomas picked up and returned 92 yards for a
third-quarter touchdown.
"They kept us out of a bowl game last year, so we're looking forward to this
game," senior linebacker Gino Capone said.
PSU center Joe Iorio agreed.
"We feel like we need to pay them back, and we're going to do our best to do
that," Iorio said.
Sports Focus: Virginia-Penn State
Pa. system still working State a keystone of Cavaliers' recruiting
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Nov 08, 2002
CHARLOTTESVILLE Penn State's roster includes six players from Virginia, among
them Varina High graduate Michael Robinson. Through the years, numerous others
from this state have played prominent roles in Joe Paterno's storied program,
including D.J. Dozier (Virginia Beach), Reggie Givens (Sussex County), David
Macklin (Newport News) and Bruce Branch (Huguenot High).
At the University of Virginia, Virginians dominate the roster. But there's a
healthy contingent from Pennsylvania, too. Only Virginia and North Carolina are
better represented than the Keystone State.
Former U.Va. coach George Welsh was born in Coaldale, Pa., and he and his staff
hit his native state hard in recruiting. That emphasis has continued under Al
Groh, who succeeded Welsh after the 2000 season.
"We see it as a significant area to us," said Groh, whose assistants include
Danny Rocco, a native of Huntington, Pa., Al Golden, who played and coached at
Penn State, and Bob Price, a holdover from Welsh's staff who has recruited
Pennsylvania for years.
For six of Groh's players, it's an especially significant area. It's their home.
This group comprises quarterback Matt Schaub, offensive guard Ben Carber,
cornerback Art Thomas, linebacker Rich Bedesem, kick returner and tailback
Marquis Weeks and defensive end Braden Campbell.
"We have a 'P-A' pride thing," said Weeks, who's from Berwyn. "We get into
arguments, especially with those guys from Hampton. We feel we can take any
state."
Tomorrow will find Weeks and the other five - who have been scrambling this week
to find extra tickets for family and friends - in State College, Pa. U.Va. (6-3)
plays 19th-ranked Penn State (6-3) at 3:30 p.m.
It's a big game for all the Cavaliers, who can become bowl-eligible with a
victory. "It's bigger for me, just because I grew up in Pennsylvania," said
Bedesem, who's from Holland, about two hours from State College.
Thomas, from Mechanicsburg, about an hour from PSU, feels the same way.
"It's very exciting, because it's [near] my hometown," Thomas said. "It's Penn
State, and when I was growing up in high school and middle school, all you heard
was 'Penn State, Penn State.'"
The Lions were interested in Thomas, he said, but "they were recruiting me as a
defensive back, which at the time I didn't want to play because I'd played
running back in high school."
Thomas ended up at cornerback, of course, and made a play that shattered PSU's
bowl hopes last season. Dec. 1 at Scott Stadium, Thomas scooped up a
third-quarter fumble by PSU quarterback Zack Mills at the U.Va. 8. The Cavaliers
trailed 14-6 at the time, but Thomas raced 92 yards for a touchdown to spark a
20-14 comeback victory. The loss kept the Lions from advancing to a bowl.
Schaub, who's from West Chester, attended Paterno's camp before his senior year
of high school. JoePa remembers.
"We really liked him, but at that time we were not recruiting a quarterback,"
Paterno said. "That is the thing with the [85-scholarship limit]. In the old
days when there was no limit and you had 145, you had to recruit guys like Matt
so you wouldn't have to play against them."
Beaver Stadium's capacity was increased to 107,282 seats before the 2001 season.
Schaub has attended several games there but none since the latest expansion.
The stadium seated about "98,000 when I went there," Schaub recalled. "It was
crazy then. I can only imagine what it's like now."
Of the six Cavaliers from Pennsylvania, five signed to play for Welsh. But
Groh's first full recruiting class included Campbell, and the Cavaliers have a
commitment for 2003 from quarterback Kevin McCabe of Pittsburgh's Pine-Richland
High. They hope to also land Jonathan Stupar, a tight end from State College,
and Allen Billyk, a defensive end from New Castle, Pa.
MATH WHIZ
Promoter Don King on boxing's rating system:
"When we started, it was based on lies. It's changing now. There are no secrets
in the business. You've got to come with the truth, the whole truth and nothing
but the truth. It's becoming very confusing."
With him it would be.
Ground Control a Must
Penn State Offers Big Test For Cavaliers' Run Defense
By Jim Reedy
Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, November 9, 2002; Page D06
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Nov. 8 -- The Virginia Cavaliers have faced questions all
season about their ability to stop the run. On Saturday at No. 19 Penn State,
their answer could determine the outcome of the game.
Fueled by senior tailback Larry Johnson, who has broken the program's
single-game rushing record twice in the past three games, the Nittany Lions
(6-3) average nearly 200 rushing yards, which is about what the Virginia defense
-- ranked 106th in the nation against the run -- allows.
Johnson "will be a tremendous challenge," U-Va. Coach Al Groh said. "That one
particular facet of their team, alone, has the potential to set the whole tone
for the game."
Then again, the Cavaliers (6-3) have proven this season that statistical
advantages don't always result in an advantage on the scoreboard. They were
outgained offensively in each of the past six games, but won five of them by
avoiding penalties, creating turnovers and favorable field position and holding
opponents to field goals instead of touchdowns. Virginia ranks 71st in the
nation in points allowed -- 31 spots higher than it ranks in yards allowed.
"Statistically it's kind of disappointing, but I think in the flow of the game,
we play pretty good run defense," sophomore defensive end Chris Canty said. "We
make plays when we have to, when it's absolutely necessary. I'd definitely like
to get that average down a little bit."
In front of Johnson, the Nittany Lions deploy a 260-pound fullback and the
biggest, most experienced offensive line Virginia has seen since Aug. 31 against
Florida State. Their counterparts on the defensive line, led by seniors Michael
Haynes and Jimmy Kennedy, have combined for 421/2 tackles for a loss and 151/2
sacks.
"They pretty much look like most coaches would like their team to look," Groh
said.
The Cavaliers also will have to adjust to playing at Beaver Stadium, which has
an official capacity of 107,282, second in the country to Michigan Stadium. It
is expected to be the largest crowd Virginia has played before.
Groh acknowledged the size of the crowd is "an unusual circumstance" the
Cavaliers will have to deal with, but he and his players theorized that 100,000
opposing fans can't be too much louder than the 80,000 they encounter every year
at Clemson and Florida State.
"I'm pretty sure it's not that much difference," said junior cornerback Art
Thomas, one of six Cavaliers who grew up in Pennsylvania. "Eighty thousand
people sure sounds like a heck of a lot of people."
Said senior safety Jerton Evans: "I'm excited. I loved playing at Florida State.
There's just something about playing at an opponent's field that makes you rise
to the occasion."
Saturday's game was rescheduled from its original date of Sept. 7, so Virginia
could fit in a game with South Carolina. Almost a year after the switch was
announced, Penn State Coach Joe Paterno remains peeved, claiming the Cavaliers
used "shenanigans" to put the game after their second bye week.
"They had a week off and everything played out to their advantage," said Paterno,
whose team also got Wisconsin and Michigan coming off bye weeks this season.
"There is nothing I can do about that. We just have to try to keep our momentum.
We are playing well, and I hope we can continue to play well because Virginia is
good, young and getting better every week."
Cavaliers Notes: Junior quarterback Matt Schaub, who surpassed the Virginia
season completions record in the 23-15 loss at Georgia Tech two weeks ago, has
20 touchdown passes, one shy of Shawn Moore's 1990 record. "We had him at
[summer] camp and really liked him, but could not afford to give him a
scholarship," Paterno said of the West Chester, Pa., native. . . . U-Va.
defensive coordinator Al Golden played at Penn State from 1988 to '91 and served
as linebackers coach there in 2000. . . . Virginia and Penn State first met in
1893 but have played only five times since: 1954-55, 1988-89 and 2001.
Down the Stretch, Cavaliers Hit Rough Road
Virginia's Final Four Games Represent One of the Nation's Toughest Schedules
By Jim Reedy
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, November 8, 2002; Page D11
CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Gone are the six-game winning streak, the string of
second-half comebacks and, in all likelihood, the brief run at the ACC
championship. But the Virginia Cavaliers will become eligible for a bowl
invitation if they can navigate the toughest portion of their schedule and win
one of their final four games.
After Saturday's game at No. 19 Penn State (6-3), the Cavaliers (6-3, 4-2 ACC)
face No. 14 North Carolina State (9-1), defending conference champion Maryland
(7-2) and No. 8 Virginia Tech (8-1). Only two teams in the nation have tougher
upcoming schedules.
"The stretch run against good competition -- that's how seasons are supposed to
end," Virginia Coach Al Groh said.
Nearing the end of the longest season in program history -- and one that started
Aug. 22 with the first game of the college football season -- Groh took
advantage of the Cavaliers' open date last weekend to give the players a week
free from practice.
"What everything is aimed for -- whether it's practice, rest, game plan,
whatever -- is to get your team to the game on Saturday prepared to play," Groh
said. "Sometimes getting the team rested is part of that equation."
Freshman outside linebacker Darryl Blackstock, the team's best pass rusher, said
the week off did wonders for the lower back strain he suffered in Virginia's
most recent game, a 23-15 loss at Georgia Tech. Senior inside linebacker Angelo
Crowell, who played the past few games with a pair of sprained medial collateral
ligaments, said his knees felt better.
After three months of football, sophomore defensive end Chris Canty said,
everyone was grateful for the rest.
"I feel rejuvenated," Canty said. "I felt the long season was starting to get to
me. . . . There was a lot of sore stuff. Very limited range of motion in certain
joints. This bye week helped my muscles to refresh. Get some of that vibrancy
back."
Guard Elton Brown was on crutches with his injured right ankle enclosed in a
boot on Monday afternoon. The 324-pound sophomore, who barely played against
Georgia Tech because of the injury, said he was going to try to play Saturday.
The off week also gave the Cavaliers time to consider the task ahead of them.
None of the six teams they have beaten this season -- South Carolina, Akron,
Wake Forest, Duke, Clemson and North Carolina -- is more than one game above the
.500 mark. Each of Virginia's remaining opponents is at .667 or better.
"I know how important our last four games are. I'm pretty sure everybody else
does," senior safety Jerton Evans said. "We have ranked teams everywhere on our
schedule right now."
Sophomore tailback Alvin Pearman said he was invigorated by the challenge --
and, as he sees it, the opportunity -- awaiting Virginia. "This is great," he
said. "The only way you can be the best is if you beat the best."
Groh agreed, saying the results of the first nine games have set them up fairly
well for the final push.
"We've positioned ourselves for the stretch run to have the opportunity . . . to
put together a good season," he said. "This is, in general, where we had hoped
to be at this point."
Cavaliers Note: True freshman Connor Hughes will replace redshirt freshman Kurt
Smith on place kicking duties this week. Smith will continue to handle kickoffs.
Storylines fuel today's matchup against Virginia
By Marc Weiszer
mweiszer@centredaily.com
UNIVERSITY PARK
- Looked at from afar -- say from Abilene, Texas or Boise, Idaho --
today's Penn State-Virginia football game might appear to be just another
November non-conference game between a pair of 6-3 teams.
Listen to those around the Penn State football program and the sense is that
this game has the kind of juice usually reserved for a Big Ten tilt with
Michigan or Ohio State. And it might be just a couple of degrees below one of
those old rivalry games with Pittsburgh or West Virginia.
Tucked inside today's 3:30 p.m. regionally-televised game on ABC are some
stand-up-and-take-notice storylines.
"Oh, boy, let's see, there are a lot of things about this game that make it a
little bit more special," defensive end Michael Haynes said.
Penn State is looking for payback from a year ago when Virginia took away the
happy ending to a turnaround season by sending Penn State home from
Charlottesville with a losing 5-6 record and no bowl trip.
Virginia's defense confounded Penn State, dropping seven and eight men into
coverage and forcing four interceptions, three by Zack Mills.
The only thing that made it worse for many Penn State fans was that the guy
behind the curtains for Virginia was defensive coordinator Al Golden, the former
Nittany Lion tight end who returns to Beaver Stadium for the first time today.
Golden had bolted from Penn State during the height of the 2001 recruiting
season to run new coach Al Groh's defense. He used his familiarity with Penn
State to devise a winning game plan.
On top of that, Penn State coach Joe Paterno threw more gas on the fire by
saying that Virginia pulled some "shenanigans" by scheduling two games on Sept.
7, prompting the game to be moved to today and giving Virginia an open week
before the game.
"He's fired up, as are all the coaches," tight end Casey Williams said.
"They're trying to put the emphasis on it being a big game. They don't really
tell us what the tensions are, but they're fired up."
Virginia entered last year's game with a 4-7 record. The Nittany Lions led
14-6 midway through the third quarter and were driving, when Mills scrambled out
of the pocket and fumbled as he was being tackled. Mechanicsburg's Art Thomas
scooped up the ball and went 92 yards for a touchdown and the Cavaliers went on
to the 20-14 victory, one that has lingered with Penn State players.
"They took away our shot at a bowl game, they sent our seniors home a little
earlier than they were expecting," center Joe Iorio said. "We feel like we need
to pay them back."
"It took us a while to get over that game because that was a very tough
loss," offensive tackle Matt Schmitt said. "We had worked so hard (from an 0-4
start) to get where we wanted to be and get into the bowl game. For us to let it
slip away like that was very difficult. ... It fuels the fire."
Mills took the loss particularly hard, thinking he had let down the seniors
who were anticipating a bowl trip.
"If we don't come fired up for this game, I don't know what's wrong with us,"
cornerback Bryan Scott said.
This time around, Mills believes he has a better feel for facing Virginia's
3-4 defense, a scheme he had not seen much of before last year's game. Groh
wants his two outside linebackers ideally to be "two dynamic players" similar to
what the Pittsburgh Steelers have.
"With our team dynamics and the kind of players that we have now, I think
that its going to be difficult to put together a defensive package that can take
care of all facets of our offense," Iorio said.
"I'll have to be real patient this game," Mills said. "They studied our film
very well and knew a lot of the stuff we were doing."
What Penn State has been doing well lately is letting tailback Larry Johnson
run. Johnson has crept into the Heisman Trophy picture after rushing for 602
yards the past three weeks while Penn State's defense has allowed just one
touchdown in the past 12 quarters.
"When you are playing somebody who has had a week off to look at everything
you have done, there is a great temptation to try new things," Paterno said.
Mills and the passing game haven't been sharp the past two weeks. Wide
receiver Bryant Johnson has just four catches in the past three games after
having 35 in the first six games. Penn State's longest pass play the past two
games is 26 yards. Schmitt said teams are bracketing Johnson, employing blitz
packages that make it difficult to pass and rotating their secondaries.
"They have worked hard to cut down the big play on us as far as the passing
game," Paterno said. "As a result, they have left themselves open to maybe a
little bit more exposure to being hurt by the running game."
Virginia's run defense is ranked 106th of 117 Division I-A teams. Colorado
State's Cecil Sapp rushed for 178 yards against the Cavaliers this season and
Florida State's Greg Jones for 173. Wake Forest amassed 349 yards on the ground.
Penn State's defense will have to contend with an offense that is tied for
fifth nationally in touchdown passes. Quarterback Matt Schaub of West Chester,
who split time with Bryson Spinner last year, has tossed 20 touchdown passes and
has completed 68.4 percent of his passes.
Virginia's highly touted freshman class has made a significant impact with 13
of them playing. Tailback Wali Lundy leads the Cavaliers in rushing (425 yards)
and is tied for the lead in catches with 43. Linebacker Darryl Blackstock leads
all freshmen nationally in sacks with eight.
Virginia is looking for another win to become bowl eligible and has a tough
slate remaining with N.C. State, Maryland and Virginia Tech. The Nittany Lions
can do their part to make the Cavaliers sweat it out while at the same time
enhancing their chances of reaching a New Year's Day bowl and making up for last
year's stinging loss.
"It's in the back of everybody's head but it's a totally another year,"
Williams said. "They're not the exact same team."
Safety Harrell becoming big hit with defense
By Ron Bracken
rbracken@centredaily.com
UNIVERSITY PARK
- We've all seen it at one time or another in our lives.
Someone in a position of authority -- teacher, father, coach -- had the
ability to speak volumes while saying nothing. They just had that look. Whether
it was a cocked eyebrow or a narrowing of the eyelids, it said, "You're toast.''
But it's rare to find that in the secondary, where trash-talk is a second
language that only cornerbacks, safeties and wide receivers understand.
Talking the talk is how they try to intimidate each other.
Except for Chris Harrell.
He gives opposing wide receivers "The Stare.''
"It says a lot more than words,'' explained Penn State's sophomore strong
safety. "It's better than me telling the guy what he can do or can't do. I just
stare him down and try to put a little intimidation in him.''
That's before the snap. Once the ball's in the air in Harrell's area, he
sends a physical message.
"He knows, after I hit him, that I hit hard,'' Harrell said. "He knows that
I'm not going to let down, that I'm not going to let anything slide. I'm all
about business back there, that I won't back down and I'll keep hitting him as
hard as I can.
"It tells him he's got to look for me, that he has to know where I am on
every play.''
That's exactly what you'd expect from someone who grew up reading about
former Ohio State and Oakland Raider defensive back Jack Tatum, who was known as
"The Assassin" and watching Ronnie Lott blasting receivers as a San Francisco
49er.
Then, as a senior at Euclid (Ohio) High, he tracked Penn State safety James
Boyd and Ohio State's Mike Doss, both of whom are know for .44 magnum hits.
Older players still talk about the hit Boyd laid on Chafie Fields in practice.
"My Dad gave me a book about Jack Tatum and that got me into playing with
more intensity,'' Harrell said. "And watching Doss and Boyd was a big-time
influence on the way you played as a safety, especially Boyd. He was a big-time
hitter.
"By watching them I could see what a safety could do. And the way Penn State
played, it allowed the safeties to attack, to be a force back there.''
Harrell has been a force so far this year. He's sixth on the team in tackles
with 54, 32 of them solo stops. He's got three tackles-for-loss, an interception
and two fumbles forced.
Of course, he's better re-membered for the two tackles he missed against Iowa
instead of the 32 he's made unassisted.
One of those misses led to a big gain, the other to a touchdown. Both
occurred along the sideline but in clear view of everyone.
On one of the post-game talk shows an incensed caller demanded that Harrell
never play a another snap.
"The guy can't tackle,'' barked the irate fan.
The numbers prove otherwise but life as a defensive back is hard. Miss a
tackle, get beat on a route and you're alone in the spotlight, warts and all.
But to his credit, Harrell showed up to face the media after that overtime
loss when he had the option to shower, dress and slip quietly away.
"That was really rough,'' he said of the game and its aftermath. "I felt I
had let my teammates down. At that time we hadn't lost a game and we had
aspirations of going undefeated and maybe making a push for a national
championship. It was hard on me but that game was a turning point for me. It has
made me play better. I owe it to my teammates to play the best I can.
"It wasn't a real tough choice (to face the media). With the injuries to
Calvin (Lowery) and Yaacov (Yisrael), it's my responsibility to be the strength
back there. I have to be the man, accept what happened, and let everyone know
they can have confidence in me.''
In his defense, Harrell was shoved into the Hero (strong safety) spot when
injuries took out Yisrael and Lowery. And when you're getting on-the-job
training on Saturday afternoons, mistakes are part of the package.
He had been a cornerback in his early days at Penn State but was moved to
safety in the spring.
"Cornerback is a lonely position,'' he said. "You're isolated. You usually
have the receiver who comes to your side of the field and you just have to make
sure nothing gets behind you.
"But at cornerback you usually have someone coming to help you or, if the
receiver makes the catch you're in great position to bring him down. At safety,
if you get beat in the middle, the receiver has more room to get by you and it's
just you and him. You have to find a way to get him down.
"It's a different mentality at safety. You're the quarterback out there. You
have to see everything and know what to do. But there is less pressure on you,
physically. And you can change a game, physically, at safety. You can't do that
at cornerback.''
Or, you can do it the way Charles Woodson did at Michigan and Chris Gamble is
doing right now at Ohio State -- play on both sides of the football.
Harrell is equipped for the job at 6-foot-2, 205. He was a wide receiver at
Euclid High where he caught 108 passes, 34 for touchdowns. He also scored 12
times on kickoff and punt returns.
He admitted he might have considered it at one time.
"Maybe earlier in my career,'' he said. "But to me it's hard enough to play
defense. I'd rather concentrate on mastering what I'm doing now. It would be a
challenge to show what you can do on both sides of the ball. It shows you how
good shape (Gamble) is in.''
Still, Harrell, an economics major, daydreams about big plays.
"I'd love to return an interception from one end zone to the other,'' he
admitted. "I'd love to catch the ball in the end zone and try to see who could
catch me. That would be the highlight, running 100 yards and being faster than
anyone who's trying to catch me, seeing the quarterback at one end of the field
and the wide receiver behind me. That's where the rush would come from.''
And if that doesn't happen, there's the play in and play out satisfaction
coming from winning the stare-down with the wide receiver.
"You can see it in their eyes when he come across the middle,'' he said.
"They start short-arming the ball, looking to see where I am. They know someone
is back there hitting people. For me, that's the ultimate satisfaction.''