Just call it the old 0-6-5.

If you paid close attention to UVa's game at Penn State last week, then you noticed that twice the Cavaliers had a defense on the field that featured no linemen, six linebackers (on the line of scrimmage) and five defensive backs.

Groh calls it "Buckeye," something that he and some former coaches came up with when on the same pro football staff. One of those coaches was New England Patriots' coach Bill Belichick, who used that same alignment more than a week ago against Buffalo.

Groh had told his brother, Peter, the night before the Penn State game to watch out for the formation the next day. Peter told Al that he had seen it in action in the Pats' game the week before, much to Al's amazement.

"I started laughing and told him that I bet I know what they call it," said Al. "We were all involved with that same defense on the same day in the same place, Patriots coaches and myself."

Groh said he wouldn't use the defense on a weekly basis, but more for a surprise element. Penn State linemen were confused, reported UVa linebacker Darryl Blackstock.

"Man, those guys were so confused they didn't know who to block," said Blackstock.

The first time UVa used it, the Cavs put pressure on the Penn State quarterback and hurried him into an incompletion, nearly getting the sack. The second time, Zack Mills passed it underneath UVa's coverage because one of the defensive backs had his back turned and gave up a 12-yard completion for a first down.

Still, the Wahoos liked the strategy.

"That was fun," said Blackstock. "They knew some of us were coming [after the quarterback], but they didn't know who was coming or where we were coming from."

Thrown for a loss

Florida State survived its trip to Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta last week but the Seminoles left with less than they brought to town.

Team officials discovered at halftime that thieves had entered the FSU locker room and stole jewelry, wallets and money from several players. Georgia Tech AD Dave Braine told FSU that his school would reimburse the Seminoles for their losses and order tighter security than ever before.

Apparently the FSU stuff is drawing a crowd. Only a week before, Seminoles equipment personnel surprised thieves who attempted to break into trucks containing Florida State jerseys and helmets the morning of the Wake Forest game at Groves Stadium.

Don't be surprised if FSU lays it on the Tar Heels this week as payback for last year when UNC surprised the Seminoles 41-9. Several Florida State players were steaming this week after watching last year's upset.

"The reason we didn't really take them seriously [last season] is because the didn't play seriously in the other games," said FSU's Antoine Mirambeau. "When we watched the film, we're like we should dominate those guys. We weren't prepared for their blitzes and stunts."

UNC was 0-3 heading into the FSU game last season.

Injury update. Virginia coach Al Groh confirmed Wednesday that tailback Alvin Pearman suffered a "significant knee injury" at Penn State, one that will more than likely require surgery and will keep the Charlotte, N.C., sophomore out for the rest of the season, even if UVa makes a bowl game. ...Carolina will play the rest of the season without its best defensive back, corner Mike Waddell, who suffered a fracture of his left ankle in last week's lopsided loss to Clemson. ...Florida State backup tailback Willie Reid separated his shoulder last week and isn't expected to play against UNC, as the Seminoles will turn to Leon Washington and Thomas Clayton to fill in for starter Nick Maddox, as FSU has a seemingly endless list of running backs.

Back to Atlanta. Duke defensive coordinator Ted Roof will be making his first trip back to Georgia Tech, where he held the same title for four years, when the Devils play the Jackets on Saturday.

Roof, one of the budding star assistant coaches in the country, has made a big difference at Duke. Last year, the Dookies had one of the worst defenses in ACC history.

Now, the Devils lead the league in rushing defense, giving up 118.4 yards per game, a lot better than last year's 245.6. Duke is giving up 31.3 points per game, next-to-highest in the league, but that's a lot better than last year's average of 44.6.

Meanwhile, Georgia Tech hopes to be more bowl attractive with a seventh win by beating Duke. Tech is being courted by the Dec. 23 Tangerine Bowl in Orlando and the Dec. 28 Continental Tire Bowl in Charlotte.

Short yardage... Our sincere condolences go out to Danny Wilmer, who lost his father, Donald, last week at UVa Medical Center. I once met Donald Wilmer at his home in Buena Vista and he was everything Danny said he was on some of our trips around Virginia and the Carolinas, mostly just a class act just like his son. ... South Carolina football coach Lou Holtz, whose Gamecocks were 5-2 before suffering three straight losses, said he plans on returning next year and would keep coaching as long as he had a passion for the game (UVa plays at Columbia next year). ...Holtz is 65 and Florida State's Bobby Bowden turned 73 last week, still younger that Penn State's Joe Paterno, who is 75. ...Peach Bowl scouts will be in town for Saturday's UVa vs. N.C. State game, but they'll be looking harder at the Wolfpack as insiders tell us the Peach is already looking for an N.C. State vs. Tennessee matchup. ...Clemson is only 3-12 vs. ranked opponents under Tommy Bowden and has lost its last six straight games against a ranked team.

... Dick Vitale ranks UVa No. 13 in his personal Sweet 16 preseason poll. ...Dickie V also lists the Cavaliers' Todd Billet as one of his All-Marco Polo team members. ...Recruiting guru Bob Gibbons ranks Wahoo hoops recruit Gary Forbes as one of his Top 20 prospects in the country. ...Gibbons, by the way, ranks Wake Forest's early signing period class as the third-best in the country behind only No. 1 Arizona and No. 2 Kansas, with Maryland (No. 8), and Florida State (No. 18) as the only other ACC schools in his Top 25 November classes. ...For you basketball junkies, two former UVa coaches will be going head-to-head on the hardwood in Blacksburg the night before the Cavaliers and Hokies football game in a couple of weeks, when Jeff Jones' American team plays Ricky Stokes' Virginia Tech squad.

The picks. Last week: 4-0. This week: Florida State 52, UNC 10; Georgia Tech 29, Duke 13; Maryland 33, Clemson 20; N.C. State 36, Virginia 30.

Two of the visiting recruits, defensive tackles Robert Armstrong and Keenan Carter from Fork Union Military Academy, are already verbally committed to Virginia and expected to re-sign in February.

The other two recruiting targets, Hermitage teammates Fontel Mines and Duane Brown, are expected to choose between Virginia and Virginia Tech after they take their official visits to both schools.

Both Mines, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound wideout, and Brown, a 6-5, 250-pound tight end/defensive end, will visit Virginia Tech the weekend of Nov. 29 when the Hokies face Virginia.

Both Mines and Brown have offers from the Cavaliers and Hokies and each is leaning a different way. Mines has long favored Virginia based on their passing offense while Brown has been a slight lean to Virginia Tech because the Hokies have been recruiting him the longest and hardest and offered him first. Virginia just recently offered Brown a scholarship.

Speaking of Armstrong and Carter, both players should have an impact on the UVa defense right away next season. Armstrong is bigger and stronger than ever and could play either tackle or defensive end for the Cavs. Carter ballooned up to 370 pounds in the offseason but is reportedly down to around 320 and he'll be a pure nose tackle in Virginia's 3-4 defensive scheme. Carter's stock has dropped a bit since high school with the weight issues during and following his senior season, but if he can stay in the 310- to 320-pound range, he can be a dominant performer.

While the Hokies lost to Syracuse, 50-42, in triple overtime last weekend, they might have helped their recruiting effort in the process. Suddenly, wide receiver prospects like Terrell Golden, Fontel Mines and Shannon Lane have taken notice of the potential - and the key word here is potential - passing attack that is developing in Blacksburg.

The feeling now is that Bryan Randall can be a pocket passer if needed, something no one was convinced of before his 500-yard effort, and that the offense can only get better with Marcus Vick waiting in the wings. Is it enough to sway Golden from Penn State, Mines from Virginia and Lane from Tennessee? Not sure yet, but it sure came at the right time.

Hargrave Military Academy defensive back Michael Hinton was a surefire N.C. State commitment until Virginia Tech came into the picture. Now Hinton has an offer from the Hokies and teams like Tennessee, Florida State, Florida and others are also charging hard. He said he decided to take a step back and analyze things once the Hokies offered because that signaled big-time interest and big-time football to him.

Hinton still has N.C. State in his heart, but he'll visit the Hokies for sure before he decides. He seems to mention Virginia Tech first and foremost nowadays.

Defensive end Chris Ellis (6-foot-5, 230 pounds) from Bethel High School in Hampton might not be such a Virginia Tech lock after all. While Ellis still favors the Hokies for a few different reasons (they play a 4-3 defense and teammate Jimmy Williams plays there), his parents are very interested in the academics at Virginia and Ellis likes his recruiting coach, Mike London, quite a bit.

Ellis will make the ultimate decision, but UVa will get the last chance to sway him when he visits the weekend of Jan. 17. Tech is going to be very hard to beat, but if anyone out of the top five players in the state is going to pick Virginia, it's probably Ellis.

With all the press that New Orleans Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks (UVa) and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick (Virginia Tech) are getting, the Tidewater area is a hot spot for recruiting on a national basis now.

Next year and beyond, many more teams outside of the Atlantic Region are expected to march into the area and attempt to pull players out. The Tidewater area is now considered to be one of the top eight places in the country for talent.

Good news and bad news regarding East Cleveland (Ohio) Shaw linebacker Reggie Smith. The good news is that he wasn't able to make his official visit to Iowa last weekend due to a minor car accident (no one was hurt) and Iowa is thought to be the biggest threat to UVa when it comes to landing the services of the 6-2, 236-pound 'backer.

The bad news? Smith's teammate and good friend, fullback Scooter McDougle (6-0, 230 pounds), who was also supposed to make his official visit to Iowa last weekend, has already re-scheduled his official visit with the Hawkeyes for Dec. 6. That's the same date that both Smith and McDougle were expected to visit Virginia.

Now Smith has a bit of a decision to make. McDougle said he probably won't visit Virginia now unless he gets an offer and both Smith and McDougle are interested in playing college football together.

Does Smith postpone his UVa trip to January and take an official to Iowa with his buddy or does he keep the date with the Cavs, his long-time favorite. Whatever he decides could say a lot about Virginia's chances with Smith. The talented linebacker will take an official visit to Boston College this weekend while McDougle stays home. That could be a good sign.

The identity of one of those QBs is no surprise. N.C. State's Philip Rivers entered the season touted as one of the nation's best passers, and he hasn't disappointed. Less expected was the emergence of Virginia's Matt Schaub, who is on the verge of breaking virtually every school passing record for a single season.

They have a lot in common: Both are juniors, measure 6-foot-5 and about 235 pounds, and have similar statistics. Rivers ranks first in the ACC in total offense, passing yards and passing efficiency. Schaub is a close second in each category and could make his own case for all-conference honors by outplaying Rivers in their head-to-head matchup.

"I don't look at it that way," Schaub said. "I look at it in a team concept, not me vs. him. Our teams have allowed us to do the things we've accomplished this season. Their receivers have made plays for him, same as me. We've had running backs and tight ends make plays for us. The defense has gotten the ball for us. It's not a one-on-one battle."

If anything, Schaub has had to carry his team more than Rivers has needed to put the Wolfpack on his shoulders. The Cavaliers (6-4, 4-2) rank eighth in the ACC in total defense and rushing offense, so they have relied on their passing game to forge a winning record.

So far, Schaub has been up to the task. He has completed 223 of 320 passes for 2,353 yards, with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions. He already holds the Virginia single-season record for completions and is tied for first in TD passes. With three games remaining, he needs just 11 more attempts and 164 yards to break the marks set by Mike Groh, now the team's receivers coach, in 1995. His completion percentage of 69.7 is well ahead of Groh's record 63.9 rate in 1994.

Rivers also is having a superb season, having completed 193 of 307 passes for 2,718 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. But he hasn't had to do it all. The 22nd-ranked Wolfpack (9-2, 4-2 ACC) have rushed for a league-high 29 touchdowns and lead the ACC in total defense.

"With the emergence of the running game, not everything has had to fall on his shoulders and it's made him more relaxed," said N.C. State coach Chuck Amato.

Of course, Rivers has shown remarkable poise and maturity ever since he became the team's starter as a true freshman in 2000. He won't turn 21 until next month, but he already has started 35 games, winning 24 of them, and is on track to shatter every school passing record as well as a few ACC marks.

"Very impressive kid overall," said UVa coach Al Groh, who met him at the annual ACC Football Kickoff last year and later watched Rivers direct the Wolfpack to a 24-0 victory over the Cavaliers. "We just want to prevent him from having one of those gee-whiz days."

For a college student, Rivers has a gee-whiz life. He has a wife, Tiffany, and a daughter, Halle, who was born on July 6. Balancing family with football and academics can't be easy, but Rivers says his responsibilities as a husband and father may make him a better quarterback.

"If it's done anything, it's helped," he said. "It hasn't added any pressure or stress. I wouldn't want it any other way."

Rivers may feel a little more stress without his top running back, T.A. McLendon, and top receiver, Jerricho Cotchery. Both are listed as doubtful for Saturday's game with injuries. The Wolfpack also have lost two straight after a 9-0 start, taking them out of ACC title contention and all but killing Rivers' Heisman hopes.

"That's the way it goes," said Rivers, who was first in the nation in passing efficiency much of the season and is now sixth. "That's what I've said all along: It's a matter of your team winning games. … Overall I think [I've had] a pretty consistent year and I hope to end it with a bang."

Schaub is looking to do the same. Before the season, most talk about quarterbacks in the ACC revolved around Rivers, Florida State's Chris Rix, North Carolina's Darian Durant, Clemson's Willie Simmons and Georgia Tech's A.J. Suggs.

Rix has been benched, Durant has been injured, and Simmons and Suggs are the ACC's two lowest-rated passers. Schaub overcame a bad start and now ranks ninth nationally in passing efficiency.

"He's really playing well," Rivers said of Schaub. "He's had a good year. He really seems to fit what they're doing."

Note. Virginia sophomore tailback Alvin Pearman, the team's second-leading rusher, has "a significant knee injury" and is "probably finished" for the season, Groh said. Pearman has run for 343 yards and a team-high four touchdowns. He injured his right knee last Saturday at Penn State.

"That would be the best," he said. "I haven't done it yet, but it's definitely something I want to do."

Preposterous? Maybe. But if anyone could do it, it's N.C. State's senior safety and kick-blocker extraordinaire. During his collegiate career, Holt has stuffed 12 kicks - eight field goals and four punts - to break the ACC record of 11 set by Duke's Ray Farmer from 1992-95.

"He's probably one of the best in the history of college football," said Virginia coach Al Groh, whose team faces the 22nd-ranked Wolfpack on Saturday at Scott Stadium. "It seems when he puts his mind to it, not many people have been able to prevent him from doing it."

UVa specials teams coach Corwin Brown might be losing sleep this week. Holt blocked a 47-yard field-goal attempt by David Greene during last year's matchup at Carter-Finley Stadium. His teammate, Brian Williams, also blocked a punt and recovered at the UVa 1-yard line, setting up the final touchdown in a 24-0 rout of the Cavaliers.

This year special teams have been just as integral to N.C. State's 9-2 record. The Wolfpack have blocked seven kicks (five punts, one field goal, one extra point) and scored seven special-teams touchdowns - three off blocked punts, three on kickoff returns and one on a fumbled kickoff return. Sophomore cornerback Lamont Reid has four of those touchdowns, two on kickoff returns of 90 and 97 yards.

"Special teams is really big here," said Holt, who has blocked three kicks and scored a touchdown off a blocked punt against Clemson. "We watch a lot of film. We practice it a lot. We take it seriously. A lot of guys, for whatever reason, take plays off on special teams. We try to capitalize on that. We come hard every time trying to make a big play."

It was Holt's prowess on special teams that first allowed him to step out of his brother's shadow. Torry Holt, now with the St. Louis Rams, was an All-American receiver for N.C. State in 1998. Terrence redshirted that year, then made his mark by blocking two punts in an upset of Texas the next season.

Since then, Terrence has developed into an All-ACC safety. He has 82 tackles and two interceptions while earning ACC defensive back of the week honors three times this season. He is one of 14 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation's top defensive back.

"But special teams is where I got my start," he said. "It's where I first contributed to the team and shed some light on myself. I guess I wasn't good enough to play safety right away, but I was good at special teams."

Holt uses his speed and savvy in rushing the punter. For field goals, his 33-inch vertical leap comes in handy. He stands behind the linemen, takes one long step and soars into the air. Sometimes, he says, he blocks kicks with his elbows.

"You see a lot of teams try to run that jumper up there," Groh said, "but not many have a pogo stick like this."

Holt credits his linemen with making his job easy. Depending on the hashmark of the kick, the Wolfpack put three linemen in front of the guard and tackle over whom they expect the ball to fly. They push forward, allowing the 6-foot-2 Holt to leap over the line of scrimmage.

"The thing we have to do is not let the guys up front get any penetration," said UVa tackle Mike Mullins, who blocks on field goals and extra points. "If you stop them, you stop him."

Opponents also have been trying to stop Holt by getting to him as he leaps. Since rules prohibit teams from hitting the snapper, the snapper often is free to take out Holt's legs, resulting in some scary landings.

"I've come down on my neck a few times. It's like getting undercut when you're going up for a dunk, but the ground is softer and sometimes I land on other people, so it's all right," said Holt, who scored 1,786 points as a high school basketball player.

"I think the biggest thing about blocking kicks is want-to, tenacity and relentlessness. I'm going to keep coming. I want to get that block."

Alas, Holt says, he is in a kick-blocking slump. After swatting two punts against Navy and a field goal against Wake Forest, he has gone seven games without a block. The Wolfpack also have lost two straight after a 9-0 start. Holt would like to end both slumps Saturday.

"I think our morale's good," he said. "We've been in both games we lost but we kind of gave them away. At least when you're in games and have a chance to win, it's better than not having a shot.

"We're still trying hard. We're not lying down. You just have to keep going after it. That's the only way to get anything done."