Leaving the Carolinas blue

Chris Canty, from Charlotte, has helped UVa defeat the Wolfpack, Heels, Devils, Deacons, Tigers and Gamecocks this season.

By DOUG DOUGHTY
THE ROANOKE TIMES

   CHARLOTTESVILLE - Chris Canty has no trouble lumping together the six football programs from North Carolina and South Carolina that Virginia has played this season.

    "Some of those schools are the same schools that four years ago decided I was a 6-5, 205-pound defensive end who did not have a chance at the Division I level," Canty said.

    "Not to say that I proved them wrong, but that has definitely entered into my motivation. I was 6-5, 205, but I could play ball. It's not my only motivation, but it does enter your mind."

    Canty, who currently measures 6-7 and 283 pounds, should have bragging rights in his hometown of Charlotte, N.C., for a while. Courtesy of a 14-9 victory Saturday over North Carolina State, the Cavaliers became the first team to go 6-0 against the Wolfpack, North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, Clemson and South Carolina.

    Georgia Tech was 5-0-1 against the same six schools in its national co-championship season, 1990.

    "It means a lot to me," Canty said. "In Charlotte, we're right on the border between North and South Carolina. My family's from South Carolina - so, that's important - and I had three aunts play basketball at Clemson."

    Canty has played no small part in UVa's success against the Carolina schools and its overall record of 7-4, including 7-2 since Canty returned to uniform after missing the first two games while rehabilitating a broken leg.

    "After I lost those two games, I made a promise to some of my teammates that I wasn't coming out of any games until somebody made me come out of the games," Canty said. "It's important that I'm out there."

    Canty had 11 tackles against the Wolfpack, one off the career high he established earlier in the season at Duke. Canty's average of 7.9 tackles per game is the highest in the ACC among defensive linemen.

    Coach Al Groh said the performance of Canty, fellow defensive end Brennan Schmidt and nose tackle Drew Hoffman was the best by the Cavaliers' front three in his two seasons as head coach.

    Canty was projected as the leader of a unit that lost all three starters (Monsanto Pope, Ljubomir Stamenich and Darryl Saunders), but Canty's experience amounted to a total of 200 plays - fewer than 20 per game - in 2001.

    On top of that, Canty suffered a broken tibia (shinbone) during practice April6. Although he did not require surgery, it was nearly six months before he was cleared for contact.

    "They told me it would be close, but they thought I would definitely be ready to go by the start of training camp," Canty said. "It was a frustrating process, but I trusted the doctors [and] trusted the coaches.

    "They know what they're doing. Of course, you always want to be out there. You never want to sit out, but you have to be smart about it."

    Once X-rays showed the fracture had healed, Canty returned to action Sept.7, when he was on the field for 40 plays and had seven tackles in a 34-23 victory over South Carolina.

    "I definitely thought it was going to be worse than it was," Canty said. "I'm playing better ball now that I'm on the field and getting more experienced."

    Canty's improvement hasn't escaped the notice of Groh, who nominated him for All-ACC.

    "I'd love to be an all-conference performer," Canty said. "I'm still not where I want to be performance-wise, but that will come. I'm just that kind of person. I'll never be good enough to suit me."

Time is prime for Gillen, Cavs to rise in ACC
BOB LIPPER
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST Nov 20, 2002

This is it for Pete Gillen, who cracks wise but hasn't made a dent in the postseason during his four seasons at Virginia. To say he's due is to say Tom Daschle could use a win pretty soon. To say opportunity is knocking recognizes the obvious.

ACC basketball is in a bit of disarray, in case you hadn't noticed. The league that's produced the past two NCAA champions and five of the past six national players of the year has no sure-fire contender and no poster child/headliner to swoon for. A vacuum exists. The boys from C'ville are as good a candidate as any to fill it.

Look around. The league's body count is extensive. Powerhouses Duke and Maryland are minus an aggregate seven starters. Four more faded from Wake Forest's lineup. North Carolina is coming off an 8-20 disaster and has no proven rebounders. N.C. State lacks reliable ballhandlers and just lost glue-factor forward Ilian Evtimov to a season-ending knee injury. Georgia Tech is young (but coming hard). Florida State and Clemson play football.

The upshot is the ACC ceiling isn't so impossibly out of reach for middle-rung climbers. There's room to grow. The trick is to be the entry that plays carpe-diem hoops and makes a move.

"Any team could," Gillen was saying recently. "N.C. State could. Georgia Tech could. Virginia could. Carolina could. I feel good about our team. I think we got a chance to be very good."

He'd better be right - and not about the "chance" part but about the "very good" part. It's time for Gillen to earn his considerable keep. It's time for him to stand and deliver.

Not that the man's been a dud. Gillen's razzmatazzed energy into the program. University Hall is fuller and livelier since he arrived to - in his words - hitch and twitch. Recruiting has picked up as well (although it seems a tad dependent on short-term transfers). Meanwhile, on the floor, Gillen has won his past two home games against Duke. He zapped Maryland and UNC two years ago when beating UNC was worth something.

But - and it's a big one - that's as far as it goes. Gillen's four visits to the ACC tournament have each been a one-and-done cameo. He's similarly batting .000 in two trips to the NIT and one to the NCAAs. Last year's squad dropped six of its last seven starts. Gone from its ranks are three 1,000-point starters, including Roger Mason, the linchpin guard who bailed out for the NBA after his junior year.

So why, pray tell, should U.Va. be considered among the ACC teams most likely to succeed? Because Gillen doesn't have much choice. If not now, when? Next year? When Duke's fab freshmen are a year sturdier and are joined by more dazzlers? When Georgia Tech is coalescing into a power? When Maryland and Wake are buoyed by major-league recruiting classes? When UNC's babies are maybe (for Matt Doherty's sake) maturing into a force?

When Travis Watson is collecting a paycheck?

Watson is U.Va.'s low-post mainstay and its lone senior of note. But there's no warranteed replacement part in the pipeline - no one you can point to with assurance and say he'll be good for about 15 points, 10 rebounds and numerous hip checks per outing. Meaning U.Va.'s best shot for upward mobility is a future-is-now design - Watson combining with new perimeter snipers Todd Billet and Devin Smith and a deep frontcourt for a presumably potent mix.

Whether we can presume this edition will stop people when it matters is another story. U.Va. ranked dead last in defense in ACC games during the 2001-02 campaign and - for all its fullcourt scrambling - next to last in steals. No wonder it swooned down the stretch.

"I should've did a better job pushing'em," Gillen said. "We had the people to defend."

He's now got more height and bulk, if less quickness. He also has a new assistant - Rod Jensen - who comes advertised as a defensive specialist. But does he have what it takes? That's the $900,000-per-annum question.

"I think we can be in the upper echelon of the conference," Gillen said.

He'd best be right.

 

Cavaliers bigger, tougher
Virginia hopes newcomers can give team staying power
By CAULTON TUDOR, Staff Writer

Asked what his Virginia basketball team must do to move up in the ACC standings, Pete Gillen began with a single word.

"We want to be better in March, and we want to be better all the way through the ACC schedule," Watson said. "If we play better defense, we will be."

'Backer shuffle works for U.Va.

Published November 20, 2002

Raymond Mann had worked his way back from a knee injury and into the starting lineup. Shernard Newby had started 32 of the last 34 games.

But needing something to shake up a defense that was giving up 460 yards and 27 points a game, Virginia coach Al Groh benched two of his most experienced players last week against N.C. State.

Inside linebacker Merrill Robertson was moved to Mann's outside spot, and Robertson's position was filled by sophomore Rich Bedesem. Newby was replaced by freshman Willie Davis.

"I would say they were significant decisions; I wouldn't call them tough ones," Groh said. "When you have responsibility, there are a lot of decisions that have to be made. In analyzing things, they were decisions that had to be made. I think the toughest thing would have been to do nothing."

Facing the conference's highest-scoring team, Virginia's defense had its best day of the year. The Cavaliers limited the Wolfpack to 332 yards and nine points, both well below its season averages. ...

Though he'll never be confused for that guy in Atlanta who also wears No. 7, Cavalier quarterback Matt Schaub has exhibited some running skills lately. In last week's win against N.C. State, Schaub - if you throw out three Wolfpack sacks - rushed six times for 40 yards. That included a 14-yard scramble and an 8-yard run on a fake field goal, both for first downs.

"Some of the guys on the team have been calling me Matt Vick," Schaub said. "I don't know about that. I still think he's a little faster than me."
 

No doubts about Downs as he nears 1,000 yards
He's at 995 going into Va.; Foxworth impresses again
By Christian Ewell
Sun Staff
Originally published November 20, 2002


COLLEGE PARK -- Several times this season, Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen has given a figurative "tsk-tsk" to the media for doubting the move to install Chris Downs as the starting tailback before the Sept. 7 game against Akron.

But Friedgen admitted he didn't envision Downs as a 1,000-yard rusher as the Terps prepared for the season.

Nonetheless, Downs, who had four carries before this season, probably will reach the mark Saturday at Virginia. The senior enters the game with 995 yards and 13 touchdowns, despite not running the ball during the opener against Notre Dame.

"That's a tribute to Chris Downs and [running backs] coach [Mike] Locksley," said Friedgen, whose 18th-ranked Terps are 9-2 overall and 5-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Downs, a co-starter with Bruce Perry, seems to be relatively humble.

During a Monday evening practice, the first team was supposed to take the field. Perry, who played his first full game against N.C. State on Nov. 9, assumed it meant him. Meanwhile Downs, who ran for 101 yards against Clemson, stayed on the sideline.

"Are you going to assume that, or are you going to compete?" Locksley said, according to Friedgen.

Perry, who got hurt in the Duke game, rushed for 69 yards on 17 attempts against Clemson.

Worthy of praise

Baltimore's Domonique Foxworth had another solid game for the Terps against Clemson.

First, he chased down Clemson's Justin Miller, who seemed headed for a touchdown off a second-quarter kickoff. The Tigers eventually settled for a field goal.

"He believes he's going to make big plays and that he has make-up speed to make plays," Friedgen said, speaking specifically of Foxworth's play on the return. "He's a guy I admire because he never gives up."

Later, Foxworth intercepted Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst on the first play of the fourth quarter. That play -- his third interception in the past four games -- led to Maryland's final score.

Won't be bowled over

Maryland's bowl preparation will be less intense than it was last year, Friedgen said.

The Terps went through 15 extra practices in December to prepare for the Orange Bowl and are playing a 13-game schedule this year. "Bowl practice will be different," Friedgen said. "I will make sure they enjoy this year."

Et cetera

Maryland center/guard Todd Wike, who was credited with seven pancake blocks in the Clemson game, was named the ACC's Offensive Lineman of the Week. ... The Terps' Nov. 30 game against Wake Forest will start at noon and be televised by ESPN.
 

Bowl prospects still Peachy for slumping Pack
By AL FEATHERSTON : The Herald-Sun
afeatherston@heraldsun.com
Nov 19, 2002 : 11:07 pm ET

RALEIGH -- N.C. State coach Chuck Amato got a bit angry when a reporter suggested that Saturday’s game with Florida State was the equivalent of a bowl game for the Pack.

"This is not a bowl game — absolutely not," Amato said. "This is a chance for us to win an ACC game. We’re going to a bowl game."

But which bowl game?

N.C. State’s bowl prospects remain unclear heading into the regular-season finale against Florida State. The 9-3 Pack is assured one of the ACC’s six bowl spots. But after three straight losses, N.C. State may not be the attraction it was a month ago.

Or is it?

"N.C. State is extremely attractive to us," said Gary Stokan, the Peach Bowl’s executive director. "There are quite a few stories you can sell. Number one is Chuck Amato and the miraculous turnaround he’s engineered. Number two, you have a national story in [quarterback Philip] Rivers. Number three is [tailback T.A.] McLendon, who along with [Maurice] Clarett at Ohio State is the best young running back in the country.

"Plus you’ve got a team that travels extremely well, especially to our bowl."

Stokan, who played basketball at N.C. State in the late 1970s, stopped short of confirming that the Peach would offer N.C. State. But he said that the Pack’s three-game losing streak is not a deal-breaker.

"They are three plays away from being in a BCS bowl," he said. "Parity has hit college football. When you look around, you see a lot of teams like N.C. State. Take Auburn, … if they knock down one pass against Georgia and their All-American kicker makes a 25-yard field goal against Florida, they’re in the SEC title game."

Instead, Auburn is one of four SEC schools that Stokan and the Peach Bowl are considering, along with Tennessee, LSU and Arkansas.

That balances the four ACC teams that the Peach is following: N.C. State, Maryland, Florida State and Virginia. Two of those teams will represent the ACC in the BCS and the Gator Bowl, which pick before the Peach. Stokan will be happy to pick between the two that remain.

But that’s one reason N.C. State’s bowl destination remains unclear. Until the top two spots are settled, the Peach can’t make its choice. And the Tangerine Bowl can’t make its choice until the Peach chooses.

"We’re pretty excited," said Tom Mickle, executive director of the Tangerine Bowl. "It looks like we’ll have three or four teams to pick from. We just want to wait and see how the top three fall out."

Mickle, a former assistant commissioner of the ACC, also likes the Pack.

"I think they’re still very attractive," he said. "They’ve had a great season. The way the season broke, they’ve had a lot of tough games at the end. But they’ve been very competitive and certainly the crowd support is still there. The only thing that would hurt us is that we had them last year. Generally speaking, fans are more excited the first year they visit a bowl."

The Tangerine will match the ACC’s No. 4 team with a Big 12 team. Mickle said his bowl is looking at Texas Tech, Nebraska, Iowa State and Texas A&M.

This weekend’s games will go a long way toward clearing up the bowl picture:

--FSU can clinch the ACC’s BCS spot by beating N.C. State, or if Virginia beats Maryland.

The Seminoles already have clinched at least a tie for the ACC title. FSU also holds a head-to-head win over the Terps, the only team that could manage a tie. If FSU and Maryland both finish 7-1 in the ACC, the Seminoles would get the BCS bid, unless Maryland was five or more spots ahead in average poll ranking. That could depend on next week’s Florida-Florida State game.

--If Virginia upsets Maryland and FSU beats N.C. State, the Peach Bowl would be forced to take Virginia under a rule that prevents a bowl from taking a team that’s two games behind another eligible team in the ACC. If there was only a one-game difference in the standings, the Peach Bowl could take either.

--If Virginia and N.C. State both lose this week, the Peach Bowl is likely to wait a week to see the outcome of the Virginia-Virginia Tech game before making its choice. The Cavs could beat out N.C. State for a trip to Atlanta by upsetting their in-state rivals. If the Cavs lose their last two to finish 7-5, the Peach is likely to take 9-4 N.C. State.

"Virginia is extremely interesting to us as well," Stokan said. "Look at their schedule … it’s a great schedule. Al Groh has done another miraculous job. We’ll probably have to wait until after the Virginia Tech game to make our choice."

NOTES — N.C. State has an outside shot at the Gator Bowl, if the Pack wins this week and Maryland loses its last two. Also, if the Pack beats FSU and Maryland steals the BCS spot from the Seminoles, reports have FSU going to the Peach rather than a repeat trip to Jacksonville. That would open the Gator to a 10-win N.C. State team. ... The ACC reportedly is trying to place one of its teams in a non-affiliated bowl, which would open a bowl spot for Wake Forest. The Big Ten is not likely to fill all its allotted spots, opening a place for an extra ACC team. However, under NCAA rules, it has to be a team with at least seven wins. Only six-win teams can fill conference-affiliated spots, and only after all seven-win teams in a league are placed. ... Both the Peach and Tangerine will have scouts at N.C. State-FSU, Virginia-Maryland and Clemson-South Carolina this weekend. ... Although the ACC champion normally plays in the Orange, there’s a good chance that if FSU qualifies from the ACC, the Seminoles would be picked to play the SEC champion in the Sugar Bowl, while the Orange matches the Big 12 champion against Notre Dame.



 

Cavs' 'Maximus' Minimizes Injuries
'He's Walking, So He's Going to Play'
By Jim Reedy
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, November 20, 2002; Page D03


CHARLOTTESVILLE -- A month ago, the pain had become almost unbearable for Virginia inside linebacker Angelo Crowell. At times he could barely walk because of the constant throbbing in his knees, brought on by a pair of sprained medial collateral ligaments.

"Every time I moved, I just wanted to scream," Crowell said. "There was one point where I couldn't even take it. I went out after a game, just to get something to eat, and I said, 'Man, take me back home so I can just lie down.' It was excruciating pain."

Crowell, of course, didn't miss a game. When he hurt his left knee at Wake Forest on Sept. 28, he made a brief trip to the locker room and then returned to the field. Two weeks later, he injured the other knee in the first quarter against Clemson and watched the rest of the game from the sideline. That led Virginia Coach Al Groh to expect Crowell would sit out the next game against North Carolina.

But this is a senior co-captain, a 6-foot-1, 235-pound pro prospect whose teammates nicknamed him "Maximus" because he is as tough as the protagonist in his favorite movie, "Gladiator." Crowell started against North Carolina and helped the Cavaliers (7-4, 5-2 ACC) to a 37-27 win.

"I didn't think he was going to play on Friday night," Groh said after the game. "He played with two [MCL injuries when] most players don't play with one. But he wanted to play in the game and help his team win, which he did."

Statistically, Crowell didn't have his most productive game of the season, but he impressed Tar Heels Coach John Bunting, who as an NFL linebacker in 1978 worked through an even more serious knee injury.

"He's been a tough, physical player in the two years that we've played against Virginia," Bunting said. "I watched him [in pregame warmups] and there was no doubt in my mind that he had all the determination in the world to go out there and play the best ballgame that he could under the circumstances. I think that guy has got a great future at the next level."

Crowell has been pointed in that direction since 1999, when he played in every game as an 18-year-old freshman. Last season he made 144 tackles, a school record. This season his numbers are almost as good, despite injuries that Groh said have robbed Crowell of some speed. Heading into Saturday's game against No. 18 Maryland (9-2, 5-1), he has 119 tackles -- first on the team and seventh in the ACC -- and has forced three fumbles. He is on pace for four fewer tackles than last year, which would give him 405 career tackles, third-best on Virginia's all-time list.

Crowell said he is about 80-85 percent now, eight weeks after the first knee injury. His recovery process has been painful and frustrating, in part because he had never dealt with any injury more severe than the usual aches and bruises associated with playing linebacker. Suddenly he felt like an old man, barely able to bend his knees when he woke up in the morning.

"It was just something I had to battle through every morning," Crowell said. "Just kept pushing myself -- I've got to get through this, I've got to get through this. So I was getting treatment three, four times a day, trying to get back on the field."

He sat out a few practices, finding it extremely uncomfortable to watch while other people played. But his teammates knew he would be out there when game day arrived.

"I said, 'He's walking, so he's going to play,' " said right guard Elton Brown, who could miss this Saturday's game because of an ankle injury. "That's the type of person he is."

"He's a gladiator," defensive end Chris Canty said. "He goes out there and he puts it on the line. All of us are gladiators, but he's the one we follow into battle."