11/23/03 - Bearing Fruit

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Cavs get back on track
Hughes hits 5 FGs in victory
By John Galinsky / Daily Progress staff writer
November 22, 2003

That wasn’t a white flag of surrender Virginia’s players were waving Saturday.

Shaking off four straight losses in ACC play, the Cavaliers salvaged their season with a stirring 29-17 victory over Georgia Tech at sun-drenched Scott Stadium. They became bowl-eligible in the process and may have earned a trip to another sunny destination, Orlando, Fla., for the Dec. 22 Tangerine Bowl.

Inspired by coach Al Groh’s theme for the week - who will carry the flag? - and spurred on by an enthusiastic crowd of 58,526, UVa (6-5, 4-4 ACC) won its first conference game in seven weeks and finished league play in a fourth-place tie with N.C. State and Georgia Tech (6-5, 4-4).

“We were in a stupor, but Coach Groh got us out of it,” said sophomore tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson, tucking away the large Virginia flag that players waved on the sideline throughout the game. “This flag is representative of the heart of this team. We really tried to hold it high and show everyone where our heart was.”

Reserve lineman D.J. Bell did most of the literal flag-waving on the sideline. Figuratively, many Cavaliers carried the flag on the field.

Connor Hughes tied a school record with five field goals, including a 50-yarder. Matt Schaub threw for 239 yards and a touchdown. Heath Miller caught six passes for 110 yards and a score, while Wali Lundy rushed for 96 yards. Marques Hagans made key contributions as a runner, passer, receiver and punt returner. The defense also rose to the occasion, forcing two turnovers and limiting the Yellow Jackets to 273 yards.

“Everybody had an opportunity to carry the flag today,” said senior safety Jamaine Winborne, whose fumble return set up Hughes’ first field goal. “That just means when you had a chance to make a play, everyone had to make it.”

It was far from a flawless performance by the Cavaliers, who conclude the regular season at home against rival Virginia Tech next Saturday. Early in the week, Groh described Virginia as “a team that makes it hard on ourselves,” and nothing changed Saturday.

Two long touchdown runs by Lundy were called back by holding penalties. The Cavaliers settled for field goals on both occasions and also failed to score TDs on two other trips inside Tech’s 2-yard line. They allowed an 80-yard punt return for a score and let a 23-7 halftime lead dwindle to 23-17 going into the fourth quarter.

But despite those mistakes, Virginia won the hard way, which was satisfying after four close losses against ACC competition.

“They have a lot to be proud of,” Groh said of his players after handing out a large number of game balls. “I’m proud of them for the way they stepped up and came back.”

The Cavaliers got off to a good start, scoring a touchdown on their initial drive for the first time all season. Schaub was sharp, completing all six of his passes on the 80-yard march, including a 10-yard strike to Miller in the end zone.

Hughes made it 10-0 with a 31-yard field goal after Tech tailback P.J. Daniels fumbled near midfield.

Virginia then had a chance to take a commanding lead when Hagans completed a 35-yard pass to Miller on a trick play to the 1-yard line. But Lundy was stuffed twice and Hughes trotted out for a successful 25-yard kick.

“We let some scoring opportunities slip through our hands,” said Schaub, who completed 25 of 36 passes with no interceptions. “But at least we were able to get three points every time, which is better than nothing.”

A 15-yard touchdown run by Daniels brought the Jackets within 13-7 in the second quarter, but that would be their only offensive touchdown. Daniels, the ACC’s leading rusher, finished with 76 yards on 18 carries. Freshman quarterback Reggie Ball threw for just 157 yards in a futile attempt to catch up.

The Cavaliers tacked on 10 critical points in the final four minutes of the first half. Hughes drilled a 50-yard field goal with plenty of room to spare. Hagans then set up his own 2-yard touchdown run with a 53-yard punt return, his longest of the season.

“I wanted to take it all the way,” said Hagans, who was chased down at the Tech 21-yard line. “I’m glad I got a chance to finish it.”

The Jackets, doing little on offense, made a big play on special teams to get back in the game. Jonathan Smith fielded Tom Hagan’s low punt at his 20, started to his right, broke a tackle and shot down the sideline for a touchdown midway through the third quarter.

Dan Burnett’s 37-yard field goal made it 23-17 late in the quarter, but the Cavaliers regained momentum on their next drive. Needing two feet for a first down, Groh took a calculated risk by going for it on fourth down at the Georgia Tech 48. Schaub picked up the yard on a quarterback sneak.

“There are certain points of the game when the game is on the line and you have to make a little bit of a move to try to win it,” Groh said. “It seemed as if that was the moment right there, plus you have to show a little bit of trust and confidence in your guys, too.”

Hughes ended the 15-play drive with a 30-yard field goal, leaving Tech with a nine-point deficit. After an interception by Almondo Curry, Hughes tacked on another short field goal, his fifth of the day, matching the mark set by Rafael Garcia against Virginia Tech in 1994.

Now the Hokies are all that stand between Virginia and a winning season.

“If you’re ain’t ready for that game, something’s wrong with you,” Winborne said. “It’s going to be rocking here next Saturday.”

Cavaliers respond to Groh's message
Win helps snap four-game losing streak in ACC
By Dave Johnson
Daily Press
Published November 23, 2003

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- His team stuck in a rut, Virginia coach Al Groh decided to try something different. On Sunday, he brought an orange and blue flag bearing the Cavaliers' logo to practice. His message: This is our flag - who's going to carry it?

Sure, it's corny. But is it just a coincidence that Virginia responded by shaking the doldrums to win its first conference game in 49 days?

Getting maybe its best defensive effort of the season, and just enough offense to get by, the Cavaliers became bowl eligible Saturday afternoon with a 29-17 victory against Georgia Tech. After giving up 257 yards to little-known Maryland tailback Josh Allen nine days earlier, Virginia held ACC rushing leader P.J. Daniels to 76 in breaking a four-game league losing streak.

As for the flag, left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson carried it onto the field, and backup defensive end D.J. Bell took care of it on the sideline for most of the game. But everybody had a hand in carrying it.

"I think it helped," linebacker Darryl Blackstock said. "It's something small, but when Coach tells you to play hard, that's the same thing you've been hearing all your life. But when we saw the flag today, it was a quick reminder."

Virginia's much-maligned defense, which had given up 78 points and 1,022 yards in its past two games, was a different unit Saturday. Daniels came in averaging 103.4 yards a game, and Virginia had yielded a quarter of a grand to Maryland's backup. But Daniels, who last week burned North Carolina for 240, had only two runs longer than 8 yards, and none longer than 15.

The Cavs' defense gave up one touchdown - Tech's other came on Jonathan Smith's 80-yard punt return - and 273 yards. Virginia (6-5, 4-4) also had eight tackles for loss and forced two turnovers.

"We had a lot of fun in practice this week," cornerback Almondo "Muffin" Curry said. "Coach emphasized us all week that good teams have fun all the time, and over the course of the past four weeks we came into the locker room with a lot of sad faces. We just wanted to come out today and prove to ourselves that if we put it all together, we can beat a lot of people."

Offensively, the Cavs were ... efficient. Nothing spectacular, but they did enough to move the chains. For the first time since last season's 10th game, Virginia scored on its opening drive. Schaub hit on 6-of-6 passes, capped by a 10-yard throw over the middle to tight end Heath Miller that put the Cavs ahead 7-0.

"That was a big lift," Groh said. "It gave players confidence."

Wali Lundy rushed for 96 yards, his best figure since getting 129 vs. North Carolina on Oct. 4. The Cavs averaged only 2.3 yards per attempt, though that number would have been significantly higher had two Lundy touchdown runs of 29 and 35 yards not been called back for holding penalties.

Maybe the most significant contribution to the offense was Marques Hagans, the man without a true position. He had six catches at wide receiver, four for first downs. He completed 2-of-2 passes, including a 35-yarder to Miller. He returned a punt 53 yards to set up a touchdown. And that touchdown was his, on a 2-yard run after taking the snap in shotgun formation.

"Coach told me at the beginning of the week he was going to put me in position to make plays," Hagans said. "He needed me to step up, and that's what I tried to do."

So was getting Hagans more involved the plan, or did it just work out that way?

"A little bit of both," Groh said. "This is a very good defense, and if you let them crowd you, it's going to look like the New York subway. One of the elements about offense is creating space. When we play with three (receivers), we create a little more space. Obviously, Marques is a very good space player."

Getting that sixth win is only half of what Groh liked about what he saw Saturday. It reminded him of old times.

"Last year's team was ninth in the conference in total offense and eighth in total defense," he said. "But it had 37 takeaways, five returns for touchdowns, and in only two games did we give up a big play for a touchdown. We got that back to a large degree today. We had one very significant return that led to points, we had two takeaways that significantly changed the game and we didn't give up any big plays. That's a good formula for winning."

It's destination Orlando or Boise
By Dave Johnson
Daily Press
Published November 23, 2003

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- A show of hands: Would you rather visit Boise or Orlando in the winter? Wind and snow, or warmth and sunshine?

Virginia coach Al Groh apparently agrees with you. Asked to address his team's bowl picture following Saturday's 29-17 victory against Georgia Tech - which finally made the Cavaliers postseason eligible - Groh began his campaign.

"We'd love to go," he said. "We've got our eye on one in particular."

In the back of the room, in a kelly green jacket, stood Dylan Thomas. Not the dead poet, but the Tangerine Bowl's director of administration and ticketing, who was on hand scouting the game.

So where does Virginia stand? The only thing that seems certain is that the Cavs' best-case scenario is the Tangerine on Dec. 22 in Orlando. Their worst-case is the Humanitarian on Jan. 3 in Boise.

The Gator and Peach have the second and third picks among ACC teams, and it appears N.C. State and Maryland will fill those slots - either respectively or vice versa. The Tangerine has the fourth pick. Although Clemson figures to be available, the Tigers played in Orlando last year, losing 55-15 to Texas Tech.

If the Tangerine passes, Clemson would likely go to the Continental Tire in Charlotte. And the Tangerine would probably take Virginia (6-5, 4-4), which has the head-to-head advantage against the Yellow Jackets (6-5, 4-4). One of the few things Thomas did acknowledge Saturday was that U.Va.-Georgia Tech was essentially an elimination game.

But here's a potential monkey wrench: What if the Gator or Peach takes Clemson, which has a reputation - some say undeservedly so - for traveling well? Then Virginia's competition for the Tangerine would be either N.C. State (and quarterback Philip Rivers) or Maryland.

Getting a feel on the Tangerine's thinking is dicey because, unlike other bowls, it has a 150-member selection committee comprised of individuals who pay membership fees. Democracy rules, meaning whoever gets the most votes is invited. Thomas said the committee is scheduled to meet Monday, but that doesn't mean things can't be moved up if the dominoes start falling today.

"With our early date," he said, "we're anxious to get an ACC team as soon as possible."

Not half as anxious, apparently, as Groh.

NOTES. Connor Hughes tied Rafael Garcia's school record by making five field goals in one game, including his third of the season of 50 yards or longer. He is now 20-of-21 this year and 25-of-27 in his career. ...

Heath Miller had a career-high 110 yards, the most by a Cavaliers tight end in 12 years. He has 53 catches this season, breaking the ACC record for receptions by a tight end. ...

Hughes has scored 93 points, setting a school mark. ...

Georgia Tech's Jonathan Smith returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown. Before his return, the Cavaliers' punt team had given up only 62 yards this season.

Lundy can't get hold of negating penalties
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 22, 2003

No one could blame Virginia running back Wali Lundy for feeling snake bitten following the Cavaliers’ 29-17 win over Georgia Tech.
While Lundy managed to finish the contest with 96 yards rushing, it was a pair of touchdown runs that were negated by two holding penalties that left the tailback thinking about what might have been.
In the second quarter, Lundy broke a run up the middle through the Yellow Jackets’ defense on third down and raced 29 yards for an apparent touchdown. The celebration was short lived as a Virginia offensive lineman was called for holding.
On the sixth play of the fourth quarter, Lundy appeared to have broken off another run through the defense scooting 35 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. Once again the run called back, this time holding for illegal use of the hands against a Cavalier wideout.
For Lundy it was the first time in his career that a holding penalty had taken a touchdown off the board, much less a pair of them.
“I have never had that happen to me, and especially on runs that were touchdowns,” Lundy said. “That leaves a sour feeling.”
Despite having the two runs called back, Lundy remained positive about his performance despite a lingering injury to his hamstring.

“I think I had my burst back today,” Lundy said. “I knew in warm-ups that I had a chance to have a good game. I felt really good.

“I think we controlled the line of scrimmage pretty well. I think the running game is back,” Lundy said.
Lundy’s breakthrough performance had been a long time coming.
Since rushing for over 100 yards in three straight games (Western Michigan, Wake Forest and North Carolina) the sophomore had been unable to get on track totaling just 142 yards in his last four games.
Even with the sluggish period, Lundy entered the game ranked fifth in the ACC in rushing yards and 13th in the league in scoring.
Lundy’s 96-yard performance also pleased Virginia coach Al Groh.
“I thought he ran the ball well,” Groh said. “I thought he had more of [his speed] back.”
Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey was also impressed with Lundy’s elusive ability.
“It seemed like [Lundy] and Hagans were breaking tackles all day,” said Gailey.
For Lundy, regaining his confidence could not come at a better time as Virginia Tech stands next on the schedule.
“That will be a big game. That is going to be something and I am really looking forward to it.”

Cavalier Notebook
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
November 22, 2003

Records.
l Sophomore place-kicker Connor Hughes tied the Virginia record for most field goals in a game with five: 31, 25, 50, 30 and 20 yards. The five kicks tied Rafael Garcia’s mark set vs. Virginia Tech in 1994.
l Hughes set a new UVa scoring record by a sophomore with 93 points, surpassing Garcia’s mark of 85 in ‘94.
l The 50-yarder made Hughes the only Cavalier in history to make three field goals of at least 50 yards in a career.
l Sophomore tight end Heath Miller’s six catches gave him 53 for the season, a new ACC record for receptions by a tight end in a single season. Miller now has 606 receiving yards this season, the third-highest by a tight end in ACC history. Miller is only 28 yards short of the record set by UVa’s Bruce McGonnigal in 1989.

Schaub’s numbers. Virginia quarterback Matt Schaub’s TD pass to Miller gave Schaub 53 career scoring passes, only two short of the record by Shawn Moore. That is the only Cavalier passing record that Schaub is still chasing.
Schaub now has 6,900 career passing yards and enjoyed his 18th game of 200 or more yards passing. He completed 26 of 35 for 239 yards and wasn’t sacked a single time as UVa remained the best at protecting the quarterback in the ACC.

Eye openers.
l UVa QB Matt Schaub has thrown a TD pass in 22 of his last 23 games.
l UVa scored a touchdown on its opening drive for the first time this season. The Cavs also scored on its first two possessions for the first time this season.
l Miller’s 110 receiving yards marked the first time a Virginia tight end had 100 yards in a game since 1991 when Aaron Mundy compiled 116 on eight catches vs. Maryland.
l Marques Hagans’ 53-yard punt return in the second quarter was the longest by a Wahoo since last year’s Continental Tire Bowl when he brought back a 69-yarder for a TD against West Virginia.
l Hagans’ return was the longest this season by Virginia.
l The 80-yard punt return for a TD by Tech’s Jonathan Smith represented more total punt return yardage than the Cavs have allowed all season combined. UVa entered the game having surrendered the fewest punt return yards in the nation, only 62 for the entire season.
l Smith’s punt return was the first allowed for a TD by the Wahoos since 2001 when Wake’s Fabian Davis carried one back 62 yards for a score.
l Redshirt freshman linebacker Kai Parham recorded a career-high two sacks in the game.
l Senior cornerback Almondo “Muffin” Curry made his fifth interception of the season and the eighth of his career. Curry was second in the ACC in picks heading into the game.

Injury report. The Cavaliers reported no serious injuries in the game. Junior safety Jermaine Hardy left the game in the first half with a leg injury but returned in the second half.
“We needed Hardy and his toughness,” Groh said. “I appreciate what he did in coming back. We’re pretty thin back there [in the UVa secondary].”
Hardy and cornerback Curry tied for the team lead in tackles in the game with seven. Hardy had six solos. He also had a tackle for a loss and was credited with a forced fumble.

The series. Virginia hasn’t lost at home to the Yellow Jackets since 1990 when Tech knocked off the No. 1-ranked Cavaliers, 41-38 on a last-second field goal. Since then, the Wahoos have reeled off six straight wins over the Ramblin’ Wreck in Charlottesville.
Tech still holds a narrow lead in the series, 13-12-1. UVa holds a 7-2-1 edge at Scott Stadium.

On deck. Virginia, now 6-5 overall and 4-4 in the ACC, closes out the regular season at home on Saturday against state rival Virginia Tech.
The game will be televised by ABC Sports, however the network will not announce a starting time until sometime today. ABC will choose between a 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. start.
Georgia Tech, now 6-5 overall and 4-4 in the ACC, returns home to host state rival Georgia. The Yellow Jackets vs. Bulldogs game is the other game ABC will televise, and will fill either the 1 p.m. or 8 p.m. time slot.

Do Cavs have a Tangerine Bowl bid?
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
November 22, 2003

Virginia may well be on its way to the Mazda Tangerine Bowl in Orlando after beating Georgia Tech on Saturday. The Cavaliers became bowl eligible with the win and could learn their postseason fate as early as today.

“If the conference office can work some things out with the respective [ACC] teams, the Gator and the Peach Bowl, then we’ll be able to move just as quickly, which means something could happen [today],” said Dylan Thomas, director of administration and ticketing for the Tangerine Bowl.

Thomas said that his bowl essentially considered Saturday’s game an elimination game between the Cavaliers and Yellow Jackets, with the loser out of the Tangerine’s picture. Both Tech and UVa are 6-5 overall, 4-4 in the ACC.

“We meet Monday morning at 8 a.m.,” Thomas said of the bowl’s selection committee. “We have about 150 qualified to be scouts but only those who have actually gone scouting get to vote. Majority rules.”

The Gator Bowl is expected to select Maryland, while the Peach will likely decide between Clemson and N.C. State. Clemson played in the Tangerine last season and was blown out by Texas Tech.

“Clemson is technically in our mix,” Thomas said. “It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Clemson could be in our mix.”

The Tangerine Bowl will be played at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 22 against an opponent from the Big 12 Conference. The game will be televised by ESPN. Expected payoff to both participants will be approximately $800,000.

Virginia, which took more than 20,000 fans to the Continental Tire Bowl in Charlotte last season, has enhanced its reputation in the eyes of bowl executives as a result.

“Virginia has shown steady improvement every year,” Thomas said. “Last year’s experience at the Continental Tire Bowl gave all the Virginia fans a very good feeling about going bowling. That bodes well in our selection committee’s minds about Virginia as a traveling team.”

Thomas said that the Tangerine Bowl believes that the sooner it can secure a team, the better those teams are going to show up in terms of fans at the bowl site.

“That’s why it’s important for us to try and get a team early this week,” Thomas said.

Virginia coach Al Groh said he had not put much thought into the bowl process because the Cavaliers still have a regular season game remaining.

“We’d love to go [to a bowl],” Groh said. “We have our eye on one in particular, but we’ve gotta keep playing.”

Hughes has record-tying day
By Andrew Joyner / Daily Progress staff writer
November 22, 2003

On a day when its offense struggled to reach the end zone, sophomore kicker Connor Hughes may have been Virginia’s best weapon.

Hughes connected on a record-tying five field goals as the Cavaliers downed Georgia Tech 29-17 before a crowd of 58,526 at Scott Stadium.

Hughes made field goals of 31, 25, 50, 30 and 20 yards in tying former Cavalier kicker Rafael Garcia’s mark during a contest against Virginia Tech in 1994. Hughes’ 50-yard kick in the second quarter made him the first kicker in school history to make three kicks of 50 or more yards in a season.

“I thought Connor was great for us again,” said Virginia coach Al Groh.

Hughes is now 20 for 21 on field goal attempts and a perfect 33 for 33 on extra points.

“The teams that get something done with their seasons every year, one of the ingredients in that, you can look around and see their field goal kicker had a really good season,” Groh said.

Hughes had been one of six semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award which annually honors the nation’s top kicker.

Hughes, however, was not selected as one of the three finalists.

Groh’s opinion, however, differs from those voters.

“He won’t be the recipient of that field-goal kicking award but obviously no kicker in college football has kicked the ball better than Connor Hughes,” Groh said.

Such praise was certainly welcomed by Hughes, who noted that more often than not kickers received more negative attention than positive.

“It’s great. That shows me the belief he has in me. It certainly makes you feel part of the team. … I think that the stereotype with kickers is that if you are doing good, everyone likes you,” Hughes said with a grin.

UVa quarterback Matt Schaub reflected that sentiment that Hughes is indeed liked by his teammates, especially after performances like Saturday, and that the team at this point has the utmost confidence in him.

“He definitely bailed us out a little today. Connor has a lot of confidence in his leg and he’s proved to us as a team that he can make it from anywhere on the field. We don’t have to worry when we kick field goals. We know it’s going to be three points,” said Schaub, who is also Hughes’ holder.

Cavs come through when it counts
Connor Hughes' five field goals and a solid fourth quarter make Virginia bowl eligible.
By Doug Doughty

CHARLOTTESVILLE - See what happens when you win the fourth quarter?

In Virginia's case, you get to go to Disney World.

That's probably the case, anyway.

"If we have a chance to make some decisions this week, Virginia's definitely going to be in our consideration very strongly," Tangerine Bowl official Dylan Thomas said Saturday after UVa's 29-17 victory over Georgia Tech.

The Cavaliers and Yellow Jackets had been viewed as two of the leading candidates for the Tangerine Bowl, which has the fourth choice of ACC teams for its game Dec.22 in Orlando, Fla.

UVa (6-5, 4-4) clinched the .500 regular-season record needed for one of the six bowls with which the ACC has an affiliation.

"As the players were coming off the field, I could hear them saying, 'Two more,'" said Virginia coach Al Groh, whose Cavaliers host Virginia Tech next Saturday. "I think they want to keep playing."

Virginia had lost four of its previous five games, most when the Cavaliers had a chance to win in the fourth quarter. Against the Yellow Jackets, UVa was in position to lose in the fourth quarter but controlled the ball for nearly 10 minutes.

The Cavaliers put the game out of reach the same way they had built their lead - with sophomore Connor Hughes' right foot.

Hughes tied a school record with five field goals, including his third kick this season of 50 yards or more. No other UVa kicker has had more than two 50-yarders in a career.

"He won't be a recipient of one of the field-goal kicking awards this year, but obviously no kicker in college football has kicked the ball better than Connor Hughes," Groh said.

Hughes was 5-for-5 in the game, making him 20-for-21 this season and 25-for-27 in his career.

"When a game's as close as this one was, you'd really rather be kicking extra points," said Hughes, most of whose efforts were barely outside extra-point range. "When they're so short, you almost have to be more careful because it's easier to lose focus."

There was plenty of time remaining when Hughes kicked a 30-yarder that made it 26-17 with 10:31 left, but on the next possession UVa cornerback Muffin Curry stepped in front of Jonathan Smith for an interception that he returned to the Tech 26.

"He made a bold move," Groh said. "He could have laid back."

Virginia ate more than three minutes off the clock before Hughes' fifth field goal, a 20-yarder with 5:21 left. Ryan Sawyer's tackle on the ensuing kickoff put the Yellow Jackets at their 12-yard line to start a drive that expired at the UVa 39.

Groh was unhappy with his defense - particularly the secondary - after a 27-17 loss at Maryland, where the Terrapins had three plays of 40 yards or more. Georgia Tech did not have a play of more than 16 yards. In addition to Curry's interception, safety Jamaine Winborne recovered a fumble and had two tackles for loss.

"We just came out with the mind-set of, 'We can't give up any big plays,'" said the other safety, Jermaine Hardy, who forced a fumble and had a tackle for loss after being helped from the field with a knee injury. "Instead, we made them."

The Cavaliers held Georgia Tech to 273 yards one week after the Yellow Jackets had gained 446 yards in a 41-24 victory over North Carolina. UVa had 364 yards, led by senior quarterback Matt Schaub, who completed 25 of 36 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown.

Schaub also drew cheers from a Scott Stadium crowd of 58,526 when he picked up first downs on each of three quarterback sneaks, two on third-and-one and the last on fourth-and-one at the Georgia Tech 48 with the score 23-17 early in the fourth quarter.

Groh's reluctance to use Schaub on sneaks has been a topic of discussion among talk-show callers and Internet posters for much of the season.

"No one's seen us run it," Schaub said. "It hasn't been in [the playbook] for too long."

Tight end Heath Miller had six catches for a career-high 110 yards and a touchdown, in the process setting an ACC record for receptions (53) by a tight end. Tailback Wali Lundy carried 27 times for 96 yards but was the victim of holding penalties that nullified apparent touchdown runs of 29 and 35 yards.

"A lot of guys made plays today," Groh said, "but they had that kind of week in practice. Tuesday, I felt we had our most spirited practice of the year. Whatever 'it' is in sports, it is hard to get 'it.' Since Tuesday, they've had it, and if they can hold on to it for a while now, we've got a chance to win some more games."

Hagans makes the most of his chances
Doug Doughty

CHARLOTTESVILLE - The way Virginia sophomore Marques Hagans prepares and trains, he feels he has a chance to make a big play every time he touches the football.

"So, if I get it 10 times, yeah, I think I can make things happen," Hagans said Saturday.

Hagans, almost a forgotten man in a Nov.13 loss at Maryland, was omnipresent as the Cavaliers snapped a two-game losing streak and made themselves bowl eligible with a 29-17 win over Georgia Tech.

Hagans returned four punts for 73 yards, caught five passes for 60 yards, rushed 2 yards for a touchdown and also threw a 35-yard pass that took UVa to the 1-yard line.

"He showed a tremendous amount of heart on some of those plays, fighting and twisting away from the guy who had him," Groh said.

"He excited the players on the sidelines and energized the crowd with what he did."

Hagans is the Cavaliers' backup quarterback and also plays wide receiver in some packages. He is UVa's primary punt returner but didn't have a chance to do that on a wind-swept night at Maryland.

"I dropped a pass," he said. "That was the only time I had my hands on the ball."

On three occasions Saturday, Hagans took snaps in shotgun formation, with regular quarterback Matt Schaub split wide. It was not a particularly effective formation, but it resulted in a Hagans touchdown run that gave UVa a 23-7 lead with 35 seconds left in the first half.

"Every time you win, it's a great feeling," Hagans said, "but when you get a chance to contribute, it means even more."

Rare breakdown

No one in Division I-A had given up fewer yards on punt returns than Virginia, which had allowed 62 yards on 56 punts before the Yellow Jackets' Jonathan Smith had an 80-yard return for a touchdown that got the Yellow Jackets back in the game at 23-14 in the third quarter.

"I thought that was a very poor play," Groh said. "[A] poor snap forced the kicker to have to kick the ball out of rhythm. The ball bounced back. Low kick to a dangerous guy. I didn't like the look of the coverage from the start. Had a chance to tackle him early, but that was the down side of a good day."

Groh said he was pleased with the punting of sophomore Tom Hagan, whose three other punts were returned for a total of 4 yards.

Smith is the first player in Georgia Tech's illustrious football history to return punts for touchdowns in consecutive weeks, having taken one back for 73 yards in a 41-24 romp over North Carolina.

Hardy hailed

The situation looked bleak for UVa safety Jermaine Hardy, a junior from Roanoke, when he suffered a knee injury and was helped from the field with 9:25 left in the second quarter. After being attended to by trainers, however, Hardy hopped on a stationary bike and was back on the field before halftime.

"I've got confidence in the backups, don't get me wrong," Hardy said, "but I'm a competitive guy and I don't like sitting on the bench. The [right] knee's been bugging me for a while and when I was down on the field, I thought I was out for the season."

"Hey, we needed him," Groh said. "We needed everybody and he knew that. I appreciate what he did, to go back out there in those circumstances."

Flag day

When the UVa players emerged from the locker room, they were led by sophomore offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who was waving a flag with the V-sabre school athletic logo on it. Reserve defensive tackle D.J. Bell waved it during the game and the players presented it to the student section after the game.

"Every organization that accomplishes something, somebody's got to carry the flag and it's got to be more than one," Groh said. "We had a lot of guys do that literally and figuratively today."

Hagans makes mark
By John Galinsky / Daily Progress staff writer
November 22, 2003

Marques Hagans may have been uninvolved last week, but he left his imprint all over Virginia’s 29-17 victory over Georgia Tech on Saturday.

In UVa’s previous game against Maryland, the do-it-all sophomore did nothing. Though he lined up at receiver and punt returner - and even quarterback on one occasion - Hagans had no official carries, receptions, passes or punt returns in the 27-17 defeat.

To the Cavalier coaches, apparently, that was a waste of talent. They made a concerted effort to get the ball in his hands against the Yellow Jackets, and the 5-foot-10 sparkplug made that strategy pay off, turning in at least one big play in four separate roles.

“Coach told me at the beginning of the week he was going to put me in a position to make plays,” Hagans said. “He needed me to step up and that’s what I tried to do.”

Hagans caught a pair of 11-yard passes on Virginia’s opening drive, which ended in a touchdown. Later, lining up at receiver, he threw a 35-yard pass to tight end Heath Miller on a trick play, setting up a field goal. He also had a 53-yard punt return late in the second quarter, setting up his own 2-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw.

Hagans finished with two carries, two passes (both completions), five receptions (for 60 yards) and three punt returns (for 73 yards).

“I feel like every time I touch the ball I can make something happen,” said Hagans, who began the season as a receiver but led the Cavaliers to a victory over Western Michigan as a quarterback on Sept. 13. Since then he has been a backup quarterback and receiver as well as the team’s primary punt returner.

Groh said Hagans made a big difference as the third receiver in many formations Saturday.

“Against this defense, which is a very good defense, if you let them crowd you it’s going to look like the New York subway,” Groh said. Using a three-receiver set “creates a little bit more space. … Obviously Marques is a very good space player. We know we can do some pretty dramatic things for us.”

Hagans showed his speed, dexterity and toughness on several occasions. With the Cavaliers up 23-17 in the fourth quarter, he caught a short pass and shook free from safety James Butler for a 17-yard gain. That set up a clinching field goal by Connor Hughes.

“He showed a tremendous amount of heart on some of those plays, fighting and twisting away from the guy who had him, and that’s as much a part of football as tactics is,” Groh said. “He excited the players on the sideline. He energized the crowd with what he did.”

Cavs' tight end too big to handle
By CARROLL ROGERS
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer

Charlottesville, Va. -- Most everyone else may have seen what Virginia tight end Heath Miller did to Georgia Tech's defense Saturday afternoon. Free safety James Butler felt it.

"He's a big joker," Butler said of the 6-foot-5, conservatively estimated 254-pounder. "He's got me hurting."

Butler slumped down in a chair during postgame interviews, showing the effects of Miller's record-setting day. As Tech's last line of defense, Butler had tried to minimize six catches and 110 yards worth of damage by Miller.

The sophomore caught the Cavaliers' first touchdown, paced a field-goal drive with two more catches of 22 and 35 yards, and then broke the ACC record for receptions in a season by a tight end on a 30-yard catch-and-bounce off Butler in the second quarter.

That one came over the middle on third-and-8, giving Miller 52 catches for the season, one better than the record shared by three former Wake Forest tight ends (Steve Young '77, Phil Denfield '81, and John Henry Mills '91). He gained the last 5 yards of that after unloading on Butler.

"I thought I could hit him high; I was mistaken," Butler said. "Next time, I hit him lower."

Tackling was a problem for Tech's defense all game; Miller was one of the biggest reasons why.

"He's one of the more athletic tight ends we played all year," Butler said. "He did a good job getting vertical. And he was very strong. . . . He's acrobatic for a tight end."

Miller's first catch went for a 10-yard touchdown from Matt Schaub, who completed 6 of 6 passes on Virginia's first drive.

"They came out fast on us," said Tech strong safety Dawan Landry, who defended Miller on the touchdown. "They were lining up quick and getting the ball snapped quick, and it caught us on our heels. We were playing slower than they were."

Tech did not sack Schaub Saturday, and rarely forced him into pressure situations. He's only been sacked nine times all year, which leads the ACC. He showed Tech why Saturday with quick, short passes. He finished with 239 yards on 26-for-35 passing.

And then came the problems in coverage, especially in two-tight-end sets.

"We were supposed to wall off [Miller] and we didn't," said linebacker Daryl Smith, meaning to impede Miller's way. "We thought the other linebacker was."

Miller had a career-high 105 yards receiving in the first half alone, putting up Virginia's first 100-yard game by a tight end since 1991 (Aaron Mundy).

Tech limited Miller to one catch in the third quarter but lost him on a critical third down in the fourth. Linebacker Keyaron Fox tried to get a head start defending him and got called for pass interference. That and Reuben Houston's late hit helped Virginia reclaim control with a 15-play field goal-scoring drive to go up 26-17.

None of Miller's feats came as a surprise. He was a freshman All-American and second team All-ACC last year. Tech just did its part to assure he becomes first-team All-ACC next week.

"We really emphasized that all week, as you logically would," Tech coach Chan Gailey said. "But we lost sight of where he was a few times, let him run down the field unimpeded for big gains right down the middle. That was something we had preached and talked about and just didn't get it done."

Tech loses to Virginia again
The Jackets haven't won at Scott Stadium since 1990
By JACK WILKINSON
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer

Charlottesville, Va. -- At high noon, Georgia Tech had a mathematical chance to finish second in the ACC by nightfall. By halftime, however, they had seemingly separated the men from the Boise-bound.

It was 23-7 Virginia after two quarters Saturday, the Cavaliers resembling the ACC contenders they claimed to be back in August. Tech looked like a team destined for Idaho and the Jan. 3 Humanitarian Bowl in balmy Boise.

That's still assuredly the Jackets' bowl-season destination, but not before a second-half comeback that was short-circuited by critical mistakes and more missed Tech tackles.

That made the Jackets' 29-17 loss even more painful. It also helped explain the agonized expression on Reggie Ball's post-game face and the frustration in Chan Gailey's voice.

"We got back in the game and we needed one more [defensive stop], but we didn't get it," the Tech coach said after his team fell to 6-5 overall (and back into the ACC pack at 4-4) ,with Georgia due in Bobby Dodd Stadium next Saturday. "Virginia executed, we didn't. We turned it over, they didn't. We didn't tackle well at all. Both turnovers hurt us, bad."

There was P.J. Daniels' first-quarter fumble, when the running back whirled and, untouched, had the ball fly out of his right arm and into the hands of Virginia's Jamaine Winborne. That set up the first of Connor Hughes' five field goals and gave the Cavaliers (6-5, 4-4) a 10-0 lead.

Tech's second turnover ended any chance that the Jackets might spend Dec. 22 in Orlando at the Tangerine Bowl. "I did something I hadn't done all day," Ball said softly. "I forced it."

On third-and-6 at his 31, with just under nine minutes to play and Virginia up 26-17, Ball was pressured. Scrambling left, he tried to force a pass to Jonathan Smith. Virginia's Almondo Curry intercepted and returned it to the 26-yard line. Virginia settled for Hughes' final field goal.

Yet it was Ball's mental mistake on the play preceding his interception that helped set up the pick. "It wasn't a [bootleg]," Gailey said of Ball's 5-yard loss on second-and-1 at the Tech 36. "Someone went the wrong way. I'm not saying [who]."

"It was a stupid play by me," said Ball, who took the snap and went left when everyone else went right, where Daniels hoped to rush for a first down. "Just wasn't concentrating. Got us in a bad position. We made stupid mistakes, got behind, had to play catch-up. Can't do that."

Tech spent all day doing that. Behind Matt Schaub (26-for-35, 239 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and no sacks), Virginia drove 80 yards on its opening possession. The Cavaliers scored on five of their six first-half possessions.

Daniels' 15-yard scoring run (thanks to a great kickout block by Jimmy Dixon), cut the Cavs' lead to 13-7, but that was a mere blip. Tech kept missing tackles, and after Marques Hagans returned a punt 53 yards to the Tech 21, the wide receiver lined up at quarterback in the shotgun and scored from the 2 just 35 seconds before halftime.

"That was one of the main focal points this week: We have to tackle well," said Tech linebacker Darryl Smith. "We didn't tackle well at all."

At least not until the third quarter, when the Jackets forced three staight Virginia punts. When Smith [9 catches, 91 yards] returned the second of those punts 80 yards for a touchdown, he became the first player in Tech history to score on a punt return in consecutive games. That made it 23-14. Dan Burnett's 37-yard field goal trimmed it to 23-17.

There would be no miracle this time in Scott Stadium, not like Tech's epic comeback in 1990 that enabled the Jackets to win a share of the national championship. Instead, the Jackets lost here for the sixth straight time. Early in the fourth quarter, though, for the second time Saturday, a long Wally Lundy touchdown run was nullified by a Virginia holding penalty. Tech's Reuben Houston, however, was soon called for a questionable roughing-the-passer penalty.

That put the ball at the Tech 30. Hughes' eventual 30-yard field goal put Virginia up 26-17. Ball's last two mistakes ended any hopes of a Tech comeback, and any chance for a second-place ACC finish and a warm bowl game.

"We had our destiny in our own hands," Smith said. "We went out and we didn't get the job done."

Tech errs it out
Offense digs deep hole with first-half miscues
By JOHN HOLLIS
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer

Charlottesville, Va. -- If it wasn't a dropped pass somewhere along the line, then it was a turnover, or a blown assignment, or some other costly miscue.

Georgia Tech always found a way to self-destruct offensively in the first half of a 29-17 loss at Virginia.

"They came to play, and we didn't," freshman quarterback Reggie Ball said. "We made too many mistakes and got behind. You can't do that."

Several of Ball's passes were dropped, and both Tech turnovers led to field goals for the Cavaliers. The Jackets fell into a 23-7 halftime hole.

It wasn't exactly what an offensively challenged Tech team had envisioned. The Jackets' longest play of the day from scrimmage went just 16 yards against a Virginia defense that gave up four plays of at least 40 yards in its previous game, at Maryland.

"We need all 11 guys to do their jobs," wide receiver Jonathan Smith said.

Smith is having a stellar season, but not even he was immune to mistakes Saturday. Smith dropped a pass late in the first half when he started running before tucking away the ball. That forced a Tech punt and led to a Virginia field goal.

Tech came into Scott Stadium hoping to make the most of a Virginia defense that ranked eighth in the ACC against the run, ahead of only hapless North Carolina.

But a botched play here or there sabotaged the Jackets' hopes of sustaining a drive. They managed just 54 yards of offense in the game's opening quarter. Three of their five first-half possessions ended in punts, and a fourth ended with a fumble.

"We did make a lot of mistakes," Ball said. "I myself made a lot of mistakes."

Ball was sacked once and under heavy pressure all afternoon. The Cavaliers prevented him from getting outside, where he is most comfortable.

Tech on precipice, again
E-mail Steve Hummer

Charlottesville, Va. -- The quarterback was beating himself up more than any three Wahoos. And probably more than any of us yahoos looking on.

Packing instructions for the bowl game just got radically changed: Boys, put away the sandals and break out the snowshoes.

Execution-wise - as the last Georgia Tech coach to win here used to say - the Yellow Jackets were no better in their 11th game than in their first.

And next up is an intrastate rival far superior to any of the last three teams the Jackets have lost to - by an average of 24 points, by the way. One that would like nothing more than to grease the skids of another descent into doubt and turmoil.

So here Georgia Tech teeters on the precipice again, a stance it has grown oddly accustomed to. It wouldn't know how to act on safe and level ground.

Any good Tech watcher should have seen the 29-17 loss to Virginia coming Saturday. Hadn't it just put itself in position for a nice warm-weather bowl game with last week's North Carolina victory? What a fine reward that would be. But you just knew that Tech could not allow itself that luxury, harboring as it does such a strong liberal's guilt towards prosperity.

This one was for all the miniaturized citrus, a possible pre-Christmas date in Orlando for the Tangerine Bowl. Instead. . .

Oh, the Humanitarian! A frostbite-blue field in Boise in January very possibly beckons Tech. There is nothing official, of course, but at the very least, the Yellow Jackets played themselves out of the need to buy any sunscreen with a SPF in double figures.

The makings of this loss were nothing new, all the usual venal sins of football. ''They executed and we didn't. We turned the ball over [twice] and they didn't,'' said Tech's coach Chan Gailey. Add a little tackling that wouldn't have stopped Liza Minelli's husband let alone Virginia's splendid tight end, Heath Miller. And some offensive belches at those points of the game when sophistication was most needed.

Had the Cavaliers not suffered holding penalties on two long touchdown runs, this one might have gotten ugly. Yet Tech was able to compose itself long enough for an impressive second half rally, cutting a 16-point halftime deficit to just six before the third quarter ended. Funny how good things happen when you make the other team punt - like the 80-yard Jonathan Smith return that momentarily energized the Jackets.

But, give up a 15-play field goal drive behind that, force a pass that gets intercepted and eventually converted into another field goal, and you generally end up with the L you deserve.

The fallout from Saturday is what most bears watching.

For the first time after a defeat, Tech's young quarterback seemed deeply wounded. The confidence that has helped carry Reggie Ball this far seemed shaken, if not stirred. He's a stand-up guy, putting a lot of this loss on his shoulders. Yet he did so in a sad monotone, barely above a whisper. He can ill afford any psychic setbacks with David Pollack coming to town.

Identical to last season, the Yellow Jackets will finish 4-4 in the ACC. What they must hope is that the similarities end there. It is very possible this season could take a track distressingly similar to the last: Losing out at the end, getting buried by hated Georgia and being exiled to a far-flung bowl game in which reasons to play hide in the recesses.

''The players don't think like that. It's a whole different atmosphere this year,'' Smith said.

''Our guys will rebound and prepare and play hard. If you don't make a big deal out it [comparisons to last season], it won't even come up,'' said Gailey.

Fair enough. I'll save all the worst-case possibilities - no matter how the loom - for the end. After a loss, fewer readers care to venture there.

U.Va. rallies behind flag
Cavaliers find inspiration in symbol and become eligible for a bowl by beating Jackets
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Nov 23, 2003
VIRGINIA 29 GA. TECH 17
INSIDE: U.Va. notes, Page C11; Maryland downs N.C. State, Page C11.

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Flag Day ended on a joyous note for the Virginia football team.

The Cavaliers became bowl-eligible with a 29-17 victory over ACC foe Georgia Tech yesterday before 58,526 at Scott Stadium. At game's end, the players carried the symbol of their renewed commitment - a large orange flag, adorned with a 'V,' that they'd taken turns waving on the sideline during the game - over to the student section at Scott Stadium. U.Va. coach Al Groh followed his players there, did a modified "Lambeau Leap" and joined the celebration in the stands.

"It was [the players'] idea," Groh said. "I heard them on the sideline telling each other, 'Let's go see the students, let's go see the students.'"

Defensive end Chris Canty said: "They stuck with us, and they showed a lot of support today, and I'm glad we have an opportunity now to give them a couple more games and extend the season into the postseason."

Virginia (4-4, 6-5), which closes the regular season at home Saturday against Virginia Tech, appears headed to the Dec. 22 Tangerine Bowl at Orlando, Fla. An invitation could come as early as today. Georgia Tech (4-4, 6-5) is probably bound for the Jan. 3 Humanitarian Bowl at Boise, Idaho.

The Cavaliers' Nov. 13 loss to Maryland was their fourth in five games. When the team reconvened for practice early last week, Groh broke out the flag. He made sure the symbolism wasn't lost on his players.

"That was the theme all week: Carry the flag," Canty said. "That's been the thing that's been missing. We hadn't had our focus, and guys were looking to other people to step up, instead of trying to step up themselves. Today we stepped up and had a lot of playmakers."

Those playmakers included: senior quarterback Matt Schaub, who completed 26 of 35 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown; sophomore Connor Hughes, who tied a school record by kicking five field goals; sophomore Marques Hagans, who ran for a touchdown, caught five passes for 60 yards and totaled 73 yards on three punt returns; and sophomore tight end Heath Miller, who had six receptions for a career-best 110 yards and one TD.

And then there was Virginia's often-suspect defense. The Cavaliers had eight tackles for losses, forced two turnovers and held the Yellow Jackets to 273 yards of offense. Georgia Tech tailback P.J. Daniels, the ACC's leading rusher, gained 76 yards - 17 below his average.

On the Yellow Jackets' final offensive play, Canty burst through the line and tackled freshman quarterback Reggie Ball for a 3-yard loss on fourth and 1 from Virginia's 37. The Cavaliers took over and ran off the final 2:18.

"Somebody had to make a play. I told myself, 'Why not me?'" said Canty, clutching the game ball his coaches had given him.

Virginia's players heard throughout the week that "every organization that accomplishes something - football team, mountain-climbing expedition, military operation - somebody's got to carry the flag. And it's got to be more than one," Groh said.

"You got to have guys that carry different flags. Some guys got to carry the toughness flag. Some guys got to carry the heart flag. Some guys got to carry the leadership flag, and we had a lot of guys do that, literally and figuratively, today, and I think they have a lot to be proud of."

For the first time since last November, U.Va. scored a touchdown on its opening drive. It came on a 10-yard pass from Schaub to Heath Miller. On the Cavaliers' next possession, they drove to the Jackets' 12, where they had a first down, but they had to settle for Hughes' 31-yard field goal.

That scene would be repeated. Hughes also connected from 25, 50, 30 and 20 yards in a game in which U.Va. struggled in the red zone. Case in point: Virginia had first and goal from the Tech 1 following a well-executed trick play - a long lateral from Schaub to Hagans, who passed to Miller for a 35-yard gain. But the Yellow Jackets stuffed two Lundy runs, a false-start penalty moved U.Va. back to the 7, and Schaub threw an incompletion.

"It could have been a blowout," said Hughes, who is 20 for 21 on field goals this season.

The Cavaliers led 23-7 at the break, but they went nearly the entire third period without picking up a first down, and Georgia Tech capitalized on their sluggishness. Jonathan Smith returned a Tom Hagan punt 80 yards for a touchdown, and Dan Burnett's PAT made it 23-14 with 8:14 left in the third quarter.

The Yellow Jackets pulled closer on Burnett's 37-yard field goal about seven minutes later, but U.Va. shut them out in the final quarter. An interception by senior cornerback Almondo Curry, who returned it 9 yards to the Georgia Tech 26, set up Virginia's final field goal, which Hughes converted with 5:21 left.

Georgia Tech hasn't won at Scott Stadium since upsetting then-No. 1 U.Va. there in 1990.

U.VA. NOTES
Richmond Times-Dispatch Nov 23, 2003

GOING TO DISNEY? In the home locker room at Scott Stadium, Dylan Thomas waited until reporters were through with Matt Schaub. Then Thomas, the Tangerine Bowl's director of administration and ticketing, approached the senior quarterback and congratulated him for his play in U.Va.'s 29-17 win over Georgia Tech yesterday.

"Maybe we'll see you in a couple of weeks," Thomas told Schaub.

By winning yesterday, the Cavaliers (4-4, 6-5) became bowl-eligible, and they're likely to end up at the Tangerine, Dec. 22 in Orlando, Fla.

The Tangerine's 150-member selection committee is scheduled to meet tomorrow morning, Thomas said, but the bowl could invite a team as early as today.

"We're anxious to get an ACC team as soon as possible," Thomas told reporters at halftime, "to give fans as much time as possible to make their [travel] plans."

Florida State will represent the ACC in the Bowl Championship Series. The Gator has the next pick of the conference's other bowl-eligible teams, followed in order by the Peach, the Tangerine, the Continental Tire and the Humanitarian.

Virginia hammered West Virginia in last year's Continental Tire. Clemson played in the Tangerine and lost 55-15 to Texas Tech. The Tangerine matches teams from the ACC and the Big 12.

Had U.Va. lost yesterday, it would have needed to beat Virginia Tech in the regular-season finale to become bowl-eligible.

"We got some guys on this team that can really play football, and I'm just excited that we can extend our season into the postseason," junior defensive end Chris Canty said. "Now we got that pressure off us, we can worry about VPI."

TOP OF THE CHARTS: Virginia tight end Heath Miller had six receptions yesterday, giving the sophomore from Swords Creek 53 for the season, a record for an ACC tight end. Miller has 606 yards receiving and five TD catches this season. A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING: In Virginia's 27-17 loss at Maryland on Nov. 13, Marques Hagans had no pass attempts, no rushes, no punt returns and no receptions. Yesterday, the sophomore from Hampton seemed to be everywhere in U.Va.'s win over Georgia Tech. That was no coincidence.
Cavaliers coach Al Groh "pretty much told me at the beginning of the week that he needed me to step up and make plays," Hagans said, "and he was going to give me an opportunity."

Hagans, Schaub's backup, also plays wideout and returns punts. At quarterback, Hagans ran 2 yards for a touchdown late in the first half. At wideout, he threw a pass to Miller for a 35-yard gain on a trick play and had five receptions for 60 yards, eluding defenders to pick up more yardage on several of those receptions. Hagans also gained 73 yards on three punt returns, with a long of 53.

SPECIAL-TEAMS LAPSE: Midway through the third quarter, Georgia Tech senior Jonathan Smith returned a Tom Hagan punt 80 yards for a touchdown. Hagan had to field a low snap on one hop before punting the ball.

"I thought that was a very poor play," Groh said. "Poor snap, forced the kicker to have to kick the ball out of rhythm, low kick to a dangerous guy. I didn't like the look of the coverage from the start."

Virginia allowed only 62 yards on punt returns in its first 10 games. Not since Nov. 3, 2001, when Wake Forest's Fabian Davis ran one back 62 yards, had U.Va. allowed a punt return for a TD.

Smith, who also had nine catches for 91 yards yesterday, returned 73 yards for a TD last weekend against North Carolina. He's the first player in Georgia Tech history to return a punt for a touchdown in back-to-back games.

CLASS OF HIS OWN: U.Va. sophomore Connor Hughes isn't a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to a committee's choice as the nation's top kicker. The former walk-on is not, for that matter, a lock to make the all-ACC first team. But Hughes was 5 for 5 on field goals yesterday, and he's made 25 of 27 career attempts, including three this season of at least 50 yards.

The Williamsburg resident won't win the Groza, Groh said, "but obviously no kicker in college football has kicked the ball better than Connor Hughes has this year."

NEXT WEEK: Virginia (6-5) closes the regular season at home Saturday against 12th-ranked Virginia Tech. ABC will announce the starting time - 1 p.m. or 8 p.m. - today.

The Hokies (8-3) lost to Boston College yesterday in Blacksburg. U.Va. has dropped four straight to Tech, including a 21-9 setback at Lane Stadium last year. The Cavaliers' last victory in the series, which Tech leads 43-36-5, came in 1998, when they rallied to win 36-32 in Blacksburg. - Jeff White

Gillen, Cavs set for a fresh start
2002-03 season was marked by turmoil on and off the court
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Nov 23, 2003

CHARLOTTESVILLE - In the first of its two exhibition games, the University of Virginia men's basketball team built a 26-point halftime lead and cruised to a 104-80 victory.

In the second, the Cavaliers led by 17 with 12:25 left but needed a last-second 3-pointer by senior guard Todd Billet to win 91-90.

"We're going to be a work in progress," Billet said, "and we've got to keep getting better each day. We're by no means a finished product. We're going to have to outwork teams, and we're going to have to scrap and dig games out."

Starting tonight, the games count for the Cavaliers, who are coming off a 16-16 campaign. U.Va. opens its sixth season under coach Pete Gillen at 7 o'clock against Mount St. Mary's at University Hall.

Virginia's problems in 2002-03 - on and off the court - have been well-documented. Gillen doesn't expect a recurrence this season.

"I feel good about where we are," he said. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us, but I like our team. We can hit 3s, and we got pretty good inside guys. Elton and Donte, I'll take those two insides against a lot of people in the country."

Junior center Elton Brown dropped about 25 pounds in the offseason and should be Virginia's top low-post threat. Donte Minter, a 6-8, 244-pound freshman, might have been the biggest surprise of the preseason. Minter was an unheralded recruit, but check out his combined stats from the two exhibitions: 15 for 18 from the floor, 3 for 3 from the line, 33 points and 14 rebounds in 32 minutes.

"That's pretty good, so we've got to get him on the court more," Gillen said. "He's a good player."

Sophomore forward Derrick Byars has sparkled too. Inconsistent as a freshman, the 6-7, 215-pound Byars scored 25 points in U.Va.'s first exhibition and 21 in the second. In the two games, he was 19 of 23 from the floor, including 4 for 6 from beyond the arc.

"His confidence is very good right now," Gillen said.

Junior forward Devin Smith, who hit four treys and scored 20 points in the first exhibition, missed the second one with a lower-back injury. Gillen said Friday that Smith's status for tonight's opener was uncertain.

Mount St. Mary's, of the Northeast Conference, lost in overtime to Delaware on Friday to fall to 0-3. Even so, Gillen is wary of the Mount. "It's going to be a tough game," he said. "They remind me a lot of LIU."

In the 2002-03 opener, a blocked shot by Billet with 14 seconds left allowed U.Va. to escape with a 90-86 victory over Long Island University at U-Hall.

"Especially early in the season, everybody's dangerous," Gillen said. "We're certainly not good enough that we can look past anybody."

NOTE: Two of Virginia's three recruits for 2004-05 - 5-11 point guard Sean Singletary and 6-7 swingman Adrian Joseph - recently signed their letters of intent. The third, 6-11, 210-pound center Tunji Soroye, signed a non-binding grant-in-aid and returned it to U.Va. this week. That was the word Friday from David Adkins, an assistant coach at Montrose Christian in Rockville, Md., where Soroye is a senior.

"He is committed to Virginia as long as Virginia is like it is now," Adkins said.

Montrose's coaches will not allow other colleges to talk to Soroye, Adkins said, but should U.Va. make a coaching change after this season, the native of Nigeria would be free to re-open the recruiting process.

"If Coach Gillen is there next year, he's coming to Virginia," Adkins said.

Another Montrose senior, Churchill Odia, has committed to Xavier but didn't sign a binding letter of intent during the NCAA's early period, either. Montrose coach Stu Vetter advises his players not to sign early.

Byars, Cavaliers primed for tip-off
By Andrew Joyner / Daily Progress staff writer
November 22, 2003

The 6-foot-7 Memphis native reached double figures 10 times last season and had a career-high 20 points in a win over Gardner-Webb in December.

Still, there were struggles. Byars scored in double figures just once in UVa’s final 10 games and saw his playing time diminish during that span. It may very well have been representative of the typical woes usually suffered by a freshman.

Whether simply a year older equals a year wiser, Byars has been the most impressive Cavalier in the preseason entering tonight’s opener against Mt. St. Mary’s.

He scored 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting in the Cavaliers’ win over the Big Apple All-Stars and then had 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting Tuesday against the Coaches vs. Cancer All-Stars. In total, Byars has connected on four of his six attempts from behind the 3-point arc.

Besides the obvious shooting numbers - Byars has been assertive and aggressive on the court - perhaps something’s absent during his first season as he was overshadowed by older players.

“I think a lot of it is maturity but I’ve also been working on the intangibles and everything. I’ve been trying to mix it up some and be more assertive,” Byars said. “I looked at a lot of film during the offseason and saw what I could do and could do better.”

If his performances have been surprising to outsiders, it has been a well-known secret to those within the program.

“He’s been doing a good job in practice but he’s been doing even better in the games. He’s worked hard in the offseason. He put on about 14 pounds of strength and has worked on his game,” said Virginia coach Pete Gillen. “A big part of anyone’s game as an athlete is confidence. I think his confidence is very good right now. He’s going to have to carry a big load and he’s been doing that. He’s mixing it up with the perimeter shot and driving and he’s rebounding well. He’s doing a good job.”

While the physical transformation of center Elton Brown has been the focus much of the preseason, Byars teammates insist his changes have been just as noticeable. Yet, for the most part, they say it’s all more visible because of an increased role.

“He was a good talent last year but his minutes weren’t always there and he was a freshman and still learning. This year, he’s getting the minutes and proving to the country he can be a big-time player,” Brown said. “It’s not really a shock to me because I know he can play.”

Note. Junior Devin Smith, who sat out Tuesday’s exhibition game with a sore back, was feeling better Friday according to Gillen. His status for tonight’s game is still questionable.