Hurricanes, Berlin look to stop two-game skid
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 11, 2004

When current Charlottesville resident Alex Leik moved to Virginia eight years ago, the closest he could get to a Miami football game was a road trip to Blacksburg every two years.

As the expansion of the ACC was discussed and later became a reality, Miami joined the league, leaving the Big East Conference.

Leik could hardly wait for Virginia to release its home schedule.

His dreams came to fruition when UVa announced a game at Scott Stadium with his beloved Hurricanes.

"I was elated. I was thrilled," Leik said.

He scrambled to get tickets for himself and his father who attended Miami in the '60s.

Leik watched his team roll off six straight wins to open the season. His anticipation grew for the Hurricanes' date at Scott Stadium.

Then came a loss to North Carolina, a team that Virginia beat 56-24 in the second game of the season.

To make matters worse, Miami backed the loss up with yet another one, this time at home in the Orange Bowl at the hands of Clemson. UVa had beaten up on Clemson too.

To say the least, Leik was surprised.

"I am shocked that Miami is coming in here with a worse record than UVa," Leik said.

Miami's players are just as surprised that they are 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the ACC and a game behind Virginia's 7-1 overall record and its 4-1 mark in the league.

"You see a bunch of guys right now that are pretty [ticked] off," Miami quarterback Brock Berlin told reporters. "We just lost two games in a row. That's not normal around here. That's not what we train to be. There's a lot of guys that know right now, hey, we have to play ball. There won't be a lot of smiles around here this week. We know what we have to do."

Berlin was quick to take the blame for the back-to-back losses.

"I have to step up and play better. If I'd played better, we'd have won these games," Berlin said. "The big thing is we just have to get re-focused and understand what's at stake here and not get down about anything."

Berlin knows that the losses will be forgiven if Miami can win its remaining games in the ACC, which also includes a home date with Virginia Tech, who shares the conference's top spot with Virginia.

"We're in a good position right now to win the ACC. We know where we're at," Berlin said. "I'm very confident in this offense, this team, and what we can do. We've seen what we can do offensively, defensively, on special teams. We need to put that together. If we do that, we'll be fine."

Miami and Berlin are in a position that is all too familiar.

Last year Miami lost two straight games to No. 10 Virginia Tech and No. 18 Tennessee.

"We were kind of in the same situation last year," Berlin said. "You look back and kind of see how you went through that and how you overcame some obstacles."

The Hurricanes did rebound last year and went on to knock off Florida State in the Orange Bowl.

"That's what we plan on doing," Berlin said. "This team has a lot of character and we know we're going to get out there and fight."

The walking wounded. Injuries have not been kind to Miami's defense this season.

The Hurricanes have lost Glenn Sharpe, Terrell Walden and Tanard Davis to knee injuries and free safety Brandon Meriweather has been slowed by a shoulder injury.

Now you can add star cornerback Antrel Rolle to that list.

Rolle did not practice on Tuesday and was placed in a walking boot to speed up an injury similar to turf toe.

Miami coach Larry Coker said that if the Virginia game was on Wednesday, Rolle would not have played.

Rolle, a three-year starter, has 53 tackles, an interception and 11 sacks.

"He'll try to play, but if he's not ready, we're not going to play him," said defensive coordinator Randy Shannon.

Surprise: State schools atop the ACC
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
November 11, 2004

Scattershooting around the ACC, while looking at the top of the league upside down ...
Wasn’t this supposed to be a Florida State vs. Miami shootout this year? That’s what everyone expected. Heading into this weekend’s games, though, it is two Virginia teams at the top of the heap: UVa and Virginia Tech.
“I’m sure it surprises a lot of people,” said Virginia coach Al Groh on Wednesday. “I wouldn’t have been surprised if Florida teams were on top, but I’m not surprised two Virginia teams are on top. I didn’t have any preconceived notions of how it would be.”
Future ACC views
Groh believes this is the way it’s going to be in the ACC from now on, although it will be close in two divisions in the future instead of one big shootout like this year.
Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said that because all the teams in the league are getting better and the games are getting more competitive, that “We’re just beating each other up.”
Miami coach Larry Coker said he wasn’t sure what to expect coming into the ACC, but he knew it was a good league.
“I knew it would be a tough league to go through,” Coker said. “We lost six first-round draft choices and we had a lot of reloading to do. But there’s no undefeated teams in the league now. Our highest ranked team is 10th, so there’s no national title contender for sure. I am sure that Frank Beamer and Tom O’Brien [Boston College’s coach] will say that [the ACC] is a tougher way to go.”
Florida State coach Bobby Bowden believes the upsets have made the ACC a stronger league nationally.
“I think it’s great for the conference,” Bowden said. “If I was commissioner, I’d really be smiling, boy. It’s tough on coaches though. It’s going to make our history look a lot better. Miami, their first year in the ACC, has suffered both a road and home loss in the conference. It took us a while to suffer what they are suffering pretty quick.”
The best league team?
So, now that it has become a shootout the last few weeks of the season with Miami still having to face Virginia and Virginia Tech, UVa having to face Miami and Tech, and Tech obviously having to face UVa and Miami, who’s the best?
Ask North Carolina coach John Bunting. He’s played them all, having lost to UVa and Tech, and stunning Miami two weeks ago. So, John, who do you like in this horse race?
“I still think an awful lot of Virginia,” Bunting said. “I said that from Day One. I still think they’re a top team. They’ve got defense, an offensive line, running backs, a quarterback who plays extremely well and skilled special teams. I think they’re a team to be contended with.”
Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said he believes his prediction before the season that the ACC champ could have two league losses is still viable.
“I’m still not sure that’s not the case,” the Fridge said. “The remaining games are difficult. How well you do on the road is a large measure. I think Virginia Tech has done very well on the road (3-0 in ACC road games). They still have to go to Miami. Virginia has to go to Blacksburg and have Miami at home. It’s still up for grabs. I think the Virginia teams are in control of their own destiny.”

The bowl picture. Wow, it’s that time of the year and several ACC teams could play their way in or out of bowls in a hurry. In fact, N.C. State could be out of the bowl picture sooner than UNC or Wake if the Wolfies (4-5) lose tonight at home against FSU.
UNC (4-5), must beat Wake this weekend, then Duke to become eligible. Wake (4-4), still has to face UNC, Miami and Maryland.
Maryland is 4-5 and off this weekend before having to travel to Virginia Tech next Thursday night. A loss would eliminate the Terps from the bowl race.
Because the ACC has a BCS berth (likely the Sugar Bowl this year) and tie-ins with five other bowls: Toyota Gator Bowl; Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl; Champs Sports Bowl (formerly the Tangerine Bowl); Continental Tire Bowl; and MPC Computers Bowl (Boise, Idaho), things could get tight.
You figure four of the six spots are going to go to the two Florida teams (FSU and Miami) and two Virginia teams (UVa and Tech). Clemson and Georgia Tech are the frontrunners for the remaining slots, although several teams mentioned above remain alive.
Clemson, which has won four straight, could become the first team in ACC history to bounce back from a 1-4 start and make a bowl game. The Tigers, now 5-4 overall, need to beat either Duke or South Carolina to reach Tommy Bowden’s sixth straight bowl game.

Bowden turns 75. Florida State coach Bobby Bowden read from a birthday card at his weekly luncheon: “Birthdays are like golf, anything under 100 is good.”
Asked about hitting year 75, Saint Bobby said: “My celebration is waking up in the morning and still breathing. I know at my age I have to win a lot of games. I mean that. I don’t think people are going to put up with it. I’m already too old, that’s what they are saying. I better win a lot of games. I can’t stand losing, either.”
He got somewhat of an early present when son Tommy’s Clemson team knocked off Miami in overtime last Saturday night, but Bobby slept through it.
“I was watching it but I fell asleep,” the elder Bowden said. “They were behind 17-3 at the half and I fell asleep. I woke up and Ann told me the score.”
Bobby believes the Clemson win at Miami might do for the Tigers’ program what FSU beating Nebraska on the road back in 1980 did for the Seminoles.
“That could be Tommy’s coming out party,” Bobby said.

Retro Eagles. Boston College came out for last Saturday’s win over Rutgers wearing vintage 1984 throwback uniforms, yes, the year of Flutie’s Hail Mary against Miami.
Flutie wasn’t in attendance for the win, but several of his former teammates were, including Bill Romanowski and Gerard Phelan, who caught the heave that beat the Hurricanes 47-45 in an epic classic.
Now age 41, Phelan said it is remarkable how vividly he still remembers the play.
If you stop by the BC bookstore, there are still Flutie No. 21 jerseys for sale.

Deliberating Deacs. Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe is trying everything he can not to use any of his 17-member freshmen class as injuries continue to mount for his Demon Deacons. Grobe’s intentions are to redshirt the entire class.
“It’s very frustrating,” Grobe said. “We’re to the point where we’re almost to a critical level. We just can’t keep getting guys banged up right now.”
Some of the Wake freshmen, particularly linebacker Eric Berry, was begging Grobe to let them play in the last game when the Deacs barely beat Duke, 24-22.
“We just can’t do it right now,” Grobe said. “We’re going to try to win with the guys we’ve got.”

Fridge and Beamer. When Maryland plays at Virginia Tech a week from tonight, it will be a reunion of longtime pals Ralph Friedgen and Frank Beamer. The two met in 1972 as graduate assistants at Maryland under Hall of Fame coach Jerry Claiborne.
The two went on to coach at The Citadel together under Bobby Ross and shared an office together for seven years before Beamer took the head coaching job at Murray State and the Fridge went to William & Mary under Jimmy Laycocke.
“Our families are close, we’ve owned property together and I consider him one of my better friends in life,” Friedgen said of Beamer. “If I had my druthers, I’d rather not play my friend. But we look at this as business. For three hours, we won’t be friends.”
Beamer and Friedgen own property at Lake Oconee down near Greensboro, Ga., a little more than an hour east of Atlanta, where the two meet and play golf.
While the two are close, they don’t share the same personalities.
“I’m more direct than Frank,” Friedgen said. “I think we think the same things, but he has a more roundabout way of getting to them. Frank has saved me in that way a few times.”

Five for five. There’s no question where Virginia coach Al Groh and Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer stand on the proposed five years of eligibility legislation for college football players. Both are in strong agreement for the rule that would allow players to play for five years instead of four.
“We had considerable discussion about that last spring among the ACC head coaches and we came out of those meetings as an overall group with a unanimous opinion that we would like to see it happen,” Groh said. “There’s many positives for players involved.”
One negative is that current and some long-standing records would probably be pushed aside because players would be playing for one extra year.
“As far as records, I guess it would bring out the ever infamous asterisk,” Groh said.
Beamer agreed that such a rule would probably affect records, but noted: “I think more and more kids are coming out early, so guys who are breaking records are probably going to be gone sooner.”

Short yardage. How beat up is Maryland after playing a physical Virginia team? Friedgen said Wednesday that “We’d probably have trouble fielding a team if we were to play this week.” ... It’s now official: Virginia will play Duke, FSU, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech at home next season and will go on the road against Boston College, Maryland, Miami and UNC, meaning that in the first year in the Coastal Division of the ACC, the Cavs will not face Clemson, Wake or N.C. State. ... The Hokies will host BC, Georgia Tech, Miami and UNC, but will travel to Duke, Maryland, N.C. State and UVa. … Duke has suffered through 10 straight losing seasons and has won only eight of its last 78 ACC games during that span. So what’s the Devils’ motivation? “To win a football game,” coach Ted Roof said. “We are playing for pride. We are playing for respect.” ... UNC is selling 200 pieces of the goal posts torn down after the upset over Miami. Each piece is going for $150 each, potentially earning $30,000 for the Tar Heels Athletic Department. ... Go figure: N.C. State ranks No. 2 nationally in total defense, yet has a losing record going into tonight’s home game against FSU. ... Speaking of the Seminoles, they have yielded only 181 yards rushing in the second half of their last collective nine games (20.1 per), and are No. 2 in the nation in rushing defense, giving up 66.2 per game. Ouch. ... In Miami’s last five games, QB Brock Berlin has been hot, throwing for 1,356 yards and 13 TDs. ... Clemson is 5-0 in career overtime games, the best record of any team in the nation in extra periods. ... Virginia ranks sixth in the nation in rushing
(254.8 per game). ... After being picked off 13 times in his first six games of the season, Clemson QB Charlie Whitehurst has bounced back and thrown only one interception in his last three games. ... If the Cavaliers are going to get through these last three games unscathed, then they must make up some ground on defense, where they do not have a single player listed among the ACC’s top 10 in any of the following categories: interceptions; tackles for loss; fumbles forced; fumbles recovered; or passes defended. ... Among the prospects in the crowd for the Miami game will be Toney Baker the Touchdown Maker out of Ragsdale High in Jamestown, N.C., a suburb of Greensboro. Baker, who is the real deal, is strongly considering the Wahoos. He likes the offense and the coaches. He would fit in nicely in Virginia’s backfield behind Eugene Monroe. Baker said he was surprised that UVa fans knew who he was when he came up for the Maryland game, asking him to pose for photos. ... UNC will ask for a sixth year of eligibility for offensive guard Skip Seagraves, who suffered a broken bone in his left foot against Virginia and hasn’t played since.

The picks. Last week: 3-2. To date: 44-17. This week: Florida State 35, N.C. State 20; Clemson 34, Duke 10; Georgia Tech 28, UConn 14; UNC 27, Wake 20; Virginia 24, Miami 17.

Inking a letter-of-intent
Blue Ridge's Mikalauskas officially headed to UVa
By John Holt / Special to The Daily Progress
November 11, 2004

ST. GEORGE - Blue Ridge School basketball standout Laurynas Mikalauskas signed his national letter-of-intent to attend the University of Virginia at the school’s fall awards assembly Wednesday afternoon.

The 6-foot-8, 250-pound native of Lithuania got huge applause from the students at Blue Ridge as he marked the 15th Blue Ridge player that coach Bill Ramsey has sent to the collegiate level while coaching the Barons.

“It feels great to finally be a Cavalier. I have been waiting for this moment all fall,” said Mikalauskas, who verbally committed to Virginia last April.

Mikalauskas averaged 18.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game last season for a 19-8 Blue Ridge squad. He was recruited by Notre Dame, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Clemson and N.C. State before selecting the Cavaliers. This past summer, Mikalauskas started the Hampton-based Boo Williams AAU squad that finished third in August at the AAU Nationals.

“This is great day for Blue Ridge School and the Blue Ridge basketball program to have a local player going to UVa. There are a lot of people here at the school that support him and are going to continue to cheer for him,” Ramsey said. “Everyone is looking forward to seeing him play a significant role on the basketball team at UVa.”

Blue Ridge Athletic Director Carl Frye added that he believes Mikalauskas going to Virginia is a great asset for the school.

“As close as we are to Charlottesville and having our kids be able to go to a major university like Virginia, it’s a big thing for our program. I think it is going to help set the table for other things later on also,” Frye said. “It’s just a delight to have someone like Laurynas be able to attend that University not just for the basketball but for the academics. It really is an honor for Blue Ridge School to be able to send a student to the University of Virginia.”

Mikalauskas is rated as a 3-star prospect by rivalshoops.com and has been rated just outside the top 100 by most recruiting analysts.

The Lithuanian feels he is perhaps underrated but admits that provides motivation.

“Most of the rankings I see, I feel I could be rated a little higher but seeing where I am, it makes me work harder and play more aggressive because I am always just going to come in and give it my best,” Mikalauskas said.

Two of Virginia’s other commitments - 6-5 Mamadi Diane of DeMatha Catholic and 6-10 Sam Warren of Cherry Creek High School near Denver - were expected to sign with Virginia on Wednesday as well.

Another commitment, 6-4 guard of Brian Moten of Cincinnati Christian Center Academy, remains strongly committed to Virginia according to CCCA coach Travis McAvene but may ultimately sign in the spring as he continues to improve academically.

Blue Ridge junior guard Stephen Kendall, a Charlottesville native, committed to Virginia last month but will not be able to sign with Virginia until a year from now.

U.Va.’s success on defense starts here
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 11, 2004

CHARLOTTESVILLE — The nose knows. The coaches know, too. So do the other 10 defensive players.

They know that the nose tackle in Virginia’s 3-4 defensive scheme can have a good game — even a great one — and not have much to show for it on the stat sheet.

Clogging the middle. Occupying two blockers.

Those aren’t tasks that can be measured statistically.

So Andrew Hoffman, Virginia’s senior nose tackle, doesn’t worry about statistics. Funny thing, because he’s putting up some impressive ones this season.

Last week against Maryland, Hoffman led the team with six tackles. He also made his second sack of the season.

It’s one thing for a linebacker or defensive end to have that kind of day. It’s another for a player whose work space is about as roomy as an office cubicle.

“Probably no player on our team is having a better season than Andrew Hoffman,” coach Al Groh said. “He’s made plays for us. He’s not just taking up space for us, which is sometimes the case with that position.”

Hoffman plays the most thankless position on the defense, and maybe the most important. In Virginia’s “two-gap” system, he’s responsible for filling the gaps on either side of the player in front of him, usually the center. Part of his job is to keep blockers off Virginia’s linebackers, who are expected to use that freedom to swoop in and make tackles.

If the nose tackle can make a few plays himself, all the better. That’s where Hoffman has excelled this year. He’s making nearly five tackles a game and has seven tackles for loss, five more than in the previous two seasons combined.

“I’ve just been taking what I had been doing and improving on it, really,” he said. “I’ve been trying to be more dynamic, make more plays.”

On the third play of the season, at Temple, Hoffman ran from the far hash mark to the sideline and caused a fumble. He’s been ranging far and wide ever since.

Hoffman’s improved range can be credited in part to the 15 pounds he lost in the off-season. After playing at 295 pounds last season, Hoffman, who is 6-foot-4, is playing at about 280 this year.

Then there’s the fact that, in his third year as a starter, Hoffman is simply more comfortable at the position.

Hoffman began his career in 2000 under former coach George Welsh. He played defensive tackle in Virginia’s 4-3 defense as a 245-pound true freshman. When Groh arrived the following year and installed the 3-4, Hoffman asked to redshirt.

“I had no idea what a two-gap was,” he said.

Nor was Hoffman physically equipped to play the position. He added about 40 pounds during his redshirt year and stepped into the starting lineup in 2002.

He’ll make his 36th career start Saturday against Miami.

“He has really invested a lot of himself in his career and this season,” Groh said.

Several NFL teams play 3-4 schemes, and Groh said scouts have been impressed by Hoffman’s energy level. He’s being hit by several blockers on a lot of plays and doesn’t seem to wear down. Hoffman could also shift to defensive tackle at the pro level.

If not, Hoffman, an environmental sciences major, would like to pursue a career in agriculture, maybe soil analysis. He’s interested in things like “perk tests,” which measure the absorption rate of soil where septic systems will be installed.

“You have to see if water will filter through at the right pace,” he said.

All in good time. For the moment, Hoffman is more interested in creating clogs than preventing them.

ACC Releases 2005 Football Schedule Model
Beginning next season, the ACC will play in football aligned into two six-team divisions.
Nov. 10, 2004

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Atlantic Coast Conference released the conference games-only portion of the league's football schedule for the 2005 season today.

Beginning next season, the ACC will play in football aligned into two six-team divisions - Atlantic and Coastal. Teams will play all five opponents in their division, plus one primary crossover opponent every year and two rotating opponents from the opposite division. The divisional champions will meet in the league's inaugural football championship game scheduled to be held at the ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday, December 3, 2005.

The primary principles used in determining the 2005 schedule were to fulfill as much as possible the "home-away" situations from the 2004 schedule and eliminate repeat site games from the 2004 season to the 2005 season.

Atlantic

Maryland: Boston College; Clemson; at Florida State; at North Carolina; at NC State; Virginia; Virginia Tech; at Wake Forest
Clemson: Boston College; Duke; Florida State; at Georgia Tech; at Maryland; Miami; at NC State; at Wake Forest
NC State: at Boston College; Clemson; at Florida State; at Georgia Tech; Maryland; North Carolina; Virginia Tech; at Wake Forest
Wake Forest: at Boston College; Clemson; at Duke; at Florida State; at Georgia Tech; Maryland; Miami; NC State
Florida State: at Boston College; at Clemson; at Duke; Maryland; Miami; NC Sate; at Virginia; Wake Forest
Boston College: at Clemson; Florida State; at Maryland; at North Carolina; NC State; Virginia; at Virginia Tech; Wake Forest


Coastal

Virginia: at Boston College; Duke; Florida State; Georgia Tech; at Maryland; at Miami; at North Carolina; Virginia Tech
Georgia Tech: Clemson; at Duke; at Miami; North Carolina; NC State; at Virginia; at Virginia Tech; Wake Forest
North Carolina: Boston College; Duke; at Georgia Tech; Maryland; at Miami; at NC State; Virginia; at Virginia Tech
Duke: at Clemson; Florida State; Georgia Tech; at Miami; at North Carolina; at Virginia; Virginia Tech; Wake Forest
Miami: at Clemson; Duke; at Florida State; Georgia Tech; North Carolina; Virginia; at Virginia Tech; at Wake Forest
Virginia Tech: Boston College; at Duke; Georgia Tech; at Maryland; Miami; North Carolina; at NC State; at Virginia

The ACC divisional alignment (with primary crossover opponents listed opposite of one another) or the 2005 season:

Atlantic Coastal
Maryland Virginia
Clemson Georgia Tech
NC State North Carolina
Wake Forest Duke
Boston College Virginia Tech
Florida State Miami

Anarchy in the ACC
After another crazy weekend, check out who's tied for first place.
BY DAVE JOHNSON
247-4649
Published November 11, 2004

Looking at the ever-changing ACC standings, Virginia coach Al Groh couldn't help but notice the most obvious twist of fate.

"Most of the predictors in July had two teams from the same state being on top," Groh said. "It just wasn't from this state."

True enough. Nobody projected Virginia and Virginia Tech being tied for first place going into November's second weekend. Everybody thought it would be Miami and Florida State (or vice versa) holding down the 1-2 spots. Remember how their Sept. 10 game would supposedly decide the conference championship? Well, the Hurricanes won that game but are in fourth place.

It's been an interesting season, and the standings reflect it. About the only thing that has gone according to plan is Duke bringing up the rear.

"I think it's great for the conference," Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said of the topsy-turvy season. "If I was commissioner, I would really be smiling."

With 4-1 conference records, either Virginia and Virginia Tech - they play each other Nov. 27 in Blacksburg - will be the undisputed champion if one of them wins the rest of their games. Yet, either Florida State or Miami could still win the conference. In fact, they could still finish 1-2 after all.

It promises to be an interesting dash to the finish line. The key dates to watch: Saturday (Miami at Virginia), Nov. 27 (Virginia at Virginia Tech) and Dec. 4 (Virginia Tech at Miami).

Here's a team-by-team check-in:

Virginia (7-1, 4-1). With two of their last three games on the road, the Cavaliers probably have the toughest path. Beating Miami on Saturday is paramount. Then come trips to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, where U.Va. is a combined 1-7 since 1994.

Virginia Tech (7-2, 4-1). The Hokies have two of their final three games at home, including a Thursday night ESPN meeting with Maryland. And, by the way, how ironic would it be if Virginia Tech won the ACC championship in its first season? The Hokies were as wanted as termites when the league announced expansion plans 18 months ago.

Florida State (7-2, 5-2). Assuming they beat N.C. State tonight - and there's no reason to, since the Wolfpack has won two of the last three in this series - the Seminoles would win a share of the championship if neither Virginia nor Virginia Tech runs the table.

Miami (6-2, 3-2). The Hurricanes also control their destiny, though winning out only guarantees them of a share of the title.

In the end, we could end up with an undisputed champion. Or, for only the fourth time since 1965, the tie-breaker could come into effect (we could detail it here, but it would take another six paragraphs). Considering Virginia Tech and Virginia play Miami as well as each other, at least a two-way tie at this point seems likely.

And here's something to chew on: If a highly improbable chain of events unfolds over the next four weeks, we could have seven teams (Clemson, North Carolina and Georgia Tech joining the above) finish tied for first with 5-3 records. Sure, it's too crazy to happen.

But that it's even a possibility at this point shows just how interesting this ACC season has been.
 

A salute to Virginia football's seniors
J.d. Moss, Cavalier Daily Columnist

Just over 48 hours from now, 14 seniors will walk out of the tunnel into Scott Stadium for the final time.

The group may be small in size, but their contributions are anything but that. On the field, they have led Virginia to a 29-18 record and three straight bowl games. They have been selfless, playing for a different coach who did not recruit them. Six have degrees and more will earn them by May.

They will be honored on Saturday for their achievements on the field, and there is ample reason for this.

Though still injured, Chris Canty will return to Scott Stadium for the first time since suffering a knee injury Sept. 25. A two-time All-ACC defensive end, his leadership and energy drove the team. My view of Canty has already been made clear in this space, and his injury should not diminish the legacy he will leave behind.

Elton Brown almost quit high school football because he was being hit too hard. His mom told him that she would hit him harder if he didn't go back out there, and Virginia fans should be grateful to her. The 338-pounder has developed into the nation's best guard, earning midseason All-American honors and paving the way for the nation's sixth-best ground attack. He won the Jacobs Trophy last year and has twice earned ACC offensive lineman of the week.

From the first time Alvin Pearman touched the ball, it was obvious he would be special. He took the opening kickoff in his first game 61 yards and never looked back. He caught 63 passes last year, the most by a running back in school history, and emerged as a durable workhorse this year, with 38 carries for 223 yards against Duke.

He has battled back from both a torn ACL and a knee injury. When the coaches asked him to start a game at receiver earlier this year on less than 48 hours notice, Pearman didn't even balk. He has been part of some memorable plays, namely the receiving end of the "hook and ladder" that beat Georgia Tech in 2001.

Enjoying his best season, Pearman currently leads the ACC in all-purpose yards and ranks second in rushing per ACC game. Similarly, Dennis Haley has battled his share of adversity. He earned the starting outside linebacker job in 2002 but was forced to miss the season for academic reasons. It took him until this year to regain it, and he has responded with 41 tackles.

Marquis Weeks is another player who fits the "team player" mold, switching from tailback to safety over the winter. Always a fierce special teams hitter, Weeks has improved each week and ranks second in tackles while excelling on kickoff coverage.

Many viewed Andrew Hoffman as too small to play nose tackle in the 3-4 scheme, but the three-year starter has become a disruptive force inside this year, largely because of his relentless motor. He has 39 tackles and two sacks too, the first of his career. Virginia coach Al Groh has said publicly that no one is having a better season.

Another unheralded lineman who has made a major impact this year is center Zac Yarbrough. A three-year starter and Rimington Award finalist, Yarbrough was rewarded as ACC Lineman of the Week for his efforts against Maryland. He has yet to allow a sack as a starter and the Cavs are 22-7 when he starts.

Three players who bounced back from injuries to make key contributions as starters are Jay Hardy, Rich Bedesem and Michael McGrew. Hardy is another player who switched positions, moving from cornerback to safety before 2003. He played most of last year with a torn MCL yet still finished third in tackles and spent the offseason in rehab. Bedesem missed almost all of 2001 with a knee injury, but has come back to become a valuable inside linebacker, contributing while bouncing in and out of the starting lineup this year.

McGrew is a three-year starter at receiver who broke his leg in training camp last year and missed the whole season. He opted to return and has been a key leader on the Virginia offense.

Patrick Estes has been a valuable second tight end who is an outstanding blocker in jumbo sets. Brandon Isaiah has made critical plays as a reserve fullback and on special teams. Isaiah Ekejiuba has been a dominant special teams player whose energy can be seen when he takes the field for kickoff coverage and jumps up and down. And Jon Thompson is another such standout who blocked a punt earlier this year.

There may be more Cavaliers who will play for the last time in Scott Stadium on Saturday. (Aside: Ahmad and Heath, please stay in school!) But for these 14 young men, it will definitely be their last walk out of the tunnel.

Let them know how much you appreciate their efforts and contributions. They are truly a special group.

Speedy Canes, Hester could pester Virginia defense
Hurricanes boast speed similar to Florida State team that ran up 36 points on Virginia defense; Hester capable of game-changing returns
Patrick Mitchell, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer

Florida State rests in the panhandle and Miami hails from South Florida. The school colors are different, the mascots are different and most importantly the names on the backs of the jerseys are different.

But, one thing will definitely be the same this Saturday as Virginia faces another test from a Florida school: speed.

Miami "should be similar to Florida State," Virginia senior safety Jermaine Hardy said. "Those Florida schools always count on speed."

Perennial BCS contenders such as Miami and Florida State constantly keep their stables stocked with fast players that can change the momentum of a game every time they touch the ball. Speed kills, and on teams like Miami, there aren't just one or two guys that are fast.

Virginia coach Al Groh recognizes the advantage a team like Miami has over its opponents, with speed at every position.

"There's just a whole lot of them who can get up and go, so nobody's ever tired," Groh said. "It creates a difficult matchup at every spot. It's not just one player that you've got to take out of the game."

One Miami player that teams try to take out of the game, and rightfully so, is sophomore multipurpose star Devin Hester. Coming into this Saturday's game, Hester is averaging 22.8 yards per punt return (10th nationally) with three touchdowns on the season. On kickoffs, Hester averages 28.8 yards a return (third nationally), one of which he took 100 yards for a touchdown.

Two of Hester's returns came as part of a blowout against Louisiana Tech, but his 100-yard return at N.C. State and a 78-yard punt return late against Louisville both factored into narrow Miami victories.

Against Louisville, the Hurricanes were trailing in the fourth quarter before Hester took a punt to the house and put Miami up late in that game. Hester backed up his performance a week later against N.C. State, returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown that set the tone of Miami's 45-31 victory.

The amazing thing about speed is that it translates not just into success on special teams (Hester is on the coverage team too), but to all aspects of the game. Hester is not just a threat on special teams; he gets in on both offense and defense as well.

In the secondary, Hester has notched two interceptions this season and is the likely candidate to start at corner if senior Antrel Rolle cannot play this weekend. Offensively, Hester's role is more limited, but with very few touches, he managed to find the end zone once this year rushing the ball.

In a game that looks to be hard fought and closely contested, field position could be a deciding factor. The last time a Florida team visited Charlottesville, FSU last year, field position lost the game for the Cavaliers. Also, Virginia is coming off of a game in which it let Maryland return kickoffs for an average of 28 yards. So what can they do to stop a star like Hester and the rest of the Hurricanes?

"You just have to be even more prepared and even more confident in your assignments to where you can just go play instead of thinking about what you have to do," Virginia junior tight end Heath Miller said.

The last time Virginia faced a team with Miami's speed, they were clearly outplayed. To be successful Saturday, Virginia needs to learn from the FSU game and adjust.

Cavalier line pulls running game to top
Virginia's experienced line looks to help make the best single season running game improvement in ACC history
Joe Lemire, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor

It's smashmouth football, with a twist. Virginia's ground game, which ranks first in the ACC and sixth nationally, relies heavily on pulling linemen instead of more traditional straight-ahead blocking.

At 254.8 rushing yards per game, the Cavaliers have improved their average by 124.6 ypg, which if it stands, will be the greatest single season improvement in ACC history. Part of that success can be attributed to the experience of the line. All five players entered the season with some starting experience, and the weekly lineup has remained constant every game this year.

"We've got a bond in place without having to say anything," right guard Elton Brown said.

Brown estimated that he pulls on 75 to 80 percent of all running plays -- a blocking maneuver that requires precise timing from all players. But such schemes can have great rewards.

"You're bringing more guys to the spot," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "It creates more power at the point. Sometimes it allows us to establish some angles that help us block some people that perhaps we couldn't if we had blocked them straight up."

In addition to working on timing, pulling linemen need to be athletic and agile to move from their starting spot on the line to make a block at the point of attack. Groh has found the model of linemen he likes and hopes to continue that trend after the current line graduates.

"They have nice size to them, but this isn't a big, heavy line," Groh said. "It's common for lines to have 300-pounders on it, but we've only got one guy over 300 pounds."

Brown checks in at 338 pounds, but the lightest lineman, center Zac Yarbrough, weighs just 276. Yarbrough is an especially athletic center who is able to snap the ball and still pull to the outside on sweeps. But he has been highly effective in doing so and earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors for his play this Saturday against Maryland.

News and Notes

Saturday's game will be only the second all-time meeting between these two schools. Miami won the first contest, a 31-21 victory in the 1996 Carquest Bowl. Because the two teams are now aligned in the Coastal division of the ACC, they will play annually. ... Though the Hurricanes have lost their last two games on the final play, Virginia has not played in a game this season decided by fewer than 16 points. ... Alvin Pearman is second in the ACC in rushing yards in conference games (108.8 yards per game), trailing only Virginia Tech's Mike Imoh. Pearman is also tops in the conference in all-purpose yards, averaging 160.1 per game, nearly 40 yards better than second place. Groh endorsed Pearman as a possible candidate for ACC Player of the Year, citing his exceptional contributions in a variety of positions. ... Virginia's seniors will be recognized on Saturday before they play their final home game. This class has played its way to a 29-18 overall record and will likely play in their third bowl game at the end of the season. ... Miami enters Saturday's game at No. 18. Under Al Groh, Virginia is 7-9 against ranked opponents but is 5-3 at home against top-25 teams.

UM FOOTBALL
Band not on the run for Hurricanes
As a group and individually, Miami's running backs have met with little success in recent games.
BY SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN
sdegnan@herald.com

The days of Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis and Willis McGahee are long gone in Coral Gables. So are the days of a balanced offense.

These days at the University of Miami, rushing yards flow about as quickly as 5 p.m. traffic on I-95. A yard or two here. A yard or two there. The clock keeps ticking and the wheels barely move.

Hurricanes fans have been hearing a lot lately about the University of Virginia's power rushing game, and how the 10th-ranked Cavaliers (7-1, 4-1 ACC) run over and around their competitors. But they might not realize that the Cavs rank 11th nationally in rushing defense, allowing an average of 95.6 yards per game.

For the No. 18 Hurricanes (6-2, 3-2), who are 78th nationally in rushing (132.1 ypg) and meet Virginia in Charlottesville on Saturday, that presents an intriguing challenge:

Can UM put together two good halves of rushing offense?

''We're relaxing, man,'' said a frustrated Frank Gore, who ran for 83 yards the first half and 22 yards the second in last week's 24-17 overtime loss to Clemson. ``We're not finishing. We don't keep fighting. We play two quarters. That's it.''

TEAM STRUGGLES

As a team, the Hurricanes ran for 103 yards the first half of Clemson and lost 2 yards the second half. They average 237 yards in the passing game.

''We took a major step back offensively in the second half,'' UM coach Larry Coker said. ``To give you a concrete answer why, I don't know. We didn't block well. There were just a lot of things we did not do well. We had eight opportunities and we had eight punts. That speaks for itself.''

Starter Gore has 573 yards and six touchdowns.

Backup Tyrone Moss, who has 369 yards and five touchdowns, had seven carries for 19 yards last week. Since his 148 yards and two touchdowns at Houston on Sept. 23, Moss' best outing was 46 yards at Georgia Tech on Oct. 2.

Quadtrine Hill has added 110 yards on 18 carries for a 5.9-yard average.

''People just aren't keeping on blocks and finishing blocks the way we should be,'' Hill said. ``It's not just the O-line either. Backs miss reads, fullbacks don't keep their blocks. We just need to execute better as a team.

``Every play that doesn't work to perfection is frustrating. We should be getting over 200 yards a game running it.''

MENTAL MISTAKES

UM center Joel Rodriguez says the problem has been mostly mental mistakes.

''The first half, Clemson gave us a lot of fronts and were kind of testing their entire package against us,'' Rodriguez said. ``They settled into two or three base looks the second half. At one point, we actually ran the exact play three times and messed up three different ways.

``Virginia has a really good run defense, but they're different from Clemson in that they don't give you as many looks. They play the same defensive front the majority of the game -- a 3-4, old-style, New York Giants-type defense. They just think they can play their scheme better than you can and force you to make long drives and make mistakes.''

``We have to change our identity. We have to be a lot tougher than we have been in the past.''

On Wednesday, Andrew Bain practiced at first-team left guard, though Coker said Tony Tella would still start there.

''Hopefully, we can get this running game going,'' Moss said. ``This would be a good week to start.''

INJURY REPORT

• CB Antrel Rolle (toe) was not in uniform for practice and stood on the sideline, again wearing a protective boot on his right leg. Coker called him questionable, and said Rolle won't play this week if he doesn't practice; QB Kyle Wright (ankle) is doubtful. . . . DE Javon Nanton said he had a stinger in his left shoulder during practice Wednesday but was fine afterward.

The U vs. The University
'Canes looms on the horizon for Cavs
On the Front Row
Chris Graham
chris@augustafreepress.com

Al Groh said he wanted his team to be in the hunt on Nov. 1.

They were.

Following his team's win over Maryland this past weekend, he amended the earlier goal.

"Now we're going to try to get to Nov. 14," Groh said, without saying what looms on the horizon on Nov. 13.

That would be Miami, who until two weeks ago were a solid third in the national polls.

But that was before back-to-back losses to North Carolina and Clemson left Hurricane Nation wondering if perhaps it hadn't been undersold on how tough the Atlantic Coast Conference was really going to be.

"We just have to keep on working and keep getting better," 'Canes head coach Larry Coker said this week. "That's all we can ask of the players."

Groh knows the sinking feeling of a season gone wrong. Last month, a deflating 36-3 loss at Florida State had the pundits ranking the 'Hoos among the most overrated teams in college football.

Wins over Duke and the Terrapins seem to have righted the ship in Charlottesville - for now, at least.

"The Florida State loss told us what we had to do," linebacker Ahmad Brooks said. "It gave us the mindset that we had to do, and that was come out and play hard. We just want to be more physical than the other team."

"What we would like to do is just do a better job within the category of those things that we have identified to the players that, if you do them, you're going to make yourself into a team that's hard to beat," Groh said.

"Florida State played very well against us, and we did a number of things that are painful to do because they fall on the other side of that line of things that make you hard to beat. That's where we've got to start," Groh said.

Not turning the ball over would seem to be one way to stay on the right side of the line that Groh talked about there. The Cavs had two turnovers against Maryland on Saturday, both times giving the Terps the ball in superstellar field position.

"There's room for improvement," said quarterback Marques Hagans, who has completed 67 percent of his passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns versus three interceptions this season.

One of those interceptions came in the first quarter of the 16-0 victory over Maryland over the weekend.

"There are things we need to work on. As the week progresses, and Saturday comes, we'll be able to tell. We'll see on Saturday," Hagans said.

Brooks, for his part, called the Miami game "a second chance" for UVa. to prove itself against the elite in the ACC.

"The Florida schools, they have a lot of talent down there, a lot of speed. We're going to have to step up our intensity, our preparation, to be able to compete," Brooks said.

U.Va. recruit may not make grades
Poor first semester in classroom keeps guard's future on hold
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Nov 11, 2004

One of the four basketball players who committed to the University of Virginia for 2005-06 may not end up in Charlottesville.

Brian Moten, who committed to the Cavaliers in late September, didn't return a letter of intent yesterday, the first day of the NCAA's early signing period. U.Va. officials have balked at admitting Moten, his coach, Travis McAvene, said yesterday.

"He is not going to be accepted academically right now with where the grades are," McAvene said. "He's at least another quarter or two quarters away from getting what Virginia wants from him.

"Brian got mostly C's and a couple B's on his first quarter grades, and he needed A's and B's."

A 6-4 shooting guard, Moten signed with Western Michigan in 2003-04 as a high school senior in Saginaw, Mich. He failed to meet NCAA eligibility requirements, however, and is repeating the 12th grade at Christian Center Academy, a boarding school in Cincinnati.

Moten still wants to attend U.Va., McAvene said, and it's possible the university will clear him for admission. Another signing period opens in the spring.

"I think he just has to continue to get better in the classroom," McAvene said. "I think he's capable of doing it, and I think Virginia still believes in him as well. But the next eight weeks before Christmas are going to be crucial for him."

U.Va. coach Pete Gillen isn't allowed to comment on recruits before they sign. Virginia didn't announce any signings yesterday, but sources said there aren't any issues with Gillen's other recruits for 2005-06: 6-10 center Sam Warren, 6-8 forward Laurynas Mikalauskas and 6-6 swingman Mamadi Diane. - Jeff White

Facing a future as foes
Miami-U.Va. game first chance for Olsen brothers to battle
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
MIAMI AT U.VA.
SATURDAY:
3:30 p.m. ON THE AIR:
TV - ABC. Radio - WRVA (1140), 3 p.m. TICKETS:
Sold out

CHARLOTTESVILLE - The Olsen twins, they're not. Christian Olsen is nearly two years older than his brother Greg. But they're close friends who are accustomed to being teammates, not rivals, in football.

That will change Saturday when 18th-ranke
d Miami (3-2, 6-2) visits Scott Stadium for an ACC showdown with No. 10 Virginia (4-1, 7-1).

"We've been on the same team ever since we were little," Christian Olsen said. "This'll be the first time we've actually gone against each other on two separate teams."

Both are graduates of Wayne Hills High in New Jersey, where the coach is their father, Chris Olsen. Christian Olsen, a 6-3, 226-pound redshirt sophomore, is U.Va.'s No. 2 quarterback. Greg Olsen, a 6-5, 247-pound redshirt freshman, is in the Hurricanes' rotation at tight end.

Christian Olsen, who came out of training camp as Virginia's third-team quarterback, has since passed redshirt freshman Kevin McCabe on the depth chart. Olsen has appeared in four games, completing 10 of 12 passes for 88 yards. He hasn't been intercepted.

"It's been a great year," Olsen said. "We're doing great as a team, and the few opportunities I've had to get in there, I thought I got in there and held my own.

At Miami, only one player has more receiving yards than Greg Olsen, who's caught 15 passes for 264 yards and one touchdown. He missed the 'Canes' overtime loss to Clemson last weekend but is expected to play Saturday.

As a high school sophomore, Christian Olsen figured he'd end up at Miami, whose coach was Butch Davis. But then Davis left for the Cleveland Browns, and his departure changed Olsen's thinking. He ultimately chose Notre Dame over U.Va. and Miami, largely because of his visit to South Bend, Ind.

For Olsen, the Notre Dame mystique wore "off after about a year of being there," he said, "and I just felt [Virginia] would be the best place for me to continue my career."

Olsen, who redshirted at Notre Dame as a freshman in 2002, transferred to U.Va. the next summer. Not long after that, Greg, a newly arrived freshman at Notre Dame, followed suit. He transferred to Miami, where he took a medical redshirt last season after injuring his shoulder.

Greg Olsen never seriously considered joining his brother at U.Va.

"It didn't work out the first time," Christian Olsen said. "There was kind of pressure on him to follow me [to Notre Dame], and that's really not in his heart what he felt would be best for him. He loved Miami from the day he visited there, and probably that was the best spot for him. He was kind of forced almost into coming to Notre Dame, and I just figured I didn't want him to follow me again.

"This was the best place for me to go, and Miami was the best place for him to go. So we kind of thought it would be best to go our separate ways."

Cavs Put Big Men in Motion
By Jim Reedy
Special to The Washington Post
Thursday, November 11, 2004; Page D06

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Nov. 10 -- On some running plays, Virginia's offensive linemen just lunge across the line of scrimmage and block whoever is in front of them. It is simple and generally effective, the basic blocking scheme for football teams at any level.

But more often than not, the Cavaliers spice things up. One, two or three linemen pivot left or right at the snap of the ball and run toward the sideline, building up a head of steam to unload on defenders and clear an outside path for the running back.

Elton Brown, left, Zac Yarbrough help anchor an experienced Virginia offensive line in which at least one player pulls on most running plays. (John Mcdonnell -- The Washington Post)

Senior right guard Elton Brown, the preseason all-American who often leads the charge, estimates 75 to 80 percent of Virginia's running plays call for at least one pulling lineman -- far more than most teams.

"It's one of the things that we like our linemen to be able to do," Coach Al Groh said.

Groh and his coaches spent the past three years recruiting athletic, mobile linemen and drilling them on the details of this complex choreography of big men in motion, planting seeds that have blossomed this season. The 10th-ranked Cavaliers (7-1, 4-1 ACC) own the nation's sixth-best rushing attack (255 yards per game) and are tied for first in the conference standings entering Saturday's home game against No. 18 Miami (6-2, 3-2).

"They're just really in sync as far as the running game's concerned," Hurricanes Coach Larry Coker said of a Virginia squad that totaled 643 rushing yards in wins against Duke and Maryland the past two weeks.

Groh said the scheme allows an offense to bring overwhelming force to a particular area of the field, giving tailbacks Alvin Pearman and Wali Lundy as many as five blockers in front of them. Linemen also can often get better angles and more power behind their blocks when they meet defenders in the open field instead of at the line of scrimmage. It's the same reason the Cavaliers run so many screen passes.

"Your secondary has to be physical enough and has to be strong enough to tackle Lundy and Pearman one-on-one, because they seal people off," Duke Coach Ted Roof said.

Yet as difficult as the plays are to defend, they are equally difficult to execute. "You can't do this on a part-time basis," Groh said. "Because there are a lot of moving parts involved, it takes a significant commitment to it."

That's where Virginia's experience comes in. Brown, junior left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, junior left guard Brian Barthelmes, senior center Zac Yarbrough and junior right tackle Brad Butler have a combined 146 career starts. Each has at least 22, the equivalent of two full seasons.

"When you play together that long, it's kind of like you bond and click without saying anything," Brown said.

Only once this season have the Cavaliers been held to less than 225 yards on the ground, but they were held way under it, managing a mere 20 yards on 29 carries in their 36-3 loss at Florida State. Seminoles defenders were too fast on the edge for Virginia's linemen, though Cavs coaches and players chalked up the failure in part to just a bad day.

"It was a real reality check for us five," Yarbrough said. "It kind of put us in our place, I think. We took it all upon ourselves to get better every week and to go out there and play with the heart and tenacity we need."

Could the Cavaliers face a similar challenge this weekend? The Hurricanes' linebackers will be as fast as any the Cavaliers face this season, though Virginia's linemen practice every day against an equally talented corps.

"There are [other concerns], but it's hard to get past that" speed, Groh said. "I mean, it really is. The speed is tremendous. It keeps on coming. There are all sorts of guys who have it."

On the other hand, the Hurricanes rank 59th in the nation in rushing defense (149 yards per game). They allowed an average of nearly 200 rushing yards in the past four games, including upset losses to North Carolina and Clemson the past two weeks. Cornerback Antrel Rolle, Miami's best defensive player, might not play because of a turf-toe injury.

Still, the Hurricanes will do everything they can to make their first visit to Scott Stadium memorable. Job one is slowing Virginia's running game.

"The main thing you do is you have to really be aggressive and you have to get upfield," Coker said. "You have to make sure that you get off blocks . . . and then you have to tackle well."

Cavaliers Note: Fullback Jason Snelling practiced Tuesday for the first time since spraining his right ankle Oct. 7 against Clemson, but "I haven't seen anything to make me think that we'll use him" this weekend, Groh said. The initial prognosis when Snelling went down had him returning for next week's game at Georgia Tech, though "if and when we do get him back," Groh said, "it certainly will probably have to be in less than the full-time role that he was in."