Cavs can still earn share of ACC crown
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 16, 2004

While the similarities and differences are apparent in Virginia’s two losses this season, the truth remains that each counted as just one loss.
Both losses were to teams from Florida - Florida State (36-3) and Miami (31-21) - and both left the Cavs looking for answers.
And yet, despite those two losses, Virginia coach Al Groh knows his team is still in position to earn a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference title with a win at Georgia Tech (6-3, 4-3) on Saturday and a win at Virginia Tech on Nov. 27.
“As I have said repeatedly, if you’re in a conference you are in it for one purpose - that’s to try and win the conference championship,” said Groh, whose team is 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the ACC. “Otherwise, you might as well be an independent. If that’s what you are in it for, they all count one.
“I know you get tired of hearing me say that, but that’s the reality of it. If you are in it to win the championship, they all count one. There are no weighted wins. There are no weighted losses. They all count one.”
Knowing that two wins to close out the season will give Virginia a share of the title and a nine-win season is enough motivation for Virginia’s senior class.
“We want to go down as one of the best teams in Virginia history, and we haven’t had a 9-2 record in a long time,” said senior safety Marquis Weeks. “That’s what we’re looking forward to doing. We want people to remember us, the seniors, as guys who worked hard for the team and put a lot into it.”
Suddenly a starter. Chris Johnson, a redshirt freshman and local product from Charlottesville High School, got his first career start against Miami at defensive end.
Groh said the decision to start Johnson over junior Kwakou Robinson was made after closely monitoring an off-the-field issue.
“We made that change based on academic performance,” Groh said. “Kwakou was a little less diligent to a couple academic responsibilities that we’d asked him to be, so we made a switch on that basis.”
Robinson played against Miami but made just one tackle. Johnson, however, made seven tackles, the most in his short career.
Groh said he hopes that his decision on a starter for the Georgia Tech game can come strictly from on-field analysis.
“Now if both players this week are equally diligent to their academic responsibilities, then we’ll be able to make that decision solely based on their practice performance,” Groh said.
Over the past three games, Johnson has been on the field for 60 of the 105 plays he has played this season. For the season, the 6-foot-3, 275-pound rookie has 17 tackles.

Breaking down the BCS. While Groh said he is concerned only with winning his final two regular season games and finishing in a tie for the ACC title, the Cavaliers will need a number of events to occur if they are to get the automatic bid to the Bowl Championship Series.
Florida State has completed ACC play at 6-2. Virginia would match that record if they win at Georgia Tech and at Virginia Tech.
If the Cavaliers were in a two-way tie with FSU, they would need to be ranked more than five spots higher than the Seminoles to earn the bid.
So, Virginia fans can start by pulling for Florida to upset Florida State on Saturday. Florida has not won at Doak Campbell Stadium since FSU joined the ACC in 1991.
Even if Florida State loses to the Gators, it is possible that Virginia would not leap frog the Seminoles by more than five spots in the final BCS standings by beating an unranked Georgia Tech team and Virginia Tech, which is ranked 15th.
In the latest BCS poll, which was released Monday, FSU was ranked No. 8, and Virginia was No. 19.
UVa’s best chances likely rests in forcing a three-way tie with Florida State and, yes, as much as it may hurt UVa fans, with Virginia Tech.

Why the Hokies? Well, Virginia Tech and Florida State did not play each other this year.
The ACC’s BCS three-team tiebreaker states, “if two or all of the tied teams have not played each other, then the BCS bid goes to the highest-ranked team in the final BCS standings.”
That would mean Virginia would only need to be the highest ranked team in the ACC in the final BCS standings.
That could happen if Virginia wins out, Florida State loses to Florida and Virginia Tech beats Maryland and Miami.
To call it confusing is an understatement, but Groh is focused on winning two games and letting the chips fall where they may.
“All you can control as a team in this conference is to win your conference. That’s all you can control so that’s what you try to do,” Groh said. “Our job is different than everybody else’s job. Our job is to get ready for games and win. [The media’s] job is to keep the readers interested. So you can create all the scenarios and analyze the mindset of the players and the coaches and all that business. That’s interesting.
“I like to read about other teams in that circumstance, because I am a fan at heart too. But, I also know that’s just all it is. Players can’t be fans. They have to be players. They have to understand what it takes to be a player.”

News & Notes. Groh told reporters on Monday that he saw senior nose tackle Andrew Hoffman on Sunday and he was “okay.” Hoffman suffered a concussion in the opening series of the Miami game. … Fullback Jason Snelling’s status is not as good. Groh had said last week on his call-in show that he had hoped to have Snelling back for the Georgia Tech game. “It doesn’t seem as realistic now,” Groh said. … Ian-Yates Cunningham, who had back surgery in May, has not played in a game this season but Groh said the sophomore has “progressed to the point that if he can do something to help [the offensive line], he’s available.” … Tight end Jon Stupar has not dressed for the past two games. Groh said Stupar had a “reoccurrence” of a foot injury that sidelined the redshirt freshman in the preseason practice period. The injury, however, is “not to the same degree,” as the previous situation. … Virginia’s game at Virginia Tech on Nov. 20 will kickoff at 1 p.m.

Coach debunks analyst's analysis
UVa football
By Doug Doughty
981-3129
The Roanoke Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE - As far as anybody can tell, Virginia football coach Al Groh never said the Cavaliers had a chance to make a "statement" when they played host to Miami on Saturday.

A few other people did. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit called it "a landmark opportunity," saying it was a chance for the Cavaliers to establish themselves as one of the country's elite programs.

"Hey, that might be a valid thing, but that's not the way I feel," Groh said Monday. "I'm not dismissing it. Maybe it is, but I think you make statements by winning championships.

"I think New England made a statement last year [in the NFL]. I think Pittsburgh will make a statement if they win their division or win the championship. I don't think that Pittsburgh made a historical statement because they beat New England two weeks ago.

"That statement they made two weeks ago will be long forgotten if they don't win their division."

Groh was quick to dispel any notion that UVa's season is over now that the Cavaliers (7-2, 4-2 ACC) have lost both of their showdowns with perennial Florida powers, Miami and Florida State. Miami had lost two games in a row before visiting Scott Stadium.

"When things don't go well, whether you lose a game or you lose two games, the winds of negativity blow in like a hurricane," Groh said. "You could certainly sense this in everything you heard coming out of Miami: 'What's wrong with Miami? It's their recruiting. It's their running game. It's their playcalling. It's their this.'

"They lost two games on the last play of the game and the winds of negativity just blew in and surrounded the program. It happens every place. Boston lost three in a row [in the American League Championship Series] and you could almost smell the odor of negativity as it blew into the room: 'It's over. What's wrong with the Red Sox? Johnny Damon stinks. The pitching's no good.'

"That was a marvelous job on the part of that organization and that management and those players to stay organized and stay focused."

Miller back?

Preseason All-American Heath Miller, previously noncommittal on his return for a fifth year, had an attention-grabbing quote in the UVa game program Saturday.

"I plan on playing during my last year of eligibility and attending graduate school," said Miller, who was redshirted as a true freshman in 2001.

Virginia assistant sports information director Cathy Bongiovi Stewart, who wrote the story, said it was understood that Miller's comments pertained to how he feels "at this time."

Miller was one of 26 fourth- or fifth-year UVa players who were introduced Saturday. Many have remaining eligibility and their return is a foregone conclusion, although Marques Hagans, another fourth-year junior, did not go through the ceremony with his parents.

Injuries

Groh said he had spoken with nose tackle Andrew Hoffman, who suffered a concussion Saturday and played only nine snaps, and that Hoffman was "OK" by Sunday. Hoffman could be seen lobbying the coaches after halftime Saturday, "but he wasn't lobbying me," Groh said. "In addition to being in a different time zone from the rest of us, there was a matter of balance."

• Groh said that sophomore fullback Jason Snelling, out since Oct.7 with a ligament problem in one of his ankles, is behind the late-season timetable that doctors had established for his return.

• Tests have revealed that Jon Stupar's broken foot has not healed completely, as originally believed, and Stupar has returned to the sidelines after playing briefly in two games.

Odds 'n' ends

Game time for Virginia's regular-season finale Nov.27 at Virginia Tech has been set for 1 p.m. ... Redshirt freshman Chris Johnson started ahead of Kwakou Robinson at defensive end because Robinson had been lax in addressing some academic issues. ... Offensive guard Elton Brown, who plays on goal-line defense, was credited with the first tackle of his career.
 

U.Va. Football Report
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 16, 2004

Cavs know better than to take the trip to Atlanta lightly

Click here CHARLOTTESVILLE — Of all the weeks to be heading to Atlanta …

For Virginia , Atlanta — home of Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium — has been the place where streaks go to die in recent seasons.

The Cavaliers had a six-game winning streak end in Atlanta in 2002, a five-game streak halted in 1998 and a four-game streak stopped in 1996.

This time, the Cavaliers head south without much momentum, following a 31-21 loss to Miami on Saturday. But they have plenty left to play for.

By winning its final two games — at Georgia Tech on Saturday and at Virginia Tech on Nov. 27 — Virginia (7-2, 4-2 ACC) can claim a share of the ACC title.

“If you’re in a conference you’re in it for one purpose: to try to win the conference championship,” coach Al Groh said. “Otherwise, you might as well be an independent.

A win over Miami would have been a landmark for the Virginia program, would have propelled the Cavaliers up the national polls and kept them in first place in the conference.

But for purposes of the conference standings, it’s just one game, Groh said.

“If you’re in it to win a championship, they all count as one,” he said. “There are no weighted wins; there are no weighted losses. They all count as one.”

Even so, some hurt more than others, tailback Alvin Pearman said.

“It was a very tough game emotionally,” Pearman said. “It was a tough loss. But we’re a resilient team.

“The feeling and the hurt of that game is going to serve as a motivator for us for the remainder of the year.”

Loss to Miami leaves Groh tossing, turning

Groh was back in his office at 3:45 a.m. Sunday, breaking down film of the Miami loss.

“Sometimes sleep comes hard,” he said. “You see all those ghosts running around.”

Particularly on special teams, where a couple of blown assignments cost the Cavaliers dearly. Miami’s Roscoe Parrish returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown and set up another touchdown with a 45-yard return.

Virginia missed another opportunity when it devised a scheme to free safety Nate Lyles to block a Miami punt. Lyles broke free, just as planned, but ran into the kicker.

Groh said beating Miami was going to require a big play or two on special teams. Miami got them; Virginia didn’t. “If he blocks it, it goes in the end zone, then, boom, that’s one of those plays,” he said.

Fullback Snelling still out; Hoffman will play

Fullback Jason Snelling, who has missed four games with an ankle injury, won’t return this week, as had been expected, Groh said.

But nose tackle Andrew Hoffman, who suffered a concussion Saturday, will play. Guard Ian-Yates Cunningham, who has been out with a back injury, is also available to play. Cunningham was expected to start at left guard this year, but has missed all nine games.

Quick kicks … Kickoff for the Virginia Tech game is 1 p.m. The game will be televised by ABC. ... Groh said Chris Johnson started in place of Kwakou Robinson at defensive end Saturday because Robinson had academic issues. Johnson and Robinson will compete for the starting job in practice this week, Groh said.

Hagans is at a loss to explain passing falloff
BY DAVE JOHNSON
247-4649
Published November 16, 2004

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- A month ago, everything was coming pretty easy for Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans.

HE WAS AMONG THE NATION'S LEADERS IN PASS EFFICIENCY. HE WAS HAILED BY ESPN'S TALKING HEADS AS ONE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S MOST EXCITING QUARTERBACKS. AND AT THE SEASON'S MIDPOINT, HE WAS CONSIDERED AMONG THE TOP CANDIDATES FOR ACC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR.
Going into what amounts to an elimination game at Georgia Tech this weekend, Hagans is slumping. In the Cavaliers' last two games, he has completed 20 of 42 passes for 208 yards. He has thrown three interceptions - one more than his total in the season's first seven games - and one touchdown pass.

Virginia's offense was so lopsided Saturday against Miami that of its 117 yards at halftime, none were in the air. Hagans had completed two passes, one for 3 yards, another for minus-3.

"I don't know," he said when asked about the passing game's problems.

In the Cavaliers' past two games, 516 of the offense's 724 yards (71 percent) have come on the ground. Wide receivers have four of the team's 20 receptions in that span. And the more this continues, the more defenses will stack the line and dare Hagans to throw.

Virginia coach Al Groh believes how Hagans handles his slump will help define him.

"It's part of the process of playing this position, and that's what really determines the quarterback," Groh said. "It's pretty smooth sailing to be the quarterback when you've just gone 25-for-30 for three or four touchdowns. The quarterback's the toast of the town and can't get anointed for enough awards.

"The challenge in being a quarterback is after you've gone 13-of-31 with three interceptions and the whole world is telling you what you know better than anybody else. With those type of visible positions, if things don't go well, the winds of negativity blow in like a hurricane."

An interesting suggestion surfaced during Groh's weekly press conference Monday: Has the Cavaliers' success in the running game had an adverse effect on the rhythm of the passing attack. Groh didn't disagree with the premise.

"Obviously you can't run two plays at the same time," he said. "There's a tradeoff in all of it. Some of those games in the past when our MO was 40 or 45 throws, we stayed in real good rhythm offensively. But you could say, did that keep us from getting in a groove with the running game? That might have, but that's the tradeoff."

Still, the Cavs (7-2, 4-2) will need better balance if they hope to win their last two games and claim a share of the ACC title. A loss Saturday would eliminate U.Va. from the championship.

SHORTS

Next week's game at Virginia Tech is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. and will be televised regionally by ABC. ... Nose tackle Andrew Hoffman, who saw only a couple plays Saturday before being sidelined because of a concussion, is expected to start Saturday. ... Offensive tackle Ian-Yates Cunningham, who has missed all season after undergoing back surgery, was in uniform Saturday night but did not play. ... Groh said fullback Jason Snelling, who has missed four games with a sprained ankle, isn't close to returning.

For UM, a lucky miss
By SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN
sdegnan@herald.com

Jon Peattie's lack of realization that his coach had called a timeout a moment before he attempted a fourth-down, 42-yard field goal in the fourth quarter changed the University of Miami's fortune Saturday and maybe even the outcome of the game at then-No. 10 Virginia.

then have Peattie kick with about a minute left in the game. Coker told the official he wanted the timeout, the official signaled it, but an unknowing Peattie kicked the ball and it landed short.

''I was going to use as much clock [as I could],'' Coker said. ``And then I changed my mind and decided to go for the [25-yard] touchdown [pass to Roscoe Parrish].''

Did Peattie's failed kick change his mind?

Said Coker, smiling: ``That could help make a decision.''

The coach said Parrish was the only receiver on the play that put UM ahead 31-21 to seal the victory.

''Even if we would have run the ball, the clock would have stopped in the change of possession,'' Coker said. ``So if the pass had been incomplete, we really wouldn't have lost much.''

After a great first season in which he led all freshmen in scoring with 103 points and hit 22 of 28 field-goal attempts, Peattie is 11 for 20. On Saturday, he missed a 29-yarder wide right and hit the 43-yarder that put the Hurricanes up 17-14 at the end of the third quarter.

• Gore honored: Frank Gore was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Back of the Week on Monday for his 195-yard performance at Virginia.

U.VA. NOTES
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Nov 16, 2004

BUMBLING AROUND: To say that Virginia was less than flawless in its 31-21 loss to ACC rival Miami on Saturday would be an understatement. So maybe it was fitting that the Cavaliers' fourth-year coach, Al Groh, referred to "Larry, Moe and Curly" when responding yesterday to a reporter's question about the game.

"We all know who they are, right?" Groh said. "We had a few of those out there Saturday, including me: the king of the Stooges. I don't self-anoint myself as many things, but I will as one of the Three Stooges on Saturday."

The loss knocked Virginia (4-2, 7-2) out of a tie for first place in the ACC. The Cavaliers' final two regular-season games are on the road, against Georgia Tech (4-3, 6-3) on Saturday and Virginia Tech (4-1, 7-2) on Nov. 27.

A sweep of the Techs would earn U.Va. a share of the ACC title. The team's seniors know what's at stake.

"We want to go down as one of the best teams in Virginia history, and we haven't had a 9-2 record in a long time," safety Marquis Weeks said yesterday. "That's what we're looking forward to doing. We want people to remember us, the seniors, as guys who worked hard for the team and put a lot into it."

Under Groh, Virginia is 0-4 in road games played in November.

MAKING THE GRADE: Chris Johnson replaced junior Kwakou Robinson in the starting lineup at defensive end against Miami, and the redshirt freshman from Charlottesville made a career-high seven tackles.

"We made that change based on academic performance," Groh said. "Kwakou was a little less diligent to a couple academic responsibilities that we'd asked him to be, so we made a switch on that basis. Now if both players this week are equally diligent to their academic responsibilities, then we'll be able to make that decision solely based on their practice performance."

MEDICAL REPORT: Senior nose tackle Andrew Hoffman, who sat out most of the Miami game after suffering a concussion early in the first quarter, is OK, Groh said. Hoffman was listed as the starter on the depth chart handed out yesterday.

The news isn't so good for sophomore Jason Snelling or redshirt freshman Jonathan Stupar. Snelling, the team's No. 1 fullback, hasn't played since severely spraining an ankle Oct. 7 against Clemson. Doctors had hoped that Snelling could return for this weekend's game, but that goal "doesn't seem as realistic now," Groh said yesterday.

Stupar, a reserve tight end, broke his foot in August and missed U.Va.'s first five games. He played against Florida State and Duke but has been sidelined since late last month after having more problems with his foot, Groh said.

Ian-Yates Cunningham, who started the final five games at offensive guard as a true freshman in 2003, had offseason back surgery and hasn't played this year. But Cunningham suited up for the Miami game and has "progressed to the point that if he can do something to help us, he's available," Groh said.

LOW PROFILE: In the Sept. 4 opener at Temple, sophomore Fontel Mines started at wideout and caught two passes for 29 yards before breaking his right collarbone in the first half.

The former Hermitage High star returned for the Cavaliers' seventh game, Oct. 23 against Duke, and rejoined the rotation at receiver. But Mines has yet to catch a pass since coming back and, in fact, has had only one opportunity to do so. That came against Miami on a poorly thrown pass by Marques Hagans to open the fourth quarter.

"We're not trying to avoid him," Groh said. "He's not an afterthought. We would like to see it go to him a bit more, but there are other issues in that."

The Cavs have struggled with their passing game recently, but they lead the ACC in rushing offense, thanks in part to the superb blocking of their receivers, including the 6-4, 215-pound Mines.

FIRST-YEAR PHENOM: The Cavaliers will face one of the nation's most gifted wide receivers Saturday, and he's only a true freshman. Calvin Johnson, who yesterday was named ACC rookie of the week, stands 6-4, weighs 225 pounds and has great hands.

In Georgia Tech's 30-10 win over Connecticut last weekend, Johnson had six receptions for 131 yards. That performance helped him set a freshman record at Georgia Tech for receiving yards. Johnson has gained 624 yards and scored six touchdowns on 36 catches.

"We've seen a couple, not very many, 6-4 receivers, and certainly none that are 225 and none with that combination on tape who seem to be able to stretch the defense as he has," Groh said. "Obviously to do what he has as a young player, he's got special skills. . . . The eye-to-hand [coordination] and the ball skills that he's demonstrated, I think more than the size and speed, are what has differentiated him to this point." - Jeff White

Cavs' special teams prove not so special
Virginia gives up big punt returns, alters kickoff plan due to Miami's speed, but still unable to contain the Canes
Jeremy Root, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

The Virginia coaches focused all last week on how to contain Miami's speed on special teams. While the Cavaliers were able to limit Miami's returns on kickoffs, they struggled to restrain the Hurricanes' punt return units.

Junior Kurt Smith typically handles the Cavaliers' kickoff duties with the objective of kicking the ball into the endzone to force the opposing team's kick return unit to down the ball. Virginia coaches, however, were so concerned about the speed of the Hurricanes that during practice last week they implemented a "blip kick" that focused on kicking the ball higher rather than longer in order to limit Miami's return ability.

On Saturday, after Smith took the two kickoffs in the first half, place kicker Connor Hughes came in to take the two second-half kicks. Despite Smith's success -- Miami's average starting field position on his two kickoffs was the 22.5 yard line -- Hughes handled the duties in the second half because he was better suited for the high kicks. The longer the ball was in the air on the kickoffs, the more time Virginia's coverage unit had to get down the field to cover the kick. On Hughes' two kickoffs, Miami's average starting field position was the 29-yard line.

"We kept the time-bomb from exploding and did not give up significant field position," Virginia coach Al Groh said about kicking off to Miami. "However the first two kicks, while they were well covered, didn't quite go according to what the plan was, so we didn't want to try our luck any further and the next two kicks were a little more accurately placed."

The containment plan did not work out so well on the punting side of special teams. Virginia averaged 36.0 yards per punt Saturday afternoon, but Miami's three fair catches plus 33.5 average yards per return left Virginia with a net punting average of 16.9 yards. Although the Hurricanes averaged less yards per punt, 32.2, they had a net punting average of 31.6 yards because the Cavaliers' averaged only 3.0 yards per return.

All week long Virginia focused on controlling Miami's dynamic sophomore kick-returner Devin Hester, but it was junior Roscoe Parrish who torched them last weekend with a 45-yard punt return to setup a touchdown in the second quarter and a 62-yard return for a score in the fourth to put Miami up 24-14.

"For us to give up two big returns like that, it changed the game," safety Marquis Weeks said. "It wasn't even Hester that did it to us."

Groh said Virginia had a chance to make the tackle early on each punt return, but failed to do so. Senior Dennis Haley, who was on the two punt units, said he should have made the play on Parrish, but claimed he was pushed in the back.

"If that's his report on the matter, then as an impartial observer, I would say he was probably correct on both accounts," Groh said. "It wasn't difficult for me to come to that conclusion."

The Cavaliers had a chance to make a big special teams play in the third when they were down 14-7. Freshman Nate Lyles came within inches of blocking Miami's punt on fourth and four, but missed and received a roughing the kicker penalty to keep the Hurricane drive alive.

"All [Lyles] had to do was run through the place where it was setup," Groh said. "If you make those kinds of plays collectively as a team in those kinds of games, you win."

News and notes

Of the 117 teams in Division IA football, Virginia is dead last with a 34.26 net average on punts. The next closest team, Southern Methodist, is over three yards ahead of the Cavaliers. The total spread of the top 116 teams is less than 10 yards. ... Sophomore Ian-Yates Cunningham, who injured his back this spring and has yet to play in a game this season, dressed for the Miami game. "He's progressed to the point where if he can do something to help us, he's available," Groh said. ... Groh originally said that according to doctors, fullback Jason Snelling -- out with an ankle sprain -- might be able to return for Georgia Tech, but Monday said that "doesn't seem as realistic now." ... The next two road contests at Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech will both have 1 p.m. kickoffs.

Not swept away by a Hurricane just yet
Joe Lemire, Cavalier Daily Columnist

The Cavaliers can still win the ACC, or at least a share of it. Innumerable scenarios still exist for the end of the season, but the best case for Virginia football includes a tie with Florida State atop the conference. The two would then be declared co-champions, and even though FSU beat the Cavaliers in the regular season, Virginia would have a slim chance to advance to a BCS bowl depending on the final national rankings.

In other words, the season is not over. The vibe since Saturday's loss to Miami has been defeatist and, I have to add, very similar to fans of the pre-2004 Red Sox. Don't take just my obviously biased word for it, as even head coach Al Groh made the unprompted comparison in yesterday afternoon's press conference.

"Boston lost three in a row in the [American League Championship Series], where you could almost smell the odor of negativity -- 'the season's over, what's wrong with the Red Sox?'" Groh said. "That was a marvelous job on the part of that organization, that manager and those players to stay focused, take what they had and try to win the next game."

Groh also expressed his disappointment of the sudden turnaround in public and media perception of a team after just one game. He reminded everyone yesterday for the umpteenth time that every game counts for just one in the standings, yet Saturday's loss seemed to reverberate harder than it should have.

"If things don't go well, the winds of negativity blow in like a hurricane," Groh said.

It was an apt pun and simile Mr. Groh used to explain the pessimistic buzz hovering over Charlottesville the past 72 hours, as it was indeed the Miami Hurricanes who swept in and seemingly sucked the life out of Wahoo Nation.

Groh then proceeded to lecture the assembled sportswriters on the difference between the job of the team and the task of the scribe.

"Our job is to get ready for games and to win," he said. "Your job is to keep the readers interested. You can create all the scenarios, analyze the mindset of the players and coaches and all that business. I like to read about other teams because I'm a fan at heart, too. Players can't be fans -- they have to be players."

Therefore, don't listen to anything I have to say. I'm serious. Read what I and other writers theorize about, discuss it with friends as a point of conversation, but do not truly listen to or fully believe in anything I say about intangibles such as momentum, mentality or psyche.

Though I may (or may not) be able to concoct compelling analysis or offer plausible outcomes on the Virginia team, nothing I say in this space will change the results of the game each Saturday. That's especially the case with this Cavalier team that has shown unshakable resolve since the beginning of the season. Groh has stressed all year that this squad has a particular sense of purpose about it that has been uniquely impressive.

The primary purpose of this year's team is of course to win the ACC title. That Virginia can still be crowned at least co-champs has made Saturday's loss easier for the Cavaliers to stomach.

"It should -- that's the goal in the first place," Groh said. "There are none of those intermediate targets during the course of the year for us. I've said repeatedly, if you're in a conference, you're in it for one purpose: to try and win the conference championship. Otherwise, you might as well be an independent."

Forget any notion that Virginia might still be reeling from the loss to Miami come time by kickoff of Saturday's showdown with Georgia Tech.

"You start all over again every week," Groh said. "Win, lose or draw, we start all over again. I don't really think you can do that on the basis of momentum. It starts all over again every Sunday morning."

Two mornings ago, Virginia awoke as a team with two conference losses. So did Miami, and so did Florida State. Virginia Tech may only have one, but they have three remaining ACC games. That's a lot of football to be played, and if Groh's comments from yesterday are to be believed, I may or may not know what I'm talking about.