Groh and Co. finally break futility streak
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
November 21, 2004
ATLANTA

Coach Al Groh had to exorcise a few demons from Virginia’s football past when he brought his Cavaliers to the heart of Dixie. With their entire season on the line and playing in an old haunt where past Wahoo teams have faltered, Groh pulled out all the stops to keep his team in the ACC hunt.

It had been a decade since Virginia had won at fabled Bobby Dodd Stadium, having once blown a 21-point halftime lead. During that streak, the Cavs seemed to have arrived in Hotlanta in some sort of inescapable fog.

Not this time

UVa shook off its hangover from a deflating loss to Miami a week ago and did everything required in handing host Georgia Tech a 30-10 defeat. The Yellow Jackets had been one of the ACC’s hottest teams of late, having won back-to-back without their all-conference running back, P.J. Daniels, having discovered potentially spectacular receiver Calvin Johnson in the process.

Tech’s defense had also stiffened in wins down the home stretch, having held four of its last five opponents to less than 100 yards rushing.

The Jackets had just as much to gain as Virginia. Coach Chan Gailey, former Boss Hog of the Dallas Cowboys, wanted to win this one to enhance his team’s bowl chances with rival Georgia looming in the Jackets’ path.

A momentum builder

For Virginia, this one meant everything. A loss would have dropped the Cavaliers into sixth place in the 11-team ACC. That would have been quite a freefall by a team once ranked No. 6 in the nation.

With the win, UVa improved to 8-2 overall and 5-2 in the ACC, setting up next Saturday’s dramatics in Blacksburg. The winner of the Virginia vs. Virginia Tech game is guaranteed at least a share of the ACC title.

Saturday, the Cavs carved out a win in similar fashion to how Groh has pushed and motivated his team down the stretch in the last few seasons.

He made a key personnel change, starting true freshman kicking specialist Chris Gould as punter, benching Sean Johnson, who had faltered in recent weeks. Not many coaches would burn a promising freshman’s year 10 games into a season, but Groh didn’t blink.

Damn the calendar, Groh lives by the motto of whatever it takes, whenever necessary.

Trust in Big Al

He also cut quarterback Marques Hagans loose, giving him the freedom to get out on the corner and make decisions, using his God-given ability to disturb the sleep patterns of defensive opponents.

But most of all, Virginia did it with defense, which has to be Groh’s pride and joy.

The Cavaliers harassed Georgia Tech’s offense all day long, sacking mobile quarterback Reggie Ball six times, chasing him from the pocket, and beating him up. Virginia intercepted two of his passes (both by corner Marcus Hamilton), recovered one of his fumbles and prevented him from turning the game into a flying circus.

“Reggie’s a very, very good player,” said Groh, who with the win became only the fourth coach in UVa history to win 30 games in a career. “We felt like we had to make it hard for him to operate, not make it an easy day back there where he could step in and take aim at his targets. Our pass rushers had a good game.”

Junior linebacker Darryl Blackstock, who became the second-leading quarterback sacker in UVa history (27), got his mitts on Ball three times as the school’s and the ACC’s all-time sack king, Chris Slade (40), looked on from the sidelines.

“The big emphasis in this week’s preparation was to get into their backfield and pressure the quarterback,” said senior nose tackle Andrew Hoffman, who came back with a vengeance from last week’s concussion against Miami. “Coach [Al] Golden [UVa’s defensive coordinator] talked about it all week. We found defense that worked against their style of offense.”

Golden turned his linebackers loose, blitzing from everywhere, which not only pressured Ball, but clogged up Tech’s running lanes as the Jackets pounded out only 86 yards on 34 rushes.

“Virginia did a really good job of keeping us off balance up front,” Ball said. “They did a really good job with blitzing their linebackers. Sometimes our backs couldn’t get a clean block on them.”

Gailey was caught off guard a bit by the Cavaliers’ defensive strategy that sank the Yellow Jackets to 6-4, 4-4.

“They were doing a lot more inside blitzing than they had done before,” Gailey said. “We weren’t able to run the ball between the tackles as effectively as we would have liked. We didn’t complete our passes. We tried to make an adjustment to throw the ball a little more and we didn’t complete passes. We had Calvin [Johnson] a couple of shots early in the first quarter and we missed down the sideline.”

Virginia’s gamble to blitz early and often left freshman cornerback Phillip Brown exposed a few times, with the 6-4 Johnson using his unique size and speed to take advantage of the matchup. But eventually, Hamilton, who lost his starting job to Brown a few weeks ago, picked off a pass intended for Johnson in the end zone, swinging momentum toward the Cavaliers.

Leading 10-3, Virginia took advantage of Hamilton’s pick and put together a methodical, 80-yard march to score for a 17-3 lead. The Jackets fumbled the ensuing kickoff, resulting in a UVa field goal, as the opportunistic Cavaliers converted three early Tech turnovers into 17 of their first 20 points of the game.

Now, that’s what Groh preaches day after day. Turnovers make the difference between winning and losing seasons, between good and great seasons.

“Field position was a big objective of ours in the game,” Groh said. “Quick field position turnarounds come from turnovers and from special teams. Some of the takeaways we got with the defense were key to getting the good field position to swing in our favor.”

Virginia came into the game ranked last in the ACC in takeaways with seven, so the gains Saturday combined with the sacks were significant.

At times it appeared Ball was content to just throw the ball up to Johnson and let him use his size to go get it over UVa’s smaller corners.

“There were a couple of back-to-back go patterns,” said Hamilton, who received a game ball for his pair of picks. “I guess they thought we just weren’t that good. It wasn’t planned that I would be on Johnson a lot, it just worked out that way. The Lord blessed me to make a couple of plays out there.”

Atlanta represented a crossroads for the Cavaliers as the season could have turned into a disappointment or a potential share of the title. The win set up next week’s showdown in Blacksburg.

“We have the most challenging game we will play all year long next week,” Groh said. “When I was asked about the new teams joining the ACC and if it would intensify the [UVa vs. Virginia Tech] rivalry, I said I didn’t think it could. But it puts it in a different context for the two teams.”

Next Saturday is Virginia’s ACC Championship game.

The hunt is still on.

All-around domination
Virginia converts four GT turnovers
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 21, 2004

ATLANTA – One Tech down, one Tech to go.

Virginia (8-2, 5-2) kept alive its hopes of winning an Atlantic Coast Conference title with a 30-10 win over Georgia Tech (6-4, 4-4) at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday.

Alvin Pearman scored two rushing touchdowns for the 18th-ranked Cavaliers and the offense turned four Georgia Tech turnovers into 20 points. Thanks to strong play on special teams, Virginia played one of its best all-around games of the season.

UVa coach Al Groh said it was a “gritty win by our players.”

“It was a real team operation,” Groh said. “It was tough, grinding action on offense. Defensively, they stepped up obviously and did a terrific job. Our special teams and our kickers, I thought, were terrific. Special teams helped us define the game. That was one of the things we said was necessary for us to do coming in.”

Virginia’s defense set the tone from the first play from scrimmage.

Georgia Tech tailback Rashaun Grant was tackled in the backfield for a 4-yard loss as he was rudely greeted by defensive end Chris Johnson and linebacker Kai Parham.

The Cavaliers kept that passion on defense the entire game.

With 4:22 left in the opening quarter, Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball fumbled on a keeper at the Virginia 43.

UVa’s offense took over from there.

Six plays after the turnover, Pearman raced into the end zone from 6 yards out. That gave Virginia a 7-0 lead, something they would not relinquish.

The Cavaliers made it 10-0 when Connor Hughes connected on a 33-yard field goal midway through the second quarter.

The momentum shifted early in the third quarter.

After Georgia Tech forced Virginia to punt on its opening possession of the second-half, the Yellow Jackets scored on a 34-yard field goal by Travis Bell.

Five plays later, Virginia was forced to punt again.

Trailing 10-3, Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball moved the ball into UVa territory with a 20-yard pass to freshman wideout Calvin Johnson.

Ball tried to go to Johnson again on the next play from scrimmage, but Virginia cornerback Marcus Hamilton picked off the pass in the end zone.

The momentum quickly shifted back in Virginia’s favor.

“We thought they were going to press [Johnson] man-to-man, but we hit them on the deep ball earlier and pressed out of there and threw it up and Calvin wasn’t able to get it,” Ball said.

That turnover proved costly as UVa’s offense marched 80 yards on eight plays for a touchdown. Virginia tailback Wali Lundy capped the drive with a 32-yard touchdown run around the right end of offensive line giving the Cavaliers a 17-3 lead.

Ball downplayed the turnover and lost momentum.

“You can’t base the whole game on one play,” Ball said. “That was a turnover, our defense was back on the field, they scored again and we get the ball. But you can’t base the whole game on one play.”

On the ensuing kickoff, Georgia Tech’s Levon Thomas fumbled as UVa’s Brandon Isaiah tried to make the tackle. The loose ball bounced right into Isaiah’s hands.

Virginia capitalized on the turnover again as Hughes connected on a 27-yard field goal, the second of three field goals for the junior.

Pearman added another touchdown on Virginia’s first drive of the fourth quarter.

After a holding penalty on Georgia Tech on third-and-6 gave the Cavaliers a first down at the Jackets’ 46, Hagans dumped a screen pass to Pearman. The tailback followed his blockers down to the 1-yard line.

Pearman spun into the end zone on a handoff on the next play, giving Virginia a 27-3 lead with 14:27 left in the game.

Hamilton sealed the win for the Cavaliers as he picked off his second pass of the game just two minutes later.

“Marcus had a real good game for us,” Groh said. “Anytime a defensive back gets two interceptions, he’s made a major contribution.”

Another hero for Virginia was punter Chris Gould. The true freshman, who was playing for the first time all season, punted seven times for an average of 43.7 yards per kick and had two 50-plus yard kicks.

Gould was filling in for Sean Johnson, who was benched after posting a net punting average of 26.5 yards. Poor punting played a role in Virginia’s 31-21 loss to Miami on Nov. 13.

“In nine weeks, we hadn’t really had anybody step up and do what needed to be done with the punting job,” Groh said. “I really didn’t know what was going to happen, but I know one thing, [Gould] has moxie. And the players knew that, too. We’re going to use every resource we have to try and win a game.”

With Virginia fighting for an ACC title, Groh said the decision was easier.

“Who knows when we’re going to be back in this position again? Who knows how that game would have gone without him today?” Groh said.

For the game, Virginia gained 207 yards on the ground. Pearman paced the Cavaliers with 83 yards on 17 carries. Lundy chipped in with 10 rushes for 57 yards.

Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey pointed at Virginia’s offensive line for answers.

“I do believe overall that it is probably the best offensive line that we have played all year,” Gailey said. “I thought that coming in, and they went out and played well today.”

Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans finished 19-of-28 passing for 171 yards.

Georgia Tech finished with 86 yards rushing and 226 yards passing.

Cavalier Notebook
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress sports editor
November 21, 2004

Getting help from the Gators. Virginia knew it needed to win to keep its slim chances of earning a bid to the Bowl Championship Series alive.
They also knew they needed some help from the Florida Gators if they were going to be able to leap frog Florida State in the final BCS standings.
The Gators delivered with a win over their in-state rival.
Florida State, which entered the week ranked No. 8 in the BCS standings, should drop when this week’s standings are announced on Monday. While Virginia may not pass the Seminoles this week, they should if they win on Saturday at Virginia Tech. That would leave Virginia at 9-2 and FSU at 8-3.
The Cavaliers would then need Virginia Tech to win its final game on Dec. 4 at Miami, putting Virginia in a three-way tie for the ACC title with FSU and Virginia Tech.
In that scenario, Virginia would need only to be the highest-ranked team in the final BCS standings.

Picking it off. Virginia cornerback Marcus Hamilton picked off two passes against Georgia Tech and both came in the Cavaliers’ end zone.
Hamilton, who was removed from the starting lineup in favor of Philip Brown before the Maryland game on Nov. 6, entered the game with two interceptions.
It marked the second time this season that a Cavalier defender picked off two passes. Ahmad Brooks pulled off that feat against Maryland.

Blackstock is Sack-Stock. Virginia linebacker Darryl Blackstock sacked Georgia Tech QB Reggie Ball three times.
With the three-sack performance, Blackstock currently has 27 career sacks. That ranks the junior second in ACC history for sacks by a linebacker. Marco Coleman, who played at Georgia Tech from 1989-91, holds the record with 27.5 sacks.
It marked the third-straight game that Blackstock finished with more than one sack.

Stepping up. Virginia senior Michael McGrew made eight catches for 55 yards against the Yellow Jackets.
McGrew entered the game with only four catches for 43 yards in Virginia’s five previous games.
Of McGrew’s eight receptions from quarterback Marques Hagans, three of them from went for first downs.
“We just wanted to come out and show we could pass the ball,” McGrew said. “As a receiver, you always want to get the ball. Luckily, Marques was able to find me.”

Staying home. Virginia wide receiver Deyon Williams did not make the trip to Atlanta for the Georgia Tech game. Williams hurt his ankle in practice this past Wednesday.
Sources close to the team indicated that the injury would sideline the sophomore for the season.
Virginia fullback Jason Snelling, offensive lineman Ian-Yates Cunningham and tight end Jonathan Stupar were among the other notables who did not travel to Atlanta for the game.

Extra points. Virginia tailback Wali Lundy scored his 16th touchdown of the season on a 32-yard run in the third quarter. With the score, Lundy moved into a tie with Thomas Jones for the No. 3 spot among Virginia’s career scoring leaders with
240 points. … Alvin Pearman made three catches for 49 yards. Pearman now has 1,343 career receiving yards. … UVa true freshman Chris Long was credited with the first sack of his career. … Hagans was in on Virginia’s onside-kick coverage team in the fourth quarter. When the ball was pooch kicked to Hagans at the Virginia 22, he raced out of bounds for a 3-yard loss. … Tony Franklin paced the Cavaliers on defense with eight tackles. Dennis Haley and Kai Parham both finished with seven tackles. … True freshman Jamaal Jackson made the first tackle of his Cavalier career. … UVa kicker Connor Hughes nailed three field goals against the Yellow Jackets. Hughes kicked three field goals earlier this season in games against Clemson and Duke.

Up next. Virginia (8-2, 5-2) will travel to Blacksburg on Saturday to play Virginia Tech at 1 p.m. Virginia Tech (8-2, 5-1) trounced Maryland 55-6 on Thursday night. UVa coach Al Groh told reporters that he watched the Hokies’ win. “I thought it was one of the most awesome performances I’ve seen in a long time,” Groh said.
 

Knights succumb to Hall, Hawks
Gretna scores 37 fourth- quarter points as quarterback Vic Hall accounts for more than 500 yards total offense.
By Aaron McFarling
981-3124
The Roanoke Times

GRETNA - His battered players formed a ring around him, kneeling and listening. Cave Spring coach Ben Foutz spoke encouraging words, trying to convey a sense of pride in what the Knights had accomplished during this game and this season.

Still, words could only do so much at that moment. The scoreboard behind them made no sense, at least to anyone who'd seen the first three quarters. There it was anyway: Gretna 49, Cave Spring 28.

Vic Hall and the Hawks had done it again.

After leading Gretna for most of the night, Cave Spring finally succumbed to the Hawks' speed in the fourth quarter, giving up 37 points in the period and falling Friday in the first round of the Region III Division 3 playoffs.

Gretna (11-0), which extended its winning streak to 25 games, will travel to top-seeded Christiansburg next week for the region title game.

"I think they wore us down," said Cave Spring coach Ben Foutz, whose team lead 20-12 after three quarters. "My kids played their heart out. If it had been a three-quarter game or two and three-quarters game, we might have been fine. But the athletes they had on the field just caused us some problems."

The primary athlete, as usual, was Hall. The record-breaking senior quarterback was dazzling yet again, completing 20 of 26 passes for 297 yards and rushing for 205 more. He had a hand in five of Gretna's touchdowns.

His performance moved him from seventh place to fifth in career total yards in the history of high school football.

Cave Spring running back Alex Lemmer, who ran for 125 yards on 16 carries, said there was at least one positive in seeing what Hall did Friday.

"I love UVa," said Lemmer, fully aware where the 5-foot-10 Hall is heading next year. "It's my favorite school. I wish him well there, and I wish him well later in the playoffs. He's a great player."

Cave Spring executed its game plan well in the first three quarters, running between the tackles and building an eight-point lead on a 24-yard touchdown run by Will Osborne.

"We knew they were going to come to play," Hall said. "Coach told us that all week. We were expecting a fight."

Gretna fought back. The game turned for the final time on the first play of the fourth quarter, when Hall capped a 58-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown strike to Jason Myers. Rico Reynolds tied the score by running in the 2-point conversion.

On Gretna's next possession, Hall took a low snap from the shotgun formation and darted through an off-tackle crease. Seventy-eight yards later, the Knights were behind and would not recover.

"I think his poise is what you can't measure on film," Foutz said of Hall. "His poise and his leadership are what's most impressive to me."

Matt Short caught 11 passes for 195 yards for Gretna. Brian Thompson had 63 rushing yards and a touchdown for Cave Spring.

CAVS KEEP PACE
By Doug Doughty
981-3129
The Roanoke Times

ATLANTA - Somebody else will have to fantasize about that blue field in Boise, Idaho. Virginia will be preparing for its shot at an ACC co-championship.

Looking at a possible slide to sixth place in the ACC standings, 18th-ranked UVa played opportunistic, mistake-free football Saturday in a 30-10 victory at Georgia Tech. It was Virginia's first win at Grant Field since 1994 and set up a showdown next Saturday against 15th-ranked Virginia Tech, with the winner assured of at least a tie for the ACC title.

"Save it for next week," UVa co-captain Elton Brown cautioned celebrating teammates as they headed to the locker room following a surprisingly easy victory.

The Cavaliers, who went into Saturday's game as 5 1/2 -point favorites, led 30-3 before Georgia Tech (6-4, 4-4 ACC) scored its lone touchdown with 6 minutes, 6 seconds remaining.

The Yellow Jackets had won four of their previous five games, but were victimized by four turnovers, three by sophomore quarterback Reggie Ball, who fumbled once and was intercepted twice by UVa sophomore Marcus Hamilton.

"We threw two interceptions in the end zone," noted Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey, who has expressed frustration with Ball on previous occasions. "At times he did some good things and at times he did some things that weren't good."

For the fourth time this season but the first time in six games, Virginia (8-2, 5-2) did not have a turnover. The Cavaliers were ranked fifth among 117 Division I-AA teams in fewest turnovers committed, eight.

UVa junior quarterback Marques Hagans, ineffective one week earlier in a 31-21 loss to Miami, completed 19 of 28 passes and accounted for 206 yards in total offense (171 passing, 35 rushing).

"The last couple of weeks, I haven't produced the way I thought I would," Hagans said. "My team looks to me to make plays. I did play with a little chip on my shoulder today."

Virginia rushed for 207 yards against a Georgia Tech team ranked 14th in Division I-A in rushing defense, but a lot of the yardage came grudgingly and much of it came late.

The game was decided in the first three quarters, when UVa limited the Yellow Jackets to 163 of their 312 total yards.

When they weren't causing turnovers, the Cavaliers put enormous pressure on Ball, who was the victim of six sacks, three by UVa junior outside linebacker Darryl Blackstock.

Blackstock has had at least one sack in four consecutive games, multiple sacks in three straight games and 10 1/2 sacks for the season.

"You know, he hasn't been to the Pro Bowl yet," UVa coach Al Groh said. "In other words, this is a developing, improving player. While he's been out there a lot, he's still got a lot of improvement left in his game. This is a highly, highly motivated player and very ambitious."

Groh speculated that he and Blackstock might be the first people to look at the game film this morning, although it won't be as early as it was last week, when Groh arrived at 3:45 a.m. following the Miami game.

"Saturday nights generally aren't too good for sleep," he said.

If he didn't sleep this week, there's no hope for him. All of the Cavaliers' moves paid off, including Groh's decision to replace punter Sean Johnson with true freshman Chris Gould.

Gould, previously projected for a redshirt year, averaged 43.7 yards on seven punts. The Cavaliers had ranked 117th in Division I-A in net punting, but Georgia Tech could not return three of Gould's punts and had an average runback of 5.5 yards on the other four.

'We're going to use every resource we have to try and win a game," Groh said. "Who knows when we're going to be back in this position again? Who knows how that game would have gone without him today?"

Only eight days earlier, Virginia had been tied with Virginia Tech for first in the conference. If the Cavaliers had lost at Georgia Tech, which ESPN analyst Lee Corso had predicted for his upset of the week, they would have been passed by Georgia Tech and North Carolina.

In that event, UVa might have been relegated to the Humanitarian Bowl, the Boise-based game that has the sixth choice of ACC teams. Now, it appears likely that the Cavaliers will return to Atlanta for the Peach Bowl if they beat Virginia Tech or go to the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Fla., if they fall to the Hokies.

Previous games with Florida State and Miami had received greater hype than Saturday's, but Groh had said that his team would face no greater challenges than those presented by the two Techs on the road.

"We've done a lot of things this year that we haven't done in the past - home and on the road," said Groh after his first victory in Atlanta, "but that's because we have a greater range of capabilities."

Hamilton intercepts Jackets' game plan
By Doug Doughty
981-3129
The Roanoke Times

ATLANTA - Considering all the flak that Virginia's secondary has been catching in recent weeks, Marcus Hamilton had a fairly good idea about Georgia Tech's plan of attack Saturday.

At 6 feet, Hamilton is taller than both of UVa's starting cornerbacks, Tony Franklin and Philip Brown, but even Hamilton is undersized compared to Georgia Tech's leading receiver, 6-4 freshman Calvin Johnson. "They started out by throwing back-to-back go patterns [to Johnson] and I guess they were just thinking we weren't that good," said Hamilton, who started the first seven games of the season before losing his job. "A lot of people might think that, you know. We don't care."

Hamilton, who first entered the game Saturday as a fifth defensive back in UVa's nickel package, alternated with Brown and Franklin throughout the game and finished with two interceptions as 18th-ranked Virginia disposed of Georgia Tech 30-10 at Grant Field.

The Yellow Jackets had cut a 10-0 halftime deficit to 10-3 and had reached the Virginia 33-yard line midway through the third quarter when Tech quarterback Reggie Ball lofted the ball toward Johnson in the end zone.

"And, that was their mistake," Hamilton said. "He was there; he was inside of me. He looked like he was going to jump, but I just decided to go for the ball."

Virginia took possession at the 20 and needed only 1 minute, 38 seconds to go 80 yards for the touchdown that made it 17-3.

"They had the momentum," Hamilton said. "With me getting the interception, I believe we took the momentum back and kept it for the remainder of the game."

Virginia (8-2, 5-2 ACC) led 27-3 by the time Hamilton got his second interception, that coming with 12:26 left on a pass intended for Levon Thomas in the end zone.

UVa cornerbacks had intercepted three passes in nine games before Saturday, and now Hamilton has four. The ACC leader had four before Saturday.

"Anytime a defensive back gets two interceptions, he's made a major contribution," said UVa coach Al Groh, who presented Hamilton with a game ball.

Hamilton's exploits coincided with some difficulties experienced by Brown, a highly touted recruit who twice was called for pass interference and was beaten for a 37-yard completion from Ball to Johnson.

Hamilton lost his starting job after a personal foul at Duke, where he also was the victim of at least one interference call. Hamilton said he did not request an explanation and was not given one.

"Were my feelings hurt?" Hamilton asked. "At first they were, but my confidence never wavered."

Virginia has had so many problems catching the ball - offensively and defensively - that Hamilton's receiving ability had reporters wondering if he was ready for a turn on offense.

"Whatever they want, I'll roll with it," he said.

After Saturday, UVa probably has other plans for him.

Freshman punter displays moxie
Notes
By Doug Doughty
981-3129
The Roanoke Times

ATLANTA - A whirlwind week ended with Chris Gould standing in front of a half dozen reporters Saturday and clutching a football outside a victorious Virginia locker room.

It was a football that only moments earlier had come into his possession. "My first road trip, my first time ever on an airplane, my first game ball," Gould said. "I don't know what to say."

Gould, previously led to believe that he would not play until next year, punted seven times for a 43.7-yard average in the Cavaliers' 30-10 victory over Georgia Tech.

Gould was informed Monday that he would replace junior Sean Johnson, who had averaged 35.3 yards on 32 punts. UVa had ranked 117th out of 117 Division I-A teams in net punting at 28.3

UVa's net average on Gould's seven punts was 40.6 yards.

"I was a little nervous," said Gould, who reported that his first plane flight had gone smoothly. "On my first punt, I didn't even feel the ball leave my foot. I felt better when I looked at the Jumbotron and saw it was a spiral."

Gould's second punt went 52 yards and he also had a 51-yarder, two of the Cavaliers' three punts of 50 yards or more this season.

"In nine weeks, we hadn't really had anybody step up and do what we needed to be done with the punting job," head coach Al Groh said. "I didn't know what was going to happen, but I know one thing, the kid has moxie. And, the players knew that, too."

Normally coaches are reluctant to use players in the 10th game if they are still eligible for a redshirt year.

"Some of you guys are obsessed with this redshirt thing," Groh said. "I'm obsessed with winning. Every year, at a certain point, you assess the team and you think, 'If things go on like this, maybe things won't go the way you want them.'"

Groh had said on earlier occasions that Gould's future was in his place-kicking. His older brother, Robbie, is the place-kicker for Penn State and played in his final college home game Saturday at Michigan State.

"My dad drove down from Pennsylvania to see me because he'll never miss a game in his life," Gould said. "My mom and sister were with my brother. There's always going to be somebody with one of us."

Coming up big

One week after Virginia's wide receivers had one reception against Miami, Michael McGrew let a ball go through his hands on UVa's first pass attempt Saturday.

"I wasn't going to let that happen again," McGrew said. "If they kept coming to me, I was going to catch every ball."

McGrew lived up to his vow, catching a career-high eight passes for 55 yards. Four of the receptions came in a five-play span on a third-quarter touchdown drive that put the Cavaliers ahead 17-3.

"I felt like Billy McMullen there for a while," said McGrew, referring to an ex-teammate who had a combined 152 receptions over the 2001 and 2002 seasons.

Groh said that McGrew had to play both receiver spots after an injury to Deyon Williams, who was on the UVa dress list but was not in uniform. Williams, whose 18 receptions led all UVa wide receivers before Saturday, apparently has a foot or ankle injury that probably will keep him out of next Saturday's game at Virginia Tech.

"It was quite sticky up inside there," said Groh, referring to the Yellow Jackets' run defense. "They were giving us something on the outside, and [offensive coordinator Ron Prince] reacted to that very quickly."

Up next

The Cavaliers (8-2 overall, 5-2 ACC) will visit Virginia Tech (8-2, 5-1) at 1 p.m. in a game that will be televised by ABC. It will be the teams' first meeting as members of the same conference in more than 50 years. UVa had lost four straight games to the Hokies before winning last year in Charlottesville, 35-21.

Quote-unquote

"I thought it was one of the most impressive performances I've seen in a long time," said Groh about Virginia Tech's play Thursday in a 55-6 win over Maryland.

One Tech down, one to go
By Andy Bitter / Lynchburg News & Advance
November 21, 2004

ATLANTA - The Virginia Cavaliers kept themselves alive in the ACC title race by doing something they almost never do. They beat a quality conference team on the road.

Virginia (8-2, 5-2 ACC) erased memories of its letdown against Miami and topped Georgia Tech 30-10 on Saturday, its first win in Atlanta since 1994 and one of its finest road performances in the Al Groh era.

“It was a gritty win by our players,” said Groh, who had been 0-4 in November road games since taking over as head coach. “It was a real team operation.”

A loss could have sent the Cavaliers tumbling to sixth place in the ACC, a remote possibility just a week ago when they were tied with Virginia Tech for the conference lead. Instead, they are tied with Miami for third in the ACC, a half-game behind the Hokies.

By winning, Virginia also upped the ante of its season finale against Virginia Tech next Saturday in Blacksburg. The winner of that game is now guaranteed at least a share of the ACC championship.

The Cavaliers put together a complete game Saturday. They ran for 207 yards against the ACC’s third-best rushing defense. Alvin Pearman ran for 83 yards and two touchdowns and Wali Lundy added 57 yards and another score.

Quarterback Marques Hagans reverted to his old play-making self, completing 19 of 28 passes for 171 yards and creating problems with his legs, running for 35 yards on seven carries.

“He sparked the team in his fashion,” Groh said. “(They were) Marques Hagans plays. That’s the type of quarterback that he is.”

One play in particular stood out. On the Cavaliers’ second scoring drive, the junior rolled to his right, nearly went out of bounds and somehow avoided two pass rushers before reversing his field and hitting a wide-open Lundy for an 11-yard gain and a first down.

“Once I cut back across the field, I just saw Wali waving his hands like he was trying to get an airplane to rescue him off an island or something,” Hagans said. “I just never give up until the whistle is blown.”

UVa’s wide receivers got back in the fold as well. Their production had dwindled since the start of the season, reaching a low point last week against Miami when they tallied only one catch for four yards. This time out, Michael McGrew caught a career-high eight passes for 55 yards. On one drive, he caught four passes, all on short patterns.

“We just went out there and practiced and got better,” said McGrew, who was forced to spend time at both receiver positions with Deyon Williams out with a foot injury. “Some games you’re not going have your best game. Marques didn’t have his best game last week and neither did any of us.”

Defensively, UVa turned in a stout performance. The Cavaliers stormed Tech quarterback Reggie Ball, sacking him six times, their highest total since 1998.

Darryl Blackstock made four tackles for a loss, three of which were sacks. It was his third game with two or more sacks and it moved him into sole possession of second place for most career sacks by an ACC linebacker, one-half sack behind Georgia Tech’s Marco Coleman. He is second on the school’s all-time sack list.

“This is still a developing, improving player,” Groh said. “He’s still got a lot of improvement left in his game. He’s very intent about that. This is a highly, highly motivated player (who is) very ambitious.”

When Ball wasn’t being taken down in the backfield, he was turning the ball over. His fumble led to Virginia’s first touchdown, a 6-yard run by Pearman. Ball also threw two interceptions, both into the hands of Marcus Hamilton in the end zone.

Georgia Tech (6-4, 4-4), which was without the services of sophomore tailback P.J. Daniels because of an injury, ran for just 86 yards.

All that’s left in Virginia’s way of sharing the ACC title is what the players are terming their toughest road test yet - a trip to Blacksburg. The win over Georgia Tech should give the Cavaliers a great deal of confidence heading into the matchup.

“It’s a big deal,” senior nose tackle Andrew Hoffman said. “To make a statement, we really needed to win down here on the road. It’s a big road win.”

Cavaliers prepare for Olson's Wildcats
By Andrew Joyner / Daily Progress staff writer
November 21, 2004

In the last three seasons, Virginia has played Virginia Tech, Chaminade and East Tennessee State in its second game of the season. Today, opponent No. 2 is a significant upgrade.

The Cavaliers will host No. 10 Arizona at 5 p.m. at University Hall in what will be the Cavaliers’ most intriguing early, early contest in UVa coach Pete Gillen’s seven-year tenure.

Of course, Gillen quips that he may not actually be on the bench for the game.

“I’m going to be in Wyoming in a hot tub. I wish the team well. I’m allowed to duck one game each year. That’s in my contract so this is the game I’m going to duck,” Gillen said after Friday’s 88-55 win over Robert Morris in the opener.

The game is the start of a four-game series between the two schools. The Cavaliers will travel to Tucson next season and then Arizona will return to Charlottesville in 2006 for the first game in the John Paul Jones Arena.

Next season, Arizona will also start a series against North Carolina so the Pac-10 perennial power will become quite accustom with the ACC in the next few years.

“We wanted a situation in which we would play an ACC team at home and on the road each of the next few seasons. It gives us a chance to play teams in the ACC over the next four years,” Arizona coach Lute Olson said. “We like to have one game a year that’s in the East so our team can get some exposure. … Pete is one of my favorite coaches. We don’t get a chance to play against each other enough. That also entered into this agreement.”

Olson and particularly his wife, Christine, are one of a handful of interesting plotlines for this evening’s game.

Olson lost his first wife, Bobbi, to cancer three years ago after 47 years of marriage. Bobbi Olson had been nicknamed the “First Lady of Arizona Basketball” and was a mother-like figure to many of the players at Arizona. The court at the McHale Center at Arizona was renamed in honor of her and her husband shortly after her death.

The former Christine Jack Toretti, a 1981 graduate of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, originally met Lute Olson during a dinner at the 2002 Final Four in Atlanta. Approximately a year later, they were married.

Christine Olson is a successful businesswoman as the CEO and chairman of S.W. Jack Drilling in Pennsylvania. According to her husband, she is also a very proud and very dedicated alumna of UVa.

“She is a very proud alumna of the University. She talks a lot about her experience there. She was very involved with the Chi Omegas there. She still goes back there quite a bit. She remains very involved,” Olson said. “I know she is very much looking forward to coming back for this game.”

According to Chi Omega alumnae in the Charlottesville area, Christine Olson has indeed been very involved in the sorority and makes regular visits to monitor its progress throughout the year. She has played a significant role in maintaining the Chi-O house and the sorority’s overall presence in the community since leaving Charlottesville in 1981.

On Saturday, Christine Olson’s role was expected to be something of a tour guide. She was expected to give the Arizona traveling party a tour of the Charlottesville area and Monticello as well as the grounds at UVa.

While his wife is no stranger to greater Charlottesville-Albemarle, this will mark just the second visit for Olson. His last time visiting the area, that would be approximately 15 years ago when he was recruiting Waynesboro’s Cory Alexander. Alexander, of course, eventually signed with Virginia.

As for the game today, Arizona is stopping in Charlottesville today on its way to New York City for the semifinals of the Preseason NIT. Arizona defeated San Diego and Wright State en route to its meeting with Michigan in Wednesday’s semifinals at Madison Square Garden.

The contest with Arizona is one that the UVa players have mentioned quite frequently in the preseason. An observer of Friday’s contest against Robert Morris might assume that a certain second-half sluggishness was attributable to looking ahead to today’s game.

Gillen didn’t believe that to be the case, and it may not have been, but certainly the Cavaliers have a strong notion of the importance of this early season contest.

“It can show not only us but the entire country what this team is made of,” senior forward Jason Clark said. “Arizona is a top 10 team and if we want to go out and show what kind of team we are, why don’t we go make it happen right now.”

U.Va. stifles Ga. Tech, stays alive in ACC
With an opportunistic defense and improved special teams play, Virginia remains "in the hunt" for the ACC title.
BY DAVE JOHNSON
247-4649
Published November 21, 2004

ATLANTA -- Nothing would be decided for certain, but there was plenty of significance attached to Virginia's game at Georgia Tech on Saturday. A win would keep the Cavaliers in contention for a share of the ACC championship. A loss would not only end that hope, it would bump them to fifth place in the standings.

Other than that, it was pretty meaningless.

Thanks to one of its best defensive efforts of the season and its best day in special teams, Virginia overcame a penalty-filled afternoon to hammer the Yellow Jackets 30-10 in Bobby Dodd Stadium. In rebounding from a loss last week to Miami that likely knocked them out of the BCS, the 18th-ranked Cavs (8-2, 5-2) stayed alive for a co-championship.

"We're still in the hunt," said nose tackle Andrew Hoffman, who had six tackles. "And that's all the matters."

Next up for Virginia: No. 15 Virginia Tech (5-1), which leads the ACC. And the Hokies looked pretty good Thursday night in a 55-6 spanking of Maryland.

"That was some display they put on the other night," right guard Elton Brown said. "Probably one of the greatest I've ever seen."

Virginia was far from perfect Saturday - among its 10 penalties were four holds and two false starts. But it still won by 20 points on the road. The Cavaliers had their usual steady day on the ground, though their 207 yards on 41 attempts were below their average. They got a solid day from quarterback Marques Hagans, who completed 19-of-28 throws and made some remarkable plays.

But U.Va. earned this win by improving two weaknesses: creating turnovers and field position. After forcing only seven takeaways in their previous six conference games, the Cavs had four against the Jackets. Two recovered fumbles led to 10 points. Two interceptions came in the end zone.

"They were very aggressive and very much of the playmaking mind," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "We got a lot of plays made with the defense."

The most obvious improvement was in the play of the special teams, particularly punting. Virginia gave up two long returns last week to Miami's Roscoe Parrish - one for a touchdown, the other to set up a touchdown.

But with Sean Johnson struggling, Groh elected to use a freshman who had not played this season.

Playing Chris Gould burned a year of his eligibility. But several teammates suggested he was the difference. He averaged 43.7 yards on seven punts. Two punts went for 50-plus yards. Another two were downed inside the 20. The team's net average for the day was 40 yards. It was 26.5 yards entering the game.

"He was probably our MVP of the game," tailback Alvin Pearman said. "He was able to change the field position and give us coverable punts. He helped make a lot of plays for us."

Sure, the Cavs also won with defense. Virginia limited Tech (6-4, 4-4) to 312 yards and sacked Reggie Ball six times. The Jackets averaged 2.5 yards per rushing attempt.

"They did a lot more blitzing than we expected," Ball said. "They did a really good job."

Groh called the win "a real team operation." Sure enough, the key sequence involved the defense, offense and special teams. After cutting into Virginia's 10-0 halftime lead with a field goal, Tech drove to U.Va.'s 33-yard line. Ball lofted a deep ball to 6-foot-4 wideout Calvin Johnson, but cornerback Marcus Hamilton played it perfectly and made the first of his two interceptions.

Virginia's offense answered with an eight-play, 80-yard drive. Wali Lundy's 32-yard run gave the Cavs a 17-3 lead. On the kickoff, Virginia's Brandon Isaiah caused and recovered a fumble at the 12-yard line.

Connor Hughes' field goal made it 20-3 with 3:38 left in the quarter.

"That was a very big swing right there," Groh said.

Groh's belief system on display in Atlanta
Published November 21 2004
Dave Fairbank

ATLANTA -- Al Groh coaches football in the here and now. Maybe it's his age. Maybe it's from 14 years spent in the shark tank of the NFL.

Whatever the reason, Virginia's coach does what he thinks will help his team win today, this week, this season, right now. Doesn't matter if it's starting a freshman cornerback in the second half of the season against the best teams in the country, or taking the redshirt off of a kid in the 10th game of the year.

The Cavaliers' 30-10 crunch job against Georgia Tech not only provided a lengthy list of praiseworthy elements, but also a window into the thinking of the CEO of Virginia's football organization.

Aside from an NFL analogy for every occasion, there is a sense of immediacy normally reserved for someone with the job security of a South Carolina textile worker.

"Some of you guys are obsessed with this redshirt thing," Groh said. "I'm obsessed with winning. We're going to use every resource available to us to win a game. Who knows when we're going to be back in this position again? If a guy can help us win a game, hey, who knows how that game would have gone without him?"

In this instance, "him" was punter Chris Gould, a promising freshman who had not played a down this season. The Cavaliers' punting has lacked all season and cost them dearly in the previous week's loss to Miami.

Hence, Groh decided to make a change. Now, to credit the punter in a game Virginia clearly dominated is a stretch. But Groh wasn't finished with his point.

"When you have players who can help you win," he said, "and the other players look around and the coach isn't using guys who can help them win a game, the other players think, 'Hey, the coach is asking us to lay it on the line, but he's not doing the same thing.'"

So there you have it. That's why you saw Gould on Saturday and why you've seen freshman cornerback Philip Brown all season, even in critical situations against Miami and in the crucible that is Tallahassee against Florida State.

Everything else you saw versus Georgia Tech wasn't nearly so dogmatic. More like sound football and playing to your strengths.

Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans isn't the biggest guy in the world, so the offensive coaches called more plays that allowed him to roll out from sideline to sideline to take advantage of his nimble feet and to make throws on the run.

"I think early on, Coach called some things to get me outside the pocket and get movement early, so I just tried to establish a rhythm and get going," Hagans said. "I really appreciate that. He gave me an opportunity to get out and make some decisions on the edge."

Said Groh: "Obviously, I don't mean just from a height standpoint, but he's not going to be Peyton Manning in the pocket. He's not going to stand there."

(See what we mean about the NFL analogies?)

On defense, the Cavaliers called more blitzes than usual and made Yellow Jackets quarterback Reggie Ball uncomfortable.

Virginia finished with six sacks, at least that many hurries and intercepted him twice in the end zone.

"We felt like we had to make it hard for him to operate," Groh said, "not make it an easy day where he could step in and take aim at his targets. Our pass rushers had a good game."

The Cavaliers had favorable field position most of the afternoon, in part due to the punting and special teams. All in all, a nice antidote to the previous week's effort against the Hurricanes.

Virginia heads to Blacksburg next Saturday with a chance for nine regular season wins, which has not been done since 1998. If Groh thinks he can get there by asking a freshman to stand on his head in the end zone, he's likely to do it.

Cavs' freshman punter shines in his debut
BY DAVE JOHNSON
247-4649
Published November 21, 2004

ATLANTA -- You bet Chris Gould was nervous. For one, he had never played in a game before. For two, he had never traveled with the team before. For three, he had never even been on an airplane before.

"Big weekend for me," he said.

But the nerves weren't apparent, not judging by what he did with his right foot. Gould, a freshman from Lock Haven, Pa., made his college debut in Week Ten. And his punting might have been the difference in the Cavaliers' 30-10 victory over Georgia Tech Saturday.

Gould averaged 43.7 yards in seven attempts, giving the Cavaliers their best punting game of the season. Two kicks went for at least 50 yards. Two more, including the first punt of his career, were downed inside the 20-yard line.

"I didn't know what was going to happen, but I know one thing: The kid has moxie," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "And the players knew that, too."

Gould, a scholarship player who was recruited as a place-kicker, found out Monday he would be playing Saturday. He reacted by smiling and saying, "OK, coach."

On his first punt, Gould dropped his kick at the 6-yard line, where it rolled backward and was downed at the 13. On his second, standing just outside his own end zone, he boomed one for 52 yards.

If it's unorthodox to use a freshman who hadn't played, Groh didn't see it that way. In fact, he got testy when asked if he had any reservations.

"Some of you guys are obsessed with this redshirt thing," Groh said. "I'm obsessed with winning. We're going to use every resource available to win a game. Who knows when we're going to be back this position again? If a guy can help us win a game - who knows how that game would have gone without him today."

BOUNCING BACK

For the third consecutive game, Marcus Hamilton came off the bench. Earlier this month, he was beaten out by freshman Philip Brown at cornerback.

But with Brown having a day to forget Saturday, Hamilton intercepted two passes in the end zone to end Georgia Tech scoring threats. The first triggered the game's key sequence in which Virginia turned a possible 10-10 tie into a 20-3 lead.

"They had the momentum, but after that interception we didn't give it back to them," he said.

"We went down the field and scored and didn't give them the momentum back."

Hamilton said he never lost his confidence, and Brown now has that battle ahead. He was burned by Calvin Johnson for a 37-yard pass that set up a field goal. He was called for two pass interference penalties, one on fourth down in the end zone.

NOTES

Virginia's six sacks Saturday gave them 32 for the season, the most by the Cavs since the 1998 season. ... With his 30th coaching victory since returning to the college game, Groh became only the fourth coach in U.Va. history to reach that milestone (if you can call 30 wins a milestone). ... Darryl Blackstock had three sacks Saturday, bringing his season total to 10. ... Virginia broke a four game losing streak to Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

Loss wrecks Tech's bowl hopes
By MIKE KNOBLER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/20/04

Gas up the Ramblin' Wreck. It's time to head west again.

The Georgia Tech seniors who spent their first three postseasons in Seattle, San Jose and Boise appear headed for another far-flung bowl.

The Yellow Jackets' dreams of December in Disney World ended with Saturday's 30-10 loss to No. 18 Virginia at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

A victory would have made Tech the frontrunner for the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, the fourth bowl in the ACC pecking order. Now, the Jackets are likely to be locked out of all six ACC bowl spots and forced to fill an opening elsewhere, most likely in Houston, Las Vegas or San Francisco.

That's not what Tech players were talking about when they spoke of their desire for a "better bowl" this season. They wanted to play on the East Coast, in a more prestigious game within driving distance for their fans. Instead they must wait, perhaps for another two weeks, as the ACC office tries to find them a postseason destination.

"This one hurts," said center Andy Tidwell-Neal, one of 19 Yellow Jackets seniors. "It's Senior Day, our last home game. It's a game our team really wanted to win and really needed to win. This one will probably be with me for awhile."

Tech (6-4) finished 4-4 in ACC play for the fourth consecutive season. The Jackets tied for sixth in the league.

Virginia (8-2, 5-2) can win a share of the ACC championship with a victory on Saturday at Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech, Florida State and Miami also are in contention for the title. Those four teams will fill the ACC's top four bowl slots.

The fifth slot, in the Continental Tire Bowl in Charlotte, is expected to go to North Carolina or Clemson, both of which got eligible with victories on Saturday. The MPC Computers Bowl in Boise owns the final ACC tie-in and has said it would prefer another team over Tech because Tech played in Boise after last season. North Carolina or Clemson will be available.

That leaves Tech to find an at-large berth created by a conference with more bowl tie-ins than bowl-eligible teams. The Houston Bowl will have an opening if Arkansas loses to LSU or if the SEC gets two BCS teams. The Las Vegas Bowl will have an opening if, as expected, California gets an at-large BCS berth. The Emerald Bowl in San Francisco has an opening, though it might go to Navy as early as today. The Silicon Valley Classic in San Jose has an opening, too.

Tech players were in no mood to ponder those possibilities after Saturday's loss. They had aimed for something higher.

"It's really disappointing," said junior defensive end Travis Parker, who rooms with Tidwell-Neal and senior offensive tackle Kyle Wallace. "I really wanted to win that game for them so we could go somewhere special, somewhere better than we'd been going."

There was still a chance for that in the third quarter. Tech, down 10-0 at halftime, got a 34-yard field goal from Travis Bell on its first second-half possession and moved within 33 yards of a potential tying touchdown the next time it got the ball. The roars were growing louder and louder from the crowd of 43,971.

But as Reggie Ball threw deep for Calvin Johnson, cornerback Marcus Hamilton bailed out for the end zone. Hamilton intercepted the overthrown pass.

"It's six feet from being where Calvin can catch it," Tech coach Chan Gailey said, "but it wasn't."

Minutes later, Virginia led 20-3, thanks to a 32-yard touchdown run by Wali Lundy, Levon Thomas' fumble on a kickoff return and Connor Hughes' 27-yard field goal.

"That was a very big swing right there," Virginia coach Al Groh said.

Ball threw a second interception in the fourth quarter, and he fumbled in the first. The Cavaliers scored off all four of the Yellow Jackets' turnovers, for a combined 20 points.

Virginia played turnover-free. The Cavaliers ran for 207 yards, 83 by Alvin Pearman, who scored on runs of 6 and 1 yards.

Ball scored Tech's only touchdown on an 8-yard run with 6:16 left.

By then, though, there was only one thing that could console the Yellow Jackets, and their chance to accomplish it was still seven days away.

"Beating Georgia," linebacker Gerris Wilkinson said, "would make up for a lot of the bad feelings."

Won for the road
Triumph at Georgia Tech gives U.Va. chance to win share of conference crown
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Nov 21, 2004

ATLANTA - Significant road victories have been few and far between for the University of Virginia football team in recent years, but the 18th-ranked Cavaliers collected a huge win away from home yesterday.

At Bobby Dodd Stadium, where U.Va. hadn't won since 1994, fourth-year coach Al Groh's team drilled Georgia Tech 30-10 in a key ACC game. A win over 15th-ranked Virginia Tech (5-1, 8-2) next weekend in Blacksburg would give U.Va. (5-2, 8-2) a share of the conference title.

"I know in past years we've had a lot of trouble coming here and playing," senior nose tackle Andrew Hoffman said. "It was tremendous for us to be able to do well down here and make a statement doing it. . . . It keeps us in the hunt."

The victory was only the eighth for the Cavaliers in 21 road games under Groh, but they're 3-1 away from Scott Stadium this season. A surprisingly small crowd of 43,971 - the stadium holds 55,000 - saw Virginia match its best record through 10 games since 1998, also the last season it beat Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium.

"We've done a lot of things, whether at home or away this year, that we didn't do in the past," Groh said, "and that's because we have a team that's got a greater range of capabilities."

Losing at home to Miami last weekend knocked the Cavaliers out of first place in the ACC, and had they stumbled yesterday, they would have fallen into sixth. But Virginia's defense asserted itself on the first play from scrimmage - sophomore linebacker Kai Parham and freshman end Chris Johnson stuffed Yellow Jackets tailback Rashaun Grant for a 4-yard loss - and its intensity never waned.

U.Va. forced four turnovers, three by Reggie Ball. Georgia Tech's erratic sophomore quarterback lost a fumble and threw two interceptions, both of which reserve cornerback Marcus Hamilton, who began the season as a starter, snagged in the end zone.

Hamilton's first interception came with Virginia leading 10-3 midway through the third quarter. Momentum appeared to have swung Georgia Tech's way, but Hamilton stepped in front of star wideout Calvin Johnson (five catches, 108 yards) to intercept a poorly thrown pass. Virginia capitalized on the Jackets' mistake, responding with a drive that ended with junior tailback Wali Lundy's 32-yard touchdown run.

Ball, who completed 19 of 33 passes for 226 yards, was sacked six times, thrice by outside linebacker Darryl Blackstock.

"Reggie's a very, very good player," Groh said, "and we [wanted] to make it hard on him to operate, not make it an easy day back there where he could step and take aim and throw at his targets."

The Cavaliers' quarterback, meanwhile, bounced back from his worst performance of the season. Against the Hurricanes, junior Marques Hagans had rushed for a career-best 85 yards but completed only 10 of 25 passes - two were picked off - for 94 yards and one touchdown.

"I think personally for myself, I felt like the last couple weeks I really haven't produced the way I thought I would," said Hagans, who leads the ACC in passing efficiency. "I did play with a little chip on my shoulder today."

The Jackets (4-4, 6-4) felt his fury. Hagans completed 19 of 28 passes for 171 yards. He wasn't intercepted or sacked, and he added 35 yards on seven carries.

Hagans also showed astonishing athleticism on a scramble early in the second quarter, somehow avoiding a sack along the right sideline, circling back toward the middle of the field and then completing a pass to Lundy for an 11-yard gain on third and 7.

"He sparked the team in his fashion," Groh said. "He had Marques Hagans plays. That's the kind of quarterback he is. . . . A quarterback's got to run his team. They need a general out there, and today he was that."

Virginia's numerous heroes included true freshman Chris Gould, who in his first game averaged 43.7 yards on seven punts, with 52 his longest. Punting-game breakdowns had cost U.Va. dearly against Miami, but Gould helped make special teams a strength yesterday.

He "was probably MVP of the game with what he was able to do, changing field position the way he did," U.Va. tailback Alvin Pearman said.

Senior wideout Michael McGrew had a career-best eight receptions for 55 yards, and junior Connor Hughes booted field goals for 33, 27 and 43 yards for U.Va.

On an afternoon when the Cavaliers rushed for 207 yards, Pearman led the team with 83 on 17 carries. Lundy added 57 yards on the ground, and third-team tailback Michael Johnson gained 37 on six carries.

"It keeps wearing you down," Jackets coach Chan Gailey said of the ACC's top running attack, "and they bring those big bodies around the corner."

Gillen knows Arizona's power
Virginia coach says Wildcats will be first real test for his team
BY VIC DORR JR.
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Nov 21, 2004
ARIZONA AT U.VA.
TODAY: 5 p.m., University Hall ON THE AIR: Radio - WRVA (1140), 4:30 p.m.; TV - CSN (CR53, CC24), same-day tape, 11 p.m.-1 a.m.

University of Virginia men's basketball coach Pete Gillen didn't hesitate to share his strategy for today's date with the No. 10-ranked Arizona Wildcats.

"It's going to be tough. It's going to be a whole new world for us," Gillen said. "They have four guys who could probably play in the NBA next year."

The Cavaliers' coach said the terms of his employment permit him " to duck one game a year and I think maybe I'll duck this one. I think I'm going to be somewhere in Wyoming, sitting in a hot tub. I wish the guys well."

Thus did Gillen reintroduce his team and its fans to reality following Friday's 88-55 opening-night shredding of Robert Morris. Not that reintroductions were necessary. To a man, the Cavaliers seem aware of both the challenge and the opportunity that awaits them in today's 5 p.m. contest in University Hall.
Click here to visit ChesterfieldDodge.com.

Challenge? Arizona's weaponry includes a Hall of Fame coach (Lute Olson) and four uncommonly gifted athletes: 6-3 point guard Mustafa Shakur, 6-1 guard Salim Stoudamire, 6-4 guard Hassan Adams and 6-11 post player Channing Frye.

Opportunity?

"It's a chance to show not only ourselves but also the country that we're for real," said U.Va. senior forward Jason Clark.

Senior post player Elton Brown agreed. One thing is certain, Brown said: "This is not going to be a cupcake game" for 2-0 Arizona. "Both teams are going to go after it, you can count on that. Nobody's going to come in here and just walk over us. We want to show that we've got some talent, too."

An intriguing and perhaps pivotal subplot will occur at point guard. There, the Cavaliers will send heralded freshman Sean Singletary and sophomore T.J. Bannister against Shakur. Singletary and Shakur are not unfamiliar with one another. Both are natives of Philadelphia. But Shakur, a sophomore, is a more confident and commanding on-court presence than are either of his Virginia counterparts. He averaged 9.4 points and 4.5 assists as a freshman.

"It's tough to compare Sean and T.J. to a guy like (Shakur)," Gillen said. "He's probably one of the top three point guards in the country. Our guys will do OK (today). But Shakur - he's a superstar. To compare our guys to him - that might be a little unfair."

Two Cavs went from shadows to the spotlight
BOB LIPPER
POINT OF VIEW
Nov 21, 2004
Bob Lipper
Contact Bob Lipper at (804) 649-6555 or e-mail blipper @timesdispatch.com

ATLANTA Please allow me to re-introduce you to Marcus Hamilton and Michael McGrew. They're a couple of Virginia football players who'd been missing in action of late. Hamilton is a sophomore cornerback from Centreville who lost his starting job a few weeks ago. McGrew is a senior receiver from Birmingham, Ala., who'd caught four passes total over the past four games.

So here's what happened for them yesterday at Grant Field. Hamilton found redemption (and a couple of balls that screamed, "Intercept me"). McGrew resurfaced like Greg Louganis breaking water after a quadruple-somersault (assuming Louganis also has stick'um for hands). Virginia zapped Georgia Tech 30-10. Don't think those three items aren't closely related.

Let's be truthful here: U.Va. probably wins this matchup even if Hamilton and McGrew don't step forward. The Cavs are bigger and stronger, if not faster, than the Jackets. They have a superior quar terback. Their runners are more capable, particularly since Tech's P.J. Daniels is sidelined with a knee injury. The Cavs don't turn the ball over. The Jackets do.

That said, you just never know.

You never know, for instance, what happens if Georgia Tech punches in a touchdown midway through the third quarter to place this matchup in a 10-all snarl. Maybe Tech braces itself with some confidence, and Virginia remembers it hasn't won in this building in a decade. Maybe Tech QB Reggie Ball finds a rhythm and more of his guys than your guys. Maybe Tech's defense gets a lift and zeroes in on Cavs tailbacks Alvin Pearman and Wali Lundy.

Maybe the Jackets actually win this game, draw even with the Cavs at 7-3 and leapfrog them in the ACC standings, force U.Va. boosters to begin scoping out air fares to Boise and diminish the significance of next Saturday's Virginia-vs.-Virginia Tech collision in Blacksburg.

This is where - ta-tum - Hamilton and McGrew stamped their imprint on the proceedings.

First, Hamilton. One series removed from a field goal that trimmed their deficit to 10-3, the Jackets were camped on U.Va.'s 33 when Ball launched a home run fling to the end zone - his intended target being 6-4 freshman Calvin Johnson. If Johnson makes the catch - and he's auditioning for all-galaxy and entirely capable of snaring any ball, anytime, anywhere - it's tied up, and the guys in orange and blue have some sweating to do.

Instead, Hamilton ("I thought they might take a shot") beat Johnson to the spot and made the interception, one of two he'd snag in the end zone on this day. And U.Va. then began an 80-yard surge that ended with Lundy's 32-yard touchdown run for 17-3 and near-total control. Tech didn't threaten again till the closing minutes.

"They had a little momentum," Hamilton would say later. "But after the first interception, I thought the momentum turned around."

About the possession he gave U.Va.: It included eight plays - four of them passes from Marques Hagans to McGrew that loosened the Jackets' defense for Lundy. Four passes in four weeks and then four in one series. Go figure. McGrew finished with a career-best eight catches all told. That boosted his season's take to 25.

"We just wanted to come out and show we could pass the ball," he said. "As a receiver, you always want to get the ball. Luckily, Marques was able to find me."

Residents of Virginia Tech's secondary will have to be more aware of him now - just as Bryan Randall will need to know where Hamilton is lurking. Hamilton was demoted after a gaffe-filled performance at Duke - yeah, he concedes his feelings were hurt then stepped in for an equally unhinged Philip Brown yesterday. And came through big time.

"I believe in my abilities 100 percent," he said. "I prepare like I'm the starter every week. You never know what happens."

You could've said the same for this tussle 23 minutes after the clock started rolling. Marcus Hamilton and Michael McGrew helped erase those doubts. Now it's on to the biggie.

 

Cavs Win To Set Up Showdown With Hokies
Virginia, Virginia Tech Jockeying for Bowl Bids: Virginia 30, Georgia Tech 10
By Mark Schlabach
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 21, 2004; Page E01

ATLANTA, Nov. 20 -- A scout from the Champs Sports Bowl was chatting with Virginia officials outside the Cavaliers' locker room Saturday, telling them, "We'd really like to have you in Orlando." Across the room, a representative from the Peach Bowl spoke up and said, "Hey, you know there's a pecking order."

The No. 18 Cavaliers certainly helped themselves move up in that pecking order with their 30-10 victory over Georgia Tech in front of 43,971 at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Virginia's first win at Georgia Tech since 1994 ensured that the Cavaliers will finish no worse than fourth in the ACC, and probably ensured them a spot in a postseason bowl game on the East Coast.

Virginia running back Alvin Pearman brushes off Georgia Tech's Reuben Houston on his way to a six-yard touchdown in the first quarter. (John Bazemore -- AP)

Virginia (8-2, 5-2) can claim at least a share of the ACC championship if it beats No. 15 Virginia Tech in Blacksburg on Saturday. The winner of that game would probably earn a spot in either the Jan. 1 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., or the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on New Year's Eve. The loser will probably play in the Champs Sports (formerly Tangerine) Bowl on Dec. 21.

If the Cavaliers had lost to Georgia Tech, they could have been in danger of falling to the Continental Tire Bowl in Charlotte for the third consecutive season, or, worse, the less prestigious MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho.

"It was a big win," Virginia wide receiver Michael McGrew said. "We just wanted to get a positive feeling again after the Miami loss. It's good to get that train rolling again and have some momentum."

The Cavaliers will need all the momentum they can get against the Hokies, who wiped out Maryland, 55-6, at Lane Stadium on Thursday night. Virginia has won once in its last four games at Virginia Tech, a 36-32 victory in 1998. The Hokies have won six games in a row after losing two of their first four.

"I thought it was one of the most awesome performances I've seen in a long time," Virginia Coach Al Groh said of the Hokies' lopsided victory over the Terrapins. "I think, clearly, we have the most challenging game to play next week that we've had all year long."

Groh thought playing the Yellow Jackets would be more challenging than it was after his team lost to Miami, 31-21, in Charlottesville last week, a loss that knocked the Cavaliers out of the BCS race (the Hurricanes will win the ACC's automatic BCS berth if they beat the Hokies on Dec. 4 because they would win tiebreakers over Virginia and Florida State).

But Virginia's defense dominated Georgia Tech's sluggish offense from the start, sacking Reggie Ball six times and forcing four turnovers.

The Cavaliers did just enough on offense, running for 207 yards and three touchdowns, and their special teams forced a game-changing fumble on a kickoff return.

"It was a gritty win by our players," Groh said. "It was a real team operation. It was tough, grinding action on offense. Defensively, they stepped up and did a terrific job. Special teams helped us define the game."

Senior tailback Alvin Pearman gave the Cavaliers a 7-0 lead on his six-yard touchdown run with 2 minutes 18 seconds left in the first quarter. Virginia used more than eight minutes on its first possession of the second quarter, and Connor Hughes kicked a 33-yard field goal that made it 10-0 with 6:16 left in the half.

Georgia Tech's Travis Bell kicked a 34-yard field goal on the Yellow Jackets' first possession of the second half to cut Virginia's lead to 10-3. After the Cavaliers punted, Tech seemed to be driving for a game-tying touchdown midway through the third quarter. But on first down and 10 from the Cavaliers 33-yard line, Ball threw down the right sideline for freshman wide receiver Calvin Johnson, but his pass was intercepted by cornerback Marcus Hamilton.

Virginia took over and quarterback Marques Hagans opened the drive with six consecutive passes, completing the last five to move to the Georgia Tech 41. On second and one, junior Wali Lundy burst around right end and ran 32 yards for a touchdown. Hughes's extra-point kick gave the Cavaliers a 17-3 lead with 6:06 remaining in the third.

Offensive coordinator Ron Prince "did a real good job changing the gears," Groh said. "It was quite sticky up inside there, but they were giving us something on the outside, and he reacted to that very quickly. Marcus responded to that with good accuracy."

Hagans, who had struggled throwing in the previous three games, completed 19 of 28 passes for 171 yards, and ran seven times for 35 yards. Pearman ran 17 times for 83 yards and two touchdowns, and Lundy ran 10 times for 57 yards and one score.

Ball, who lost a fumble in the first half and threw two interceptions in the end zone, completed 19 of 33 passes for 226 yards.

"It was important for him to get his confidence back," McGrew said of Hagans, who had completed only 50 percent of his passes for 371 yards and two touchdowns in the last three games combined. "He made some nice throws."

After Lundy's touchdown run, Georgia Tech's Levon Thomas fumbled the kickoff return, and Virginia's Brandon Isaiah recovered at the Yellow Jackets 12. Tech's defense held, forcing Hughes to kick a 27-yard field goal for a 20-3 lead with 3:38 left in the third. But Tech went nowhere on its next possession, and then the Cavaliers drove 70 yards in seven plays, with Pearman scoring on a one-yard run that made it 27-3 with 14:27 remaining.

After that, the Cavaliers could turn their attention to the Hokies, a share of the ACC championship and their postseason plans.

"We're going to play a great team," senior guard Elton Brown said. "The display they put on Thursday night was one of the greatest I've ever seen."