Hagans delivers on promise to do better
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 23, 2004

After losing to Miami, Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans spoke softly. He often looked at the floor. He was disappointed in himself.
Hagans promised that he would play better against Georgia Tech.
He delivered on his promise by passing for 171 yards, rushing for 35 yards and more importantly, delivering a win for his team.
Hagans will be called on to deliver again on Saturday when the 16th-ranked Cavaliers (8-2, 5-2 ACC) travel to Blacksburg to play No. 11 Virginia Tech (8-2, 5-1 ACC).
Virginia coach Al Groh was quick to point out that Hagans’ play against the Yellow Jackets, “sparked the team in his fashion.”
When Groh says “fashion,” he is talking about Hagans ability to make plays. From scrambling to passing to running fakes, Hagans was on top of his game.
On one play in particular, Hagans took the snap on third down and rolled to his right.
All his receivers were covered. Hagans did not panic. He let his feet do the work.
After dodging a pair of would-be Georgia Tech tacklers, Hagans sprinted back towards the middle of the field and something got his attention. It was tailback Wali Lundy.
“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 joked.
Hagans connected with Lundy, which turned the play into an 11-yard gain and a first down.
“I just never give up until the whistle is blown,” Hagans added.
Groh said on Monday that his signal caller is getting comfortable under center.
“Maybe the biggest thing here [with Hagans], is that at this stage now after 10 games, most of what he will encounter during his career as a quarterback, he has already seen at least once,” Groh said.
According the Groh, Hagans has had a chance to see different coverages, various game situations and been able to handle successes and failures.
“Maybe we haven’t covered the full alphabet here, but most everything that he’s going to be exposed to and eventually have to have an answer for, I think he’s experienced here for one time now,” Groh said. “I think he’s pretty much seen what’s out there. Now we just need more turns, more exposure to those situations.”
For the season, Hagans has completed 63.6 percent of his passes (138 of 217) for 1,751 yards and seven touchdowns. The junior ranks second in the ACC in passing efficiency and third in total offense.

Garnering honors. Virginia linebacker Darryl Blackstock was named the ACC’s defensive back of the week for his three-sack performance at Georgia Tech.
His teammate, Connor Hughes, was named the special teams player of the week after connecting on all three of his field-goal attempts.

Extra points. Virginia wideout Deyon Williams is listed as one of the backups on the depth chart for the Virginia Tech game. Williams missed the Georgia Tech game with an undisclosed ankle injury. Groh said Williams’ status would be determined later this week. “I don’t think we will know until later in the week. Until we know that he is not, then we are going to assume that he is [going to play],” Groh said. …
Virginia is ranked No. 18 in the latest BCS standings. Miami is ranked ninth, Virginia Tech is 14th and Florida State is ranked 19th. …
Virginia wideout Michael McGrew will do something on Saturday that most opposing players have never done - play at Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium three times. McGrew, who broke his leg last year in the preseason practice period, has never caught a pass in two previous trips to Lane Stadium.

Punting? Apologies go to Big Al
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports columnist
November 23, 2004

This sportswriter owes Al Groh an apology. Not that Groh expected one or demanded one or probably even cares about one. But one is deserved.

After Virginia’s loss to Miami, when the Cavaliers’ punting game was disastrous and was essentially responsible for giving the Hurricanes enough of an edge to win the game, I wrote that UVa’s punting problem wouldn’t change.

Boy, was I wrong.

Knowing Groh for the past 22 years, I should have known better. I should have known that he wouldn’t stand for part of his team to perform at such a poor level and not do anything about it. I should have known that this man has such a passion for winning that nothing would stand in his way of correcting the problem.

After nine games, Virginia was dead last among the 117 Division I-A football teams in net punting with a putrid 16.7 average. It’s awfully hard to win football games when shackled with such a shoddy number like that.

Groh, Gould get it done

Leave it to Groh to make something happen. While most coaches would wave off any notion of activating a true freshman punter for the 10th game of the season, Groh didn’t blink.

Critics would question the rationale of surrendering an entire year’s worth of eligibility with two regular-season games remaining. Not Groh. Not if it meant helping his team win.

That’s exactly what rookie Chris Gould did last Saturday at Georgia Tech. He helped Virginia win its eighth game of the season by punting the ball like a senior, not a freshman.

Recruited out of Central Mountain High School in Lock Haven, Pa., as more of a place-kicker than a punter, Gould was called on to do the latter. He did it well.

Gould, whose older brother, Robbie, is the place-kicker for Penn State, punted seven times against the Yellow Jackets for a 43.7 average with a long of 52 yards. He put two punts inside the Tech 20.

Instead of a 16.7 net average as his predecessor accumulated over nine games, Gould had a net yards per punt of 40.0 yards and greatly aided in Virginia’s important attempt to control field position.

Whatever it takes

How comforting it must be to Virginia fans they are coached by a man who is willing to sacrifice whatever is necessary (within the rules) to win football games. To me, that is the epitome of what a winner is all about.

Groh has mentioned a couple of times that if he is asking his players to lay everything on the line in the namesake of winning, then he would be sending the wrong signal if he wasn’t willing to do the same. Groh’s not holding back when it comes to winning games.

His motto is that he will play whoever gives his team the best chance to win. You have to admire that in a coach.

When he first took over the program and there was a battle of two quarterbacks for the starting job, one of those quarterback’s fathers flat out asked Groh who he planned to start. It was obvious that the guy was subtly attempting to work the coach a little, by applying a little pressure over the scenario.

Groh’s answer then is the same it would be now. The coach told the father, “I’m going to play whoever gives us the best chance of winning.”

That’s exactly what Groh did. That guy went on to rewrite the Virginia passing book record.

Just think of the risk that Groh took in bringing in Gould to handle the pressurized job this late in the season. Gould, who won’t turn 19 until next month, who had never ridden in an airplane until the Atlanta trip, who had never appeared in a college football game, would walk into historic Grant Field and try to beat the Ramblin’ Wreck with a leg that had not been tested under enemy fire.

But Groh had faith. He had studied the kid for hours one day back in summer football camp. He knew Gould had moxie.

It wasn’t the first time Groh has made a critical switch late in the season. That’s how place-kicker Connor Hughes became Virginia’s go-to-guy at that position. That’s how Elton Brown was broken in.

There’s a certain point each season when Groh and his staff evaluate what’s right and what’s wrong with their football team and act upon it.

“Our attitude is that when they’re ready, we’re ready,” Groh said. “If Chris had averaged 43 yards a kick throughout the course of training camp he probably would have been the punter from the start. But as he’s been here, worked more and gotten used to being in the operation, it got to the point that if we wanted to try something that he was up to it.”

It probably was good thinking that Groh decided to break in his new punter at Georgia Tech than at Virginia Tech, where the Hokies have a history of devouring anything less than a solid kicking game. Then again, what did Groh have to lose? His punting game was already in shambles.

“When you make that change, whenever it is, everybody, the coach, the punter and anybody else who is aware of it is a little anxious to see how it’s going to go,” Groh said. “That it’s already been done is probably a good thing.”

This change was a very good thing, perhaps the difference in a win and a loss.

Give Groh credit. He was willing to take a huge gamble and it paid off. He found himself a real punter.

In a zone: Cavs' defense stops Arizona
By Andrew Joyner / Daily Progress staff writer
November 23, 2004

Among the knocks against Virginia in the past has been its defense. A comment about their defense is almost attached to any comment about the Cavaliers in general.

So it raises a few eyebrows that in Virginia’s 78-60 victory over then-No. 10 Arizona on Sunday night at U-Hall, it was Virginia’s defense that was almost the primary cause of the victory. The Cavaliers, playing an active 2-3 zone for a bulk of the contest, limited the Wildcats to just 39.1 percent shooting. They also forced 21 Arizona turnovers and created 15 steals.

“I thought the defense was very good. We went zone because they have some great players. We didn’t necessarily want to matchup with them man-to-man,” Virginia coach Pete Gillen said.

All but a few coaches in college basketball speak about zone defenses with a hint of disdain or negativity. It’s a defense that is not embraced except for a few coaches like Syracuse’s Jim Boheim who implement a zone almost all the time. Gillen is no exception. He’s a man-to-man guy and frequently states that. He will make comments like the one above to justify using a zone.

Yet, if one looks at Virginia’s better defensive efforts over the past few seasons, many have come by way of the zone. Three years ago, the Cavaliers completely shutdown Georgetown at the MCI Center by playing a zone. Two years ago, the Cavaliers did the same thing to Kentucky in the semifinals of the Maui Classic.

Not bad for a coach who doesn’t totally love the zone defense.

Three things made the zone particularly effective Sunday night. First, zoning a team in November will frequently work because teams are not used to preparing against such a defense so early in the season. Second, when Virginia does play a zone it tends to be quite active given the athletic nature of their personnel such as forward Jason Clark and guards Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds. The third reason? Singletary and T.J. Bannister.

Singletary had six steals in the game while Bannister had four. Having a quick point guard at the top of that zone is critical. Singletary was able to poke the ball time after time and his simple pressure of the ball at the top of the zone never allowed Arizona’s defense to feel comfortable.

“Sean was excited to play. I thought he did a great job. The zone was very active and Sean was very active at the top of that zone,” Gillen said.

Singletary said that he felt the zone was a great strategy against Providence. The precocious freshman also reminded the media, who were probably startled at the Philadelphia native’s basketball knowledge and recall, that Gillen had used a similar zone while at Providence.

“Coach Gillen has been playing that zone for a long time. He used it when he was at Providence. Coach Gillen had a great game plan. I can chase the ball at the top of that zone because I know I have help down low from Jason Clark and Elton Brown,” Singletary said. “I’m sure it looks like fun to you all watching it, but it’s hard work. You can get real tired.”

Devin Smith, who had a game-high 17 points, felt the Cavaliers play in the zone was indicative of a broader overall theme.

“It’s something we have been working on every day in practice and it translated over into the game and that’s what you want to have happen. You want to carry your intensity from practice into the games,” Smith said. “The zone did well against them but it might not work against some other teams. The key is that every defense we play in, we have to play the same way as we did tonight.”

Notes. Singletary was named the ACC Rookie of the Week on Monday. In two victories over Robert Morris and Arizona, Singletary led the Cavaliers in both assists and steals. He scored 21 points, grabbed nine rebounds, had

15 assists and nine steals in the two games. … Wake Forest’s Chris Paul was named the ACC men’s basketball Player of the Week. … Virginia was just outside of the Associated Press’ top 25 when the poll was released Monday. The Cavaliers accumulated 151 total points to lead the Also Receiving Votes category.

Rested Cavs ready to begin NCAA quest
By Andrew Joyner / Daily Progress staff writer
November 23, 2004

Ready and rested.

The Virginia men’s soccer team is both of those things as it prepares for tonight’s NCAA Tournament second-round contest against American at Klockner Stadium. The game begins at 7 p.m.

Virginia, the tournament’s No. 4 overall seed, has not played since defeating Maryland 2-1 in the ACC title game on Nov. 14.

A break at this time in the season - especially after a momentum-building event like winning the ACC Tournament - could be seen as both a blessing and curse. Virginia coach George Gelnovatch only believes that the layoff is advantageous. With various minor injuries and the overall need for a little rest, he certainly seems to be right.

“I would take it any day over not having the nine days off. It’s given us an extra couple of days. We have a couple of guys that may not have been ready if we had to play Friday or Saturday of last week,” Gelnovatch said. “We gave them a few days off and they are really fresh. They are ready to play.”

American defeated Long Island University 3-0 on Saturday to advance to today’s game. The Eagles (15-5-2) received an automatic bid to the tournament by winning the Patriot League title.

American has been a frequent opponent for Virginia through the years but was not on the Cavaliers’ regular-season schedule this year. Virginia leads the series with American 11-3 and holds a 2-1 mark in NCAA games between the two schools.

Virginia (17-4) didn’t play American nor VCU - two programs that are almost always on the Virginia’s schedule - this year. Gelnovatch, however, had a feeling that he would see at least one of them in the postseason.

“We didn’t play American or VCU this season. We did play Old Dominion instead. I figured if one of those teams got in the NCAAs, we would end up playing them. That’s usually how it works out,” Gelnovatch said. “I look forward to playing American because I think they are a good team that will come out and play.”

Gelnovatch and his staff took the opportunity Saturday to scout the Eagles’ contest against LIU.

“I think they are a good team. I think you will have stretches in the game when they have possession of the ball. They have good players all over the field,” Gelnovatch said. “If there is a disadvantage for them, looking at their schedule and taking nothing away from the Patriot League, I think they are going to see some things they haven’t seen. I hope we can present them with some things that they haven’t seen.”

Beamer goes on defense
By Randy King
981-3126
The Roanoke Times

Pardon me, Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer says to Tony Kornheiser.

After Tech hung a 55-6 licking on Maryland, which is coached by Beamer's good friend, Ralph Friedgen, Kornheiser accused the Hokies of running up the score during Friday's "Pardon The Interruption" show.

"With friends like Beamer, I certainly hope Ralph Friedgen doesn't have any enemies," Kornheiser said.

When asked about Kornheiser's charge, a somewhat testy Beamer decided it was time to play some defense.

"I don't know where people are coming from exactly," Beamer said. "That would be the last thing I'd ever try to do, run up the score on anyone, particularly Ralph."

Tech led 41-3 at halftime and attempted only two passes in the second half. After a nine-play, 38-yard drive that included only one pass made it 48-3 with 1:54 left in the third quarter, Beamer pulled quarterback Bryan Randall and the rest of his starters. Backup quarterback Sean Glennon played most of the fourth quarter and never attempted a pass.

"The last score was an interception we returned for a touchdown ... " said Beamer, referring to Jimmy Willliams' 34-yard pick for six with 23 seconds left in the third quarter that gave Tech its final points.

"I'm not going to tell my kids to get in there and not play hard now. We played the last part of that game with reserves. I haven't talked to Ralph, but I just don't feel like he feels like I tried to run that score up on him."

When the game ended, Friedgen and Beamer met at midfield for a quick handshake and went their separate ways. One of ESPN's announcing crew working the game remarked that Friedgen appeared to give Beamer the "brushoff."

"No, no, I just think Ralph was disappointed ... that's the way I took it," Beamer said. "I know Ralph is like myself. We take losses hard and I think he was just disappointed in how [his team] played."

About brawls

In the wake of a late-game brawl that marred Clemson's 29-7 victory over South Carolina last Saturday, Beamer said he's confident nothing of the sort could happen in another heated rivalry - Saturday's Virginia-Virginia Tech game in Lane Stadium.

"I don't know if you ever say never in this business," Beamer said. "I think it needs to be less talking and more playing done during a game. I think it gets back to players on the field and the officiating ... don't let it get started."

Imoh update

When asked about the status of leading rusher Mike Imoh for Saturday, Tech trainer Mike Goforth said Monday he had mixed news to report.

"The good news is Mike's hamstring is looking better; the bad news is he's sick," Goforth said. "He's got some kind of stomach virus. Who knows if he can practice [Monday] or [today] or not."

"I think we just wait until [today] and see what happens," Beamer said. "If Mike can't go, Cedric [Humes] and Justin [Hamilton] will be ready to go."

Odds and ends

Reserve linebacker Blake Warren (fractured hand) is questionable for Saturday. Sophomore Ryan Hash, a regular on Tech's kickoff team, injured his knee in Friday's JV game and will undergo surgery today, Beamer said. ... Tech entered the season as one of seven teams in the nation that have gone to bowls for 11 or more consecutive years. While the Hokies are guaranteed of remaining in the elite group, Kansas State (4-7), which had gone to 11 straight bowls, will drop out. Nebraska (5-5), which tops the list with 35 consecutive bowl berths, will have to beat Colorado on Saturday in order to hang with Michigan (30), Florida State (23), Tennessee (16), Florida (14) and Tech (12). ... Tech ranks third in the nation in scoring defense (13.1) and pass efficiency defense (96.21 points); fifth in pass defense (154.7); sixth in total defense (269.6); and eighth in turnover margin (plus-1.20).

Horrors far from home
Commentary
The Roanoke Times

Writhing in a chair, moaning. Eyes fixed on a screen full of grisly images. Over and over, the clips run. Beatings. Brawls. Scenes of rage.

The hands grip the chair arms. The teeth clench. The blood boils. The world-view darkens. In the opening scene of the horror flick "28 Days Later," it's a monkey in that chair. He's part of a sick experiment. The doctors won't let him stop watching, and his sanity slowly erodes.

Lately, though, it's been us sports fans in that chair.

And we're watching SportsCenter.

Fortunately, no one has tied us down. So here's how we need to react: We ought to stand up, turn off the TV, clasp our hands and thank our lucky stars it's Virginia-Virginia Tech week.

Because if we're not careful, those of us who love and follow sports are going to turn into that movie monkey: Bitter, angry and joyless. Our diversions will become just another burden.

We watch so many replays of the chilling melee that broke out in Detroit Friday night, or of the brawl during the South Carolina-Clemson football game, and we begin to doubt our own passions.

This is sports? Grown men throwing drinks and food and chairs at other grown men?

This is sports? Athletes throwing haymakers at spectators?

This is sports? One football team brawling with another during a legendary coach's final game?

Children crying? Announcers gawking? Fists flying?

No. This isn't sports. It's garbage.

But you don't need me to tell you that. Anybody can tell you that throwing a full cup of liquid on a player, as a fan did Friday during the Pistons-Pacers basketball game in Detroit, is wrong. And anybody can tell you that the reaction of several Indiana players - rushing into the stands and wailing on fans - is nuts. Same with all the disgusting mess that followed.

I'm not here to argue about that. I'm here to ask you to keep the faith.

Because here in Virginia, we're blessed. UVa-Tech week has arrived. That means we have a chance to enjoy the finest thing sports has to offer: Passion without poison.

But wait, you say. Don't the Hokies and Cavaliers supposedly hate each other? Isn't that exactly the kind of scenario that can lead to the stuff we're tired of seeing?

That depends on how you define hate.

I'll bet that somewhere at your office today, a Tech alum is grinning as he talks trash to a UVa-loving co-worker. I bet you somewhere near you, a UVa fan is e-mailing an off-color Tech joke to his nephew or son or sister, who, against the family's wishes, happens to prefer the school with a Duck Pond.

I'll bet you that early Saturday morning, Tech fans will begin to tailgate alongside UVa fans. They will bust each other's chops, but never their skulls.

I'll bet you that if you wear a UVa shirt to the game Saturday, somebody will ask you if you brought your wine and cheese. And I'll bet you'll laugh it off - then take a swig of chardonnay and a bite of Brie.

I'll bet you if you wear a Tech cap in certain parts of the state this week, you'll hear at least one agricultural joke. And I'll bet you'll laugh it off - then adjust the strap on your overalls.

Is this hate?

Sounds like love to me. A love of competition, of common bonds, of history, of tradition, of family - heck, of simply having something to look forward to.

Perfect. And just in time.

Go to the game. Bring the kids. Bring the passion. Bring the smile. Cook your sausages, wear your colors, drink your wine, adjust your strap, high-five your friends and playfully taunt your enemies.

Let the others talk about brawls and suspensions and the supposed vitriol that exists between our sports and our public, because together, we can prove it's all an overblown lie.

So long, chair.

See ya, grisly images.

Later, dimming world view.

We're heading to Lane Stadium.

And know that this is only the beginning of the fun. Win or lose for your favorite team this week, keep in mind that a bowl game awaits.

About 28 days later.

Blackstock puts end to 'crazy' sack slump
BY DAVE JOHNSON
247-4649
Published November 23, 2004

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Three weeks ago, Virginia pass-rush specialist Darryl Blackstock had 24 tackles and three sacks next to his name on the stat sheet. After seven games, he expected to be more prolific.

"That's crazy," he said at the time. And he didn't mean it in a good way.

But in his past three games, Blackstock has been a machine at outside linebacker. He had two sacks each against Miami and Maryland and three in last week's 30-10 victory over Georgia Tech. Now he's the runaway sack leader in the ACC.

"Seven sacks in my last three games," said Blackstock, who was named ACC defensive back of the week. "I've been getting back to my roots. I've gotten back to what I'm used to. And it feels good."

His timing was ironic, because reporters had been spending much of Cavaliers coach Al Groh's weekly press conference asking what was wrong with Blackstock. Was it double-teaming from the opponent? Had Blackstock become too one-dimensional in relying on speed and not technique?

Apparently, whatever the problem was, Blackstock has it ironed out. He got to Maryland's Joel Statham twice on Nov. 6 and to Miami's Brock Berlin twice a week later. And last Saturday, he sacked Georgia Tech's Reggie Ball three times and knocked him down several other times.

"I know I got him at least three or four times right as he threw," Blackstock said. "I don't know what it's been, but I've just been trying to get it going."

Blackstock now has 26 sacks as a Cavalier, which ties him with Mike Frederick for second on U.Va.'s all-time list. He's 14 short of tying Chris Slade, whose total of 40 is also an ACC mark.

"It's cool, but it ain't nothing to get all hyped up about," Blackstock said.

PUNTING GAME

Coming off his team's best punting performance of the season - by far - Groh has to feel a little more comfortable going against what traditionally has been one of the nation's top punt-blocking teams. True freshman Chris Gould averaged 43.7 yards on seven punts Saturday at Georgia Tech, eight yards more than Sean Johnson's average after nine games.

The Hokies have only blocked one punt this season, but they blocked 63 kicks during the 1990s. Gould has little experience, but at least he's been tested.

"Whenever you make a change, ... you're anxious to see how it's going to go," Groh said. "That it's already been done is probably a good thing."

SHORTS

Wideout Deyon Williams, who missed last week's game at Georgia Tech with an unspecified injury, is listed on the depth chart as a backup to Imhotep Durham. Groh said he's unsure whether Williams will be able to go Saturday, but "until we know he's not, we're going to assume he is." ...

Groh said Hokies tailback Mike Imoh reminds him of ex-Florida State back Warrick Dunn. "And he carved out a pretty good career for himself," Groh said. ... Although most consider junior tight end Heath Miller all but declared for the 2005 NFL draft, Miller says he hasn't made a call on that yet.

Tackling Hagans is a moving experience
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Nov 23, 2004

The following replay is brought to you by Marques Hagans, the official performance artist of Virginia Cavaliers football . . .

Third down and 7 to go, early second quarter in Atlanta last Saturday, U.Va. ahead 7-zip, Georgia Tech flirting with competence. Hagans takes the snap and rolls to his right, blockers floating in tandem in front of him, rushers slanting for angles to demolish him. He nears the sideline. He searches for a target. The ball remains in his cocked right arm.

"They kind of covered everybody," he would say later. "They had it walled off pretty good."

This is where it gets spicy. Hagans shrugs off contact from 255-pound Jackets defensive tackle Joe Anoai, who flops to the turf like a beached tuna. He then takes an indirect hit from 225-pound linebacker KaMichael Hall - Hagans goes 5-11, 211, by the way - and is nearly bumped out of bounds. By this time, he is in the process of making a 180-degree pirouette that'll start him back toward the middle of the field, everyone in full scramble mode, he still exploring possibilities.

"I never give up," he will say. "I never give up till the whistle is blown. A lot of times I get in trouble for not throwing [the ball] away when I should. I always believe I can make it."

And he does. He finally spots Cavs tailback Wali Lundy ("He was waving his hands pretty good, like he was on an island waving for a plane to rescue him") and zips a pass across his body that's turned into an 11-yard gain and ball control. U.Va. crunches toward a field goal and, eventually, a 30-10 romp. Hagans turns down the lead in "The Harry Houdini Story" and jogs to the huddle.

"A schoolyard play," is the way Groh defines it - this in the wake of a headset observation from offensive coordinator Ron Prince. "Ron said to me, 'Boy, that's real coaching genius, isn't it?' We always say players make the difference. That was one of those plays where players make the difference."

Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster will need to be treated for acid reflux if Hagans creates highlight footage like that Saturday. It's Cavs vs. Hokies in Blacksburg for no worse than a tie for the ACC championship, and Hagans is the fear factor for Foster and his feeling-stronger-every-day "D."

Foster probably believes his front seven can stymie U.Va.'s running game. He likely thinks his secondary can stay with the Cavs' wideouts. He possibly figures his crew has learned its lesson from last year's 13-catch eruption by Heath Miller and won't again lose track of Virginia's all-galaxy tight end.

But Hagans? Foster can't assume anything about Hagans any more than Al Groh and Ron Prince can. Marques Hagans improvises. He invents. He discombobulates. He turns your best defense into your worst nightmare. He can wing it with his arm. He can wing it with his creativity. He deflates you. At his best, he beats you.

"He can end up anywhere," said Groh. "He's not going to be Peyton Manning in the pocket. That's not his game - to go back and throw the ball 25 or 30 times a game and be a classic quarterback."

Florida State and Miami hemmed him in with speed. FSU punished him. Miami harried him into a 10-for-25 misadventure and two interceptions. But Georgia Tech is pretty fast, too, and Hagans was good for 206 yards passing and running against the Jackets. He and Virginia Tech QB Bryan Randall are a lot alike in that respect. The difference Saturday is that Randall will have the crowd.

Lane Stadium is a rowdy joint. It howls. It produces energy for the homies, most notably the defense. If your quarterback can't deal with that turbulence, you've got problems. If you're quarterback is Marques Hagans, you've got an X-factor.

"I think I play with a lot of heart," he said.

It's how much magic he plays with Saturday that's the issue.

U.VA. NOTES
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Nov 23, 2004

HOUSE OF PAIN: Few places in college football are as intimidating for visiting teams as Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium, where the fans have become renowned for their fervor and passion.

Nothing excites the Tech faithful more than to see the Hokies produce a game-changing play on special teams or defense. Just ask Virginia coach Al Groh, who remembers what happened at Lane Stadium on a frigid November day in 2002.

U.Va. led 3-0 after one quarter. Early in the second period, though, Tech's Justin Hamilton blocked Tom Hagan's punt, and Darryl Tapp returned it 11 yards for a touchdown. The Hokies extended their lead to 14-3 by halftime and went on to win 21-9 before a crowd of 65.097.

"It's certainly to your advantage not to start the feeding frenzy," Groh said. "Those teams that have done so down there have had a pretty hard time digging out from under it. It makes it just that much more imposing."


No. 18 Virginia (5-2, 8-2) visits Lane Stadium on Saturday for a 1 p.m. game against No. 11 Virginia Tech (5-1, 8-2). The Cavaliers reclaimed the Commonwealth Cup with a 35-21 win over Tech at Scott Stadium last season. U.Va. hasn't won in Blacksburg since 1998.

ONE TO REMEMBER: In his four seasons at U.Va., tailback Alvin Pearman has scored 26 touchdowns. Few have been more significant than the 49-yard pass play on which he and quarterback Matt Schaub teamed last year against Hokies.

"Any play you make against Virginia Tech is going to be memorable," Pearman said.

Late in the third quarter, Pearman ran a "wheel route" out of the backfield and sprinted free along the right sideline. He gathered in Schaub's pass and raced to the end zone to put Virginia ahead to stay.

"It'd probably be unlikely that we could dust that same one off again," Groh said.

Maybe not, Pearman suggested with a smile yesterday. "We'll find out if they're ready for it," he said.

HEADING WEST: Offensive guard Elton Brown has accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 15 in San Francisco. Brown, a 6-6, 338-pound senior, will play for the East team, whose coach is Purdue's Joe Tiller.

HEADING EAST? Alvin Pearman's brother, Andrew, committed to U.Va. in the summer of 2003. But he re-opened his recruiting in January after Virginia's running backs coach, Kevin Ross, left to become offensive coordinator at Army, and the younger Pearman ultimately enrolled at Hawaii.

The Honolulu Advertiser reported Friday that Pearman, an exceptionally fast tailback who's redshirting this season, may leave Hawaii and transfer to a school on the East Coast.

"He's homesick," Hawaii coach June Jones told the newspaper.

Asked if his brother might end up at U.Va., Alvin Pearman politely declined comment yesterday. Andrew Pearman rushed for 2,268 yards and scored 37 touchdowns as a high school senior in Charlotte, N.C., in 2003.

SINGLED OUT: The ACC's defensive back of the week is Darryl Blackstock, who lines up at outside linebacker in U.Va.'s 3-4 scheme. The junior from Newport News had three sacks Saturday in Virginia's 30-10 win over Georgia Tech, raising his league-high total to 10.5. Blackstock also recorded a season-high six tackles.

Virginia's Connor Hughes was named one of the ACC's co-specialists of the week. A junior from Williamsburg, Hughes booted three field goals against the Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Hughes kicked five against Georgia Tech last year at Scott Stadium.

CAREER DAY: Marcus Hamilton's breakout performance against Georgia Tech didn't go unnoticed.

Hamilton, a sophomore cornerback who lost his starting job after Virginia's game at Duke on Oct. 23, intercepted two passes Saturday - both in the end zone - against Georgia Tech. The former Centreville High star also made five tackles and broke up a pass.

LEARNING CURVE: The cornerback who replaced Hamilton in the starting lineup, Philip Brown, is still on the first team, according to the depth chart handed out yesterday. But the true freshman from Hampton is coming off a shaky outing.

The Yellow Jackets challenged Brown repeatedly, and he was twice called for pass interference. On another play, Georgia Tech's star wideout, true freshman Calvin Johnson, beat Brown for a 37-yard reception.

"I'm sure he's looking forward to a few more positive afternoons," Groh said of Brown.

Hamilton knows what Brown is going through.

"The thing that he has to realize is that it's going to happen at every level - high school, college and the professional level," Hamilton said. "You see people getting beat all the time. I would like to tell him just to keep his confidence, because without that it's hard to play the position." - Jeff White