ACC teams try to become bowl eligible
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 1, 2005

“And down the stretch they come!”

It means something different to horse racing fans, but as the Virginia football team returned to the practice field Monday night after a timely weekend off, it was back to business.

And for good reason. With a tricky November schedule that includes four games - three against foes in the Atlantic Coast Conference and one on Saturday against Temple at 3:30 p.m. - the Cavaliers (4-4, 2-3 ACC) must find a way to win two to become eligible for a bowl game.

Virginia coach Al Groh can do the math. He knows that the best-case scenario of a 5-3 record in league play would still leave his team out of the ACC Championship game, so “the next goal is to try to get yourself placed as best you can in the postseason.”

A win over Temple is expected. Virginia is a 34-point favorite over the winless Owls (0-8).

The other three games, well, they will not be as easy.

The Cavaliers close out the regular season by playing the first-, second- and third-place teams from the ACC’s Coastal Division - Virginia Tech, Miami and Georgia Tech. If Virginia beats Temple and one of those other three teams, it would become bowl eligible for the third straight season.

But would the Cavs go bowling?

The Atlantic Coast Conference has tie-ins to six bowl games, including the automatic bid into the Bowl Championship Series. It seems highly unlikely that the league could put two teams into the BCS mix unless an undefeated Virginia Tech team lost to a one-loss Florida State team in the ACC Championship game.

Four of the ACC’s teams already have secured a postseason berth. Virginia Tech (8-0), Florida State (7-1), Miami (6-1) and Boston College (6-2) have already qualified to play in one of those six affiliated bowls sometime in December or January. The rest of the teams’ fates are up in the air.

Here’s a look at the ACC:

The Good

• Virginia Tech (8-0, 5-0). Even if the Hokies win their final three games (Miami, at Virginia, North Carolina) and the ACC title game, they may need help to play in the National Championship game. Eleven other ACC teams would love that problem.

• Florida State (7-1, 5-1). The Seminoles received a scare against Maryland on Saturday, but thanks to a second-half comeback they won 35-27. They appear to have the inside track for the Atlantic Division bid into the ACC Championship game with league games left with North Carolina State and Clemson and the head-to-head tiebreaker locked up with second-place Boston College. FSU closes out the regular season with a rivalry game at Florida on Nov. 26.

• Miami (6-1, 3-1). The Hurricanes play their most important game of the season on Saturday at Virginia Tech. With a win, Miami would suddenly become the Coastal Division favorite. Even with a loss, the Hurricanes are sitting pretty for earning a date in an upper-level non-BCS bowl with two home games (Georgia Tech and UVa) and a winnable road game at Wake Forest left. Playing in the Peach Bowl seems likely if the Canes lose out on a title game berth (Florida State played in that game last year).

• Boston College (6-2, 3-2). The Eagles play two of their final three games on the road (at North Carolina and Maryland). They also get North Carolina State at home on Nov. 12. Since BC played in the Continental Tire Bowl last year in Charlotte, they could use two or three wins to make a pitch for the Peach or Gator Bowls. A trip to the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando seems more likely.

The Bad

• Virginia (4-3, 2-3). The Cavaliers should enter the final three games needing just one win. Considering they have lost just two home games in the past three years, it is a mark that should be obtainable. But then what? Virginia would love to avoid a repeat trip to Boise. And the Peach Bowl seems like a dream unless the Cavs win three of four.

There are bowl games that take at-large teams, like the Poinsettia Bowl (San Diego) or the Liberty Bowl (Memphis, Tenn.). The Poinsettia Bowl, which is played Dec. 22, would likely be hard to swing for the Cavaliers since final exams run from Dec. 8-16.

Another option could arise if another conference fails to qualify enough teams to fill their bowl allotments, like what could potentially happen in the Southeastern Conference. Five teams in the SEC, which has eight tie-ins, are currently bowl eligible (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and LSU). South Carolina (5-3) needs just one win, while Vanderbilt (4-4) needs two and Tennessee (3-4) needs to go 3-1.

That would leave the Cavaliers with a shot at playing in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 30 in Shreveport, La., against the fifth-place team from the Big Ten. It could also earn UVa or another ACC school a date in the Music City Bowl (Dec. 30).

The Independence Bowl wanted Virginia last year, but bowl officials in Boise would not release the Cavaliers from their conference obligation.

If it sounds confusing, that’s because it is.

• Georgia Tech (5-2, 3-2). The Yellow Jackets did more for their bowl hopes than perhaps any other ACC team, beating Clemson, 10-9, on Saturday. Georgia Tech needs one more win to become eligible for the postseason. They play twice on the road (at Miami and Virginia) and twice at home (Wake Forest and Georgia). Georgia Tech could end up playing in Charlotte in the Meineke Car Care Bowl, formerly known as the Continental Tire Bowl.

The Ugly

• Clemson (4-4, 2-4). The Tigers seemed like a lock for the postseason until their offense missed the bus for Atlanta on Saturday, losing 10-9. Sound familiar? Clemson must now win two of its final three games. One should be a given - they host Duke (1-8). The other two are tougher - they have Florida State and play a rivalry game at South Carolina.

Clemson was all packed for Boise last year when a postgame brawl wiped away those plans.

• Maryland (4-4, 2-3). The Terps could have helped their chances on Saturday, but Florida State rallied to beat them. They must now win two of their final three as they host Boston College and travel to North Carolina and North Carolina State.

• North Carolina (3-4, 2-2). The Tar Heels need to win three of their final four. They should beat Duke at home and should be a slight favorite to beat Maryland at Kenan Stadium. After that they host Boston College. They may want to win those first three games since the final game on the schedule is played where visiting teams go to lose - Blacksburg.

• North Carolina State (3-4, 1-4). The Wolfpack kept their slim hopes alive with a come-from-behind win over Southern Miss on Saturday (21-17). N.C. State must win three of its final four for a chance to play in the postseason. While they should beat Middle Tennessee State (2-4), they face tough tests at Florida State and Boston College before playing a home finale with Maryland.

• Wake Forest (4-5, 3-3). So you’re saying we have a chance? Yes, Wake Forest you have a chance. Slim as it may be. The Demon Deacons must win both of their final two games against a pair of teams that are a combined 11-3. That includes a road trip to Georgia Tech and a home date with Miami. Ouch.

With 11 of the 12 teams either having secured a spot or trying to do, it would be easy for a coach in the league to get headaches crunching the numbers.

“That is just the kind of season it is in this conference right now,” said Groh on Sunday. “There seem to be so many teams that are in a position or in a necessity to fight their brains out to try to win six.”

 

Owls offer Cavs chance to wise up
With less-than-stellar stats, Owls may be just what Virginia needs to turn corner
Ernie Washington, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

If there was ever a treatment to cure the bitter feeling after a terrible loss, the Temple Owls would be it. Luckily, the Virginia football team has the chance to be healed.

After the Cavaliers' embarrassing 7-5 loss against North Carolina Oct. 22, Temple comes to Charlottesville Saturday in a game expected by many to be a blowout.

Why is Temple considered the preferred treatment for a team feeling the blues? Consider the following facts from the history of Temple football: They have only won 41 percent of the games they have ever played. They have won only one bowl game, the 1979 Garden State bowl, a bowl no longer in existence. They have won only one conference championship -- the 1967 Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation championship.

The most disturbing event in Temple history, however, occurred in 2001. The presidents of schools in the Big East Conference voted to expel Temple out of the conference for financial reasons.

As for the present day, Temple is 0-9 this season. They are coming off a 41-14 blowout loss to mid-major Miami (OH) on senior day. Besides a three-point defeat at the hands of Western Michigan, all of their other losses have occurred by a margin of greater than 24 points.

For the Cavaliers, it also helps if senior quarterback Marques Hagans, a.k.a. "The Magician," can brew together a spell to help the Cavaliers Saturday.

Hampered by a hamstring injury against the Tar Heels, Hagans was limited to 109 yards passing and 26 yards rushing. However, one game alone does not diminish his importance to the Cavaliers this season. He is the third leading rusher on the team with 213 yards, and he averages 207 yards passing per game. Teammates are quick to praise Hagans' value this season.

"You can't really ask for more from a quarterback as a receiver," junior receiver Fontel Mines said. "He's a great player; he silenced all the critics about the height issues. He played through injuries, through fatigue. He went out there and made plays -- you can't really ask for any more than that."

Even though Hagans has battled injuries lately, he doesn't use that as an excuse for the loss against North Carolina.

"Marques doesn't take any extra credit when he wins, and he doesn't make any excuses when he doesn't," Virginia head coach Al Groh said. "I won't make any excuses for him either because I think that's the way he'd like it."

Hagans would also like nothing else than victories for the Cavaliers. While the Carolina loss hurt the team, they are still a tight-knit group.

"Our teammates pick each other up," Hagans said. "We have nobody else but us between those lines. We've got to keep fighting all year."

The Cavaliers know, as harsh as the North Carolina game might have been, that they have the rest of the season to try to gain bowl eligibility and finish in the upper-tier of the coastal division of the ACC.

"Wins or losses, you've got to put it behind you," sophomore safety Nate Lyles said. "We're getting ready for the next team."

 

U.VA. NOTES
Richmond Times-Dispatch Nov 1, 2005

INSIDE PRESENCE: In news reports this fall, Johnnie Lett has been consistently listed at 215 pounds. His basketball coach at B.C. Rain High in Mobile, Ala., Bruce Craig, said yesterday that the 6-8 senior weighs closer to 225 and could easily carry 250 pounds - or more - on his frame.

Lett committed to Virginia on Saturday, becoming the third member of coach Dave Leitao's recruiting class for 2006-07. As a junior, Lett averaged 18 points and 15 rebounds and was a finalist for the Mr. Basketball award in Alabama.

Craig compared Lett's style of play to that of another powerful big man from Alabama, Ben Wallace, the Detroit Pistons center who starred in college for Virginia Union.

"He's a kid that's willing to work hard and learn," Craig said. "The thing I like about Johnnie is, most kids think they've already arrived. Johnnie wants to keep working."

Lett, whose offensive game is unpolished, also had a scholarship offer from South Alabama and drew interest from numerous other schools.

"He's a well-mannered kid," Craig said. "Yes, sir. No, sir. Never complains. Anything you tell him to do, he says, 'Yes, sir.' He's one of the hardest-working kids I've ever coached."

BIG LOSSES: Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller is earning praise for his blocking. Another NFL rookie, Patrick Estes, is a second-team offensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers.

A season ago, Miller and Estes were Virginia's top two tight ends. Not coincidentally, perhaps, U.Va. led the ACC in rushing by a large margin. The Cavaliers, averaging a modest 137.1 rushing yards per game, rank ninth among ACC teams this season.

Miller played at about 250 pounds and Estes at about 280 last season. The latest generation of tight ends at U.Va. - sophomores Jonathan Stupar (245 pounds) and Tom Santi (238) and true freshman John Phillips (241) - has considerably less bulk.

"In terms of power at the point of attack, against some of the size defensive ends you get, there certainly is a tradeoff," Virginia coach Al Groh said.

EXTENDED HOMESTAND: The starting time for the Nov. 19 football game between U.Va. and Virginia Tech won't be announced until Monday, at the earliest. The Cavaliers learned yesterday, however, that their Nov. 12 date with ACC rival Georgia Tech at Scott Stadium will start at 3:30 p.m.

ABC Sports will televise the game regionally. The Yellow Jackets will be trying to win in Charlottesville for the first time since 1990.

Assuming the Cavs (4-3) beat non-conference foe Temple (0-9) at Scott Stadium this weekend, as expected, they would become bowl-eligible with a victory over Georgia Tech.

U.Va. will be the fourth ACC team Temple has faced this season. The Owls played Maryland on Oct. 8, Miami (Fla.) on Oct. 15 and Clemson on Oct. 22. Temple lost to Miami (Ohio) this past weekend.

HARD TIMES: In one of the greatest upsets in college football history, previously winless Temple erased a 17-0 deficit and stunned Virginia Tech 28-24 at Lane Stadium on Oct. 17, 1998. The list of the Owls' highlights on the gridiron since then is short. The Big East kicked Temple out after last season, and the school won't become a full member of the Mid-American Conference until 2007.

Bobby Wallace won't be coaching the Owls then. Wallace announced last month that he'll step down when this season ends. He captured three NCAA Division II national titles at North Alabama but never has had a winning season at Temple, where he took over before the 1998 season.

Temple is competing as an affiliate member of the MAC this season and will do so again in 2006. On yesterday's MAC coaches' teleconference, Wallace said he'll move after the season to Gulf Shores, Ala., where he has a house, and work in a private business.

Will he coach again?

"I don't know," Wallace said. "I really don't. This was my 30th year. At this point in time, I'd say no, but never say never."

SLOW TO HEAL: Jermaine Dias, who started U.Va.'s first three games at outside linebacker, hasn't played since spraining his foot Sept. 24 against Duke. Dias sprained an ankle as a redshirt freshman last season and "was very slow to come back from that, too," Groh noted. "It's not that he wants to be slow to come back," but that's the reality.

Virginia was especially thin at outside linebacker during its Oct. 22 loss at North Carolina. Not only did Dias not travel with the team to Chapel Hill, neither did reserve linebacker Aaron Clark. A true freshman, Clark was held out after suffering internal bleeding during a recent practice. Clark has since returned to practice and may be available against Temple.

- Jeff White

 

Cavs focus on home stretch
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 2, 2005

After every game week this season Virginia coach Al Groh has named a “Player of the Game” on defense, offense, special teams and the scout team.
Well, after almost every game.
Following a 7-5 loss at North Carolina on Oct. 22, Groh elected to pass on naming an offensive star for the contest. And it’s easy to see why. As the scoreboard proved, there really wasn’t one.
“Nobody deserved it,” said UVa quarterback Marques Hagans. “All we could muster up was five points - a field goal and a safety. They gave us two points. That is disappointing.
“I think that was the right thing to do. We couldn’t block anybody. I didn’t make a lot of the right reads. It was pretty much a bad day overall on offense.”
Virginia shouldn’t have a tough time finding an offensive MVP on Saturday. The Cavaliers (4-3, 2-3 ACC) welcome in lowly Temple (0-9), one of the worst, if not the worst Division I-A program in the country.
For Hagans and his offensive counterparts, Temple can’t get here soon enough. Thanks to a bye week, Virginia will have had two full weeks to ponder the loss at North Carolina.
“I’ll be honest. It’s been hard, real hard,” said wide receiver Fontel Mines. “After you go out and beat a great team like Florida State and then lose like that, and then take a week off, it takes a while to refocus.”
The extra time off did, however, come at a good time for a number of players, like Hagans, who were battling nagging injuries.
Hagans said he was “completely healthy” from the hamstring injury that limited him against UNC, a game that saw him complete 14 of 28 passes for a season-low 109 yards.
Outside linebacker Jermaine Dias, who has played in just three games this year, was able to return to practice on Monday.
Dias, who was not listed on the depth chart, had been sidelined for more than a month with a sprained foot but his return to practice “was encouraging,” Groh said.
Two of the biggest offensive weapons for UVa could be out for Saturday’s game. Coach Groh said he expected to be without his team’s leading rusher, Michael Johnson (267 yards on 50 carries, 2 TDs), and tight end Jonathan Stupar (16 rec., 206 yards, 1 TD). Johnson and Stupar have sprained ankles.
While Johnson was unavailable for comment, Stupar said his sprained ankle, which occurred during practice last week, should not sideline him from playing against the Owls.

GETTING BETTER. Blame it on a suspension, injuries or new faces in new places, but Virginia’s offensive line has drawn some criticism this season for its inability to open lanes for the running game.
One play in particular, the sweep outside the tackles, has failed to be as productive this season as it has in years past. Why?
“It’s a number of different execution things,” Groh said, “that we’re not as precise at as we were last year.”
For the play to work, Groh said other things on offense have to be clicking. That includes an occasional run inside the tackles.
To the offensive line’s credit, tailback Wali Lundy has been slowed since the season opener by a sprained foot.
Lundy might be turning the corner as he enters the final four or five games of his career. He led the team with 60 yards rushing against UNC and Groh said Lundy has progressed in practice.
“[Lundy’s] responding and has looked good Friday and Monday,” Groh said. “I think there were times where he was kind of hunting and pecking for things to open up. When there was a little crease there in years past he would have aggressively taken it. He didn’t have enough confidence to sprint to get through.
“We’ve really tried to refocus on that style of one-cut running and aggressively pushing the ball in the
creases.”

UNDER CENTER. Groh provided a few laughs on Tuesday when asked about the future at center.
At the moment, Virginia has a pair of centers on scholarship - Brian Barthelmes and Jordy Lipsey. Barthelmes has started five games this year. Lipsey got the nod in the other two games, as “Bart” nursed a sprained ankle.
Ian Yates-Cunningham was in the mix early on, but after complications with a previous back injury flared up, he was moved to left guard.
When confronted by a question about whom would snap the ball after Barthlemes completed his eligibility at the end of this season, Groh chuckled: “Good question. ‘And what would you like for Christmas, little boy?’ If Santa asked me that, I can assure you I’m not going to say, ‘A train.’”

EXTRA POINTS. Virginia has started 10 of its 88 drives this season inside its own 20. Opponents? They have started 18 of 89 inside their own 20. Also, UVa has started 20 drives in opposing territory, while its opponents have opened just one drive in Cavalier territory. … Virginia is one of four ACC teams that have a perfect record at home this season. The Cavaliers are 3-0 and they have a stretch of three straight home games starting on Saturday. The other three undefeated teams at home are Florida State (5-0), Miami (5-0) and Virginia Tech (4-0). …
How bad has Temple been this season? The Owls rank 115th in scoring offense, 112th in rushing offense and 102nd in passing offense in the country. … The Owls will be playing their fourth ACC opponent in the past five weeks. The ACC opponents (Clemson, Maryland and Miami) have outscored the Owls 109-17 this year. …
Virginia’s red zone offense is tied for second in the league with Virginia Tech. Both teams from the Commonwealth have scored on 85.7 percent of their trips inside the opposition’s 20-yard line. Clemson leads the league, converting 90.6 percent of its opportunities to score. …
The Cavaliers have gone for it on fourth down five times this year, the fewest attempts in the ACC. Guess who leads the league in converting on fourth down? Duke has been successful on 10 of its 15 tries (66.7 percent).

Home sweet home for Cavaliers?
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
November 2, 2005

For the past four years, Virginia football has been almost unbeatable within the friendly confines of Scott Stadium. With history on their side, the Cavaliers begin a critical three-game home stretch on Saturday that will define what this particular team is all about.

With winless Temple, followed by Georgia Tech (5-2), then No. 3-ranked and unbeaten Virginia Tech all rolling into Charlottesville on consecutive weekends, the Cavaliers have a chance to make a huge impact on the season. Standing at 4-3, Virginia can’t afford anything less than excellence during that span.

Homefield advantage

Having won 19 of their last 21 home games at Scott Stadium, the Cavaliers have proven that this is a tough place for opponents to play. The two losses, dating back to 2002, were a close loss to No. 18 Miami last year, and a 19-14 loss to No. 7 Florida State in 2003.

Meanwhile, the Cavs have knocked off No. 4 FSU this season, beat Virginia Tech the last time the Hokies visited in ’03, and dominated teams such as Georgia Tech and UNC in Scott.

With the three upcoming home games before the Wahoos finish the regular season at Miami on Thanksgiving weekend, coach Al Groh’s team can benefit greatly.

“It means a lot just because for me it’s a whole lot of fun to play at Scott Stadium,” said UVa senior defensive end Brennan Schmidt. “It’s my favorite place to play in the whole world. Our fans are fantastic and I think Scott seems like a very difficult place for opponents to come to play.”

Senior quarterback Marques Hagans said that the Cavaliers feed off the energy from the atmosphere in the stadium and that is a distinct advantage, particularly in close games.

A little edge

There’s a lot of truth in what Hagans believes. A quick glimpse around the parity-laced ACC this season revealed a stronger than normal home field advantage. Of the 15 conference games decided by seven points or less, 10 of them were won by home teams.

Even in those five losses by home teams, two were settled in overtime (both at Clemson), and the other three were determined by a combined total of 11 points.

“I would say that usually, the more closely matched teams are, then probably it makes it that much more difficult for the visiting team to win,” Groh said Tuesday. “If we did a survey on it and talked about road wins, usually it’s the superior team that wins ... and they were going to win wherever the game was played.

“When the teams are very even, then there’s little edges that determine it and that little edge could be a play during the game, a kick you run back or just the familiarity with and the lift the teams get from playing at home,” the UVa coach said.

After losing three straight on the road, including a deflating 7-5 setback at North Carolina two weeks ago, the

Cavs figure they have a lot of ground to make up during November. But Groh challenged his team on Monday to make it a month to remember.

“Hey, that’s what November is in college football,” Groh pointed out. “It’s going to be that way every November. What happens in November is going to determine how the thing all writes out, whether you’re 8-0 and you think you have a chance to do something magical, or you’re trying to play your way into a certain circumstance. That’s the reality of it.”

He pointed out to the Cavaliers that past UVa teams have performed well during the home stretch, but knew that not all of those in attendance needed a reminder.

“I’m not giving you a history lesson here fellas because many of you were in those games,” Groh said to his team. “You’re the ones who made this happen. You’ve been through this before, you understand this month, you’ve raised your game at this time of year before. That should give you confidence that you’ve done it before.”

That’s what happened in Groh’s first season (2001), when the Cavs knocked off two ranked opponents, Georgia Tech and Penn State, back to back at Scott Stadium. The following season, Virginia again won back-to-back home games in November against ranked teams (N.C. State and Maryland) to secure a Continental Tire Bowl spot.

Then in ‘03, the Cavs were 5-5, won back-to-back home games against Georgia Tech and No. 21 Virginia Tech to earn another bowl spot and finished 8-5.

“This is fun, this is exciting,” Groh said. “This is where seasons are made.”

Instead of allowing the hangover from a loss at Carolina to linger, the Cavaliers have their heads on straight for the stretch run as evidenced by several of them expressing their thoughts on what can still happen.

“We’re sitting here at 4-3, but I feel we have a chance to make this a great season,” said sophomore defensive end Chris Long, who seems to improve each week. “We all feel like we have a real chance to do something special.”

The odds are certainly in Virginia’s favor. It’s hard to argue with 19 out of 21.

If the Cavaliers can pull off this challenge, then Scott Stadium might sway its way into a reputation as one of the toughest places in the country to play.
 

Hagans nearly forgoes shower after loss
By Doug Doughty
981-3129
The Roanoke Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Marques Hagans established a personal standard for dejection last December when he left Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho, without changing out of his uniform.

He didn't go that far Oct. 22 at North Carolina -- not that he wasn't tempted.

"I took a shower this time," Hagans said Monday. "I was close to not taking one, but my grandparents were out there. I didn't want to stink around them. Had they not been there, I probably wouldn't have taken a shower."

Hagans and coach Al Groh were the last members of the UVa traveling party to leave the locker room after a 7-5 loss to the Tar Heels.

Groh said on his radio show last week that a tearful Hagans was inconsolable after the game.

"I take all of [the losses] the same -- very hard," Hagans said. "I love the game. I play with my heart, so when we lose, it's an emotional thing for me."

The North Carolina loss came one week after Virginia's 26-21 upset of then-No. 4 Florida State when Hagans threw for a career-high 306 yards but pulled a hamstring.

"Anybody who's ever competed in sports and uses their legs to run knows that a hamstring can be a funny thing," said Hagans, who passed for a season-low 109 yards against the Tar Heels.

"It's not like a sprained ankle, which just heals. It's something that might get better; then, just one wrong move can aggravate it. I knew it was something we needed to take very seriously.

"I thought I would be able to overcome it, but it didn't happen."

Hagans returned to practice Friday at the end of a week off, went through a full workout Monday night and proclaimed himself "110 percent" for the Cavaliers' home game Saturday at 3:30 p.m. against winless Temple.

Hagans was intercepted with 1:23 remaining at North Carolina and the Cavaliers (4-3, 2-3 ACC) never got the ball again. He says he wishes he had thrown long to a UVa receiver who was 1-on-1 with a Carolina defender in the end zone.

"Obviously, I wasn't myself when it came to running the ball," he said, "but I still feel I could have gotten the job done and been the leader of the offense that I need to be.

"Some of the plays, I put on myself because I didn't complete the passes, I didn't make the right reads. My ability to run had nothing to do with some of the plays that weren't made."

Dias back

Groh said that outside linebacker Jermaine Dias returned to practice Monday night, more than five weeks after he suffered a sprained foot Sept. 24.

In the absence of Dias, who started the first three games, undersized Mark Miller (6 feet, 220 pounds) has been at a clear disadvantage against 260- and 270-pound tight ends.

"While I wouldn't say [Dias] is an overpowering presence at 235 or 240, he does give us quite a bit more power," Groh said. "And, he's a versatile player."

Dias is an every-down player who moves to inside linebacker in the "nickel" package that UVa uses in obvious passing situations.

"You don't need a magnifying glass to read Jermaine," Groh said. "When he's down and disappointed, he certainly wears it on his sleeve. It was pretty easy to see that he was very disappointed and discouraged at his circumstances.

"If being down in the dumps and moping around was an antidote for the injury he had, he'd have gotten better in a hurry. Since we've gotten over that bridge, he's dealt with it better.

"Jermaine doesn't have a lot to say, but he's got a big, broad smile and it was more apparent yesterday. He does have teeth, after all."

Odds 'n' ends

Groh said that tight end Jon Stupar and running back Michael Johnson have sprained ankles and that he isn't counting on them to play Saturday, but Stupar showed up at a news conference and said his plan was to return to practice today. ... Tyrus Gardner, a sophomore from Wytheville, was named special-teams player of the week against North Carolina and will join the co-captains for the coin toss Saturday. Gardner had two solo tackles on special teams at UNC. ... On his radio show Monday, Groh selected Jon Copper from Northside as the student-athlete of the week.

 

U.Va. faces winless Temple and opens a key stretch drive
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 2, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE — The attention of college football fans in the state, if not the nation, will be focused two hours west of here Saturday, where No. 3 Virginia Tech hosts No. 5 Miami in Blacksburg.

Two hours to the east, in Williamsburg, fans will shoehorn into 70-year-old Zable Stadium to watch William and Mary and James Madison under newly installed stadium lights.

Here at Virginia’s Scott Stadium, the atmosphere doesn’t figure to be quite so electric. The Cavaliers will host winless Temple in a game that won’t be televised.

While it would be a stretch to call it an important game, it is the first game of an important stretch, a four-game November slate that will determine whether Virginia can make something special of the 2005 season or remain muddled in the crowded middle of the ACC.

“This is fun. This is exciting. This is when seasons are made,” coach Al Groh said.

At 4-3, Virginia’s season still holds promise, just not as much as it did a couple of weeks ago. After upsetting Florida State, the Cavaliers retained an outside shot of reaching the ACC title game, their preseason goal. That possibility went out the window after a wrenching loss to North Carolina a week later.

Virginia had an open week last week and doesn’t face much of a challenge in the Owls, arguably the nation’s worst Division I-A team. But players are hoping a strong performance will springboard them into a month packed with daunting games. The other three teams they play — Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Miami — are a combined 19-3.

Three of the final four are at home, where Virginia has gone 19-3 since 2002, 5-1 in November. The team’s success at Scott Stadium has players thinking anything is still possible.

“We do have a chance to still make this a memorable season,” defensive end Chris Long said. “What we can still accomplish is going 4-0 in the month of November, and that would be a tremendous accomplishment.”

Virginia needs two wins to become eligible for its fourth-straight bowl game. Virginia Tech, Florida State, Miami and Boston College are already bowl-eligible. Seven other ACC teams have a chance to win six games, the threshold needed to play in a bowl.

“We’re all fighting for the same goal,” linebacker Clint Sintim said. “To finish as well as possible.”

Virginia enters the stretch run as healthy as it’s been all season. Linebacker Jermaine Dias, out since Sept. 24 with a foot injury, has returned to practice. Quarterback Marques Hagans, slowed by a pulled hamstring against North Carolina, is returning to form, Groh said. Linebacker Ahmad Brooks and left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson are also expected to be at full speed.

Groh pointed to previous Novembers, saying Virginia had used them to “define its season.” In 2003, Virginia was 5-5 before November wins over Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. The Cavaliers finished 8-5 after beating Pittsburgh in the Continental Tire Bowl.

In 2002, Virginia was 6-4 before beating a pair of ranked teams, N.C. State and Maryland, in November. The Cavaliers finished 9-5, tied for second in the ACC.

Several of Virginia’s current starters were on those teams, including defensive end Brennan Schmidt.

“We were called down-and-out, with nothing to play for, in previous seasons,” Schmidt said. “We started to turn people’s heads in November.”

 

U.Va. has its work cut out, but probably not this week
Virginia tries to make the most of what's left of its season while looking back at what went wrong.
BY DARRYL SLATER
247-4641
November 1 2005

Barring a miracle, Virginia will not win eight games this season - a feat it achieved in each of the past three years. That was the first time the Cavaliers won eight games in three consecutive seasons since 1989, '90 and '91.

Nor will they count themselves this season among the Atlantic Coast Conference's elite teams, as they had hoped.

At this point, they'll be happy just to make a bowl game. That's the goal for U.Va.'s final four games - a stretch that begins at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, when the Cavs host Temple. The Cavaliers (4-3, 2-3 ACC) should beat the Owls (0-9) and will then need one win in their final three games to be bowl eligible.

The bad news: Those games are against Georgia Tech, Miami and Virginia Tech - teams that are a combined 19-3.

The good news: Two of those games - Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech - are at Scott Stadium. The Cavs have struggled on the road in four-plus seasons under coach Al Groh. They're 9-17 and 6-13 in ACC road games.

Of those nine wins, just three were against teams that finished that season, or will finish this season, with winning records. The combined record of those nine teams, counting Syracuse, which is 1-7 this season: 35-68.

WHAT IS ONE MAJOR IMPROVEMENT VIRGINIA MUST MAKE TO QUALIFY FOR A BOWL GAME?

Finishing games.

Opponents have outscored the Cavaliers 56-27 in the fourth quarter this season. That 29-point deficit is the ACC's largest; North Carolina is second worst with a 22-point deficit.

Since U.Va. will likely beat Temple and is far less likely to beat Miami and Virginia Tech, the Georgia Tech matchup is the Cavs' swing game for bowl eligibility. Win it, and they're in. Lose, and they're probably out. The Yellow Jackets have outscored opponents 27-23 this season in the fourth quarter and 82-47 in the second half.

THE CAVS LED THE ACC IN RUSHING LAST SEASON. NOW THEY'RE SEVENTH. WHAT GIVES?

"We've asked the same questions of ourselves," Groh said.

So where to begin?

Running back Wali Lundy was hampered early on by a sprained left foot. Starting offensive linemen D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Brian Barthelmes and Marshal Ausberry also have struggled with injuries. Fellow lineman Brad Butler was suspended a game because of a late hit.

"Every season is somewhat a battle against attrition," Groh said. "We haven't fared very well in that circumstance."

Because of injuries in spring practices, U.Va. focused more on its passing game. Even through preseason training camp, offensive linemen shifted positions, with Barthelmes moving to center and true freshman Branden Albert winning the starting job at left guard.

The Cavs also miss the run blocking of tight ends Heath Miller and Patrick Estes. Miller weighed about 255 pounds, while Estes weighed about 280. Their replacements, Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar, are listed at 238 and 245, respectively.

"I don't think we've gotten the cohesion into our running game that we had last year, for sure," Groh said. "And we probably don't have as much power in it either."

WHAT'S THE LATEST ON VIRGINIA'S WALKING WOUNDED?

Virginia practiced Thursday and Friday last week and had the weekend off.

Quarterback Marques Hagans (right hamstring) was limited Thursday but had a good day on Friday, Groh said.

Right guard Ausberry (left ankle) did not practice last week. Neither did nose tackle Ron Darden and defensive end Vince Redd, who both suffered concussions on Oct. 22 at North Carolina.

Outside linebacker Jermaine Dias (sprained foot) has missed the past four games and did not practice last week. He wouldn't have played if U.Va. had a game on Saturday, Groh said, adding that Dias returned slowly last season from a sprained ankle. "Between those two circumstances, he's now posting a personal history of being a slow healer," he said.

Though fullback Jason Snelling played at North Carolina, his time has been limited lately by an undisclosed health issue - the same issue that sidelined him for the 2003 season.

HOW BAD IS TEMPLE?

Dreadful. Even for Temple.

Among the 117 Division I-A teams, the Owls rank 115th in scoring offense (9.67 points per game), 116th in scoring defense (45.4) and 115th in turnovers lost (25). If that doesn't do it for you, consider that Temple allowed 70 points ... against Bowling Green.

HOW MUCH WILL TICKET SCALPERS GET ON SATURDAY OUTSIDE SCOTT STADIUM?

Money? Good one.

Aside from the biggest fans, you'd have to pay most people to attend this game. Virginia is a 351/2-point favorite. The line is warranted, too. Temple hasn't come closer than 25 points against any opponent this season, except Western Michigan, which squeaked by the Owls 19-16.

Miller's NFL calling card: much substance, little style
Richmond Times-Dispatch Nov 2, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Unlike many of his NFL peers, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller doesn't celebrate with a dance after catching a touchdown pass.

Maybe that's a good thing.

"We got him to dance one time at a party," University of Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans said with a broad smile yesterday. "It's probably better if we don't get him to dance again. But I'll give him an 'A' for trying, though."

The 6-5, 255-pound Miller won the Mackey Award, given annually to the top tight end in college football, as a U.Va. junior last season. He's still putting up big numbers as an NFL rookie.

Miller had two TD catches Monday night in Pittsburgh's win over Baltimore. For the season, Miller has 19 receptions for 200 yards and six TDs. Only one player in the league has more touchdown catches than Miller.

"He's off to a great start," said U.Va. coach Al Groh, who moved Miller from quarterback to tight end in 2001. "No surprise. . . . Just as it was here. Whatever you give him, whether it was schoolwork, personal appearance, football, whatever he had to do, he got it done in a very high manner, and without much fanfare."

Miller grew up in Swords Creek, a small town in Southwest Virginia. Groh, who spent more than a decade coaching in the NFL, was pleased see Miller end up in Pittsburgh.

"That city probably fits him real well," Groh said. "It's not a fancy city. It's a very loyal city towards their own. I certainly wouldn't compare Pittsburgh to Swords Creek, but compared to playing in New York or Los Angeles or San Francisco or Miami, it was a lot more compatible with how Heath likes to conduct himself than some of those other places are." - Jeff White

 

U.VA. NOTES
Richmond Times-Dispatch Nov 2, 2005

MAKE OR BREAK: Some of the Virginia football team's most memorable victories during the Al Groh era have come in the regular season's final month.

The Cavaliers beat No. 20 Georgia Tech and Penn State in 2001 and knocked off No. 20 N.C. State and No. 23 Maryland in '02. Virginia's two November wins in '03 included a 35-21 victory over No. 21 Virginia Tech.

This is the Cavs' fifth year under Groh, and they close the regular season with four games this month. The first three are at Scott Stadium, where U.Va. has won 19 of its past 21 games. The finale is Nov. 26 against No. 5 Miami in the Orange Bowl.

Virginia, which entertains winless Temple on Saturday, could finish the regular season anywhere from 4-7 to 8-3.

"That's what the month of November is in college football," Groh said yesterday. "That's the reality of it, and we told [the players], 'Look, fellas, this is the way it's going to be every November. This is fun. This isn't something to get uptight about. This is exciting. This is where seasons are made, and this is where you got to step up and put it out there on the field and show what you got.'"

U.Va. (2-3, 4-3) plays host to Georgia Tech (3-2, 5-2) on Nov. 12 and third-ranked Virginia Tech (5-0, 8-0) on Nov. 19.

FREE FOR ALL: Virginia's starting quarterback, Marques Hagans, is in the final two months of his college career. After Hagans' last game as a Cavalier, the battle to determine his successor will begin in earnest.

Candidates during spring practice will be Christian Olsen, Kevin McCabe, Scott Deke, Jameel Sewell and, perhaps, Vic Hall, who's been working at cornerback recently. Sewell and Hall are true freshmen who have yet to play this season. Olsen will be a senior next season, McCabe a junior, and Deke a sophomore.

Junior wideout Fontel Mines said yesterday that he wouldn't be shocked to see Sewell, a 6-2, 213-pound left-hander, win the starting job in 2006. Mines, of course, is biased. He's a graduate of Hermitage High, as is Sewell.

"He's really shown a tremendous work ethic for such a young player," Mines said, "and I think it's going to really pay off for him in the spring."

Olsen is the only QB other than Hagans to have played for U.Va. this season. Against Duke, Olsen completed 2 of 4 passes for 40 yards.

QUICK LEARNER: Mines, who stands 6-4, occasionally has found himself matched against the 5-9 Hall in practice.

"I wouldn't say he's a natural corner," Mines said, "but he's a gifted athlete, and he has no problems with the conversion. He's very quick, and as soon as he learns all his techniques, it's going to be crazy."

At Group AA Gretna High, Hall became the most productive quarterback in Virginia High School League history.

QUICK HEALER: Groh told reporters yesterday that he didn't expect to have tailback Michael Johnson (ankle) or tight end Jonathan Stupar (ankle) for the Temple game. About 25 minutes later, Stupar strolled into the University Hall press room.

"My ankle's going to be fine," Stupar said. "I took yesterday off and had the weekend to rest it, so it's feeling a lot better."

Stupar, a sophomore, hurt his ankle in practice last week. Johnson, whose career has been marred by injuries, sprained an ankle early in U.Va.'s Oct. 22 loss at North Carolina.

If he's hobbled, Stupar said, he'll sit out the Temple game, but he's confident he'll be able to play. Stupar has 12 catches for 165 yards and one touchdown this season.

THROUGH THICK AND THIN: Long before the Chicago White Sox won the 2005 World Series, their die-hard fans included Nate Lyles.

"Definitely," Lyles said yesterday. "I'm not hopping on the bandwagon."

Lyles, a sophomore safety, is from Chicago's South Side, like his Sox. Lyles played in every U.Va. game as a true freshman in 2004, then assumed a starting role this year. He's fifth on the team in tackles and has two interceptions.

SHORT-HANDED: U.Va. has two full-time centers on scholarship, and one of them, starter Brian Barthelmes, is a senior. Virginia would like its centers in the 285-pound range, if not heavier, but Barthelmes' backup, sophomore Jordy Lipsey, weighs 268 pounds.

Another sophomore, Ian-Yates Cunningham, weighs 291 pounds, but after working at center in spring practice this year, he's back at offensive guard.

Groh smiled when asked who'll be competing for playing time at center after Barthelmes departs.

"Good question," Groh said. "'And what would you like for Christmas, little boy?' If Santa asked me that, I can assure you I'm not going to say, 'A train.'" - Jeff White

 

Cavaliers' Dias returns to practice
Lynchburg News & Advance
November 2, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Jermaine Dias' season barely got underway before it was derailed by a foot sprain against Duke on Sept. 24 in Virginia's third game of the season. On Monday, the linebacker returned to the practice field for the first time.
"It was encouraging," Virginia head coach Al Groh said.

Dias, a sophomore, spent most of the last two years prepping for this season when the Cavaliers (4-3, 2-3 ACC) had to replace both their starting outside linebackers. He played mostly in the nickel last season and was slated to start opposite freshman Clint Sintim this season.

Dias made seven tackles in two and a half games before spraining his foot.

While Dias didn't have much time to make an impression, he brings some things to the position that current outside linebacker Mark Miller doesn't.

For one, Dias is in the 235-240-pound range compared to the 224-pound Miller, who opponents run at on a frequent basis.

"(Dias) certainly gives us quite a bit more power than what we've had," Groh said. "And he's a very versatile player. ? That is, while he plays on the line of scrimmage on the regular, he has the ability to go back and be an inside linebacker in the middle of the field coverage or as an inside blitzer on the nickel."

Dias is not listed on the depth chart for the Temple game this weekend, but just getting him back on the practice field is enough progress for now.

"You don't need a magnifying glass to read Jermaine," Groh said. "When he's down or disappointed, he certainly wears it on his sleeve. ? But he's got a big, broad smile, and that was quite a bit more apparent (Monday) than it had been. He does have teeth after all."

Almost all healed up

Virginia used its bye week to heal, getting some much-needed rest for Ahmad Brooks, D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Wali Lundy, who have battled injuries all season long.

It also gave quarterback Marques Hagans a chance to feel better. Hagans had hamstring problems in the Florida State game but played through them. Against North Carolina, he was noticeably hampered and had a performance (14-for-28, 109 yards, one interception) that suggested as much. Hagans said he was at "110 percent" on Tuesday.

That's not the case for tailback Michael Johnson and tight end Jonathan Stupar, though, who Groh said the Cavaliers "were not counting on" at this time.

Johnson is still dealing with a sprained ankle he suffered on the opening kickoff against the Tar Heels. He played sparingly in that game, having one pass thrown his way and no carries.

Stupar sprained his ankle.

Monday night money

Groh wasn't surprised that former UVa and current Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller has had an instant impact at the NFL level. Miller caught two touchdown passes in the Steelers' 20-19 win over Baltimore on Monday night and has six touchdown receptions this year.

"That's always been Heath," Groh said. "What's his greatest talent? His greatest talent is just being Heath, just as it was here. ? Whatever he had out there to do, he got it done in a very high manner with not much fanfare other than the results being the fanfare that he brings."

Extra points

Groh did not award anyone on the team offensive player of the week honors for the North Carolina game in which the Cavaliers scored five points, gained just 199 yards and failed several times to improve on good field position to give kicker Connor Hughes a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter. "Nobody deserved it," Hagans said. "I think it was the right thing not to give it to anybody." ? Hagans is notorious for taking losses hard. After losing the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise last December, he headed straight for the bus without showering. After the North Carolina game on Oct. 22, he was in a similar frame of mind, opting not to talk to the media. As for the shower? "I was close to not taking one, but my grandparents were out there and I didn't want to stink around them," he said. "Had they not been there, I probably wouldn't have taken a shower."

- Andy Bitter
 

Past November struggles loom large over Cavs at crucial point
Virginia, currently 4-3 overall (2-3 ACC), has earned disappointing 2-2 records in each of last three Novembers; Groh stresses importance of season's final month
Walker Freer, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

The turning of the calendar from October to November brings familiar rhetoric from Virginia football coach Al Groh.

"What happens in November is going to determine how the thing all writes out," Groh said. "Whether you're 8-0 and you think you've really got a chance to do something magical or you're trying to play your way into a certain circumstance."

With the Cavaliers sitting at 4-3 overall (2-3 ACC) and squarely on the "bubble" for a postseason bowl invite, every remaining game holds immense significance. And while Temple (0-9) this Saturday might not present the stiffest of challenges, all of Virginia's final three games are conference matchups against teams with superior records.

But while Groh preaches year in and year out that November is the time of the season to excel, results from past years fail to show any improvement in play by Virginia compared to September and October.

Despite the coach's pleas, wins have been harder to come by for Virginia in November than in any other month. Over the past three seasons, the Cavaliers have gone 2-2 each November. Last year, with the conference title and a top-10 ranking on the line, Virginia lost 31-21 to a reeling Miami team and again two weeks later at Virginia Tech, despite outplaying the Hokies for much of the first half.

November 2003 played out much the same. The Cavaliers went on the road for the first two weeks of the month and lost 51-37 at N.C. State and 27-17 at Maryland before rallying for home wins against Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. November 2002 saw the Cavaliers sandwich two home victories over N.C. State and Maryland in between two road losses at Penn State and Virginia Tech.

If any silver lining can be gleaned from this mediocre statistic, it's the fact that over the past three years in the month known for Thanksgiving, Virginia has been gluttonous at home, feasting on opponents at will while carving up a 5-1 record. With three of its four 2005 November games held in the friendly confines of Scott Stadium –- including a showdown with undefeated and No. 3 ranked Virginia Tech -- a 3-1 or even 4-0 finish is not out of the question.

For that to happen though, Virginia's play on the field, both on the road and at home, must improve dramatically.

"We all have to do better during the course of this month," Groh said. "This has always got to be your best month, if you're going to do anything. Whether we had a bye week or we're just coming from a regular game, there has to be an awareness that we're going to do better through focus and concentration and preparation and improvement. We're just not going to flip the switch and it's going to get better. We've got to do tangible things to make it get better."

Four-year defensive end veteran Brennan Schmidt also has a solid understanding of what it takes to succeed in November.

"I've been around here for a little while," Schmidt said. "It's not just coach saying 'November is a time we've got to step up.' This is the time; this is the breaking point. We can really do this. We just have to put our minds and our hearts to it."

Groh ended his weekly press conference yesterday with an unassuming remark: "I'm going back to work."

After a week off, hopefully the Virginia players share his sentiments. There's a lot of work -- and football -- to be taken care of before the calendar turns on the Cavaliers from November to December.