Cavaliers surprised by line problems
If anything, the offensive front was expected to be a strength, but that is not how things turned out.
Doug Doughty
The Roanoke Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- In analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the 2005 Virginia football team, most preseason observers would have pointed to receiver and defensive back as primary areas of concerns.

Nobody expressed the slightest reservations about the Cavaliers' offensive line.

Even now, it defies explanation that a team with the likes of preseason All-American D'Brickashaw Ferguson and veterans Brad Butler and Brian Barthelmes could go from first in the ACC in rushing in 2004 to last this season.

UVa not only is rushing for 100 yards less per game than last year, but the pass blocking isn't much better. Mobile quarterback Marques Hagans already has been sacked 21 times, compared to 15 all of last season.

Look for Virginia's rushing numbers to improve Saturday, when winless Temple comes to Scott Stadium with the 112th-ranked defense out of 117 Division I-A teams.

The competition stiffens after that, with the gauntlet of Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech at home and Miami on the road.

Rock-bottom may have come Oct. 22, when the Cavaliers had a season-low 199 yards in total offense in a 7-5 loss at North Carolina, where Virginia failed to score a touchdown for only the third time in the 58-game Al Groh coaching era.

Only 12 of Virginia's 37 rushing attempts went for more than 3 yards, and the Cavaliers lost yardage on 10 attempts.

An open date last week provided an opportunity for self-study and Groh's acknowledgement that the Cavaliers have been fighting a "battle of attrition" since the spring.

It probably began before that.

While it was anticipated that the Cavaliers would miss offensive guard Elton Brown, two-time winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy that goes to the ACC's top offensive lineman, as well as second-team All-ACC center Zac Yarbrough, what may have been overlooked was the role of tight ends Heath Miller and Patrick Estes.

Mike Ditka, a Hall-of-Fame tight end and pro football analyst for ESPN, said before last Sunday's game that Miller, a rookie with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has been the best blocker among NFL tight ends this season. San Francisco thought so much of Estes as a blocker that he was moved to tackle.

Sophomores Tom Santi and Jon Stupar have proven to be viable targets in the UVa passing game, but offseason shoulder surgery kept Santi out of spring practice and the Cavaliers had to be careful with Stupar after he went through a January heart procedure.

"He was our only tight end," Groh said. "We did what we could, but most of the emphasis was on the passing game."

On top of that, offensive guard and prospective first-time starter Marshal Ausberry was injured during the first week of spring ball and did not participate in the spring game.

"In terms of putting together the type of continuity that is beneficial to the offensive line, it really didn't occur in the spring," Groh said. "And, we really didn't get much progress towards that in camp or, then, once the season began."

In 2004, all five interior linemen -- from left tackle to right tackle -- started all 12 games. This year, UVa used the same starting lineup for two games before Ferguson and Barthelmes were injured in the first quarter Sept. 24 against Duke.

Ferguson missed two games and Barthelmes missed one. In Ferguson's absence, Butler moved from right tackle to left tackle and sophomore Eddie Pinigis took his spot. Sophomore Jordy Lipsey subbed for Barthelmes.

By the time Ferguson became available for an Oct. 15 game with Florida State, Butler had been suspended for one game because of a low blow against Boston College's Mathias Kiwanuka. Then, as soon as Butler came back, he had to move to right guard when injuries sent Ausberry to the sideline at North Carolina.

That's not all.

Ian-Yates Cunningham, a starter as a true freshman in 2003, suffered a recurrence of the back problems that caused him to redshirt during 2004 and more recently has succumbed to "performance issues," according to Groh. Fullback Jason Snelling, an effective blocker when healthy, has gotten limited practice work because of illness and injury.

Barring further injury, Virginia goes into the November as healthy as it has been -- at least at the blocking positions -- but Butler, for one, thinks there are deeper issues dealing with recognition.

"I think everybody remembers that play we ran where Elton Brown pulled to the outside," Butler said. "We could run it 50 times a game, but it didn't matter. Technique-wise and mentally we knew what was going to happen and we were able to beat the defense, even if they knew what was coming."

In 2004, UVa senior Alvin Pearman rushed for more than 1,000 yards and made first-team All-ACC despite starting only six games. Wali Lundy started the first six and entered this season with a chance to rush for 800 yards or more in four straight seasons.

With Lundy slowed by a sprained foot, UVa has employed three tailbacks -- none ranked among the ACC's top 15 rushers and none with as many yards as No. 3 Virginia Tech tailback Branden Ore.

"We're just not going to flip a switch and it's going to get better," Groh said. "We've got to do tangible things to make it get better."

 

UVa equipped to deal with loss of Darden
Leading rusher – who is it? – to miss Temple game
By Doug Doughty
THE ROANOKE TIMES

Despite starting the past three games, Ron Darden ranked third among Virginia nose tackles in playing time when it was revealed Thursday that he would not play for the Cavaliers again.

Darden, a 6-foot-4, 328-pound junior, has been sidelined by a recurrence of headaches “and accompanying medical issues,” coach Al Groh said in his regular Thursday teleconference.

“Ron gave us a real good boost – an unexpected boost because at one point we didn’t know if we’d ever get him back,” Groh said. “There was always a real positive to what he could add, but he’s not going to be able to continue.”

Darden missed most of the 2004 season with headaches after he had been pencilled in as a starter at offensive guard going into the preseason. He would have been eligible next year as a fifth-year senior but is on schedule to graduate this year and will not return.

“He and I both feel that this is it for Ron,” Groh said. “He’ll graduate in May and, as [hall of fame Pittsburgh Steelers coach] Chuck Noll used to say, ‘go on with his life’s work.’"

Virginia has been alternating three nose tackles – Darden; senior Kwakou Robinson, who started the first four games, and sophomore Keenan Carter. Robinson has played 189 plays, Carter has played 167 plays and Darden had 100.

Carter has 20 tackles (14 solo, six assists), Robinson has 15 (six solo, nine assists) and Darden had 12 (six solo, six assists). Robinson may have had his best game in a 7-5 loss at North Carolina, where he had three solo tackles and two assists.

GROH SAID THAT it would be unrealistic for outside linebacker Jermaine Dias to return to the level he had reached prior to suffering a sprained ankle Sept. 24, but the Cavaliers plan to give him plenty of work Saturday.

The truth be known, Dias didn’t wow anybody in the first three games, when he had a total of two solo tackles and five assists, but the Cavaliers have really struggled at outside linebacker during his absence.

In Week 4, UVa tried erstwhile inside linebacker Ahmad Brooks at outside linebacker, but Maryland just ran away from him (80 percent of the time, in Groh’s estimation). When Brooks couldn’t go the next week because of a sprained ankle, inside linebacker Mark Miller went to the outside and fifth-year senior Bryan White started on the inside at Boston College.

Brooks returned in Week 6 as an inside linebacker, with Miller remaining on the outside. That alignment held up in a 26-21 upset of fourth-ranked Florida State but Carolina pushed Miller (6 feet, 220 pounds) down the field with its big tight ends.

At 6-1 and 238 pounds, Dias is better equipped to take on blockers, Groh feels.

HOW MANY PEOPLE would guess that junior Michael Johnson is UVa’s leading rusher at this point? Johnson, ruled out of Saturday’s game with a sprained ankle, has 50 carries for 267 yards.

Johnson leads the team in rushing despite ranking fourth in carries behind quarterback Marques Hagans (70 carries for 213 yards), redshirt freshman tailback Cedric Peerman (67-218) and senior tailback Wali Lundy (55-191).

Groh said that junior fullback Jason Snelling will be the third tailback behind Lundy and Peerman on Saturday against Temple. Snelling, who had seven carries for a team-high 72 yards in the Cavaliers’ victory over Western Michigan in the opening game, has had a total of six carries in six subsequent games.

WHEN GROH SAID earlier this week that Snelling had practiced more regularly in the past week than at any stretch in recent memory, that said a lot. At the time, Virginia, coming off an open date, had practiced only three times since the Carolina game.

I understand there is a tradeoff when teams go to a one-back offense. It allows them to put another blocking tight end in the game, but I’ve found myself wondering if UVa’s running game would be more successful with Snelling as a lead back.

Mostly, I wonder what’s become of Ian-Yates Cunningham, good enough as a true freshman in 2003 to have started the last four games of the season for an eight-win team. Cunningham subsequently underwent back surgery that kept him out of the 2004 season, but Groh said that Cunningham’s current inactivity has resulted from “performance” issues.

Cunningham originally was projected as a starting center, but the coaches moved guard Brian Barthelmes to center in the preseason. When Barthelmes got hurt, Jordy Lipsey got the nod. Cunningham has been traveling with the team and is listed as the back-up to left guard Branden Albert but hasn’t been playing.

EX-VIRGINIA teammates of Pittsburgh Steelers’ tight end Heath Miller weren’t surprised when it was noted on Monday Night Football that the Steelers had been razzing Miller over his unwillingness to celebrate touchdowns.

He’s certainly had enough chances, with six touchdown catches overall and five in the last four games.

“I’m just surprised he did anything,” said UVa quarterback Marques Hagans, referring to a slight fist pump by Miller following his second TD Monday night. “He’s going to be all right. I’m going to work with him in the offseason.

“We got him to dance one time at a party. It’s probably best that we don’t get him to dance again. But, I give him an ‘A’ for trying, though.”

GROH’S TAKE on Miller: “He’s off to a great start. No surprise. That’s just Heath. What’s his greatest talent? His greatest talent is being Heath.

“That’s the way he was here. Whatever you’d give him, whether it was schoolwork, personal appearance, he got it done in a very high manner and without much fanfare other than the results.

“We talked a little bit about the environment before he went up there, but the city probably fits him real well. It’s a city that’s a very loyal city to its own.

“I certainly wouldn’t compare Pittsburgh to Swords Creek [Miller’s coalfields home], but compared to playing in New York or Los Angeles or San Francisco, it’s a lot more compatible with how he likes to conduct himself.”
 

Virginia ready for lowly Owls
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 4, 2005

A list was compiled a few years ago by ESPN, ranking the worst 10 college football teams of all time.

The 10th and final team on that poll was Virginia. Why? The Cavaliers earned a spot for their play, or lack of it, from 1958 to 1960.

During that span, coach Richard Voris saw his program produce a 1-29 record and in one of those seasons, 1959, the program lost by an average margin of 31 points per game.

The Cavaliers that played on those teams might find some relief the next time a list of its kind is introduced because they might get bumped from the top 10.

After going 2-9 last year, Temple has done more than enough to secure its spot this season. The Owls (0-9) have just two chances left to get a win this year - they play Saturday at Virginia (4-3, 2-3 ACC) at 3:30 p.m. and close out the campaign at Navy on Nov. 19.

Things were so bad with the program that coach Bobby Wallace announced in October that he would not return to the program when his contract expired after the season.

“Losing will wear on you and we’ve lost a lot of games,” Wallace said. “What we’ve been through, the transition we’ve been through, has taken a toll on me and my family.

“It hasn’t been easy.”

What has come easy is losing. The Owls have allowed eight of their nine opponents this year to score 34 or more points and two teams scored more than 63 (Arizona State and Wisconsin). They currently rank 115th in scoring offense, 116th in scoring defense and 112th in total defense - that’s out of the nation’s 117 teams.

The writing was on the wall for Wallace.

Temple was booted out of the Big East Conference after winning 14 league games in 14 years. But, their record was not the only reason. The program failed to meet minimum requirements for attendance and facilities.

Last summer a 12-member athletics task force studied the program’s future at the Division I-A level. Discussion even surfaced of eliminating the sport completely.

When the study was complete, the decision was made to keep the sport and to keep it at the NCAA’s highest level.

“The task force was created to take an in-depth look at all aspects of Temple athletics, with football at the forefront,” said Temple president David Adamany in January. “Our goal is to not just have a football program, but to have one that will make Philadelphia and the Temple community proud.”

To Temple’s credit, they built a new practice facility that opened in 2001 and they agreed to a contract to play its home games at Lincoln Financial Field, the venue the Philadelphia Eagles call home.

An invitation to the Mid-American Conference (MAC) was also accepted and in 2007 the Owls will join the league. That could be bad news. Temple is 0-6 in the past two seasons against schools from the MAC.

As they make the transition from an independent, Temple will do so without Wallace at the helm.

In the mean time, Wallace is desperately trying to prepare his team to win its first game, something that he said would be special for the 28 seniors on his roster.

“I’ve gone seasons where I didn’t lose a game,” said Wallace, referring to a season at Division II North Alabama where he guided the team to a 14-0 record. “I don’t want to go through a season where we don’t win one. But if it happens, it happens.

“Nothing we can do about it but play hard on Saturday, and try to make it not happen.”

Wallace knows winning on Saturday against Virginia, a team coming off a bye and fighting to become bowl eligible, will not come easy.

“If we win a game, two years from now it won’t mean anything. But to me and these players, it would mean everything in the world,” Wallace told reporters. “It would be a sense of relief. The biggest thing we’ve done since I’ve been here is play well late in the season. That’s important to me.

“Chances of winning down at Virginia are very difficult. A win would mean a lot. I probably couldn’t put into words what it would mean.”

 

Darden leaves football team
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 4, 2005

Virginia coach Al Groh delivered some surprising news on Thursday, telling reporters that nose tackle Ron Darden had decided to leave the Cavs’ football team for health reasons.

Darden, who was eligible to return to the field in 2006 as a fifth-year student, was suffering from a recurrence of migraine headaches, something that troubled and cut short his season in 2004. The pain was so severe this time that Darden was willing to give up football.

“He and I both feel that this is it for Ron,” Groh said. “He’ll finish his [academic requirements] and go on and graduate this May - and as [former Pittsburgh Steelers’ coach] Chuck Noll used to say, ‘go on with his life’s work.’”

Darden played in 26 games in his career, including seven this season. He had started three straight games at nose tackle and had made 13 tackles this year (1.9 per game) in 100 plays. Groh said Darden would be missed.

“Ron gave us a real good boost, an unexpected boost,” Groh said, “because at one point we didn’t know if we’d ever have him back.”

UVa now has two nose tackles - senior Kwakou Robinson and junior Keenan Carter.

 

Tranquill eyes fishing, retirement
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
November 4, 2005

Scattershooting around the ACC, while noting that a familiar face around Charlottesville during the George Welsh era might be spotted around town in the near future ...
Gary Tranquill, who served under Welsh twice during a 19-year span, will be retiring as North Carolina’s offensive coordinator after the season. Tranquill, who also worked as coordinator at Virginia Tech, the Cleveland Browns and was head coach at Navy, said he and his wife, Shirley, are building a retirement home around Harrisonburg and the house is nearly complete.
“I’m done, I’m finished,” the 65-year-old Tranquill said. “I wasn’t planning on coming back this year, but I was talked into it. I think this is it. Forty-four years is enough. I’m going to go fishing.”
Tranquill, who has coached since 1963, has been at UNC for the past five seasons.
“I told Al Groh that I’ll be right over the mountain and maybe I’ll sneak over to watch him practice,” Tranquill said. “[Al] said, ‘I would look forward to that.’”

New Look Hokies. Nike asked four of its schools to try out new jerseys: Virginia Tech, Southern Cal, Oregon and Florida.
For those who know Frank Beamer, who’s a bit on the superstitious side and doesn’t like to change when things are going well, it was a bit of a surprise that the Tech coach would agree to the uniform switch.
“For Nike, we change,” Beamer said.
Tech’s new jersey has an orange left sleeve (no number), while the right sleeve (with number) was maroon.
The Hokies will not wear the jerseys again this regular season, but plan to use them again if they are the home team in a bowl game.
Meanwhile, could somebody suggest to Miami to NEVER wear its new jerseys again - EVER!

Suspensions. Clemson is still dragging out its suspensions from last year’s brawl against South Carolina.
The last of those suspensions are for three players (only one starter) and should be completed this week against Duke. The Tigers have spread the suspensions out over the season.
Wake Forest has suspended four players indefinitely for undisclosed violations of team and athletic department rules.

Ouch! Boston College coach Tom O’Brien said that his team’s loss in Blacksburg last Thursday night was as thorough a beating as his Eagles have taken in his nine years as head of the program.
“This one bothers me more,” O’Brien said. “Florida State, I didn’t feel that we got dominated at the line of scrimmage. That’s what we pride ourselves on. It’s being tough at controlling the line of scrimmage and certainly we didn’t do that.”
BC’s huge offensive line, that averages 6-foot-6, 314 pounds, couldn’t do much against the Hokies.
“We couldn’t get a first down,” said senior left tackle
Jeremy Trueblood. “And our defense couldn’t stop [Tech] on third down.”

Fridge steaming. Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen has never been one to hide his feelings and should his Terps miss a bowl game for the second straight year, it’s obvious that fourth-quarter collapses against Clemson and Florida State will be the culprit.
“Those should be two Ws, not two Ls,” the Fridge said. “And then all of a sudden this season is a lot better. That’s what’s irritating me. I understand that we’re growing and we’re young, but we’re not going to be any good unless we learn to finish things and put people away.”
Maryland, which hasn’t beaten a Top 10 opponent since 1990, is 4-4 and needs two wins to become bowl eligible. The Terps have road games to UNC and N.C. State sandwiched around a home game against Boston College.

Stat of the week. Virginia is second in the ACC in interceptions per game (1.6), and has two more picks (11) in seven games than all of last season (9).

Quote of the week. For those of you who have followed former Virginia All-American tight end Heath Miller’s career, you probably weren’t surprised when he scored two TDs for the Steelers on Monday night. After the first one, he handed the ball to the official in typical Miller fashion.
However, after the second, Miller showed some rare emotion when he pumped his fist. Later, Miller said he doesn’t really have a touchdown dance of any kind.
“He may not have a touchdown dance, but he may not have a social dance either,” said Virginia coach Al Groh of the quiet, modest Miller, who has always shied away from the limelight.
Asked how he could send Miller to the NFL without any celebration skills, quarterback Marques Hagans chuckled.
“I’m just surprised he did anything,” Hagans said. “He’s so quiet, it shocked me that he even showed a little bit of emotion.”
Had Hagans ever seen Miller dance at all, any kind of dance during their college years together?
“We got him to dance one time at a party,” Hagans said, unable to hold back the laughter. “It’s probably best that we don’t get him to dance again.
“But I’ll give him an A for trying. I’ll work with him in the offseason.”

Stat of the week II. The Commonwealth boasts two pretty accurate passers. Virginia Tech’s Marcus Vick is ranked second nationally in passing efficiency, while Hagans is ranked 16th among ACC career passing efficiency leaders and is fifth on UVa’s career total offense list (4,641 yards).

Groh, Beamer make lists. The Seattle Times recently conducted a poll of Division I coaches about various issues in college football and with about half of the coaches responding, Tech’s Beamer and UVa’s Groh, got some good recognition from their peers.
One of the topics was “who is the best recruiter among Division I-A head coaches, to which Groh was one of only nine coaches mentioned. USC’s Pete Carroll was No. 1 with 11 votes, followed by Texas’ Mack Brown, Tennessee’s Phil Fulmer, Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, and UVa’s Groh, followed by four others.
Beamer was mentioned on two responses: “Who is the coach you most respect?” and “Who’s the best strategist?”
Beamer led the way in the respect category with six votes, beating out Penn State’s Joe Paterno by a vote, and Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops. The Tech coach got three votes in the strategist category along with South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier and Ferentz, well behind the leader, Stoops (nine votes) and USC’s Carroll with six.

Short yardage ... Georgia Tech, 5-2, isn’t real happy that the Jackets are one of only two teams in the country with two losses that aren’t ranked. Tech has one win over a Top 25 team (Auburn). ... Of Virginia’s 10 turnovers so far this season, only once has it cost the Cavaliers points. Western Michigan’s interception return for a TD was the only time an opponent has scored after a Wahoo turnover. ... The Cavaliers are 7-2 coming out of bye weeks under Al Groh. ...
Sports Illustrated.com recently listed the top 10 NFL franchise quarterbacks and there was one former Cavalier and one former Hokie on the list: Atlanta’s Michael Vick (Tech) at No. 6, and Atlanta’s Matt Schaub (UVa) at No. 9. ... Is Temple the 13th member of the ACC? The Owls, who travel to Virginia this weekend, will be facing an ACC opponent for the fourth time in the last five weeks, but haven’t fared well by losing the previous three (Clemson, Maryland, Miami) by a combined 109-17. ... Virginia Tech has won 14 of its last 15 games and there’s a good reason why. The Hokies lead the nation in scoring defense (9.1), and are second in both total defense (231.5) and pass defense (139.0). ...
Miami coach Larry Coker has a 50-7 record in his fifth season as CEO of the Hurricanes. ... Virginia has played 11 freshmen this season, which ranks the Cavs third in the ACC in most freshmen played. The rest of the list: 1. Duke (14); 2. Florida State (12); 4. Clemson and Georgia Tech (8); 6. Maryland, UNC (7); 8. N.C. State (6); 9. Boston College (2); 10. Miami, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest with only one each.

The picks. Last week: 5-1. To date: 45-17. This week: Clemson 27, Duke 10; Florida State 28, N.C. State 20; Georgia Tech 21, Wake Forest 19; Virginia 42, Temple 10; Virginia Tech 33, Miami 20. Upset Special: North Carolina 24, Boston College 21.

 

Darden fighting headaches again; nose tackle's career in jeopardy
Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
November 4, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Ron Darden’s headaches are back, so the junior defensive tackle won’t be back on a football field this season and probably beyond.

Darden, Virginia’s 6-foot-4, 328-pound starting nose tackle, made 13 tackles in seven games, rotating with Kwakou Robinson and Keenan Carter in the role of run stuffer in the Cavaliers’ 3-4 defense.

Against North Carolina on Oct. 22, he sat out the second half after taking a blow to the head. He looked as though he was intense pain on the sideline with a towel draped over his bowed head.

“He’s become plagued again by the headaches and the accompanying medical issues, the same as last year that curtailed his season prematurely,” Virginia head coach Al Groh said during his Thursday teleconference. “Ron gave us a real good boost, an unexpected boost because at one point we didn’t know if we were going to have him back. So he’s a real positive to what he could add, but he’s not going to be able to continue.”

Darden played in six games as a backup left guard last season before suffering migraine-like headaches that ended his season and made day-to-day tasks difficult. He sat out winter and spring workouts before rejoining the team in June as a defensive tackle after getting the headaches seemingly under control.

After a second go-around with the headaches, however, Darden’s career is likely over.

“He and I both feel that this is it for Ron,” Groh said. “He’ll finish his career and go on and graduate this May and, as (former Pittsburgh Steelers coach) Chuck Noll used to say, go on with his life’s work.”

Darden’s absence means Robinson will likely start against Temple. Robinson has started four games and has 15 tackles and a fumble recovery.

Castaway

Cornerback Chris Cook (Heritage) had the cast removed from his broken right leg on Tuesday and is now in a less-restrictive device. The freshman broke his leg blocking on a punt return against Boston College on Oct. 8.

Groh said Cook attends team and positional meetings and has started his offseason workout program three months early (the emphasis, obviously, being the upper body). But Cook doesn’t sit through practice.

“Once the team meetings are over, we think that, particularly with the first semester academic demands, it’s better for him to just go back to his room or go to the library or whatever and concentrate on his academics,” Groh said.

On second thought

At Tuesday’s press conference, tight end Jonathan Stupar (sprained ankle) sounded supremely confident that he would play on Saturday even though Groh had said the team was not counting on him to be ready. On Thursday, Groh said not much has changed to change his opinion on Stupar’s status.

“You heard what he had to say and you heard what I had to say, right?” Groh asked. “Who was more positive? That’s usually the case. The player clearly wants to play.

“I appreciate that fact. I clearly want him to play. He’s been doing a real good job for us. Perhaps coaches in planning need to be a bit more tuned into reality, but he hasn’t taken any snaps so far, so we’ll just have to see what today brings. But I think you can read into that that we’re not counting on him for the same type of minutes that he’s given us previously.”

Extra points

Groh said linebacker Jermaine Dias (foot sprain) will be ready for Saturday. “If he’s able (to play) pretty decently, we have to start using him in order to help him get back to that level,” Groh said. “That is, after six weeks, I think we have to have him play some before we can really count on him being able to do the same things.” … Backup outside linebacker Aaron Clark, who did not travel last week after suffering internal bleeding during practice, is fine, Groh said. … Groh also said tailback Michael Johnson (ankle sprain) will not play on Saturday.

 

UVa defensive end seeks Long-awaited sack
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
November 3, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Chris Long hears the ribbing, mostly from his defensive linemates, about his unique statistical situation - for the season, the sophomore has 15 quarterback pressures and just one assisted sack.
Word is one of Long's younger brothers has joked that the Virginia defensive end is a two-hand touch All-American.

"I laugh about it with him because I know how many more sacks he's going to get while he's here," senior defensive end Brennan Schmidt said. "He's the best pass rusher I've seen since I've been here. He just has more technique and more explosion than I've ever seen."

Long, the son of NFL Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long, who knows a thing or two about taking a quarterback to the ground, has all the tools. He's nimble for his 6-foot-4, 278-pound body and has a motor and drive that coach Al Groh has gushed about on more than one occasion.

The sack total bothers him, though.

"I lose sleep over that," Chris joked. "But if the pressures are creating bad throws - I'll say it until I get one - if the pressures are creating bad throws, then I'm happy with pressures."

Long paused for a second, cracking a smile.

"I'm not happy with it really," he added. "I'm not satisfied. I do want to get that first one. ? I'll take an ankle tackle."

"I'm telling you, it's a mental block," said Schmidt, who had nine hurries and zero sacks his freshman year in 2002. "He'll get through it."

Sack totals aside, Long has avoided anything resembling a sophomore slump after having his freshman season put on hold due to a case of mono. His seven tackles for a loss are tied for the second most on the team behind Kai Parham's 11, and he has as many passes broken up (4) as UVa's two starting cornerbacks.

But stats don't always measure effectiveness. Despite his meager stat total against Florida State (one solo tackle, two assists), Long was in the backfield all night.

"The kid's got an immense amount of talent," Schmidt said. "He's got two more years after this, which I think is more than enough for him to show what he can do before he goes to the next level. And I do believe he's going to the next level."

It would appear as though Chris was des-

tined to be a football player given his father's background. But he thought baseball would be his calling until midway through high school at St. Anne's-Belfield in Charlottesville, where the Long family moved when Chris was 10. The pitcher/first baseman got big in a hurry and football suddenly became his calling.

Since then, he's dedicated himself to it.

"He's got an exuberance about everything football," Groh said. "He likes to lift weights, he likes to practice, he likes to hang around the locker room, he likes to comes to the meetings, he likes to hang around his teammates. I could say the same about Brennan Schmidt. To the core, they're football guys."

"I think it's more just eat, sleep, live what you're doing," Long said. "It's what's supposed to be your passion. That's how you approach anything and it just happens to be football with me."

It's a passion for the entire Long family. Howie, a frequent visitor to UVa practice, serves as an analyst for FOX Sports in Los Angeles on Sundays during the NFL season, a job that requires him to fly out on Saturday nights.

He can usually make it to UVa's 3:30 p.m. games. Ones at 7:45, like Virginia's upset of Florida State, he can't.

"He saw FSU on TV," Chris said. "He was yelling at the TV probably."

Howie wears both hats when he watches Chris play. He's a father watching his son and, at times, a critic.

"He'll always tell me the truth about the way I play," Chris said. "That's appreciated because lots of times there's so much clutter."

Howie certainly could impart some advice on Chris' sack struggles, considering the elder Long had 84 sacks in a 13-year NFL career for the Raiders. Those are some mighty big footsteps for Chris to follow.

"I don't think he looks at it as, 'I'm following in my Hall of Fame father's footsteps,'" Schmidt said. "I think he's looking at it as, 'I'm making my own footsteps.' ?

"I believe it too because I think he's going to make his own way around here."

 

Temple Time: Cavs return from bye week
After disapponting loss to UNC, bye week to prepare, Virginia hosts 0-9 Temple Saturday afternoon in C'ville
Sam Dreiman, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer

With the football regular season coming to a close, the Cavaliers find themselves in a serious, yet perhaps favorable, situation.

Virginia looks to bounce back after its second bye week from an embarrassing 7-5 loss to North Carolina in tomorrow's matchup against Temple. The Cavaliers have lost every road game and won every home game so far this season, earning themselves a record of 4-3. If the Cavaliers hope to become bowl eligible, they will need to win at least two out of their final four games. Although the situation looks bleak, Virginia's schedule does feature two home matches against Georgia Tech and No. 3 Virginia Tech, sandwiched around a road game at No. 5 Miami.

It is important to remember that with a healthy Cavalier squad and inspiring support by its fans, Virginia has proven it can play with the best in the country, illustrated by its win against then-No.4 Florida State Oct. 15.

The team's second bye week allowed everybody to recover from any injuries.

"The time I put in [the training room] -- boy it was a lot of time," senior quarterback Marques Hagans said on the healing of his hamstring. "The training staff did a really good job treating it. I'm 110 percent now, ready to go."

The Cavaliers also appear ready defensively, with the team's four core linebackers finally back and ready to play together. Sophomore linebacker Jermaine Dias, after missing four games due to injury, plans to come back this week.

"I'm really excited to get Jermaine back," red-shirt freshman linebacker Clint Sintim said. "Not to say that Marvin [Richardson] wasn't doing a great job for us, but I'm excited to get Jermaine back out there and see how he feels, see if we have the chemistry we did during the summer."

The other major component that factors into these final games is the home field advantage the Cavaliers will have.

"We've just got a lot of confidence being at home and the great support that we've had from the fan base here," sophomore defensive end Chris Long said. "The next three weeks, we get the chance to play at home, and we're excited about that."

After the loss to North Carolina two weeks ago, Cavalier fans hope Virginia has learned not to underestimate any of its remaining opponents.

"We never like to take any opponent lightly," Stintim said. "[Temple is] a college football team just like any team in the nation. Regardless of their record (0-9), you can't take them lightly, because in college football, you could lose at any moment."

A win tomorrow will bring Virginia closer to the team's goal of reaching a bowl game.

"I think as players, we have to concentrate on a week-by-week basis," junior wide receiver Fontel Mines said. "We have to focus on this week because this team -- [though] their record doesn't show it -- has a bunch of talented guys on defense."

The Cavaliers know they will need to end the season as strong as ever.

"It's one of the things [Groh] has been emphasizing all year," sophomore safety Nate Lyles said. "Finish the game strong, finish the season strong. So this month is like the real push."
 

Pressure mounts as Cavs head into final four
Groh, Virginia face uncharacteristic scrutiny as they enter crunch time showdown with Temple Saturday afternoon
Eric Kolenich, Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
 

For Virginia coach Al Groh, a man who emphasizes taking football one game at a time, it's crunch time.

With four games remaining in the Cavaliers' schedule, it's time to start expanding the team's focus and to gear up for the rest of the season. At 4-3 on the season, the Cavaliers need two more victories to become bowl eligible, and that doesn't even guarantee an invitation to a bowl.

"We have to do our best to win the last four," freshman linebacker Clint Sintim said. "That's the only way, in my opinion, that we can be sure to go to a bowl game."

An uncharacteristic amount of pressure has been put on the Virginia football team heading into a home match up with Temple. Temple ranks No. 1 at 0-9. No. 1, that is, on ESPN.com's "Bottom 10," the ranking that designates the country's worst NCAA teams. The Owls have been outscored this season 409-87. Averaging only 9.7 points per game this season, they have lost by an average of 35.8 points per game.

"We see it as a very critical game," Groh said. "It's important that we be ready to play our best from start to finish."

Should the Cavaliers somehow allow the first Temple victory of the season, even with their uncanny ability to beat challenging teams and lose to the worst teams, they can most likely kiss their bowl chances goodbye. The remainder of the season includes home games against Georgia Tech and No. 3 Virginia Tech and a road matchup with No. 5 Miami. With Virginia Tech and Miami to play this weekend, one team will fall in the standings. That, however, does not take away from the talent of either team. With a Temple loss, U.Va. would have to win two of those three games to become bowl eligible.

One major benefit the Cavaliers have is playing at home for three games in November, the time when the most pivotal games are scheduled.

"That atmosphere is so much crazier with your fans behind you," Sintim said. "At home games, we do pretty well. Hopefully we can continue that trend."

Since the beginning of the 2003 season, U.Va. has gone 13-2 at Scott Stadium.

"Certainly I see [the three home games] as a positive," Groh said. "It would encourage me more if the teams weren't quite who they are."

Since Groh became head coach, Virginia has gone only 9-8 in November and December regular season games. With the whole season in focus, the team can see what makes this game so important, and why the players cannot lose their concentration against a less dominant team, like in the North Carolina game two weekends ago. A sense of urgency seems to have permeated Groh's one-by-one philosophy.

"It's make-or-break time," Sintim said. "Right now, a lot of teams are fighting for position, us being one of them. Right now is when we've got to play our best football."

The Cavaliers certainly are gearing up for an exciting November, and Groh is leading them onto the battle field.

"This is where seasons are made," he said. "This is where you've got to step up and put it out there on the field and show what you've got."

The Cavaliers are going to define their season this month and finally, everyone will know what they are all about. With no one knowing what statement Virginia is going to make, the Cavaliers will need every advantage they can find.