Cavaliers cruise past Owls
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 6, 2005

If only they could all be this easy.
Thanks to 449 yards of total offense and a stellar defensive performance, Virginia opened up November with exactly what it a needed - a win.
And Temple? The Owls opened up November the exact same way they opened September and October - with a loss.
Virginia tailback Wali Lundy rushed for 113 yards and four touchdowns and junior fullback Jason Snelling added a career-high 126 yards on the ground as the Cavaliers kept Temple mired in a season of futility, whipping the Owls
51-3 at Scott Stadium.
“We could play Virginia 19 times and 20 times it would be just like that,” said Temple coach Bobby Wallace, who has only one game left with the program. “That’s a very good Virginia team - big, strong, fast.”
Virginia (5-3, 2-3 ACC) moved within one win of becoming eligible for a bowl game for the fourth straight season. Temple (0-10) moved within one win of securing its first winless season since 1986, a season in which they forfeited six games for using an illegal player.
Perhaps realizing that the win came against lowly Temple, and not Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech or Miami, Virginia’s final three opponents, Al Groh refrained from dishing heavy praise for his team.
“It was a move in the right direction for us, and we’re pleased with that,” said Groh, who also beat Temple 44-14 last year. “It wasn’t a Picasso, but it was good.”
Lundy wasn’t good. For the first time this season, he was simply spectacular.
The senior tailback, who was slowed for weeks by a foot sprain, opened the scoring with a 19-yard touchdown run 4:45 into the contest and added a scoring scamper from eight yards out in the second quarter and two more, both five yards from the end zone in the third quarter.
“It felt good to be back to being myself and being 100 percent,” said Lundy, who entered the game with just 191 yards rushing and one touchdown. “[This game] doesn’t make up for it, but it’s a good start for the rest of season. Hopefully it will carry over.”
Snelling, who has battled health concerns of his own this season, picked up where Lundy left off, scoring with 1:02 left in the first quarter on a 32-yard run and again in the third quarter on a 7-yard dash.
“Both backs did a nice job with the ball,” Groh said. “That should improve their confidence. Generally, we improved our line play. We’ve got a ways to go overall with what we need to do for what faces us [against Georgia Tech] next week.
“Quite clearly that’s going to be a much more severe challenge.”
Virginia set the tone in the opening half, scoring on five of its seven possessions. The Cavaliers gained 281 yards on 41 plays (158 rushing, 123 passing) and limited the Owls to just five first downs and 62 total yards.
Virginia’s defense, which came into the game averaging 376 yards and 21.6 points per game, forced four turnovers (two interceptions and two fumbles) and sacked a pair of Owl quarterbacks five times.
“We were disruptive in the backfield more than what we have been, and that’s one of the things you have to do to play good defense,” Groh said. “We were aggressive. They did a real good job with it.”
Temple failed to get a first down on 10 of its 15 possessions and gave UVa’s offense excellent field position - the Cavaliers’ average starting field position was the Virginia 45. In the third quarter alone, Virginia’s average starting spot was the Temple 38.
“[Our defense] produced a lot of three-and-outs,” said Groh, “and on a couple of occasions at the beginning of the second half we got good field position, which resulted in scores.”
The heroics that Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans displayed in his last performance at Scott Stadium (306 yards passing, 2 TDs, 0 INTs against FSU), were not needed against Temple.
Before giving way to backup quarterback Christian Olsen in the third quarter, Hagans completed 10 of 18 for 132 yards. He did, however, throw his eighth interception of the season early in the second quarter.
“That was my worst pass of the whole season,” Hagans said.
For many of the fans in the announced crowd of 57,060, especially those that stayed through the third quarter, the only true question during the game was if Temple was going to score?
The Owls had what appeared to be a 78-yard touchdown run in the second quarter by George Coleman, but the play was called back due to off-setting personal foul penalties.
“That’s a crying shame what happened on that play,” Wallace said. “[The two penalties were] away from the play and two guys wrestling. [Virginia] gets a break by getting a penalty.”

The Owls also missed a 58-yard field goal attempt as time expired in the first half. They did crack the goose egg, scoring with 10:48 left in the game as Temple placekicker Ryan Lux booted a 30-yard field goal through the uprights.

While it would appear that the contest would give the Cavaliers a much-needed boost of confidence, Groh disagreed.

“I think maybe people picture momentum as a guy on a surfboard in Hawaii riding a big wave in,” Groh said. “But, you’ve got to go out there and grind it out every week.
“Each game has gotta be won in its own right.”
Such is the task on Saturday at Scott Stadium against Georgia Tech at 3:30 p.m.

 

UVa's rushing attack produces
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
November 6, 2005

Don’t get too carried away with Virginia’s 51-3 triumph over visiting Temple.

The woeful Owls dropped to 0-9 on the season and there’s a good reason, actually several good reasons. Temple ranks in the 100’s in just about every meaningful NCAA statistical category, including defensively.

But what Cavalier fans should be optimistic about is that their team started working its way back toward playing “Virginia football.” That means a more physical brand of ball, particularly with the running attack, where the Cavaliers have been less than impressive most of the season.

While coach Al Groh doesn’t like making excuses, particularly due to injuries, even he would have to admit that his ground game has suffered dramatically due to a number of physical personnel problems.

Tailback Wali Lundy and fullback Jason Snelling haven’t been 100 percent all season up until Saturday night when they both rushed for more than 100 yards. The offensive line has also been a patchwork project most weeks, with almost every starter having missed time because of injuries.

In their last two outings, an upset over then fourth-ranked Florida State, followed by a disappointing loss at North Carolina, the Cavs managed to put up a grand total of 110 yards (20 vs. FSU, 90 at UNC) rushing and had failed to score a touchdown in its last six quarters.

With a bye week between the Carolina loss and the Temple game, Groh knew it was time to get back to Virginia football. It was a welcome sight to his players.

“We tried to put a new emphasis back on running the ball and being physical and trying to beat teams up,” said senior center Brian Barthelmes. “A lot of the stuff we worked on during the bye week.

“We wanted to come out here and establish ourselves and to our opponents coming up that we’ve still got [a physical running game] and this is what we’re going to do,” Barthelmes said. “I’m happy about it. I love playing physical football.”

The Cavaliers, ranked 67th nationally (137.1), and ninth in the ACC in rushing yards per game, packed a powerful 1-2 punch with Lundy and Snelling as they pounded out 262 yards on the ground in 45 attempts. Virginia had scored only eight rushing touchdowns all season, but posted six - count ‘em, six - against the hapless Owls.

“Both backs did a nice job with the ball and that should improve their confidence,” Groh said after his team went over the

200-yard rushing mark for only the second time this season. The first came on Sept. 17 at Syracuse when UVa piled up 271 in the Carrier Dome.

What Virginia accomplished on this night, regardless of the number of points put on the scoreboard, was that it made strides toward getting its running game back together again.

“Generally, we improved our line play,” Groh said. “We’ve got a ways to go overall with what we need to do for what faces us next week. Quite clearly, that’s going to be a much more severe challenge.”

That’s when a 6-2 Georgia Tech team, with the No. 11-ranked rushing defense in the nation heading into the weekend, comes to Charlottesville in hopes of stopping a losing streak here that dates back to 1990.

Groh maintains he wants balance to the offense, but has always been a power running guy.

“Last year we were a very consistent, very efficient, at times powerful running team,” Groh said. “But we didn’t have quite the effectiveness overall in our passing game that we needed in certain weeks. But the time when we couldn’t play that way, we had difficulties. We don’t want to revert back in form. We want to do both things efficiently when that’s required.”

Barthelmes said that both backs going over 100 yards rushing was a source of pride for the offensive linemen.

“We didn’t do anything perfect, but it’s nice for the offensive line to see both backs succeed,” he said. “It’s nice to get those rushing yards on the board again.”

Snelling, who said it was nice to be able to practice for six days straight for the first time all season, obviously benefited from the work.

“I felt really good,” said the big combination fullback/tailback, who bulled for 126 yards (7.4 average) and two TDs. “I haven’t had some of my [health] issues that I’ve had in the past, so that was a good thing.

“Coach put opportunities out there for us to get back to our running game and we went out there and executed,” Snelling said.

The 233-pound junior, who operated out of the one-back set at times against Temple, had been limited to only 13 carries for

89 yards this season. So, Saturday’s production was satisfying.

“Any time a running back gets the ball, you always want to show what you can do,” Snelling said. “But our line stepped it up. We’re a physical team, so that’s the way we practice. We worked on the things we need to do physically inside with the running game and that showed tonight.”

 

Home again: Lundy finds end zone
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
November 6, 2005

For the first three years of his career at Virginia, tailback Wali Lundy knew the way to the end zone the way a mugger knows the way to Central Park.

Coming into this senior season, the South Jersey back had reached paydirt 41 times, 33 of those by running the ball, which put him on the brink of a career school record. He also came into his final year as the fifth-leading returning rusher in the nation.

Naturally, the expectations were high.

Setback

But a not-so-funny thing happened to Lundy on the very first series of the opening game of the season. He sprained his ankle. While he missed only one game with the injury, he just wasn’t himself.

The cuts weren’t there. The aggressive running style Virginia fans had come to expect was missing. He was moving somewhat gingerly.

With he and power back Jason Snelling both playing with health issues, the Cavaliers’ offense was suffering.

Those problems ended Saturday night in Virginia’s 51-3 rout of winless Temple. Maybe the Cavs haven’t totally turned the corner with a running attack that hasn’t remotely resembled last year’s production, but it took a major step in that direction.

And so did Lundy.

Only the 16th running back in ACC history to rush for 800-plus yards three years in a row, Lundy’s production was way down. He had 213 yards on 55 attempts and was Oh-for-2005 in rushing touchdowns. He hadn’t smelled the end zone with a running play, having finally scored a TD on a 16-yard reception against Florida State.

Finding his way

Feeling good, with no pain and no problems for the first time all season, Lundy put in a hard week of practice. When it came time to suit it up, it was just like old times.

Lundy rushed 19 times for 113 yards and FOUR touchdowns while hardly breaking a sweat. Gosh, he might have gone over 200 yards himself had coach Al Groh wanted to get greedy.

Wisely, the coach pulled his starter with more than 10 and half minutes remaining in the third quarter and rested him for what lies ahead.

“I missed the end zone, man,” Lundy said with a big smile. “It’s my second home.”

If that’s the case, Lundy ran like a homeless man in games leading up to Saturday. His ankle just wouldn’t allow it.

Writers couldn’t help but give Lundy a little bunk about drawing an excessive celebration penalty on his first scratch of the night against the Owls.

You would think a guy who has been there so many times, would know how to act. In reality, no one could figure out why Lundy was flagged.

“Hey, I don’t know about that one,” Lundy interjected. “I just pointed to the sky ... that

was it. I don’t understand it. That’s what I do every time.”

Maybe the officials haven’t seen it in so long, they didn’t remember, one scribe jokingly suggested.

“I know, they forgot it, right?” Lundy played along.

But the senior was all business on this unseasonably warm evening. For the record, he passed former Wahoo Tommy Vigorito for fifth place on the school’s all-time rushing list and the four TDs gave him 37 for his career, breaking Thomas Jones’ record for rushing scores. He also became only the seventh modern day Wahoo to score four rushing TDs in a game.

That’s quite a night’s work for a guy who has been so quiet all season long.

“Last Friday and last Monday, those two days back-to-back were the first time that I thought that maybe Wali was back to where he was before the injury,” Groh said. “It wasn’t so much that you saw more speed, but I thought he made more one-cut running and showed more confidence in making that cut and trying to take openings that were there.”

Need more of the same in November

Lundy and Snelling’s return to efficient, power running was essential if Virginia should threaten to make a strong finish down the stretch. The Cavs had gone six straight quarters coming into the Temple game without putting up a touchdown and that was the chief reason why.

“We pride ourselves on running the ball and pride ourselves on being running backs at Virginia because there has been so many good backs coming out of here,” Lundy said. “We took it upon ourselves because we knew we weren’t getting the job done. We came out to practice on the bye week and said we were going to put it on our shoulders.”

That’s exactly what the running backs did as they pounded out 262 yards on the ground, 15 first downs and six rushing TDs.

While they will have to make a rushing statement against much stronger defenses down the stretch (Miami, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech were all ranked among the top 11 rushing defenses in the country heading into the weekend), the Cavs took a giant step.

“We made strides no matter whether it was against Temple or Florida State,” Lundy said. “Even though it was Temple, we came out with the attitude that we weren’t going to take no prisoners.”

Now, they have to do it again, and again and again.

 

Virginia tops Temple notes
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 6, 2005

LUNDY LUMBERS. Wali Lundy joined an elite group on Saturday, rushing for four touchdowns against Temple.
Lundy has rushed for three touchdowns before, nine times in fact, including three against Temple last season, but it was the first time he had crossed into the end zone four times in a game.
The senior tailback joins Gene Arnette, Jim Bakhtair, Tiki Barber, Bill Dudley, Gary Helman and Terry Kirby as modern day Cavaliers to accomplish the feat.

SNELLING HAS STOUT DAY. Earlier in the week, Virginia coach Al Groh hinted that Jason Snelling would have a greater role this week against Temple. Boy, was he ever right.
Despite entering the game with just 88 yards on 13 carries (12.6 ypg) on the season, Snelling made the most of 17 attempts, gaining a career-best 126 yards against the Owls.
When Snelling scored in the first quarter it marked the first TD for the junior this season and just the second of his career. He added another score in the third quarter.

HUGHES IS HUGE AGAIN. Connor Hughes scored 12 points against the Owls, giving the senior 302 career points.
Hughes, a senior, connected on field goals from 28 and 36 yards and is now tied for ninth all-time in the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring. He is tied with former North Carolina running back Leon Johnson.
With 61 career field goals, a school record, Hughes moves up to fifth in conference history.

FRESHMAN FEVER. Two of UVa’s wideouts, Maurice Covington and Kevin Ogletree, set career best numbers in receptions. Both players are true freshmen. Ogletree finished with five receptions for 20 yards. Covington had four catches for a team-high 45 yards.

INJURY UPDATE. Virginia played Temple without three would-be starters: right guard Marshal Ausberry, tailback and kick returner Michael Johnson and tight end Jonathan Stupar. Ausberry dressed but did not play. Johnson and Santi both sat out in street clothes with sprained ankles.
A number of other Cavaliers were hampered by injuries during the game, including another tailback, Cedric Peerman. The redshirt freshman sprained his right knee on a punt return in the first half.
Peerman was given a brace for his knee and walked throughout the game on the sidelines, even rode a stationary bike, but did not return to action.
Coach Groh said Peerman deemed himself good to play, but cooler heads prevailed.
Wideout Deyon Williams sprained his shoulder in the first quarter as he dove for a pass attempt from Marques Hagans. Williams, who finished without a catch for the first time this season, returned to the field later in the first half but watched the second half in a sweat suit.
Tight end Tom Santi twisted his right ankle early in the third quarter at the end of a 40-yard reception from Hagans. Santi, a sophomore, hurt the ankle against Carolina.
Nose tackle Keenan Carter injured his right hand in the fourth quarter and headed to the locker room for medical treatment.

DYNAMIC DUO. Coach Groh praised two of his defensive ends, Chris Long and Brennan Schmidt, after the game for their leadership leading up to the Temple game.
They could have been singled out for their play as well.
Long, who entered the game with 15 quarterback pressures and no sacks, joined the sack club with one against Temple.
Long’s sack was Schmidt’s favorite play of the game.
“Without a doubt, my favorite moment of the game was Chris’ sack,” said Schmidt, who had four tackles, a sack and the first interception of his four-year career. “Him and I have been joking about [Long getting his first sack of the season], but I am so happy for him. That kid is going to be fantastic around here. I can’t wait to watch him as he continues his career here.
“I know that he is destined for greatness.”
So, what was Long’s favorite play?
“Schmidty’s interception by a 100 hundred times,” said Long. “If you rolled the tape, I don’t think we stopped celebrating for five minutes. That was awesome. [Schmidt] looked like a DB out there.”
Schmidt also etched his name in the UVa record book, starting his 47th straight game on the defensive end. That ties the senior with former DE Mike Frederick.

OLSEN, McCABE SEE TIME. With 9:03 left in the third quarter and the game decided, UVa coach Al Groh inserted backup quarterback Christian Olsen for Marques Hagans.
Olsen entered the game having played in only one contest, a 38-7 victory over Duke. In that game, Olsen completed two of his four passing attempts for 40 yards. Olsen, a junior, started out hot in the pocket, going 4 for 5 for 24 yards. But, with 8:52 left in the fourth quarter, Olsen threw the first INT of his two-year UVa career.
Sophomore Kevin McCabe made his season debut after Olsen’s INT, going 3 for 5 for 31 yards.

LESCANEC MAKES DEBUT. Former Western Albemarle standout Bryan Lescanec made his collegiate debut when he was inserted into the game at tailback in the fourth quarter.
Lescanec, who finished with three carries for nine yards, said reaching the field that he dreamed of playing on was “definitely a rush.”
Lescanec rushed for 2,208 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior at WAHS in 2003. That earned him Co-Offensive Player of the Year honors for Central Virginia by The Daily Progress.
“It felt good to get back into a game,” Lescanec said. “I hadn’t been in a game in two years, so just that was good.”
As the seconds ticked off the clock in the fourth quarter, Lescanec was hoping he would get a chance.
“I was waiting the whole game,” Lescanec chuckled. “I was waiting for the chance and I took advantage of it.”

EXTRA POINTS. In addition to Lescanec, three other Cavaliers made their collegiate debut - safety Ben Parziale, defensive end John Roberts and safety Byron Glaspy, who was on the field quite a bit in Virginia’s dime package. … Thanks to some help from Virginia men’s basketball coach Dave Leitao, Cavman dispatched Temple’s Owl mascot in the weekly, animated adventure that airs prior to home games. During the segment, Cavman elected to ditch his headwear for the first time this season. … Long carried the team flag out for UVa. …
Linebacker Jermaine Dias sprained foot) made his return to field and left his mark on Temple QB Mike McGann when he sacked the signal caller in the fourth quarter and forced a fumble. Sophomore Allen Billyk recovered the loose ball. … Cornerback Chris Gorham led UVa with eight tackles (four solo). … UVa linebacker Ahmad Brooks made his first sack of the season. It was his only tackle. … Chris Gould punted three times for the Cavaliers, averaging 39.3 yards per kick. He also pinned one kick deep at the Temple 8.

 

Cavs run all over Owls


Virginia rushed for a season-high 262 yards in an easy win over Temple.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129
The Roanoke Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Maybe the officials were surprised to see Wali Lundy in the end zone or perhaps he had just forgotten how to act.

After scoring the first of his four rushing touchdowns Saturday, Lundy turned two index fingers toward the heavens, bumped chests with a teammate and headed back to Virginia's bench.

Behind him, an official tossed a yellow handkerchief into the air

"Hey, I don't know about that," said Lundy after the Cavaliers' 51-3 victory over winless Temple. "Pointing toward the sky. That's what I've always done."

He's done it 46 times in his four-year UVa career, but his 19-yard run in the first quarter represented his first rushing touchdown of the season.

"Yeah, I knew that," said Lundy, who tied a UVa careeer touchdown record held by Eugene "Buck" Mayer since 1915. "Everybody keeps their own stats."

Lundy had rushed for 800 yards or more in each of his first three college seasons, but a sprained foot had limited his effectiveness this year. While he had missed only one game, he had rushed for only 191 yards in UVa's first seven games.

He might have had that many yards Saturday but coach Al Groh shut him down with 10:48 remaining in the third quarter, after Lundy's fourth touchdown had increased Virginia's lead to 41-0.

Fellow veteran Jason Snelling got all of the work after that and finished with 17 carries for a career-high 126 yards and two touchdowns.

Lundy carried the ball 19 times for 113 yards -- the 11th 100-yard rushing game of his college career.

More importantly, Virginia rushed for a season-high 262 yards as a team, even if it was against lowly Temple (0-10). The Cavaliers had rushed for 20 yards and 90 yards -- as a team -- in their last two games.

"You can say that we haven't done this against some of the other teams," Lundy said, "but I felt we took strides, major strides, no matter if it was Temple or who it was.

"At Virginia, we've always prided ourselves on running the football. There have been so many great backs here and we knew we weren't getting the job done."

Lundy and Snelling have missed considerable practice time, but they were all Virginia had Saturday once freshman Cedric Peerman injured his right ankle while covering kicks. Michael Johnson, the Cavaliers' leading rusher for the season, already had a bum ankle and was watching the game in streetclothes.

Snelling, a redshirt junior, has had undisclosed medical issues that have plagued him since his freshman year. Indeed, when Groh said earlier that Snelling had gone through practice for the most extended period this season, Snelling had practiced for only three days in a row.

Snelling had seven carries for a team-high 72 yards in the Cavaliers' opening game against Western Michigan but had carried the ball a total of six times in six subsequent games.

"We've had six practices since the North Carolina game and Jason was actively involved in all six of them," Groh said. "This was the first time this season that he's been able to take six in a row. Before many of the games, he's been limited to one practice a week."

Virginia had an open date following a 7-5 loss at North Carolina on Oct. 22 and the time off clearly benefitted players like quarterback Marques Hagans, who showed few ill effects from the hamstring injury that had slowed him in Chapel Hill, N.C., and Lundy.

"It wasn't so much that he had more speed, but he showed a lot more one-cut running, more confidence in taking that cut and finding the openings that were there," Groh said of Lundy.

The UVa offensive staff also tweaked the offensive line, inserting sophomore Ian-Yates Cunningham into the starting lineup at right guard, where Marshal Ausberry was a no-go. Cunningham had not played at North Carolina.

Again, everything had to be tempered by the fact that Temple was the opponent. The Cavaliers (5-3) sacked quarterbacks Joe DeSanzo and Mike McGann five times and outgained the Owls 449-170.

Temple has been outscored 460-90 for the season, but Saturday marked the first time that an opponent had scored more than 40 points against the Owls in five games.

Groh knows the Cavaliers need to be at a high level during the next three weeks, when they face teams that were a combined 20-3 before Saturday -- Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Miami.

"It was a move in the right direction for us, and we're pleased with that," Groh said. "It wasn't a Picasso, but it was OK."

 

Backup QBs play much of second half
Doug Doughty
The Roanoke Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- After most of Virginia's football games this season, the Cavaliers practically have had to scrape quarterback Marques Hagans off the field.

"I kind of missed that today," Hagans said Saturday after a 51-3 victory over Temple.

Yeah, right.

Hagans often is the last player to leave the Cavaliers' locker room but he was prompt in meeting with the media Saturday.

"It felt kind of different, coming in the locker room and not being all beat up," he admitted.

Back-up quarterback Christian Olsen replaced Hagans with 9:14 remaining in the third quarter, before Hagans had a chance to throw a touchdown pass, although he came close on a ball that Fontel Mines dropped in the end zone.

Hagans completed 10 of 18 passes for 132 yards.

"I like to be out there throwing the ball, running around and making plays," he said.

Schmidt takes over

It didn't take defensive end Brennan Schmidt long to respond to reporters who wanted to know when he last had an interception before Saturday.

"Never," said Schmidt, a fifth-year senior who made his 47th career start Saturday.

Although the Cavaliers weren't exactly being threatened, Schmidt took over the game in the opening minutes of the second half.

In the span of four plays, he registered his fourth sack of the season, intercepted a pass and caused a fumble that was recovered by Tony Franklin. The two turnovers resulted in 14 points.

"Brennan and Chris [Long], for the last six practices, have really tried to set a standard for practice effort and performance and that's what leadership is about," coach Al Groh said. "It's not about having team meetings or bake sales. It's about setting a standard."

Sack time

Preseason All-American and 2004 Butkus Award finalist Ahmad Brooks, playing in his fourth game of the season, had his first sack of the year. Long, who assisted on a sack against North Carolina, had his first solo sack. UVa also got sacks from Kai Parham, who has 8 ½ for the year, and outside linebacker Jermaine Dias, playing for the first time in six weeks.

Fresh faces

Plagued by inconsistency from its veteran wide receivers, Virginia gave starts Saturday to true freshman Kevin Ogletree and Maurice Covington. Ogletree had a team-high five receptions and Covington had four.

True freshman John Phillips from Bath County normally is the No. 3 tight end behind Jon Stupar and Tom Santi, but Stupar was not in uniform and Santi left the game early with a leg injury. Phillips played almost the entire second half but did not catch a pass.

Junior walk-on Noah Greenbaum, who had a one-game stint as a punter in 2003, resurfaced for Virginia's final field-goal attempt Saturday and booted a 41-yarder.

The lopsided score gave opportunities to players like walk-on Jon Copper from Northside High School.

Copper, who has seen most of his action on special teams, got his first playing time with the regular defense and had a tackle on his first play.

Georgia Tech next week

The Cavaliers (5-3 overall) will seek to become bowl-eligible Saturday at 3:30 p.m., when they entertain Georgia Tech (6-2, 4-2).

The Yellow Jackets qualified for a bowl Saturday when they defeated Wake Forest 30-17 in Atlanta. Virginia hasn't lost to Georgia Tech in Charlottesville since 1990, when the Yellow Jackets knocked off then-No. 1 UVa at Scott Stadium.

 

Q&A With Dave Leitao

Dave Leitao is Virginia's new basketball coach, hired from DePaul after Pete Gillen stepped down last March. Leitao's team only has 10 players on scholarship and little in the way of front-court players. The best news for Virginia might be that a new arena is scheduled to open in 2006 across the street from ancient University Hall.

Q. What's the best advice you've been given about coaching in the ACC? Get good players! I know that sounds simplistic. But you could do all the preparation and have a formula that you think is going to work. Until you line up with the best players you can recruit, it doesn't mean much. I've been told that on more than one occasion.

Q. You come from the Jim Calhoun school of coaching when you were an assistant at Connecticut. His teams are known for always playing hard. How can you make that work at Virginia? There are only a few schools that consistently pull that off. Connecticut has. I've also looked at the model that Texas has had. They may not be all things to all people, but they always play hard. You have to be able to rely on something that's going to carry you through. That's what I've stressed with our players. It looks like we could improve in the area of work -- mental and physical. Those branch out into playing defense and rebounding better.

Q. Talk about what you've seen in point guard Sean Singletary so far. Sean is a guy who's always going to get out there. He has to make sure he's doing something extra. A lot has been coming at him, more than ever before, and that's been a little awkward. He's been asked to take one step back, then two steps forward. He's beginning to grasp things better. When you're trying to have a message brought across to the group, one of the people that can best understand it is your point guard. Not only lead by example because of talent, but lead by example because of work ethic. That part has been very good.

Q. Are you concerned about your lack of effective players in the post? It's a big issue for us. We've got a group of guys who don't have a lot of time and experience. It looks like a lot of our scoring will come from the perimeter. But it's critical to any team to get some easy baskets, whether it's in the post or running the floor.

Q. Does being at an academically elite school like Virginia help in recruiting? Especially for those kids and families that care about education. We can sell it, because of a number of different things: the high level of basketball, the ACC, the tradition.

But you also have that academic piece that also works. That opens up so many doors for you.

There's more to it than just dribbling a basketball, and Virginia can provide that opportunity.

Q. Are you ready to move into the new John Paul Jones Arena next season? I pass by it every day. I think about it, because I think about our future. But I don't want to cheat our older players out of any moment. We have to be careful about talking too much about the building and what it represents.

We have to cherish each and every moment we have now.

Virginia

COACH: Dave Leitao, 80-69, 5 seasons (1st at Virginia).

LAST SEASON: 14-15 (4-12 ACC, tie for 10th).

PROBABLE STARTERS: T.J. Bannister, G, 5-11, jr.; J.R. Reynolds, G, 6-3, jr.; Sean Singletary, G, 6-0, so.; Gary Forbes, G-F, 6-6, jr.; Tunji Soroye, C, 6-11, so.

KEY RESERVES: Jason Cain, F, 6-10, jr.; Sam Warren, C, 6-10, fr.; Donte Miller, F, 6-8, jr.

Observations | David Scott

• If Leitao needs any on-job training, he doesn't have to look far: Pete Gillen, who resigned in March, still lives in Charlottesville.

• Singletary will be one of the league's top point guards -- especially with all those others from last season -- like Chris Paul, Raymond Felton, John Gilchrist and Jarrett Jack -- leaving early.

Schedule

NOV. 18, Liberty; 22, at Richmond; 27, at Arizona; 30, Northwestern.

DEC. 4, at Georgia Tech; 7, Fordham; 17, at Gonzaga; 23, Loyola-Baltimore; 28, Md.-Baltimore County; 31, Hartford.

JAN. 2, at Western Kentucky; 7, Clemson; 11, Florida State; 15, at Virginia Tech; 19, North Carolina; 24, Miami; 28, at Duke.

FEB. 1, at N.C. State; 4, Wake Forest; 7, at Maryland; 11, Virginia Tech; 15, Longwood; 18, at Florida State; 21, Boston College; 25, at Clemson.

MARCH 1, at North Carolina; 5, Maryland.

David Scott

No hoots, just 'Hoos for Owls
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
November 6, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Whatever glowing praise is heaped on Virginia after its near-effortless 51-3 win on Saturday will be tempered by one nagging yet undeniable caveat - it came against Temple.

Sure, the Cavaliers (5-3) looked impressive against Temple in all facets of the game, but who hasn’t in the last two years? The Owls (0-10) have lost 17 of their last 18 and must win at Navy on Nov. 19 to avoid its first winless season that didn’t involve forfeits since 1959.

What do you take from a dominating yet completely expected win over arguably the worst team in Division I?

“I think the main thing was about us,” UVa quarterback Marques Hagans said. “We just wanted to go out there and execute the things we set in our game plan, and I think we did that.”

First and foremost in the game plan was getting the running game going. Virginia did, running for 262 yards just two weeks after a 90-yard effort in a puzzling 7-5 loss at North Carolina.

Tailback Wali Lundy was back in peak form, running 19 times for a season-high 113 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Slowed by a foot sprain for most of the season, Lundy entered Saturday with just 191 rushing yards this season and not more than 60 in any game. It had been 364 days since he last topped the 100-yard mark, dating back to last year’s Maryland game on Nov. 6.

Both teammates and coaches remarked earlier this week how Lundy looked a lot like his pre-injury self.

“It wasn’t so much that you saw more speed but more one-cut running and more confidence in making that cut and trying to take the opening that was there,” Virginia coach Al Groh said.

Lundy showed his knack for finding the end zone, too. He had first-half touchdown runs of 19 and 8 yards to help the Cavaliers take a 27-0 halftime lead.

After the first score, he was flagged for unsportsmanlike contact for pointing to the sky in celebration.

“I do that every time,” said Lundy, who hadn’t scored a rushing touchdown since last December’s MPC Computers Bowl. “They must have forgot it.”

He added two 5-yard touchdown runs in the third quarter, giving him 37 career rushing touchdowns, breaking Thomas Jones’ school record.

“I think he is finally back,” Hagans said. “I think the competitor that he is, he was fighting so hard trying to get healthy, but he never really had a chance to.

“I think the (bye week) really helped him. Now he’s back to the Wali Lundy that everybody knows.”

Fullback Jason Snelling, who was pressed into tailback duty with Michael Johnson inactive and Cedric Peerman on the sideline after suffering a first-quarter knee injury, had career highs with 126 yards and two touchdowns.

This was all behind a much-maligned offensive line that was almost back to where it was at the beginning of the season. The only change was Ian-Yates Cunningham started for an injured Marshal Ausberry at right guard.

“I think this should take us into the rest of the season,” Lundy said.

When Temple had the ball, either Virginia was just as impressive or the Owls were just as abysmal.

Temple managed just 170 yards of total offense, only 10 of which came on the ground. Virginia forced three turnovers that resulted in 14 points. The Owls’ only highlight came on a 72-yard touchdown run by Georg Coleman that was negated by offsetting personal foul penalties during the play.

Only a 30-yard Ryan Lux field goal with 10:48 left in the game prevented a Virginia shutout.

“We could play Virginia 20 times and 19 times it would be just like that,” Temple coach Bobby Wallace said.

Though not a groundbreaking win (needless to say the goalposts remained standing after the game), the victory does get Virginia within one win of being bowl eligible for the fourth straight season. The Cavaliers must win one of their last three games - Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech at home the next two weeks and Miami on the road Nov. 26 - to get there.

“It was a move in the right direction for us, and we’re pleased with that,” Groh said. “It wasn’t a Picasso, but it was good.”

 

Schmidt, Long spearhead dominant defensive effort
Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
November 6, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Defensive ends Brennan Schmidt and Chris Long are of the same football makeup, so when coach Al Groh said that those two set a new standard of practice during the last week, it came as no surprise. Neither did their impressive showing in Saturday’s 51-3 rout of Temple.

“That’s what leadership is about,” Groh said. “It’s not about having team meetings or bake sales or all of that. It’s about setting a standard. Their play really stood out.”

Schmidt, who tied the school record for most starts by a defensive lineman with 47, made four solo tackles (three for a loss), had a sack, forced a fumble and intercepted his first pass at any level, diving to catch a ball tipped by linebacker Ahmad Brooks in the third quarter that set up Virginia’s fourth touchdown of the game.

“The most amazing thing is he’s making these plays from the back side,” Long said. “He was running down plays, hustling, just playing great football.”

Long recorded his long-awaited first solo sack of the season, taking down Temple quarterback Joe DeSanzo in the second quarter for an 8-yard loss. Long had 15 quarterback pressures and one assisted sack entering the game.

“I thought they might (stop the game for it),” Long joked.

Schmidt gave Long a bear hug as he came off the field.

“I think he got the monkey off his back today,“ Schmidt said. “So hopefully there will be a lot more of those to come.”

A lighter workload

For once, Virginia didn’t need to rely on a superhuman effort by quarterback Marques Hagans to win a game. Hagans was 10 of 18 for 132 yards and an interception on an underthrown ball that he called “probably my worst pass of the whole season.”

Hagans ran only five times, his second-lowest total of the season. Afterward, he didn’t need an IV, a common post-game practice for him this year.

“It felt funny,” Hagans said. “It felt like I was missing out on something.”

Backup quarterbacks Christian Olsen and Kevin McCabe both got into the game in the second half. Olsen went 4 of 6 for 24 yards and an interception. McCabe was 3 of 5 for 31 yards.

Confidence builder

Freshman wideouts Maurice Covington and Kevin Ogletree got their most significant playing time of the season, combining for nine catches and 65 yards.

They both made their debuts against Florida State three weeks ago and now are playing more prominent roles, particularly in the four-wide receiver set that Virginia showcased early Saturday, proving they have gained some of the coaches’ confidence.

“I think it’s as much as them gaining confidence in themselves,” Groh said.

Covington is the bigger of the two receivers at 6-4, 212 pounds, but Ogletree, at 6-2, 184, gives UVa another speed threat at wideout. They have a similar desire to make a contribution.

“I came in with high expectations for myself,” Covington said. “I expected to play much earlier, but I guess I just had to work harder and learn the system and learn more plays. And I did that.”

Peerman hobbled

Tailback Cedric Peerman (William Campbell) sprained his right knee blocking on a punt return in the first quarter.

Peerman had to be helped off the field but was able to put pressure on it later, riding an exercise bike on the sideline during the second half.

Peerman didn’t return to the game. Without injured tailback Michael Johnson (ankle), Groh gave it some thought.

“We discussed the possibility of his going back into the game and decided under the circumstances that there was probably not enough to be gained by virtue of that,” Groh said. “I appreciated his wanting to play … but we had to use a little prudence in that circumstance.”

Extra points

Tight end Jonathan Stupar did not dress because of an ankle sprain. … Outside linebacker Jermaine Dias returned in a limited role, entering the game on Virginia’s third defensive series. He had two tackles, one sack and forced a fumble. … Four players made their collegiate debuts, including sophomore safety Ben Parziale (Jefferson Forest), who entered the game on Temple’s final drive. Others included tailback Bryan Lescanec, defensive end John Roberts and walk-on safety Byron Glaspy, who had plenty of action in Virginia’s dime defense. … Defensive tackle Ron Darden, whose career ended last week because of recurring headaches, was in street clothes on the sidelines.

 

Cavaliers run over Owls, 51-3
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Nov 6, 2005
VIRGINIA 51 TEMPLE 3

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- On a glorious fall afternoon, the University of Virginia football team thoroughly dominated its foe yesterday. It helped, of course, that the Cavaliers' opponent was winless Temple.

The Owls were every bit as inept as expected, and U.Va. took full advantage in the first of its three straight games at Scott Stadium. Before a crowd of 57,060, the Cavaliers pounded Temple 51-3.

Virginia (5-3) needs to win one of its three remaining regular-season games -- against ACC rivals that are a combined 21-4 -- to become bowl-eligible. The stretch begins next week against Georgia Tech (6-2) at Scott Stadium.

"It was a move in the right direction for us, and we're pleased with that particular fact," Virginia coach Al Groh said of the win over Temple, an affiliate member of the Mid-American Conference. "It wasn't a Picasso, but it was OK. It was good."

Jason Snelling and Wali Lundy led a Virginia attack that piled up 449 yards, 262 on the ground. Snelling, a junior from L.C. Bird High who splits time at fullback and tailback, ran 17 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns, career highs all. Lundy, a senior tailback, carried 19 times for 113 yards and a career-best four touchdowns.

"It was nice to see them get going and have a positive day," Groh said. "That ought to be good for their confidence. We probably generally improved our line play. I think we've got a ways to go overall with what we're going to need to do to be ready for what faces us next week. Quite clearly, that's going to be a much more severe challenge."

U.Va. came into the game without its second-team tailback, Michael Johnson, who's nursing an ankle injury. Its third-team tailback, Cedric Peerman, sprained his right knee late in the first quarter and stayed on the sideline as a precaution the rest of the way.

That left Groh with two scholarship tailbacks -- Snelling and Lundy -- both of whom had struggled to stay healthy this season. Snelling, who's battling an undisclosed medical condition, rushed for 72 yards in the opener but totaled only 18 in the next six games.

Lundy sprained his left foot in the Sept. 3 opener and didn't feel 100 percent again until a week ago. Against the hapless Owls (0-10), Lundy had numerous holes through which to run, and he looked like the touchdown-scoring machine who's started for four seasons at U.Va.

"It felt good to get back in the end zone," said Lundy, who entered yesterday's game with only one TD this season, and that had come on a pass.

With its best tight end, Jonathan Stupar, out with an ankle injury, U.Va. opened the game with four wide receivers, including true freshmen Maurice Covington and Kevin Ogletree, and used that set often. That gave senior quarterback Marques Hagans plenty of targets and created room for Lundy and Snelling.

Hagans, showing no ill effects of the hamstring injury that hobbled him Oct. 22 at UNC, completed 10 of 18 passes for 132 yards, with one interception, before giving way to junior Christian Olsen with 9:03 left in the third quarter. Ogletree (five catches, 20 yards) and Covington (four catches, 45 yards), each had career games against an overmatched Temple defense.

U.Va.'s defense, buoyed by the return of outside linebacker Jermaine Dias from a foot injury, limited Temple to 170 yards. The Cavaliers recorded five sacks, with linebackers Dias, Kai Parham and Ahmad Brooks and ends Chris Long and Brennan Schmidt getting one each. Schmidt, a senior who made his 47th career start, also forced a fumble and came up an interception on a pass that Brooks batted into the air.

"They blitzed us," Temple coach Bobby Wallace said. "We didn't pick it up very well. We played very poorly on the offensive line, and that made it very difficult for us to move the football."

U.Va. led 48-0 after three quarters, by which time the fans who hadn't bolted were entertaining themselves by doing The Wave. Temple finally scored with 10:48 remaining, on Ryan Lux's 30-yard field goal. Virginia junior Noah Greenbaum, a walk-on from Collegiate, connected from 41 yards the first field goal of his career to close out the scoring with 3:10 left.

After facing Georgia Tech, U.Va. will play host to Virginia Tech on Nov. 19 and then close the regular season at Miami (Fla.) a week later. Nobody had to remind the Cavaliers to keep yesterday's rout in perspective.

"It was a good win to get this month started," Groh said. "Nothing more, nothing less."

 

U.VA. NOTES
Richmond Times-Dispatch Nov 6, 2005

MAKING HISTORY: Senior tailback Wali Lundy, quiet for most of the season because of a foot injury, had a record-breaking game yesterday in Virginia's 51-3 romp over Temple at Scott Stadium. Lundy's four rushing touchdowns give him 37 for his career, a school record previously held by Thomas Jones (36).

Lundy's 113 yards rushing were a season high. He passed Tommy Vigorito, who ran for 2,913 yards from 1977 to'80, and moved into fifth place on U.Va.'s career-rushing list. Lundy is at 2,923. In fourth is John Papit (1947-50), who rushed for 3,238 yards.

Recent back-to-back practices by Lundy convinced Cavaliers coach Al Groh that No. 33 might be back. That "was the first time that I thought, 'Look, maybe we're back to where he was before the practice,'" Groh said. "It wasn't so much that you saw more speed but, I thought, more one-cut running and more confidence in taking that cut and trying to take openings that were there."

Lundy said: "It just felt great to be back 100 percent."

MEDICAL REPORT: Tight end Jonathan Stupar and tailback Michael Johnson, each recovering from an ankle injury, didn't suit up for U.Va. yesterday. Marshal Ausberry, who'd started the first seven games at right offensive guard, was in uniform but didn't play because of an undisclosed injury.

Late in the first quarter, special-teams standout and third-team tailback Cedric Peerman sprained his right knee. He didn't play thereafter. Junior wideout Deyon Williams, Virginia's leading receiver, injured his shoulder in the first half and watched from the sideline in a sweat suit after intermission. Sophomore fullback/tight end Tom Santi, who had one reception for 40 yards in the first half, sat out the second half with an ankle injury. Finally, sophomore nose tackle Keenan Carter headed to the locker room late in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury to his left hand.

MISCELLANY: Honored at halftime was Joe Gieck, who retired in August after 43 years in U.Va.'s athletic director, 36 of them as head trainer. . . . Sophomore defensive end Chris Long, who came as Virginia's runaway leader with 15 quarterback pressures, finally got his first sack of the season. As he closed in on the Temple quarterback, Long said, "I was just like, 'Don't miss it.'" . . . In his first game since hurting his right foot Sept. 24, outside linebacker Jermaine Dias had two tackles in a backup role. In the fourth quarter, Dias sacked Temple quarterback Mike McGann, forcing a fumble that teammate Allen Billyk recovered and returned 3 yards to the Temple 29.

ALL TIED UP: Former defensive end Mike Frederick has company in the U.Va. record book. Senior defensive end Brennan Schmidt started his 47th game for the Cavaliers yesterday and now is tied with Frederick for the lead.

Had someone told Schmidt coming out of high school that he'd play such a prominent role at Virginia, he said, "I would have thought they were full of it. I've been blessed with a great career here, and it's not over yet."

Schmidt's third-quarter interception was his first at any level, he said. That wasn't his only highlight. Three of his four tackles were for loss, including a sack. Schmidt also forced a fumble that safety Tony Franklin recovered.

MILESTONES: First-time starters yesterday were true freshman wideouts Maurice Covington and Kevin Ogletree, as U.Va. opened in a four-receiver set. Between them, they had nine catches for 65 yards. Sophomore Ian-Yates Cunningham started at right offensive guard in place of the injured Ausberry. Cunningham, who redshirted last season while recovering from back surgery, started Virginia's final five games at left guard as a true freshman in 2003.

THE GREAT GLASPY: Making his debut as a Cavalier yesterday was No. 21, Byron Glaspy, who joined the team as a walk-on last winter. The 5-11, 195-pound sophomore, a Richmond native, now lives in Basking Ridge, N.J. Glaspy's father, Archie, ran track at Hampton University and worked for 14 years in public accounting in Richmond.

Glaspy, an engineering major, played extensively in Virginia's dime package (six defensive backs) yesterday.

"It was a little nerve-wracking at first," Glaspy said, but he relaxed as the game went on.

Also making their first appearances for U.Va. were tailback Bryan Lescanec, safety Ben Parziale and defensive end John Roberts (Benedictine).

NEXT WEEK: U.Va. (2-3, 5-3) can become bowl-eligible by beating ACC rival Georgia Tech (4-2, 6-2) on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m., and ABC will televise the game regionally. The Yellow Jackets whipped Wake Forest 30-17 yesterday in Atlanta.

Georgia Tech hasn't won at Scott Stadium since 1990, and the Cavalilers have won 20 of their past 22 home games. - Jeff White