http://home.att.net/~b.harsha/ESPN-HokieBird.mpg   (this is worth the 60 second download from ESPN)

Lundy: Parents 'smiling down on me'
Raised by grandmother, tailback is near end of career as Cavaliers' leader in TDs
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Nov 17, 2005

During the Senior Day ceremony Saturday at Scott Stadium, 13 University of Virginia football players will be recognized. Twelve will be accompanied by one or both of their parents.

The exception? Tailback Wali Lundy. By the time he was 8½, Lundy had lost both of his parents. His father, Brian Lundy, died of a stroke in 1988. Breast cancer claimed Wali's mother, Joann, in 1992.

"I think about them," Lundy, 22, said yesterday, "but I realize my grandmother has been there for me. She raised me, and she's been my mother basically, she and my aunts."

That grandmother, Etta Davis, will be by Lundy's side during the ceremony Saturday. But she won't be the only one in his thoughts.

"It's not hard to go through Senior Day," Lundy said, "but I do think about my parents and what they think of me. I think they're smiling down on me."

Lundy, who grew up in Willingboro, N.J., has three siblings. His oldest brother, Shaheed, is a Rutgers graduate. His other brothers, Jamaal and Mikal, played football at and earned degrees from Connecticut and Towson, respectively.

Their kid brother will be remembered as one of the greatest tailbacks to play at U.Va., where he immediately won a spot in the rotation as a true freshman in 2002. Lundy, who was slowed by a foot injury the first half of this season, has rushed for six touchdowns in his past two games and enters Saturday's clash with seventh-ranked Virginia Tech in fine form.

Finally healthy again, he's "making quick, fast cuts, just finding the right holes," Lundy said.

With 48 career TDs, Lundy is Virginia's all-time leader. He's rushed for 3,006 yards in his career, a total surpassed by only four Cavaliers: Thomas Jones (3,998), Tiki Barber (3,389), Terry Kirby (3,348) and John Papit (3,238).

 

Leitao adds recruit
Harris considered waiting until spring, then opted for Cavs
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Nov 17, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE - The early signing period for Division I men's basketball ended yesterday, but not before University of Virginia coach Dave Leitao added a coveted target to his 2006-07 recruiting class.

Will Harris, a forward from at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., visited Virginia two weeks ago. The postgraduate student from Queens, N.Y., considered waiting until spring to choose a college but, largely because of Leitao's dogged recruiting, signed with the Cavaliers on Tuesday.

"He's excited about going to battle with Coach Leitao at Virginia and building that program from the ground up," Brewster coach Jason Smith said.

Harris is most comfortable on the perimeter, but at 6-6, 230 pounds, he's "very strong," said Smith, who coached Adrian Joseph, now a U.Va. forward, at Brewster.

"He's the type of kid that Coach Groh will see and want to throw pads on him and [fellow basketball recruit] Solomon Tat."

Harris, who has qualified academically, attended two high schools in New York, Christ the King and Redemption Christian, before enrolling at Maine Central Institute for the 2004-05 school year. He signed with Nebraska during the early period last year but was later released from his scholarship after his mother became ill.

In July, Harris committed to Connecticut. The Huskies, however, later withdrew their scholarship offer after getting a commitment from another player they rated more highly.

Also signing with U.Va. during the early period were Jamil Tucker, a 6-9 forward from Gary, Ind., and Johnnie Lett, a 6-8 post player from Mobile, Ala. Tat, a chiseled 6-5 swingman, remains committed to the Cavaliers but decided, on the advice of his high school coach, to sign in the spring.

 

Tech vs. U.Va.: An uncommon wealth of talent
By KYLE TUCKER, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 17, 2005

The defensive ends, one from Bethel High, the other from Deep Creek, converge on the quarterback — from Hampton.

They crunch him as he throws, shouting “757!” in honor of their area code, and the passer manages a grin.

The ball first passes over a linebacker from Phoebus, another from Western Branch and glances off the fingers of a third, from First Colonial.

The defensive back, from Bethel, dives for an interception. That quarterback is his best friend. But this is a battle for bragging rights, so he gloats a little.

“757!”

Later, the other team’s quarterback, the one from Warwick, hands off to the running back from Princess Anne, who hits head-on with the linebacker from ... Princess Anne. Old teammates now foes .

These scenes could play out over and over Saturday as Virginia hosts No. 7 Virginia Tech. The annual rivalry game serves as a showcase of exactly how much football talent is produced in Virginia, especially in Hampton Roads.

“It’s like the Virginia High School League all-star game all over again,” said Hokies corner Jimmy Williams. He’d be more than happy to pick off his old rec-league teammate Marques Hagans, now the Cavaliers’ QB.

When these teams line up in Scott Stadium, 20 of the Hokies’ 24 starters, counting the kickers, are from the state. U.Va., which spends more time recruiting the northeast , will start 13 from the commonwealth.

Tech will have 13 players on its two-deep roster just from Hampton Roads . It’s not uncommon for nine of the 11 players on the field for the Hokies’ defense to be from Hampton Roads.

Virginia will have six locals on its two-deep Saturday.

“A game like this surely points it out,” Cavs coach Al Groh said. “It’s a tremendously rich state.”

Perhaps one of the richest in the nation. Coaches across the ACC, and the country, have taken notice of the steady flow of star players. UCLA and USC are recruiting in Virginia Beach . Michigan, Penn State and Notre Dame have mined the talent here.

Even Florida, Florida State and Miami — residents of perhaps the wealthiest recruiting state in the land — have seen the value of Virginia.

“When I was at other places, like Oklahoma, we played Virginia and they had tremendous talent, and a lot of it was from the Tidewater area,” Miami coach Larry Coker said. “We’ve tried to sign several of them. ... There’s been some we’d have loved to have, and they decided to stay home.”

That decision to remain in the state has been a key to Virginia and Tech staying nationally competitive. The Hokies and Cavs are wrangling the bulk of big-time, in-state recruits, and that homegrown talent has proven its worth. It is sustaining two major Division I programs at a typically top-25 level.

“After the big three states: Florida, Texas and California, the state of Virginia is in the mix in that second tier, along with Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Louisiana,” said Mike Farrell, recruiting analyst for rivals.com and ESPNews. “The Tidewater area itself could be the best area in the country, by square mile, for dynamic football talent.”

He reeled off names like Ronald Curry, Michael Vick and Allen Iverson — never mind Terry Kirby, Bruce Smith, Amos Lawrence or Lawrence Taylor. Or this year’s crop, which includes two of the country’s top receivers at Landstown High .

So how did this state, and particularly this area, become so populated with top talent?

“Ask the moms and dads,” Groh said, laughing.

“Must be something in the water,” explains Hagans.

Williams said it’s history that keeps the future bright.

“All the superstars that came before us, it pushes the next generation,” he said.

Of course, size matters, too, and Hampton Roads is a large region.

“I guess it’s the difference between going into a small grocery store and a big grocery store,” Groh said. “There’s going to be more options and more choices available in the high-population areas.”

Farrell credits better high school coaching in recent years — something that both Groh and Tech coach Frank Beamer have praised on numerous occasions.

Whatever the reason, the players here are good. And to win, you’d better get your share of them.

Evidenced by Saturday’s rosters, Virginia Tech has been winning that battle. Partly because Beamer is in his 19th season and he’s held the same philosophy since his start.

“I’ve always said that if we could get the best players from Virginia, we could play for a national title,” said Beamer, whose 1999 team did just that.

Groh is only in his fifth season. While he shares the affection for local talent, he’s had to play catch-up.

“We had to establish some relationships,” Groh said. “One of the things in recruiting in the state of Virginia: It’s just a fact that there are more high school coaches that are graduates from Blacksburg than from Charlottesville.”

That’s true at Deep Creek, where coach David Cox is a former Hokie and has funneled several stars to his alma mater — including first-round draft pick DeAngelo Hall.

This year’s Tech team includes starting linebacker James Anderson and defensive end Darryl Tapp from Deep Creek. Receiver Josh Hyman, an ex-Hornet, is a staple in the passing game.

But Groh finally broke through at Deep Creek two seasons ago, landing safety Jamal Jackson, who’ll start for the Cavs on Saturday.

“(Groh) is gaining ground,” Tapp said. “But coach Beamer still gets the nod.”

History helps Tech, too.

“A lot of people from my high school came here, so that was a big factor,” said linebacker Vince Hall, the team’s leading tackler from Western Branch. “So you just follow the pipeline.”

Current players sell that angle to prospects. The “757” crew is a big one, and a close one at Tech.

They celebrate together on the field — this year alone, on three occasions, one Hampton Roads product has forced a turnover and another has collected it and scored.

They live together off it — Tapp and Anderson are roommates and best friends.

They party together — QB Marcus Vick (Warwick) and Williams (Bethel) compete for co-eds’ attention.

“I host most of the 757 boys when they come on their visit,” Williams said, “they feel at home here. There’s a lot of us, and we’re playing, too. They see us starring on offense and defense, representing our area.”

It’s not as if Virginia is striking out in Hampton Roads, or elsewhere in the state. They’ve had quarterback Aaron Brooks and running backs Kirby, Antwoine Womack and Thomas Jones in the past.

Today’s Tidewater stars include Hagans (Hampton) and linebacker Kai Parham (Princess Anne). Last year, Elton Brown (Hampton) and Darryl Blackstock (Heritage) were NFL draft picks.

Groh has made the state as a whole, and this area in particular, a priority. “It’s certainly right up there on top of the shopping list,” he said.

As the rest of the world begins to recognize it, both schools might find it tougher to fill their carts. But Saturday, the Hokies and Hoos will be showing off plenty of successful purchases.

 

Campers suffer from case of Wahoo insanity
Sean McLernon, Columnist

Javier Gomez and his friends had it all planned out. Thursday night they would pitch their tent and set up shop in front of the student gate at Scott Stadium -- a full 36 hours before the kickoff of the Virginia-Virginia Tech game. Sure, at least two of them would have to brave the cold for a night, but the group of four first years was willing to make the sacrifice.

But when Gomez spotted a few eager fans that had already claimed their spot outside the entrance Tuesday morning, he knew that he had overestimated the sanity of the Virginia student body. He and his friends needed to mobilize quickly and prove that they were just as crazy.

By the afternoon, the group had a tent set up next to one of the gates. By 6:30 p.m., eight different groups had staked out their own spots. Six hours later, over a dozen tents were scattered around the area in front of the stadium.

Even with a football team that had to upset Georgia Tech to get its record to .500 in the ACC, even with temperatures scheduled to fall in the 20s Thursday night, even at a school where the student fan base is known for its tradition of ignorance and apathy, Gomez and his buddies joined almost 50 of their fellow students in front of the stadium five days before the game.

What in the name of bow ties and sundresses has happened to this place?

Gomez and his fellow campers Neil Paine, Brendan Hart and Joel Klas see themselves as launching a new era where Virginia fans are respected across the ACC and teams dread the thought of entering Scott Stadium.

"It put a chip on our shoulder," Paine said about the poor reputation of Virginia's student fan base. "I don't want to go to a school where the people are just like, 'Oh, well they have no home field advantage, so we don't have to worry about playing there.' I want them to get mad when we yell at them before games."

I've lived in dorms within a quarter-mile radius of the stadium all four years at this school and have never seen fans lining up this early for a football game. Last year, a handful of students set up tents the night before a Thursday night game against Clemson. Of course, that Virginia team was undefeated at that point and ranked in the top 10 in both major polls. And that was one night in early October. Some fans spent a couple nights in front of the gates before the Miami game last November, but that was when the Cavaliers had a legitimate shot at playing in a BCS bowl. Camping out four nights in late November with Virginia out of the ACC title picture is an entirely different story. But the way Gomez sees it, this kind of behavior is just what committed fans do.

"It's one of those experiences that you can't put a price on," Gomez said. "It's just something that you do, and it's part of the whole college experience."

The four first years, however, wouldn't even have been out there yet if it wasn't for Drew Curtis and Ryan Croft. The pair claims to have been the first two students in the stadium for each game this season, and when they heard students planning to camp out for the Virginia Tech game, they knew they had to keep their streak alive.

"The last game, people were waiting in line and people started talking about camping out," Curtis said. "Some said Wednesday and some said Tuesday night. So, we just thought we'd play it safe and show up Monday night."

After watching the Dallas Cowboys squeeze out a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Monday Night Football, the two third years got comfortable on the Scott Stadium steps by 2 a.m, a full 106 hours before the start of the game.

For every game this year, Curtis pulled himself out of bed at the crack of dawn to get to the stadium where he would "pass out on the steps." Croft would then come and relieve him a few hours later. Curtis and Croft have typically been in the minority with their fanaticism, but the two friends believe things are slowly changing.

"My first year, almost all of my friends wore ties," Curtis said. "That year, people were making fun of us for painting our chests and wearing orange. Now, it's starting to come the other way around with more people wearing orange."

Curtis and Croft's preemptive strike on Monday night has already had an effect on other Virginia students, drawing dozens of students out in front of the stadium five days ahead of time. As word spreads of the campground in front of Scott Stadium, the numbers will almost certainly increase throughout the week.

"Our school isn't a big football school," Croft said. "We're trying to get something started."

Curtis and Croft have set the bar high for their successors. Gomez, Paine, Hart and Klas were forced to scramble and camp out two days earlier than they had planned because of them. For the Miami game in Charlottesville next year, students may just set up a tent immediately after the previous week's game ends.

It may seem a little crazy, and I certainly think it is, but what are true fans if not insane, illogical beings? With a cold front quickly moving toward the East Coast, the four first years know they will be in for some chilly nights this week. But these guys know they'll find a way to manage. They are willing to make the sacrifices they need to make and do whatever it takes to ensure they will have a front row seat for Saturday's game.

"We're buddies. We'll keep each other warm," Paine said. "You've seen Without a Paddle, haven't you?"

 

Cavaliers scoured to find current DBs
Virginia safety Byron Glaspy is a walk-on who now finds himself as a starter in the defensive backfield.
Doug Doughty
The Roanoke Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- If a football program can recruit running backs, wide receivers and cornerbacks, certainly it should be able to find a safety.

That seems to be Virginia's philosophy.

The Cavaliers began their manhunt for safeties in August, when Tony Franklin, a two-year starter at cornerback, was moved to the back line.

When a violation of team rules prevented Franklin from playing last Saturday, it left sophomore Nate Lyles as the only UVa safety with starting experience.

Then, Lyles was knocked motionless on the 11th play of the game, not to return Saturday nor for the remainder of the season.

Somehow, Virginia muddled through with a patchwork group that included Byron Glaspy, a redshirt freshman from Basking Ridge, N.J., who, unlike most walk-ons, had arrived at Virginia virtually unannounced.

Once Lyles was injured, Glaspy was joined by Jamaal Jackson, a sophomore who had played in eight previous games but not impressively enough to merit the start over Glaspy.

When asked what kind of role he had envisioned for Jackson before the game, coach Al Groh responded, "Probably limited."

Franklin is expected to return this week, joining a cast of characters that includes Ryan Best, once the starting goalie for the UVa soccer team.

For a program whose recruiting classes generally have been ranked among the nation's Top 25, the Cavaliers' shortage of safeties has been almost comical.

Comical or tragic.

Since his arrival in 2001, Groh has signed 18 players who were listed in the UVa media guide as either cornerbacks, safeties or combination defensive backs-wide receivers.

More than half of those players either are no longer in the program or will not be available Saturday.

Maybe the most highly rated player in the bunch was 2001 signee Randy Jones, who was involved in an auto accident after returning to his Rockingham, N.C., home and never played for the Cavaliers.

In a 2002, the Cavaliers signed another North Carolinian, Willie Davis, who showed enough promise to start as a true freshman for a team that finished 9-5.

Davis' career ended in the second week of the 2003 season, when he suffered a spinal injury at South Carolina.

"As we look at this week's game," said Groh, preparing his team for seventh-ranked Virginia Tech, "perhaps the two players who would be starting at safety for us are not doing so because of somewhat similar circumstances."

There already has been talk of Lyles' return in 2006, but nobody ever said for sure that Davis wouldn't come back. He underwent bone graft surgery at the Mayo Clinic in hopes of repairing bone damage, but he never returned to the field.

One thing is for certain. Lyles won't play Saturday and he won't play in the regular-season finale against Miami or in an anticipated bowl game. It is likely that Glaspy will start alongside Franklin, with Jackson in reserve.

"Walk-on, full scholarship, half scholarship, National Librarian Association Award winner, it doesn't make any difference to us," Groh said. "Once the player is on the team, it's all based on performance and expectation of performance in the game."

While the Glaspy story had some fairy-tale aspects to it, just as critical in the Cavaliers' 27-17 victory over 24th-ranked Georgia Tech was Jackson's performance, who was in for a season-high 54 plays.

Jackson could have viewed Lyles' injury as an opportunity to prove he should have been playing all along, "but, it's not like I had a lot of time to think about it," he said. "They did what they thought was best for the team [by starting Glaspy].

"I'm still learning. In high school, I never made any reads. The coach just said, 'Make sure you don't get beat deep.' Last year, I just basically knew my assignments. If I could take care of that, maybe I wouldn't get yelled at, but I really didn't know the defense."

That's why Groh had to laugh at the persistent questions about Glaspy. Unlike Best, who was a scout-team running back, or like Franklin, who was at corner, Glaspy at least had the benefit of a spring practice.

"It's not like he got off the Trailways last Monday," Groh said.

But, if there is a good safety hanging around the bus station, Groh might want to take a look.

 

The greatest plays in the rivalry
A memorable series produces memorable plays. Here are five that, in one way or another, stand out for the ages.
BY DAVE JOHNSON
247-4649
November 17 2005

The University of Virginia and Virginia Tech have played 86 football games against each other. Estimating 140 plays per game, that's 12,000 for the entire series. Give or take.

Picking five memorable moments from that list, especially from a series that began 110 years ago, isn't easy. How do we know, for example, that something truly remarkable didn't happen in Virginia's 5-0 win in 1904? Or in Tech's 7-6 squeaker in '36?

But going on the resources we have - microfilm, old media guides, people in the know and (such as it is) our own recollection - here are five of the most memorable plays.

NOV. 28, 1998: AHMAD HAWKINS MAKES HIS MARK

Trailing by 22 points at halftime in Lane Stadium, the Cavaliers had cut the Hokies' lead to 32-29 late in the fourth quarter. Closing on the 2-minute mark, Virginia had moved to the Tech 47-yard line behind the right arm of quarterback Aaron Brooks. The call from the sideline was a run, but Brooks noticed the Hokies had eight defenders crowding the line of scrimmage.

So he switched the play. Lined up wide to the left, Ahmad Hawkins would run a deep corner route. Lined up wide to the right, Terrence Wilkins would do the same. Brooks would judge which way Hokie safety Keion Carpenter would shade and throw the opposite way. And since Wilkins was Virginia's leading receiver and Hawkins had nine catches on the season, guess which way Carpenter leaned?

So Brooks threw a bullet to Hawkins, who made the catch at the 25-yard line as Hokie cornerback Anthony Midget dove for the interception.

"When I caught the ball, my first thought was to get out of bounds," Hawkins said. "But when I turned around, I didn't see anybody. So I kept running."

He crossed the goal line with 2:01 remaining, giving the Cavaliers a 36-32 lead. He immediately dropped to his knees, spread his arms and looked to the sky. That image was on the cover of the team's 1999 media guide.

Hawkins had 35 receptions and three touchdowns in his career, numbers that don't even sniff the record book. But he does have a moment.

"I didn't have the spectacular career I had in high school," said Hawkins, a Hampton High grad who now plays in the Arena Football League. "But you always want to be remembered for something great. For it to happen against Virginia Tech, our rival, it's like a storybook ending."

NOV. 18, 1995: ANTONIO BANKS TAKES IT BACK

Erasing a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter, Tech took a 30-29 lead with 47 seconds remaining on Jim Druckenmiller's 32-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Holmes. But the game was far from over.

Behind quarterback Mike Groh and tailback Tiki Barber, the Cavaliers moved to the Tech 40-yard line and called their final timeout with 10 seconds remaining. Hoping to get a little closer before sending in place-kicker Rafael Garcia, Groh threw a short sideline pass to Bryan Owen. If all went to plan, Owen would get out of bounds and leave enough time for a 52-yard field goal attempt.

Hokie cornerback Antonio Banks had other ideas. Reading the play perfectly - in fact, you have to wonder if he had sneaked into U.Va.'s huddle - he intercepted Groh's pass in stride at the 35-yard line. Nobody had a chance to tackle him (well, we'll get to that later) and his 65-yard return as time expired gave the Hokies a 36-29 win.

"I knew the only place they could go was the short side of the field," said Banks, who played at Warwick High. "And it just so happened I was playing on the short side of the field. It was one of those things. It was a lucky day for me."

Of course, the play is remembered for another reason. As Banks sprinted down the left sideline, U.Va. trainer Joe Gieck stuck out his left foot - either in an attempt to trip Banks or simply psyche him out.

"I saw him out of the corner of my eye," said Banks, now an assistant coach with Averett University and NFL Europe. "Every time I go back to Virginia Tech, the alumni always asks, 'Remember Joe Gieck trying to trip you?' "

SEPT. 29, 1984: DON MAJKOWSKI TO JOHN FORD

The Cavaliers came into this game having lost four straight in the series, two by shutout. The previous November, Tech fans stormed Scott Stadium's field and ripped down the goal posts after a 48-0 win. And on this day, it was going to script. Going into the fourth quarter, the Hokies led 23-13.

Enter Don Majkowski, a sophomore splitting time with Kevin Ferguson at quarterback. With 10 minutes remaining, Virginia faced a fourth-and-inches from the Tech 34-yard line. But instead of a run, which everyone expected, Majkowski faked a handoff and dropped back.

Freshman wideout John Ford, probably the fastest player on the field, ran a post route. Majkowski's throw was perfect. Ford hauled it in and landed inside the 1-yard line. Howard "Beaver" Petty scored on the next play, cutting Tech's lead to 23-19.

"I remember when the play came in, I was fired up," Majkowski said. "I thought it was a great call, an all-or-nothing call. I was excited because that was kind of my personality. I liked to go for it. Didn't feel uncomfortable or uneasy at all."

Tech went three-and-out on its next possession, and U.Va. took a 26-23 lead with 5:07 left on a 14-yard pass from Majkowski to Ford. Tech had a chance to tie, but Don Wade's 51-yard field goal attempt as time expired was wide left. Then it was U.Va.'s turn to storm the goal post.

"U.Va. football was not very good until that season," Majkowski said. "That year was the start of turning the program around, and that was a pivotal game."

OCT. 19, 1974: BRUCE ARIANS IS STOPPED ... OR WAS HE?

Trailing 28-21 at Scott Stadium, Tech had the ball at the Virginia 11-yard line with enough time for one play. The Hokies were a wishbone team, but that's a long way to go on the triple option. So quarterback Bruce Arians lofted a throw to Ricky Scales in the left corner of the end zone. As the clock ran out, he made a remarkable over-the-shoulder catch.

Was Scales inbounds? The officials ruled he had one foot in, which in college is good enough. With the conversion attempt coming up, it was a one-point game.

Tech coach Jimmy Sharpe went for the win with a 2-point conversion try. This time, it was the triple option. Arians turned right, faked a handoff, sprinted out a few yards and dove for the end zone. U.Va. linebacker Dick Ambrose, whose assignment was to shadow the quarterback, grabbed him.

Did Arians get in? The officials ruled no and sprinted off the field. Final score: Virginia 28, Virginia Tech 27.

Thirty-one years later, opinions haven't changed.

"I was in by at least the length of the football - no doubt," said Arians, now an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers. "I remember I was lying across the goal line when Ambrose jumped on me. I couldn't wait to get up and celebrate, but then I heard all this commotion."

Ambrose, a judge living in Cleveland, sees it another way.

"His helmet might have gotten over," he said, "but I don't think the ball was."

Too bad there was no replay then.

"Well, yes and no," Arians said. "Because I'm still not sure about Ricky's catch. I have friends at U.Va. who tell me, 'OK, you were in, but Ricky wasn't.' "

A footnote: When Tech returned to Charlottesville two years later, Arians was on Sharpe's coaching staff. Prior to kickoff, he took the running backs to where he swears he landed in the end zone. With two strips of masking tape, Arians marked an X on the AstroTurf and told them, "You'll have to get further than this to score."

With 1:08 remaining, Roscoe Coles plunged over from a yard out to give the Hokies a 14-10 victory. He landed about a foot away from Arians' spot.

OCT. 6, 1962: GERALD BOBBITTE DOES IT ALL

In the day when you played both offense and defense, Tech's Gerald Bobbitte had one of those games. He rushed for 53 yards on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns. But it was his fumble recovery in the closing seconds that saved the day.

The Hokies were a 12-point underdog that day. But before 18,000 fans at Roanoke's Victory Stadium, Tech led 20-15 in the closing minutes. Behind senior quarterback Gary Cuozzo, the Cavaliers drove from their 17-yard line to the Hokie 12. With 1:29 remaining, Cuozzo dropped back and looked for a receiver in the end zone. The Hokies blitzed, and unable to spot a receiver Cuozzo tried to scramble out of trouble.

Then, somebody in a white jersey popped Cuozzo from the side. The ball was knocked loose, and Bobbitte recovered at the 11-yard line. Tech then ran out the clock to win for the 10th time in the series last 11 games.

"We know that Virginia's fumbles helped us win," Tech coach Jerry Claiborne said after the game. "But our hustle and determination were big reasons why we recovered those loose balls."

But the questions remains: Who caused Cuozzo's crucial fumble? None of the media accounts from that day identify him. In his weekly Coach's Corner the following week, Claiborne didn't, either. In a photo of the play in the Roanoke World-News, we can see Cuozzo looking for the ball with Bobbitte at his feet. Did Bobbitte cause it?

We don't know that, either. Tech's Monogram Club has no current listing for Bobbitte. Neither does the football office or sports information department.

But it was a play to be remembered.

Cavaliers' front lining up for the challenge
After struggling early, Virginia's offensive line has played better during the past two weeks.
BY DARRYL SLATER
247-4641
November 16, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The offensive line is often regarded as the genesis of a football play, the point from which everything evolves smoothly or degenerates into chaotic failure. Even the most inexperienced college players realize this.

"It starts up front," said true freshman Branden Albert, Virginia's left guard.

And it can end there, as Albert has learned. Last season, Virginia's line was a veteran bunch - three juniors and two seniors - as the Cavaliers led the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing. But because of injuries, position changes and the resulting discord this season, the line has struggled.

Heading into Saturday's noon game against Virginia Tech, the Cavaliers have rushed for 153.7 yards per game, compared with 242.8 last season. They've allowed 25 sacks - nine more than last season, when they gave up the league's fewest. In a 7-5 loss to North Carolina on Oct. 22, Virginia rushed 37 times. Ten of those carries yielded zero or negative yardage.

The line improved the past two games, as U.Va. rushed for a season-high 262 yards against Temple and 191 against Georgia Tech. But U.Va.'s total against the Yellow Jackets was its most this season, besides games against defensive sieves Temple and Syracuse.

The line - which has three seniors, a true freshman and a sophomore - seems to be performing to expectations. Still, U.Va. coach Al Groh is reserving praise until the Cavs play Virginia Tech and Miami. The Hokies rank second in the nation in defense, while the Hurricanes are first.

"Before I'm ready to pass out any kudos, I think we better get through this stretch," he said. "This is quite a briar patch we're going into."

As if they haven't been pricked already.

It began with two new starters and a position change. At right guard, Marshal Ausberry replaced Elton Brown, who is now with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals. At left guard, Albert replaced Brian Barthelmes after Barthelmes moved to center. Zac Yarbrough, who graduated, was the Cavs' center the previous three years.

"It's gonna be extremely hard for anybody to duplicate the kind of career that Zac had," offensive line coach Ron Prince said before the season.

Said Groh: "One of the most important things for the center is he's really gotta be your sharpest lineman in terms of understanding (blocking) schemes and identifying (defensive) fronts."

U.Va.'s offensive line calls its schemes based on where a defensive player is placed within the formation. For instance, the same player isn't always the middle linebacker. "The center has to correctly identify that player," Groh said. "Otherwise, the whole scheme doesn't fit properly."

At his position, Barthelmes is the genesis of the genesis. Once he toes the line of scrimmage and identifies the defensive front, he turns to his left and right and yells its name to his fellow linemen.

That's where chemistry comes in.

Barthelmes and right tackle Brad Butler developed it over the summer by loading trucks together at a Budweiser distribution center.

"If you have a couple guys missing that you've been practicing with," Albert said, "you don't have (as much) chemistry together as a guy that comes off the bench."

That's where the problems came in.

The Cavs developed them with a rash of injuries.

While Albert has started every game, left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson - the Cavs' best lineman and probably their best player - missed two with a sprained left knee. Barthelmes missed one with a sprained left ankle. Ausberry missed one with an injured left ankle and knee. Butler was suspended one game because of a late and low hit on Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka.

Also, tailback Wali Lundy was slowed after spraining his left foot in the season opener.

Last Saturday against Georgia Tech, the line was mostly intact for the first time in seven games. "To be able to sit there, knowing everybody knew what was going on, I think that helped us last week," Butler said. Indeed, Ferguson was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week.

U.Va.'s line will need all the health and chemistry it can muster against Virginia Tech, which in six ACC games has allowed an average of 81.5 rushing yards. Of course, Miami is second in the league, allowing 103.

Even the most inexperienced player can see the challenge he'll face on Saturday against the Hokies.

"They come with a lot of punch when they come at you," Albert said.

Defense is difference between U.Va., Tech
David Teel
November 17 2005

Virginia football coach Al Groh was an esteemed defensive assistant in the NFL. The most regarded member of Groh's staff is defensive coordinator Al Golden. Groh's predecessor in Charlottesville, George Welsh, considers himself a defensive guy.

Yet defense is a principal reason Virginia lost state supremacy to Virginia Tech. And defense is a principal reason Virginia will lose to Virginia Tech on Saturday.

Now reasonable folks can debate the gap between the commonwealth's two Division I-A programs. But unless the measure is 2005 suspensions, there's no debating that the Hokies lead.

Their edge is rooted in defense, and the roots are more than a decade deep.

A convenient baseline is 1991, when the Cavaliers whacked the Hokies 38-0, their most decisive victory in the series since 1952. Virginia finished the season 8-3-1 and earned a third consecutive bowl bid. Virginia Tech went 5-6 and missed postseason for a fifth straight year.

That 1991 Virginia squad allowed 10.8 points per game, the program's best mark in the last 50 years. Moreover, Virginia led the ACC in scoring defense for the first and only time.

Oddly enough, nary a Cavaliers defender made first-team All-ACC, but eight got at least a sniff from the NFL, and four were drafted: safety Keith Lyle, cornerback Greg Jeffries and ends Mike Frederick and Chris Slade. Virginia has not approached that 10.8 points-against average since, has not even dipped below 15. Conversely, Virginia Tech has allowed fewer than 15 points a game five times in the last 10 years. This season, the Hokies are yielding 11.1, second nationally to Alabama's 9.0.

Virginia faithful will contend that before joining the ACC last year, Virginia Tech competed in a rag-tag Big East that included Temple and Rutgers. They'll unearth the old saw about the Hokies' lame non-conference schedules (extra credit for anyone who remembers Arkansas State's nickname).

Fine. Both arguments carry some heft. But let's not dismiss these victories from Virginia Tech's Big East days: 28-10 over Texas, 13-3 over Texas A&M and 26-8 over Louisiana State. Not to mention a few dustings of the ACC: 37-0 and 31-11 against Clemson, 31-7 and 24-10 against Virginia.

The Cavaliers, by the way, have not held the Hokies to less than 20 points since the 1991 shutout. That 13-year streak of 20-plus points is easily the longest in series history, surpassing the eight straight Virginia registered from 1945-52.

The easy solution here is to hail Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer and defensive coordinator Bud Foster as brainiacs, while dismissing Groh, Golden and Welsh as lunkheads. But that doesn't wash.

Sure, Beamer and Foster are more popular in southeastern Virginia than Flatt and Scruggs - for good reason. But Welsh is a Hall of Famer, Groh coordinated defenses for Bill Parcells, and Golden is rated by many colleagues as future big-whistle material.

So it's gotta be the players, right? John Engelberger and Corey Moore. DeAngelo Hall and Eric Green. Well, Virginia's defense has produced just as many high draft choices. James Farrior and Jamie Sharper. Patrick Kerney and Darryl Blackstock.

No, the differences are subtler. Depth, experience, continuity.

Foster has coordinated the Hokies' defense for 11 seasons, and like any coach worth his courtesy car, he tweaks his system often. But the basics remain, and Virginia Tech recruits accordingly, creating a virtual revolving door of talent. Hence, the Hokies are bowl-bound for a 13th consecutive year and favored to beat the Cavaliers for the ninth time in that stretch.

In contrast, Virginia's 2001 coaching transition was drastic, and Groh's program has yet to hit overdrive. Just look at his depth chart. Nine freshmen, six true and three redshirts, have played significant snaps on defense. That speaks to a lack of quality upperclassmen.

Virginia Tech's defense has no such shortage - the Hokies rotate eight linemen. Three freshmen see the field, and the only 2005 signee to play is cornerback Macho Harris, whose duties are primarily on special teams.

Now look at the stat sheet, where Groh says the most telling numbers are for conference games. Against ACC opponents, Virginia gives up nine more points, 78 more rushing yards and 78 more passing yards than does Virginia Tech. Conference rivals convert 31 percent of third downs against the Hokies, 45.9 percent against the Cavaliers.

Virginia and Virginia Tech share four opponents to date: Duke, Maryland, Boston College and Georgia Tech. That quartet scored 97 points against the Cavaliers, 26 against the Hokies.

Defense will be paramount Saturday as the No. 7 Hokies (8-1, 5-1 ACC) and unranked Cavaliers (6-3, 3-3) attempt to neutralize the ACC's best quarterbacks: Virginia's Marques Hagans and Virginia Tech's Marcus Vick.

And when defense is paramount between the Hokies and Cavaliers these days, the winner is clear.

Hagans not caught up in the hype
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 16, 2005

Marques Hagans is looking at Saturday’s showdown with Virginia Tech like it’s just another game.

Despite playing at Scott Stadium against the Cavaliers’ biggest rival, Virginia’s quarterback and captain will get dressed the same way he does before every outing. Helmet, shoes, socks.

To Hagans, it’s just another chance to play the game he loves. So what, he says, if the gridiron battle between Virginia (6-3, 3-3 ACC) and Virginia Tech (8-1, 5-1) gets more attention in the Commonwealth than any other game each year.

“I think you take every game with the same approach,” Hagans said.

Supporters for respective football teams at UVa and VPI know better. Everything from recruiting battles to bragging rights at the office water cooler is at stake.

But, don’t tell that to Hagans.

“You can’t get caught up in all the hype,” Hagans says. “You have to take it one game at a time, like any of the rest of them.”

Unlike the “rest of the them,” this contest marks the final one in Charlottesville for the player better known as “Biscuit.” And despite having his parents on the field as he gets what it expected to be a roaring ovation when he and the other seniors are honored before the game, Hagans said he would try to keep his emotions in check.

“I pretty much play every game like it is my last, so being that this is my last [at Scott Stadium], it should be no different than the first game I played this season,” Hagans said. “When it comes to playing football I am [emotional]. I love the sport and I put so much into it, but I am not going to cry before the game or after the game or nothing like that.”

Well, maybe and maybe not.

“I don’t know,” Hagans admitted. “I can’t say that it won’t [make me emotional], but I don’t think it will bring me to the point where I am going to choke up and cry.”

The only real difference Hagans cites for this contest from the other 10 (or 11 if the Cavaliers are invited to play in a bowl game), is the personnel attachment he has with some of the opposing players from Blacksburg.

Hagans will be trying to beat a number of his closest friends, who will be better known as Hokies for 60 minutes.

“It is different when you look across the line and know a lot of the players,” Hagans proclaimed.

Virginia Tech’s starting quarterback, Marcus Vick, has received a number of phone calls from Hagans throughout the season, some well after midnight, including one at 3 a.m., almost two weeks ago.

Hagans also takes pride in having a long-lasting friendship with Hokies cornerback Jimmy Williams, who was a first-team All-ACC performer last year and has played well enough to earn the honor again.

On Wednesday, Hagans said his friendly chats with Williams have been put on hold since ”probably about a week and a half ago.”

With Hagans preparing feverishly for the No. 2 scoring defense in the country, a unit Williams excels for, should it be expected that one more innocent phone call be placed to his childhood friend?

“I will probably see him on Saturday,” Hagans joked.

Hagans will see Williams. That’s for certain, but the better question might be whether or not he throws in Williams’ vicinity. Most teams have not this season, as evidenced by Williams’s drop from five interceptions last year to just one this season.

For the season, Hagans has thrown nine interceptions, and has thrown 13 in his last 16 games. That has given some armchair skeptics ammunition to throw in the direction of the Hampton native.

That criticism doesn’t bother Hagans, he says.

The signal caller, who is generously listed at 5-foot-10, has developed thick skin through the years.

“People always said I was too short [to play quarterback] and then when I started playing people always said that I was running too much and then that I can’t throw the ball,” said Hagans, who has rushed for 251 yards and passed for another 1,788 this year. “It was always something. I think ever since I got here, I had something to prove.

“I had a chip on my shoulder and I still do.”

 

Virginia football notes
No more take-out
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
November 16, 2005

NO MORE TAKE-OUT: Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans said on Wednesday that he is recovering nicely from a recent bout of food poisoning.

When asked what kind of food made him sick, Hagans said it was local “Chinese food.”

The senior was also questioned if the food was from Blacksburg?

“That is probably where they got it from,” Hagans joked. “I feel a lot better than I did [Tuesday].”

CAUGHT SLEEPING: During the final minutes of Virginia’s loss in Blacksburg last year, inside linebacker Ahmad Brooks made a play that created a buzz throughout Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium.

With the Cavaliers trailing and the Hokies running out the clock, Brooks leaped over an offensive lineman and tackled former Virginia Tech quarterback Bryan Randall.

If you saw the play live or on television, you had a one-month head start on another one of Virginia’s starting linebackers - Clint Sintim.

So, Sintim probably didn’t travel to the road game right? He was, in fact, being redshirted in his first year at UVa. Not true.

“I actually traveled to that game last year,” Sintim said on Tuesday. “I was actually sitting there talking amongst my friends during the game and I turned my head and I heard the crowd go ‘Oh.’ I looked back and said ‘What happened? What happened?’”

At the time, Sintim thought he was in the clear. Surely they would show the replay in the stadium.

“I think because we were the visitors, they didn’t show it on the big screen,” Sintim proclaimed. “Everybody was telling me that Ahmad jumped over the line.”

A month after the play, as Virginia was preparing for the MPC Computers Bowl, Sintim saw the play on a highlight clip.

“When I finally saw it, I said ‘That’s Ahmad Brooks.’ That’s the guy that we all know and love,” Sintim said. “He’s a freak.”
 

Coach Leitao enjoying the UVa gridiron
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
November 16, 2005

Scattershooting around the ACC, while noting that Virginia’s football team has picked up big fan ...
Cavaliers’ basketball coach Dave Leitao said he is enjoying his first-ever association with a school that boasts a big-time football program. Leitao, who went to school at Northeastern, then coached as an assistant at UConn (at the time Division I-AA in football, like Northeastern), before moving on to DePaul, likes the I-A gridiron experience.
“I’ll tell you what, I’ll be at Scott Stadium on Saturday,” said Leitao, whose basketball team opens the regular season Friday night when the Cavaliers host Liberty. The coach said a friend back in Chicago had invited him to some Notre Dame games before and he had turned down chances to go see football games at Michigan and Tennessee, not knowing what he was missing.
“I never really experienced a football Saturday [before],” Leitao said. “I had never been to a major college football game until I came here. I’m like a kid in a candy store. The pageantry, the smell of football in the air, the tailgating, the people, the energy, Cav Man, the whole experience for me is terrific.”
Leitao, incidentally, was the featured Wahoo hero in last weekend’s episode of Cav Man before the Georgia Tech game.
Beamer loves Hagans
Even though Virginia Tech did not recruit Marques Hagans out of Fork Union Military Academy, Hokies coach Frank Beamer said Wednesday that he admires the Cavaliers’ quarterback.
“Let me say this, we wish he was at Virginia Tech,” Beamer said of Hagans. “What a player with a big heart and talent. We’d love to have him at Virginia Tech.”
Don’t get Beamer wrong. He loves his own quarterback Marcus Vick. Both Vick and Hagans are good friends, having grown up close together.
Statistically, they’re not far apart either. Hagans is fifth in ACC total offense, Vick sixth. Vick leads the league in passing efficiency, while Hagans is sixth. Hagans has thrown for 1,788 yards, 11 TDs and nine interceptions, while Vick has passed for 1,624, 11 TDs and seven picks. Vick has rushed for 326 yards, Hagans 251.
Underrated Deac
It is surprising how little fanfare Wake Forest running back Chris Barclay finished his career with last weekend.
The Deacon back became only the third player in ACC history to rush for 4,000 yards and 40 TDs in a career as he rushed for 105 yards against Miami. Barring a miracle finish by another ACC back, Barclay will lead the conference in rushing for a record-setting third straight year, even though he sat out a one-game suspension.
“I gave it all I had,” Barclay said. “I just wanted to leave it all out there on the field. I made mistakes, but who doesn’t make mistakes? I have no regrets.”
Recruiting philosophy
Virginia coach Al Groh said that recruiting in this state is his program’s No. 1 priority, but that when it’s time to go outside the state, he tries to stick within highly populated areas that are geographically close enough to Virginia so that players can get to and from their home to Charlottesville without a lot of difficulty.
“One of the principles we operate on is to make sure we go in every high school in the state of Virginia every year,” Groh said. “Some don’t have a prospect, but we want to make sure that even if they don’t, that when they do, we’ll know about it.”

Bowling for dollars. Seven ACC teams are bowl eligible for six league bowl games, meaning some teams may have to fill at-large spots or vacancies that other conference’s can’t fill.
UNC needs two more wins and should get one against Duke this weekend, but then has to go to Virginia Tech. N.C. State also needs two and should beat Middle Tennessee State this weekend (don’t laugh, UVa plays MTSU in the future), but then has to beat Maryland. Speaking of the Terps, they only need one win against either BC or the Wolfpack.
UNC is kicking itself for losing to Maryland just as UVa did after losing to UNC.
“We didn’t want to be in the position that we had to go up to Blacksburg on Thanksgiving weekend needing a victory just to get to a bowl game,” said UNC QB Matt Baker. “But that’s the way it is. That’s the position we’ve put ourselves in by not closing the deal.”

Quote of the week. Virginia’s Marques Hagans on his 5-foot-10 height: “People always said I was too short, that I run too much and can’t throw the ball. I’ve always had something to prove. I had a chip on my shoulder and I still do.”

Stat of the week. Senior tailback Wali Lundy needs 12 points to make Virginia the first team in ACC history to boast two 300-point career scorers on the same squad. Placekicker Connor Hughes already has 315, to rank sixth all-time on the ACC scoring list. Lundy is 15th with 288.

Gailey gets a deal. Georgia Tech surprised some of its boosters this week by giving Chan Gailey a five-year contract extension.
While Gailey, former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, has put the Yellow Jackets in a bowl game all four years in Atlanta, and defeated a top 25 opponent each year, there are some shortcomings in Tech’s 27-20 record during that span.
Three straight losses to rival Georgia doesn’t sit well with a lot of Jackets fans, nor does the inability to finish better than .500 in the ACC or to get more than seven wins in a season overall.
Tech, currently 6-3, plays at No. 3 Miami this weekend then finishes the regular season against No. 14 Georgia. You might say that Georgia Tech AD Dave Braine figured that this was pretty good timing to announce the extension rather wait until after the regular season ends.

Short yardage. Quietly, Wake Forest’s Ryan Placemeier ended his career as the league’s all-time leading punter with a 47.2 average, which also made him the NCAA leader among punters with 200 or more kicks in a career. ... Of the 18 games between the Atlantic and Coastal Division teams, each division has won nine. ... According to ACC statistics, Virginia Tech (No. 1) and Virginia (No. 2) lead the conference in red zone defense (league games only). ... Landstown High’s Percy Harvin is one of 16 finalists for the Parade All-American national high school football player of the year award. ... Miami coach Larry Coker said that his defense is making a difference with its aggressive nature: “We’re bringing a lot of people in some sophisticated blitz packages that we haven’t done before and the players are doing a good job with it.” ... Several of the ACC coaches said Saturday that while they think the league’s instant replay system has been good, they wouldn’t mind having a coach’s challenge (one per half) added to it for next year. ...

The picks. Last week: 2-2. To date: 51-21. This week: Boston College 20, Maryland 17; UNC 33, Duke 17; N.C. State 36, Middle Tennessee 13; South Carolina 24, Clemson 21; Miami 30, Georgia Tech 19; Virginia Tech 23, UVa 20.

 

Lundy returns in style
Tailback finally back to full strength, shines after overcoming injury
Eric Kolenich, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer

Ladies and gentlemen: the pride of the Virginia backfield, Wali Lundy, is back.

With 196 yards and six touchdowns in his last two games, Lundy finally has begun to put up the gaudy statistics Virginia fans became accustomed to in his first three seasons at Virginia -- those of a tough running back who can move the ball downfield and score touchdowns.

Last season, Lundy picked up almost 900 yards as a backup to now-Jacksonville Jaguar Alvin Pearman.

"It feels good to be back to the old Wali," Lundy said. "I'm back to my old self –- 100 percent -- and it just feels good to be me."

After only 191 rushing yards in his first six games combined, Lundy has finally broken loose, racking up 113 yards against Temple and 83 yards against Georgia Tech. More importantly, Lundy picked up his first six rushing touchdowns of the season, ending his season-long dry spell.

Virginia coach Al Groh emphasized the improvement Lundy has made this week. "He certainly has proven to me over the last couple of weeks how valuable he is to the team," Groh said.

For the Cavaliers, Lundy's resurgence could not have come at a better time. With Virginia Tech to visit Scott Stadium Saturday, Virginia's offense is gearing up for its toughest matchup yet.

Tech's defense ranks second in the ACC in total defense, rushing defense and pass defense. In addition, it is tied for first in the ACC in scoring defense, allowing an average of 11.1 points per game.

"We expect them to come in here and play hard," Lundy said. "I know one thing, they aren't going to come in here and lay down. It's going to be a dog fight."

Tech's defense features virtuosos such as senior defensive end Darryl Tapp and senior cornerback Jimmy Williams, both candidates to win awards for the top collegiate player at their respective positions.

After a bye week, Tech has had an extra week to forget its 27-7 loss to Miami and focus on the heated rivalry with Virginia.

With Lundy running his best of the season, the Cavaliers will need him to produce this weekend like he has against Tech in previous years.

In 2003, Lundy picked up 89 yards and scored three touchdowns in a home Virginia victory. In 2002, as a freshman, he managed 127 yards in a losing effort for the Cavaliers. Last year, he picked up only 27 yards behind Pearman, who racked up 147 yards. Undoubtedly, the Virginia running game seems to always make an impact on the Tech defense.

With the recent resurgence of their running backs, the Cavaliers feel the team is geared up to take on its biggest foe.

"I definitely feel like we're playing our best ball right now," Lundy said. "That's the goal for every team -– to play their best ball in November because that's the time that makes or breaks teams. I think we're on the top of our game right now."

With the Cavaliers having won 21 of their past 23 home games and being undefeated at Scott Stadium this season, it seems that Virginia has every advantage it can hope to have against the No. 7 team in the country.

"I think Scott Stadium brings a lot of energy," Lundy said. "They bring a 12th man, and I think it's hard to play here."

Kickoff is scheduled for noon Saturday and will be broadcast on ESPN. The winner of the game will take possession of the Commonwealth Cup, currently held by the Hokies, until the two teams meet again next season.