Long May Not Play Against Virginia Tech
By Adam Kilgore
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 21, 2007; Page E08

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Nov. 20 -- Virginia defensive end Chris Long did not participate in practice Monday because of strep throat, and his status for Saturday's game against Virginia Tech is uncertain, Coach Al Groh said.

Long "does have a history" with strep throat turning into pneumonia, Groh said. Long attended practice but did not participate.

U-Va.'s Chris Long, right, missed practice on Monday with strep throat. (By Steve Helber -- Associated Press)

Instead, he stood off to the side and wore sweat pants and a winter hat. He left midway through practice, "feeling miserable," Groh said. "We'll just have to see where that goes."

Still, it seems Groh expects Long will play. When asked how sick Long would have to be to sit out such a meaningful game, Groh smiled and said, "Pretty sick."

The game will decide the ACC Coastal Division, with the winner advancing to the conference title game in Jacksonville. Missing Long, a team captain and a candidate for multiple postseason awards, would significantly damage the Cavaliers' chances.

Long was scheduled to lift weights with the team Tuesday afternoon. He was not available to comment.

Taylor Made

Wide receiver Kevin Ogletree has missed the season with a knee injury, but he is playing a key role this week . Ogletree is on the scout team, mimicking mobile Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

"He's probably one of the best athletes on the team," outside linebacker Clint Sintim said. "He had a chance to go back and try to make people look silly, put some moves on people."

But can he throw?

"He's not Tyrod Taylor back there," Sintim said, chuckling.

Ogletree is healthy enough to play, but if he did he would lose his redshirt and a year of eligibility.

Orange Appeal

In the middle of Groh's weekly news conference, two shirtless students painted head-to-toe in orange interrupted and handed Groh an envelope.

"You look good, fellas," Groh told them. "Any place where I can buy an outfit like that?"

The students stood, arms folded, behind Groh, as he read a letter informing him that the student spirit group is urging fans to dress in all orange Saturday as part of "Operation Orange."
 

Strep has Long down, but he's far from out
Coach, at least one teammate, expect star to be ready for Tech
Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 - 12:06 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- If the game were today, University of Virginia football star Chris Long might not be able to play against Virginia Tech.

U.Va. coach Al Groh confirmed yesterday that Long "has been ill. He's had strep throat. He does have a history of this developing into pneumonia."

No.16 U.Va. (6-1, 9-2) hosts No.8 Virginia Tech (6-1, 9-2) on Saturday afternoon, and the winner will represent the Coastal Division in the ACC championship game Dec. 1 in Jacksonville, Fla.

Long, a senior defensive end from nearby Ivy, was in high spirits and apparent good health when he stopped by John Paul Jones Arena for an interview last Wednesday. But he later fell ill and didn't participate in practice Monday.

"Came out dressed in sweats and a stocking cap and left halfway through, feeling miserable," Groh said. "We'll just have to wait and see where that goes."

Long, who wasn't available for comment yesterday, came down with mononucleosis as a true freshman in 2004 and missed five games.

A three-year starter, he leads the ACC in sacks this season with 12 and is a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy and the Lombardi Award, among other honors.

Asked how sick Long would have to be to miss the Cavaliers' regular-season finale, Groh gave a short answer.

"Pretty sick."

One of Long's classmates, tight end Tom Santi, said he's not worried that No.91 will have to be a spectator Saturday at Scott Stadium.

"Not at all," Santi said. "When it's time to go, he'll be ready."

Another senior, offensive guard Ian-Yates Cunningham, wasn't so emphatic.

"Strep is one of those things you've got to be careful with," Cunningham said. "We don't want Chris to just come back for the game. We want to make sure his health is OK."

U.Va.'s second-team defensive ends are junior Alex Field and redshirt freshman Sean Gottschalk, a graduate of Deep Run High.

 

Long suffering from strep throat
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
November 21, 2007

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Virginia standout defensive end Chris Long has strep throat and did not practice Monday, coach Al Groh confirmed at his weekly press conference Tuesday.
Long, a senior captain and finalist for every major national award for a defensive lineman, was a spectator during Monday's practice, watching from the sidelines wearing sweats and a stocking cap.

"(He) left halfway through feeling miserable," Groh said.

Long has a history of strep throat developing into pneumonia, so "we'll just have to wait and see where that goes," Groh said.

Long, who leads the Cavaliers with 12 sacks, 17 tackles for a loss and 21 quarterback pressures, was not available to reporters.

The senior has started 35 straight games, a streak dating back to the beginning of his sophomore year. He missed five games as a true freshman after contracting mono.

How sick would Long have to be not to play against Virginia Tech this week?

"Pretty sick," Groh said, without missing a beat.

Peerman surgery a success

By all accounts, the surgery tailback Cedric Peerman (William Campbell) had on his right foot last Wednesday was a success, though the nature of the injury still leaves questions about his recovery.

"Obviously, (it being) a weight-bearing area and the cuts he needs to make and the delicate bone structure that's in your foot, I think we'll all feel better when the actual test comes up," Groh said.

Groh was not given a timetable for his return but guessed, since Peerman is a veteran player, "that we would be cautious to it throughout the spring."

UVa South

Liberty's Big South championship was celebrated by more than just folks in Lynchburg. The Flames had plenty of Virginia ties, including long-time Groh assistant, Danny Rocco, and five former Cavaliers who transferred - offensive linemen Eddie Pinigis and Marshal Ausberry, linebacker Vince Redd, safety Ryan Best and place-kicker Noah Greenbaum. All but Best earned all-Big South honors.

"Players like to play," Groh said. "It's not fun standing around. And frankly, I think every player's role was a lot bigger there than it would have been here. And so it's worked out well for everybody."

Ausberry, Best and Greenbaum all completed their Virginia degrees before joining Liberty.

"In a lot of ways, I wish that opportunity was available for me when I was here," joked Groh, who saw sparing playing time as a defensive end at UVa from 1963-65.

Operation Orange

With their bodies painted orange, two students from the Cavaliers' student spirit group the 'Hoo Crew interrupted Groh's press conference to announce Operation Orange.

They handed a letter to Groh, which was a request for all Virginia students attending Saturday's game to wear orange from head to toe to "create an atmosphere in support of our team unlike any other in Cavalier history."

"I'd say that you guys have out-done the Blue Man Group," Groh quipped as they left.

Long, long ago

Of Virginia's six fifth-year seniors, only offensive lineman Ian-Yates Cunningham got significant action in UVa's 35-21 victory against Virginia Tech in 2003 (guard Gordie Sammis was in for a few snaps on the field goal block team).

It is the Cavaliers' only win against their state rival since the Groh era began in 2001.

Virginia's other fifth-year seniors - defensive tackle Allen Billyk, linebacker Jermaine Dias, center Jordy Lipsey and tight end Jonathan Stupar - all redshirted that year, but Cunningham worked his way into the starting lineup at left guard for the last five games of the season. He had back surgery that offseason and redshirted in 2004.

"Coming from Texas, I really didn't understand the rivalry of Virginia and Virginia Tech," Cunningham said. "But this rivalry is unbelievable. I would say it's one of the best in the nation."


 

Long is a quiet warrior
UVa. DE has done his most impressive talking by putting together a stat-packed senior season.
By MELINDA WALDROP | 247-4634
5:31 PM EST, November 20, 2007
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE - He's a go-to quote guy, knowledgeable and eloquent about almost any subject he's asked to discuss. He can hold forth on defensive schemes, quarterback sacks and teammates' idiosyncrasies.

But there's one place where Chris Long doesn't talk: the football field.

"I don't have anything to say," said Long, Virginia's senior defensive end and the ACC's sack leader. "Hopefully you just let your play speak for yourself. ... You have a lot more respect for people that just get the job done. You don't need to talk about your play if you can back it up."

Long has been doing that all season for the Cavaliers (9-2, 6-1 ACC), who can win the Coastal Division title and a spot in the conference championship game with a victory on Saturday against Virginia Tech (9-2, 6-1). His 12 sacks are the most in the conference, and his average of 1.09 sacks per game ranks fifth in the country.

His 69 tackles are second on Virginia's team, and he has 17 tackles for loss, a team-best 21 quarterback hurries and seven pass breakups. He's forced a fumble and blocked a field goal, and he even snared his first career interception this season all while drawing constant double-teams and sometimes being held in ways obvious to the most impartial of observers.

Against the Hokies, he's unlikely to be slowed by jersey-grabbing defenders or the strep throat that kept him out of practice on Monday.

"It's a challenge to go against him," said Wake tackle Louis Frazier, who faced Long in Virginia's 17-16 win (Long had a sack and 10 tackles) on Nov. 3. "It's personally a challenge for me to go against him, because we have two different futures. He has a future in the NFL, and I have a future in medicine. He was everything I heard, and the one thing that I really like about him is that he didn't trash talk about getting the job done."

If there's a postseason defensive award, Long is on the short list. He's a finalist for the Lombardi (best defensive lineman) and Nagurski (best defensive player) trophies, and a semifinalist for the Bednarik (outstanding defensive player) and Lott (defensive impact player of the year) awards.

And with other contenders (Dennis Dixon and his torn ACL, Matt Ryan and his six interceptions in the last three games) fading, Long is even moving up on the list of legit Heisman Trophy contenders.

Then there's the matter of his all-pro lineage. His father, Howie Long, went to eight Pro Bowls and had 84 sacks with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders from 1981-1993.

"You want to talk about a chip off the old block?" said North Carolina coach Butch Davis, whose team lost to Virginia 22-20 on Sept. 15, when Long had a sack and an interception. "This is a young man that plays absolutely lights-out football. ... Chris Long has to be one of the premier defensive linemen in the country."

But he's no prima donna. He's approachable and affable, often the last player left in the interview room, usually surrounded by the most microphones and tape recorders.

"I am very proud of him, but most particularly, I am proud to be associated with him," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "He's done as much for me as hopefully I've been able to do for him. He's been a tremendous personality and leader within this team. Certainly without his plays our team would not have been as good, but without his personality, our team would not have been as good either."

Standard coach-speak? Perhaps, but consider Long's obvious discomfort when pressed about uncomfortable topics such as how many sacks he'd like to finish with this season.

"I mean, you have your goals, but I don't think talking about personal statistical goals ... I think that kind of takes away from ... My goal is just to create as much disruption as possible for this defense," Long said. "A stat is just a stat to me.

If I'm able to help my defense better by finishing plays, it's natural that you want to do that. You don't do it for the numbers."

That work ethic has rubbed off on the next generation of playmakers. Sophomore defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald, who made 64 tackles as a freshman, has 55 this season, five sacks and two forced fumbles numbers he credits Long with helping him produce.

"He took me under his wing since I've been here," Fitzgerald said. "Other teams, they scheme against him more, so it kind of gives me more of a chance to develop."

Long has just one more regular-season game to play with Fitzgerald and the rest of his U.Va. teammates and it could hardly be a bigger one.

"It's been awesome, playing college football, with this group of guys, at this university," Long said. "If you have any sense at all, you start thinking about that a little early, so that you appreciate every game you have, not just at the end. We talked about opportunities earlier this year. We talked about, 'Let's not waste our opportunities.' "

After the senior season he's had, no one can accuse Long of doing that.

 

This one has the makings of a classic
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
November 21, 2007

Pick your own moniker for this Saturday’s game between Virginia and Virginia Tech: Wahoopalooza, the Brawl for It All, Showdown in C’Town.

No matter what kind of cheesy description you come up with, Saturday’s game is more than it has ever been.

When these two crusty old rivals meet for the 89th time at high noon in Scott Stadium, it will be the biggest, most important game ever between the Cavaliers and the Hokies. This time, the stakes are higher than ever.

Neighbor vs. neighbor

Normally when Tech and UVa meet it’s pretty much for bragging rights, for pride, some recruiting advantage and perhaps a lifetime of memories for those who play and coach in the game. For the rest, it’s chiefly about being able to shut up the jerk in your office, on your street, or in your family.

That’s usually what rivalries are about because the winner isn’t going to let the loser forget about it for a whole year.

Not this time.

This time, the implications are much higher. The winner claims the Coastal Division crown and advances to next week’s ACC Championship game in Jacksonville, Fla., against Boston College. The winner will most likely be assured of a better bowl game. The bragging rights are just gravy.

Only once has this age-old rivalry come close to producing such booty for the winner. In 2004, Virginia Tech’s first year in the ACC (and a year before divisional play), there was a lot on the line.

That season, had the Cavaliers beaten Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, they would have shared the ACC title, but would have needed help to obtain the conference’s automatic BCS berth. UVa would have had to have beaten the Hokies, then hoped the Hokies would beat Miami the following week.

But even that wouldn’t have been enough. Virginia would have had to have finished five spots ahead of Florida State in the BCS standings (FSU was 18th, and UVa was 17th before the Cavs’ trip to Blacksburg).

Nevertheless, Virginia Tech won that game, went on to beat Miami the next week, took the ACC title and played in the Sugar Bowl. Virginia, because of exam date conflicts, passed on the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando and wound up in Boise, Idaho.

Winner take all

There’s no ifs or buts this time around. Nobody has to have help from another team to make things happen. Instead, everything will be settled within the white lines at Scott Stadium.

Winner takes all and the pot is enormous.

Of course, the Hokies are used to this pressure. They won the title in ’04, played in the first ACC Championship game the following year (losing to Florida State).

They were a landslide pick to make it to this year’s championship game as far back as the ACC Kickoff in late July.

This is uncharted water for the Wahoos. Since expansion, UVa’s only sniff of a title was that ’04 game and that came with conditions. Coach Al Groh has beaten the Hokies only once in six tries and, yes, Virginia fans are keeping count.

So are in-state recruits, who have lopsidedly swung their support toward maroon and orange rather than orange and blue in recent years.

It’s not that Groh has to win this one. He’s got four years left on his contract, is a legit candidate for ACC Coach of the Year honors after having been picked fourth in the division, and has righted the Good Ship Wahoo.

But, losing to the Hokies in your own house with so much on the line, doesn’t look good to the pooh-bahs that sign your paycheck or the fannies in the seats.

This is a game that both sides, Tech and UVa, will never forget. It will live with these players, coaches, and fans for a lifetime.

No, it doesn’t carry quite the tradition or national attention of Alabama-Auburn, USC-UCLA, Texas-Texas A&M, Army-Navy, Florida-Florida State, Georgia-Georgia Tech, Ohio State-Michigan or Nebraska-Oklahoma.

But it means more than most of those. We’re talking a division title and spot in the conference title game here.

Players from both sides insisted to media on Tuesday that they’re aware of the stakes, but they’re not losing their focus, that they’re preparing as if it’s just another game.

Bullfeathers.

These players will live with this game the rest of their lives. Only one player on Virginia’s entire roster, Ian-Yates Cunningham, has ever played in a game that the Cavaliers won over the Hokies.

Should UVa lose on Saturday that means the likes of Chris Long, Tom Santi, and a handful of other seniors will have never tasted victory over Tech.

The fact that both rivals carry identical 9-2, 6-1 records into Saturday’s game is magical. Unfortunately, when the ACC divided its teams into divisions, it split the two Florida entries, the four North Carolina schools, but it paired UVa and Tech in the same division, meaning the two will never play in an ACC Championship game.

So, Saturday is as good as it gets in this rivalry. Because both rosters are dotted with underclassmen, who knows, maybe this will become more commonplace in the future.

If that happens, maybe someday it will attract more national attention. But for now, fans from both sides have a lot to be excited about.

How about “The Thrilla in Charlottesvilla?”

 

Ogletree goes under center for scout team
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
November 21, 2007

Before playing North Carolina State last year, Virginia coach Al Groh summoned two true freshmen, Raynard Horne and Keith Payne, and asked the pair to assume scout-team roles of two Wolfpack running backs.

Short of using starting cornerback Vic Hall on the scout team this week, Groh had no true option to use at quarterback to simulate the speed and quickness of Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

Luckily, Groh had the use of a veteran player on his way to a medical redshirt in preparation for Saturday’s game at Scott Stadium between the eighth-ranked Hokies (9-2, 6-1 ACC) and the 16th-ranked Cavaliers (9-2, 6-1), which kicks off at noon and will be televised on ESPN2.

Virginia wideout Kevin Ogletree, who tore his ACL earlier this year in spring practice but has progressed nicely, has assumed the daunting task of replicating Taylor.

For now, Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell’s job appears safe in 2008.

“Kevin was quite a high school basketball player in the Catholic League in New York … and the first day we had him out there he didn’t throw any passes,” Groh disclosed. “I said, I noticed your basketball background took over because when it had on the card that it was a pass, that was something completely foreign to you and your right arm began to shake uncontrollably. If you are going to help us at this position you are going to have to pass the ball.’

“He’s thrown a couple of ducks up there in the past few days for us to observe.”

It casts light on what Virginia is wary of: Taylor is truly a gifted athlete.

Taylor, the top dual-threat recruit in the nation last year, has passed for 849 yards and five touchdowns, while gaining 378 yards and four scores on the ground.

“Tyrod Taylor, as everybody knows about this kid, he’s an amazing athlete,” said Virginia outside linebacker Clint Sintim. “He runs the ball well and throws the ball well.

“He’s very dangerous out on the perimeter, as well as in the pocket. I think he is one of the key factors of the [Virginia Tech] offense, as well as [quarterback] Sean Glennon is.”

Glennon, a six-game starter this season (the first two and the last four), is more of a “pocket passer,” Groh said, something Virginia has faced this season against numerous opponents.

The Cavaliers have not, however, faced a quarterback with the ability to change directions as Taylor can, which adds to Ogletree’s importance.

“I figure that he’s probably one of our best athletes on the team and he’s feeling a lot better so he had the chance to go back there and try to make people look silly and put some moves on people,” Sintim said of Ogletree. “There’s not too many athletes on our team as explosive as he is.”

Praising Phillips

Saturday’s game will mark the final home game for two of the best tight ends in Virginia program history.

During their careers, Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar have combined for 165 catches and both rank among the top six pass catchers all-time at the position.

If the 48-0 win over Miami on Nov. 20 was any indication, life without Santi and Stupar at tight end in Virginia’s offense could remain a profitable venture.

John Phillips, a junior, caught four passes against Miami for a career-best 77 yards.

What does Santi expect from Phillips next season?

“The same things he does this year,” he answered. “He blocks well, he runs well and he always gives 110 percent on every play.

“I don’t see how that will change next year.”

What Phillips will need, Groh said, is a supporting cast. Redshirt freshman Joe Torchia, while boasting promise, has not had a catch this year.

Mark Ambrose and Andrew Devlin, a pair of three-star recruits, are redshirting.

“Not only is John’s production going to have to go up for us, but clearly some guys moving up are going to have to step in and do a good job,” Groh said. “We can’t afford to let the well run dry over there.”

Injury update

Groh took a moment on Tuesday to discuss tailback Cedric Peerman’s season-ending surgery.

Peerman, who gained 585 rushing yards in six games, had the surgical procedure on his right foot last week.

“They are optimistic on it,” Groh said. “It’s not a complicated surgery to do, as I am told. It’s just one that nature needed a little help.”

Groh said the official terminology of the surgery was about “17 letters,” but pointed out “if you asked the doctors that did it, they wouldn’t say it was foot surgery.”

Sources with knowledge of the situation said it was, in fact, a Lisfranc injury, a dislocation between the forefoot and midfoot.

While common among football players, the recovery time has differed among athletes.

“I think we will all feel better when the actual test comes up,” Groh said. “The process was to give the ligament stuff time to heal and hold the structure on its own.”

Upcoming surgery on Virginia inside linebacker John Bivens’ injured knee will be more complex, Groh said, than a simple arthroscopic procedure.

“It is a little bit more detailed than that,” the coach said.

Turkey day

After getting input from his three captains, Groh decided to have a team-only Thanksgiving meal Thursday.

“The leadership of the team was like, ‘We’ve been together, it’s been us all the way through, we are our own family and let’s stay together very internally as the football team family,” Groh recounted.

Groh’s wife, Anne, may be curious about how the meal will be prepared.

“She doesn’t have to cook the whole thing,” Groh joked, “but we will have a supplementary dinner afterwards.”

 

UVa defense prepares for the quarterback duet
By Andy Bitter
Lynchburg News & Advance
November 21, 2007

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Virginia doesn't know who it will see first or who it will see more at quarterback for Virginia Tech on Saturday, Sean Glennon or Tyrod Taylor.
This much the Cavaliers do know: they're preparing to see plenty of both.

Since using a rotating quarterback system the last two weeks, the Hokies have averaged 376.5 yards and 42 points. Unlike many two-quarterback systems, where players will alternate drives, Virginia Tech shuffles Glennon and Taylor in and out of the game on nearly a play-by-play basis.

"You've just got to understand what both quarterbacks are good at," Virginia outside linebacker Clint Sintim said.

Worse yet, Glennon and Taylor bring different skill sets to the table.

"Sean primarily is a pocket passer. Very accurate, particularly on the more intricate patterns," UVa coach Al Groh said. "Tyrod is spectacular in his ability to maneuver and escape and make big plays that way. It does compound the issue for us very significantly, more so than is usually the case."

Containing Taylor, who has 378 rushing yards and four touchdowns, is a priority.

The Cavaliers have had a surprise player serve as Taylor on the scout team - wideout Kevin Ogletree, who is nearly fully recovered from an ACL tear that has kept him out all season.

"He's probably one of the best athletes on our team," Sintim said. "He's feeling a lot better. He had a chance to make people look silly and put some moves on people. ? He's not Tyrod Taylor back there, but he did do a decent job in giving our defense a good look."

Ogletree has been more effective mimicking the running portion of Taylor's game than the throwing. The first day on the practice field, he didn't throw any passes.

"I said, 'I noticed that your basketball background took over because when it had on the card that it was a pass, that was something completely foreign to you and your right arm began to shake uncontrollably,'" Groh joked. "'And if you're going to help us at this position, you are going to have to pass the ball.' He's thrown a couple of ducks up there for us to observe."

Groh has traditionally not used a spy for elusive quarterbacks while at Virginia. He made a mid-game adjustment against Wake Forest to have Sintim spy Riley Skinner. There was some miscommunication in the on-the-spot training that caused the plan not to work.

Still, the concept isn't foreign to Groh.

"We've had occasion in other locales to do it with some guys that required it," Groh said, referring to his time as a defensive coach in the NFL. "Randall Cunningham. Doug Flutie. ?"

Tyrod Taylor?

"Pretty elusive guy," Groh said. "The issue with that, though, is you've got to have someone who can catch him. We've seen some other teams who have tried to contain him, but the guy they're trying to contain him with isn't as fast as he is.

"So if that's the case, you're just wasting a player doing that."


 

Their biggest game ever?
By Nathan Warters
Lynchburg News & Advance
November 21, 2007

BLACKSBURG - Saturday's Virginia-Virginia Tech game could be the most significant matchup in the 112-year history of the series. It might sound like an overstatement, but that sort of hyperbole isn't just coming from the media.
Virginia Tech's coaches and players are buying into the hype as well.

Hokies coach Frank Beamer is calling it "the biggest game we've ever played against Virginia, without question. Usually we're playing for a bowl, but now we're playing for the right to go to the ACC championship (game)."

"This is how we wanted it," Tech senior wide receiver Eddie Royal said. "We wanted this last game to mean something."

The two teams square off at noon Saturday at UVa's Scott Stadium. The winner earns the right to play Boston College in next Saturday's ACC championship game at Jacksonville's Municipal Stadium.

Both teams are 9-2 (6-1 in the ACC) and their combined ranking - Virginia Tech is ranked eighth in the Associated Press poll and Virginia is 16th - is the lowest ever.

There have been plenty of big games in the series, but this is the first time both teams have been in line for an ACC championship this late in the season.

"This game is huge," Hokies center Ryan Shuman said. "There's a lot riding on the line, basically a berth to play Boston College. They want it, and we want it. It's going to be a clash."

Virginia and Virginia Tech have only played each other the last three years as members of the ACC (the Hokies joined the league in 2004).

Tech won the ACC title in 2004 (Virginia finished fourth), and it played in the title game in 2005 (Virginia finished fifth in the Coastal Division). Neither team was in the hunt for the conference title when they played each other at the end of last season.

The added significance to this year's game might give this one-sided rivalry a shot in the arm.

Tech has been victorious in seven of its last eight meetings with the Cavaliers. Beamer lost five of his first six games against UVa from 1987-92, but since then his teams have been victorious in 10 of the last 14 years.

"I think it does (add something to the rivalry)," Tech quarterback Sean Glennon said of the conference title game implications. "I'm a little surprised it's not a prime time game. You couldn't paint a better picture for a prime time game, an in-state rivalry with conference title hopes on the line. It is a good thing for the rivalry."

The Commonwealth Cup, a 4-foot tall trophy awarded yearly to the Virginia Tech-Virginia winner, is sitting in the middle of Tech's locker room this week. The coaches put it there as a reminder of what's at stake.

Glennon took a moment to study the trophy recently. He looked at the 88 scores engraved on the sides and pondered his place in the history of the series.

To think that Saturday's game could be bigger than any other in the rivalry boggles his mind.

"That is weird," he said. "The Commonwealth Cup is up in the locker room right now and it has all the scores on it. It's a long list, five rows of scores. It's been going on for a long time, and to know this is the biggest one, probably; it's special to be a part of it."



 

Beamer to Hokies: No trash talking
By Nathan Warters
Lynchburg News & Advance
November 21, 2007

BLACKSBURG - With a big-time rival like Virginia coming up on the schedule, Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer wants his players even more mindful of what they say around reporters.
He would have been proud Tuesday. Some reporters tried to pry some trash talk from the players during the team's weekly press gathering, but they weren't budging.

"Coach Beamer tells us not to give them any bulletin board material or anything to get them extra hyped up for the game," Hokies linebacker Cam Martin said. "It's already a big enough game. You don't need to give them anything extra."

A little trash talk might make the rivalry more interesting for the fans, but there wasn't much being said Tuesday.

"Obviously we dislike them. Obviously there's a different attitude up there than it is down here, and I think everybody knows that," Tech center Ryan Shuman said. "We're going to go up there and battle.

"Obviously there's a little bit of a different attitude, a little bit different culture up there than there is down here. It's a little more relaxed down here, and a little more formal (up there)."

In one of his radio broadcasts last year, ESPN's Colin Cowherd said UVa football, "is the softest bunch of cream-puff, bow-tie wearing, Brie cheese-eating, ascot-wearing wussies I've ever seen in my life. There's not a softer bunch of cookie dough eating weenies than the UVa football program. Those guys wear make-up to games."

Tech quarterback Sean Glennon was asked Tuesday if that was a true assessment of Cavaliers football.

"I'll say false," Glennon said, "just so I don't give any bulletin board material."

Tyrod still sore

Tech freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor left early in the third quarter of Saturday's game with a pulled muscle in his left side.

He said Tuesday that he's still a little sore, but he expects to be ready to play against UVa Saturday. Beamer said the Hokies would again alternate quarterbacks mid-series this week, as long as both are healthy to play.

"When I throw the ball, I can't get full motion into it, but I'm getting treatment every day and just working hard to get back," Taylor said.

It appeared Taylor hurt himself on a 16-yard run during Tech's first second-half possession against Miami. He got up holding his left side after taking a big hit from Hurricanes' safety Willie Cooper.

Taylor, in fact, re-aggravated the injury on that play. He said he first pulled the muscle a week earlier against Florida State and didn't feel any pain until last Monday.

Baseball brought Shuman, Long together

Shuman and Virginia defensive end Chris Long became friends while playing on the same Cove Creek Park recreational league baseball team six years ago.

Both grew up near Charlottesville as the sons of prominent football men. Shuman's dad, John, is the head post-graduate coach at Fork Union Military Academy, and Long's dad, Howie, is an NFL Hall of Famer.

Ryan and Chris are still friends, though they don't keep in close contact.

"He's a good guy. He's a (bleeping) good player," Shuman said.

Don't drink from the cup

The Commonwealth Cup is a large piece of hardware awarded annually to the winning team in the Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry.

The marble and cherry wood trophy, created in 1996, is 4-feet tall and weighs more than 100 pounds.

There's a silver-plated cup at the top, and all 88 scores from the series are engraved on the sides.

Glennon said he's never tried to lift the trophy. Asked if he'd ever celebrate by drinking out of the cup - like NHL players do with the Stanley Cup - the fourth-year junior emphatically said no.


 

Sewell reverses field
By MELINDA WALDROP | 247-4634
5:19 PM EST, November 20, 2007
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Jameel Sewell knows precisely when his season turned around. It was right after it nearly imploded.

"My performance at Wyoming," said Sewell, Virginia's sophomore quarterback, on Tuesday. "I just knew I wasn't that type of quarterback. I don't consider myself that type of quarterback. I played like a pure rookie, somebody that didn't know what they were doing out there."

Sewell wasn't alone. His 11-for-23, 87-yard, two-interception, three-sack outing was one of many ugly sights in Virginia's 23-3 loss at Wyoming on Sept. 1.

"I just had to focus a lot more on film and little things, like mechanics," Sewell said.

What followed was a seven-game winning streak that catapulted the Cavaliers into ACC title contention. On Saturday, U.Va. (9-2, 6-1) will take on Virginia Tech (9-2, 6-1) at Scott Stadium with the Coastal Division crown and a spot in the conference championship game at stake.

"It's just going to be a great opportunity," Sewell said. "We just can't wait for this game."

But Sewell's road to this chance wasn't a smooth one, even after the Wyoming debacle. His interception-prone inconsistency led to a brief benching early in the season or, as the Virginia coaches insisted, a "quarterback rotation" with true freshman Peter Lalich.

"It just helped me realize that I definitely wasn't doing my job the way it needed to be done," said Sewell, who's completed 185 of his 317 pass attempts for 1,977 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. "Something just clicked in my head that I can help this team do some things. I just wanted to try my best to play to my potential, and we're still trying to work on that now."

Sewell will have to be sharp against a Hokies defense that has intercepted eight passes in Tech's last three games and is giving up just 289 yards (fifth in the nation) and 14.9 points (fourth in the country) per game.

"Defensively, they're their usual stifling selves," U.Va. coach Al Groh said. " ... We have to admire the way those two linebackers (Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi) play, the defensive front four is very rugged, and with all the really, really good corners that have come out of there, it looks like (Victor) Harris and (Brandon) Flowers might be better than anybody.

There's a reason why nobody's scoring any points."

DOUBLE TROUBLE

With the Hokies freely rotating true freshman Tyrod Taylor, a Hampton High product, and junior Sean Glennon at quarterback, the Cavaliers' defense will have to stop two different styles of attack on Saturday.

Taylor has 1,227 total yards this season, with 378 coming on the ground. Glennon has thrown for 1,202 yards. "Tyrod Taylor - as everybody else knows about this kid, he's amazing athlete," U.Va..linebacker Clint Sintim said. "He runs the ball well and he throws the ball well. He's very dangerous out on the perimeter as well as in the pocket.

(Glennon) is more of a dropback passer but does have the ability to scramble and make some plays. ... When they're flip-flopping in the game, guys just have to make a conscious effort to understand who's back there and make adjustments to the situation."

ODDS AND ENDS

Groh said running back Cedric Peerman, who injured his foot against Middle Tennessee on Oct. 6, underwent surgery after doctors determined his injury wasn't healing as it should on its own. "It's not a complicated surgery, I'm told. It's just nature needed a little help," said Groh, who said the Cavs will be "cautious" with Peerman throughout next spring's practice. ... On Thursday afternoon, the Cavs will have a team-only Thanksgiving dinner. Players are free to spend time with their family members the rest of the day, but "the leadership of the team (said) it's just been us all the way through, and we are our own family," Groh said.

 

Cavs unsure of ill Long's status
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia football coach Al Groh revealed Tuesday that star defensive end Chris Long is battling a case of strep throat.

Long, a senior, did not practice Monday and was unavailable to meet with reporters Tuesday.

The Cavaliers (9-2 overall, 6-1 ACC) end the regular season Saturday, when they entertain Virginia Tech (9-2, 6-1) in a showdown that will decide the ACC's Coastal Division champion.

The winner will meet Boston College in the ACC championship game Dec. 4 in Jacksonville.

Groh admitted that Long would have to be "pretty sick" not to play Saturday in what would be his final game at Scott Stadium.

"He does have a history of this developing into pneumonia," Groh said. "He didn't participate [Monday] and came out dressed in sweats and stocking cap and left halfway through, feeling miserable.

"We'll just have to see where that goes."

Long, who has an ACC-leading 12 sacks, has made 35 consecutive starts. When he was a freshman in 2004, he missed five games as the result of mononucleosis.

Trying to be Tyrod

In an effort to prepare his defense for Virginia Tech's alternating quarterbacks, Groh has commissioned injured wide receiver Kevin Ogletree to help run the scout team.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Marc Verica normally is behind center for the scout team and has retained those duties when the Cavaliers have been trying to prepare for starting Tech quarterback Sean Glennon.

Glennon is more of a pocket passer than the Hokies' other quarterback, freshman Tyrod Taylor.

Ogletree, who underwent reconstructive knee surgery in April, gets the call when UVa is preparing for Taylor.

Ogletree is being redshirted this season, but he has been practicing for more than a month and has the kind of athleticism that few of Virginia's other scout-team players can match.

However, Ogletree does not have a background a quarterback.

"He was quite a basketball player in the Catholic league in New York," Groh said. "The first day we had him out there [at quarterback], he didn't throw any passes and I said, 'I noticed that your basketball background took over.'

"When it had on the card that he had to pass, that was something that was completely foreign to him and his right arm began to shake uncontrollably. I said, 'If you are going to help us at this position, you are going to have to pass the ball.'

"He's thrown a couple of ducks up there in the past couple days."

Connections

Of the five former Virginia players who played for Division I-AA Liberty, four were named to the All-Big South team announced Tuesday.

First-team selections were former Cavaliers Eddie Pinigis (for the second time) at offensive tackle, Marshal Ausberry at offensive guard, Vince Redd at linebacker and Noah Greenbaum at place-kicker.

Ausberry and Greenbaum had UVa degrees when they transferred to Liberty, as did safety Ryan Best, a valuable special-teams performer for the Flames, who won the Big South title and finished 8-3.

"It's a pretty good combination; you get a degree from here and you get to play," Groh said. "I wish that opportunity had been available for me."

Groh played sparingly during his UVa career, earning a letter only as a senior in 1965. It also took him five years to get his degree, which he admits readily.

By the numbers

Virginia comes into Saturday after an open date. The Cavaliers are 9-2 under Groh following a bye week, including 7-0 in home games. ... UVa is the only ACC team without a loss at home this season. ... Virginia is attempting to go an entire season without giving up 30 points in a game for the first time since 1952. The Cavaliers' highest yield was in a 29-24 loss at North Carolina State.

Odds N' ends

Two shirtless male students in orange body paint interrupted Groh's news conference to deliver a letter from a student group, the Hoo Crew, announcing an "Orange Out" for Saturday's game. ... Groh also asked for support for the FIJI Run Across Virginia, a cooperative fraternity venture to raise money for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. ... Saturday's game will mark the eighth time that Virginia Tech and UVa are both ranked coming into their game. The first time was in 1993 and the most recent was in 2004. With Tech ranked eighth and Virginia ranked 16th, the combined rankings are the best in the history of the series.
 

Cavs hit by post-upset malaise
After big win at Arizona, Virginia grinds one out vs. Drexel
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
November 21, 2007

About midway through the first half of Tuesday night’s Virginia-Drexel game at John Paul Jones Arena, fans began chanting, “Beat the Hokies!”

Wahoo Nation was so disenchanted with what they were watching that they were already looking forward to Saturday’s football showdown with Virginia Tech.

Disenchanted wouldn’t be a strong enough word to describe what Virginia coach Dave Leitao was likely feeling.

“We definitely had a lull coming out,” said Virginia guard Sean Singletary. “We didn’t have the energy. There was something of a disconnect.

“[Coach] warned the guys before the game about it.”

Apparently, nobody took heed.

Virginia didn’t look anything like the team that won at Arizona on Saturday night. The Cavaliers, who missed their first eight shots, didn’t score their first basket until more than 6 minutes had elapsed.

“We were pretty jumpshot heavy and weren’t moving the ball inside-out,” said sophomore Jamil Tucker. “Coach was getting on us about going to the hole instead of just settling for jumpers.”

Luckily for Virginia, superior talent and homecourt advantage wound up prevailing.

No. 23 Virginia, behind a game-high 24 points from Singletary, a career-high 11 rebounds from Adrian Joseph and some energetic performances off the bench, defeated Drexel, 72-58, in front of a crowd of 10,975 at JPJ.

“I think it was their defense and also some residue from Saturday’s game - that we weren’t 100 percent focused in on what we were doing,” said Leitao, when asked about his team’s early-game stupor.

“Fortunately our defense was good enough where they didn’t score that much. We held the fort enough to climb back in the game.”

Virginia (4-0) held Drexel to just 10-of-29 shooting in the first 20 minutes. That enabled the Cavaliers to take a 31-25 lead into the break.

Drexel (3-1) cut the margin to 32-30 on a basket by Frank Elegar, but then Virginia went on a 14-3 run in the next five minutes to go up, 46-33.

The stretch was highlighted by an Adrian Joseph jumper, a Mamadi Diane 3-pointer in transition and four Mike Scott free throws.

Virginia slowly expanded its lead from there. Drexel never got within single digits the rest of the way.

“Coach was saying that we didn’t need to go back a page from Arizona and, ‘Why couldn’t we keep the same intensity?’ Tucker said. “Once he got it through to us, we did what we needed to win the game.”

Virginia outrebounded Drexel, 44-27 and did a decent enough job on Elegar, the Dragons’ leading scorer. The 6-foot-9 Elegar scored 23 points, but only collected three boards.

UVa post players Lars Mikalauskas and Ryan Pettinella made Elegar work for everything, and Scott provided a nice defensive changeup when he was in.

“I thought in the first 25 minutes of the game, we did what we wanted to do,” said Drexel coach Bruiser Flint. “We made them take tough shots.

“But the rest of the game, we made some bad mistakes and they took advantage.”

Despite his 24 points, Singletary played one of his poorer games in recent memory. He was just 7 of 19 from the field and had eight turnovers.

Singletary was able to find a positive in the victory.

“I think we did well in the face of adversity tonight,” he said.

Dunks

Virginia plays Penn in the Philly Classic on Friday night, then takes on the Navy-Seton Hall winner on Saturday. … Sophomore Will Harris did not play. “We can talk about one or two or three guys [who doesn’t play] every game,” Leitao said. “I told the team after the game that next time it could be Will’s turn. Who knew it was going to be Mike’s turn today? I think having depth doesn’t mean you play 12 or 14 guys every game. It means it may be somebody else’s turn game by game.”

 

U.Va. survives letdown
First-half lull leaves Cavs down but they recover, beat Drexel
Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 - 12:05 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE - A post-Arizona letdown didn't keep the University of Virginia men's basketball team from improving its record to 4-0 last night.

Three nights after upsetting then-No. 17 Arizona in Tucson, U.Va. took the floor at John Paul Jones Arena for its second game in the Philly Hoop Group Classic. When the final horn sounded, the No. 23 Cavaliers walked off with a 72-58 victory over Drexel, but theirs was a ragged effort.

"We definitely had a lull coming out," senior point guard Sean Singletary said. "We didn't have the energy. It was somewhat of a disconnect. We all weren't on the same page."

With a none-too-engaged crowd of 10,975 looking on, Virginia missed its first eight shots from the floor and didn't score until the 13:36 mark of the opening half.

Some of that, U.Va. coach Dave Leitao said, was due to Drexel's stifling defense, and some was "residue from Saturday night's game. We weren't 100 percent focused on what we were doing."

Fortunately for the Wahoos, their defense had been superb, too, and that first basket - by sophomore forward Jamil Tucker - halved their deficit, pulling them to 4-2.

U.Va. didn't take its first lead until 4:23 remained in the half, when Singletary scored off a steal to make it 17-16. Overall, though, the first 20 minutes were a struggle for U.Va.'s all-ACC point guard. Singletary missed 7 of 10 shots from the floor and turned the ball over five times.

More effective against Colonial Athletic Association member Drexel (3-1) was the former CAA player who now wears blue and orange. Sophomore guard Calvin Baker, a transfer from William and Mary, scored nine first-half points on 4-for-6 shooting. Baker finished with 11 points.

Virginia steadily pulled away in the second half. For the game, the Cavaliers shot poorly (38.3 percent), but only one Dragon consistently hurt them at the other end: senior center Frank Elegar, who scored 23 points.

Elegar is usually also a force on the boards, too. He came in averaging 10 rebounds but had only three last night. In all, U.Va. outrebounded Drexel 44-27.

Senior forward Adrian Joseph led Virginia with a career-high 11 boards, and the 6-0 Singletary added seven. Singletary scored a game-high 24 points and handed out five assists, but he shot 7 for 19 and had eight turnovers.

Two of Virginia's other starters, senior center Ryan Pettinella and freshman guard Jeff Jones, combined for two points in 17 minutes. But this is the deepest team Leitao has had in his three seasons at U.Va., and Baker, Tucker, freshman forward Mike Scott and freshman guard Sammy Zeglinski sparkled off the bench.

"We obviously have to get in the gym and continue to get better," Leitao said, "but we got some good contributions tonight."

Virginia's third game in this tournament - and first in Philadelphia - comes Friday night against Penn at the storied Palestra. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m.

 

UVa gets past Drexel
The Dragons make it interesting for a while, but the 23rd-ranked Cavs pull away late.
By Doug Doughty doug.doughty@roanoke.com 981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- A chant of "beat the Hokies" echoed through the John Paul Jones Arena midway through the first half Tuesday.

That was part of 23rd-ranked Virginia's problem.

This was basketball, and the Cavaliers weren't playing the Hokies, the opponent in a football showdown Saturday at Scott Stadium. They were playing the Drexel Dragons.

Drexel gave Virginia problems for more than a half before the Cavaliers pulled away for a 72-56 victory, their 19th in 20 games over two seasons at JPJ.

Virginia (4-0) did not score a point until its 10th trip down the floor and did not get a basket from a starter until Sean Singletary connected on a 3-pointer with 5:54 remaining before halftime.

Drexel, a 10½-point underdog, did not trail until a Singletary steal and layup put the Cavaliers on top 17-16 with 4:21 left in the half.

Singletary made both of his 3-point attempts in the first half but was only 3-for-10 from the field, with five turnovers and two fouls.

Drexel post man Frank Elegar, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound senior, had 12 points in the first half, but his teammates were only 5-of-20 from the field as Virginia built a 31-25 lead.

The Dragons got as close as 32-30 in the second half, but Virginia was able to stretch its lead to 51-36, thanks to a 19-6 run that included seven points by Adrian Joseph.

"I think, for the first 25 minutes, we did what we wanted to do and that was to make them take tough shots," Drexel coach Bruiser Flint said. "In the heat of the game, they got too many open looks."

Elegar, who scored the Dragons' first eight points of the second half, finished with a team-high 23. No other Drexel player had more than Tramayne Hawthorne's 10.

Singletary led all scorers with 24 points, despite going 7-of-19 from the field. He also had eight turnovers, giving him 24 in the Cavaliers' first four games, but made seven of eight free throws. He is 30-of-33 from the line for the season.

"He doesn't have his sidekick [J.R. Reynolds] to look for possession by possession," Leitao said. "We're going to continue to watch film.

"If anybody in the country would be concerned about it, it would be him. If anybody in the country is looking to get better, it would be him."

Three other Virginia players had 11 points, including Joseph, who had a career-high 11 rebounds. It was the first career double-double for Joseph, who had six points and 10 rebounds at Purdue last year.

Virginia shot only 38.3 percent from the field, "but they hit 50 percent of their 3-pointers," Flint was quick to point out.

The Cavaliers also outrebounded Drexel 44-27.

It was Virginia's first meeting with the Dragons, who were a National Invitation Tournament team in 2006-2007, when they finished 23-9.

"I feared this even before Saturday," said Leitao, whose team surprised then-No. 17 Arizona 75-72 in Tucson, Ariz. "When we scheduled this game, we knew it would surely be a test, especially since we were coming off a cross-country trip."

Drexel entered the game at 3-0, including a 67-59 overtime defeat of Pennsylvania, the Cavaliers' next opponent. The Cavaliers and Quakers meet at 9 p.m. Friday in the semifinals of the Philly Hoop Group Classic at the Palestra.

That tournament will provide a homecoming for Virginia senior Sean Singletary and two freshmen, Sammy Zeglinski and Jeff Jones. Jones played in Chester, Pa., at Monsignor Bonner and Zeglinski played at Penn Charter, also Singletary's alma mater.

UVa's Philadelphia connection extends to Cavalier assistant Steve Seymour, who was the Drexel head coach from 1999-2001, and director of basketball operations Rick Brunson, a former Temple standout.

 

Cavs wake up in time
November 21, 2007 12:35 am
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

CHARLOTTESVILLE--The Virginia men's basketball team had more than just Drexel to fight off last night.

Fatigue from a cross country trip to Tucson, Ariz. this past weekend was also an opponent.

However, the No. 23 Cavaliers were able to fend off both the Dragons and their own jet lag in a 72-58 victory in the second game of the Philly Hoop Group Classic tournament in John Paul Jones Arena.

The lethargic Cavaliers (4-0) were coming off an impressive 75-72 road victory over then-No. 17 Arizona on Saturday.

They failed to score a basket last night until backup sophomore forward Jamil Tucker converted on a drive with 13:36 left in the first half--the Cavaliers' 10th possession of the game.

"We won the game Saturday and it was a lot of excitement," Cavaliers head coach Dave Leitao said. "I thought there could be a little bit of a natural letdown that could cost us the game. As you've seen around the country, it's cost a lot of people games and I didn't want to fall prey."

Leitao said his team had trouble concentrating and "following through on the game plan," in the first half last night.

That was apparent in the play of star point guard Sean Singletary, who didn't get on the scoreboard until a 3-pointer with 5:55 remaining in the first half.

The Cavaliers were rescued in the first 20 minutes by a combined 16 points from Tucker and reserve sophomore guard Calvin Baker as they forged to a 31-25 halftime lead.

Virginia committed nine turnovers (five from Singletary) in the first half and shot just 40 percent from the field. Its defense kept it ahead, holding the Dragons (3-1) to 34 percent shooting, including just 2-of-8 from behind the 3-point line.

The second half began much the same way as the first as the Dragons pulled within 32-30 early on.

But that's when the Cavaliers went on a 19-6 run to take a 51-36 lead on a Singletary basket. They didn't look back as they eventually led by as many as 18 points.

"We had a couple of stretches there where we got enough of a cushion to stem the tide a little bit," Leitao said. "They were a pretty good team."

Singletary led the Cavaliers with a game-high 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists, but he also had committed eight turnovers and shot just seven-of-19 from the field. Leitao said Singletary is just beginning to get comfortable with his new teammates.

"I'm pretty sure they'll start to lower once we keep moving on," Leitao said of Singletary's turnovers.

Senior forward Adrian Joseph added 11 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for Virginia. Baker and junior swingman Mamadi Diane contributed 11 points each.

The Dragons were paced by 23 points from center Frank Elegar, but Drexel was undone by 17 turnovers compared to just 10 assists and a 44-27 rebounding disadvantage.

"It was huge," Elegar said of the Cavaliers' rebounding advantage. "Guys were getting rebounds through [missed] free throws and a lot of hustle plays. They were kicking to guys on the perimeter and making a lot of 3-point shots."

The Cavaliers shot just 38 percent from the field, but 50 percent (eight-of-16) from the 3-point line.

"That's where the majority of their shots were going to come from," Drexel head coach Bruiser Flint said. "[Their lead] went from five to maybe 12 or l5 because they made two or three 3s and a couple of foul shots, and it was tough for us to get back in the game."

The Cavaliers will visit Singletary's native Philadelphia on Friday and Saturday for two more games in the Philly Hoop Group Classic. They play Pennsylvania on Friday at 9 p.m. and either Seton Hall or Navy on Saturday.

 

Father knows best? Daughters disagree
Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 - 12:06 AM
By MICHAEL PHILLIPS
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

At high school at Thomas Jefferson in the early 1970s, Steve Sunday was a member of the National Defense Cadet Corps. As a sophomore, he saw a recruiting film for Virginia Tech's military program and decided that's where he'd like to go to school.

Then he missed the application deadline.

That led him down the road to Charlottesville, where he became a diehard Wahoo fan who has been loyal to his school through winning and losing streaks. He tried to pass his allegiance along to his three daughters while they were growing up.

"I took them to U.Va. games and we watched games on TV, just so I could get their interest up," he said.

When his oldest daughter, Molly Crawford, made her college visits, she decided she didn't like the atmosphere at Virginia, and the house began to divide.

"I told her that if that's what you want to do, I'll support you," Sunday said.

Crawford was a member of the VT Marching Virginians during her time in Blacksburg. Currently Sunday's third daughter, Emily, is a member of the band.

The second daughter, Katie Stewart, attended Longwood and the Bon Secours School of Nursing but has maintained loyalty to the school her father refers to as "The University."

They'll all unite Friday to watch Emily perform as the Tech and U.Va. bands play their first-ever combined show to benefit the Ryan Clark Memorial Fund and the Cavalier Marching Band Fund. The concert will take place at 8 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena.

Aside from his daughters, Sunday has other ties to Tech. His wife, Bobbie, attended neither school. But her allegiance lies with Virginia Tech because two of her three children studied in Blacksburg and because, Sunday said, Tech is still receiving much of the family's money.

And there's more. After he moved to Richmond and settled in, he decided to get a master's degree in engineering, which meant being a part of a Tech program. His dual degrees make him a member of an exclusive club of HokieWahoos.

But his loyalties are with the orange and blue, and he's hoping this is the year he has something to brag about at dinner on Saturday.

"I'm hoping it will turn out the way I've been wanting it to for a few years," he said.