Another year brings another Tech win in a sputtering rivalry
The Virginian-Pilot
© November 25, 2007
Last updated: 8:49 PM
CHARLOTTESVILLE

After Virginia Tech beat Virginia on Saturday afternoon, talk among the Tech players turned to momentum - how U.Va. had it for a while before the Hokies snatched it back to control the fourth quarter.

"College football's all about momentum," flanker Eddie Royal said.

If that's the case, Big Mo suits up in the Tech locker room when these schools get together.

In-game momentum - the emotional swings that take place between the lines - that's one of the things that keeps us watching. But then there's the other kind of football momentum, the kind Tech enjoys year after year in this rivalry.

Did I say rivalry? The word is so often misused. If trotted out to describe Tech and U.Va. football, you might even say it's being abused.

What exactly were those ESPN "experts" looking at when they picked U.Va. to win? It couldn't have been the series record between the schools.

As rivalries go, Hokies vs. Cavaliers is like Roger Federer vs. Andy Roddick. It's like the rivalry between the hammer and the nail.

With its 33-21 victory, Tech has beaten U.Va. four times in a row and eight of the past nine. Tech-U.Va. football games should be sponsored by Xerox.

Like the other Hokie seniors, linebacker Vince Hall doesn't know what it feels like to lose to U.Va. Some of the media should have thought of that before they asked Tech players about their "bitter rivalry" with Virginia.

The series has been anything but bitter for Frank Beamer and his players.

"We haven't lost to U.Va.," sophomore linebacker Cam Martin said last week, "so it's not as hard to say you don't hate them."

Who's got time to be bitter when you roar into the post-game locker room full of confidence after becoming the first visiting team to win at Scott Stadium this year?

Later, somebody asked Hall if Tech "owns" Virginia.

He just smiled.

With the victory, Tech has won 10 games for the fourth season in a row. That's a record to savor, but there's no time for reflection among Hokies waiting for another shot at Boston College in Saturday's ACC title game in Jacksonville, Fla.

The 14-10 loss to BC in October, when the Eagles scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes, might have traumatized a less resilient bunch. But, since then, Tech has played its best ball. This is no longer the team that managed only 10 points on its home field. In their past four games, the Hokies are averaging 36.

Rather than knock the feisty Cavaliers for losing, people should congratulate Al Groh's team for staying closer to Tech than anybody has in November.

There were a lot of praiseworthy elements to U.Va.'s performance until things began to unravel in the fourth quarter. After falling behind by 10 in the first quarter, the Cavaliers took a short-lived, 14-13 lead.

The Hokies are peaking, yet after Tech went ahead 23-14 in the third quarter, U.Va. came back again before succumbing to Tech's tag-teaming quarterbacks.

With Beamer running Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor in and out of the game, U.Va.'s usually stellar defense was knocked upside the head by different sides of the same two-by-four.

One way or another, when Virginia Tech meets U.Va., the Hokies make the biggest plays on both sides of the ball - and on special teams. That's fine for Tech but bad for the health of this so-called rivalry.

"It's not a good season," Royal said, "unless you beat U.Va."

For Tech, that's becoming a hard habit to break.

 

Will Cavs ever beat Hokies again? Sure they will ... maybe
The Virginian-Pilot
© November 25, 2007
Last updated: 9:37 PM
CHARLOTTESVILLE

Virginia will take 9-3 most any year. The ’Hoo hasn’t been born who would throw back a football season in which the Cavaliers play for a shot at the ACC crown and for 10 victories.

Give them the thrill of five wins at the wire, a one-loss home schedule, and the rare treat of seeing a jersey retired while its player, defensive end Chris Long, is still wearing it.

They’ll accept, grateful for the blessings. But let’s not tease them with the notion that beating Virginia Tech will be included in that particular harvest. Why be cruel?

Not to say Cavaliers will never defeat Hokies again. Sure they will, maybe even in this lifetime. It just seems like they won’t, even after U.Va. gave Tech a decent run Saturday before wilting 33-21 on a clear, crisp afternoon at Scott Stadium.

Let’s hit the series numbers once, history buffs, and move along. No need to rubberneck: The loss was U.Va.’s fourth straight, the sixth in seven games under coach Al Groh, and the eighth in nine tries since 1998. Four straight, in fact, matches Virginia’s longest drought since the Lost Years from ’53 to ’63, when the Cavs dropped 10 of 11, including six in a row.

Mindful that these things run in cycles, the evidence suggests U.Va. is cycling upstream – to the dismay of stars like Long, who will leave Charlottesville with no Hokie feathers in his scrapbook.

“I think what you saw out there was a competitive ballgame,” said Long, whose jersey was retired in a surprise announcement before the game. “You’ll probably see more of the same in the future. When we come back to watch this game, we hope that these young guys can continue the trend.”

Presumably, Long meant the trend of creeping up on Tech; 12 points is the closest Virginia has come to Tech in the last four meetings. It’s not much to build on, but it’s something.

So, too, was the mettle Virginia flashed in rallying from down 10-0 to go up 14-13, and again from nine down to within two, 23-21, late in the third quarter. But want-to can lift you only so high against equal determination injected with superior skill and speed.

Here again was where 16th-ranked Virginia found itself against the No. 8 Hokies, in that narrow space where flawlessness is a practical necessity because Tech is deeper and especially much faster.

The pressure there is intense. It applies a wearing-down effect, a relentless demand for perfection that’s obviously hard to meet. Virginia had moments of outstanding blocking, ball-carrying, throwing and catching.

But playing with no room for error got the best of Virginia too often Saturday, and that carried the day for Tech.

A reverse punt return for 43 yards by swift Justin Harper set up the Hokies’ first touchdown. An interception by cat-quick cornerback Brandon Flowers just before halftime set up a second TD.

A blocked punt – U.Va. was pokey getting it off, Groh said – led to three more points.

Tech wide receivers caught 16 balls, a huge number for the Hokies, against cornerback coverage that was buttery soft to guard against deep routes.

Speed absolutely is one of the factors between the teams, Groh said. “It has been over a period of time here now. . . . When you can stretch the field offensively with that kind of speed, and narrow it down defensively with speed like that on the edges, that obviously is very challenging.”

The challenge, as usual, has been issued. A different response, as usual, awaits.

 

Hokies show Cavs how it's done
By Jerry Ratcliffe / jratcliffe@dailyprogress.com
November 25, 2007

When Al Groh came to Virginia seven years ago and was asked if he thought he could lead the Cavaliers to football glory, his answer was clear.

Groh, who surprisingly left the New York Jets’ head coaching position to jump at the chance to lead his alma mater, said that if he could keep all the great football prospects in the state at home, that anything was possible.

During Virginia’s 89th meeting with Virginia Tech on Saturday, Groh again witnessed up close and personal, just how good that home-grown talent could be. The only problem was, most of it was wearing Virginia Tech uniforms.

With a roster dotted with Virginians, the Hokies used speed, defense and some good, old-fashioned Beamerball to pound out another win over the Wahoos, 33-21.

It was a familiar script, acted out over the past decade as Tech won for the eighth time in the last nine meetings, 11th out of the last 15. Groh has beaten the Hokies once in seven tries.

This one had higher stakes than usual, a spot in next weekend’s ACC championship game in Jacksonville, Fla., and most likely a better bowl game.

In the end, Virginia, which entered the weekend with an identical 9-2, 6-1 record to Tech’s, played a more competitive game than had been the case recently. But close doesn’t count.

“Well, you know, almost everybody else who has played [the Hokies] has lost to them every time, too,” Groh said when asked about the lopsided rivalry.

“It’s a game we would certainly like to win. We’re going to try harder to win it again next year.”

Groh’s analysis was correct. Virginia Tech has won 10 games or more for four consecutive years while going 41-10. By contrast, the Cavaliers have won 29 games during the same stretch.

None of that really mattered when the two crusty old rivals lined up Saturday. All that mattered was who had the most at the end of the day.

Groh hoped that 21 would be enough, and on most days it would have been. Not this time.

“We knew we were going to get Virginia’s best shot,” said Tech coach Frank Beamer. “It was a team win. We did some things on special teams (reverse punt return, blocked punt). We did some things on defense (six sacks, one interception). We did some things on offense (299 passing yards was Tech’s most ever against UVa; Brandon Ore’s 147 rushing yards was his first 100-yard day of the season). The end result was a great team win.”

Groh couldn’t claim the same. Every part of Virginia’s game experienced lethal meltdowns at the most inopportune times, allowing Tech to earn its second Coastal Division title in three years.

Most every one of the Hokies’ stars on Saturday were players that both UVa and Tech coveted during their high school careers: quarterback Sean Glennon, wide receiver Eddie Royal, tailback Brandon Ore, defensive stars Victor Harris, Vince Hall, Xavier Adibi, to name a few.

When Groh stated earlier in the week that Tech was one of the finest teams that had come to Scott Stadium in recent years, he wasn’t kidding. However, he may have been dreaming about someday accumulating as much speed as the Hokies possess.

“Speed certainly is one of the factors [with Tech] and has been over a period of time now,” Groh said. “They’ve got real speed on the edges. They’ve got speed with those wide receivers, and real speed with those corners.

“When you can stretch the field offensively with that kind of speed and narrow it down defensively with speed like that on the edges, that’s obviously very challenging. Collectively, those players had that factor at the highest level of any of the teams we have played.”

Virginia’s defensive players, almost to a man, talked about how the Hokies’ wide receivers (Royal, Josh Hyman and Josh Morgan) were the best group, if not the fastest, of any they had faced all season.

The Cavaliers seemed terrified of the thought of allowing Glennon to throw the ball over their heads and thusly gave Tech receivers plenty of cushion to account for much of the nearly 300 passing yards. And still, Glennon managed to take it over the top, burning the Wahoo secondary on a 39-yard scoring strike to Royal.

Don’t think that Virginia was as hapless as the last two meetings when the Hokies pasted them by a collective 69-14.

The Cavaliers put up a good fight for three quarters. In fact, when Virginia went up 14-13 in the second quarter on QB Jameel Sewell’s 8-yard run, it marked the first time the Cavaliers had led the Hokies in a game since the third quarter in 2004.

After Chris Long’s strip sack of Glennon resulted in a recovered fumble for the Cavaliers and another Sewell TD run (2 yards behind Brandon Albert), cutting it to 23-21 with 2:51 to play in the third quarter, the 61,711 fans that crammed into every nook and cranny of Scott Stadium had hopes of an upset.

But the Cavaliers were done. Tech’s defense turned up the heat, pinned its ears back and came after Sewell & Co. hard the rest of the afternoon. Virginia managed only two first downs the rest of the way, one of those coming on a penalty.

Meanwhile, Beamer gave the Cavs a steady dose of Ore the rest of the way.

“[Tech] just made more plays than us,” said one of UVa’s home-grown stars, All-American defensive end candidate Chris Long, whose jersey was retired before the game. “There were times where we had an opportunity to step up and make a play and we didn’t. A lot of that falls on the defense’s shoulders.”

To Long, giving up 33 points was an unforgivable sin. Certainly it punched holes in Groh’s hopes that 21 would be enough to get the job done.

“Virginia Tech has had a great four years,” said Long, who never experienced a win over his chief rival. “We’ve been through some ups and downs. That’s just reality.

“I think what you saw out there today was a competitive ball game. I think you’ll probably see more of the same in the future. We hope these young guys can continue the trend.”

This was a young bunch of Hoos, with the bulk of the team returning next season. The Cavs’ three rushing TDs against Tech was the second-most this season (LSU had four). The 14 first-half points were the most against the Hokies in the first half since LSU put up 24.

So, there was a glimmer of hope on Saturday and perhaps more for the future, because some of the Hokies’ top players are seniors, including the wide receivers that Groh said he will be most happy to bid adieu.

But there’s more where those came from.

“When you come out of high school, the coaches are right there,” said Tech’s Hall, a senior linebacker from Chesapeake. “One side wants you and you’ve got to choose your side. Once you choose your side, you’ve got to go with it. UVa is a good school, but Tech right now is the dominant one.”

Dominant enough to have its third shot at the ACC title in four years.

Case closed.

 

Hokies marching to new beat
Aaron McFarling

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Frank Beamer danced to rap music in the postgame locker room. I did not see this, unfortunately. But according to those who were there, this actually happened.

The dancing would not be described as "good," according to witnesses. Technically speaking, it was closer to awful.

But it was spontaneous and it was fun. In those ways, it was a lot like this Virginia Tech team.

Take a risk. Put yourself out there. Try something fresh and exciting and potentially humiliating. That's what Beamer and his staff have done this season, and that's why Tech is now 10-2. That's why the Hokies were able to gloss over an middling day by their defense and defeat Virginia 33-21 to win the ACC's Coastal Division championship.

Everything changed this year but the ending. The records were different. The rankings were higher. Tech's offense was more complex than it had been in years, featuring the passing game at least as much as the run. The Cavaliers were much improved, and in close games, they'd been as clutch as any team in recent memory.

But the final scene at Scott Stadium was one we've seen so often before: Tech players hanging around in the end zone, waving a flag in front of their fans. Tech's defensive players shoveling sod into a lunch pail. Recruits at the rivalry game -- and there are always recruits at the rivalry game -- standing on the field in their high school letter jackets, pointing and giggling at the celebration.

To get to that point, though, Tech had to reinvent itself in midseason. It's the ultimate in oxymorons: Tech had to change to maintain the status quo. The offense that showed up against LSU and North Carolina and Clemson would not have won this game. Not a chance.

So go ahead and upgrade this new-look offense from "weird" to "wonderful." The two-quarterback system the Hokies are using is no longer just an oddity. Over the course of three games, it has established itself as a lasting, legitimate threat. You can see it in the eager nature of the players who run it, the way they bounce in and out of the huddle, ready to snap the ball again.

That's why it didn't matter when the Cavaliers took the lead late in the second quarter. It didn't matter when they scored a touchdown late in the third to pull within two points, inviting a hungry crowd back in the game.

This offense no longer shrinks in the face of such challenges.

"We're going to respond," said starting quarterback Sean Glennon, who threw for 260 yards and a touchdown. "I don't know if we had that swagger in us until the second half of the season."

That swagger is shared by Tyrod Taylor, Tech's freshman quarterback who scored two rushing touchdowns. The second one dazzled, as he outkicked defenders Jermaine Dias and Nate Lyles to the pylon on third-and-goal, pushing the lead back to nine.

"He's going to be a very dominant force in the ACC and in the nation," UVa defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald said. "He's a fast, elusive player."

In other words, he's the kind of player you want on the field, even when your starter is playing well. And to their credit, Beamer and offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring have found the way to do that. Right now, those two men are playing all the right hunches.

You can certainly give some of the credit for the resurgence to healthier linemen and a crisper Branden Ore, because those are factors. Ore's 147 yards Saturday were a season high and had plenty to do with the outcome.

But in the past, the Hokies might have relied on those elements alone. They might have settled for an improving offense instead of an explosive one. This year, they've gone that extra step, introducing an array of new headaches for opposing defenses.

UVa was simply the latest victim. The Cavaliers are disappointed in the outcome, sure, but they are also proud of what they've done. They should be. A bowl win would give them 10 victories, an unthinkable total after that opening day fiasco at Wyoming.

UVa coach Al Groh set his jaw in the postgame interview room and talked about those positives. He talked about looking forward to playing another game.

"The only problem with it," he said, "is that it won't come soon enough."

The Hokies' next game comes in six days. It's in Jacksonville, the place they wanted to be when they set out on this journey four months ago. On Monday, they'll gather as a team and begin devising a plan to defeat Boston College, the team that handed them one of their most stunning defeats in years.

Until then, though, they can crank up the volume and dance a little more.

They've earned it.
 

Rivalry? What rivalry? Hokies own this series
Sunday, Nov 25, 2007 - 12:06 AM
By BOB LIPPER
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST

CHARLOTTESVILLE There's this recurring scene in Virginia Tech vs. Virginia, our fair commonwealth's football equivalent of "Groundhog Day."

It comes at game's windup just as the scoreboard reads zeroes and the outcome reads maroon and orange. Tech players are hoisting helmets in the air. Their fans whoop it up in the stands. U.Va.'s troops are trudging off the field. Their rooters are halfway to the parking lots.

That's a wrap.

Roll the credits.

Over and out.

There is no joy in C'ville. Again. As usual. Annually. Some Hokie or another pops up as Punxsutawney Phil to signal 52 more weeks of misery for the Cavaliers -- Sean Glennon, Eddie Royal and Tyrod Taylor took turns at the role yesterday -- and the upshot is you don't need a weatherman to know which way the rivalry blows.

"That's just the way things go," Cavs D-lineman and Hermitage High grad Jeffrey Fitzgerald was saying after the latest episode. "I know how the series is, how they're the dominating team. We need to step it up, I guess."

The final was 33-21 this time, and it's fair to say U.Va. might need an extension ladder to see eye-to-eye with the Hokies now. It was Tech's fourth straight win against the Cavs, its eighth in the past nine meetings. Average margin in those victories: 17½ points.

Mr. Jefferson, we have a problem.

It wouldn't take a founding father to explain the stranglehold. Tech is better -- has been, is -- simple as that. It had the two best quarterbacks on the field yesterday. It had the best wideouts. It had the best corners. It had the best runner. It had the best linebackers. It had the best D-line. It had the best return men. It had the best punter.

It didn't have the best defensive end. That would be Chris Long, who was merely excellent on this occasion -- 1½ sacks, one forced fumble -- and not overwhelming. He also finished his career with an oh-fer against Tech. It's a sobering experience.

"They've had a great four years," Long said. "We've had some ups and downs. That's just reality. I think what you saw today was a competitive ballgame. I think you'll see more of that in the future."

This matchup had its moments -- two, to be precise, each of them created by Tech goofs that kept U.Va. in contention. First, with alternating quarterbacks Glennon and Taylor functioning nicely, Hokies offensive coordinator went loopy and ordered a pass by Royal, a senior flanker who's mostly tormented the Cavs during his stay in Blacksburg.

But not on this play. The throw was way short and resulted in an interception that led to a Virginia TD and 14-13 lead. Later, the Cavs closed to 23-21 when a Glennon fumble gift-wrapped another scoring opportunity.

But the Hokies responded both times. Glennon went deep to Royal for a touchdown 12 seconds before halftime to give Tech the lead for good at 20-14. And Taylor rolled left for five yards on a called pass and outmotored U.Va. defenders to the pylon for 30-21 and all-she-wrote with 11:50 to go.

"I'm going to talk to [Taylor] when we get on this bus," Hokies offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring said with a grin. "I don't know how much he thought about throwing it. I think it says a lot about a young man, 18 years of age, who has the poise and the belief he can make plays. And it showed here today."

So did the numbers -- Tech's 430 yards worth of real estate, Glennon's 260 through the air (on only 13 completions), Branden Ore's 147 on the ground -- that belied the struggle the winners encountered.

"If it'd been an easy win," said Hokies linebacker Vince Hall, another senior, "I don't think it would've felt as good as it does now."

The glow includes a division title, a berth in the ACC championship, a shot at a BCS bowl game -- and continued mastery of the team it loves to keep glued to the mat above all others.

"It's always important to beat your rival," Royal said. "It's never a good season when you lose to U.Va."

Except, how would he know?

Cavs couldn't keep up
Dave Fairbank
7:49 PM EST, November 24, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE

Admit it, Virginia fans. At 23-21 late in the third quarter, you started thinking Chris Gould from 40 yards with a minute to go, minute-and-a-half tops. Cavs 24, Hokies 23, and Barkeep, don't stop pouring until our eyeballs sink below the foot rail.

Perfectly understandable. Virginia has prospered on the edge all season, going into unprecedented territory when it comes to playing, and winning, close games.

Why not allow yourself to think that this particular year, this particular day, would be when your Cavaliers figured out a way to beat those #!@*%&! Hokies?

Instead, as you're well aware, it's yet another mouthful of charcoal dust for the Order of the Crossed Sabres. No uncharted stars. No fortuitous bounces. No last-minute heroics. Just a 33-21 loss that seemed appropriate, given the disparity between the two programs.

"We didn't have quite what we needed in every respect today," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "Games that we've won, we've gotten contributions from all areas. It's been a collaborative effort between coaching staff, offense, defense, special teams. It's the same way today. We just didn't get quite enough in any of those areas."

For those fond of silver linings, at least Saturday's affair at Scott Stadium was befitting a game with championship ramifications.

Though Tech made it eight of the last nine in what has become an increasingly one-sided rivalry, the game was nothing like the previous two meetings.

Tech won 17-0 in Blacksburg last year, when the Cavaliers couldn't have scored if they had played for a week. The Hokies piano-wired U.Va. 52-14 here two years ago, sending the faithful into a funk for weeks.

"We've come a long way," Virginia All-America defensive end Chris Long said, "but we can't let our offense down like we did today. Thirty points in any game is unacceptable. Granted, they made some plays – they have some great players – but we just can't make mistakes like we did."

Tech's advantage, or Virginia's disadvantage, was rooted in speed. The Hokies are wicked-fast on the perimeter, on both offense and defense. Freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor provides one more weapon/headache.

That speed prevented Virginia's offense from springing its backs and tight ends, which the Cavaliers have done all season. It also forced Virginia's defensive backs to give sizable cushions to Hokies' receivers, in an attempt to prevent deep balls.

"They've got real speed on the edges," Groh said. "They've got speed with those four wide receivers, they've got real speed with those corners. When you can stretch the field offensively with that kind of speed and narrow it down defensively with speed like that on the edges, that obviously is very challenging."

And yet the Cavaliers were right there. They absorbed an early 10-point punch to take a 14-13 lead. They cashed in after Long strip-sacked Sean Glennon in Tech territory and pulled within 23-21 late in the third quarter.

Suddenly, the spectre of five victories by two points or less began to loom.

"You let them stick around and they make you pay for it," Tech offensive tackle Duane Brown said.

That's where it ended. Virginia was unable to duplicate previous performances, magic, whatever.

"This game was a lot more physical when it really counted," Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell said, "and we couldn't match it and it showed."

Sewell is a gifted athlete and erratic passer who at times is harder to watch than "A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila." Most of his difficulties Saturday, however, were more a product of Tech's defensive effort than his own inconsistency.

The Hokies sacked him six times and he had to go to the sidelines for a spell in the fourth quarter when Tech defensive end Chris Ellis chased him down and tried to fold him in half.

"It's a fast team," Sewell said, "and sometimes it's just hard to deal with speed. They started bringing a lot of pressure toward the end of the game, and it just messed us up a lot."

Consolation for the Cavaliers comes from the knowledge that their season isn't over. They have a bowl game and the possibility of becoming only the second team in the history of the program to win 10 games.

"I'm looking forward to playing another game," Groh said. "The only problem with it is that it doesn't come soon enough."

Sudden swing subdues Cavs
Virginia thought it would have halftime advantage over Tech
Sunday, Nov 25, 2007 - 12:06 AM 
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Worst case, the Virginia Cavaliers figured, they'd go into halftime leading No. 8 Virginia Tech 14-13.

Best case, they'd score a touchdown and go in up 21-13.

Somewhere in between was this scenario: They'd drive into field goal range and add three points for a 17-13 halftime lead.

A game-changing turnover wasn't in the plans for the No. 16 Wahoos, but that's what befell them in the final minute of the second quarter. And 40 seconds later, they retreated to the locker room trailing 20-14.

Virginia would pull to 23-21 late in the third quarter, but Al Groh's team never regained the lead. And when the final second ticked off the clock at Scott Stadium yesterday, the scoreboard read: Virginia Tech 33, U.Va. 21.

And now, instead of heading to Jacksonville, Fla., to represent the Coastal Division in next Saturday's ACC championship game, Virginia (6-2 ACC, 9-3) will have to await a bid from an undetermined bowl after losing to Tech (7-1, 10-2) for the fourth straight season.

"That was a big blow," U.Va. linebacker Clint Sintim said of the touchdown Tech scored with 12 seconds left in the half. "Coach always talks about scoring at the end of the half, and when it happens to you on the other side of the ball and they make a play at the end of the half, it's kind of like stealing points."

After Sintim's third sack of the opening half, the Hokies were forced to punt, and Virginia took over at its 43-yard line with 53 seconds to go, leading 14-13. On first down, sophomore quarterback Jameel Sewell hit freshman wideout Staton Jobe on a slant that gained 16 yards to the Tech 41.

Another 10 yards or so, and U.Va. would have been in senior Chris Gould's field goal range. But on the next play, Tech junior Brandon Flowers, one of the nation's premier cornerbacks, stepped in front of wide receiver Maurice Covington and picked off Sewell's pass.

Suddenly, Tech had the ball on its 35, with 40 seconds to work with. One play later - a 26-yard completion from quarterback Sean Glennon to senior wideout Josh Morgan - the Hokies were at the U.Va. 39. After a Glennon incompletion, he found senior wideout Eddie Royal, who'd blown past reserve safety Jamaal Jackson, open on a post pattern for a 39-yard TD pass that stunned the Cavaliers.

"If we look back on the score, that's a substantial seven points, and it turns out to be seven points we have no chance to answer," said Groh, who fell to 1-6 against Tech as U.Va.'s coach. "It's like seven bonus points."

Virginia will rue several second-half breakdowns, too. With the score 23-21 and Mikell Simpson (16 carries for 81 yards and one TD) temporarily sidelined with cramps, junior Andrew Pearman took over at tailback. On second and 5 from U.Va.'s 31, Pearman ran for 4 yards, but on third and 1, he was dropped for a 1-yard loss.

The Cavaliers had to punt, and the Hokies answered with a 68-yard drive that ended with quarterback Tyrod Taylor's 5-yard touchdown run on third and goal. That TD - the second for the electrifying true freshman from Hampton High - frustrated Groh, too.

The Cavaliers knew it was coming, he said, and still couldn't stop it.

Had U.Va. held Tech to a field goal there, the score would have been 26-21 with 11:50 left. For a Virginia team that set an NCAA record for close victories this season, that might not have been an insurmountable obstacle.

But the Wahoos failed to execute when they needed to on Taylor's run, just as they failed to knock down a third-down heave by Glennon from midfield that senior wideout Josh Hyman caught at the U.Va. 18 with about six minutes left. Four plays later, Jud Dunlevy booted his fourth field goal to make it 33-21, and the reality of yet another loss to the Hokies set in for Virginia.

"As I think back on the game, there's 17 points there condensed into that little time frame," Groh said. "It was just about three or four plays where we came up short in terms of making the play, but that's usually the way most games are determined."





 

BUMMERBALL
Cavs blow lead, shot at ACC title
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
November 25, 2007

With grass stains covering his white pants, Tom Santi turned and looked at the massive scoreboard inside Scott Stadium for the last time in uniform.

Disbelieving the final numbers, which read “Virginia Tech 33, Virginia 21,” tears freely flowed from the eyes of Virginia’s senior tight end.

Once again, the Cavaliers came up short in their quest to beat their in-state rival and reclaim the Commonwealth Cup.

This time, however, it was far more costly - Virginia (9-3, 6-2 ACC) missed a chance to win its first-ever Coastal Division title and the opportunity to play in the ACC championship game.

Instead, Virginia Tech (10-2, 7-1 ACC) claimed the crown, drawing a rematch with Atlantic Division champ Boston College. The eighth-ranked Hokies and the Eagles (10-2, 6-2 ACC) meet Saturday at 1 p.m. in Jacksonville, Fla.

The loss left Virginia’s senior class, with the exception of Ian-Yates Cunningham and Gordie Sammis, winless against the Hokies.

“It’s hard, especially for all the seniors,” said Virginia sophomore defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald. “I just wanted to go out there and win because it was a big game, but most definitely for the seniors.

“It was their last time against Tech and their last time in Scott Stadium. I just feel sorry they had to go out that way.”

Virginia certainly had its chances on offense and defense.

The Cavaliers, in fact, took a 14-13 lead in the second quarter after quarterback Jameel Sewell bulled into the end zone for an 8-yard TD run with 6:35 left.

It marked Virginia’s first lead over the Hokies since 2004, but the advantage was erased as the first half neared completion.

With 40 seconds left and the ball at the Virginia Tech 41, which was nearing field-goal range, Sewell threw a pass intended for Maurice Covington that hit Hokie cornerback Brandon Flowers in stride.

“It looked like [Flowers] sat on it pretty good,” said Virginia coach Al Groh. “[Covington] probably could have come back on the ball a little more aggressively, created a little bit more space.”

Three plays and 28 seconds later, Virginia Tech took the lead for good, at 20-13, when quarterback Sean Glennon connected with Eddie Royal, who beat safeties Jamaal Jackson and Byron Glaspy for a 39-yard touchdown.

“We had the ball, hoping to get it into the point where we had the chance for at least three points before the end of the half, and the next thing we know we are sending in the extra-point block [team],” Groh said. “That turnaround right there, obviously, was a dramatic one in terms of how the overall game played out.”

After allowing a 29-yard field goal by Virginia Tech’s Jud Dunlevy with 7:51 left in the third quarter, Virginia appeared primed for another comeback, an overriding theme to the season.

Virginia defensive end Chris Long, who had his jersey retired before the game, broke the middle of the Hokies’ offensive line and sacked Glennon, forcing a fumble that was recovered at the Virginia Tech 28 by linebacker Antonio Appleby.

Facing third-and-12 at the Hokie 19, Sewell kept the ensuing drive alive by scrambling right and throwing against the grain for a 17-yard completion to a tight end Jon Stupar. Sewell promptly rushed into the end zone on the next play, trimming the lead to 23-21.

After forcing a quick Virginia Tech punt, Virginia suffered a setback offensively when tailback Mikell Simpson developed cramps after a 5-yard carry on first down.

The sophomore was forced to leave the game and the Cavaliers failed to convert on a third-and-1 when Andrew Pearman lost a yard on a carry up the middle.

Groh did not use Simpson’s absence as an excuse.

“That would just be a copout on our part to say because one player out of 21 wasn’t in the game that it hindered our efforts,” the coach said.

Simpson, who scored Virginia’s first touchdown in the first quarter, took full blame.

“Cramps happen, but I feel I let my team down with a cramp at that time,” Simpson said.

“We had a lot of momentum at that time, and we could have driven the ball down and taken the lead.”

Virginia failed to mount a rally in the fourth quarter as it gained only 30 yards on its final 13 plays and lost Sewell for five plays after he injured his ribs when Virginia Tech defensive end Chris Ellis tackled the quarterback by the collar.

The Hokies padded their lead in the final frame, scoring on a 5-yard scoring scramble by reserve quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who rushed for 17 yards and two touchdowns, and on a 26-yard field goal from Dunlevy, his fourth of the game.

Thanks in part to their woeful fourth quarter, the Cavaliers finished with 241 yards of total offense. Sewell, who finished 15 of 24, passed for just 121 yards.

Virginia Tech, behind a season-best 147 yards rushing from tailback Branden Ore and 260 yards passing from Glennon, accumulated 430 yards of total offense and all six trips into the red zone led to points.

“It was just about three or four plays where we came up short in terms of making the play,” Groh said, “but that’s the way most games are usually determined.”

One of the forgettable plays came in the third quarter when Virginia punter Ryan Weigand had an attempt blocked and recovered by Davon Morgan. It led to a field goal and gave the Hokies a 23-14 lead.

“The snap was off a little bit to the right, which led him into the rush, [Weigand] kicked it towards the rush and he was unusually slow on it,” Groh said. “No matter how much we practiced it, clearly we didn’t practice it enough.”

Known for their prowess on special teams, Virginia Tech confused Virginia on the play.

“We should have called a straight-ahead kick and not an angled kick,” Weigand said. “We kicked into an overloaded side and my world got rocked, basically.

“The first thing Coach says is, ‘You are operating too slow,’ and I told him I had a helmet in my knee so even if I operated faster … I didn’t even think they got a hand on it. I think I hit his entire body with the punt.”

While the Hokies know their next opponent, Virginia is forced to wait on its postseason fate, a likely trip to Florida for a bowl game.

“As might be expected, all of us are disappointed in the result,” Groh said. “But I’m proud of our team. I’m very proud of the effort they put into it today. I’m very proud of what they’ve accomplished to this particular point.

“The season’s not over yet. I am resolute in the fact that the season is not going to end this particular way. I’m looking forward to playing another game. The only problem with it is that it doesn’t come soon enough.”

 

Virginia's momentum gone in 28 seconds
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
November 25, 2007

Nicolas Cage would have been impressed.

In 2000, Cage starred in a movie in which cars were stolen in less than a minute.

Essentially, Virginia Tech pulled off a similar feat, yet it only took 28 seconds.

Trailing 14-13 on Saturday, the eighth-ranked Hokies snatched a short-lived lead from Virginia and never looked back.

The staggering turn of events started with exactly what Virginia wanted to avoid: a turnover.

Cavalier quarterback Jameel Sewell, after finding Staton Jobe for a 16-yard completion, made arguably the biggest mistake of his sophomore season.

With two timeouts left and a probable field goal becoming a possibility, Sewell threw a first-down pass for Maurice Covington that never reached the receiver.

Instead, Virginia Tech cornerback Brandon Flowers stepped in front of the pass, corralling his fifth interception of the season with 40 seconds left in the first half.

“It was a great play, but I’ve just got to try to make sure I make a little bit more accurate pass and I think we would have had a completion there,” Sewell said. “It was an exceptional play honestly.”

Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon, who was pulled from the starting lineup after an early-season loss at LSU only to regain his spot, made the Cavaliers’ pay for the miscue.

Two plays after moving the ball into Virginia territory with a 26-yard pass to Josh Morgan, Glennon used his right arm to dissect the Cavaliers’ secondary on a 39-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Royal.

The reception came after Royal found open grass between Virginia safeties Jamaal Jackson and Byron Glaspy.

“The ball almost knocked me down it was such a good throw. That play was all Sean Glennon,” Royal said. “It was the game plan - we saw a matchup that we liked and we kept going at it.”

The touchdown put Virginia Tech up 20-14 entering halftime, swinging the momentum over in the process.

“You look back at the final score, and that’s a substantial seven points that we had no chance to answer,” said Virginia coach Al Groh. “That was like seven bonus points.”

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer added: “It was super important. Any time you get points right before halftime, it’s a big deal in the game.”
 

Sewell takes a pounding
By Liz Keller / sports@dailyprogress.com | 978-7258
November 25, 2007

On a day when Virginia Tech outgained Virginia by nearly 200 yards on offense, it was no surprise that the Hokies’ defense consistently gave the Cavaliers fits - especially for quarterback Jameel Sewell.

The sophomore was held to 121 yards on 15-of-24 passing and was sacked six times. Despite tossing two touchdowns to keep his team in the game, he also threw a costly interception.

With 40 seconds left in the second quarter, Brandon Flowers picked off Sewell’s pass to set-up a touchdown for the Hokies, who gained a lead (20-14) they would never relinquish.

“They are the top team we’ve played as far as pass rushing,” Sewell said. “They have a great defensive line, and linebackers add even more to deal with. But my offensive line did a great job with handling it. When they brought a whole lot, I just kind of held onto the ball too much toward the end of the game.

The Hokies defense was so fierce, Sewell got banged up in the fourth quarter and was replaced by true freshman Peter Lalich for one series. Sewell later returned to the game.

“They started dropping a lot of guys back and bringing as much pressure as they could without leaving the guy wide open,” Sewell said. “It was just hard for some of us to pick up blitzes and for me to get away from them.”

Despite the stingy defense being played by the visiting Hokies, the Cavaliers were able to muster a comeback.

After Sewell cut the lead to 23-21 with a 2-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, it looked as though UVa could turn things around. But on the Cavaliers following possession, running back Mikell Simpson was taken out of the game with cramps. On third-and-1, UVa failed to convert, and the Hokies extended their lead on the following drive with a 5-yard TD run.

According to Sewell, the stalled drive was the turning point of the game.

“It was extremely disappointing because third-and-1, we can usually get that pretty easily. We’ve been doing that all season,” Sewell said. “Not being able to get that, it’s kind of a big heartbreaker because it could have turned around the game if we got that conversion.

“But things happen in the game of football and we just need to learn how to handle it.”

With Simpson out on that particular play, the Cavs turned to Andrew Pearman, who had seen limited duty. He carried the ball for just the third time in the game.

Simpson, who rushed for 81 yards on 16 carries, put all the blame on his shoulders.

“I feel at that point in the game, I let my team down,” Simpson said. “We had a lot of momentum at that time, and we could have driven the ball down and taken the lead.

“Who knows what would have happened after that point.”

The Cavaliers can play “what if” all day long, but Sewell knows UVa must keep pushing forward.

“We lost to Wyoming, and then we came back got on a streak. Then we got another loss to N.C. State and we bounced back,” Sewell said. “After today is over with, we just have to make sure we move forward.

“Everyone always says you have to learn from your mistakes, and that applies here as well. We have to forget about the past and focus on our next challenge. We know we have another game left and we have to get ready for that.”

 

Sintim's big day cut short following ejection
By Bart Isley/ risley@dailyprogress.com | 978-7247
November 25, 2007

Clint Sintim exploded for three sacks in the first half of Virginia’s loss to Virginia Tech on Saturday night. He also piled up 10 total tackles against the Hokies.

Predictably, it didn’t mean much to the junior linebacker in light of the loss.

“I just wish we could’ve won,” Sintim said. “It would’ve meant so much more if we would’ve won.”

Sintim’s hat trick was a career best. His previous high was a two-sack outing against Wyoming in the Cavaliers’ 2006 victory. Sintim has eight sacks now on the season and has been a force for Virginia at linebacker.

Sintim was also frustrated with missing a couple of sack opportunities, losing his grasp on the elusive Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech’s speedy quarterback who alternates with Sean Glennon.

“He did a great job of making plays when it mattered,” Sintim said of Taylor. “We knew when he was in the game he’s more of a scrambler, so he’s more apt to take advantage of that.”

Sintim was ejected near the end of the game on a play where Virginia Tech was attempting to run out the clock.

Glennon took the snap and instead of kneeling immediately, tried to burn extra clock to make sure that would be the game’s final play. Sintim broke through the Hokie offensive line and couldn’t tell if the quarterback was going to kneel or take off, so Sintim hit Glennon and drew a flag.

The referee then ejected Sintim, which the linebacker didn’t even hear him do - he thought he was being subbed out as part of the normal rotation. The Woodbridge native, who has no reputation for dirty play, made it clear his intention wasn’t to vent frustration or hurt Glennon.

“It wasn’t dirty and I made a point to go find [Glennon] afterwards,” Sintim said. “He accepted the apology and was very understanding.”

The ejection won’t affect Sintim’s eligibility for the Cavaliers’ upcoming bowl game. Coach Al Groh felt like it wasn’t pertinent for the referee to throw Sintim out of the contest.

“Rather than the customary kneel down, which would’ve been sufficient, he decided to dance around,” Groh said. “I talked to [Sintim] and he said he was ‘doing some funky stuff.’ I thought it was unnecessary to eject the player.”

 

Long, Barber become UVa immortals
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
November 25, 2007

Virginia added two more retired football jerseys to its collection in two separate ceremonies on Saturday, honoring former star running back Tiki Barber and current defensive end Chris Long.

Long, who has one game remaining in his UVa career, would have probably traded the honor for a win after the Cavaliers suffered a 33-21 loss to state rival Virginia Tech.

The school retired Long’s jersey in a ceremony prior to the game.

“I didn’t know anything about it in advance,” Long said after the loss. “I just tried to stay focused on the game. It’s a tremendous honor, but there are 15 other seniors that I love dearly, and I just wanted to get out there and play football.”

There was no question about Long’s focus once the game began. He finished with six tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, 1 1/2 tackles for a loss and a forced fumble on a strip sack of Hokies’ quarterback Sean Glennon that led to UVa’s third-quarter touchdown (the Cavs trailed 23-21).

It was Long’s fourth multi-sack game of the season and his 14th sack of the campaign (13 solo), which tied for the third-most in a single season at UVa. Long ranked fifth in the country in sacks coming into the game.

After the game, the senior captain, who grew up in Charlottesville, couldn’t escape the empty feeling that accompanied losing in his final appearance at Scott Stadium.

“It hurts badly to lose,” Long said. “At the same time, we want to get back. I’m already anxious to get back and find out where we’re going to play next (in a bowl game).”

UVa coach Al Groh, who has praised Long’s efforts for the past three seasons, said that retiring No. 91’s jersey was the right thing to do and that Saturday was the right time to present the honor.

“Chris is finishing his career with one more game to go as one of the all-time great Virginia players,” Groh said. “It was fitting to recognize him at this time as such.”

Honoring Long, then Barber during a halftime ceremony, opened the door for more similar moments in UVa’s football future.

“It provides us with the opportunity to retroactively do the same thing over time for other players who deserve the same sort of recognition,” Groh said. “We’ve got a process and criteria in place for that, and as time goes on, we’ll be continuing that with other deserving players.”

One of those was Barber, a Roanoke native who completed his UVa football career in 1996 as the Cavaliers’ all-time leading rusher (3,389 yards). The ACC Player of the Year that season, Barber led the conference in rushing, all-purpose yards and punt returns.

Having retired after last season as the holder of several New York Giants’ all-time records, including the franchise’s rushing title, Barber has embarked on a broadcasting career with NBC.

He was accompanied on the field Saturday by his sons, A.J. and Chason, both wearing No. 21 Virginia jerseys, as did their dad.

Barber was not available for comment.

Only six Virginia players have had their uniform numbers retired, meaning those numbers will never be worn again. However, the new jersey retirement means that the player will be honored but their number will remain active.

VIRGINIA'S RETIRED NUMBERS
12 l Shawn Moore

Quarterbacked UVa to two New Year’s Day bowl appearances and a share of the school’s first-ever ACC title. Virginia’s all-time passing and total offense leader set more than 30 NCAA, ACC and UVa records during his career from 1988-90.

24 l Frank Quayle

Became the Cavs’ most versatile player since Dudley. Quayle, who is now the color analyst for Virginia football broadcasts, was named ACC Player of the Year in 1968 and was ACC Athlete of the Year for 1968-69.

35 l Bill Dudley

They called him “The Bullet,” and with good reason. He was a one-man wrecking crew, who was a great runner, passer, kicker and defensive player from 1939-41. Finished fifth in the Heisman balloting in 1941 and is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

48 l Joe Palumbo

Considered the best defensive guard in Wahoo history, he helped lead UVa to a 23-5 record between 1949-51. He was a first-team All-America selection in ’51 and is a member of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.

73 l Jim Dombrowski

Was UVa’s starting left offensive tackle for four consecutive years (1982-85) and became the Cavaliers’ first-ever unanimous All-American.

97 l Gene Edmonds

A halfback on UVa’s 1948 and 1949 teams, he was killed in a tragic auto accident near Scott Stadium on Nov. 29, 1949, hours after scoring the Cavs’ second touchdown in a 28-14 loss to Tulane. His number was retired as a memorial by coach Art Guepe.

 

Virginia forced to play bowl waiting game
By Bart Isley / risley@dailyprogress.com | 978-7402
November 25, 2007

Virginia won’t be making a trip to Jacksonville, Fla., next week, but after the Cavs’ 33-21 loss to Virginia Tech, odds are good they’ll make at least one more trip to Florida before the end of the year.

The Cavaliers could be headed to the Gator, Chick-Fil-A or Champs Sports bowls, with both the Gator (Jacksonville) and Champs (Orlando) games in Florida. The Gator Bowl’s representatives have said they’ll pass on the ACC Championship runner-up because it would mean two straight trips to Jacksonville for that squad. The Gator will likely be choosing between Clemson, Wake Forest and Virginia.

All three have at least two ACC losses. That would leave the Chick-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta choosing between the loser of the ACC title game and the two leftover squads. Beyond that, the Champs Bowl would have the fourth selection and could be left with Virginia and Wake Forest as ACC options.

Boston College, which will face Virginia Tech in the league title game, boasts Heisman contender Matt Ryan while Clemson and Virginia Tech’s fan bases have traditionally traveled well.

“Virginia is always an attractive option for us,” said Champs Bowl selection committee member Ron Patterson after Virginia’s loss. “Right now it’s way too soon to tell. We don’t know if Virginia is going to be available to us or not. But we’d love to see them.”

The Cavs will have to wait and see how the process shakes out, but a post-Christmas vacation on Dec. 28 in Orlando could end up being the postseason destination for the Cavaliers.

Royal puts together huge first half

Virginia Tech senior wide receiver Eddie Royal is billed as a speed demon by anyone and everyone that plays against him, and he had a big-time first half for the Hokies against the Cavaliers, finishing with 132 yards and a touchdown on five catches before the break.

Royal made an impact on Virginia’s first punt too, though not in his usual way. The ACC’s career leader in punt return yardage took off to his left, drawing the Virginia coverage unit to the electric return man.

Royal then flipped the ball on a reverse to fellow senior Justin Harper, who sprinted 43 yards and set-up the Hokie offense at the Virginia 41.

Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor capitalized just 1 minute, 19 seconds later on a 9-yard run that gave the Hokies a 7-0 advantage.

Cook nabs first INT of season

Royal’s only mistake in the first half came as a passer when Virginia corner Chris Cook intercepted the senior on a wide receiver throwback.

The pick against Royal was Cook’s first interception of the season. He was injured for a portion of the year and has seen action in eight games, starting in six of them.

A drought ends

Virginia’s 14-13 lead late in the second quarter that came on a Jameel Sewell 8-yard sprint was the Cavs’ first lead against Tech since taking a 7-0 advantage in the third quarter of the teams’ 2004 meeting.

That’s more than 10 quarters of football without being ahead of the Hokies.

 

Long gets pregame surprise in finale
He and Tiki Barber honored when their jerseys are retired
Sunday, Nov 25, 2007 - 12:06 AM Updated: 02:41 AM
By MICHAEL PHILLIPS
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE - For four years, Chris Long has been in "nonstop mode."

He's turned afternoon workouts into evening workouts. He's watched more tape than Siskel and Ebert combined. He's led the Virginia defense into battle in dozens of games.

But now the ride is almost over, and Long feels as if he's just buckled up.

"There have been a lot of great memories, but it flies by," he said. "It went so fast."

During his final game at Scott Stadium yesterday, a 33-21 loss to Virginia Tech, his jersey was retired along with the one worn by legendary Cavs running back Tiki Barber. Long then went out and showed why, making key defensive contributions to keep the game close.

"Chris is finishing his career, with one more game to go, as one of the all-time great Virginia players," Cavaliers coach Al Groh said.

Long was relatively quiet in the first half but broke free in the third quarter by forcing a fumble deep in Tech's territory. After laying down the big hit, he ran into the offensive huddle, jumping around and firing up the players. Virginia went on to score a touchdown on that drive.

When the Hokies got the ball back, they faced third and 9. The call was a blitz, and Long did his part, throwing his left arm into the pocket and feeling around for quarterback Tyrod Taylor, whom he grabbed and brought down.

"He's such a great player, such a relentless player, that it takes an awful lot to shut him down," Groh said. "They just couldn't keep him quiet for the full day."

It was Virginia that found a way to catch him off guard, by not telling him about the jersey retirement until he walked onto the field with his parents before the game.

"It's a tremendous honor," Long said. "But there were 15 to 20 other seniors that I love dearly, and I just wanted to get out with them and play football."

During the ceremony, Long was the last player introduced. He received the biggest ovation from the sellout crowd.

He came into the game fifth in the country in sacks with 1.09 per game and bumped up that average by picking up another 1.5 yesterday to go with his six tackles. It's a relentless attack that he brings each day to practice.

"He's just in nonstop mode," defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald (Hermitage High) said. "His desire to get better and win out there is something you don't expect from a guy of his caliber. I've learned a lot from him."

Long will take the field one more time, in Virginia's still-to-be-determined bowl game, but he understands he's at the end of a special career. He's virtually assured of a spot on the all-ACC team and could find out about his selection as soon as today.

Even with all the honors, his thoughts weren't of the history he's created, but how recent that history seems.

"Hopefully, I can teach some of the younger guys that it goes so fast," he said. "Even for a guy who knows how fast things go - man, it went fast."
 

'O' IS THE SHOW
While the defense and special teams do fine, Hokies' offense shines Two-quarterback system and Ore's rushing help Tech reach ACC title game
Sunday, Nov 25, 2007 - 12:06 AM Updated: 02:28 AM
By DARRYL SLATER
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Everything bustled around Bryan Stinespring in the southeast corner of Scott Stadium.

Xavier Adibi raised the Commonwealth Cup above his head. Orion Martin dug out a piece of end zone grass with his cleat and handed it to Kory Robertson, who dropped it into a metal lunch pail, Virginia Tech's defensive talisman. Sergio Render conducted the Marching Virginians. Almost every Tech fan in the crowd aimed chants of "Ed-die! Ed-die!" at Eddie Royal.

Stinespring just stood still. Arms crossed, he stared into the crowd. He breathed in the scene, because he wanted to sear it all in his mind: the 33-21 victory over No. 16 Virginia yesterday and how his offense, once a laughingstock, ran so smoothly when Tech needed it most, gaining 430 yards and sending the No. 8 Hokies to the ACC championship game for a rematch with Boston College.

Stinespring, Tech's offensive coordinator and frequent object of public ire, swallowed hard later when he remembered gazing into the stands.

"I think sometimes, you've got to be able to enjoy the moment," he said. "Because if you're not careful in this game, winning becomes a relief and losing becomes devastating. I didn't want it to be a relief today."

The weight of this season still is heavy on Stinespring's shoulders, but perhaps he can exhale a bit now. The Hokies (7-1 ACC, 10-2) have reached the conference title game for the second time in three years thanks to Stinespring's quarterback rotation of junior Sean Glennon and true freshman Tyrod Taylor.

In three games since installing the rotation, Tech has averaged 39 points, 13 more than it averaged in its first nine games. Stinespring swapped quarterbacks 20 times yesterday, playing to the strengths of each, dismissing any potential comparisons to Florida's 2006 platooning of Chris Leak and Tim Tebow, who never rotated this much.

"This is our baby," Stinespring said.

There was Glennon's 39-yard touchdown pass to Royal with 12 seconds left in the first half, giving Tech a 20-14 lead it never surrendered. Cornerback Brandon Flowers' interception had handed the Hokies the ball at their 35-yard line with 40 seconds left.

There was the afternoon's most important drive, which started with Tech leading 23-21 and 14:50 left in the game. There was the afternoon's most important drive, which started with Tech leading 23-21 and 14:50 left in the game. Rarely this season have all the Hokies' strengths aligned so well.

On the possession's second play, Glennon threw a 25-yard pass to receiver Josh Morgan. Next play, tailback Branden Ore ran for 25 yards. He finished with 31 carries for 147 yards, breaking a 15-game streak of running for fewer than 100 yards.

On the final play, third down and goal from the 5, Taylor broke left and outran linebacker Jermaine Dias to the pylon, Dias barely getting a palm on Taylor's pants. Defensive back Nate Lyles got a hand on Taylor as he crossed the goal line.

"What makes the two-quarterback system so hard to defend is No. 5," Virginia defensive end Chris Long said of Taylor.

The 5-yard touchdown was Taylor's only play of a drive that lasted eight plays, 68 yards and three minutes. It affirmed all the Hokies' sunniest dreams from the grim days earlier this season when they averaged 294.6 yards through the first eight games.

"I wasn't 100 percent confident that it would come," Glennon said. "But I was 100 percent confident that we had the ability to do it."

Now, the Hokies get a rematch of their Oct. 25 game against Boston College, in which they squandered a 10-0 lead in the final 4:16 and lost 14-10. Now, they are a team reborn, averaging 416 yards in the four games since Boston College.

Yesterday, they had 13 plays of at least 10 yards, including a 56-yard pass to Royal, his longest catch since he was a freshman in 2004. He totaled a career-high 147 yards, in addition to Morgan's 75, and Virginia coach Al Groh called Tech's receivers "the biggest factor in the game today offensively."

"A lot of people were always doubting our offense," Royal said. "But I never once doubted us. I knew the talent we had. This doesn't surprise me at all."

There were times earlier this season, Glennon said, when Tech's offensive players got nervous when playing from behind, unsure if they could keep pace with their opponent. That feeling no longer tugs at the Hokies, who look faster and freer as they chase redemption without it.

"There hasn't been any panic," Glennon said. "We're 100 percent confident that we're going to keep scoring, keep scoring, keep scoring."
 

No ACC title and no trip to Orange Bowl
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 25, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE

It was a lot to lose in 60 minutes of November football.

"We didn't only lose a game," Virginia tailback Mikell Simpson said. "We lost to our rival; we lost a chance to win the ACC, and a chance to go to the Orange Bowl."

That about summed up the consequences of Virginia's 33-21 loss to Virginia Tech Saturday, on a cold, sunny afternoon at Scott Stadium. The Cavaliers will play again, and have a chance to become just the second team in school history to win 10 games, and players like Simpson tried to take some consolation from that fact after the program's fourth straight loss to its state rival.

"You look at any team that wins 10 games in college football, that's a successful season," Simpson said.

But Virginia (9-3, 6-2 ACC) was aiming for more than successful. Virginia was aiming for a championship, and still had a chance to achieve it heading into the fourth quarter Saturday, down just 23-21, with the Coastal Division title and a berth in next Saturday's ACC championship on the line.

"I definitely thought we were going to be able to bounce back," quarterback Jameel Sewell said.

The Cavaliers had all season, becoming the surprise of the ACC with their particular brand of resilient football. On the way to nine wins, Virginia overwhelmed few but outlasted many. On Saturday, though, they found the limit of how far that type of style can take them, which was to a more competitive game against their more-talented rival, but not to a win.

Deep balls. Jump balls. Scrambles from the pocket. The more athletic plays went to Tech all afternoon. Though they were just a handful, they were enough to decide the outcome.

"A lot of points on not very many plays," coach Al Groh said. "Those are the points that made the difference in final outcome."

Arguably the most damaging one came just before halftime, with Virginia up 14-13 and looking to add more, inside Tech territory with 40 seconds left. Sewell zipped a pass in the direction of Maurice Covington, but Brandon Flowers cut in front and picked it off at the Tech 35.

Tech's Sean Glennon hit Josh Morgan for 26 yards on the next play. After an incompletion, Glennon found speedy receiver Eddie Royal running in the Virginia secondary, with a step on safety Jamaal Jackson. Glennon placed the ball between the trailing Jackson and safety Byron Glaspy, who was closing from the other direction. Royal ran into the end zone untouched for a 39-yard touchdown.

"We had the ball with 40 seconds to go in the first half," Groh said. "And 28 seconds later, they had seven points."

Groh said they were like "bonus points" because Virginia didn't have a chance to answer before the half ended. Still, Virginia answered in the third quarter, cutting the lead to 23-21 after a sack and forced fumble by defensive end Chris Long gave the Cavaliers the ball at the Tech 27.

From then on, it was up to Virginia to stop the Hokies, which it couldn't do, even when it knew what play was coming. The Cavaliers knew, for instance, that quarterback Tyrod Taylor was going to run on third-and-goal from the 5. Taylor scored to make it 30-21 with 11:50 left. Virginia couldn't answer and Tech added a late field goal to seal it.

Glennon, Taylor, Royal and tailback Brandon Ore were the players Virginia had no solution for all afternoon. Royal caught six passes for 147 yards, leading a trio of receivers that was too big and fast for the Cavalier secondary. Taylor was an escape artist, Glennon was 13 of 19 for 260 yards and Ore rambled for 147 yards.

Virginia lacked big-play threats, which has been the case all season. Sewell's longest completion was 22 yards to tight end Jonathan Stupar.

Still, it was a better showing then Virginia managed in Blacksburg last season.

"Last year we really didn't do anything good against them," Sewell said. "We barely crossed the 50 yard line, and they pitched a shut out. This year we showed that we can play with the big teams."

That's a step, just not the giant one Virginia was hoping to make.

 

Hokies take down rival Cavs
Branden Ore has one of his best games of the season as Virginia Tech pulls away to 33-21 victory for the Commonwealth Cup.
By NORM WOOD | 247-4642
8:58 PM EST, November 24, 2007
 

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Though Branden Ore tried his best to do it justice, the scene in Virginia Tech's locker room Saturday after its 33-21 victory against Virginia defied any description.

Along with the requisite whooping and hollering, there was the 61-year-old coach Frank Beamer dancing a jig in the middle of the room to a hip-hop beat, according to Ore. Only a victory against Tech's biggest rival with a trip to next Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference championship game on the line could justify such a reaction.

Beamer, Ore and No. 8 Tech earned that moment by defeating U.Va. for the fourth consecutive time, and eighth time in the last nine meetings. With the victory, Tech (10-2 overall, 7-1 ACC) clinched the ACC Coastal Division title.

Now, a rematch game awaits Tech next weekend in Jacksonville, Fla., where the Hokies will play Boston College for the conference championship and an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl. On Oct. 25, Tech lost 14-10 to BC after the Eagles scored two touchdowns in the final two minutes and 11 seconds.

Even if Tech loses in the ACC championship game, there's a decent chance it will earn an at-large bid for a Bowl Championship Series game possibly the Sugar Bowl based on its placement in the BCS standings. If Tech loses the championship game and doesn't get a BCS at-large bid, the Chick-fil-A Bowl or Gator Bowl may come calling.

"It hasn't been easy," said Beamer regarding the final month of the season. "You're talking about Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami and then (U.Va.). That's a tough stretch. N.C. State (defeating) Virginia helped us, too, but I really felt like if we could just win our games, we could get another shot at Boston College."

Getting its ticket punched for the ACC championship game required Tech to use the same formula against No. 16 U.Va. (9-3, 6-2) it has employed in its last three games two quarterbacks, a rejuvenated running game, swarming defense and a killer instinct with the game on the line.

Tech rolled up 430 yards 299 passing and 131 rushing and held U.Va. to 241 yards. Tech quarterback Sean Glennon, who started the game, led the passing game by completing 13 of 19 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown. Taylor, who rotated with Glennon 20 times, finished 4 of 6 passing for 39 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns.

"Me and Tyrod were talking about (the two-quarterback system) and we were like, 'This is working'" Glennon said. "It's working well and we're both feeding into it. Neither of us is bitter toward the other. We're happy when each other does well and we're both getting out there and playing and scoring."

Ore fueled the running game with 31 carries for 147 yards. It was the first 100-yard plus rushing game for Ore since Oct. 26, 2006 when he ran for 203 yards in Tech's 24-7 win against Clemson.

After scoring on its first three possessions and building a 13-7 lead, Tech's first big offensive failure was a big one. On second-and-3 from U.Va.'s 45-yard line, Taylor tossed a lateral to wide receiver Eddie Royal in front of Tech's sidelines on second-and-3. Royal proceeded to throw across the field to Ore, but the pass was underthrown and intercepted by cornerback Chris Cook with 10:11 left in the quarter.

After the game, Beamer said he had "fired" Royal from throwing passes.

"I fired myself after that one," said Royal, who had six catches for a career high 147 yards and a touchdown. "I was embarrassed when it left my hand. I knew it was going the other way."

U.Va. took advantage of the turnover and went 52 yards in seven plays to grab the lead 14-13 on an 8-yard touchdown run by Simpson with 6:35 left in the second quarter. It would be U.Va.'s only lead of the day.

"We didn't have quite what we needed in every respect today," U.Va. coach Al Groh said. "In the games that we won, we got contributions from all areas?It was thesame way today, but we just didn't get quite enough in any of those areas." Tech reclaimed the lead for good in the last minute of the half thanks to cornerback Brandon Flowers. He intercepted a pass from Sewell to set up the Hokies' offense at its own 35 with 40 seconds left. Three plays later, Royal broke free from safety Jamaal Jackson on a corner post for a 39-yard touchdown pass from Glennon to put Tech ahead 20-14 with 12 seconds remaining.

Ore took over in the second half, running 21 times for 99 yards, but U.Va. still had some life. Defensive end Chris Long, who contributed 1½ of U.Va.'s six sacks, forced a fumble when he sacked Glennon with 5:37 left in the third quarter. Linebacker Antonio Appleby recovered the fumble at Tech's 28.

On U.Va.'s next drive, Sewell completed a 17-yard pass to tight end Jonathan Stupar on third-and-12 from the 19. Sewell then scored on a 2-yard run with 2:51 left to cut Tech's lead to 23-21 with 2:51 left in the third quarter.

Ore ran for 38 yards on Tech's first drive of the fourth quarter. The drive was capped off by a 5-yard touchdown run from Taylor on a keeper where he looked to pass first. Instead, he outran linebacker Jermaine Dias to the end zone and to boost Tech's lead to 30-21 with 11:50 left. Tech's defense didn't give U.Va. any more chances, holding the Cavaliers to 38 yards on their final three drives.

"Those guys know how to win those close games," Ore said. "They've been in a couple of those, so we knew we had to come out and put some points on the board. ? We had to come out, pound the football, run time off the clock and we were successful doing that."
 

Consensus is clear on Hokies' Taylor
David Teel
November 25, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE

He was the best player on the field — as usual. But on the day his jersey was retired, in a game he wanted more than any other, Chris Long's best wasn't good enough.

But rather than sulk, rather than hurl equipment or retreat into self-pity, this University of Virginia All-American summoned the pure sportsman we've been privileged to witness for four seasons. He sought out the young man most responsible for denying him on this memorable Saturday.

He found Tyrod Taylor. Freshman Tyrod Taylor, the Virginia Tech quarterback who one day figures to be the premier talent in this burgeoning rivalry.

"He's going to be a heck of a player," Long said. "As a matter of fact, like I told him after the game — he already is a heck of a player, because of what he brings to the table athletically."

In a 33-21 victory that sends Tech to next week's ACC championship game against Boston College, Taylor's numbers paled to his teammates'.

He didn't rush for more than 100 yards like Branden Ore, pass for more than 250 like Sean Glennon or catch passes for more than 140 like Eddie Royal — though sometimes you get the feeling nothing is beyond Taylor's reach.

But during three hours that unveiled the potential in the Hokies' mad-scientist, two-quarterback system, Taylor executed and created like no rookie had a right to — on the road in the season's defining contest against the nation's No. 16 team.

"He's special, man," said Duane Brown, the lineman responsible for protecting Taylor's back side.

"It's rare you find a guy coming out of high school with that kind of ability. I'm just lucky to play with him my last year."

Rare ability, yes. But most important, rare humility.

Recruits such as Taylor, hailed throughout his time at Hampton High, often arrive on campus with a play-me-now, ask-questions-later 'tude. The notion of sharing a position, especially after winning your first five starts? Preposterous.

Not to Taylor. He and Glennon, a junior, have tossed egos aside. Taylor applauds Glennon's downfield passes — Glennon averaged 20 yards on 13 completions Saturday.

Glennon marvels at Taylor's escapes — even Long, the nation's best defensive lineman, grasped at air a few times.

"We like it a lot," Taylor said of the rotation.

"Right now we're clicking."

Prompted by injuries and performances no one could have fathomed, Tech coach Frank Beamer, offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring and quarterbacks coach Mike O'Cain have settled on a seat-o'-the-pants rotation between Glennon and Taylor that Saturday evolved for the first time without one of the principals getting knocked woozy.

The swapping has produced results — old-guy reference here — Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson only could have dreamed of.

In the three November games Glennon and Taylor have shared time, the eighth-ranked Hokies (10-2, 7-1 ACC) have scored 117 points — 39 a game for the math-impaired.

Taylor scored Tech's first touchdown on a 9-yard run. The play required him to read the defensive end and either hand off to Ore or sprint toward the left corner.

Taylor sprinted and scored easily. Glennon couldn't make that play with the Seven Blocks of Granite leading him.

Glennon produced the Hokies' second touchdown with a 39-yard strike to Royal.

Lined up in the left slot, Royal took two steps toward the corner before breaking inside toward the post. Glennon hit him in stride. Taylor will make that throw someday, but on this stage it was probably above his pay grade.

"When you've got quarterbacks that are so different, it adds something to your offense," Beamer said.

The Hokies switched Glennon and Taylor 20 times.

None was more critical than early in the fourth quarter when Taylor trotted out for a third-and-goal from the 5.

Tech led 23-21 but three times had settled for short Jud Dunlevy field goals.

Another one here, and Virginia remains a touchdown from the lead. Taylor took a shotgun snap. His first option was a pass to Josh Hyman or Josh Morgan; his second was a quarterback draw; his third was to run left and hope against hope Brown and Nick Marshman had sealed Virginia's line.

"I'm going to talk to him when we get on that bus," Stinespring said with a smile, "because I'm not sure how much he looked to throw it."

Not much at all. Taylor quickly chose Option 3 and outraced linebacker Jermaine Dias and safety Nate Lyles to the pylon.

"It says a lot about a young man who's 18 years of age who has the poise and belief that he can make plays," Stinespring said.

For all the stakes, hype and drama, Taylor appeared unaffected by his first encounter with the Tech-Virginia rivalry.

"It reminded me," he said, "of an overcrowded Hampton-Phoebus game."

 

Groh points to 2 plays
Tech's interception before the half and Tyrod Taylor's dash to the pylon in the final period were keys, says coach.
Doug Doughty

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- A mention of Virginia's lack of success against Virginia Tech presented an opportunity for UVa football coach Al Groh to show his touchy side Saturday.

He declined the invitation.

Groh wasn't making any excuses -- or apologies -- after a 33-21 setback that represented UVa's fourth straight loss to the Hokies and eighth in the teams' last nine meetings.

"Almost everybody who has played them has lost to them over that period of time," said Groh, who has a 1-6 record against the Hokies.

Seldom has there been more at stake for a Tech-UVa football contest. The Cavaliers (9-3, 6-2 ACC) could have clinched a berth in the ACC championship game with a victory Saturday.

Instead, the Hokies (10-2, 7-1) reign as Coastal Division champions and will meet Boston College (10-2, 6-2) on Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla.

"Our season's not over yet," said Groh, who knows that a bowl bid is assured. "We're resolute in the fact that the season's not going to end this way.

"We're looking forward to playing another game. The only problem is, it doesn't come soon enough."

Virginia has owed much of its success this season to fourth-quarter comebacks, but there was no more magic Saturday at Scott Stadium.

The Cavaliers, who trailed 23-21 after three quarters, could manage only 30 yards and two first downs in the final period.

"Going in, I think we were hoping that 21 [points] would be enough to win," Groh said. "Clearly, we didn't score enough and we gave up too many."

The Hokies had a convincing 430-241 advantage in total offense, but Groh felt there were two turning points.

The first came with the Cavaliers leading 14-13 and facing a first-and-10 from the Tech 41 in the final minute of the first half.

Tech cornerback Brandon Flowers stepped in front of a Jameel Sewell pass for an interception at the 35, and the Hokies needed only three plays -- one an incompletion -- for Eddie Royal to score on a 39-yard reception with 12 seconds remaining.

"We had the ball with 40 seconds left and, 28 seconds later, they had seven points," Groh said. "As we look back on the score, that's a substantial seven points. And, it turned out to be seven points we didn't have a chance to answer."

Sewell completed 15 of 24 passes for 121 yards, the first time in five games that he had failed to throw for more than 200 yards, but the pickoff by Flowers was the lone interception.

"He made a good break on the ball," Sewell said. "He's a good DB, a real good DB. That was just a heckuva play. I kind of left the ball a little bit inside, though, and didn't have enough velocity."

The Hokies got the ball to start the second half and were able to increase their 20-14 halftime advantage to 23-14 on the third of Jud Dunlevy's four field goals.

The Cavaliers had rallied from a 10-0 deficit to grab the lead in the first half and they were able to get as close as 23-21 when Sewell scored on a 2-yard run with 2:51 left in the third quarter.

It appeared that Virginia had all the momentum when defensive end Chris Long sacked Tyrod Taylor and forced a Tech punt with 1:16 remained in the quarter.

Virginia took over at its 26 and got a 5-yard run from Mikell Simpson before he was pushed out of bounds in front of the Tech bench. At the time, Simpson had carried 15 times for 80 yards, but he did not get up.

"I feel our offense had a lot of confidence at that point," said Simpson, who eventually was helped from the field with cramps.

"I feel as though I let the team down. Who knows what would have happened if we could have kept going at that point?"

Simpson was able to return to the game, but not until a later series. A 4-yard gain by Andrew Pearman left the Cavaliers with a third-and-1. Then, Pearman was thrown for a loss by Barry Booker.

"It was extremely disappointing," Sewell said. "Third-and-one, we can usually pick that up pretty easily. We've done that all season. It could have turned the whole game around if we'd gotten that conversion."

A short punt by Chris Gould gave good field position to the Hokies, who needed eight plays to drive 68 yards for a touchdown that made it 30-21 with 11:50 remaining.

To Groh, that was the second turning point. If the Cavaliers had been able to hold Tech on third-and-goal from the 5 and force a Hokies' field goal, it would have remained a one-score game.

However, Taylor beat UVa linebacker Jermaine Dias in a dash to the pylon.

"We know what the play's going to be and, on top of that, there's a timeout for us to have the opportunity to discuss it," Groh said. "It was about three or four plays where we came up short, but that's the way most games are."
 

Seton Hall hands Cavs their 1st loss
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
November 25, 2007

PHILADELPHIA – After an agonizing loss to Virginia Tech in football on Saturday afternoon, Virginia fans were looking to ease their pain by watching their undefeated basketball team in the Philly Hoop Group Classic.

With a scant number of challenging games in the near future, there was some thought, er, hope, that UVa could be undefeated heading into ACC play in January.

But that won’t be happening.

On Saturday night at the Palestra, No. 23 Virginia played its worst all-around game of the young season, losing to Seton Hall, 74-60, in the final round of the event in Philadelphia.

“They made it into a backyard kind of game,” said Virginia coach Dave Leitao. “They really took the game from being pretty and just came after us on both ends.

“We really didn’t do a good job of handling that, or much else after that. They made us play back on our heels … I thought we didn’t do a good job in a lot of areas.”

Virginia, which was led by Sean Singletary’s 23 points, looked nothing like the team that upset Arizona in Tucson last Saturday.

UVa shot just 33 percent from the floor and allowed a whopping 19 offensive rebounds.

“This was a monumental win for us and our program,” said Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez, whose players gave him a Gatorade bath afterward. “This was a neutral site and an ACC team - we felt like we had nothing to lose. Our kids were really up for it.

“I thought our defense was absolutely spectacular.”

Seton Hall was led by senior forward Brian Laing, who finished with 25 points.

“He’s been doing that all year,” Leitao said. “I didn’t think he did anything supernatural, but he’s a terrific athlete who’s got terrific mid-range skills. He’s a matchup problem.”

Virginia (5-1) trailed by 11 at the half. After the break, Seton Hall increased its lead to 15 on a 3-pointer by Eugene Harvey.

UVa scored just four points during one eight-minute stretch. The Cavaliers were able to cut it to eight on a Singletary triple with less than three minutes left, but they never drew closer.

Really, Virginia was in a funk from the opening tip. Playing their second game in as many nights, the Cavaliers looked sluggish.

“Seton Hall just played better,” said Virginia junior Lars Mikalauskas. “They had more energy and more heart than us.”

UVa somehow managed to hold an 18-17 lead after Adrian Joseph knocked down a free throw with 9:35 left in the half, but then Seton Hall (5-0) found its groove. The Pirates started lighting it up from the outside. They drained four 3-pointers - the last by Jamar Nutter - during a 14-4 run to go up 33-22.

Virginia’s defense in that stretch was abysmal. During a timeout, Leitao berated his players for failing to help each other out.

“We played defense over 80 minutes of this tournament for about seven - the first seven minutes of the [Penn game],” Leitao said.

UVa’s offense wasn’t much better. The Cavaliers shot just 32 percent in the opening 20 minutes. Singletary, playing in his hometown, looked like he was pressing for the second straight game. He was 3 of 11 from the floor with three turnovers in the first half.

Virginia had 10 first-half turnovers, while Seton Hall had just four.

The Pirates, led by Laing’s 14 points, took a 40-29 lead into the break.

Gonzalez says holding Singletary in check - he finished just 7 of 20 from the field - was huge.

“We thought if you cut off the head, the body dies,” Gonzalez said. “We knew we had to stop him. We put four or five different people on him.”

Mamadi Diane was the only Virginia player besides Singletary to hit double figures. He had 12.

After the game, Singletary initiated a players-only, closed-door meeting.

“I just told them that we’ve been here before and we have to mature,” Singletary said. “I think we’re going to be all right. It’s a little bump in the road. It’s a long season.’

Dunks

Virginia hosts Northwestern in a Big 10/ACC Challenge game on Tuesday. … Adrian Joseph had a career-high 16 rebounds, but Leitao wasn’t very impressed. “I don’t think Adrian played very well today,” he said. “His rebounding was there for him, obviously, but to whom much is given, much is expected. We’ve given him an opportunity to be a leader and he and all the older guys have to do a better job of stabilizing us.” … The homecomings of Virginia freshmen Jeff Jones and Sam Zeglinski weren’t what the duo probably had in mind. Jones had four points and two turnovers in 18 minutes. Zeglinski didn’t score in two minutes of action.