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UVa returns to homecourt
 By ANDREW JOYNER / Daily Progress staff writer
Dec 17, 2002
 
Since Virginia last played in University Hall: The Cavaliers advanced to the final of the Maui Invitational with wins over Chaminade and Kentucky, lost consecutive games to Indiana and Michigan State, entered the Associated Press top 25, fell out of that poll, regained the services of sophomore guard Jermaine Harper after a suspension for violating team rules and completed their exams.

A perspective from outside the team only reinforces the notion that it's been a while since UVa has played a home game.

In the 25-day span since Virginia hosted Long Island in its season opener Nov. 22, the UVa football team has beaten Maryland, lost to Virginia Tech and been a candidate for seemingly a jillion bowl games before landing in Charlotte. Additionally, USC quarterback Carson Palmer has gone from Heisman pretender to Heisman winner and Al Gore has hosted Saturday Night Live, then announced that he indeed won't seek the presidency in 2004.

Not since the 1982-83 season has Virginia experienced such a hiatus from its homecourt. That season, the Cavaliers hosted VMI on Dec. 4 and did not play again at U-Hall until Jan. 15. In that span, the Cavaliers defeated Georgetown in a highly-touted matchup and then beat Houston and Utah in games in Japan.

The one common trait between the two extended breaks? Well, that little school in Honolulu resurfaces. The difference this time is that Virginia returns home after beating Chaminade, a claim that the 1982-83 squad of course could not make.

The Cavaliers will have little time to shake off any rust from their 13-day layoff since Michigan State as tonight's contest against East Tennessee State is one of three in the next five days. They play Gardner-Webb on Thursday and then travel to Rutgers on Saturday.

"East Tennessee State will be a tough game for us. Gardner-Webb shoots the 3s very well and only lost to Tennessee by two and they're certainly a solid team. Then we have to go to Rutgers on Saturday which will be a killer game," UVa coach Pete Gillen said.

In its consecutive losses against Indiana in the Maui final and then at Michigan State, Gillen said his team suffered from some inconsistencies, particularly on offense. With four new players in the team's seven-to-eight man rotation that might be expected but it's not something that will have been aided by this respite.

"It's very early to tell right now having played just five games. Travis Watson has been consistent in terms of rebounding the ball but he's the only one that's been real consistent. Consistency has not been our strength," Gillen said. "We have four of our top seven or eight guys are new and they're feeling their way and we're learning about them."

Note. Former Fluvanna County and FUMA standout Michael Tolliver is a sophomore on East Tennessee State's roster. Tolliver, a Bremo Bluff native and the 1999 Central Virginia Player of the Year, is averaging 4.7 points and 10.8 minutes a game through the Buccaneers first six contests of the season.

 

 

Cavaliers part of Continental Tire Bowl sellout
 By JOHN GALINSKY / Daily Progress staff writer
Dec 17, 2002
 
The game is still 11 days away, but the inaugural Continental Tire Bowl already has been a tremendous success - at least at the box office.

All of the tickets for the Virginia-West Virginia matchup at 73,367-seat Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., have been sold. Cavalier fans snatched up at least 20,000 of those tickets, which school officials hope will alter the perception that UVa doesn't "travel well" to bowl games other than the Peach.

"I think we have certainly turned the corner here and shown how excited our fans are about supporting our team and our program," said athletic director Craig Littlepage. "I think our fans and alums have really embraced this team and they are excited about the direction this program is going."

UVa coach Al Groh said the enthusiastic response of the fans should help the school's reputation among bowl officials.

"It probably follows the same thing I say about evaluating players and teams: All I can go on is what I see," Groh said. "That ought to be all the bowls can go on."

The Peach, Gator and Tangerine bowls each bypassed the Cavaliers (8-5, 6-2 ACC) this year, largely because they believed other schools would bring more fans to their games. But Littlepage and Groh said they think that perception is inaccurate. They argue that Virginia has been unfairly stigmatized by low turnout for bowls such as the Carquest, Independence and Oahu.

"They are certain of these other games, some of them now deceased, there weren't any teams that brought fans there," Groh said. "It wasn't just a Virginia circumstance."

For the Continental Tire, UVa sold 18,500 tickets through its ticket office and received credit "conservatively" for 1,500 tickets through the bowl's ticket office in Charlotte, according to Virginia athletic ticket manager Dick Mathias. The game became an official sellout Monday afternoon, just over a week after tickets went on sale.

This response by UVa fans is not unprecedented. Since 1989, the Cavaliers have brought at least 12,000 fans to five bowl games, including 20,000 to a pair of Peach Bowls in Atlanta. Still, a heavy turnout on Dec. 28 could help eradicate the notion that Virginia fans are bad travelers.

"If the perceptions from the past hurt us this year, then I think the short-term success should result in a benefit for our program for years to come," Littlepage said.

No-shows? The fans are coming. Now the Cavaliers need to make sure they show up.

Another perception Groh would like to change is that Virginia is a bad bowl team. UVa has lost four straight bowl games by an average of 19 points since defeating Georgia in the 1995 Peach Bowl.

"We've certainly taken aim on a good performance," Groh said. "I think that's an important thing - play well, provide a competitive game for the fans. In the long run, your fans travel to see you win. If your fans don't think you have a good chance of winning, they don't travel."

Tough foe. Snapping the bowl losing streak won't be easy. The No. 15 Mountaineers (9-3, 6-1 Big East) have won six of their past seven games, with the lone loss coming to No. 1 Miami.

They rank second in the nation in rushing offense at 286.9 yards per game and also have a stingy defense.

"This is what bowl games are supposed to be," said Groh, whose team finished second in the ACC. "It matches up two teams who really earned their way into the game. They're not conference champions but they're the next-best thing, as if they were wild cards in the playoffs."

Out of action. Sophomore tailback Alvin Pearman and sophomore defensive end Chris Canty, both natives of Charlotte, won't be able to play in their hometown on Dec. 28.

Pearman, the team's second-leading rusher, injured his right knee Nov. 9 against Penn State and has since undergone surgery. Canty, a second-team All-ACC pick, hurt his left elbow Nov. 30 against Penn State.

Sophomore guard Elton Brown, who has a stress fracture in his right foot, has not practiced but is expected to play in the bowl game. Freshman defensive end Kwakou Robinson, who missed the final three regular-season games because of illness, also should be ready for the bowl, Groh said.

 

 

CONTINENTAL TIRE BOWL NOTES
UVa contributes to sellout

By DOUG DOUGHTY
THE ROANOKE TIMES

   CHARLOTTESVILLE - After being passed over by three bowls in what some interpreted as an inability to attract fans, Virginia took some glee Monday in reporting its involvement in a sellout for the first Continental Tire Bowl.

    Ticket manager Dick Mathias said UVa sold 18,500 tickets through his office and was given credit by the Tire Bowl for another 1,500 tickets sold at other venues.

    "I think that figure is probably a little low," Mathias said, "and I think the bowl people do, too. That's why [executive director] Ken Haines said Virginia would be bringing at least 20,000 fans."

    The Cavaliers (8-5) will meet West Virginia (9-3) at 11 a.m. on Dec.28 at 72,300-seat Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

    Mathias said the 20,000 figure was comparable to the following that Virginia had for each of its two Peach Bowl appearances in the 1990s.

    "We had at least a two-week window to sell tickets in both of those cases," Mathias said. "We've never sold this many tickets in one week before."

    Mathias said his office was getting ticket requests late Monday afternoon, hours after the game had sold out.

    The matchup did not become official until Dec.8, the day that choices for the Bowl Championship Series were announced. If Washington State had not beaten UCLA on Dec.7, UVa would have been headed for the Seattle Bowl, a much harder sell for its fans.

    "I think we've had a bad rap," Mathias said. "When the games have been within a reasonable drive for our fans - places like Atlanta, Jacksonville, Orlando - we've always taken between 15,000 and 18,000 fans."

    UVa coach Al Groh had made no secret of his preference for Charlotte, although the Cavaliers, who tied for second in the ACC, went to a game with the fifth choice of ACC teams.

    "It's the same thing I say about evaluating players and teams," Groh said. "All I can go on is what I see. Another thing they need to take into account: There's certain of these games, some of them now deceased, [to which] nobody brought fans."

    EARLY ARRIVAL: The Continental Tire Bowl does not require the teams to be on site until Dec.25, but the Cavaliers will be arriving in Charlotte on Saturday and catching an NFL game between Carolina and Chicago at Ericsson Stadium the next day.

    "I want to make sure the players feel that it was a positive experience and not just 'Hey, we're going to practice some more,'" Groh said. "We wanted it to be more than just another road game."

    ALMA MATERS: Groh and West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez are among 16 head coaches at 117 Division I-A programs who are coaching at their alma maters. Groh has coached against five already this season: Carl Franks (Duke), John Bunting (North Carolina), Chuck Amato (N.C. State), Ralph Friedgen (Maryland) and Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech).

    REGRETFUL HOMECOMING: Virginia has three players from Charlotte, two of whom will be sidelined by injuries - second-team All-ACC defensive lineman Chris Canty (elbow) and running back Alvin Pearman (knee). The third, junior linebacker Stanley Norfleet, has received virtually all of his playing time on special teams.

    WOULD-BE CAVALIER: Hikee Johnson, West Virginia's back-up fullback, signed with Virginia in 2000 but did not qualify for freshman eligibility and paid his way at WVU for one year before joining the team in 2001. Johnson, a SuperPrep All-American, was featured in the ESPN special, "The Season," on the 1999 North Penn (Pa.) High School team.

    LONG WAIT: There is optimism that sophomore linebacker Dennis Haley will make his first appearance since starting the opening game Aug.22. Although he was not injured, Haley became ineligible apparently under school rules but not NCAA rules. His suspension could be lifted, depending on the outcome of first-semester exams.

    ODDS 'N' ENDS: West Virginia is a five-point favorite, marking the 10th time in 14 games that Virginia has been the underdog. ... Angelo Crowell, who set a school record in 2001 with 144 tackles, had the second-most prolific season with 141 this year. UVa had four players with 100 or more tackles, including freshman outside linebacker Darryl Blackstock, whose 10 sacks were the high for Division I-A freshmen. ... Redshirt freshman Heath Miller had more touchdown receptions, nine, than any tight end in the country.

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO BOWL NOTES
Good seats still available

By RANDY KING
THE ROANOKE TIMES

   Virginia Tech football fans who find their Christmas stockings stuffed with C-notes, then encounter a late whim to travel to the Jan.31 Diamond Walnut San Francisco Bowl won't have to worry about one thing: There will be plenty of tickets available, right up to kickoff.

    Gary Cavalli, executive director of the inaugural bowl that pits No.19 Tech (9-4) vs. Air Force (8-4), projected Monday that ticket sales for the game will reach 30,000 by game time at 37,000-seat Pacific Bell Park. The bowl had sold 25,000 tickets and change as of Monday, Cavalli said. That total includes the 20,000 tickets allotted to the two schools - 12,500 to Tech and 7,500 to Air Force.

    "You always hope for more but this is a first-year game and there's a lot going on in the Bay Area with the Raiders and 49ers both headed for the playoffs and the Giants coming off the World Series," Cavalli said.

    "So I think it's going to take us a little bit of time. We've got some work to get this thing on the radar screen and build exposure for the game. I think that will come."

    Cavalli said the bowl has been "selling a couple of hundred tickets a day" in the San Francisco area. Most have come from Tech fans, he said.

    "We've got lot of people excited about seeing Virginia Tech, the first time [the Hokies] will sit foot in California," Cavalli said. "That's really where most of our orders have been coming from the last couple weeks, from the people out here who want to get a glimpse of Virginia Tech."

    The two schools are committed to purchasing any of the allotted tickets they don't sell. Sandy Smith, Tech's ticket manager, said Monday that he's pleased with sales but conceded the Hokies won't come close to selling their allotment.

    "I would anticipate we would have around 5,000 people there," said Smith, who wouldn't divulge exactly how many tickets Tech has sold.

    "I think ticket sales have been pretty good, particularly considering how far people have to go. They're not as good as what we would have if we were going to the Continental Tire Bowl" on Dec.26 in Charlotte, N.C. "We'd sold every one of those tickets we could have already gotten our hands on."

    Because the Mountain West Conference's deal with the bowl includes a cash payment from the league, Air Force was committed to 5,000 less tickets than Tech. The Big East's contract with the bowl involves only a ticket guarantee.

    So, for instance, if Tech winds up selling 5,000 tickets, it will have to reimburse the bowl for the 7,500 unsold tickets. Based on an average ticket price of $50, Tech would owe the bowl $375,000 in such a scenario. The Hokies will receive $1.225 million from the Big East's bowl revenue-sharing plan that pays in accordance to where a team finishes in the league standings. Tech finished tied for fourth with Boston College at 3-4.

    Smith said his office will continue to sell tickets up to Dec.30.

    "We'll be turning some tickets back in," he said. "Those will go to charities and that sort of thing."

    ONE-MAN BAND: Tech coach Frank Beamer can only hope his club dominates the game in the same fashion in which he owned Monday's media teleconference.

    Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry was a no-show on the call organized by the bowl.

    As could be expected, Beamer didn't sound or act like a guy whose team is being listed as an early 11 1/2 -point favorite.

    "Thank goodness we've got a little bit of extra time here. I don't think we could get ready for them in a week," said Beamer, referring to the nuances of preparing for Air Force's unique triple-option attack and rare three-man front on defense.

    "Maybe by having this extra time, hopefully we'll get lined up right. The more time the better probably when you're seeing something new like this. We run a little option ourselves but they run lot of option, so I'm not sure we can give our defense a proper look in all the things that they do.

    "Their defense is a little bit different. West Virginia plays a similar thing. I've just been studying Air Force's kicking game and they do some different things there, too."

    RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY: Cavalli has his fingers crossed that the weather will improve in the Bay Area before the two teams arrive on Dec.26.

    "We've had about a four-day storm here that's been brutal," Cavalli said. "Assuming it stops raining we should be fine."

    Cavalli was referring to the recently resodded infield grass in Pac Bell, home of the National League baseball champion San Francisco Giants.

    "We did it as quickly as we could after The Rolling Stones concert so that we would have about a 5 1/2 -to-6-week period where the grass could take," Cavalli said. "We spent a little money this year and brought in 3-inch sod, which is really high-quality sod. It actually started to take pretty well, but when the rain came we had to put a tarp over it to protect it.

    " George Costa, who is senior vice president of operations at Pac Bell, feels very confident that the sod will be in good shape. The goal posts are already in."

 

 

The Dudley double for Suggs
Tech RB first to win award twice
BY MIKE HARRIS
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Dec 17, 2002

Since The Dudley Award was first presented in 1990, four underclassmen have won the trophy that goes to the state's college football player of the year.

This year, Lee Suggs did what the other three were unable to do.

He won another.

Suggs, a senior tailback at Virginia Tech, added the 2002 Dudley to the one he won in 2000. He was presented the award last night at a banquet at The Downtown Club, which sponsors the Dudley.

Matt Schaub, a junior quarterback at the University of Virginia, was runner-up. David Corley, a senior quarterback at William and Mary, was third for the second straight year.

Suggs, who missed nearly the entire 2001 season after he was injured in last year's season opener, rushed for 1,255 yards DUDLEY and 20 touchdowns for the Hokies this season. He had 1,207 yards and 27 rushing touchdowns in 2000.

"Lee has been the steady guy," said Tech coach Frank Beamer, who was unable to attend last night's ceremony. "Our ship hasn't always been steady. He's been steady. I think he's been better than ever."

Previous underclassmen to win were Tech's Cornell Brown in 1995, Virginia's Anthony Poindexter in 1997 and Virginia's Billy McMullen last year. When Suggs won as a sophomore in 2000, he received every first-place vote from a panel of 15 sports writers and broadcasters.

That was far from the case this year. Each football-playing school in the state is allowed to nominate one player. Voters pick three choices in order, and points are awarded on a 5-3-1 basis. Suggs had 59 points to 57 for Schaub. The runner-up had one more first-place vote than Suggs. But Suggs was listed no lower than second on any ballot. Schaub, the only other candidate to receive mention on 15 ballots, was listed third on two.

That gave the edge to Suggs.

"He has been an outstanding player his whole career at Virginia Tech," Schaub said. "He really came back strong."

Suggs, from Roanoke, is Tech and the Big East Conference's career touchdowns leader with 54. He is working on an NCAA-record streak of 26 games with at least one touchdown. He became only the third player in Tech history to post a second season with at least 1,000 yards.

"This means a lot," Suggs said. "All my hard work paid off. [Being injured] was a tough time in my life. I just worked as hard as I could get to get back."

Schaub had a standout season for the Cavaliers, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference's player of the year award. From West Chester, Pa., Schaub threw for 2,794 yards and 27 touchdowns. He completed 68.7 percent of his passes. In Virginia's victory over Maryland, Schaub had just four incompletions in 27 attempts. He set or tied 10 school records.

"It was a year filled with ups and downs," said Schaub, whose season got off to a slow start. "But we were able to get through that, not just myself, but the entire team. I couldn't do anything without them."

Corley, from Columbia, S.C., will leave William and Mary with 14 career records. In 2002, he completed 200 of 329 passes for 2,672 yards and 21 touchdowns. His career marks were 9,805 passing yards and 73 touchdowns.

"Overall it was a pretty successful year," Corley said. "[My career] definitely went by fast."

The Downtown Club last night also presented its annual $2,500 scholarship to a local high school player. The recipient this year was Chris Leonard of Highland Springs.
 

 

 

Winner deserves honor
BOB LIPPER
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST Dec 17, 2002
Contact Bob Lipper at (804) 649-6555 or e-mail blipper@timesdispatch.com

The voters got it right.

Understand, I mean this as no disrespect to Matt Schaub or as a residual slap at Florida election officials. Matt Schaub is a perfectly fine quarterback, and he's had a terrific season. The selection board wouldn't have prompted a recount if it'd snapped the Dudley Award to him.

But it left no hanging chad unturned in handing the trophy to Lee Suggs. It's not that Schaub deserves the keepsake less. It's that Suggs deserves it more.

"I'm real pleased to have put together the kind of career I did," said Suggs, who also claimed this award two years ago. "Coming out of high school, I never dreamed of anything like this. I just kept practicing and working and trying to get better."

This was the second-closest referendum in Dudley history, and that's fitting. You had two superior candidates here. Two good players. Two good guys. Two comeback stories. Two indispensable components their teams couldn't have survived without.

The stats? They're a wash. Suggs ran for tons of yards and touchdowns for Virginia Tech. Schaub passed for tons of yards and touchdowns for Virginia. The Hokies are 9-4. The Cavs are 8-5. Not much to separate them there.

Here's what it boils down to for me: U.Va. asks a lot of Schaub. Tech asks more of Suggs. When the Hokies need two brutal yards for a first down to move the chains and keep possession, Suggs gets the ball. When they're within a sniff of the goal line, they know Suggs is money. He's rung up a TD in 26 straight games, you know. That's an NCAA record. And if you think it's no big deal to slam into traffic and wedge your way to the end zone, be my guest and give it a try.

Matt Schaub wasn't required to do as much heavy lifting for Virginia. He has nice touch, no question about it. He makes good decisions for the most part. But a sizable chunk of his numbers amounted to yards after the catch on short tosses to Billy McMullen and U.Va.'s other wideouts and tight ends and swing passes to guys coming out of the backfield.

U.Va.'s scheme doesn't call for many fly patterns or deep crossing routes. N.C. State's offense, for instance, demands riskier and more difficult throws from Philip Rivers.

I know what some of you are thinking: Schaub beat out Rivers for all-ACC quarterback and was named the league's player of the year, whereas Suggs didn't even make first-team all-Big East. How can you endorse a guy who's not all-conference over a guy who snared the grand prize in a comparable league?

Here's how: Schaub doesn't make all-Big East over Ken Dorsey. He might not nose out Pitt's Rod Rutherford for second team. Suggs, on the other hand, would be the ACC's top vote-getter at tailback if he suited up in that league. Plus, he might've piled up showier numbers for Big East pickers if he hadn't time-shared his position with Kevin Jones.

Suggs never complained about not getting 25 carries per game, mind you. He simply stepped out of the limelight following knee surgery in 2001, stepped back in this season and went to work.

"He's not only good on the field, he's that way off the field, too," said Tech running backs coach Billy Hite. "He's a pleasure to be around. Over my 25 years here, there's certain guys who are special in my heart, and he's at the top of my list."

Coaches tend to gush like that about their star players. In Suggs' case, it's no smokescreen. He's a minister's son from Roanoke who's as quiet and dependable as they come. Or do you suspect it's every tailback out there who goes 401 carries between fumbles?

Schaub likely could supply a roll call of testimonial speakers as well, and for good reason. Shaky as a sophomore, he was benched one game into this season, then bounced back and produced a record-breaking campaign. He's an exceptional story. But so is Lee Suggs.

"He always finds a way to come out on top," Hite observed.

It happened again last night.

Good call.
 

 

 

Cavaliers' backcourt gets a boost
Harper set to see action at guard
BY JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Dec 17, 2002

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Jermaine Harper to the rescue? That's probably overstating things. Harper, after all, averaged a modest 5.8 points as a University of Virginia freshman last season.

Still, he's an exceptional ath- ETSU AT U.VA.lete, if a streaky shooter, and Harper's return should give the Cavaliers' backcourt a much-needed boost.

"We're not thrilled so far with our guard play," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. "I'd give it a 'C' grade."

Two of the guards Gillen hoped to have in his rotation have yet to play this season. Point guard Majestic Mapp remains sidelined with a slow-to-heal right knee. But Harper, a 6-3 shooting guard who started three games last season, is expected to make his 2002-03 debut tonight when U.Va. (3-2) meets East Tennessee State (3-3) at University Hall.

Harper, a graduate of nearby Blue Ridge School, was suspended from the team last month after being charged with driving under the influence. Gillen reinstated him last week.

"He still has to get his wind back, but he was in decent shape [at practice]," Gillen said.

Tonight's game is the first of three this week for the Cavaliers, who without Harper were noticeably slower than Gillen's previous teams. U.Va. plays host to Gardner-Webb on Thursday night and then visits Rutgers on Saturday night.

Had Virginia opted for a early-season schedule like that of, say, Clemson, it might well be undefeated and ranked in the top 20 nationally. Clemson (5-0) has beaten Wofford, High Point, Penn State, Maine and Gardner-Webb. The Cavaliers' first five opponents included Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan State.

U.Va. went 1-2 against those perennial powers, beating the Wildcats and losing to the Hoosiers and the Spartans.

"We played three tremendous teams," Gillen said. "I think our weaknesses have been exposed more" than if Virginia had played lesser opponents. "Now it's up to us as coaches and players to work on improving them."

U.Va.'s most glaring flaw has been the inconsistent play of point guard Keith Jenifer. The 6-2 sophomore is shooting 26.5 percent from the floor and 58.8 percent from the line. He's missed all five of his 3-point attempts.

For the most part, Jenifer has posed little threat to opponents, which has allowed them to essentially play 5 on 4 against U.Va. The exception was the Kentucky game, in which Jenifer made 6 of 10 field-goal attempts and scored a career-best 13 points. Against Michigan State, he was 1 for 6 from the floor and scored two points.

"When our guards play well, we're very good," Gillen said. "When they're subpar, we're not very good. Keith Jenifer played great against Kentucky, but he has to be more consistent. We need him to score more than two points in 31 minutes."

With Harper back, Jenifer's minutes may be reduced. Junior Todd Billet, Virginia's leading scorer, has spent much of his time at shooting guard but can play the point, too. Billet, who sat out last season as a transfer, has more turnovers (15) than assists (11) at U.Va. In two seasons at Rutgers, though, he totaled 246 assists to 177 turnovers.

"He's not quite in his rhythm yet," Gillen said.
 

 

 

WVU, Virginia feel like it’s the Underappreciated Bowl
Tuesday December 17, 2002

By Dave Hickman
STAFF WRITER
MORGANTOWN — Al Groh doesn’t blame his fellow coaches. After all, when he looks back at his Virginia football team at the beginning of the season from a purely objective standpoint, he figures he might have done the same thing they did.

In other words, had he seen what his coaching brothers saw, he too might have voted the Cavaliers eighth in the nine-team Atlantic Coast Conference. Ditto the Big East coaches who chose West Virginia sixth in that eight-team league.

After all, these guys didn’t look anything like contenders, at least from the outside.

“At the beginning of the year, I would certainly think it was realistic of people who didn’t know the teams on the inside — the players and the coaches — not to predict more from these teams,’’ Groh said. “But I think it’s more a case of two teams that are on the rise. West Virginia is more senior-dominated than we are, but both teams have been sparked by the performances of a lot of underclassmen.’’

Indeed, when No. 15 West Virginia (9-3) meets Virginia (8-5) in the Dec. 28 Continental Tire Bowl in Charlotte, N.C., this will be a matchup of teams that were underappreciated in August.

“I think they’re both fairly well appreciated right now,’’ Groh said.

True. Thanks to surprising late-season charges by the two teams, each finished second in its conference. West Virginia knocked off Virginia Tech and Pitt in its final two games, while Virginia beat North Carolina State and hammered Maryland late in the season.

For West Virginia, a slow, steady improvement each week led to the Mountaineers’ surge at the end of the season. Groh said the same was true with his Cavaliers.

“For us, it was kind of a win-them-one-at-a-time thing. Certainly there was confidence that grew with winning each game, but we were just winning them in any way we could,’’ he said. “It wasn’t that all of a sudden we were running better or passing better or defending better. We just kind of got a good feeling for how to work as a team.’’

And no one was more crucial to that improvement than quarterback Matt Schaub. A 6-foot-5, 235-pound junior from West Chester, Pa., Schaub was named the ACC player of the year after completing 272 of his 396 passes for 2,794 yards, with 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.

On a team whose leading rusher, Wali Lundy, gained just 53.8 yards per game, Schaub carried the load.

And as Schaub got better, his confidence grew. And with it, the team’s confidence grew.

“It’s not just his confidence. More importantly, his confidence becomes the confidence of 85 other people,’’ Groh said. “It has radiated to them. They have a lot of confidence that he’s going to be able to get our team in good situations and in a good position to win.’’