Groh has Howie's seal of approval
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
December 2, 2006

Howie Long is a big believer in Al Groh. How do I know?

Because he said so Friday during a lengthy interview covering an array of topics that will appear in a special Q&A in the coming days in this sports section.

During the conversation, the Pro Football Hall of Famer couldn’t help but share his opinion on Virginia’s announcement that it had decided not to automatically roll over an extra year to Groh’s contract, which still has four years remaining.

Long’s son, Chris, is a starting defensive end for the Cavaliers, so Howie Long has a pretty good handle on the UVa program, as he does on all things football.

Both sides of the ball

Athletic Director Craig Littlepage’s brief statement covering the matter was met with mixed reaction. The Groh detractors viewed it as a sign that Virginia wasn’t happy with its head coach and that the decision not to add the extra year was the first step in an exit strategy.

Groh supporters worried that the decision might negatively impact Virginia’s recruiting efforts with the ’08 class (current high school juniors), which Cavalier coaches are already working on.

Don’t get carried away

While the whole deal may not have sounded so good, this columnist believes it was much ado about nothing.

Should Virginia return to an eight-win status as many expect next season, then all this mounts to is a bunch of hooey.

Littlepage essentially said that this past season’s 5-7 record did not meet the school’s expectations and that he understood the program’s youth and how Groh and his staff have positioned the team for success next year and beyond.

A closer look

I’m sure 5-7 didn’t meet Groh’s expectations either. Even with a young team, particularly young in places where teams can’t afford to be (quarterback, offensive line), the coach probably didn’t anticipate losing three of four non-conference games, even though those four weren’t exactly pushovers.

Pitt went 6-6, Wyoming went 6-6, East Carolina was 7-5, while Western Michigan went 8-4 and was one win away from playing for its conference championship.

“I understand the record didn’t meet expectations,” said Howie Long, an analyst for Fox’s NFL coverage and a keen fan of college and high school football.

“But I think given the fact that you’re working with such a young football team and I think the future is bright, giving what they have coming back ... yeah, [the university’s decision] was a little bit disappointing.

“That kind of maturation process that took place this year had to take place on the field. You’re going to have moments of ‘Wow’ and moments of ‘What the heck’s [that kid] thinking about,’” said Long. “That happens with any player. My first two years in the NFL, I thought my name was ‘Dumb Son-of-a-Gun.’ It happens to everyone ... and then, the game slows down and you start to see things pre-snap. You start to understand that, when [the opposing offense] walk the backers up, then this is what I have to do ... that when they’re in this formation and I’m a defensive lineman, I know where they’re going to run the ball.”

Long, who purposely avoids going to UVa practices and keeps a low profile at games because he doesn’t want to intrude or take away from Chris’ experience, said that there’s lots of reasons he likes what he sees at Virginia.

“You look at the systems in the NFL that I respect - Pittsburgh, Dallas, and New England - and I know the blueprint that is instilled at the University of Virginia under Al Groh works ... there’s no question about that,” said the former Oakland Raiders star. “I can see it in my son, I can see it in Jeffrey Fitzgerald, I can see it in Clint Sintim, in the offensive line, the defensive backfield, the linebackers. I see it. It just takes a little bit more time when the players are young.”

Virginia will return 19 starters plus its two kicking specialists next season. In addition, there were only five players lost from its entire two-deep of 42 players to go along with almost an entire freshman class that was redshirted and a highly touted incoming recruiting class.

Long has been around coaches for most of his life, and he has a lot of respect for Groh.

He’s not just saying that because he’s trying to win favor for his son. Chris Long has already taken care of gaining favor by playing his butt off for three years.

But there’s a lot that Howie likes about the way Groh operates.

“My son will walk away from the University of Virginia prepared not only for football, but be better prepared for life as a byproduct of playing for Al Groh,” said Long. “There’s no doubt in my mind about that. And that’s the biggest compliment I can give Al or anyone else.”

There’s a common thread among some successful coaches and Long said he spotted it in Groh a long time ago.

“He has a singular focus ... and it’s not PR,” Howie chuckled. “I don’t think we’re sending him to solve the world’s problems. But if you want someone who is driven, 24 hours a day, seven days a week ... and believe me, I’ve been around it (under Al Davis, Earl Leggett, Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick), the singular focus is on one thing and one thing only. And if you’re not on board with that, you’re on the wrong bus.”

Long doesn’t tolerate fools, and with the football knowledge he has acquired as both a pro and an analyst who takes his job seriously (be on the lookout for the Q&A), he isn’t easily fooled.

So, while maybe Groh didn’t get the type of endorsement from UVa that he might have liked or his supporters may have expected, he got a resounding one from Long.

Personally, this columnist agrees 100 percent with Long and has all along this season. I think Virginia’s bus is headed in the right direction, and the next few years will be quite a ride.

 

U.VA. NOTES
Richmond Times-Dispatch Dec 2, 2006

LATE ADDITION: Virginia men's basketball coach Dave Leitao's class for 2007-08 now includes a big man to go with guards Jeff Jones, Sam Zeglinski and Mustapha Farrakhan, whose signings were recently announced.

Before the early signing period ended last month, 6-8, 215-pound forward Mike Scott succeeded in securing the blessing of his father, who had wanted him to consider schools outside this state. The Scotts signed the necessary paperwork before the deadline passed and recently returned the letter of intent to Virginia.

A graduate of Chesapeake's Deep Creek High, Scott is enrolled in Hargrave Military Academy's postgraduate program. His classmates at Hargrave include two football players from Deep Creek - defensive back Ras-I Dowling and offensive tackle Billy Cuffee - who have committed to U.Va. for 2007.

Scott signed with Temple in November 2005 but was later released from his letter of intent after John Chaney retired as the Owls' coach. Scott should bolster a U.Va. frontcourt that will lose its best offensive threat - 6-10 Jason Cain - after this season.

"This kid can score the basketball," Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts said of Scott, who can play both forward positions.

"He's a skilled forward. He can shoot out to the [3-point line], but he can also score inside and rebound."

BREAKOUT GAME: As a freshman, swingman Mamadi Diane scored in double figures in only one road game: a Dec. 4, 2005, loss at Georgia Tech in which he missed 11 of 16 shots from the floor. His lowest point came in a late-season loss at North Carolina, where he missed all 11 of his field-goal attempts.

So when Diane averaged 16.3 points in Virginia's first four games this season, Leitao and others reserved judgment. All of those games were at John Paul Jones Arena; the fifth would be at Purdue's Mackey Arena.

"It was as much a test for him as it was for us, because we all knew he hadn't played well on the road last year," Leitao said yesterday.

Diane, a 6-5 sophomore from Potomac, Md., passed that test in impressive fashion Wednesday night. The Cavaliers lost 61-59 to the Boilermakers, but Diane made 7 of 11 shots from the floor, including 3 for 6 from beyond the arc, and added three assists and three steals to go with his 17 points.

For the season, Diane is averaging 16.4 points - he ranks ninth among ACC players - and 3.6 rebounds. He's shooting 65.1 percent from the floor, 54.2 percent from 3-point range and 92.9 percent from the line.

"I've been on him, and he's been working hard, and more than working hard, he's been working consistent," Leitao said.

"Fortunately for us, and fortunately for him, his consistency and his effort on a day-to-day basis has been paying off. . . . He's averaging more points, he's averaging more minutes, he's more involved in the game, he's more emotional, and that's what happens when guys come into programs and work their tail off. Sooner or later, they get better."

GROWING PAINS: In his second season at U.Va., Leitao still is trying to impress his philosophy on a team that includes only two seniors.

"Anybody in here have children?" he asked reporters after the game at Purdue. "You have children that don't turn the light off in their room. And you keep saying, 'Turn the light off, turn the light off,' and you go upstairs and the lights are on. How do you account for that?

"It's hard until they finally get it, and that's the same thing with young guys in basketball. The way you overcome it is either you're so talented that it doesn't matter nearly as much, or you're so mature that you can focus in. And we're not a team [that is] real good at both of those yet, and so we have to try to continue to get on them and teach them and have them understand and learn that someone's [got to] shut the light off."

SWITCHING AROUND? At his end-of-season news conference Tuesday, football coach Al Groh indicated he's considering position changes for several players.

Candidates include inside linebacker Rashawn Jackson, who might move to fullback, and outside linebacker Aaron Clark, who probably will end up on the offensive or defensive line, depending on how much weight he adds to his 6-5 frame.

Clark was listed at 254 pounds this season, when he saw little action as a second-team linebacker. He played as a true freshman in 2005, so U.Va. could redshirt him in 2007 while he bulks up, and he would have two years of eligibility remaining.

Virginia's starters at outside linebacker this season - Jermaine Dias and Clint Sintim - are expected back in '07, and depth at that position would come from Denzell Burrell, John-Kevin Dolce and, if he's cleared academically, Olu Hall.

As a redshirt freshman this season, Jackson played fullback in U.Va.'s goal-line offense. He began his U.Va. career as a running back but switched to linebacker midway through the 2005 season. Jackson averaged 10.3 yards per carry as a senior at St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City, N.J. - Jeff White
 

UVA basketball signs recruit
Daily Press
December 1, 2006, 10:48 AM EST

Chesapeake native Mike Scott has sent his letter-of-intent to Virginia, declaring his intentions to play for the Cavaliers men's basketball team, said Hargrave Military Academy coach Kevin Keatts.

Scott, a 6-foot-8 forward, graduated from Deep Creek High and now plays for Keatts' postgraduate team.

Virginia coach Dave Leitao could not comment Friday on Scott signing, because the process hasn't been finalized. Keatts said Scott signed during the early signing period, which ran from Nov. 8-15.

Keatts said Scott also considered North Carolina State, Wake Forest, Clemson and Oklahoma. Scott originally signed last fall with Temple but was granted a release from his letter-of-intent when Temple coach John Chaney retired.

Virginia has already signed three players for the Class of 2007: point guard Sam Zeglinski, shooting guard Jeff Jones and shooting guard Mustapha Farrakhan. Now that Virginia seems set to bring in four players next season, it likely would need one current player to leave school with eligibility remaining. (The NCAA scholarship limit is 13.) One such player could be junior Sean Singletary, one of the nation's best point guards.
 

Virginia returns home Sunday for first ACC game
After falling to Purdue in heartbreaker Wednesday, Cavaliers return home to take on talented N.C. State
Clayton O'Toole, Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor

By Clayton O'Toole Cavalier Daily Senior Associate Editor After a disappointing loss to Purdue in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge Wednesday night, the Cavaliers kick off ACC play this Sunday against the N.C. State Wolfpack at John Paul Jones arena.

Whereas Virginia enters the game coming off a tough loss, N.C. State arrives in Charlottesville riding a 5-0 start and a huge win over Michigan Monday. Two talented, yet inexperienced, front court players led the Wolfpack to victory over Michigan. In the game, N.C. State sophomore Ben McCauley led the team with 19 points and eight rebounds, matched only by Wolfpack redshirt freshman Brandon Costner's 17-point, 11-rebound double-double. Both forwards stand 6'8" or taller and could potentially cause problems for Virginia's front court.

To offset the Wolfpack's production in the post, the Cavaliers will need a strong performance by their own power forward, senior Jason Cain. Cain, who finished seventh in the conference in rebounding last season, worked very hard this offseason to improve his overall game.

Virginia coach Dave Leitao wanted Cain to "become smarter and more involved," Leitao said. "There were times last year when he played real well and there were times when he wasn't in the game. The simple way to say it is to be more consistent. The best way for him to be more consistent is to be locked in."

So far this year, Cain has shown significant improvement on the offensive end of the floor. After averaging 7.4 points per game last season, Cain has increased that total to 10.4 points per game this season. The slithery senior had a breakout game against Maryland Eastern Shore last Sunday, recording a career-high 22 points to go along with a solid 11-rebound effort.

"I've been not focused on myself lately," Cain said following the game. "I've been too unselfish and I should be more selfish. I talked to [Leitao] yesterday about it. He told me not to be scared to be successful."

Cain's teammates have taken notice of his improved play. Fellow senior J.R. Reynolds in particular is excited about Cain's increased aggressiveness on the offensive end.

"I've been waiting for the Cain to come out," Reynolds said. "The way he plays, he's very aggressive. He can rebound, he can score, shoot the three. He's a great all-around player."

Despite his solid final numbers, Cain went through some difficult times last season adjusting to the Leitao regime. In stark contrast to the "anything goes" style of former Virginia head coach Pete Gillen, Leitao is well-known for his intensity and demanding coaching style.

"Last year, we went through a process of getting to know each other -- not just as people, but me and my coaching style and him and his game," Leitao said. "I think he has a lot to give -- to have his size and have the skill level that he does. I don't want him to under-utilize that. And a lot of that comes from the neck up."

Cain echoed Leitao's sentiment.

"After coach got here, I learned how to get a work ethic," Cain said. "I learned how to work hard. He was tough on me last year, but now I see the value of it."

Many Virginia fans are now asking themselves when they will also see the value of Cain's newfound work ethic. Their next opportunity will be Sunday against N.C. State, as Cain and company try to hand the Wolfpack its first loss of the season.