U.VA. NOTES
Wednesday, Dec 12, 2007 - 12:06 AM

Cavs looking to reel in Springer
Highland Springs High has been churning out major-college football prospects in recent years, none of whom has signed with Virginia. The Cavaliers hope to end that drought soon.

U.Va. has offered a scholarship to Highland Springs senior Roderick Wheeler, a 6-3, 240-pound tight end who was named to the all-Central Region second team.

Wheeler, whose father played basketball at Virginia Tech, also has scholarship offers from Syracuse and Connecticut, Springers coach Scott Burton said yesterday. U.Va. offensive coordinator Mike Groh visited Wheeler and family Monday night.

Hip and rib injuries slowed him this season, but Wheeler caught 35 passes for 482 yard and five touchdowns in 10 games.

"He brings a different element," Burton said. "He's a kid that's much more in line with a skill player than a stereotypical tight end."

Wheeler is scheduled to take an official visit to U.Va. next month and is "excited about the possibility of going to school there," Burton said.

Virginia hasn't landed a football recruit from Highland Springs since R.C. Cosby in 1999.

Bowled over? Hardly; good seats remain
Football coach Al Groh said early this month that he'd be disappointed if fewer than 30,000 U.Va. fans showed up for the Gator Bowl. It looks like he may well be disappointed Jan. 1.

U.Va. announced yesterday that the school has sold about 8,500 of its allotment of 13,500 tickets. The Cavaliers haven't played in the Gator since 1991.

"Many of our fans will recall we had hoped to return to Jacksonville on several occasions during the last 15 seasons, but a perception that Virginia fans didn't travel well hurt us in the bowl selection process," Athletic Director Craig Littlepage said in a release. "We have collectively worked hard to overcome that reputation, primarily by selling more than 20,000 tickets to the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl and more than 25,000 tickets to the 2003 Continental Tire Bowl."

For ticket information, visit www.virginiasports.com or call (800) 542-8821.

Perks add up for Cavs' head coach
This is turning into a rewarding season for Groh, and not only because the Cavaliers nearly reached the ACC championship game.

Under the terms of his contract, Groh will receive a $25,000 bonus for winning the ACC's coach-of-the-year award and a $75,000 bonus for guiding U.Va. to the Gator Bowl. He'll get another $25,000 if No. 1 Virginia (9-3) beats Texas Tech (8-4) in the Jan. 1 game in Jacksonville, Fla.

Finally, if the Cavaliers finish ranked No. 16-20, Groh will get a $125,000 bonus.

Heisman returns leave Long in good company
Senior defensive end Chris Long recently became the fifth U.Va. player to place in the top 10 in the Heisman Trophy race.

Halfback Bill Dudley was fifth in 1941, quarterback Shawn Moore and wide receiver Herman Moore (no relation) were fourth and sixth, respectively, in 1990, and tailback Thomas Jones was eighth in 1999.

Long (10th) and LSU tackle Glenn Dorsey, who was ninth, were the only defensive players in the top 10 this year.

Incoming basketball recruit tearing it up
U.Va. basketball recruit Sylven Landesberg again looks like the class of New York City's famed Catholic High School Athletic Association.

Landesberg, a 6-5 senior guard from Holy Cross High in Queens, N.Y., was the CHSAA player of the year in 2006-07. He scored 28 points in the Knights' season-opening win, then had 29 points and 20 rebounds in a double-overtime victory over Boys & Girls High, generally considered the second-best public-school team in New York City.

"He just continues to improve," Holy Cross coach Paul Gilvary said yesterday. "He's gotten stronger, and I think he's handling the ball a little better, and he continues to improve his shooting."

Holy Cross will play in the 35th annual City of Palms Classic, which starts Tuesday in Fort Myers, Fla. - Jeff White

 

Long pulls off a clean sweep
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
December 12, 2007

It has become a broken record.

An All-America team is announced and Virginia‘s Chris Long is right there on the first team.

On Tuesday, Long completed the sweep, landing a on the Associated Press All-America squad, making the former St. Anne’s-Belfield star the third unanimous All-American in school history.

Long joins former offensive lineman Jim Dombrowski (1985) and former tight end Heath Miller (2004) on the five All-America teams recognized by the NCAA to determine unanimous standing. The senior was a first-team pick previously by the American Football Coaches Association, The Sporting News, The Walter Camp Football Foundation and the Football Writers of America Association.

“All the other honors have been great, but being a unanimous All-American is very special because it means all the hard work I have put in has been recognized by many people,” Long said through a released statement. “I couldn’t have done this without my teammates or my coaches.

“This is a total team honor and not just for me.”

Long finished the season with an ACC-best 14 sacks and registered 19 tackles for a loss.

He’s got company

The AP All-America team also honored another Cavalier.

Virginia left guard Branden Albert, a junior, was selected to the third team.

A 12-game starter, Albert was named a first-team All-ACC pick and received more votes than any other guard in the league.

Earlier this season, Albert told The Daily Progress that he would return for his senior season and Groh said recently that he has talked to Albert and other rising juniors about their future.

“We actually start with some of those players that we can see - both from a talent and eligibility standpoint - way back into the past because there’s a lot of other people, for their own agendas, that are in the those players’ ears,” Groh said. “If you think they are not, then you are going to be the last one that counsels with them.

“Every situation is different, but what we really try to take to the player is their readiness, what’s in his best long-term career interests.”

Virginia lost one player last season with eligibility remaining when nose tackle Keenan Carter declared for the NFL Draft. Carter was not selected but said he anticipates playing in the six-team All American Football League in its inaugural season, which begins in April.

Keen interest

Without question, Groh had a rooting interest in Monticello High School’s VHSL Division 3 state title run that was completed with Saturday’s 36-22 win over Richlands at Liberty University.

The biggest connection lies with Groh and Monticello coach Brud Bicknell.

“Brud was on our staff at Wake Forest so we have particular interest,” Groh said before the title game. “Brud’s done a marvelous job there. I am really interested in how they are doing.”

Bicknell was a graduate assistant at Wake Forest on Groh’s staff, one that also included former Virginia assistant and current Liberty coach Danny Rocco.

A helping hand

Mikell Simpson appreciated every word he heard.

Prior to Virginia’s home finale, Simpson and fellow running back Cedric Peerman talked in depth about the challenge that awaited against Virginia Tech’s vaunted defense.

“Right before the game, me and him had a talk. I told him anything that he sees on the field to let me know things on the sidelines,” Simpson recounted. “Even though [Peerman] is not playing, he is still trying to win. He is part of the team still.”

After the Cavaliers lost, 33-21, to the Hokies, Peerman relied on his school-issued crutches to slowly exit the field.

Despite boasting a long face, Peerman gained pep in his step, Simpson said, in the days that followed a surgical procedure to repair a Lisfranc injury, a dislocation between the forefoot and midfoot.

“I think [the surgery] relieved a lot,” Simpson said. “Now, he knows how to handle his rehabilitation.”

If Peerman returns to form, as expected, Virginia could boast the deepest backfield in the ACC in 2008 - in addition to Peerman and Simpson, the Cavaliers can utilize redshirt freshmen Keith Payne and Raynard Horne, junior Andrew Pearman and current redshirt Max Milien. Incoming four-star recruit Torrey Mack could also join the mix.

“I am looking forward to [Peerman] coming back as soon as possible,” Simpson added. “We will be really deep.”

Peerman, a junior, rushed for 585 yards in six games before suffering the injury in the first half against Middle Tennessee State.

 

Virginia AD makes a plea
Littlepage tries to prod Cav fans into buying Gator Bowl tickets
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7251
December 12, 2007

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Craig Littlepage, Virginia’s director of athletics, cornered by slow ticket sales for his school’s upcoming trip to the Gator Bowl, sent a letter to fans Tuesday pleading for help.

At the close of the business on Monday, Littlepage said Virginia had sold just 8,451 tickets of the 13,500 allotted to the university for the New Year’s Day bowl, which pits the Cavaliers (9-3) against Texas Tech (8-4).

“As you may recall, we had hoped to return to Jacksonville on several occasions during the last 15 seasons, but a perception that Virginia fans didn’t ‘travel’ well hurt us in the bowl selection process,” Littlepage wrote. “We have collectively worked hard to overcome that reputation, primarily by selling more than 20,000 tickets to the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl and more than 25,000 tickets to the 2003 Continental Tire Bowl.

“A school’s ability to sell out its ticket allotment is an important factor in the selection process for future bowl games, so it’s important that the tickets allocated to us are sold.”

From all accounts, the dawdling measures were not expected by Virginia coach Al Groh. Last week, Groh, while wanting to project an even higher total, used a figure of 30,000 Virginia fans as a benchmark for the Gator Bowl.

Littlepage, while mentioning All-American defensive end Chris Long’s final game as a marketing tool, pointed out the impact of ticket sales for the game.

“Your bowl ticket purchase makes a difference as we strive to compete for championships in football each and every year,” he wrote. “We need your help to reach our goal of selling 13,500 tickets to the 2008 Konica Minolta Gator Bowl.”

Officials at Virginia have also gotten creative, using a common practice for school’s failing to meet their quotas.

“Proxy tickets may be purchased if fans are unable to attend the game,” Littlepage pointed out. “These tickets will be given to the Jacksonville Children’s Commission to benefit area youth identified as at risk and part of the mayor’s campaign to raise the literacy level in the city.

“The Jacksonville Children’s Commission is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and each proxy ticket ordered is tax deductible.”

Tickets, which start at $50 and include a handling charge, are available through Virginia’s Athletic Ticket Office in person or by calling (800) 542-UVA1.
 

Cavs recruit Canadian
BY MELINDA WALDROP | 247-4636
8:53 PM EST, December 11, 2007
 

When Austin Pasztor first lined up at left tackle for Fork Union Military Academy, he noticed something odd.

A defensive lineman, inches from his face.

"Up in Canada they put the defense one yard off the ball," Fork Union coach John Shuman said. "They call it nose football or something."

Pasztor, from Tillsonburg, Ontario, found out that's not how it worked in Fluvanna County, on Fork Union's postgraduate team.

"He kept asking, 'Are we gonna play nose on the ball?' " Shuman said. "We said, 'Yeah, we play by our rules.' "

Pasztor adapted quickly. The 6-foot-6, 305-pounder came to Fork Union with an eye toward playing college football in America, and he realized that goal on Monday when he committed to Virginia.

"I liked everything about the school," said Pasztor, who visited U.Va. last weekend and also had scholarship offers from Youngstown State and Temple. "I liked the town. All the facilities are nice, the stadium and the practice (fields). I just liked everything about it."

Pasztor, the 15th commitment in the Cavaliers' 2008 class, grew up watching college football and the NFL in Canada. He also played a little hockey, but his heart was on the gridiron.

He came to Shuman's attention when Fork Union scrimmaged an all-star Canadian team Aug. 25.

"Even on the sideline, I kept saying, 'Who's 74?' " said Shuman, who invited Canadian players interested in Fork Union to get in touch with the school. "I was shocked when (the Canadian) coach called and said, '74 wants to come.' "

Once at Fork Union, after a couple of weeks spent getting his passport and other papers in order, Pasztor had to get used to more talented players and more knowledgeable coaches -- as well as other aspects of the military school.

"When I first came here, I could hardly march at all," he said. "I was all over the place."

And while his family made it to three Fork Union games, Pasztor has only been able to go home -- a trip that takes 12 hours by car -- for Thanksgiving. But he's been too occupied with his new surroundings to miss his old ones.

"When I first got here, we were already busy in football season," he said. "It wasn't like I had much time to think about home or anything. I think as long as you keep busy, you don't really get homesick. At least, for me, that's how it was."

Pasztor hopes his family can attend games in Charlottesville as well. As for Shuman, he has another scrimmage against a Canadian team scheduled for Dec. 4.

"It's been a nice situation," said Shuman, who also landed another player, Lincoln Bryan, from Pasztor's all-star team. "It's the first time having a Canadian (at Fork Union). It's hard for us to get true linemen. So when I saw the mammoth size of these 15- and 16-year olds on this Canadian team, it was like, we've gotta have these guys."
 

ACC mulls split hosts
Charlotte could share title games, sources say
KEN TYSIAC
ktysiac@charlotteobserver.com

Charlotte officials eager to host ACC football championship games could learn more about the fate of their bid today.

Sources familiar with the selection process told the Observer that school officials are scheduled to meet by conference call today to discuss the future of the game.

Though it's not certain the matter will come to a vote, ACC Commissioner John Swofford wants the site decision resolved by Christmas so the host city for 2008 can begin planning.

Charlotte and Florida cities Jacksonville and Tampa have bid on the championship game, which was held the first three years with declining attendance in Jacksonville. Though the ACC's expansion talks a few years ago illustrated that it's difficult to predict what school officials will decide during conference calls, sources said a couple of preferences emerged during talks:

• Though the ACC originally asked for bids only for 2008-10, it's likely that sites will be awarded for four years rather than three.

• ACC officials have been leaning toward awarding bids to more than one city. Spending two years in Charlotte and two years in Tampa is one scenario mentioned by sources, but it's uncertain what school officials will decide.

Jacksonville is considered unlikely to host again after announced attendance declined from 72,749 to 62,850 to 53,212 over three years there. Estimates of the actual crowds in 2006 and '07 were at least several thousand below the announced figures.

During halftime of the 2007 game on Dec. 1, Swofford said the crowd wasn't up to the ACC's standards.

Building a following

Developing support for a game that has struggled to attract fans is a challenge for the ACC at whatever site it chooses.In 16 years, the SEC championship game has never reported an attendance figure below 71,000.

The Big 12 championship game's attendance has been a bit more modest, with eight of 12 crowds announced below 66,000, but none lower than 60,000.

The SEC and Big 12 are predominantly comprised of large, public universities, many of which have alumni bases passionate about football.

The ACC has more small, private schools such as Boston College, Duke and Wake Forest whose fans don't have a long history of traveling in huge numbers to postseason football games.

Boston College athletics director Gene DeFilippo said the school sold about 3,500 to 4,000 tickets for the 2007 ACC championship game, where the Eagles lost 30-16 to Virginia Tech.

Swofford said the Super Bowl and ACC basketball tournament demonstrated in years past that it takes time to build a passionate fan following.

"Those events have evolved and developed into what they became in future years," he said, "and it will be the same for the ACC football championship."

Risks for bidders, ACC

Jacksonville's attendance struggles illustrate the risk for cities bidding for the ACC championship game.

If Clemson plays Virginia Tech for the ACC title in Charlotte, the 73,504 seats at Bank of America Stadium could sell out easily. If Boston College meets Miami, there is a danger of vast sections of empty seats.

Over the past two years, Jacksonville's ACC championship participants included Boston College, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest -- three of the league's smaller alumni and fan bases.

"While we have to concede those weren't the best matchups for draw, they could happen again," said Charlotte-based sports marketer Max Muhleman of Private Sports Consulting.

Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority CEO Tim Newman, who placed Charlotte's bid, declined this week to publicly discuss its details. He said the bid is the property of the ACC, which isn't disclosing details of the bids.

Muhleman said it might take a decade or two more of good football in the ACC to establish the championship game as a dependable financial commodity.

"The league has risk factors, too," Muhleman said. "Their main risk factor is, `We undersold it,' or, `We put it in a bad place.' "

The choices appear narrowed to a Charlotte location within 275 miles of eight ACC schools and a Tampa destination that's a longer drive from the ACC's geographical center but has the appeal of Florida and the ocean.

"We have made a concerted and complete effort to present the best bid we can to the conference," Newman said, "and shown them that Charlotte would love to host any or all of the games they are looking to award."