Lalich optimistic about present, future at Virginia
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
December 17, 2007

The numbers - or lack thereof - would indicate a minimal contribution.

Yet, after ranking 18th in the ACC in passing yardage and completions, Virginia quarterback Peter Lalich still fancies a totally different perspective.

En route to nine wins, Virginia’s plan of attack included employing Lalich, by design or otherwise, in seven games. Four were victories.

“They needed me for those games this year and I think I helped the team win those games,” Lalich said after a brief on-field adventure against Virginia Tech in November. “Maybe we did better because I got in the game … so you can say I’m happy.

“We won nine games and we are trying to win 10. It’s been a pretty good season and it’s even better if we can win the next one.”

Long before the season, merely hearing Lalich’s name in the distance was a conversation-stopping measure. How would the four-star prospect fit in?

Did Lalich prefer to play or redshirt, a measure that would distance the true freshman from incumbent and sophomore Jameel Sewell?

“I probably wanted an either/or type of deal,” Lalich confessed.

Sewell’s spotty three-quarter performance in a bridge-painting loss at Wyoming helped answer the eligibility issue. Trailing 23-3, Virginia coach Al Groh sent Lalich onto the field for an audition that lasted less than three minutes.

Lalich also saw the field in the ensuing three games, victories over Duke, North Carolina and Georgia Tech, before Sewell took essentially every meaningful snap that followed.

Lalich’s only appearances over the final eight games, in fact, came after momentary injuries landed Sewell on the sidelines.

The last of those appearances, and clearly the most promising, came in the midst of a drive that followed the Hokies’ final touchdown last month.

The odds - and the chilly temperatures - were working against Lalich’s ability to walk away with positive vibes.

“It’s tough going out there after watching because you get cold from just standing on the sidelines,” he said. “It’s tough to get your blood going again when they call your name and you have to get out there so quick.”

Lalich tried to not to overanalyze the situation. Instead, he fired a pass on second down to Mikell Simpson for five yards.

“I was definitely looking for the easy completion,” Lalich recounted. “I wasn’t sure what to expect, if they were going to change their defense up on me or not.”

Lalich then connected with tight end Tom Santi for another 18 yards.

“He had us going pretty good there,” Groh said. “And we might have gone a little further.”

Perhaps, but that was not in the cards - two plays later another first down was negated by an odd, yet costly, penalty.

“He had a good completion and, actually, we had a 37-yard penalty,” Groh said. “We had the ball well across the 50-yard line, and by this time the 15-yard penalty was assessed from the point of the foul, it set us back 37 yards from where the ball would have been.

“It was an inadvertent thing [by center Jordy Lipsey]. The call was offensive facemask, which is an automatic 15-yard penalty.”

Two plays and a punt later, Lalich exchanged his helmet for a headset, his life-line to the play-calling process. Lalich might remain comfortable with that headset.

Earlier this season, Groh referenced former Marshall quarterback Chad Pennington in discussions about Lalich’s future.

Pennington, who was thrust into action as a true freshman after injuries plagued the Thundering Herd, redshirted his second season.

“That would be nice,” Lalich said, “but I don’t know how that’s going to work out because Jameel runs the ball a lot and he might get hurt for a few plays. I don’t know if they want to go with another guy or if they want to go with me.”

With reserve quarterback Scott Deke expected to trade a final year with a clipboard for a paycheck with commas, removing Lalich from the equation would leave redshirt freshman Marc Verica as the only viable option currently working out on offense.

“Verica is very skilled and has a strong arm,” Lalich said. “I think he could definitely do the job if they wanted him to.”

For now, however, solving Texas Tech is a far greater priority for Groh, Lalich and company, but the questions will undoubtedly linger.

“All I can do,” Lalich said, “is wait and see what they want to do.”

 

Littlepage defends honoring Hokies
Some fans complained that UVa pandered to Tech too much Nov. 24.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

Craig Littlepage isn't oblivious to the segment of Virginia fans who feel the Cavaliers went overboard Nov. 24 in pre-game and postgame displays of unity with Virginia Tech.

If the backlash has had any effect on ticket sales for the Cavaliers' upcoming Gator Bowl appearance, Littlepage is willing to live with it.

The Virginia-Virginia Tech football game annually coincides with Commonwealth Day, an occasion for legislators to mingle with officials from both schools.

Clearly, it is a program that has the attention of the school president's office, but Littlepage isn't passing the buck.

"I will be the person to stand up and say that major decisions, etc., would have been on my plate," said Littlepage, the Cavaliers' athletic director. "I'm not going to try and blame anybody or shift responsibility. I'm responsible."

Littlepage has heard from many boosters who were curious about the awarding of a bronze football to former Virginia Tech star Bruce Smith. Smith and ex-Cavalier standout Tiki Barber were involved in the coin toss as honorary captains.

"The pre-game and halftime activities, the circumstances this year were unique in a lot of ways," Littlepage said. "Certainly, the events of April 16 were a backdrop for that. It was the first major athletic event between the schools following that situation. That demanded a certain level of protocol."

The reference was to the shootings at Virginia Tech.

Among other things, Virginia amended the animated pre-game show, where UVa's mascot, Cavman, obliterates the opposing mascot on the jumbotron. In the Nov. 24 show, Cavman and the Hokie Bird shook hands.

"There were a lot of people who disagreed with the changes we made with that," Littlepage said. "There are a lot of pieces to this. I understand those who disagree with the approach and I respect that.

"Basically, what I've heard is, fans were concerned about two things: The home-field advantage was not what it could be or should be for a rival game like this, and that the university might have gone too far in terms of reaching out to and embracing Virginia Tech."

That first issue has been an issue in the past.

"We were concerned about the number of tickets that did find their way in to the hands of our opponents' fans and I think that was very clear when you walked in the stadium," Littlepage said. "There was a large number of Virginia Tech fans that were there and they obviously got those tickets from Virginia ticket-holders.

"I'm not sure what we will do differently next time around to minimize that, but certainly that's something that we and our fans need to come up with some way [to revise]. If our fans aren't going to use their tickets, then we need to get them in to the hands of Virginia fans. A lot of people are worked up about that."

Charles McDaniel, a Virginia linebacker in the mid-1980s and the Cavaliers' career tackles leader at the time of his graduation, is among those who felt that UVa's hospitality was excessive.

"With age, you hope to mature and you hope to maybe think a little more before saying some things," said McDaniel, who serves on the board of the Virginia Athletics Foundation. "I didn't think it was appropriate, but I wasn't up in our suite raising hell about it.

"For guys like me, for whom the game means a hell of a lot [and] who have some real, raw feelings over a number of things ... you wouldn't see that at Texas-Texas A&M or with some of these other rivalries."

Littlepage has answered most of the people who wrote to him, but Virginia also sent out a mass e-mail this past week in hopes of driving Gator Bowl ticket sales. Littlepage concedes that some fans have told him they will not buy tickets as a result of the perceived pandering to the Hokies.

"I can't quantify in terms of how many might be impacted by that," he said. "I can't deny it because I've heard that some people still feel disappointed by how we handled it.

"Several people have written to me and said they still think about what we did Nov. 24 and are still disappointed by what we did Nov. 24, but they realize it should be about supporting the team, etc."

Littlepage points out that when the Cavaliers played at Virginia Tech in 2006, he was involved in a ceremony at midfield at which UVa was awarded the Commonwealth Cup that annually recognizes the winner of all-sports competition between the schools.

"I don't think that necessarily compares with the events we staged Nov. 24, but I think there was something of a history there," Littlepage said. "We had a national television audience and we thought it was appropriate to promote Virginia Pride on a day when two teams from the commonwealth were playing for a division championship.

"It's one thing to look at a script of something on paper and then see how it plays out on the field. Again, I was informed and I was comfortable and I thought we were doing a classy thing and the right thing, while understanding how some would disagree with that."
 

Sintim the next in line?
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
December 18, 2007

At first viewing, Clint Sintim could only chuckle.

Virginia’s outside linebacker was among the many that ribbed Chris Long for countless hours after a large mug shot of the defensive end was slapped on the program’s media guide.

After tracing Long’s nationwide trek earlier this month to attend award ceremonies, the move appeared to be the work of a creative genius that doubles as a prognosticator.

Without question, Long was truly the face, essentially the heart and soul, of the 9-win program prior to having his jersey number honored.

Replacing Long - on and off the field - will be an unenviable task for Virginia coach Al Groh.

Yet, Long recently offered a quick candidate to assume his role.

Sintim, the second leading tackler and owner of eight sacks, could fill that emotional void, Long predicted.

“No doubt about it,” Long said with confidence. “I told him it was his turn. We came in together and I can’t think of anybody, a linebacker, that had a year like him.”

While the greatest concern among fans relates to the potential early departure of left guard Branden Albert, a junior, a smaller contingent wondered if Sintim would follow the path taken by former Cavalier inside linebacker Kai Parham two years ago.

“He’s gotta come back,” Long said of Sintim. “He’s got great things ahead of him here next year.”

Parham, who went undrafted, attended training camp in 2006 with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys before being released. He was picked up by the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers earlier this year but was released before the season.

“Everybody has their own way of doing things, but I think this experience is something that you have to get everything out of,” Long said. “I think you owe it to yourself to get better and better. You never want to leave anything until you are as good as you possibly can be at it or until they don’t let you put the uniform on anymore.

“I don’t think that is a problem with Clint. Clint wants to get better. I know he will have his opportunities, but Clint wants to come out of [Virginia] a winner and have a great senior season.”

Long did not address the situation directly with Albert, who turned 23 in November, but it would appear that his return for his final year of eligibility shows his thinking on the matter.

Long, of course, was incorrectly rumored to be debating an early departure from Virginia last year.

“When you have situations like that, people start guessing for the person and guessing how the person is feeling, but they have no idea what the person is thinking,” Long said. “[Albert and Sintim] are guys that I believe will make the right decision, whatever the decision is.

“They have great potential next year, not only to be a part of something special and win an ACC Championship, but to be great players.”

Dazzling Dowling

That he lost was not shocking. The fact that he was listed on five ballots, however, raised the eyebrows of several.

Ras-I Dowling, a true freshman cornerback, despite limited playing time, garnered five of the 71 votes placed for the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year.

In 11 games, Dowling had two interceptions and registered 37 tackles, a good portion of which came on special teams. His tackle total ranked 11th among Cavaliers.

“If [special teams play] was included in there, there’s certainly been some terrific rookies this year, but he would be one of them just on that,” Groh said. “His tackle count on special teams would be terrific for a veteran player, much less a guy getting his first turn on special teams.”

Against Virginia Tech, Dowling suffered a concussion on the game’s first punt, but is expected to play without restriction in the Gator Bowl.

Help from hoops?

While likely unbeknownst to him, Virginia men’s basketball coach Dave Leitao and his team could lend a helping hand to the recruiting efforts for the Cavaliers’ football program.

Puzzled about the connection?

Virginia hosts Boston College inside JPJ on Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. in the middle of what could easily be classified as the most important weekend remaining for entertaining football prospects.

 

U.VA. NOTES
Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 - 12:06 AM

Decision looming for all-ACC lineman Albert
Will he stay or will he go? For Branden Albert, it's too early to say. But sometime in the next four weeks, Virginia's all-ACC offensive guard must decide whether to return for his senior season or leave early for the NFL.

"That's clearly an issue right now," Albert's brother, Ashley Sims, said Sunday night.

Albert, a 6-7, 312-pound junior who turned 23 last month, was recently named to The Associated Press' All-America third team. A three-year starter at guard, Albert also played some tackle this season, and his versatility figures to raise his already-high NFL stock.

But Sims, a former defensive end at Maryland, says Albert is leaning toward returning for a final season at Virginia. Albert's family wants him to get his college degree, and he's excited about the possibility of playing on what should be another strong team.

U.Va. could field an offense that includes such all-ACC candidates as Albert, tackle Eugene Monroe, quarterback Jameel Sewell, tailbacks Cedric Peerman and Mikell Simpson, tight end John Phillips and wide receiver Kevin Ogletree.

Sims said the family has heard from agents and others who might wish to see Albert in the NFL next year, but "education is first amongst us in our household."

Virginia coach Al Groh and Albert have had ongoing discussions about Albert's options for 2008.

"Every situation is different," Groh said late last month, "but what we really try to talk to the player about is his readiness and what's in his best long-term career interests."

If Albert leaves U.Va. early, look for Zak Stair to move from tackle to guard. Stair, a 6-6, 299-pound redshirt junior, is listed as Monroe's backup at left tackle. Stair started seven games at left tackle in 2006.

Names to remember
Five true freshmen have played for the Cavaliers this season: long-snapper Danny Aiken, cornerback Ras-I Dowling, wide receiver Dontrelle Inman, linebacker Jared Detrick and quarterback Peter Lalich.

The rest of the class is redshirting, but several of those players have impressed U.Va.'s All-America defensive end, Chris Long, including linebacker J'Courtney Williams, defensive end Matt Conrath, wideout Kris Burd and nose tackle Nick Jenkins.

"I think J'Courtney is as good a football player as there is in the building, potentially," Long said. "I think Matt Conrath could be one of the best defensive ends to play here."

Conrath, at 6-7, 255 pounds, reminds some observers of a young Chris Canty, but Long doesn't buy that comparison.

"No," Long said. "He's a Matt Conrath type . . . This kid really brings some unique things to the table. He's smooth. He makes moves in pass rush that take instincts that maybe you wouldn't make till you're a third-year [player]."

On the diamond
From a team that finished 45-16 last season, U.Va. baseball coach Brian O'Connor lost his starting outfielders. Candidates to occupy one of those positions in 2008 include David Coleman, a freshman from Trinity Episcopal in Richmond.

"I think he really impressed everybody the entire fall," O'Connor said. "I believe he's gong to be a guy who's right in the mix for us. If he does what I think he can, I think he's got a chance to be an everyday performer."

At Trinity, Coleman didn't always face the toughest competition, and "I thought that the transition for him would be much greater than it actually was," O'Connor said. "He was not overmatched at all by our top pitchers from the start. Everything, from his reads in the outfield to his reads on the basepaths to his decision-making, was pretty advanced."

Behind the fence in left field, 1,100 permanent seats are being added at Davenport Field, raising its official capacity to about 3,600, O'Connor said. Also, a new sound system is being installed at the Cavaliers' stadium.

"It just shows the [athletic] department is committed to baseball and trying to move it forward," O'Connor said. - Jeff White