Seven Win Society

A One-Year Experiment Is Enough

2010-08-01T21:40:00.000-04:00

As I'm sure you've noticed if you checked the site following basketball season, things have slowed down here at the Society. In the last few months, I would have liked to find the time to write a post defending Dom Starsia, a good man who in many corners was thrown under the bus for running what was deemed an out-of control program following the tragic death of Yeardley Love. As far as I think the Washington Post came with Zach Berman trying to revive its Virginia coverage, their piece on Starsia following Love's death was nothing short of a one-sided, ignorant hatchet job. I also would have liked to chime in on Mike London's efforts to revive the program -- his outreach to the 757 and the energy he's brought to Charlottesville. Believe me, he's a LONG way away from rebuilding this thing, but the first several months of his tenure have confirmed my belief that the University has the right man for the job.

Simply put, we here at the Society just haven't had enough time to make this site what we wanted when we launched almost to the day last year. As cjhoo noted, my wife & I welcomed the newest member of Hoo nation in January, and I also switched jobs to a position that will be taking up a lot more of what little was left of my free time. My colleague cjhoo and his wife are also expecting their first in October, right around the time Mike London might be wondering what he's gotten himself into. So while it was a blast to do for a year, and we'd like to keep it up, its just not realistic at this point. This will therefore be the last post here at the Society.

I hope, as had been my goal, that we intelligently added to the discussion. We tried to thread the needle between the Fourth Estate, the core of which when it comes to UVA sports has been around a LONG time (in some cases too long), and mindless fandom, which far too often litters the internet these days. But doing a blog on the side did remind me how hard it is to follow a beat full-time, and gave me even more respect for those bloggers who consistently churn out quality content even though they do so in many cases as a second job for little (if any) monetary benefit. I still think there's a niche out there that's yet to be filled. When it is, I can promise I will be among that site's most loyal readers.

Shout-out to cjhoo, who carried the water for the site after the birth of my son and really found his groove writing about hoops in the winter. Shout out to my former colleague and the Sabre's Kris Wright, who was always generous with a link and kind words for the site. Non-shout out to acccoy, who I asked only to commit if he could contribute but very infrequently did. We're still waiting on that ACC hoops piece, acccoy (sorry man, couldn't resist). Shout out to Japers Rink, a Washington Capitals blog that inspired me to start this one. I know there are probably only a handful of hockey fans who followed the Society, but J.P. (thanks for the words of encouragement) and his troupe churn out content of a quality I could only have hoped to do for UVA sports. Shout out to all those bloggers out there still doing yeoman's work. I still think each of the other sites out there have a ways to go, but I'll be watching for one to break through. Good luck boys. And a final shoutout to our readers. I appreciate the comments, words of encouragement, and most importanly, visits to the site, each one of which provided just a touch of validation to what we were doing. I especially appreciated all the traffic around the football coaching search, when I thought we did some of our best work. Thanks for noticing, and coming by to see what we were writing about.

I'll be leaving the blogspot version of the site up for a while. Who knows, maybe cjhoo and I will get bored again with our day jobs, recruit some more writers, and make another run at this thing. Until then, GO HOOS!

Happy Birthday

2010-04-13T13:38:00.000-04:00

Today marks Thomas Jefferson's 267th birthday. Happy Birthday Mr. Jefferson from all of us at the Society!

As Expected

2010-03-23T16:07:00.003-04:00

Virginia officially announced Sylvan Landesburg will not be returning to Virginia. In fact, the sophomore from Flushing, NY will not even finish the semester. Landesburg plans to "pursue his professional aspirations." It's a case that seems eerily similar to that of the Hoo formerly known as Roger Mason Jr (now just Roger Mason). Some projections have Landesburg going late in the second round of the NBA draft while others have him going undrafted. Mason also made the jump early and ended up going in the first-half of the second round. He toiled for years as a journeyman in the NBA, but to his credit, he stuck with it and had a breakout year last season for the Spurs. Former Virginia star Sean Singletary was also drafted in the second round (42nd pick by the Sacramento Kings) and in October of 2009, he was waived by the 76ers. He currently plays in Spain. So, based on some recent history, Landesburg definitely has his work cut out for him - then again, knocking down 500k a year in Europe isn't necessarily chump change nor the worst thing in the world.

More to come...

Missfit

2010-03-23T09:09:00.007-04:00

No, Tristan Spurlock was far from a misfit - it simply appears UVa was not a good fit for him. In other words, a miss-fit. By all accounts, his decision to leave is solely due to basketball and where he fits in moving forward. Hoo fans have speculated the move for months, and, quite frankly, it comes as no big surprise. As a top-100 rated recruit and a player expected to come in and get immediate playing time, the fact he played very little this past season made it a natural for fans to speculate his departure. Despite the constant talk about his future, Spurlock contends he finalized his decision last night, and it stemmed from the fact Coach Bennett saw him as power forward while he envisioned himself as a wing player.

Spurlock came to Virginia after having a couple of contentious relationships with previous coaches, but in this case, the freshman out of Word of Life Christian Academy has proven a model citizen. He continues to say all of the right things; singing the praises of UVa, and the fans (not too often anyone compliments Virginia fans) as well as showing unwavering respect for Bennett. Spurlock has shown a great deal of class throughout the entire ordeal (unlike senior Calvin Baker, he never griped about playing time), and he has handled the transfer with a sense of maturity far beyond that of most freshman. It's hard for Hoo fans not to like him.

Some people will likely wonder why Bennett fought so hard to keep him committed to the Cavs if he wasn't a good fit for his system. First and foremost, that assumes Bennett knew right away that Spurlock was not a player well suited for his system, and there is no indication of that being the case. Even more importantly, keeping Spurlock was a necessary PR move for the new coach - it was an early win that showed he could come in, pick up the pieces, and start the program moving forward. Losing Spurlock would have signaled that the wheels had fallen off and that Bennett was working with a program stripped down to its foundation. Ultimately, Bennett has reworked the program - breaking it down to the foundation in order to install his system and philosophies with the intent to build it back up from there. Yet at the time, keeping Spurlock was a key pickup for Bennett and helped maintain the positive outlook that came with his arrival.

Many UVa fans will be disappointed not to have had the chance to see what could of become of Spurlock - it was an intriguing story to say the least. It will certainly come as no shock to see Spurlock do well somewhere else, and given the fact he is leaving on good terms, most Virginia fans will likely be rooting for him. We here at the Society wish him all the best.

Hard to reasonably expect much more

2010-03-12T15:29:00.004-05:00

Realistically speaking, it was hard to expect much more. Today's game against Duke caused headlines to use such adjectives as "pesky" or describe Duke as "holding off" the Hoos. The last time these two met, it was a blowout and Virginia had no chance from the start. UVa kept it close for 3/4 of the game until a late run helped the Dookies notch a 57-46 win over the Cavs.

Another hard-fought, well-balanced effort from Virginia, though sadly, after two solid efforts, Sammy Zeglinski was noticeably absent. Zeglinski scored a team high 21 points yesterday in the win over BC, yet failed to get on the board against Duke. Imagine how 9 points from him (his season average) would have changed the game.

As we said before, in light of the 9 game losing streak, the best "realistic" ending to the season was two competitive losses against the league's top-two teams and a win over Boston College. Given the circumstances, we'll take it. Virginia ends the season with a shred of dignity in tact and a small glimmer of hope that better days are ahead. So crank up the rumor mill and let the guessing games begin - the Hoos' offseason soap opera now takes center stage.

Well Deserved

2010-03-12T08:30:00.008-05:00

For Virginia fans, it probably feels good to smile - even if it is only a slight grin. At the very least, you can't help but feel happy for these guys who, in the face of adversity, continued to play hard and battle. It's only fitting that Virginia got off the snide with a well-balanced effort. As a team, the Hoos refused to roll over (even when it would have been easy and understandable to do so), and it was a team effort that lead to Virginia's 68-62 win over Boston College in the opening round of the ACC tourney. Five guys scored in double figures lead by a very strong outing from Sammy Zeglinski. He finished with a team-high 21 points while Jeff Jones pitched in 14 (going 3-5 from beyond the arc). Jerome Meyinsse continued his strong play and put up 12 points. After a slow start made it look as if Mike Scott was still stuck in his funk, the junior forward played very well in the second half and finished the game with a double-double. Mustapha Farrakhan added 10 points, including a strong layup and one down the stretch.

Without Sylven Landesburg, guys like Farrakhan, Jones, and Zeglinski needed to step up offensively and all three answered the call. The new-look offense also affords these guys the opportunity to get more involved offensively, and without Landesburg in the last two games, Jones has especially blossomed. The disparity in pure talent and scoring ability between Landesburg and the rest of the crew likely makes it difficult for the supporting cast to find a good, comfortable role that allows them to be consistent contributors. Now the players are far more balanced and even which makes it easier for them to be more comfortable on the court and to simply play. To be honest, this particular team might be as good or even better without him. Bennett's system calls for a balanced, deliberate, and well-executed approach on both offense and defense - it's vital that everyone gets involved on both ends of the floor. It's a a style of play that actually helps teams with less pure talent stay competitive with just about anyone - as long as everyone gets involved and executes their assignments, the team has a chance. Of course, getting involved offensively generally leads to more energy and passion defensively. With one player serving as such a focal point offensively, it makes it far more easy for guys to struggle finding a rhythm and to simply check out - that leads to breakdowns. Without Landesburg (at least in the last two games) it appears everyone looks more comfortable and can get more involved which enables the group to gel more and play more cohesively.

Yesterday, the Hoos committed a season-low five turnovers, and unlike their recent trip to Chestnut Hill, Virginia rebounded extremely well and kept BC from getting a ton of second-chance points. Today UVa faces number-one seed Duke - a tall task indeed though not impossible (see: Big East Tournament). In order for Virgina to pull off the major upset, another well-rounded effort is absolutely in order. Protecting the ball and owning the defensive boards will once again prove vital. On top of having 4-5 guys in double figures, the Hoos will likely also need someone like Will Sherrill or even Tristan Spurlock, what a made-for-tv story that would be, to go Kyle Kuric (see: Louisville over Syracuse to close down Freedom Hall) on the Dookies.

Regardless of today's outcome, the Hoos notched a much-needed win over BC in order to avert complete disaster. For the players and the fans, it feels good to win again. Yesterday featured a few first-round surprises, and with few expectations and virtually no pressure, Hoo knows, Virginia might just make it interesting. From the Society's perspective, a win yesterday is really all we asked for, so at this point, we're playing with house money...as long the team goes all in, we'll either leave fairly satisfied or stay to play another hand.

Pick a reason, any reason, just play for something

2010-03-11T08:28:00.015-05:00

Certainly the last thing Virginia wants to do is close out the season on a 10-game losing streak. UVa's current nine-game skid serves as the worst since the 1961-62 squad. Furthermore, a loss today at noon against Boston College would forever join the Hoos with the 1981 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets as the only other ACC school to finish a season with 10 straight losses. Not good. Despite the fact Virginia's season is effectively over, these are the types of things every teams wants to avoid and this is not how these kids want to get in the record books. This is not how they want to be remembered. Quite frankly, Virginia fans also don't want the Hoos' complete collapse to be the lasting memory that carries them through the offseason. For what it's worth, a win today will serve as reason enough to no longer use "complete" when describing UVa's late-season collapse. Small and largely insignificant to be sure, but we're feeding on crumbs here.

No question Virginia's chances today are rather slim. First off, the ACC tourney is an event that has not treated the Hoos all that kindly in recent years (especially in the Gillen era). Furthermore, BC waxed UVa earlier in the season and, in fact, mercifully ended the Cavs season last year in, you guessed it, the first round of the ACC tourney. Sylven Landesburg is gone, and Calvin Baker has left the team, so to say the Hoos are undermanned is a huge understatement.

Heck, for all intents and purposes, the season is over. Tristan Spurlock is already (at least publicly) stating his desire to return. Coach Tony Bennett is already making sure the press and fans know Landesburg is welcome to return and that the suspension only applies to this season. This team has already begun to look ahead to next year, so in some respects, it could be argued even they have cashed it in for the year. From a fan's perspective, this year is definitely done. The "As the worlds of Spurlock and Landesburg turn" soap opera is about the only shred of entertainment value this squad provides. The only true excitement surrounding the program stems from the hopes and dreams pinned to one of the more highly-regarding incoming freshman classes to arrive on Grounds in years. The fan focus is on the future and not the present.

Ultimately a win or loss won't really mean much of anything. The program won't be damaged beyond repair, and a dark cloud won't hang so heavy that it ruins next season as well. Yet, maybe that's just it. Nobody gives Virginia a chance today, and to be honest, outside of the die hard wahoo fans, nobody really cares. All the story lines point to next season and many are ready to get on with it already. Despite all that, the game must be played, and a Virginia win would help - even if only slightly. Sure, it sounds trite, but it's the truth - today the Hoos are playing for pride. When all the chips are down, does this squad have the character to find a way to win. Is coach Bennett building a program that fights against all odds? Can the Cavs head into the offseason having stopped the bleeding? A loss today and Virgina's season will be tattooed with "10 consecutive losses" and will be primarily remembered for the dubious feat. A win today coupled with a competitive outing against Duke changes things - the story now shifts to the fact UVa finished on a bit of an upswing and showed some signs of life. A win and two hard-fought losses against the league's top two teams.

A gut check, playing for pride, backs against the wall, fighting to the end....pick whatever cliche you want, Virginia just needs to play for something. A win and a small glimmer of hope - well that's something, and something is better than nothing.

A Golf Clap and a Groan

2010-03-08T08:56:00.013-05:00

For the first time in several games, the Hoos gave an effort worthy of at least a golf clap. Yes, in the midst of a nine-game losing streak, Virginia fans are in the business of looking for moral victories. Saturday's hard-fought 74-68 loss to ACC regular season co-champion Maryland qualifies. Keep in mind, Sylven Landesburg missed the game after being suspended for the remainder of the season. In addition, Mike Scott played only 15 minutes and tallied just two points. So, with that type of storyline, conventional wisdom suggests the game should have been a blow out. However, the short-handed Hoos competed, played hard, and even when facing a 14-point deficit, failed to fold. The Cavs posted a gutsy performance and a handful of unlikely heroes stepped up and played well

Jerome Meyinsse posted a near-perfect senior night and capped off what has been a very nice season from the senior center. It could easily be argued Meyinnse is the only player on this year's squad who has exceeded expectations. Sammy Zeglinski has certainly shown progress but has faded as of late. On the other hand, Meyinsse has continued to improve throughout the season - hitting his stride down the stretch. He went out in style on Saturday and led UVa in scoring with 17 points. Even with the loss, if nothing else, you have to at least feel good for a guy who has worked hard both on the court and in the classroom.
Speaking Zeglinski, he and Jeff Jones finally showed up. Zeglinski shot 50% from beyond the arc and tallied 14 points while Jones was a blistering 4-6 from downtown en route to a 16-point outing. Mutsapha Farrakhan chipped in 8 points and Will Sherrill added a solid contribution off the bench with 9 points. Interesting to see all of these guys step up with Mike Scott having an off night and Landesburg out for the year. Wonder how much their inconsistency is due to having Landesburg carrying so much of the focus offensively? Michael Jordan succeeded only when the Bulls surrounded him with guys who could contribute and knew their role within the system. It's clear these guys have yet to truly figure out how they fit in (night after night) to an offense that runs through Landesburg nor has the group been able to develop any sort of consistent chemistry.
Coach Tony Bennett picked a fine time to garner his first career technical foul. With just over 38 seconds remaining and UVa down by one, Bennett slammed his jacket on the floor in protest of a tough blocking call. Replays showed Meyinsse did lean/slide slightly to the right as Maryland's Sean Mosley barreled into him. However, with time winding down on the shot clock, Mosley lowered his head and went to the hoop with little regard for anyone or anything in his way - a player control foul certainly was not out of the question. No doubt it was a tough call (especially after Gary Williams had just finished getting in the ear of the officials regarding a previous charge called on star Greivis Vasquez) though Bennett's technical proved a back-breaker.
Speaking of Greivis Vasquez, did anyone else notice his first name appears to be a combination of his father's name Gregorio and his mother's name, Ivis? Hoo knew.
So, an already bizarre season just got a little weirder Saturday morning with the announcement of Landesburg's season-ending suspension. Early reports are that Landesburg wasn't going to class which only further adds fuel to the "leaving for the pros" fire. Skipping class seems to fit the M.O. of a guy who has checked out and started looking ahead to next season - why go to class when you won't be there next year? What's the point? Regardless of what might eventually happen, the one thing that is clear right now is Bennett's commitment to doing things according to the established rules. It is obvious Bennett is establishing a new culture, and in light of the various suspensions throughout the year, it appears he runs a tighter ship than his predecessor.
Props to the announced crowd of 13,431 who showed up to catch the Hoos' last home game of the season. Virginia fans have certainly earned a reputation for being a bit fair-weathered (a fair assessment in some cases) though Saturday's showing was extremely strong in light of the circumstances (an eight-game losing streak to be exact). Juxtapose that against the game two days earlier in Chestnut Hill when less than 4,000 people showed up to catch Boston College host the Cavs. The two teams have extremely similar records and both are struggling, yet Virginia's fan support proves miles ahead. Maybe UVa fans are looking beyond this season and buying into Bennett's efforts to rebuild the program for long-term success.

On the court, this season has been underwhelming to say the least, yet the one thing that has not been lacking is drama. Various story lines have run throughout, and it's scary to think what might happen next. Remember to keep your hands inside the ride at all times because the roller coaster that is Virginia basketball is not ready to return to the station and shut down for the year.

Wishful Thinking

2010-03-04T10:28:00.011-05:00

Yesterday's argument was that a win against Boston College could help provide a shred of hope, and from a statistical standpoint (especially in conference), a victory over the Eagles would help tell the story of progress. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and that includes changing perspective in order to find or even manufacture a silver lining. Unfortunately, the lowered expectations and new focus were not met with different results. Last night the Hoos dropped their eighth straight contest - a 68-55 loss to BC. Once again the Hoos fell behind early and never recovered - talking about this squad is really starting to sound like a broken record. It's the same stuff night in and night out.

Welcome back Mike Scott. After getting blanked the last two games, Scott finally showed up and nearly posted a double double. Sylven Landesburg also returned to action and notched 13 points as well. Jerome Meyinsse, as he has done all season, played beyond expectations and chipped in 12 points. So, those three accounted for 70% of Virginia's 55 total points. That's not enough offensive distribution to be competitive. Sammy Zeglinksi missed every shot he took, ended the night with a goose egg and has all but disappeared. Same goes for Jeff Jones. Mustapha Farrakhan notched 8 points, and normally that would be a respectable contribution, but when nobody else shows up, it's far too little.
Houston, we have a problem. Losing eight straight is no small feat and there is no doubt something has gone terribly wrong with this squad. Blame it on lack of overall talent, chemistry problems, fatigue, transition to a new system, or whatever else you want to identify, but regardless of the causes, it's getting ridiculous. The wheels have fallen off and now the Cavs can't even manage to dig deep and find enough pride to be competitive against (let alone beat) another ACC bottom feeder.
Chalk this season up as a loss in the name of change - at least, that's what Hoos fans hope to be saying 2-3 years from now if and when the program has once again become competitive. At this point, Virginia is staring at the real possibility of finishing the season on a 10-game losing streak, which will make it difficult to discern much of anything from this season. Finding true signs of lasting progress, wholesale change, or the building of a foundation for success still remains a big question mark.
This summer is shaping up to be just as full of intrigue as last summer. Questions abound regarding freshman Tristan Spurlock, and the recent commitment from Billy Baron only adds fuel to the fire. Six commits with only five available scholarships means something has got to give - will Spurlock transfer, is Landesburg bolting for the NBA, or are all of the recent lineup changes not our of sheer desperation, but instead, Bennett's way of having everyone tryout/audition for their scholarship. Hoo knows, but at this point, it appears there are just as many questions after Bennett's first year as there were last summer when he was entering his first year in C'ville. Ideally things should start (even if in only small ways) to be coming together instead of becoming more unsettled.....again, maybe you have to deconstruct this thing and build it back up in order to accomplish real change.

Oh the life of a Virginia hoops fan......are we having fun yet?

A meaningless game with meaning?

2010-03-03T10:14:00.011-05:00

An oxymoron? Yes. A must-win game? Probably not. A chance to halt the skid and show one more sign of progress? Absolutely. The idea that how Virginia finishes the season will carryover to next year is probably a bit much. To think that the Hoos will carry any momentum into next year from mini-winning streak to end this year seems unlikely - does anyone ever really look back at the last couple of games of any given season as a source of inspiration? However, if the Cavs end up losing out - finishing the season on a dreadful 10-game slide - that would likely leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth and set the tone for a long offseason. While UVa's season is likely all but over (barring a surprise run and invite to the NIT), tonight's contest against Boston College does present an opportunity to help solidify that things are moving in the right direction.

Coach Bennett has cautioned that rebuilding Virginia's basketball program is a work in progress - a task that will take some time. The optimists here at the Society were hoping he was sandbagging, but, sadly, he wasn't. The reality is Hoos fans should be looking for signs of progress and any expectations beyond that are likely too much. To be fair, early success in conference play got most fans a bit distracted and the focus shifted to pipedreams of postseason play and challenging for a spot in the top-half of the ACC. Bennett did his best to temper expectations, but Hoo nation is starved for success, and a brief stint as the league leader was like tossing a bucket full of chum in shark-infested waters.

The recent slide has put things back in perspective, and tonight's game against BC presents a chance for Bennett and his squad to display another example of how they are slowly but surely building a foundation for success. A win against the Eagles would, first and foremost, put a halt to a very dejecting losing streak - no one likes to lose regardless of the expectations. Furthermore, a victory tonight would serve as UVa's sixth conference win of the season which would be more than either of the previous two seasons. A win tonight would also represent the Hoos' third conference road win of the year - a feat last accomplished in 2006-07 when Virginia advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

So no, the trip to Chestnut Hill will not impact the ACC conference championship nor will it have any bearing on NCAA seedings. However, it does have meaning to Virginia fans and to a Virginia basketball program looking to rebuild and return to its former status as a regular NCAA tourney team. It could serve as a sign of progress, a step in the right direction, and another brick in the foundation. Small wins and moral victories, that's what Hoo fans can reasonably expect, and a win tonight fits that description.

No upset alert

2010-03-01T09:28:00.009-05:00

Not even close. Without Sylven Landesburg, Virginia didn't stand a chance. Kyle Singler, John Scheyer and the rest of the Dookies got the memo. It appears the Hoos also read the writing on the wall and bought into their own demise before the game even started. Duke immediately opened the game with a 20-4 run and never looked back. Both teams knew the storyline and played their roles accordingly. The weekend produced a handful of upsets in college basketball, but sadly, this one went exactly as scripted. Not a whole lot to say about this one, but here are few random musings following the debacle.

Entering the season, the Society thought the cupboard might not be all that bare and that Tony Bennett had inherited more talent than the 4th estate realized (given they predicted the Hoos to finish last). Landesburg's absence last night presented a good opportunity for some others to step up and prove their mettle. Jerome Meyinsse came to play and posted a career high 21 points. Yet, you know it's likely not a good sign when a guy who has seen very little action prior to this year scores nearly 50% of the team's points for the game. No one else could muster double figures. For the second game in a row, Mike Scott was shut out. Bottom line, the cupboard is bare, and this Virginia squad is remarkably devoid of ACC-caliber talent. Guys like Sammy Zeglinski, Mustapha Farakhan and Jeff Jones all show flashes which leads fans to think these guys could blossom into solid scorers and make Virginia a dangerous team. Zeglinski has done the best of the three, showed some nice improvement to start the season, but has seemingly disappeared down the stretch - only a sophomore, there's still time. Farakhan will likely finish out his career as a streaky hot and cold player while, by all accounts, Jones looks destine to be an overall bust. Mike Scott continues to improve year-over-year (statistically) but still seems to be continuing a pattern of fading towards the end of the season. Meyinsse has been a very nice surprise this season - had Cav fans been saying similar things about Zeglinski, Farakhan, and Jones, this season might have turned out a little differently.

Recently, Doug Doughty of the Roanoke Times suggested he was "not going to let first-year head coach Tony Bennett off the hook" in terms of his role in Virginia's recent skid. Hey, the Hoos have lost seven straight, so certainly everyone involved in the program deserves some portion of the blame. Doughty notes the team has regressed - fair assessment - and that a coaching getting 1.7M a year should get the most out of his players. The latter view appears to be a slippery slope....Mike Scott has failed to make a basket in the past two games. Last time I checked, the coaches don't play the game (though the Hoos would likely get a big boost offensively if Bennett suited up - he looks like he can still knock it down). Can coaches get players to make shots? Last night marked the third time Virginia has failed to crack 50 points in a game - the last time that happened was 25 years ago. Again, it's sort of a chicken or the egg - some will blame coaching, and some will blame talent. What is more tangible is recruiting (many argue it's all about the Jimmies and Joes not the X's and O's), and even when faced with a shortened recruiting cycle, Bennett put together a class that exceeds anything assembled by Leitao. That combined with the fact UVa could still likely finish the season better than most expected gives the impression that coaching might not be the biggest issue.

With all that said, Virginia does need to find a way to stop the bleeding. The Hoos made strides to start conference play, yet the recent slide has nearly wiped out the earlier accomplishments. Finishing the year on a 10-game skid (dropping the next two and bowing out in the first round of the ACC) would make for an extremely long offseason. If the Hoos can show some life and muster a couple of wins to end the season on a positive note, it would go a long way in providing the slight glimmer of hope Virginia fans so desperately need. For those lukewarm on Bennett, a couple of wins could help prove the coach can find a way to reverse the fortunes when the chips are down. For those convinced the squad is too undermanned, ending the season on a winning streak would show the team's got a little pride left. Either way, for the most part, we all want to believe, and we had reason, but now it appears to be slipping away. Just give us something to hold on to - any signs of life will do.

Free Fall

2010-02-24T09:52:00.013-05:00

The Hoos are running on empty and a service station is nowhere in sight. From a physical standpoint, five games in eleven days has proven too much for a team that is, by the coach's own admission, thin and undermanned. From a mental standpoint, an overtime home loss to Wake combined with tough loss to arch-rival Va Tech in Bleaksburg appears to have broken (or at least severally damaged) the team's spirit. Last night, Virginia dropped it's sixth consecutive contest with a 74-62 road loss to Miami. It was their fourth consecutive double-digit setback, and sadly, the storyline for this one was no different than the previous three. It's as if the Hoos are stuck on repeat. Everyone knows Virginia's problems but it appears the squad is unwilling or unable to find the solution - likely a combination of the two with a hefty portion of the problem stemming from a lack of talent and ability. It's reminiscent of the morning after Foxfields when you're too damn hungover to turn off the stereo that has been playing the same Slackjaw song over and over again all night long. The night before you were too drunk to care, and by morning, you're too sick to move or too mentally drained to notice.

Not long ago, the talk was about finding a consistent third scorer. During Virginia's seven-game winning streak, Sylven Landesburg and Mike Scott were putting up consistent numbers and either Mustapha Farrakhan, Jeff Jones, or (mostly) Sammy Zeglinski were taking turns filling the third -scorer role. Now, the Hoos are simply looking for anyone other than Landesburg to score. Against Miami, Scott failed to score a point and Zeglinski managed only five. Meyinsse posted a solid 13 and Jones pitched in 11, but outside of Zeglinski, no one else managed more than two measly points. That won't cut it. According to Landesburg, it's as if the Cavs have simply forgotten how to win.

Recently this year's squad has started to resemble the Leitao-led Hoos of last season. Over the past several games, Coach Bennett has toyed with various lineups and followed inconsistent substitution patterns. Last night, Farrakhan logged a DNP for the first time this season and Jontel Evans saw little time. Scott was woefully ineffective and sat much of the second half while seldom-used Solomon Tat saw some action. Possibly a bit of desperation or maybe Bennett's way of trying to find a spark...something to jump-start his otherwise lethargic team. While the rotation moves prove interesting but somewhat understandable, the way in which Virginia has played recently is far too similar to last season. Down the stretch the Hoos have become porous on defense and the offense has become non-existent. Once again, teams are keying on Landesburg and no one is stepping up offensively to relieve the pressure. Landesburg posted only four points in a home loss to FSU and too few players stepped up to fill the void. Even though he went off last night, he got too little help from others. This squad simply lacks the offensive talent to compete in the ACC, and that's pretty evident when the Hoos start looking for more production from walk-on Will Sherrill. Take nothing away from Sherrill - he's a great story and does a lot of the intangibles that are so necessary for success. Every team needs a guy like Sherrill to provide that spark and do the dirty work, but when you are relying on him to produce offensively, it speaks volumes about the team's overall talent level.

For optimistic Virginia fans (are there any), where is the silver lining in all of this. Well, if you look hard enough, you can see one - or the potential for one. While it looks bleak, if the Hoos can win two of their last three (not impossible), that would give the Cavs a 7-9 ACC record and probably put them somewhere in the middle of the conference standings. Not bad for a team predicted to finish last. Furthermore, seven conference wins are nearly as many as the nine total ACC wins Leitao's squads collected over the previous two seasons. Going from 8 games below five hundred to a winning record and possible post-season play (NIT) is a nice turnaround from last season and likely more than anyone should have expected from this year's team. Things looked grim before the Hoos rattled off seven straight earlier this season, so it will be interesting to see if Bennett and the boys can regroup and find a way to end the season on an up-swing. It's not too late to salvage a respectable season, but in order to do so, Virginia will need to figure this thing out soon....somebody just has to get up off the couch and hit the stop button so we don't hear AFH for the 100th straight time.

Bennett-Ball, With Better Players

2010-02-06T15:49:00.000-05:00

Looking back on the game, its hard to see how Virginia could have played the system any better. They only turned the ball over only nine times against a very tough Wake Forest defense. They fought inside against an opponent with superior size and strength inside. Jontel Evans ran himself ragged trying to keep Ish Smith out of the lane. But in the end, the Deamon Deacons, playing a similar style to Bennett-Ball, was just too big, too strong, too good for the Hoos.

A few observations from the Hoos' second OT loss at home:

He struggled at times, but Sylven Landesberg was the best player on the court when he had to be, and single-handedly kept Virginia in the game late. With no one else scoring in the second half, Landesberg's tireless drives, runners, and clutch free throws were impressive, even in a losing effort.
Evans made some key stops on Ishmael Smith in the second half as Virginia pulled even late, but looked gassed on the penultimate possession when Smith beat him left and got to the basket for a layup. He also seemed to have nothing left for the extra session. Don't worry, Jontel, the kid you were trying to stop is a senior. In three years, you're going to be him, maybe better.
The Hoos fought on the glass, even getting some key minutes off the bench from the oft-forgotten Assane Sene, but Wake was just too big and too good on the offensive glass, an area Virginia has limited this season despite generally playing a smaller lineup. Aided by Smith's penetrating drives to the basket that broke down the Virginia defense, Aminu, McFarland, Williams, and Woods were relentless finishing around the basket and on the offensive glass.
Mike Scott was good in the first half, utterly frustrated in the second. He's been a key second option for the Hoos, but Wake's bigger defenders made life miserable for him down the stretch.
The Deacs also did a nice job closing out on shooters, holding Virginia to 5-19 from three. Sammy Zieglinski in particular struggled to get good looks while played by bigger defenders (while his more logical defender, Ish Smith, was used on Landesberg to try to keep him out of the lane). Get used to it Sammy. As a non-threat to get to the basket, you're going to start seeing face up defense by bigger players the rest of the way.
Virginia's last possession left a bit to be desired, but was more the result of a tired and frustrated team. Landesberg's contested three was followed by a horrific hoist by Will Sherill, who looked like he was trying to be a hero instead of finding a better shooter with a few ticks left on the clock. But I'm not going to pick on Sherill too much. He played tough and smart despite being physically outmatched. And the fact that anyone's nitpicking on Sherill tells you how far he's come as a ball player.

Finally, a shout-out to the 11,972 that braved the reported 30 or so inches of snow in the Charlottesville area. Virginia sent out an e-mail a while back soliciting opinions how to fill the building like it had been in its inaugual season. Not surprisingly, the crowds have returned in lockstep with winning basketball. Still, Craig Littlepage was right to thank the crowd for coming out. The fact that Virginia had any homecourt advantage (which UNC notably did not have just a week ago under less dire weather conditions) speaks volumes about the health of the program, even on a day in which the program showed how far it still has to go to match the talent-level of a team it hopes to look a little more like in the near future.

A Fine Line

2010-02-03T21:06:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago, with Virginia standing a surprising 3-0 in the ACC, the Hoos welcomed in 6-12 UNC-Wilmington. It was a game that a front-running ACC team should have handled easily at home, but the Cavaliers needed a late Sylven Landesberg jumper to eke out a two-point win. After the game, Tony Bennett cautioned that his team, while improved, would continue to walk "a fine line" between winning and losing.

That fine line reared its head last night against N.C. State, a team Virginia handled on the road just three weeks ago and standing at a lowly 2-5 in the ACC. But with Landesberg struggling to find his shot, and having trouble slowing the Pack's inside tandem of Tracy Smith and Richard Howell, Virginia simply wasn't good enough to cruise at home, even against an inferior opponent.

Thankfully, the Hoos remembered the line they have to walk in time to win the game. The inside lanes that were open in the first half closed down in the second. Virginia reasserted control of the glass. And the Wolfpack, who had shot 46% in the first half, could no longer crack the code. Keyed by a six-plus minute run midway thru the second half in which the Hoos held N.C. State scoreless, Virginia pulled away and (almost unbelievably) into a tie atop the ACC.

It wasn't pretty (except for Mustapha Farrakhan's right-handed, and-1 dunk, which was pretty sweet), but Bennett-Ball usually isn't. Still, after surrendering 28 in the first half, Virginia gave up only 19 in the second. It doesn't matter how much your leading scorer scores (Landesberg only had 7 on 2-10 shooting) if you hold your opponent to 47 points.

So despite having to walk that fine line, Tony Bennett's charges have ascended to a share of the lead in the conference. If they keep that line in mind, there's no limit to how well they can do in a down ACC.

Bouncing Back in a Big Way

2010-02-01T12:41:00.009-05:00

No one saw that one coming. Definitely not anyone wearing a UNC uniform. A 15-point win in Chapel Hill goes a long way in helping rid the painful memories of Thursday's loss to Va Tech. Where the Hoos failed to finish against the Hokies, UVa always had an answer last night against North Carolina. Everyone knew, or at least felt, the Tarheels would make a run in the second half, yet the Cavs kept them at arms-length (and then some) after they built a big lead early in the second half. Sylven Landesburg played lights out, and Sammy Zeglinski shot extremely well from beyond the arc. Jerome Meyinsse posted another solid outing and played a big role in keeping UNC bigs Ed Davis and Deon Thompson in check. He and Mike Scott hounded the tandem all night long making it difficult for either of them to find any type of rhythm on offense. UVa's front court either blocked or altered their shots on numerous occasions and held Davis and Thompson to a combined 11 points on the evening.

Against Va Tech, Virginia struggled to hit big shots when the Cavs needed points the most, yet last night was a completely different story. UVa responded every time it looked as if UNC might mount a run and knocked down several key baskets to maintain control of the game. As Jeff White notes, Virginia's performance at Chapel Hill was impressive especially given what happened last Thursday night against the Hokies.

Speaking of winning at the Dean Dome, last night marked only the third time Virginia has ever won at the Smith Center and it was Virginia's first victory in the last six tries against the Tar Heels. For many UVa players, this marks one of the biggest victories of their college careers.

A surprising 4-2 in ACC play, tied for second in the league standings, has Virginia coach Tony Bennett starting to garner some attention for ACC Coach of the Year honors.

There's no question the Hoos caught UNC on an off shooting night, and even Bennett acknowledged as much in both his halftime and post-game tv interviews. Certainly some of that was due to UVa's defense (especially inside where seemingly almost every shot was contested) and some was due to the Tarheels having a tough outing. Couple that with a very strong offensive performance from the Cavs and it effectively created a near-perfect storm. Regardless, a win in Chapel Hill against the Tar Heels is huge and to finish the game so emphatically after blowing a 10-point lead against Va Tech makes the win that much more impressive. Without a doubt, Sunday's win was just what the doctor ordered and it showed this years' squad has the moxie to shake off a tough loss. This week the Hoos take on two more teams from North Carolina, and if Virginia can hold serve at home, the whispers of postseason play will certainly grow louder.

Can't Close the Deal

2010-01-28T21:48:00.008-05:00

This is definitely a game Virginia will wish it could have back. It was a tale of two halves, two eerily similar halves, which in this case meant UVa experienced not one, but two, damaging meltdowns. A big conference game against in-state rival Virginia Tech, and the Hoos literally let it slip away. All the pieces were there for a big win. JPJ was raucous, Jerome Meyinsse and Mike Scott both played arguably their best games of the season, Sylven Landesburg put up solid numbers, and Jeff Jones stepped up as the third scoring option. Oh yeah, Jeff Allen was ejected and Sammy Zeglinski hit a double-clutch, beyond-NBA, three pointer with under two seconds left that sent the game into overtime. A little luck, some balance on offense, and the loss of a key opposing player - that's a storyline that would normally tell of a Virginia victory. Yet last night it turned out to be about "when" and less about "who." While, for the most part, Virginia played well enough to win, they just couldn't get it done when it counted most.

A game full of momentum swings and scoring runs, UVa twice had Va Tech on the ropes, and both times the Hokies mounted furious comebacks. The Cavs led 22-10 with 5:20 left in the first half, and up until then the game almost looked like the Wake Forest game in reverse. Va Tech's offense was stagnant and UVa looked as if it would be the one to open up a big lead heading into halftime while holding the Hokies to some ridiculously low first-half scoring output. Yet, Tech answered with an 18-5 run to close the half and headed into the break with a one-point lead. Sadly, Landesburg once again got himself into foul trouble and was on the bench for the last 4:29 of the half - the Hokies scored 15 of their 18 final first-half points while he was out.

In the second half, Virginia mounted their own comeback after a controversial ejection call sent Jeff Allen to the showers early. Down three at the time, the call ignited a Virginia run that quickly put the Hoos up by 10, and they led by as much when the wheels once again fell off. This time with only 2:52 left in the contest. Va Tech went on a 13-0 run to take a three-point lead before Zeglinski hit a monumental three to send the game into overtime. In the extra period, the Hokies quickly jumped out to a five-point lead and never relinquished control en route to a 76-71 win.

So, what happened? Well, quite frankly the same things that have plagued the Hoos all season. This squad has been notorious for scoring droughts and defensive lapses - quite often at the same time. Last night, this disastrous tendency happened twice and it cost the Cavs the game. Virginia gave up 18 points in the last 5 minutes of the first half - nearly twice as many points as the Hokies scored the first 15 minutes of the half. On top of that, UVa only mustered 5 points - two of which came on a Mustapha Farrakhan reverse layup as time expired. Since once wasn't enough, the Hoos decided to pull the same stunt to close the second half, allowing 13 points in under three minutes while managing only three points of their own - a heroic three-ball from Zeglinski with seconds left in the game.

During the droughts, Landesburg was nowhere to be found. In the first-half debacle, he was literally on the bench and out of commission with foul trouble. In the late-game collapse, he went dormant offensively (forcing some bad shots), and on top of that, committed two costly turnovers. This wasn't necessarily a problem the entire game. Deep in the second half, the sophomore guard started to drive and then whipped a bounce pass into Meyinsse for a nice inside hoop. In a lot of respects the play encapsulated some of the key reasons for Virginia's success (both for the season and in this particular game). Landesburg's nice assist showed he is evolving into a more complete player willing to create for others and Meyinsse, a key role player, stepped up and found a way to contribute.

While the Cavs displayed this improved, more well-rounded play for much of the game, they reverted back to their old habits when it counted most. Down the stretch, the offense became inactive as everyone seemed to stand around waiting for Landesburg to do something. Scott, dominant in the post during a good portion of the contest, disappeared and never got the ball down low when the Hoos needed a basket most. Furthermore, the good play from key role players also went by the wayside. Jones had 12 (generally things turn out well when the Hoos get double-digits from either Jones or Farrakhan), yet he went cold when it counted most. After he hit a three to extend UVa's lead to 10, he then missed two crucial threes and a pair of free throws.

The offense wasn't the only problem. As has been the case in many of Virginia's losses, the Hoos couldn't find a way to stop the opposing team's best offensive threat. Malcolm Delaney absolutely shredded Virginia and proved almost unstoppable during both of Va Tech's massive runs. Delaney scored 10 points down the stretch and finished with a game-high 27 points. J.T. Thompson matched a season high with 17 (his first double-figure game in the last 9), and Dorenzo Hudson added 18 - many of which were daggers. Once again, too many game highs and season highs by players from the opposition.

After an 8-game winning streak, Virginia now finds itself in the midst of a two-game skid. A trip to Chapel Hill Sunday, a place that has not treated the Hoos kindly over the years, means UVa will need to find a way to put together a complete game for the full forty minutes in order to reverse their current slide.

What Virginia Tech Has ... You Don't Want

2010-01-28T11:14:00.002-05:00

In recent years, as Virginia basketball struggled through more than one 4-12 ACC season and only one winning ACC season since 2001, it was a common refrain amongst Hoo Nation that Virginia Basketball doesn't need to be great; it should simply strive for what for what Virginia Tech has.

It was not necessarily a surprising plea, as it was hard to watch Virginia falter as its arch-rival maintained a surprising level of respectability. Despite predictions that Tech would wilt in a superior basketball conference, Seth Greenberg's charges have almost always been respectable, only once really bad. Since joining the ACC in 2004, Tech was 38-42 in ACC play entering this season, and finished no worse than 7-9 in every season but one. During that same span, the Cavaliers were 31-49, and three times were 5-11 or worse.

But while I applaud the job Seth Greenberg has done in Blacksburg, you don't want what he's selling. While Tech has overall been better than Virginia since joining the ACC, the two schools are nonetheless even on the only measure that really matters -- postseason success. Despite always being respectable, Tech has been to the NCAA Tournament only once as an ACC member. That was in 2007, when a senior-laden team earned a No. 5 seed, defeated Illinois 54-52 in a first round game that set back offensive basketball fifty years, and then politely folded to mid-major S. Illinois, 63-48. That same season, however, Virginia also made its only trip to the Dance since Tech's arrival in the ACC. The Hoos were a No. 4 seed, overwhelmed a supposed upset-special Albany squad, 84-57, and bowed out to a good Tennessee team, 77-74, in a Round 2 game whose outcome likely would have been different if J.R. Reynolds was not injured in the midst of a lights-out performance. So despite the six-game disaprity in ACC records, its the Cavaliers who have the more impressive NCAA resume during that same span, a 1-1 record that could easily have been better, not a 1-1 record that could easily have been worse.

Would you prefer 7-9 instead of 4-12? Of course you would. But let's not excuse respectable for acceptable. Respectable is nice, and avoids your program being the butt of bad Washington Post jokes, but it is not the foundation upon which basketball programs survive, at least here at Virginia. Just ask Jeff Jones, whose teams hovered around .500 in ACC play throughout his career but was canned after a disastrous 3-13 season in 1997-98. No, you want what Pete Gillen and Dave Leitao tried (unsuccessfully) to build, and what Tony Bennett looks well on his way to establishing -- a national program with an occasional chance at greatness.

Perhaps they'll tolerate seasons of good but not great, interchangeable 7-9 and 9-7 ACC records, and life on the NCAA bubble but more likely headed to the NIT, down in Blacksburg. But that's never been good enough in Charlottesville, and I hope I never see the day that it is. Thankfully, I don't think that's what Tony Bennett has in mind either.

No Big Surprise

2010-01-23T18:05:00.007-05:00

As a fan you sort of saw this one coming. Running the table in the ACC was out of the question, so everyone knew a loss was coming at some point, and barely getting by UNC Wilmington gave the sense that the trip to Winston-Salem might not turn out well. On Saturday, Virginia's eight-game winning streak came to a grinding halt as Wake Forest handed the Cavs their first conference loss of the season. Raycom color analyst Mike Gminski noted UVa's "pack the line" defense and deliberate offense makes them a tough team to blow out, but the Demon Deacons certainly showed it's possible. Wake Forest built a 24-point lead in the second half, and a late Virginia rally kept the final score somewhat respectable at 69-57.

Bottom line, when you only score 15 points in a half (the lowest offensive output in the first half since 1993), it's going to be extremely difficult to beat just about anyone - especially another ACC foe. After last week's UNC Wilmington game, Coach Bennett warned that his squad's margin for error is slim, and Saturday's performance proved a perfect example. Early foul trouble for both Sylven Landesburg and Mike Scott left the Hoos with too few offensive weapons for much of the first half and the Demon Deacs took advantage. Hootie notes that losing the top inside and outside threat for such a long stretch is too much for a squad without multiple scorers.

While the offense proved virtually non-existent for a good portion of the game, the defense had its ups and downs as well. Virginia forced 24 Wake Forest turnovers yet the Hoos managed to make a marginal inside player in Chas McFarland look like a superstar as Wake Forest manhandled Virginia inside.

While most fans likely didn't expect a win at Wake Forest, the big question now is how the Hoos will respond. With senior Calvin Baker not making the trip due to a "coach's decision" it will prove interesting to see how the Cavs handle some adversity. Arch-rival Virginia Tech comes to town on Thursday and while a win over the Hokies is always good, it's also a game that serves as the perfect opportunity to get back on track.

A New Hoo

2010-01-20T17:10:00.002-05:00

Earlier this morning red4z and his wife welcomed their son John to the world. He is their first, and at 6 lbs and 12 oz, Coach London indicated his is likely a bit undersized for the Hoos. However, it is reported that Coach Bennett is expected to visit John in order to start the recruiting process.

The Society would like to extend its congratulations to red4z and his wife on the birth of their son John!

And the beat goes on

2010-01-18T09:17:00.002-05:00

When Bennett arrived at Virginia, the prevailing thought was his defense-oriented style of play would help the Hoos eliminate the bad losses to lesser opponents and put them in a position to compete and even beat more talented teams. After a blow-out loss to USF and close losses to Stanford, Penn State, and Auburn (all teams Virginia should have beaten), Cavalier fans were left wondering if the transition to Bennett's new system was still a work in progress or if the squad simply lacked talent - and no coach can turn a mule into a Kentucky Derby winner. A surprise 3-0 start in the ACC and a current seven-game winning streak serves as clear evidence that, as Coach Bennett warned time and time again, getting the system in place simply took a little time.

Virginia extended its ACC winning streak Saturday night with a dominant win over visiting Miami. Unlike their come-from-behind wins over N.C. State and GA Tech, the Hoos led this one wire to wire scoring the game's first 8 points and never looking back. The rout featured what was likely one of Virginia's most well-balanced offensive efforts of the season as four Cavaliers scored in double figures and Jeff Jones added 9 points all of which came from behind the arc.

If, for whatever reason, you need more proof Coach Bennett makes defensive play his number one priority, Jontel Evans' surprise start against the Hurricanes should settle it. Evans helped keep Miami guard Dwayne Collins in check and grabbed a career-high 7 rebounds. Look for him to remain in the starting line up tonight against UNC Wilmington.

Last week there was a bit of talk about Assane Sene's DNP against N.C. State and the expectation that he would see more time. There is little doubt he can and likely will play key role in helping establish a stronger inside presence for Virginia, but against Miami, Jerome Meyinsse made it clear he is currently the best option at center. Meyinsse plays with grit and a sense of determination that Sene can't quite match, and while 6 points is far from earth-shattering, it's probably about as good as it gets right now. Meyinsse seems to be gaining more and more confidence with each game, and getting 6-8 points from the center position each night would serve as a nice boost to the offense.

The weak attendance figures so far this season have been a topic of conversation, and with some of the aforementioned early-season setbacks, it appeared Cavalier fans weren't willing to witness the team's growing pains in person. After six straight wins, the crowd finally showed up (numbers-wise) Saturday night as a season-best 11, 413 turned out to catch Hoos. The athletic department also announced a new $10 ticket promotion which should help further build on the momentum generated from the current winning streak.

A 3-0 conference record marks Virginia's best start in league play in the last 15 seasons, and it seems that the players are really starting to "buy-in" to Bennett's system. The fans showed up Saturday night, so it also looks as if the fans are starting to "buy-in" to the idea that this year's squad could prove solid and worth watching. As the Hoos sit alone atop the ACC standings as the only team with an unblemished conference record, it stands to reason that teams are probably ready to "buy-in" to the idea that this squad is no longer a pushover. No longer able to surprise anyone, the new question becomes whether or not the Cavs have truly turned the corner or if this recent success was simply the result catching a few mid-to-lower tier ACC teams off guard. Either way, UVa fans should be sold on the idea that this new found sense of hope and excitement is a sure sign of progress.

Two wins and counting...

2010-01-14T10:21:00.000-05:00

It wasn't too long ago that many Virginia fans might have been expecting two ACC wins for the entire season. After all, the Hoos had struggled in preseason play, with Coach Tony Bennett was preaching patience early and often and some even suggesting things wouldn't turn until he got "Bennett-Ball" players on campus.

Now that the Cavs have won six straight, including their first two ACC contests (something they haven't done since the Jeff Jones era), Hoo nation will be understandably jubilant. Of course, let's keep in mind that Virginia's two ACC wins came against a N.C. State team that is likely to struggle all season and a young Ga. Tech team that, while talented enough to bury Duke at home, still has no idea how to consistently win on the road. As Winston Wolf would say, "Let's not start..."

Still, two ACC wins is two ACC wins. Its a league, unlike the one Bennett came from, where there are no free conference wins (since the Whack-10 always has one or two doormats, Oregon State filling the role in recent years, that any decent team can bank two wins against). And hey, in the early season game of chance that is the ACC standings, Virginia stands alone at the top.

I won't pretend to know how they did it -- last night's tilt didn't even merit ESPN360 treatment -- but we can go around the Fourth Estate to get their thoughts:

Hootie credited the win to matching the Yellow Jackets' inside presence. In particular, Jerome Meyinsse, while he's still little more than a black hole offensively, was the most impressive, fighting off Tech's Gani Lawal all night. For the second straight game, the Hoos fought for post position, an off-the-ball defensive key often lost under Leitao and Gillen. Virginia simply didn't let Tech's big men catch in favorable spots, something they also did effectively against N.C. State's Tracy Smith. Its something they'll have to continue to do, since their most effective lineup is still probably going small and their most legit big man -- Assane Sene -- still appears lost in Bennett's system. On Tuesday, they outrebounded a much bigger Tech team 36-33 for the game.
David Teel credited the Cavs' clutch three-point shooting. As Teel notes, Virginia finished a pedestrian 5-for-14 from distance, but PG Sammy Zieglinski notched a pair of timely triples. The first to cut the Tech lead to one at 55-54, and then, off a huge Landesberg offensive rebound, Zieglinski nailed another to put the game away at 72-63.
Doug Doughty noted the Hoos' proficiency at the line. So did the RTD. Virginia was 23-of-26 from the charity stripe, a few days after going 19-of-20 at N.C. State. Their opponents, meanwhile, let the Hoos hang around by failing to capitalize on those "free" points. N.C. State was 16-for-26 from the line on Saturday, keeping the Hoos in the game when they may have had a chance to put it away. Ga. Tech was worse, finishing a dreadful 3-for-11 from the charity stripe. If you're perhaps undermanned, you have to find every advantage you can. Bennett's charges have found one at the free throw line through two ACC games.
Resident Yellow Jacket killer Mustapha Farrakhan had another solid outing. A year after stunning Tech with a couple of dagger threes in an OT win, Farrakhan scored 15 points off the bench in last night's triumph. The junior guard is far from the most gifted player on the squad, but he's been its toughest player since his arrival three years ago. And he's a perfect fit for how his new coach wants to play.

Virginia looks for ACC win No. 3 at home against Miami Saturday. A day after mulling lowering ticket prices and sending an e-mail around (I know I got one) seeking suggestions on how to re-fill the JPJ like its 19 ... er 2006. Yes, the lower ticket prices for nosebleeds would help -- it makes little sense that a seat in the last row cost as much as one twenty rows lower. But if you build it - the program, not the building - they will come. We'll see if that holds true with the Hoos 2-0 in the ACC and a Saturday night tilt against Miami coming up.

Transforming Before Our Eyes

2010-01-10T21:05:00.000-05:00

The win itself isn't necessarily significant. Virginia won its ACC opener on the road last season too (an 88-84 OT win at Georgia Tech). But its the way they won 70-62 against N.C. State that, while not necessarily portending great things this season (that's still very unlikely), does give the Cavalier faithful some hope that the program is again moving in the right direction.

In just 13 games, Tony Bennett has gotten this group to do what Dave Leitao couldn't - play rock solid halfcourt defense. The Cavaliers closed down driving lanes, fought gamely for post position, and outrebounded the Wolfpack despite playing with four guards most of the second half.
Playing small (something Leitao tried at times last season) only works if everyone boxes out and all five players hit the glass. The stats say N.C. State had eight offensive rebounds, but I didn't see many that were caused by a missed box out or a guard waiting for someone else to get the board, two things that plagued the Hoos frequently last season. Virginia outrebounded the Pack 36-30 for the game.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Hoos were rarely spectacular, but very efficient. JP Sports flashed a graphic that Virginia had gone from 242nd last season to top 10 in least turnovers committed so far this season. That looked like it might be the product of a soft preseason schedule after the Cavs committed eight in the first half and then another on the first possession of the second half. But they only had one more the rest of the way. Amazing what a few more possessions ending in shots can do for a team that still struggles at times offensively.
It took him a year (two if you count his medical redshirt season) for Sammy Zieglinski to understand that he simply can't finish around the rim at his size in the ACC. His drive and kickout for a Jeff Jones' three cut the Wolfpack lead to one at 53-52 with 4 1/2 minutes left. Last season, Zieglinski throws something up at the rim on that play. Saturday, he took four shots, two were threes, both of which he made. That's how Zieglinski (generously listed at 6-0) needs to play to be successful in this league.
Speaking of Jones, it took him two years to figure out his role at this level. Jones has trouble creating his own shot, and still disappears for stretches. But if he catches in space, Jones is a deadly shooter.
Mike Scott spent a little too much time around the perimeter for my liking in the first half. But he went inside when it mattered most in the second half. His drive and dish to Landesberg gave Virginia a 54-53 lead it would never relinquish. Then, his turnaround from the right block stretched the lead to 58-53. On the defensive end, Scott also fought off Tracy Smith in the post with no possibility of help (surrounded by nothing but guards). Simply put, Scott doesn't complete that effort last season.
Its easy to single out Landesberg, but people will do it anyway. He was the best player on the court in the second half. But he should have been. Landesberg is capable of going both right and left, but teams have picked up that, like most players, he isn't nearly as strong going to his off hand (he's almost unstoppable going right). But his runner going left to make it 60-55 (after N.C. State briefly broke out of an offensive funk with two points) was a dagger in the heart of the Pack.
I close with one final observation. Its often said that college basketball teams adopt the personality of its head coach. In contrast to Leitao, who was often erratic and frenetic on the sideline, Bennett is the picture of cool. The team followed his lead. Throughout Virginia's second half run, the players (bench included) rarely overreacted - a few fist pumps here and there, but no jumping up and down. They looked methodical - just like their coach, and just like the win. I like it.

A Ray of Hope as 2009 Closes

2009-12-31T10:32:00.000-05:00

2009 was another season of renewal for Virginia basketball. For the third time in just over a decade, the University chose a new man to lead what was once a powerhouse program in the '80s. Like his two predecessors, Tony Bennett has struggled out of the gate. Whether that's because of lack of talent (that to a degree plagued both Pete Gillen and Dave Leitao when they first arrived) or the need to fit players to a particular system, the Hoos were a disappointing 0-4 against major conference schools in pre-conference play. The lack of a major conference win was tempered by the absence of a galling small conference loss, but it was seen as a little bit of a problem since, you know, the ACC is filled with major conference teams (N.C. State's presence notwithstanding).

Conference USA shouldn't be confused with a major conference (it hasn't been since the Big East raided it a few years ago in response to the ACC's expansion). But UAB is a real team. The Blazers were ranked No. 24 coming into the contest, and already have wins this season against the likes of Cincinnati, Butler, and Georgia. I'm still not sure former Indiana head man Mike Davis can coach, but he's always been able to recruit talent, especially in the south. That includes his latest find, 6-6 guard Elijah Milsap, brother of NBA'er Paul that is averaging just short of a double-double (16.3 ppg, 9.9 rpg) so far this season. UAB is at at worst a NIT lock, at best perhaps a mid-level seed in the Big Dance.

So Virginia's 72-63 win over the Blazers is a big deal. Not earth-shattering, and by no means a sure fire sign this group has turned some kind of corner. But encouraging. And a sign they're getting better just in time for the meat-grinder that is the ACC. Some thoughts from around the Fourth Estate on the game:

Jeff White called it Bennett's first signature win, Hootie a statement win. Glad they coordinated so they didn't match this morning. Standard cliches aside, Hootie does properly credited a couple of standout defensive performances: Jontel Evans, who also got kudos for a big three and some clutch FTs in the second half, and Mustapha Farrakhan, who was sic'ed on Milsap in the second half.
Davis, similar to other miscalculations he made while at IU, said he scheduled the game on the assumption that the students would be gone, and JPJ largely empty. He wasn't completely wrong - the arena was filled only to 2/3 capacity - but the 9,444 that came made themselves heard.
While Hootie and Doug Doughty credited Evans' late first half steal with sparking the crowd, the DP also credited a bad call with waking them up.
The RTD credited to win to some big threes, shots that hadn't been falling in a handful of close losses earlier in the season.
The WP noted two more subtle points: an assist from Landesberg that he conceded he wouldn't have seen last year, and the return of Mike Scott, perhaps this team's most irreplacable player because of the inside presence he brings to an otherwise perimeter-oriented bunch. While still not 100%, Scott was quoted as saying he should be there by the next game, a final tuneup against Texas Pan-American before ACC play kicks off against N.C. State Jan. 9.

Mike London: The Aftermath

2009-12-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

Now that we've given it a few days for the dust to settle, its time to look around and see what everyone else is saying about the new hire. You have to take what's being said with a grain of salt, mind you, because its in the Fourth Estate's best interest to be nice to the new guy so he'll talk to them (Al Groh certainly didn't). So the new head coach could be you or me, and they'd find something nice to say (OK, maybe not me).

Hootie reflects on London's whirlwind ride. There are few other excellent tidbits in this piece: London ignored his agent's advice to see what else was out there before committing to Virginia, London's salary quintupled with the move from Richmond, and Virginia's need to hire (and more importantly pay) good assistants. The DP also noted London's intent to switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense. Good news for Steve Greer, but Cam Johnson's going to have to figure out his role, as he's more suited to a 3-4 scheme.
Doug Doughty notes that Virginia didn't have a Plan B. Quoting Associate AD Jon Oliver, UVA was prepared to wait as long as Richmond's playoff run took to talk to London. Doughty also notes that the London hire earned the approval of high school coaches and diversity groups.
Jeff White noted how many members of the UVA family came into town for London's introductory press conference as a good sign.
The Good Ol Blog tries to disavow Virginia fans of the notion that London is an Al Groh disciple. The Good Ol's new blogger doesn't really back up his premise, but I do agree with him.
London getting some TV time on Washington Post Live. It is funny that London won't mention Virginia Tech by name. They're like Lord Voldemort.
The next order of business? Filling out London's staff. David Teel notes that London secured a 29% raise in assistant pay to bring it up from last in the ACC. About time.
Jeff White notes that three of London's UR assistants are likely to join him in C'ville. Doug Doughty notes that if Jeff is running those names, you can bet its pretty close to a done deal. We agree.
Within the same piece, Doughty kicks around a few other names to fill out the staff. Jim Reid, the former VMI Coach and current LB Coach for the Miami Dolphins, as DC. Bill Musgrave, who's coaching QBs in Atlanta, for OC. Interesting thought, but as Doug acknowledges, Musgrave would likely have to take a paycut from his NLF gig, and then move from coaching Matt Ryan to Marc Verica and Riko Smalls. In other words, don't hold your breath. Doug also notes the UVA assistants under Groh that did recruit well (they existed?) that London should consider retaining. He also theorizes that former Notre Dame DC Corwin Brown, WVU RB Chris Beatty and former QB Shawn Moore might also be considered for the staff, but that none is a slam dunk to come.
A number of pieces out there on London's real job No. 1 - recruiting. Hootie here, the WP on the all-important 7-5-7, and the Daily Press, which covers sports for the 7-5-7 area, here. Scouts Inc. certainly like the hire for recruiting purposes. Still, as the WP's Zach Berman notes within this chat, London's effect on recruiting won't be immediate with most of the state's top talent already committed for next season. (On a sidenote, lots of angst within this chat about London's pricetag. Apparently Zach's readers would have preferred UVa to go lowball in its coaching search).
Coincidentally, London landed his first recruiting commit on Sunday. It didn't hurt that Miami-area QB Michael Strauss was visiting on the weekend of the big hire, or that he now plays for former UVA LB Ernie Sims. Still, good timing kid.
Top OL Morgan Moses, who just a week ago appeared to lobby for London in a meeting with AD Craig Littlepage, is now exploring his options. Huh? Within the same piece, though, Berman notes that FUMA Head coach John Shuman is happy (which is important moving forward), and fellow OL prospect (albeit less regarded) Cody Wallace remains committed to the Hoos.
Finally, Jeff White takes a peak at the football schedule in upcoming seasons. Next season's out of conference slate features E. Michigan, Richmond, and VMI at home, some team from Southern California on the road. A home and home with Penn State starts in 2012, and one with UCLA in 2014.

Deja Vu

2009-12-09T09:47:00.001-05:00

At the conclusion of Monday night's game against Auburn, one crafty college student held up a dry-erase board with "Deja Vu" written on it. While he was likely referencing the resemblance between the Tigers' recent last-second victory to the one last season in C'ville, the phrase seems to appropriately reference UVa's last two games. Last week, the Hoos dropped a close game to Penn State in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge, and Monday's loss to Auburn was certainly a bit of deja vu. A late flurry of three's from Sammy Zeglinski wasn't enough to complete the comeback against the Nittany Lions. The three free throws he converted after being fouled while shooting a deep three during Virginia's final possession also weren't enough. In both games UVa gave up leads. Each time the Cavs clawed their way back and put themselves in a position to steal the victory, yet they ultimately fell short both times.

Penn State guard Talor Battle erupted for a career high 32 points - a sadly familiar feeling since he only adds to the long list of players who seem to put up career efforts against the Hoos (happens in football too). In the second half of Monday's game, the Tigers twice crashed the offensive boards for impressive stick-back dunks. So, it felt way too familiar when Brendon Knox followed up DeWayne Reed's off-balance runner from the lane for the game winning, yep, you guessed it, put-back with 1.4 seconds left. After both games, terms such as "heartbreaker," and "gut-wrenching" were used to describe the losses. That seems to be a bit optimistic. Both Penn State and Auburn will likely fall somewhere in the middle to bottom of the pack in their respective conferences, and both were squads Virginia should have handled with relative ease.

Offensive Droughts:

Landesberg finished the Auburn game with one assist, three defensive rebounds, and no steals which shows he has yet to figure out a way to contribute when he's not scoring. No assists means he's not creating open shots for his teammates (i.e. drive and kick or slash and dish). Sadly, he is surrounded by shooters like Jeff Jones and Mustapha Farrakhan who struggle to create their own shots and would benefit from a guy who could draw defenses in and help get them open looks. No steals means he is not doing a whole lot to generate offense out of defense or spark the team with some hustle plays. No offensive rebounds means he's not crashing the boards for some stick backs and second-chance points, which can be huge lifts when nothing seems to fall from the outside. When Landesburg goes cold, Virginia's offense becomes very stagnant - it's almost as if everyone starts standing around wondering, "what the hell do we do now?" Everyone always says great players find a way to make the players around them better. Landesburg is good, but at this point, he's not great. Since the offense runs through him, these lulls will continue until he finds a way to contribute outside of scoring, get others involved, and make those around him better.

Defensive lapses:

At times Virginia's guards, especially Zeglinksi, continue to struggle defending the drive and allow too much dribble penetration. In the second half of the Penn State game, no one could stop Battle as he did just about anything he wanted on his way to setting a JPJ scoring record. During the Auburn game, the Tiger guards continually got to lane in the second half which triggered defensive breakdowns. On a couple of occasions, center Assane Sene stepped up and aggressively went for the block, and while he effectively altered the shot, he also left the basket wide open for easy, uncontested stick backs.

The on-the-ball screen at the top of the arc also continues to plague the Hoos. Often, the ball defender doesn't fight through the screen well enough, meaning the big man helping has to hedge too long and both players end up out of position. Other guys sag in to help, and at this point the defense is simply chasing in order to find the open man. This combined with easy guard penetration leads to wide open looks from three, and opponents have been taking advantage. Auburn shot nearly 40% from behind the arc the other night.

While close, Virginia's last two losses were disappointing setbacks to teams they could have and should have beaten. Unfortunately, it is starting to look like another long season is a real possibility, and most Hoos fans would agree that, as Yogi Berra would say, "it's like deja vu all over again."

The New Head Coach

2009-12-07T12:18:00.000-05:00

It certainly sounded on Saturday as if Mike London had coached his last game at his alma mater. First, there was a blog report that Richmond had been removed from UVA's 2010 schedule. Then, there was London's post-game comments after his Spider's last-second loss to Appalachian State, almost speaking in the past tense when talking about his team. By Sunday morning, it was released that Virginia had sought permission to speak to London, and by last night, a press conference had been scheduled to announce London as the University's next head football coach.

Is it the right hire? Only time will tell, but it certainly fits the criteria we talked about earlier in the week.  London is know by reputation as a solid recruiter, particularly in the state.  That makes sense in light of the fact that he was raised in the talent-rich Hampton Roads area, and has been coaching in the state for 17 of the last 21 years.  As we noted in our review of London's resume, if anyone can break Frank Beamer's death-grip on in-state talent, its the Hampton native London.

That failure to maintain in-state recruiting, more than any other reason, explains why Al Groh was fired last Sunday. The program had at least held its own during Groh's early years, and success followed. If Virignia was looking to a return to the successes of earlier this decade, London (or perhaps Temple Head Coach Al Golden) made a heck of a lot of sense. Those teams were never great, but with the talent brought in principally by those two men, Virginia was relevant, going to four straight bowl games from 2002-05. As his assistants left, the recruiting fell off, leading to losing seasons in three of the last four campaigns.

Can London coach? Former UVa players sure seem to think so. First Nate Collins sung his praises, and then over the weekend Chris Long gave London his endorsement. And while its fair to say that London did not build the program at Richmond, he certainly got them over the hump, taking a team that had bowed out in the FCS Semifinals the year before to a National Championship in 2008, his first year as coach. And as a former Cav assistant, and a former assistant at W&M and BC as well, London should be prepared to deal with the academic restrictions that exist at a place like Virginia.

Is it a foolproof hire? No. A cynic would point out that he won at Richmond with someone else's players. All 22 Spider starers this season were upperclassmen, and thus brought to Richmond by London's predecessor. We don't know yet how London's classes, who would have started to make their mark next season, would have fared.

A cynic might also suggest that while UVA's defenses were solid under London in 2006 and '07, it did so while London was the DC under Al Groh, who made his name as a defensive coach. Its kind of like being the OC of the New Orleans Saints. Its nice and all (and may have gotten Doug Marrone the job at Syracuse), but everyone knows Sean Payton calls the shots down there. It could easily be argued that London's only been truly calling the defensive shots for two seasons, a little thin for a major conference head coach.

But this is where the speed of the hire allays some of those concerns (at least mine).  We'll never truly know whether it was London or Golden (choice 1A in my book) who was more or less responsible for the stellar recruiting classes from earlier this decade. Nor can we fairly credit either man with being a better coach - London got Richmond over the hump, but Golden has done nothing short of work miracles at Temple. But its fair to assume (even if we don't always trust their evaluations) that the Athletic Department does know the difference between these two men. And while there were rumors surrounding London from the day Groh was fired, there was never a report anywhere that Virginia sought permission to speak with Golden. Perhaps that's because Golden wouldn't have come, but I have a hard time believing he would not have at least listened. The fact that Virginia flirted with no one else tells me they knew who they wanted all along, and that can only be interpreted as a good sign.

More than anything, the hire makes sense because more than any of the other candidates, this was a destination job for London. A bit early in his career maybe - none of the other major programs were looking at him - but some of the more seasoned candidates that were, like Tommy Tuberville or Skip Holtz, may always have seen the grass as greener on the other side. Same to a certain extent with Golden, who may have been tempted by the Penn State job when Paterno finally rides off into the sunset.  Its hard to see London coaching anywhere else.  Its his dream job. We can only hope that it turns out to be Virginia's dream hire.

ITS LONDON!

2009-12-06T23:37:00.000-05:00

As first reported by WP, Roanoke Times, and RTD. Press conference at 1 pm Monday to make it official.

Coaching Rumors: The Rumor Mill

2009-12-04T09:42:00.000-05:00

This week we've been reviewing potential coaching candidates to replace Al Groh, who was fired on Sunday. Today we take a break from that process to see what names were kicked around the rumor mill this week.

Coaching searches always engender rumors, quick blubs from a variety of places, somtimes citing unnamed sources, often based on nothing more than pure speculation. When Virginia was searching for a replacement for Dave Leitao, the media cited a whole host of names, including Tubby Smith, Anthony Grant, and Jeff Capel. Nobody mentioned Tony Bennett.

So take this for what its worth:

Last week, Hootie was ready to name Boise State's Chris Petersen as the next head coach. Jeff White, citing Jon Oliver, was amused by the story. A local Idaho paper didn't buy it either. But Hootie didn't back down. Must be overcompensating for his Tubby Smith fixation during the last coaching search.
ESPN was pushing a group of former Cav assistants: Temple's Al Golden, Richmond's Mike London, and Liberty's Danny Rocco. SI also liked Golden and London, and also threw in a pair of coaches from the West: Petersen and Air Force Head Coach Troy Calhoun.
On Monday, the Washington Post proclaimed London as the front-runner. I put a little more stock in this story since I know what it takes for the Post to run something like this. Having said that, Larry, they've never exactly been plugged into the 'ville.
Also on Monday, the Virginia Pilot plugged Al Golden while trying to temper expectations.
On Tuesday, Doug Doughty threw Wake's Jim Grobe into the mix, along with Mike London. Doug's always been good at throwing in names from the way-back machine.
On Wednesday, the Daily Press noted Derek Dooley's comment that there isn't "much of a market out there for a three-win coach." He's probably right.
Also on Wednesday, a Charleston, SC paper connected the dots between UVA and Skip Holtz. But later that day, Holtz was quick to quell that speculation. On Thursday, Doug Doughty tracked down Terry Holland (ECU's AD), who said that he was not aware of any interest in Holtz from UVA. But Holland didn't say anything about interest from Notre Dame, who reportedly contacted ECU to talk to Holtz about their job opening. Not really a fight UVA can win.
Also word on Wednesday that prize OL recruit Morgan Moses met with Craig Littlepage about his commitment in light of the coaching search. His Fork Union Coach suggested that his commitment is secure "if Mike London is in the loop." He mentions a few other names that Moses would be comfortable with. Think the AD was listening?
By Thursday, Hootie had backed away from his Peterson story. He suggests he was the victim of misinformation (No, Jerry, that was your readers). He also shoots down Jim Grobe as a possibility. On top of the usual suspects, he does introduce a new name into the search -- Miami OC Mark Whipple. But like too many of Hootie's stories lately, it isn't based on any solid information, so I don't know how much stock you put in his ruminations at this point.

That's all for the week. While the initial vibe was towards an out-of-the-box candidate (based on little more than the out-of-left-field hire of Tony Bennett last time around), the longer this goes on, the more likely the more logical candidates - Mike London and Al Golden - seem to emerge from the wash. I personally don't know who was more or less responsible for the recruiting success in Groh's early years (whether it was London, Golden, or even Rocco), but I hope Craig Littlepage does.

Hope you've enjoyed the more in-depth look at the candidates we've been running this week. We'll continue those posts next week.

Coaching Rumors: The Al Golden File

2009-12-03T09:18:00.000-05:00

This week we will be running a series on potential coaching candidates to replace Al Groh, who was fired on Sunday. Next up, Temple Head Coach Al Golden.

If, as red4z noted, Mike London is the presumptive front runner, Al Golden has to be a close second. Golden took over as Temple's head football coach in December of 2005, and at only 40 years old, he ranks as the nations' sixth-youngest head coach. Despite his youth, the New Jersey native has deep ties to Virginia football that include two separate stops in C'ville. Golden first came to UVa as part of George Welsh's staff where he served as a graduate assistant from 1994 - 1996. During his first stay in the Hook, Golden worked with both the linebackers and special teams and helped guide Cavalier greats and NFL first-round draft picks James Farrior and Jamie Sharper. After stints at Boston College and his alma mater Penn State, Al Groh brought Golden back to UVa in 2001 as the defensive coordinator on his original staff. At that time, Golden was the youngest defensive coordinator in the country (notice a theme).

As Virginia's defensive coordinator, UVa's defense improved tremendously. In his first season, Virginia ranked 108th in total defense and 74th in scoring defense. At the conclusion of his penultimate season in 2004, the Hoos were 18th in total defense and 17th in scoring defense. On top of serving as the defensive coordinator, Golden also worked with the linebackers from 2001 - 2004, and most Cavalier fans are very familiar with many of his pupils including standouts Angelo Crowell, Ahmad Brooks, and Kai Parham.

In the winter of 05' Golden left to take over what was at the time arguably one of the worst football programs in Division 1-A (now FBS). A job very few coaches found attractive, many Cavalier fans (myself included) thought the move to Temple was career suicide. Between 1991 and when he took the job in 2005, the Owls had failed to win more than four games in a given season. Yet, while Temple appeared to be the poster child for college football's hopeless programs, Golden refused to dwell on the negatives and took on the challenge of trying to revive a program that almost relegated itself to 1-AA (now FCS). After going 1-11 in his first season, the Owls won 4 games in 07' and 5 games in 08'. Currently, Temple is 9-3 (the most wins since 1979) and the Owls are likely headed to a bowl game for the first time in 30 seasons. Most agree Golden's work at Temple represents one of the best program turnarounds in recent history.

Pros: Golden can clearly coach, and he has demonstrated he can take an ailing program and build it back up. While Virginia's situation isn't quite the disaster he faced at Temple, the Hoos have indeed fallen on hard times and would benefit from someone such as Golden who is experienced in completely overhauling a program. The former Penn State linebacker has proven he can recruit, and that includes right here in the Commonwealth. As UVa's defensive coordinator, Golden was responsible for helping land Ahmad Brooks, who was the USA Today National Defensive Player of the Year and the highest rated recruit ever to wear the orange and blue. In fact, Brooks was only the first of two Virginia High School Player of the Year recruits he helped land - Olu Hall also held that honor when he committed in 2004. His efforts have not dropped off at Temple where his first recruiting class (2006) was rated tops in the MAC by Collegefootballnews.com, and both his 2007 and 2008 classes were ranked first in the league by Scouts.com. If you've seen Temple this year, you know his stud freshman running back Bernard Pierce could play anywhere.

Cons: While Temple's turnaround is nothing short of remarkable, some might argue the program really had nowhere to go but up, particularly since it moved over to the MAC. The Owls have consistently improved under Golden, but he could be this year's version of Turner Gill. After leading a similar turnaround in Buffalo, Gill was the hot name in both 2007 (Nebraska opening) and 2008 (Auburn and Syracuse). However, this year, the Bulls dropped to 5-7 and finished 8th in the MAC. Golden likely needs one more year to prove he is not a flash-in-the-pan and can both build and sustain a winning program.

Why he would come: Timing is everything. Just as any school that brings him after one winning season might be taking a chance, Golden himself could be risking it by not getting out while the gettin' is good. Now might be the time to make the jump since a losing season next year could mean several more years at Temple (Gill's name rarely comes up now after the Bulls slipped a little this season). Beyond that, Golden is extremely familiar with the Virginia program and has demonstrated recruiting success in the state.

Why he would not come: Golden does not appear to be prepared to simply jump at the first opportunity that comes his way. In 2007 Golden interviewed for the UCLA job but removed his name from consideration. If Golden feels like he has a good chance to log one or two more winning seasons at Temple, he might decide to hold out for an even more attractive coaching spot (say perhaps his alma mater Penn State when Paterno finally rides off into the sunset). Following in his former boss Groh's footsteps might also prove less than ideal.

Evaluation: For those who like Mike London, it appears Golden possess many of the same credentials. In fact, one knock on London is that he has yet to establish his own program and win with his own players. Inheriting good players and getting them over the hump is one thing. Taking over a helpless program, somehow convincing kids to come to Temple, and then posting the first winning season in decades is truly another thing. Golden coached and recruited well while serving as UVa's defensive coordinator and could help re-establish some in-state recruiting success. Like Virginia's basketball coach Tony Bennett - a young coach and former NBA player - Golden's youth and playing experience would likely resonate with recruits and players alike. It appears he is definitely one of the top choices and for good reason. The guy holds a masters in sports psychology from UVa and has put it to good use while completely transforming the mindset at Temple. Golden appears to have a knack for making the best of a bad situation, which is exactly what Virginia needs.

Coaching Rumors: The Tommy Tuberville File

2009-12-02T09:00:00.002-05:00

This week we will be running a series on potential coaching candidates to replace Al Groh, who was fired on Sunday. Next up, former Auburn Head Coach Tommy Tuberville.

Thomas Hawley Tuberville is probably the biggest coaching name sitting on the sidelines this season.  He stepped down from his post at Auburn after a surprising 5-7 season in 2008, feeling as if he didn't have the full support of the Auburn community. Tuberville is currently working as an ESPN analyst, but has made clear he would like to return to the sidelines as a head coach in 2010.

Its hard not to be impressed with Tuberville's resume. The former Auburn Head Coach was 85-40 in ten seasons there. His best season came in 2004, one year removed from the first rumblings about his job security, when the Tigers went 13-0 and finished second in the polls. Tuberville won national coach of the year honors with a team that featured Jason Campbell, Ronnie Brown, and Cadillac Williams in the backfield, and a stalwart defense. Prior to his tenure at Auburn, Tuberville was in the process of rebuilding things at Ole Miss from 1995-98, the first two years of which the Rebels were on probation, when Auburn came calling with a better gig. He was 25-20 at Ole Miss.

Under Tuberville, Auburn won at least seven games in all but two seasons (his first when he went 5-6 and his last when he went 5-7). In between, Tuberville's teams were usually very good and occasionally great: the Tigers finished first in the SEC West four times, finished above .500 in the rough-and-tumble SEC in eight straight seasons, and beat arch-rival Alabama six times.

Like London, Tuberville is not an innovator, just a good football coach. He first made his name as defensive coordinator on a Texas A&M team that went 10-0-1 in 1994. His 2004 team ran the west coast offense, but was largely based on dominating opponents with a Brown-Williams one-two punch. Ironically, part of his demise in 2008 was an experiment with the spread offense (sound familiar?) that blew up in his face. It also didn't help that Nick Saban moved in next door, and Alabama's 36-0 rout of Auburn in last year's Iron Bowl pushed Tuberville to step down or face a possible firing.

Pros: Its hard to imagine Virignia will find a coach with a better resume than Tuberville, who has a career record of 110-60, all while coaching in what is considered the best conference in college football. He was in the process of rebuilding a mess at Ole Miss (14-9 in his final two seasons), and returned Auburn to prominence in just over a year. When Tuberville arrived, the Tigers were coming off a 3-8 season in 1998; Auburn was 9-4 and SEC West Champions by 2000. Tuberville would bring instant credibility to a program that has had losing seasons in three of the last four campaigns. There would be instant expectations that Virignia would be relevant again by 2011.

Cons: Tuberville is a deep south guy. He was born in Arkansas, coached as an assistant at Miami and Texas A&M, and was the head man at Ole Miss and Auburn. So while he's a well-known commodity down there, its unclear how he'd be in recruiting (something he was never given much credit for anyway) from UVA's traditional base -- the northeast and in the state of Virginia. There was also widespread discontent with Tuberville at Auburn for a reason. Other than 2004, his teams frequently did not live up to expectations. Perhaps expectations were unrealistic, but they were nonetheless not always met. That was brought into stark contrast when Nick Saban steamrolled Auburn in year two of his rebuilding job across the state.

Why He'd Come: If he did rebuild Virginia, a program that has not won ten games in over a decade, he'd be deified, and thus vindicated as to how he was treated at Auburn. He'd also find life easier in the ACC than he would trying to compete with the likes of Urban Meyer and Nick Saban in the SEC.

Why He Wouldn't Come: Don't kid yourself. Other programs will come calling -- better programs.  If a bigger job came open in the SEC or Big 12, or perhaps even a place like Louisville (who also fired their head coach this weekend), he'd have to be at the top of any AD's list to fill those jobs. He also might be wary of academic restrictions that might be placed upon him at the University, something that would be foreign to him as a former SEC coach. He'll also demand big money (he made $2.8 million in 2008) that Virignia might not be willing to pony up, especially given Groh's hefty buyout.

Evaluation: Tuberville would be quite a get. But like the other Tubby Virginia flirted with, you have to ask yourself (and set aside your own orange and blue bias) why he'd come here. He'll almost certainly have options where football is treated more seriously. Sure, he'll consider a program like UVA, but it will not be his first choice.

Moreover, you have to ask yourself how his gentlemanly southern drawl is going to play in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Hampton Roads, where Virginia has to recruit to be successful. At the end of the day, my guess is that Virginia will filrt with Tuberville, but they'll both decide they're better off going in a different direction.

Coaching Rumors: The Mike London File

2009-12-01T09:09:00.002-05:00

This week we will be running a series on potential coaching candidates to replace Al Groh, who was fired on Sunday. First up, Richmond Head Coach and former Virginia Defensive Coordinator Mike London.

Many people's presumptive frontrunner, such as here for example, the 39-year old London is in his second year as the head coach of his alma mater, the I-AA University of Richmond Spiders, for which he left the Hoos' DC post at the end of the 2007 season. The Hampton native is an almost unbelievable feel-good story, a one-time Richmond cop that exited the beat after a near death experience and has worked his way all the way up the coaching ladder.

In his first season at Richmond, London led the Spiders to their first-ever Division I-AA Chamionship. To be clear, London wasn't exactly inheiriting a rebuilding job - the Spiders had won the CAA and reached the I-AA semifinals in 2007 - but London has to get credit for getting Richmond over the top in 2008. He has continued that excellence in 2009, with another title contender that stood at 11-1, shared the CAA title for a second consecutive year, and was ranked No. 4 in the nation headed into the I-AA playoffs. Richmond's only loss this season came when its place-kicker missed an extra point after what should have been a game-tying TD in a one-point loss at Villanova.

As Richmond Head coach, London is 1-1 against 1-A schools. The Spiders played Virginia close in 2008, trailing only 3-0 headed into the 4th quarter before the Hoos pulled away in a 16-0 win. This season, the Spiders upset Duke, 24-16, in Durham. It looked like a good win at the time (I-AA wins over 1-A schools always are); it looks like a great win now that Duke proved not to be its usual doormat self.

At Virginia, London was Defensive Coordinator for two years following Al Golden's departure to Temple. In 2006, Virginia was fourth in the ACC in total defense, pitched a pair of shutouts, and propped up an otherwise shaky offense (dead last in the ACC in total offense) under true freshman QB Jameel Sewell. The Hoos went from good to great in 2007. Led by All-American Chris Long, the Hoos were third in the ACC in scoring defense, and won nine games even though the offense was only marginally better than it was in 2006.

Prior to that, London took an ill-fated one-year foray into the NFL, where he was D-line coach for the 2-14 Houston Texans. When Dom Capers was fired after the season, London came back to UVA, where he had been Groh's D-line coach from 2001-04. He was also recruiting coordinator from 2002-04. Notably, Virginia's recruiting classes started to fall off after London left that job in 2004 (although to be fair, it could have easily been the departutes of Al Golden and Danny Rocco - more on them later this week - that led to the recent recruiting dropoff).

London acknowledges he's not a scheme guy. His offenses at Richmond are simple; his defenses solid. So you wouldn't be getting the next young innovator. London is very much old school. But his players love him.  London wears his emotions on his sleeve, and his players seem to respond to it. (more after the break).

Pros: As a Hampton native, former recruiting coordinator, and a coach within the state of Virginia for 17 of the last 21 years, if anyone can break Frank Beamer's death grip on in-state recruiting, London would seem to be the guy. On top of a rock solid coaching resume, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, London is a winning commodity. The Hoos enjoyed their best season of the Groh era with London as DC, and he's built a I-AA powerhouse at Richmond. Its just a matter of time before London gets a shot at the D-I level. No reason it can't be rebuilding the program at Virginia.

Cons: Despite a winning resume, London has only been a head coach for two seasons, and its been at the I-AA level. And while he's been successful at Richmond, he's doing it with players that he didn't recruit (all 22 of his starers are upperclassmen brought to Richmond by his predecessor). So some AD would have to take a bit of a leap of faith to entrust London with his first 1-A job. And while he's well-known in Virginia circles, he's not a splashy name outside the state. You just don't know whether a hire like London would remedy the troubling trend of dwindling attendance at Scott Stadium (at least not at first).

Why He'd Come: London coached at UVA for six seasons, and has other ties to the University - his brother Paul played DB for Coach Welsh and his daughter Kristen played hoops under Debbie Ryan.  When he left the Hoos in 2007, London was quoted as saying he didn't want to leave, but had to answer the call of his alma mater. He might be happy to come back, certainly at a higher salary than they can afford to pay him at U of R.

Why He Wouldn't Come: He might already be at his dream job, coaching his alma mater. And even if he has designs on returning to 1-A football, it might be a bit early. As noted above, London's recruiting classes at Richmond have yet to establish themselves. He may want to see things through a little further at his alma mater. London also spent his entire UVA tenure under Groh, so he may feel some sense of loyalty to his former boss.

Evaluation: It would take a bit of a leap of faith, but he's the front-runner in my book. The main reason Virginia has fallen behind Tech is in-state recruiting.  While that trend isn't likely to completely reverse until Frank Beamer retires, London has the best chance of rebuilding a healthy recruiting base in the state, which has shown it has enough talent to sustain a national program as it has at Tech.

Beyond that, London can plainly coach. He may not be an innovator, but he's proven at his last two stops that he can get the most out of his talent.  London got Richmond over the hump in just one season and, as Virginia fans fondly recall, got the most out of a Virginia defense that had little right leading the program to nine wins in 2007. Yes, London would be a leap of faith, but he's probably the football version of Dave Odom, who everyone saw as an eventual D-I coach but Virginia passed over because he wasn't viewed as quite ready. When Odom left to rebuild the hoops program at Wake, the Virginia administration looked short-sighted. Its a mistake the University would rather not make again, this time with what many view as one of the best young, up-and-coming coaches in the country, and a home-grown one at that.

Big Ten 1, ACC 0

2009-12-01T09:05:00.002-05:00

Its going to happen this year. The Big 11 is finally going to break through. Excuse me while I go throw up my breakfast.

Coaching Rumors: The Ideal Candidate

2009-11-30T11:58:00.001-05:00

Later this week, we will be running a series on the potential coaching candidates to replace Al Groh, who was fired on Sunday. I thought about doing an Al Groh post-mortem, but quite frankly, with the writing on the wall since September, I think that's been done. We'd rather look ahead, to what Craig Littlepage (and Jon Oliver, who clearly had a big say in the hiring of Tony Bennett) should be looking for.

1. He'd Better Recruit: As Coach Groh preached as he came in the door, and all too frequently fell back on as his team struggled this year, you don't win without players. The lack of players, more than anything else, led to Groh's downfall. It was galling to watch, in succession, a program like William & Mary appear to be on par physically with their in-state big brother, and then watch as non-major conference schools like TCU and S. Miss ran up and down the field on the Hoos. Alas, that was only a precursor to getting steamrolled by Georgia and Virginia Tech, and being circled by Clemson and Miami.

Groh was unquestionably a good coach (his game management skills notwithstanding). But after a few successful classes to start his tenure, Groh has allowed UVA to fall behind its ACC brethren in the annual recruiting wars, which is almost always more important to winning on Saturdays than Xs and Os. If Groh's successor isn't any better at recruiting than Groh was (especially after his principal recruiting assistants left), he could be the second coming of Bill Walsh and its not going to matter much. (Advantage: Florida Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong, Temple Head coach Al Golden).

2. He'd Better Be Able to Do It In-State: The state of Virginia is not Florida or Texas, but its a state upon whose talent you can build a national program. Just ask Frank Beamer. And only Frank Beamer. For the last two decades, and in particular the last few seasons, Beamer's Hokies have absolutely dominated in-state recruiting. Its a wonder when any of the state's top recruits pick the Cavs anymore.

So yeah, its great that UVA has made inroads into places like Pennsylvania and New Jersey for elite talent, but Groh's successor is going to have to do better in talent-rich Hampton Roads, and is going to need to compete for the best from SW Virginia and Northern Virginia. It won't be easy to wrestle control of the state away from Beamer, but we'll take something closer to competing, as opposed to the bloodbath that in-state recruiting has been recently. There's enough talent in-state to go around. (Advantage: Richmond Head Coach Mike London, Virginia Tech Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster).

3. He Needs to Be Prepared to Deal With Academic Restrictions At Virginia: As the University made clear with the hiring of Tony Bennett, who was recently quoted as saying Virginia should aspire to be Stanford-East, UVa is not going to lower their academic standards to compete for recruits (although it wouldn't kill them to make a few more exceptions). Virginia has nicked more than a few of Groh's recruits, most prominently the lost class of 2006, when 8 of Cavs' 24 recruits didn't qualify academically. The Hoos also lose players after they walk through the doors of the University. Most recently, starting QB Jameel Sewell and starting CB Chris Cook were declared academically ineligible for the 2008 season. And DE Jeffrey Fitzgerald finished his college career playing for Kansas State, not Virignia, in part because of academic issues.

We can debate whether the football and basketball program should be held to the same academic standards as the rest of the University (although if you think more than 5% of either program would have been admitted without their athletic credentials, you're fooling yourself). But its largely been made clear that those academic standards aren't going anywhere. (Advantage: Harvard Head Coach Tim Murphy).

4. He Needs to Be the Face of the Program: Besides not winning enough games, Groh's biggest failure was in not endearing himself in any way to the University community. Whether it was his gruff demeanor, or his aloofness in dealing with issues such as ties v. t-shirts (I happen to agree with him, but he could have handled it better), Groh was always more concerned with Xs and Os than leading the program. So when the records started going south, it was hard to find too many people willing to defend Groh.

Virginia served notice with Bennett's hiring that it was looking for someone to be the face of the program. Expect them to pick someone that the University community will be able to embrace, something was wasn't often true with Groh. (Advantage: Boise State Head Coach Chris Peterson).

We'll be tackling some of the individual names starting tomorrow, but since the hiring of Tony Bennett came out of left field, its just as likely this one will too. We're not sure the ideal candidate - i.e. the one that checks all these boxes - is out there, but you can be sure the AD's office will be taking these requirements into consideration when they pick their man.

NEXT!

2009-11-29T17:44:00.000-05:00

You won't have to see this anymore. AP Story here. UVA statement here.

The next Virginia Coach?

We'll have more on each of these and other candidates as the week (and the search) progresses.

A typical day at the beach

2009-11-24T22:11:00.009-05:00

Well, that was disappointing. Such is life as a UVa hoops fan, though hopefully things won't stay this way forever. Virginia looked atrocious on offense for the second time this season, and the Hoos proved just bad enough to let an unimpressive Stanford squad eek out a 57-52 victory. So the frustration continues for Virginia fans. In a society where just about everything is instant, the hopes and dreams of Hoonation were that Bennett's arrival would immediately usher in sweeping change. Wisely he warned that change takes time and things weren't going to be fixed overnight. Yet, with the program's revived attitude and Bennett's new defensive scheme, optimists (members of 7even Win Society included) figured one of the first signs of improvement could come in the form of eradicating Virginia's tendency to fall completely flat in games such as tonight's Stanford debacle. So far, no new developments in this department as these head-scratching and often painfully ugly loses continue to plague the program while frustrating fans beyond no end.

In Virginia's two setbacks, the Hoos have averaged just under 50 points, and no matter how you slice it, you cannot expect to beat very many, if any, teams when you score so few points. Anyone worried that the Stanford game was a prime example of the boring, grind-it-out brand of play known as "Bennett-Ball," fear not for that was just plain ugly. No coach in the country implements a system that strives for under 38% shooting from the floor with a severely unbalanced offensive attack. The wildly inconsistent play from Zeglinski, Farrakhan, Scott, and Jones proves both befuddling and frustrating. Speaking of Bennett's defense, Stanford managed only 57 points and shot under 39% for the game, and in most cases, that is generally good enough to get the win. In Virginia's loss to USF, the Cavaliers played poorly on both sides of the ball. While the defense looked much better against Stanford, it is a little scary to think the Hoos can still find a way to lose even when executing Bennett's defensive schemes effectively. Then again, scoring only 52 points will do that.

It would have been fun to see what Virginia could have done against Kentucky...well, ok, it could have very well turned out to be an ugly affair, but it would have at least been fun spending Wednesday anticipating the big match-up while dreaming and hoping for a big upset. Even a respectable outing would have sufficed, but Virginia first needed to take care of undermanned Standford team in order to get the opportunity. In failing to do so, Virginia fans are left to search for a moral victory of sorts against Cleveland State. It will be interesting to see if the Hoos can show the strength, composure, and mental fortitude necessary to bounce back and gut out a win in a game that is lackluster and completely uninspiring. It looks like that's what we can realistically hope for...at least for now.

Kickin' it in Cancun

2009-11-23T21:34:00.013-05:00

Tonight Virginia takes on Stanford in the third round of the Cancun Challenge, and on paper the Hoos match up well against the Cardinal (the nickname refers to one of their school colors and not the bird, but regardless, the singular is really annoying) . The two teams only share one common opponent, Oral Roberts, and Stanford dropped a heart breaker to the Golden Eagles last Wednesday night when Roderick Peterson hit a game-winning jumper at the buzzer . UVa beat Oral Roberts by 21 this past Saturday. Both Virginia and Stanford hosted Oral Roberts on their home floors. In addition, Oral Roberts' head coach Scott Sutton (yes, son of famed basketball coach Eddie Sutton) left Charlottesville Saturday evening thinking the Hoos featured a stronger offense with more inside presence than Stanford. It's not everyday you hear someone suggest Virginia has an advantage inside. Lastly, Coach Bennett spent the previous six seasons coaching in the Pac-10 (three as a head coach), so he is pretty familiar with the Cardinal.

Despite the apparent advantage, all that goes out the window when it comes to games like these. Cavalier fans are well aware of Virginia's recent struggles in warm, sunny settings that often feature a beachfront nearby - most notably the entire state of Florida and Puerto Rico. Maybe the fact the contest is being played at the Moon Palace Resort might help the Hoos forget they are in the tropical paradise of Cancun. The gym will likely be near empty and the atmosphere will almost certainly be devoid of any energy. While either of these factors sets the stage for the Hoos to come out flat and listless, the prevailing thought is tonight's contest is as good a chance as any for UVa to kick the recent trend.

In addition to the loss against Oral Roberts, Stanford also fell to San Diego in their season opener. Head coach Johnny Dawkins (the former Duke player and long-time Duke assistant coach) boasts a relatively young squad, though senior guard/forward Landry Fields is the player to watch for the Cardinal. Fields nearly averages a double-double with 22.5 points and over 8 rebounds a game. Sophomore guard Jeremy Green also knows how to put the ball in the basket averaging 14.5 points per contest.

Stanford player statistics aside, tonight's affair is really about Virginia and whether or not the Hoos can get off the snide when it comes to games like these - playing down south against a statistically inferior team in front of a sparse crowd in a stadium with little to no energy. Assane Sene scored a career high in his season debut against Oral Roberts, and Mike Scott has looked solid as of late, so the Hoos should be able to out man Stanford in the post. Virginia's guard play has been nicely balanced as of late, and with so many threats, UVa's front court should overpower the Cardinal. Again, the stats favor the Cavaliers, but the setting lends itself to a flat, uninspiring performance against a lesser opponent - one that is far too familiar for Hoo fans. If looking to get the monkey off their backs isn't enough motivation, a win gives the Cavaliers an opportunity to go against a Kentucky squad that ranks among the nation's elite. This game serves as an early chance for Bennett and his squad to show things might just be changing in C'ville. It's a game UVa should win, but recently, contests like these have been no day at the beach.

Outmanned Again (This is Getting Old)

2009-11-22T22:37:00.000-05:00

For the second time in three weeks, Virginia fought gamely for a half against a superiorly talented foe. The Hoos pulled out all the stops -- a little Wildcat, a QB throwback, and even a gutsy and exhilarating go on the last play of the first half. Unfortunately, Virginia didn't seem to have any tricks left for the second half, when things returned to form for Atlantic Division champ Clemson in a 34-21 result.

Some thoughts on the Cavs' eighth loss of the season, their most since 1986:

The offense to open the game looked like it probably should have all season. All thirteen of the Hoos' offensive plays in the first quarter were on the ground. It didn't matter that the first drive ended in a fumble, or that the second ended in a punt. The score after the first quarter was 7-7, and just as important the time of possession was 8-7 Virginia.
Like the Virginia Tech game last season when Vic Hall got the surprise start at QB, Virginia broke out a new toy with Mikell Simpson in the wildcat formation. Groh was quoted as saying that they didn't just put that in this week; they just hadn't used it in a game. Um, as many of us were thinking last season when they finally took the wraps off Hall, what took so long?
The end of the half go for it was one of those no-no-no-yes! moments. You have a chance to cut it to one score with a FG, and you're facing the ACC's best pass rush with 8 seconds left from the 23-yard line. A short pass, which is all they had time for if they still wanted to preserve time for a FG, doesn't get you in the end zone, so why risk it? Instead, Virginia calls a wheel route to Simpson, which if incomplete leaves the Cavs with no time for a FG. But the play worked. 24-21 into halftime. Gutsy, even if foolhardy, call.
Unfortunately, that was the last play of Simpson's afternoon. Without their star runner in the second half, Virginia gained only 40 more yards, and didn't score again.
On the other side of the ball, there was only so much Virginia could do to slow down a clicking Clemson offense. But UVA still held the Tigers under 400 yards for the first time in five games. The Hoos actually kept star C.J. Spiller (19 carries, 60 yards) in relative check. They had a little more trouble with speedy wideout Jacoby Ford, who had 6 catches for 106 yards and a TD.
The last time the Cavs lost eight games was 1986. It will have to beat Tech to avoid its worst season since 1982. Ouch.

Countdown to November 30

2009-11-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

As ACC COY noted earlier this season, 2009 has been a long and inevitable march towards Al Groh's firing. This is as much AD Craig Littlepage's fault as it is Groh's. But with the end of the football season mercilessly close, you should know that the death blow will likely come quickly, and soon.

As ACC Sports Journal notes, November 30 is the annual date to exercise the rollover clause in Coach Groh's contract. If the University isn't going to pick that up - and there's no one out there that thinks it will be picked up - conventional wisdom says that there's no reason to let an alum and, whatever you think of his coaching ability, a good man twist in the wind. Jerry Radcliffe had a interesting piece about what went wrong for Al Groh. Don't know that I agree with all of what Jerry writes, but he raises some interesting issues that any coaching candidate will have to consider.

Everyone's already starting with candidate lists - here and here for example. Its a bit early for that, but with November 30 just ten days away, not that early. Better than talking about the Clemson game, though, and Virginia's likely foray into the land of 3-8, something even the most pessimistic among us did not think possible when the season began.

Welcome to the ACC, Coach Bennett

2009-11-19T10:51:00.001-05:00

After watching the Hoos get outmanned by the likes of South Florida on Monday, its hard not to think about the reinforcements coming for 2010. As we've written in this space before, Coach Tony Bennett's first class is good, not great as some have proclaimed.  Still, its hard not to get excited about the five new recruits Bennett is bringing to the 'ville, two of whom are consensus top-100 players.

Nor should it be surprising. At Washington State, its hard to imagine how Coach Bennett got anyone to come to Pullman (if you've ever been to or even seen pictures of it, or that "cage you call a gym," you know what I mean). Here at UVA, Bennett's got a state-of-the-art facility, is a couple hours drive from more than a few recruiting hotbeds, and has the draw of playing in what is considered by most to be the nation's premier college hoops conference.  Its kind of like swimming every morning at the local Y, and then having the chance to instead swim every day at the Aquatic and Fitness Center. It's gotta feel pretty nice, and certainly a whole lot better than where you were.

But reviewing the various recruiting rankings has to bring things into perspective for UVA's new head man. Case in point, ESPN just released its rankings for college basketball's top 25 recruiting classes for 2010 (insider access required). Virginia is ranked a respectable 21st. Its what's ahead of Coach Bennett's class in those rankings that will soon enough be keeping him up at night. Despite the strength of Virginia's class, no less than FIVE ACC schools' classes rank ahead of Bennett's. UNC, with three top-20 players, is No. 3.  Wake is adding four top 100 players and is ranked No. 6. Duke is right behind them, with two elite recruits, at No. 7. NC State (how Sidney Lowe keeps doing this yet his team stinks every year I'll never know) is No. 12, and Maryland is just ahead of Virginia in ESPN's rankings at No. 18. Florida State is right behind the Hoos at No. 24.

Meanwhile, only two of Bennett's former rivals from the Pac-10 have classes that rank ahead of Bennett's. Always strong UCLA is at No. 10 and new Stanford head man Johnny Dawkins checks in at No. 15. That's it.

The story's the same over at scout.com, where Virginia's ranked 14th, but still trumped by UNC, Duke, Wake, and NC State, and at rivals.com, where Virginia's all the way up to 12th, but still behind that foursome. Coach Bennett is certainly doing well, but he has to be learning that he's engaged in an arms race here on the east coast he's not winning, and probably can't.

So yeah, the pool's nicer over here. Its not that shallow 25-meter thing at the Y where you don't quite trust the water. Here on the east coast, the pool's heated, its got olympic-sized lanes, and is plenty deep enough for diving. But just so you know, Coach, there are sharks swimming around in it. Keep swimming fast. You're going to have to.

Another 2nd Half Collapse

2009-11-16T22:05:00.010-05:00

After Virginia's first two ballgames, one thing is absolutely crystal clear - Coach Bennett's efforts to temper expectations were not a case of sandbagging. If you read our fearless predictions, it's easy to see we at the Society bought into the excitement and promise of a new coach coming in to guide a team with the ACC freshman of the year and all five returning starters. With what appeared to be a decent and relatively talented foundation in place, surely Bennett was simply setting expectations low and under-promising in order to over deliver, or so we thought. It looks like that simply wasn't the case. The build-up to the season was exciting, but so much for the afterglow.

After an underwhelming and somewhat troubling win against Longwood, Virginia took on the University of South Florida last night and continued their complete incompetence in the Sunshine State (the Hoos last win there came during the 2000-2001 season when Roger Mason hit a last-second shot to down FSU). For the second straight game, Virginia posted another dismal second-half performance, and a four-point game at half time turned into a 17-point blowout. All night the offense was beyond anemic, and Virginia continues to work out the kinks with Bennett's new defensive system.

It's hard to win basketball games when you only score 49 points, and after only two games, some trends that plagued Virginia last year seem to be rearing their ugly heads again this season. The Hoos shot a woeful 32.7% from the field, and just like last year, finding offensive consistency from anyone not named Sylvan Landesburg proves challenging - even he struggled with just 2 points after the break. Sammy Zeglinski and Mustapha Farrakhan both posted nice outings in the opener against Longwood, and yet the two absolutely disappeared against the Bulls. The two combined for a mere 5 points on the night. Virginia fans truly want to believe Jeff Jones can and will begin to live up to the promise and expectations that once surrounded the highly-regarded recruit, but sadly, the wait continues. Once again the junior guard turned in a disappointing performance with 7 meaningless points all after USF had the game well in hand. While it's still very, very early, freshman Tristan Spurlock has shown no signs he will be able to contribute right away(or at least this year) - sure, there is still plenty of time, but Spurlock's first two games raise a slight cause for concern. Mike Scott failed to hit double-digits, yet, in his defense, with Virginia's front-court under-manned and under-sized, he simply couldn't do it all.

At first glance, 66 points doesn't seem like a horrendous defensive effort, and to some degree it wasn't. Bennett's defensive system is designed to make opposing teams shoot late in the shot clock, and thus, reduce their total number of shots. The fact USF shot over 53% from the field and eclipsed 45% from beyond the arc yet still only managed 66 points serves as evidence that part of the defensive scheme is taking hold. Of course, the other part is of the approach relies on defenders doing something, actually anything, to disrupt shots and keep shooting percentages far south of 50%. So far it seems as if UVa has yet to grasp that crucial element of Bennett's defensive philosophy.

The absence of Assane Sene and Jamil Tucker is likely partially to blame for Virginia's inability to keep South Florida's shooting percentage in check as the big men played well for the Bulls. Foward/Centers August Gilchrist and Jarrid Famous put up 18 and 12 respectively. In addition, both nabbed 8 rebounds a piece helping USF post a 33-21 advantage on the boards. To a large degree, a scoring and rebounding disparity was a bit expected given Virginia's thin front-court, yet that made shutting down the guards (specifically their go-to guy Dominique Jones) all the more important. Sadly, he dropped a game-high 22.

Coach Bennett harps on the idea that it is going to take time to get his system totally in place (that includes getting guys who can play his style). Sure, his approach is different and will take some time, but asking basketball players to play a different brand of defense is not quite the same as asking Gaylord Focker and a bunch of his male nurse friends to become heart surgeons. Fundamentally, several key defensive principles always apply. Even if it is a case where the players concentrate so hard to correctly execute Bennett's new defense that is causes lapses in more fundamental areas, getting that fixed only solves half the problem. Like last season, Virginia still can't find players able to step up on offense and produce night in and night out (Landesburg excluded). Without a doubt it was fun getting caught up in the hype and optimism prior to the season, but after two games, it's starting to look like maybe the players aren't the only ones still trying to learn Bennett's approach. It appears he wasn't bluffing when he warned that turning the program around was a true work in progress. Maybe there's still hope he overestimated the timetable.

Home for the Holidays ... Again

2009-11-15T23:57:00.000-05:00

Actually, that's three times in four years. Not usually good for one's job security. Has anyone thought about replacing the coach?

Game of inches was a popular media theme -- here and here for example. Although let's not be melodramatic about it, fellas (and I don't mean to pick on these two particular stories -- it was a common refrain from pretty much every media outlet covering the game). Virginia's bowl hopes were extinguished well before Jameel Sewell came up inches short at the BC 12 on fourth down. You see this team winning at Clemson and against Virignia Tech? Yeah, me neither.

Tip of the cap nonetheless to Sewell, who played hurt in the absence of Marc Verica. As we've said in this space before, Sewell has his flaws, but he's always given Virginia its best chance to win. He did so again on Saturday.

And the defense, once again, almost made another impotent offensive showing stand up. Chris Cook got Virginia on the board with an int return for TD to tie the game, and then the D stopped the Eagles three and out to set up a FG that briefly gave the Hoos a 10-7 lead. And last week we asked who would stand out as the Cavs played out the string. LB Billy Shautz raised his hand, registering his first career sack as well as a tackle for loss.

Nonetheless, that defense succumbed in much the same way it has a number of times this season - when a team committed to running it down their throats, the Hoos couldn't stop them. BC marched 70 yards in 12 plays to start the fourth quarter. 10 of the Eagles' 12 plays on that decisive drive were runs, culminating in a gutsy fourth and goal run that just snuck the ball over the line (yes, by inches, we get it).

In any event, the inches don't matter anymore to this group, except to figure out how many inches outside the hole a putt might be sometime in December. It will be interesting to see who else, like Shautz, stands up and makes himself noticed as the team plays out the string.

A Mixed Start

2009-11-14T10:18:00.000-05:00

I'm sure many of us would have liked to have seen the first game of the Tony Bennett era. Alas, games against Longwood don't move the meter. Thankfully, even with new paper budgets shrinking everywhere, a few brave souls were there too tell us a bit about the Hoos' opening night 85-72 win.

Virginia closed the first half on a 27-9 run to take a 49-27 lead into halftime, and the issue was never really in doubt. But the second half was a bit disconcerting, with Longwood shooting 55% and getting as close as nine. With every quote, Bennett appears to be tempering expectations - is it too late to revise my fearless prediction?

As Bennett promised, the offense did not hold the ball. Virginia started four guards, and got a nice lift from Mustapha Farrakhan. Freshman Jontel Evens played 20 minutes off the bench, impressing Bennett with his on-the-ball defense and ball-handling. Could be nice complement to Smmy Zieglinski. The other freshman - Tristan Spurlock - played only three minutes.

But playing small ball without C Assane Sene and F Jamil Tucker (who were both on the bench in street clothes), a pair of Longwood big men abused the Cavs' D on 14-18 shooting. That will be even more of a problem against upcoming Big East foe S. Florida.

In other news, Bennett spoke highly of his incoming recruiting class (would have been nice to land top PG prospect and O'Connell product Kendall Marshall, but that was probably a pipe-dream).

Looking Ahead to 2010 While Playing Out The String

2009-11-13T06:00:00.002-05:00

The wonder of sports is that hope forever springs eternal. There's always next year. We're not quite there yet, but rather than talk about Virginia's matchup with 6-3 BC, or how few people will attend the Hoos' likely bowl-busting game, I'm already looking towards 2010, and the players that will be in place then.  Something (and some names) to keep an eye on if you have any stomach left to watch the 2009 version of the Hoos.

Running Backs: Despite the departure of bruiser Rashawn Jackson, Virginia is well-stocked in the backfield for next season. Mikell Simpson returns for one more season, and Dominique Wallace should be back to full health, hopefully with four more years of eligibility to burn. Torrey Mack, of which more was probably expected this season, also returns with three years of eligibility remaining.

Wide Receivers: What Virginia lacks in obvious quality, they make up for in quantity here. Kris Burd, Jared Green, Javaris Brown, and Tim Smith all return next season.  Look for one or two of them to finally distinguish themselves from the pack towards the end of this season.  TEs Joe Torchia and Colter Phillips will also be back for whatever coach (and new system) is employed.

O-line: Will Barker graduates. That's it. With four starters returning, the Hoos should be solid up front. We just hope they work on their pass protection skills during the offseason.

QB: The pink elephant in the room. Despite having enough pieces everywhere else on offense for next season, both Jameel Sewell and Vic Hall are out of eligibility. That leaves would-be senior Marc Verica and now-redshirt freshman Riko Smalls as one-two on the depth chart. I'm sure I'm not the only one who shuddered as I read that.

D-Line: Like the o-line, the defense loses one of its most valuable pieces in Nate Collins. But starters Matt Conrath and Nick Jenkins return, along with Zane Parr and true freshman Will Hill ready to step in for Collins. Should again be a position of strength for the Hoos.

Linebackers: The Hoos will lose three seniors, two of them starters. But arguably the two most important pieces, Steve Greer and Cam Johnson, return. Greer, like his predecessor Jon Copper, may need a caddy on passing downs, but he's the backbone of the Hoos' defense. Johnson should continue to blossom into a pass rusher good enough to play on Sundays. However, beyond those two standouts, its unclear among the three freshman listed on the depth chart (Schautz, McCartin, and Windle) who will fill out the starting lineup.

Secondary: Other than QB, this is the position that will take the biggest beating headed into 2010. CB Chris Cook and S Brandon Woods graduate, along with sometimes CB Vic Hall, and its entirely possible Jr. CB Ras-I Dowling decides he's had enough and enters the draft a year early. There's some depth here -- Chase Minnifield should reenter the mix at CB he was in before Cook was reinstated, and Corey Moseley should be able to step in nicely for Woods. But its hard to imagine the biggest strength of this team won't take a step back in 2010.

So there you have it. There are probably less question marks headed into 2010 than there were headed into this season, but the Hoos will have a big question mark at the most important position on the field.  We wouldn't expect Groh to start playing for 2010, whether his job were on the line or not, but since he's playing everyone anyway, eligibility be damned, we might as well keep an eye out for what we have in 2010. Enjoy the game (if you can).

Fearless Predictions - Hoops Edition

2009-11-12T10:28:00.001-05:00

As we've already noted, the national media isn't too peachy on Virginia hoops this season. As part of the annual ACC media poll, Virginia was picked 11th. Collegehoops.net has an interesting high-low projection, picking Virginia to finish anywhere from 7th to 12, but ultimately peg the Cavs at 10th. Baseball Prospectus' little brother is a little more optimistic, predicting Virginia to finish 8-8 in the ACC, as noted over at the Sabre. I share BP's optimism. My colleagues, not so much, although they certainly have more than the national media. Our predictions are after the jump. Feel free to chime in with your own in the comments section. The schedule can be found here.

red4z: As I’m already on the record as saying, 2009-10 will be a turnaround team for Virginia basketball. For all the flack Dave Leitao took for his lack of recruiting acumen, he doesn’t leave the cupboard bare for the incoming Tony Bennett. And unlike football, the administration didn't wait one year too long to pull the plug on a coach that needed to go.

There are few things I expect immediately with Coach Bennett taking the reins. First, no more embarrassing losses. He’s too good a coach, and his teams are characteristically too disciplined for a slip up. So no more losses to Liberty. Second, an established player rotation. As a former NBA player, Bennett understands the importance of everyone knowing their roles. A few players will invariably be left without minutes in the process, but that’s better than players looking over to the bench for the hook every time they make a mistake. Finally, Bennett is a player’s coach. Expect a few guys who wilted under Leitao’s in your face style to flourish under a new voice. Jeff Jones, I’m looking in your direction.

The Hoos will surprise throughout their pre-conference schedule. They’ll drop a game to a loaded Kentucky squad (say hello to John Wall) in Cancun, but will steal a road win at South Florida or Auburn. And the Hoos will take care of business against Penn St. in the ACC Invitational (better known as the ACC/Big Ten Challenge). The Hoos will enter conference play unranked, but 11-2 and people will be wondering just how good they are.

Virginia is well-positioned to start strong in ACC play, and in general. The Cavs open at NC State, home to GT and Miami, at WF, and at home to Va. Tech. They also get UNC and Duke only once each. Its too early to expect wins against those traditional powers, but the Hoos will break through against the ACC’s second tier. My heart says 9-7; my head says 8-8. Either way, without a true marquee win, Virginia is left out of the dance. Disappointing at the time, but in the big picture, a successful first season for Bennett. Prediction: 19-10, 8-8. NIT berth.

cjhoo99: The energy of a new head man, the opportunities that accompany change, and the benefits of new schemes often produce some sort of positive results in year one. Certainly the idea is for the momentum of the first year to carry forward to years two, three, and four, yet, for whatever reason, that part of the puzzle seems to have eluded Virginia’s last two previous basketball coaches. Without a doubt, Hoo fans would like new headman Tony Bennett to find a way to break the recent trend plaguing UVa’s basketball program while still maintaining a little of that “beginner’s luck.” On paper at least it appears modest improvement over the complete debacle that was last season proves well within reason.

Virginia’s non-conference schedule proves very reasonable. If Bennett’s defensive system takes hold early, that should help keep some member of the opposing team from setting a new career-best in scoring against the Cavs (something that happened far too often under both Gillen and Leitao). By simply minimizing the bad losses that have been commonplace in recent years, the Hoos should finish the non-conference portion of the schedule at no worse than 8-5. If everything falls into place early on, it’s not completely inconceivable that Virginia travels to Raleigh sitting at 11-2, and should be 10-3 starting conference play.

Virginia plays a home and home series with N.C. State, Maryland, Va Tech, and Miami, and winning six of those eight games is not out of the question – that means the Hoos sweep either the Wolfpack or Miami while splitting with Maryland and Va. Tech. Certainly possible. An upset over Ga. Tech at home (second ACC game) or Wake Forest could be in the cards, and a road win over either Clemson or Boston College can’t be ruled out. Heck, even a shocker over Duke is not impossible – the Blue Devils tend to bring out the best in Virginia, especially in C’ville. Going .500 in the ACC would be a minor miracle while anything below 5-11 would prove disappointing.

A trip to the Big Dance seems a bit unlikely, though an NIT birth represents a reasonable goal. Getting back to post-season play (the CBI or any other b-grade tourney excluded) would certainly be a nice start to the Bennett era. Prediction: 17-12, 7-9, NIT berth.

ACC COY: Virginia has a new coach with a better system but still does not have very many good players. It's reasonable enough that if the players buy into Bennett's system and work hard, they can surprise a few teams, particularly at home, on the first leg of the home-and-homes. I doubt, however, that they would be able to beat many decent teams on the road, particularly when the opponent has already seen them once or has sufficient tape. Since the ACC is filled with decent to good teams, this is probably going to be a long season for the Wahoos.

I'd guess 6-10 in the ACC, with one or two big upsets and a growing reputation as a tough out, particularly in JPJ. Maybe one win in the ACC tournament, and all that is possibly enough to get into the NIT, which I think should be considered a major accomplishment considering how bare the cupboard is.

This isn't like Pete Gillen inheriting three bona fide ACC players in Adam Hall, Chris Williams and Donald Hand,* or Leitao getting JR and Sean Singletary. Virginia has exactly one legitimate top-shelf ACC player in Sylven, and maybe another two or three other guys that would be rotation regulars in a good ACC lineup. If this team even gets a sniff at .500 in the conference, Tony Bennett should hit Littlepage up for a 10-year extension with an extensive buyout. Prediction: 16-13, 6-10, NIT Berth.

*---I doubt anyone expected those three to be as good as they were, but doesn't it strike you in retrospect how for two years Virginia had a starting lineup of Williams, Hall, Hand, Watson and Mason (not to mention brief flashes of Mapp and some other guys), all of whom had legitimate professional careers in the minors, overseas or in the NBA, and never won a tournament game? Astounding. What would you give for that rotation right now? If Majestic Mapp does not hurt his knee, you have to figure they make it to the Sweet 16 at least once, right? Wow.

ESPN on the ACC: Judging on Reputation, Not Reality

2009-11-10T17:43:00.000-05:00

With college basketball kicking off Monday night, college hoops previews are everywhere. As part of its coverage, ESPN the Magazine ranked the top 64 teams (ignore the fact that the top 64 don't make the dance, but rather 31 auto bids plus 34 at-large teams do, and oh yeah, its 65 teams because God forbid a 9-9 Big Ten team lose a spot for an automatic qualifier).

Its one of those years where no one can tell who's any good, so "experts" are largely sticking with the big names. Case in point, North Carolina, who lost their top four scorers from a year ago, are ranked sixth in the AP poll based on the return of Ed Davis and an uber-talented freshman class. The Heels will be good, especially towards the end of the season, but there's no way they're the sixth best team in the country right now.

But you can excuse a little North Carolina bias (Duke bias is another matter). They're always good, always have at least one lottery pick on the roster, and are well coached by Roy Williams. I also won't quibble with ESPN putting Duke at 12, since the Dukies always maximize talent (during the regular season at least), or Georgia Tech at 25, since Derrick Favors may be the best player in the country right out of high school (the last time Paul Hewitt brought Favors' kind of talent to Atlanta was 2006-07, when one-and-doners Thaddeus Young and Javaris Crittenden led the Jackets to a 20-12 record and an NCAA berth). And I won't even kill them too bad for putting Maryland at 19, although most people will tell you that merry band of turtles played over its head last season and its unlikely they'll be able to do it again. Same with Wake Forest at 33, but the Deacs will severely miss their two best players - Teague and Johnson - regardless of how high Al-Farouq Aminu can jump.

But once you get past them, I was shocked by the utter lack of homework ESPN did as part of its ESPN the Magazine College Hoops preview. They're not the only ones, but as the 700-pound gorilla in the sports world, they're an easy target.

First, the ACC was propped up last season by a couple of singularly great players on otherwise bad teams: Tyrese Rice at BC, Toney Douglas at Florida State, and Jack McClinton at Miami. All are gone; all three should expect to take a step back. Yet ESPN has BC at 28, essentially 5th in the ACC, based on the return of Reggie Jackson and all of his 7 ppg? Florida State is at 35 based on Darwin Kitchen? And Miami is at 56, based apparently on a couple of guys averaging just around 10 ppg? Sorry, folks, don't see it with any of them. Maybe BC is a bubble team based on Al Skinner and what's left of Rice's tough supporting cast, but make no mistake, they are nothing more than that - a supporting cast. BC's barely an NIT team last season without Rice. And don't expect FSU and Miami to be even bubble good without their do-everything leaders. Solomon Alabi's a nice NBA big-man prospect, but he can't score, something the 'Noles had enough trouble doing even with Douglas. And you want to know what life will be like for the Canes without Shooter Jack?  Harken back to their ACC-Big Ten Challenge game last season against Ohio State. They led by 14 at the half with McClinton. Playing without him in the second half after he was ejected, they were outscored by 19. Get used to the latter.

ESPN also apparently thought another pair of senior-led teams - Virginia Tech at 42 and Clemson at 47 - were getting their leaders back.  But no, AD Vasallo is not coming back for what seems like his seventh year of eligibility. I can't see the Hokies building an NCAA resume, which they didn't have last season even with Vasallo, on the backs of Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen. And Clemson lost not only KC Rivers to graduation, but also 3-point bomber and Reggie Cleveland candidate Terrence Oglesby to Italian pro ball. That's 27.4 ppg out the door. Trevor Booker is a man among boys, but I'm not sure who's getting him the ball, or loosening up defenses for him, anymore.

The point of all this, other than the national media is sometimes lazy and stupid?  A middle of the pack spot in the ACC -- and the bubble talk that goes with that spot -- is ripe for the taking. Wake, BC, FSU, Miami, Va. Tech, and Clemson are all less than they were a year ago. Maryland's no better. So there's no reason Virginia, with five returning starters and the ACC ROY in its stable, can't fill that void.  Its something I hope Tony Bennett's thinking, even if he's not saying it. The national media certainly isn't.

Virginia Steamrolled ... Again.

2009-11-08T12:33:00.001-05:00

It took a while for 16th-ranked Miami to find Virginia's soft underbelly -- its run defense -- but once it did, Miami didn't go away from it. 268 rushing yards later, the Canes broke open a close game at the half, and won going away, 52-17, over the Cavs.

Some observations with the Hoos one loss away from bowl ineligibility:

Tip of the cap to the Cavs' secondary. When Miami characteristically opened the game pass-happy, Virginia's secondary of Dowling, Cook, Woods, and McLeod made a very good pass offense pay. Dowling's int set up the Hoos' first score, and Heisman-hopeful Jacory Harris looked thoroughly frustrated at halftime.
Another tip of the cap to LB Cam Johnson, the most exciting young player in Virginia's stable. The second year backer had two sacks, unfortunately the second of which changed the momentum of the game. The call may have been technically correct -- the face mask penalty does include the "helmet opening," and an official can use replay to correct an "egregious" error. I'm not sure the official's interpretation of either of those terms is correct, but even if they were, I'm not sure what Johnson is supposed to do when he comes clean, and the quarterback ducks into him, causing Johnson to grab what he could to bring an extraordinary athlete to the ground. Keep going after 'em Cam.
While Miami was figuring out how to attack the Hoos' defense (apparently they don't review film or stats from previous games at the U untiul halftime), their talent still staked them to a first half lead. That top-flight talent was on display first with TE Leonard Hankerson's 35-yard catch and run TD, and then PR Thearon Collier's 60-yard punt return. Virignia looked like they had both plays hemmed in before that talent took over.
Virginia couldn't kick or cover kicks in the first half, but special teams coach Ron Prince clearly saw a hole to exploit in the Canes' punt-blocking scheme. Terrence Fells-Danzer's block set up Virginia's first touchdown, and then Trey Womack's block led directly to Billy Schautz's return TD.
Virginia needed both, as their offense went back to its conservative roots with Marc Verica running the offense. The Hoos ran the ball effectively, but were awful on third down (2-for-12 for the game) and thus unable to sustain drives.
Verica was a brutal 11-29 for 75 yards passing. If Sewell wasn't healthy, which wasn't reported late in the week but was apparently known by the coaching staff since the Duke game, someone needs to explain to me why Vic Hall too ZERO snaps at QB, as was reported by the TV crew doing the game. They could have used some of his escapability against that speedy Miami defense.
Finally, Al Groh produced his second quote in the last week to explain away his team's performace with a lack of talent. Earlier in the week, Groh was quoted as saying that you can't force an identity without the skills to match it. After the Miami game, explaining why Wake Forest racked up 515 yards of offense against Miami's porous D while Virginia mustered little, Groh said, "They've got Riley Skinner," referring to the Deacs' QB. Unfortunately for Groh, he's ultimately responsible for the lack of talent he now sees in Charlottesville. Fortunately for the rest of us, its inconceivable that he'll be responsible for it much longer.

Doing What You Need to Do, Not What You Want to Do

2009-11-06T10:23:00.002-05:00

As you've probably noticed, we've been a little thin on content the last few weeks here at the 7even Win Society. We had grand plans to discuss whether the University's academic standards excuse Virginia's poor recruiting (as Groh hinted at during a press conference a few weeks back), perhaps look into how a few rumored coaching candidates are doing these days (because the end for Groh is all but certain to be nearing, no?), and maybe even start up some basketball banter (because we can't wait for a team that offers some hope).  But things like work, school, and family intervene sometimes, and you gotta do what you gotta do, not what you want to do. (Don't worry, though, those posts are coming).

Unfortunately, while the scribes of the 7even Win Society did what we needed to do, not what we wanted to do in the last few weeks, Al Groh hasn't. During a modest three-game winning streak, Coach Groh went to a gameplan that a talent-deprived roster had to in order to win some games -- play close to the vest offensively by running the ball, and rely on the team's ~~relative~~ strength on defense. It was ironic and downright defiant, since Groh had been forced during the offseason to fire his own son and hire Gregg Brandon to revolutionize Virginia's offense. But reverting back to his conservative roots is what Groh needed to do, and he seemed to be saying, starting with that game at Chapel Hill when Virginia ran the ball 43 times v. 27 pass attempts, that if he was going down, Groh was going down his way.

Groh followed the script the next two weeks. Against an overmatched Indiana team, Virginia ran the ball 45 times to 31 passes. Then, against a pass happy Terp squad on a muddy track, the Cavs ran the ball 38 times to 26 passes even though they were only averaging 1.7 yards a carry.  Nate Collins made good on that strategy when he snatched a Chris Turner pass out of mid-air and ran it back for a TD, just as Collins and Chase Minnifield had by forcing an interception that led to a game-clinching TD in Chapel Hill. It wasn't pretty, but it was winning football.

So its been mind-boggling to watch the Hoos decide they're a passing team again the last few weeks. Against Ga. Tech, Virginia ran the ball only 12 times, only 7 of which were RB carries. It was a game that screamed out for Virginia to protect its defense, which bent but did not break in the first half against the Jackets' vaunted running game. But with no time to recover, because Virginia was passing the ball, time of possession be damned (GT 42:43, Virginia 17:17), the defense predictably wore down. But hey, you play to win the game, and perhaps the Virginia coaching staff thought it had to score to keep up with the Ramblin' Wreck. Not that its offense has consistently scored by passing, mind you, but I was willing to give Groh a mulligan, since it was hard to see how Virginia wins that game regardless of the offensive strategy.

Duke was another matter. Game in doubt throughout, and a game Virginia led early in the fourth quarter. What's the breakdown? Runs 28, Passes 38. In a game in which Virginia's running backs averaged 5 yards a carry, no less, and Sewell and Verica were putting together a stinkfest passing (107 yards for the game).

But Virginia still has time to redeem itself, or so we thought. Duke scores the go-ahead TD to take a 18-17 lead. 3:45 left. Plenty of time under college rules, where the clock stops after every first down and you still have a timeout. The play calls where the running game has worked, but the passing hasn't? Three passes, two incompletions and a sack that forces a fumble returned for a TD.  That's OK. Still only down one score. You now need a TD, but a Minnifield return has just set you up with good field position at the VA 39.  And there's still an eternity left -- 3:22.  Calls? Four more passes, three incompletions, one sack on fourth down. A mind-numbing 28-17 loss to Duke at home.

I bring this up not to second-guess the play-calling (OK, maybe I am a little bit), but as a reminder with a trip to Miami and Heisman-candidate Jacory Harris looming on Saturday. The Canes average 388 yards of offense per game, and have scored more than 27 points in all but two games this season, a number Virginia itself has eclipsed twice all season. Let's not pretend the Cavs can score with Miami; they can't. Virginia ranks dead last in the ACC in scoring and total offense.

But the two teams that have held the Canes under 27 had one thing in common -- they ran the ball. In a September slogfest in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech ran the ball 55 times to 9 passes, and crushed the previously unbeaten Canes. Then, playing without Heisman coverboy Sam Bradford, Oklahoma broke tendency and ran the ball 42 times to 30 passes against Miami. The Sooners didn't win, but hung around until the very end in a 21-20 squeaker. Now, I'm not suggesting the Hoos can run the ball like those two national powers -- they can't -- but if the last two weeks have proven anything, its that Virginia can't win by abandoning the run for a mediocre at-best passing attack. Let's hope this Saturday, Virginia does what it needs to do, not what it might want to do.

Lower the Curtain

2009-10-31T18:35:00.008-04:00

Somewhere the fat lady is singing, because Saturday's loss should put a fork in the 2009 Cavaliers. When is the last time the Cavs lost to the Dookies on the gridiron twice in a row? (1981-1982 to be exact). Is this a sign that the worst of the ACC is getting better (a good sign for the conference) or is Virginia just that bad? Likely a combination of the two, though it appears Virginia's regression is mostly to blame as the Duke game was one the Hoos should have and could have won. There really isn't a whole lot to say about this one - just another prime example of how bad things have gotten in C'ville, another depressing defeat, and another dejecting blow that wiped out what little hope remained for 2009.

It's not as if they did not have their chances against Duke - the Hoos just couldn't get it done on offense. Sure, the defense gave up a huge TD late in the game to give Duke the lead for good, but by and large, this one is on the offense. A mere 196 yards of total offense (one measly yard in the entire first quarter no less) is just not enough to beat many teams.

Virginia's run game once again proved non-existent. For the third game in a row the Hoos failed to net 100 yards on the ground, and the team accounted for only 89 yards against the Blue Devils (86 of which came from Rashawn Jackson who was one of the only bright spots on offense). Mikell Simpson looked as if he was returning to his 2007 form until the injury in the Indiana game and since his return, he has yet to get back on track. Simpson only got 5 touches on Saturday and he and Jackson combined for only 21 carries. Virginia's quarterback play is far to erratic to hold up without the support of a rushing attack, and when neither is clicking, it becomes painful to watch.

Speaking of quarterbacks, Sewell was an eye-popping (amazingly futile) 8-22 for 86 yards...when your starting quarterback puts up those kinds of numbers, it probably doesn't come as a surprise that Virginia ranks 115th in the nation (out of 120 FBS teams) in total offense - and that was before the Duke game. It's hard to remember when the Hoos were actually good offensively as UVa being one of the worst offensive teams in college football has been an on-going theme (actually, more like a reoccurring nightmare). Sewell also tossed a pick and sealed Virginia's fate when his late 4th quarter fumble was recovered for a Duke touchdown. If Verica is the future, then Cav fans don't appear to have a ton to be excited about as he went 5-16 for 21 yards. They say it's just as hard to miss every question on the SAT as it is to get everyone correct (could be an urban legend) - I wonder if the same theory applies to football quarterbacks. It's got to be hard to put up numbers that lousy.

Saturday's crowd once again set a new, post-expansion record low as only 41,713 turned out to witness anything but a treat on Halloween. It's no wonder the Hoos fans have stayed away this season - Saturday's display of futility clearly showed the product on the field just isn't that good. The loss to Duke almost certainly puts the final nail in Groh's coffin, and for the remainder of the season, the most entertaining aspects of Virginia football will likely be the coaching rumors and what-if games.

Who is This 4-3 Football Team, and What Have They Done With Duke?

2009-10-30T06:00:00.010-04:00

Who thought we'd see the day when it would be late October and Virginia would have a worse record than Duke? Anyone? Didn't think so. By this time of year, Duke fans are usually following reports out of early season basketball practice. OK, they probably still are, but Duke football is no longer a free win on the schedule, as evidenced by the 31-3 thrashing Virginia suffered last year in Durham.

The reason is simple, and it starts at the top (hint, hint Craig Littlepage). Head Coach David Cutcliffe, who mentored Peyton Manning as OC at Tennessee and brother Eli as HC at Ole Miss, has brought much-needed credibility to the program.  Sure, there have been bumps in the road, like a season-opening loss to Mike London's 1-AA Richmond squad (second hint, hint). Its still Duke, after all. But there have been signs of progress as well. The Blue Devils played Va. Tech closer than expected in a 34-26 loss, and followed that up with two wins at N.C. State and v. Maryland. Its not the Steve Spurrier-era redux just yet, but its respectable.

That's mostly because of the offensive acumen Cutcliffe brought with him. Duke averages just under 30 points a game, with most of the offense coming through the air (322.6 ypg passing v. only 74.4 ypg rushing). QB Thaddeus Lewis, a four-year starter that has only gotten better under Cutcliffe, is the straw that stirs the drink for virtually everything Duke does on offense.  Lewis has a cannon for an arm, and has gradually increased his completion percentage and cut down on mistakes as his career has progressed. The result this season is a signal-caller completing 64% of his throws with 14 TDs against only 3 ints.

Fortunately for the Hoos, Duke's strength plays right into theirs. Virginia has struggled this season with run-dominant attacks (203 and 214 yards rushing allowed to TCU and S. Miss. respectively before surrendering last week's jaw-dropping 362 to Ga. Tech). But they've held in check pass-first offenses Indiana and Maryland behind a stalwart secondary. Expect the same Saturday against the Dukies.

It will also help Virginia that while Cutcliffe has improved the offense, its still the same old Duke defense. The Devils surrender 25 points and 139 yards rushing per contest. Expect a heavy dose of Mikell Simpson.

(Ed. note - Simpson should be fresh after only six carries against Ga. Tech. I know the run game was stifled early, but after playing to the team's strength -- defense -- by playing it close to the vest offensively during a three-game winning streak, Groh didn't do a whole lot to protect his charges against the Jackets. With no offensive drives that lasted longer than 2:30 in the first half, Virginia was set up to surrender a back-breaking 10+ minute drive to start the second half. Maybe the run was never going to work, but left with no time to recover because Virginia barely tried to run the ball to at least eat up some clock, the defense was bound to wear down eventually, and it did).

Its a game Virginia should win, and if Groh holds out any hope (if there's any left) of keeping his job, a game he almost has to win. It'd also help Groh's cause if more than 40,000 Virginia fans show up to watch. I'm relatively confident about the win, less so about the attendance. That might be a more damning commentary on the state of the program than any doubt surrounding the outcome of the Duke game.

I guess what did you expect?

2009-10-25T12:53:00.002-04:00

At some point, the offense was going to have to do something if Virginia was going to beat anybody above the middle of the ACC table. Saturday was not that day. While it’s possible that Virginia’s invulnerability against Georgia Tech in Charlottesville could’ve been maintained if a few breaks (particularly, two possessions that ended inside the Georgia Tech 10) went their way instead of a trio of field goals, it’s a little hard to argue that the better team did not win.

Is this the real identity of the 2009 Virginia Cavaliers? Among the best of the mediocre? Seems that way, as the gap between Virginia and Georgia Tech wasn’t exactly as big as the scoreboard indicated, though the difference was clear.

In the grand scheme of things, this was far from unexpected, as Virginia’s hold on first place was tenuous at best. Given the remaining schedule has exactly one game in which the Cavaliers are surefire favorites, Duke, and even Duke isn’t quite Duke anymore, I’d put the over-under on remaining victories at 2, maybe 2.5, meaning it’s going to be a race to the finish to see if Al Groh can get to 6-6 and perhaps keep his job.

Some observations:
• While Georgia Tech’s running game was every bit as awesome as advertised (71 rushes!) it’s hard to discern how much of its success was due to the cumulative effect of having the ball roughly 75% of the time. By that, I mean, was it that the Cavaliers coaches were unable to scheme or the players lacked the talent to stop a good option attack, or was it just a death-by-a-thousand-paper-cuts situation? Some combination of both, obviously, but still, the inability for the offense to string together first downs was damning.
• Sewell did was Sewell, to me at least, offering a good sign for the future. He continues to be proficient enough to hold serve, but if he has a good game, Virginia is going to do well enough down the stretch to make Groh’s future interesting.
• Seriously, one drive of more than seven plays, one drive that lasts more than 150 seconds? How is this possible? I know there is not exactly a ton of talent there, and they’re not exactly bursting with gamebreakers, but at some point it’s not the players’ fault. I don’t think anyone is expecting anything more from Sewell or Simpson, who both may be hurt, but Simpson (6 rushes for 4 yards) can’t be effective, I don’t know, but there needs to be some issue with the playcalling at this point. Whatever issues the talent base might have, it is good enough to do more than have 44 offensive plays in a game, especially one with just one fumble. Georgia Tech’s defense had not established itself as anything particularly special before the game, particularly against the run, and for them to be that dominant at the line of scrimmage indicates to me that there’s some critical failure on someone’s part.
• Seriously, Virginia was terrible on third downs. Two-for-11. Ugh. Failure to convert three possessions that began at roughly midfield or better into touchdowns is in large part due to their inability to extend drives. Let’s look at the three third downs on the Cavaliers’ three possessions that began at their 47-yard-line or better. The first, a 3rd-and-18 due to a holding penalty, it’s easy enough to excuse, though a holding penalty at that point is silly enough. But to fail three times practically at the Tech goal line, then to fail at both 2nd-and-5 and 3rd-and-5 at the Tech 18, and settle for six points total of the aforementioned possessions, oh man, not so much. Of those five plays, three incomplete passes and two rushes for no gain is horrific.
• Okay, everyone has known all season and for however long Paul Johnson has been coaching that the option attack is pretty incredible in its execution. And while I don’t expect the defensive coaching staff to cook up some elaborate counterscheme a la Craig T. Nelson’s decision to go goal line for the entire Walnut Heights game in All the Right Moves, I don’t think that for a defense that had been pretty good at stopping third downs all year (best in the ACC), and somewhere between shaky and mediocre at stopping the run for the most part could’ve done a little better tactically. Then again, when you’re on the field for 45 minutes, it’s hard to assert yourself. Tech threw 8 passes, which is in line with their average for the season, so I guess it comes down to execution, which Tech was pretty awesome at. I mean, 18 plays, 82 yards, almost 11 minutes of clock time on that third quarter touchdown. Four third downs, three converted, one fourth down, converted, only one pass in all five of those critical plays. What a monster drive.
• Vic Hall will go down as arguably the most misused athlete in Virginia history. Obviously a tremendous weapon, obviously nobody knows exactly what to do with him.

Oktoberfest Buzz

2009-10-22T23:19:00.011-04:00

What in the world has happened? Only a month ago, this thing was all sorted out – a horrific 0-3 start, including an embarrassing loss to William and Mary, meant had officially hit rock bottom. All signs pointed to Groh’s dismissal as a foregone conclusion, and after being on the proverbial “hot season” for several seasons, it finally seemed like a true consensus had been reached regarding the embattled coach. The only question remaining was whether or not he would be released during the bye week or if Littlepage and company might consider an “exit” plan.

Yet a road win last Saturday over Maryland extended the Cavs winning streak to three, got them to .500 on the season, and as expected, caught the attention of some national media and even elicited some minor praise. While entertaining and good for news stories, Groh’s trademark as an October turnaround specialist proves confounding to most Virginia fans and downright problematic to those who firmly believe “Groh-must-go.” As it stands, the rebound certainly complicates the situation, and a matter that seemed resolved just three games ago once again provokes far more questions and “what-ifs” than answers.

So, the Yellow Jackets come to town tomorrow in what has turned out to be a surprise mid-season ACC showdown in C’ville, yet, no matter the outcome, the game will likely do little to help clarify things for Virginia fans. A loss and clearly things get very dicey, yet not entirely hopeless, and with this crew, who knows how the rest of the season will play out. On the other hand, a Cavalier upset probably only makes the Duke game that much more nerve-wracking. Long-time Wahoo fans have come to almost expect having their hearts stomped on just when things start to look promising, and a flop against Duke at home seems so fitting to follow an upset-win over Ga Tech. Even if UVa finishes October at 5-3, becoming bowl eligible is still no sure bet.

Ultimately, anything after tomorrow’s game is neither here nor there, and as players and coaches alike always take it “one game at a time,” so too should Cav fans. The Ramblin’ Wreck visits tomorrow and recent history favors the Hoos. References to Ga. Tech’s current winless streak in Scott Stadium abound, and for those who follow the Cavaliers, it would not come as a complete shock if Virginia pulls off the upset. These two squads seem to have a knack for making sure the favored team suffers a disappointing and often season-altering defeat. If the Cavaliers want to continue the trend, the overwhelming consensus is that they must find a way to stop Tech’s high-powered running game.

Averaging over 281 yards per game, Ga Tech ranks second in the country in rushing and their 417 yards of total offense per contest is good for second in the ACC. Quarterback Josh Nesbitt orchestrates the Yellow Jackets’ triple-option, and in fact, the junior leads the team with 625 rushing yards on the season – good enough for 34^th in the country no less. Reigning ACC offensive player of the year Jonathan Dwyer follows closely behind Nesbitt with 593 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on the season. How heavily do the Jackets rely on these two guys and their ground attack? Put it this way, last week against the Hokies, Ga Tech ran the ball 63 times (43 of which were either Dwyer or Nesbitt) and the two accounted for 204 of the team’s 309 rushing yards on the afternoon. For the season, Nesbitt has only 80 pass attempts, and last week against Va Tech he was a mere 1-7 for 51 yards. On the rare occasion they do go to the air, look for Demarius Thomas to be the prime target as he leads the team with 27 catches for 671 yards and 4 touchdowns on the year.

While every team facing the Ramblin’ Wreck knows what to expect, few have been able to slow them down. For the Hoos to control the Yellow Jackets' running attack, Hootie of the Daily Progress points to the importance of Virginia maintaining their defensive assignments while Michael Phillips of the RTD stresses being patient defensively. Virginia’s defense has proven decent most of the season and has especially come on strong during the three-game winning streak. The Cavs enter the contest ranked 21st nationally while only allowing 293 yards of total offense per game. Virginia will have to go without defensive end Matt Conrath, and he plays a key role in a unit that has fared relatively well against the run (ranking 59th nationally). Against Maryland the Hoos gave up less than 4 yards per carry (Va Tech surrendered almost 5 yards a carry to the Yellow Jackets last week). Forcing three turnovers was a key contributing factor in last year’s upset victory and this is one area that could likely play a big role in tomorrow’s contest – takeaways are certainly one way to slow Ga Tech’s ground attack, keep their offense off the field, and disrupt their ball control. After digging themselves a deep whole early in the season, Virginia is now back on the plus side in turnover margin and ranks 37th nationally

Of course, UVa's offense could do their part in helping slow the Ramblin' Wreck attack by sustaining long drives and putting plenty of points on the board. Sewell is probable for Saturday's contest and Mikell Simpson is expected to play which is good news for the Cavalier offense. Ga Tech has been allowing opposing offenses to move the ball well against them. The Yellow Jackets surrender almost 378 yards per game and give up 26 points per outing, so Virginia should be able to move the ball and generate some ball control of their own.

Call it Virginia’s version of Oktoberfest, chalk it up as yet another shining example of the “Octgrohber” effect, or simply blame it on Groh continuing to live up to his media nickname of “Mr. October,” but whatever the reason, Virginia's turnaround has certainly made things interesting. The players call him “Jeezy,” for Young Jeezy, and while there seems to be no obvious connection between Groh and the hip-hop artist, Young Jeezy’s single titled “Crazy World” off his 2008 album The Recession seems to aptly sum up the season thus far. Hoo knows, if history continues to repeat itself, things might just get even more crazy after Saturday.

Why Plan for 2013 When You Can Go 5-7 in 2009?

2009-10-20T13:31:00.001-04:00

Those of you who read the blog regularly know I've been critical of the media from time to time. I'm sure its not always fair. When you have to create material daily for often the most important sport your media outlet covers, it can be hard to come up with an original piece, especially when you've been doing it as long as some of these guys have. Its even harder when the team stinks.

So I'd be remiss if I didn't recognize when journalists try to break out of the mundacity of daily coverage with a thought-provoking piece or two.  For people who follow UVA sports, the Washington Post's coverage (or lack thereof) of Virginia athletics is a popular whipping boy. Their Twerp-centric coverage of Virginia's 20-9 victory over now 2-5 Maryland doesn't help. But in the week leading up to the Maryland-Virginia tilt, I thought Zach Berman, who's been doing a solid job (not great -- you have to get more front page stories than Navy for that) covering UVA sports as part of the Post's new Cavalier Journal, had two such stories.

The first was on Tuesday (we'll cover the second later in the week), when Berman examined Al Groh's sometimes maddening failure to redshirt freshmen. This is real inside baseball stuff, as most casual Virginia fans wouldn't notice, and only the true die-hards harp about it. But that's precisely why I applaud Berman tackling this topic instead of preparing the 105th "Groh is Mr. October piece." I would have preferred that he dug a little deeper than just this season because this is a pattern, not an isolated occurrence, with Groh, and I didn't agree with what appeared to be his conclusion propped up by Groh's quotes on the subject - that it helps prepare players to contribute as sophomores, or even this year.   Unfortunately, my short-term schedule doesn't allow me to dig any deeper right now (perhaps a future post). But I did want to throw it out there now.

In the article, Berman correctly notes that two players - Eugene Monroe and Alex Field - played as true freshman, and thus exhausted their eligibility last year and were not eligible to return to the Orange and Blue this season. Monroe played in every game as a freshman, and isn't necessarily a fair example because as a projected top 10 pick, he probably would have left last year anyway. But Field, who played five games, saw the field for 33 plays, and recorded all of two tackles as a freshman, is not playing football anywhere right now. Even duplicating his 2008 line - 48 tackles, 7.5 TFL, and 4.5 sacks - would have made what looks like a solid defense even better.

As ACC Sports Journal notes, Groh this season has already played twelve true freshman, some of whom no longer even travel with the team.  Think about that as you watch Groh burn a year of eligibility for speedster Tim Smith, who has no doubt contributed, but is now squarely behind at least Kris Burd, Vic Hall, and Jared Green on the depth chart, and who's skill set (speed on deep patterns) is readily duplicated by redshirt freshman Javaris Brown. Or that Groh may have burned a year of eligibility for Dominique Wallace (who will have to hope for a medical redshirt after suffering a season-ending foot injury) when he had Mikell Simpson, Rashawn Jackson, and Torrey Mack on the roster.

Now, we don't know what promises (if any) were made to players when they were recruited, and sometimes positional scarcity mandates that true freshman play. Will Hill, who's now next in line at DE behind Nate Collins and Zane Parr now that Matt Conrath has gone down, probably would have been forced to play anyway. Of course, that wouldn't be the case if the Hoos still had Field. See how this pattern needs to be broken?

And even if true freshman are capable of contributing, I don't buy the notion, peddled by Groh in the article, that it helps prepare them for when they do play. The best example I or anyone could come up with is Michael Vick. When I was covering the same beat Berman now walks, Virginia Tech beat writers were quite literally giddy about Vick in the fall of 1998. He wasn't playing, mind you, on a 9-3 Hokie squad that played later converted to safety Nick Sorenson as its signal-caller at times.  Vick seemed to do just fine without playing as a true freshman, going 11-0 in his redshirt year before losing a memorable National Championship game against Florida State.

Could Vick have helped Tech in 1998? Absolutely.  Could he have helped avert the greatest comeback in Virginia history, when the Hoos rebounded from a 29-7 halftime deficit to nip the Hokies 36-32 in Blacksburg? Probably, but we're glad he didn't. Could he have made a very good 1998 Hokie team perhaps a great one a year ahead of schedule? Sure. It would even have been defensible - Tech needed help at QB in 1998, and Vick ended up leaving after two years anyway.

But its damning on a team that isn't any good, and downright destructive to the future of the program, whether Groh's going to be here or not. Alex Field will almost certainly never play on Sundays, but he's no longer a member of the Cavaliers because of 33 plays as a freshman. Tim Smith won't be a member of the 2013 Hoos, and all he's got to show for it so far is a pair of TD catches in losing efforts. As a fan of the team, I'm happy to see Tim Smith flying up and down the field on Saturdays. As a supporter of the program, I see no reason why I couldn't wait a year to see it, with the promise of an extra year down the road when Smith could be really good.

So yeah, its great that Groh is Mr. October. We just wonder whether he'd be doing a little better in September and November if he managed his redshirts a little better. And we're glad Zach is talking about it.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Your First Place Virginia Cavaliers

2009-10-18T23:40:00.001-04:00

For the second time in three weeks, Al Groh just made sure his offense didn't lose the game, and put the game in his defense's hands. Nate Collins made good on that gameplan in a muddy slogfest at College Park. Twerps fans might say the better team lost, but Maryland wasn't better in the stat that often determines games (turnover margin was 4-1), and where it matters most: on the scoreboard.

Some observations:

It appeared that, like last week, it might be a costly win for the Hoos. QB Jameel Sewell looked like he twisted his knee pretty good, but said he was fine after the game. Matt Conrath might be a different story, but no update on either just yet.
After Collins' heroics late in the third quarter, QB Marc Verica threw one more pass the rest of the game. I couldn't have been happier with the play-calling. Like Groh's decision to punt late in the first half from the Terps' 35, Groh was simply playing the hand he's been dealt (or more appropriately, the hand he's dealt himself as a recruiter).
In the absence of Mikell Simpson, Rashawn Jackson was pretty good. I wouldn't call him magnificent, as Groh did (I'd expect that a guy as big as Jackson would run over people more, but I'm nitpicking). But he was rugged when he needed to be, specifically when his number was called ten straight times in the fourth quarter to salt the game away.
Just as important to the Hoos' offense was QB, turned WR, sometimes CB, and occasional PR Vic Hall, who has developed into his roomate's favorite target at wideout. Hall led the Hoos with 5 catches for 53 yards, and Sewell targeted #4 whenever the Hoos needed a play.
The Turtles outgained the Hoos 284-201 and had 17 first downs to Virginia's 9. But QB Chris Turner looked downright awful in the elements. So it was a little puzzling to me why the Terps didn't run more (their usual M.O. notwithstanding). I guess when your RBs put the ball on the ground as much as they do, that'll change your play-calling, which was run-dominant early. Still, it makes no sense that Maryland threw more than they ran when they were running at four yards a clip in a mosh pit. Virginia, meanwhile, had a much more sensible 38 run-26 pass split.
Virginia didn't often get to Turner (only one sack), but harassed him all day, and the secondary was sound. On top of his game-winning TD, Collins had the team's only sack, two tackles for loss, and led the Hoos with nine tackles. Not bad, eh?
Finally, it was nice to see that coaching head-scratchers aren't limited to the Cavalier sideline. With 1:54 on the clock and one timeout left, Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen actually ran his punt team onto the field on fourth down in a 13-9 game. Granted it was 4th & 18 from their own two, but if you punt, you're essentially conceding defeat in a 4-point game. Virginia saved him by calling timeout (hard to blame them -- I'm sure they were just as confused as I was by the call), at which point Fridge thought better of it and sent his offense back on the field. Amazes me that head coaches, epsecially those who don't call plays anymore like Fridge, can't seamlessly handle these situations. But I guess that's why Maryland is 2-5.

Another Border War

2009-10-16T09:59:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday marked the first time all season a Virginia football game went according to the script. The Hoos and Hoosiers entered the contest moving in opposite directions and, as the odds-maker's favorite, those who set the lines were betting Virginia would be able to continue the trend. The Cavaliers did thier part by extending their winning streak to two games while sending a listless Indiana squad back to Bloomington with their third consecutive loss. The only real surprise was Virginia's complete dominance as the offense exploded for 47 points and the defense only surrendered a late touchdown after the outcome was already decided. In fact, last week's offensive output prompted one long-time fan who attended the game to admit she "almost" got tired of singing the Good Ol' Song. Thankfully almost every Hoo fan will gladly accept that as a good problem to have.

Tomorrow, the Cavaliers visit College Park for their second ACC road contest, and this time it's against their border rival to the north. Virginia's recent two-game winning streak has sparked a guarded sense of optimism, and Saturday's game against Maryland proves pivotal on many levels. Going 0-3 in September makes it hard to believe, but another conference win actually keeps the Hoos squarely in the ACC Championship race and improves their overall record to .500 on the season. In addition, a win would likely go a long way in helping further revive fan confidence as well as force outsiders to at least begin to take notice.

Most Wahoo fans remember Mikell Simpson's breakout performance against Maryland in 2007, and in that contest, he was at the center of two controversial plays that secured the win for Virginia. Heading into tomorrow's showdown with Maryland Simpson once again found himself in the spotlight, yet this time the questions were about whether or not he would play on Saturday. Unlike two seasons ago, it looks like things will not fall in Virginia's favor as Simpson is likely out for tomorrow's contest.

For the second week in a row, the Hoos play in a homecoming game, yet this time they serve as the guests. At 2-4 overall and 1-1 in the conference, the Terrapins, like Virginia, are looking at tomorrow's game as a chance to stay relevant in the ACC race and help make up for some bad early-season losses - including a home setback to Middle Tennessee State. Maryland's offense is led by senior quarterback Chris Turner who is coming off a solid outing last weekend against Wake Forest. The two-year starter ranks fifth in the conference averaging just under 250 passing yards per contest and recorded his fourth career 300-yard game last week in the loss to the Demon Deacons. Turner also tied a career best with 3 TD tosses.

Another Terrapin drawing a lot of attention is wide receiver Torrey Smith. Like N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson, Smith is being billed as another in-state product that got away and proves a true multi-dimensional player. Smith ranks first in the nation averaging nearly 240 all-purpose yard per game and is 32nd in the nation with 85 receiving yards per outing. A prolific kick returner, Smith set the ACC single-season record last year with 1089 kick return yards, and last week against Wake Forest he returned his first kick 85 yards. Smith could present serious problems since the Cavalier's special teams unit continues to struggle.

Maryland's defense is anchored by linebacker Alex Wujciak and defensive back Anthony Wiseman. Wujciak averages 11 tackles per contest which is good enough to put him as the nation's active leader in career tackles per game, and he leads the ACC in tackles this season. Yet, despite their efforts, Maryland's total defense ranks 102nd in the nation and their scoring defense is 114th. So a renewed Sewell along with Vic Hall at the slot receiver spot should help ensure the Hoos pick where they left off a week ago. Even with Simpson out, Rashawn Jackson and Torrey Mack should still be able establish a solid ground attack.

With last week's record-low attendance (post-expansion) proves Cavalier fans aren't too terribly eager to hop right back on the bandwagon at the first sign of success - a surprise road win against Carolina wasn't enough to restore their faith. Two losing seasons out of the past three combined with a horrendous start to the '09 campaign, and Hoo nation has begun to expect the worst while, from the comfort of their couches, hope for the best. Virginia fans want to believe but are fearful of another collapse similar to last season. Members of the national media are starting to see signs of life but need more proof before truly buying into the idea that the Cavaliers are truly a different team from the one that lost to William and Mary. A win against the Terrapins might not be a complete cure, but it would serve as another step in the right direction.

Thank God for Hoops Season

2009-10-14T18:33:00.000-04:00

Amidst what appears to be another meh football campaign, buzz has been building all fall for the start of hoops season, which for true junkies starts Friday with the beginning of practice. The buzz surrounding Virginia, of course, begins and ends with new coach Tony Bennett, the latest coaching savior brought over from a major conference school (albeit a lower tier school in said conference) to bring the Hoos back to the level they were in the 80s and early 90s under Terry Holland and, for a time, Jeff Jones.

This is nothing new, of course. The same buzz surrounded the fast-talking Pete Gillen and "we're going to play the right way" Calhoun-disciple Dave Leitao. Anyone that tells you the buzz is any greater this time around is lying (and anyone that tells you that they're glad Virginia at least didn't go the mid-major route again is an idiot, since Gillen and Leitao came via the Big East from Providence and DePaul respectively). Still, that hasn't stopped the Fourth Estate from the obligatory renewed optimism and different feel pieces in advance of the season.

We've also seen a number of pieces praising Bennett's superior recruiting efforts, here and here for example. But let's not shortchange his predecessors, although it was popular to do so while they were here. Leitao brought in, just last season, consensus top-25 prospect Sylven Landesberg, top-100 center Jon Brandenburg, and another highly-sought after big man (just ask UConn fans in particular) Assane Sene. Before that, Leitao landed a highly-praised 2007 class, highlighted by top-100 guard Jeff Jones and in-state get Mike Scott.  Leitao also lined up top-100 SF Tristan Spurlock before he left.

My point is not relitigate the decision to fire Leitao (a decision I agreed with), or to caution against crowning Bennett as a crackerjack recruiter just yet based on getting LOIs from five kids, only two of which are top-100 players (but let's keep it in perspective, OK?).

No, the point is that the cupboard is not exactly bare in Charlottesville. So its possible, and maybe even likely, that Bennett will be able to avoid the obligatory rebuilding year that Gillen experienced in 1998-99, when he famously held open tryouts in his first season to fill out the roster (remember Raleigh "the Bartender" Harbour) and went 14-16, or that Leitao experienced in 2005-06, when he only had seven scholarship players and went 15-15. Instead, Bennett should be able to skip right ahead to the second-year surge (like when Gillen finished 19-12 and just missed the tourney, or Leitao went 21-11 and didn't). Both were based, in larger part for Leitao, on inheirited players (Leitao inheirited Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds from Gillen, just as Gillen benefitted from Jones-recruits Chris Williams and Adam Hall). Even more than Gillen or Leitao, Bennett will benefit from the recruiting fruits of his predecessor. He'll have five returning starters, including an all-ACC performer in Landesberg, a double-double machine in Mike Scott, and number of potentially emerging talents in SG Jeff Jones, PG Sammy Zieglinski, and C Assane Sene. The only "meaningful" loss from last year's roster is Mamadi Diane, who averaged all of six points per game and was puzzlingly pulled in and out of the lineup by Leitao, and he should be easly replaced in the rotation by Spurlock.

So if he can coach, and he won in Pullman, WA, a dumptruck of a college basketball town, so you know he can coach, things should get interesting, and exciting, real fast this season. I'm reserving judgment on whether Bennett is the right fit long term (remember that Gillen and Leitao also spiked early in their careers, but couldn't continue the momentum). But you should feel free to ignore early season prodictions of gloom for Virginia, like here for example, and those that are likely to come in the near future from the national media.  The Hoos will be good, and should contend for an NCAA bid this season. Just remember that you heard it here first.

And then, like I said, thank God for hoops season.

Dominating Like #3 Used To

2009-10-12T06:50:00.007-04:00

On the day Virginia honored Anthony Poindexter, one of my favorite UVA players of all-time and a guy who literally gave his left knee to the program, Virginia looked a lot like it did when #3 played for them. Good thing they decided to honor Dex this month instead of last since the October Cavaliers look like a completely different animal than the September version.

What's different?

They Settled on a Quarterback, Not Three: A month after heading into the season opener planning to play all three quarterbacks, someone had the sense to move Vic Hall off the QB spot (it was Hall himself), and Marc Verica did play Saturday, but it was (more appropriately) in mop-up duty. As we've said before, Sewell has his flaws, but he gives this team its best chance to win games. Now at least he has a chance to win them, not 1/3 of a chance.
They Gave Him the Damn Ball, and Now They're Winning: Before leaving the game with an injury, Mikell Simpson had touched the ball 19 times. Four of those touches ended with touchdowns. For two straight weeks, Virginia has rode its best player (#5 touched the ball 24 times at UNC) instead of treating him like a support player (13 carries in the first two games). Get well soon Mikell.
Could It Be As Simple As Line Splits? Virginia hasn't scrapped the spread. They're still running out of the shotgun with 4 wides almost every down. But starting with a close loss at S. Miss., Al Groh closed down the wide splits usually associated with the spread. Whether it has helped protection, or simply made his o-linemen more comfortable, Virginia has been a different offense ever since.
Better Defense, More Specifically Better Pass Rush: Indiana QB Ben Chappell looked miserable all day. Virginia, most notably LB Cam Johnson, lived in the Hoosier backfield. And it looked like a replay of what the Hoos did to TJ Yates a week before. Its nice that Virginia has been able to give opponents a taste of the medicine they were getting last month, when Sewell, et al. were often running for their lives.
Ras-I Dowling: The Hoos' sole preseason all-ACC selection seemed a step slow early, and was toasted for long touchdowns against William & Mary and TCU. He was the best player on the field Saturday, forcing a fumble on Indiana's opening drive and picking off a pass in the second quarter. Both TOs led to Cavalier touchdowns. If Ras-I continues to play as he has the last two weeks, paired with Chris Cook and a better than expected safety corps, the Virginia secondary should be a real strength the rest of the way.
The Schedule Eased Up, But Not for Long: When you looked the schedule coming into the season, September didn't look that bad. Well, William & Mary is still a a 1-AA school, but they are 5-1. No one's beaten TCU yet, including Clemson. And Southern Miss has lost three straight since their comeback win against the Hoos, but all of those losses were on the road (makes scheduling a game at Hattiesburg seem even less sensible, if that were possible). Since then, the Hoos have gotten well against an offensively-challenged North Carolina team that they always beat, and an Indiana team that hasn't won since completing the soft portion of their non-conference schedule (E. Kentucky, W. Michigan, and Akron) and looked like they had no interest in being in C'ville Saturday. Unfortunately, the schedule tilts up from here. Next week, the Hoos visit College Park (bring your flame retardant clothing) where its always been tough for them to win, and they may have to do it without Terp-killer Mikell Simpson. And then a ranked Georgia Tech team comes calling looking for revenge for last season's upset loss in Atlanta.

But hey, things are looking up at least for now, even if the Virginia fan base has tuned out (a new post-renovation record low of 45,371 attended the IU game, on homecoming weekend no less). The Hoos have a chance Saturday at College Park to really get their attention back.

Hoosiers in Hooville

2009-10-09T09:42:00.003-04:00

Coming off their first win of the season, the Cavs host the Indiana Hoosiers for homecoming tomorrow. At first glance, the match-up looks more suited to be on the basketball schedule as Indiana is best known for its storied hoops program, and the Hoos reside in one of the country’s premiere basketball conferences. With that in mind, it comes as no big shock this marks the first time Indiana’s football program has made the trip to Charlottesville. On top of that, when two basketball-heavy schools meet on the gridiron, it becomes a made-for-internet event. If you don’t have a ticket, you at least better have broadband, since this game can only be seen on ESPN360.

At the moment, these two teams are literally the complete opposites of one another (arguably it started in the spring when Tony Bennett accepted the UVa job after having turned down Indiana the year before). This is the last non-conference game for both teams, and Indiana is 3-0 on the season against non Big-10 teams while the Hoos are 0-2 when playing teams outside the ACC. Virginia maintains an unblemished conference record while the Hoosiers have yet to log a win in the Big-10. The Hoosiers limp into the Hook on a two-game skid while the Hoos return home after notching their first win. So, after rattling off some relatively meaningless trends in an attempt to build some sort of a back drop, here is some reading material to help fill time during your internet refreshes and site reconnections.

Usually a Big-10 cellar dweller, IU has hopes of going to a bowl game for only the third time in past 16 seasons. A 3-0 start followed by an impressive, hard-fought loss at Michigan has the Hoosier squad thinking this could be the year. Sophomore Tandon Doss makes up a big part of Indiana’s offensive attack. The wide receiver ranks second in the Big-10 with 94 yards per game and averages 131 all purpose yards per contest. Quarterback Ben Campbell has completed 64% of his passes on the season and has already amassed over 1150 passing yards this year. Last week, Campbell became the first quarterback this year to throw for over 200 yards against Ohio State. However, with 6 picks to 5 touchdowns on the season, Ras-I, Chris Cook, and the gang might be able to turn some defense into offense.

In terms of defense, the Hoosiers appear to match up well against the Cavaliers, and in fact, the whole opposite thing comes into play again, yet this time it's advantage Indiana. IU has notched 14 sacks on the season, which ranks second in the Big-10. Virginia, on the other hand, has allowed 17 sacks which is good for second most in the ACC. The Hoosier Defense is led by All-America candidates Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton, and the two defensive ends have a combined career total of 43 sacks which represents the most of any tandem in the country. Kirlew leads the way this year with 9.5 tackles for a loss (good for 2nd in the Big-10 and 8th nationally) to go along with 3.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. While Indiana's pass rush proves stout, the run defense appears a bit suspect after giving up 219 rushing yards and 4.7 yards per carry last week against the Buckeyes. This could be a weakness UVa can take advantage of as Mikell Simpson looks like he might be returning to form, and he looked a lot like the Simpson of 2007 last week against the Heels.

Typically, homecoming games are set up to be a cakewalk for the host team, yet Saturday's contest is an important game for both squads. In fact, it is a game Indiana circled on the schedule at the start of the season. Hopes of bowl games are still alive for both programs (albeit barely for the Hoos) and both teams probably like their chances on Saturday. On the surface, both teams recently started heading down somewhat opposite paths, yet the game likely proves to be good one. It will be interesting to see if the Cavs can continue the theme and keep the two squads moving in different directions.

ACC-Big Ten Challenge, Football Version

2009-10-07T06:50:00.015-04:00

Since its inception in 1999, the Big Ten has never won the ACC-BigTen Challenge. The amusing part? The leagues actually agreed to swap the names every other year, so its the Big Ten-ACC Challenge this and every other year. Um, don't you have to win the challenge to get that privilege? Shouldn't they just change it to the ACC - Big Ten Challenge until further notice? Yet somehow the Big Ten always seems to get equal or more bids to the Big Dance than the ACC.

But that's a rant for another day (although you can tell where my mind is at, October or not). No, Virginia and Indiana play this weekend in football, where the Big Ten should have the advantage, right? Well, not necessarily. The Big Ten's failures (most notably Ohio State's) on the country's biggest stage is well documented, but it goes deeper than that.  So how do the conferences stack up against each other on the gridiron?

We decided to look into it. The two conferences have not played yet this season, and only sparsely in the last three years. There's last year's academic bowl - Northwestern 24, Duke 20 (I've yet to confirm the rumor that the winner was decided through a game of Trivial Pursuit). And then there's the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl - Boston College 24, Michigan State 21. So two games over three years, and a split at that. Not much help.

How about non-conference games in general? Thankfully, a Missouri blog - tigerboard.com - has done some great analysis on this, so I don't have to. Not surprisingly from UVA's perspective since they're 0-3 themselves, the ACC has struggled in out of conference games this season. Tigerboard's analysis is only current thru 9/24 (i.e. doesn't count the past two weekend's games). But even if you add those more recent games in, the ACC is 12-11 against FBS teams; the Big Ten is 19-9. Much better for the Big Ten.

However, if you narrow it down to games against other BCS conference teams, the ACC and Big Ten are an identical 6-7 (including games against Notre Dame, of which the Big Ten has three). So it appears that the Big Ten has been fattening up on non-BCS opponents. To be sure, the Big Ten should get some credit for actually beating them - Virginia certainly hasn't - but it does undercut the Big Ten's reputation as a superior football conference.

It gets even shakier for the Big Ten if you look at the last decade. The Big Ten simply does not have the non-conference advantage over the ACC you'd think it would as a supposedly powerhouse football conference. In fact, it has none at all. Since 2000 (for this, I did not adjust tigerboard's numbers to add the last two weekend's games), the ACC is a mediocre 99-108, a .478 winning percentage, against BCS conference opponents. But the Big Ten is actually worse: 84-93, a .475 clip. Now, of course, just as this season's numbers don't take into account strength of opponent, neither do the last decade's numbers. But its a disparity you don't expect between what's known as a football conference and one that's known, even on this blog, as a basketball one.

Of course, nobody thinks of Indiana as being one of the Big Ten's football powers anyway. But when you look at those numbers, the fact that Indiana is 3-2 (wins against W. Ky., E. Mich., and Akron), or that the Hoosiers gamely fell, 36-33, at then-ranked Michigan, doesn't seem to mean a whole lot. That's because it appears, just as in basketball, that the Big Ten is trading on an unwarranted reputation. So Big Ten opponent or not, this is a game Virginia can, and at home probably should, win Saturday.

Nothing Like a Trip to Chapel Hill to Cure What Ails You

2009-10-05T06:00:00.003-04:00

Amidst all the talk of the new offense, the fact that the defense has uncharacteristically struggled has been lost in the conversation. Not Saturday. They could have played eight quarters, and the Heels still wouldn't have crossed the goal line. Some thoughts on Virginia's first win of the season:

LB Steve Greer set the tone on the opening drive with two tackles for loss. Matt Conrath (3 batted balls) continued the momentum. Nate Collins finished the job with a hit on T.J. Yates that led to a Chase Minnifield interception, setting up the game-clinching TD.
If he's going down, Al Groh is going to go down his way. From his offensive adjustments two weeks ago to his defensive game plan against UNC, Al Groh is putting his stamp on this team. Even on offense, the game was called to avoid mistakes under the assumption that UNC couldn't score without help. They couldn't.
I'll admit I was a little nervous about how Virignia would respond after literally getting run over in back to back weeks against TCU and S. Miss. Then I saw John Shoop in the coach's box calling UNC's plays and immediately felt better.
As we've said in this space before, Mikell Simpson is the best offensive player on the team, and UVA should be getting him the ball more. Inspired by watching 2007 game film Friday night, Simpson WAS the offense on Saturday, with 20 carries for 102 yards and a TD, and a team-leading four catches for 45 yards. That wasn't so hard, was it?
Less than a month after Virginia played three QBs in the season opener, its now exclusively Jameel Sewell's show. Marc Verica made a brief appearance, but only because Sewell was nursing a hand injury at the time. And Vic Hall took himself out of the QB picture with an act of selflessness. Sewell is flawed - he makes bad decisions from time to time, sails throws on an almost regular basis, and doesn't always seem to see the field particularly well - but he gives Virginia its best chance to win. If Sewell can stick to the script - only 169 total yards but ZERO turnovers on Saturday - Virginia will at least be competitive the rest of the way.
Jared Green isn't a star but he's developing a nice little niche as 3rd down receiver. Only two catches, but both moved the sticks on 3rd down.
Tip of the cap to K Robert Randolph. Teams often don't notice the kicker unless he's missing kicks, so we should recogize them when they do the job. Randoph went 3-for-3 to stake Virginia to a lead before Simpson's TD sealed the deal.

Virginia is now 7-2 against North Carolina under Groh and 10-1 in October under Groh since 2007. Perfect storm? Maybe. But the calendar doesn't turn from October until four more games are played. November largely has been a different story (13-17, including 0-4 last year, under Groh), so UVA better get fat while it can.

Cavs/Heels, Part 114

2009-10-02T07:50:00.001-04:00

Its probably too late to discuss turnarounds or bowl chances. Too many tough games left on the schedule, and not enough signs of life. As the Daily Press notes, Virginia is in the midst of its longest losing streak since 1982 (seven and counting dating back to last season). But as we noted earlier in the week, Virginia's annual matchup with its state-school neighbor to the south has often produced surprising Cavalier victories.

Reports abound of a productive bye week, here and here. Hootie, noting Groh's 6-2 mark against UNC, thinks this might be the week the Cavs may be able to break through with a W. North Carolina has struggled offensively, especially in last week's 24-7 loss at Georgia Tech. Although its a bit much to call them hapless. Last time I checked, hapless looked a lot more like 0-3 than 3-1, even if those wins are against the Citadel, UConn, and ECU. And after watching TCU's Jerry Hughes live in the Cavalier backfield three weeks ago, Virginia can't be looking forward to seeing Robert Quinn, he of 5.5 TFL, three sacks, and an uplifting comeback story. Mr. Quinn is probably licking his chops to get after the team that has surrendered the most sacks in the nation this season.

Speaking of struggling offenses, the Post notes its Sewell's show with Hall's status still uncertain. Doug Doughty notes that they'd just like to keep Sewell upright. At least perhaps his receiving corps are coming around. After two games in which they were largely invisible, the Cavs' receiving corps showed improvement against S. Miss. The Cavs are hoping rookies Tim Smith and Javaris Brown continue to develop in order to supplement the production of "vets" Kris Burd and Jared Green. The Post also notes that Smith is working his way into the KO return rotation.

Finally, its not surprising to see guys like Hootie picking the Cavs to win, but it is a little surprising to see ESPN saying the same thing. Its not out of the realm of possibility, but something tells me Carolina is looking to make a statement at home coming off last week's loss at Ga. Tech. So don't hold your breath, and remind yourself its only two weeks until basketball practice starts.

Congratulations, You're Still a Basketball Conference

2009-09-30T07:50:00.008-04:00

When the Cavaliers make this weekend's trip down to Chapel Hill, you know as a football fan that the Tar Heels return trip won't occur until next season. And that's OK, its the nature of football scheduling. But it reminds me that when the basketball team makes a similar trip in late January, UNC will, as in football, not be making the return trip until the following season. Similarly, Duke will be gracing the confines of the JPJ this season, but there will be no return trip to Cameron until 2011. It begs the question -- we're giving that up for what exactly?

Six years ago, the Atlantic Coast Conference expanded its membership to twelve teams. In came Miami, Virginia Tech, and (out of left field) Boston College. The idea was to make the ACC a major football conference, complete with large TV contract, annual conference championship game, and more BCS bowl game appearances. There were rumblings from the likes of Mike Krzyzewski and Gary Williams that it would be bad for the gold standard that is ACC Basketball, but ~~after college presidents reminded them who paid their checks~~ those criticisms largely fell by the wayside.

Expectations were that this might finally be the year that the ACC lived up to that master plan. Four teams cracked the Preseason AP Top 25, and a number of other programs, including Clemson and the U, were supposed to make strides back towards respectability.  It was thought that 2009 at least had to be better than 2008, when mediocrity reigned. No ACC team finished better than 5-3 in the conference, a four-loss Va. Tech team went to the Orange Bowl, and a 7-5 Clemson team went to the Gator.

It hasn't happened. On opening weekend, Alabama ran over Virginia Tech, Cal thumped Maryland, and perennial Big 12 Doormat Baylor beat Wake Forest. And that wasn't even the worst of it. Duke and Virginia (as we all remember) lost to 1-AA teams. It hasn't gotten better since Week 1. Mountain West stalwart TCU now has a pair of road wins against ACC teams on its resume. Maryland lost (again) to Middle Tennessee State. Florida State was dropped by S. Fla. over the weekend. And after all the noise about Miami's revival, it appears they were just beating up on fellow ACC weaklings in light of Va. Tech's demolition of the Canes this past weekend.

So on January 5, 2010, some middling ACC team, who will have won a conference championship game that won't come close to selling out, will get to play the Big East Champion or an at-large opponent in a meaningless bowl game. And seven or eight other schools will get to go to contracted bowls too, all the way down to the Eagle Bank Bowl in D.C. College athletic departments will rake in more money, and the ACC can call itself a football conference when it goes 4-4 in bowl play (even though two or three of those wins will come against MAC teams or service academies). And everyone can look forward to next football season, when the U might really be back, or Florida State might return to national prominence, or Butch Davis might complete the turnaround in Chapel Hill, or Va. Tech might stay healthy.

Among all those mights, Sylven Landesberg will be looking forward to what might be his only trip to the cathedral that is the Dean Dome, or preparing for what might be his one chance to help vanquish Duke on his team's home floor. Of course, he'll get to play Virginia Tech, Maryland, N.C. State, and Miami twice each this season. I'm sure that's the ACC Basketball he was looking forward to when he signed his LOI. But hey, Wake Forest might get to play football in D.C. in December.

So again I ask, the ACC did this for what exactly?

Memory Lane: The South's Oldest Rivalry

2009-09-28T11:59:00.000-04:00

The Hoos and the Heels first butted heads in 1892, and will meet for the 114th time Saturday. For those of you who've forgotten what its like for Virginia to win a game (its been 11 months), a number of the more recent meetings with North Carolina have resulted in unexpected victories. So think positive thoughts for Saturday, and step away from the Jack Daniels (well, better keep it close by just in case). Some of the highlights:

4. 2007: Cedric Peerman rushed for 186 yards, Chris Long snatched a pass out of midair for a highlight-reel int, and Nate Collins batted down a a two-point conversion with less than two minutes to go to preserve a 22-20 victory in Butch Davis' introduction to the rivalry.

3. 2002: The outcome itself wasn't surprising, but that was before North Carolina took a 21-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. Marquis Weeks returned the second half opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, and QB Matt Schaub took it from there, throwing a pair of TD passes, the second of which put the Cavs ahead 28-21 in the fourth quarter. Virignia scored 37 unanswered points in the second half before a purely cosmetic Heels TD provided for the 37-27 final margin. It was the second biggest comeback in UVA history.

2. 2008: After Virginia rebounded from a poor early season start with back-to-back wins against Maryland and ECU, things were supposed to come crashing back down to earth against No. 18 North Carolina. The Carolina defense was stout, but the Hoos largely matched them after allowing a TD on the opening drive. That set up QB Marc Verica to march the Hoos down the field in the last two minutes. RB Cedric Peerman finished the Hoos first TD drive of the game with a 2-yard TD run with :47 to go to force overtime. Then, in overtime, Verica set the table again with a 19-yard pass to TE John Phillips. Peerman closed the deal, and a 16-13 OT win, with another 2-yard TD run. If you're the YouTube type, click here for game highlights.

1. 1996: It was supposed to be a rout. Virginia entered the game a respectable 6-3, but highly-ranked UNC was looking to lock up a "Bowl Alliance" bid. The game was going as expected with the Heels leading 17-3, and knocking on the door again to put the game away. Then Antawn Harris stepped in front of a pass in the flat and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. The shell-shocked Heels never recovered, and lost 20-17.

The Case FOR Al Groh

2009-09-25T11:50:00.000-04:00

As you can probably guess, we're not huge fans of Al Groh around here, or at the very least, aren't fans of keeping someone around who clearly isn't your guy. But here at the 7even Win Society, we're always interested in looking at the other side of any issue. And on this front, the case FOR Al Groh is a little stronger than you might think. Not that we'd keep him, mind you, but some things to think about:

(1) The Man Can Coach: The occasional complete head-scratcher aside, no one doubts Coach Groh's ability to coach the game, especially on the defensive side of the ball. His recent adjustments to the Cavaliers' offense only reinforces those credentials.

He's won ACC Coach of the Year twice, in 2002 and 2007. And the results, over the course of a decade, have been solid. After an initial 5-7 season, Groh led the Cavs to four straight bowl game appearances. No one questioned at that time whether the program was headed in the right direction, only (like under Welsh) whether it could make the leap to the next level. Meanwhile, people were stealing assistants left and right. Bill Musgrave went to the NFL to be an OC in 2003. Ron Prince picked up the offensive without missing a beat. Then he went to Kansas State in 2006. Al Golden left for Temple in 2005. All were solid lieutenants, but its hard to attribute too much of the Cavs' success to those men. Musgrave is now coaching quarterbacks, not calling plays. Prince is back in C'ville coaching special teams. Golden has yet to break .500 at Temple.

No, the constant has been Groh. Nonetheless, in 2007, si.com called Groh the worst coach in college football. By the end of the season, si.com was eating those words, admitting that "there's no question he's gotten every ounce out of that team," and revisited his preseason column by stating "I ended up going with Groh, and obviously he's the one who's most proven it wrong." Whether you like him or not, most people would agree that he gets everything out of the kids he's coaching.

But this is college, not the NFL. If the players aren't good enough, that's his fault, right? Well...

(2) You say He Can't Recruit, But There Are A Bunch of Former Hoos in the NFL Who Suggest Otherwise: As Doug Doughty noted a few years back, you might be surprised how Virginia players have fared at the next level compared to Virginia Tech, which is generally viewed as having outrecruited the Hoos for years now. Its no longer true that Virginia has more NFL players on active rosters than the Hokies, but the spread is only two (25 to 23). A skeptic might point out (and be right) that some of the current Virginia alums playing in the NFL were recruited by George Welsh, but let's remember that the same charge - he can't recruit - was often leveled against him.

What about elite talent, you might ask? Well, if you are asking that question, you clearly haven't been paying attention to the last few drafts. Having a Hoo picked in the first round has almost become an annual rite. Eugene Monroe (right) is just the latest example (No. 8 to the Jags in 2009). In 2008, two Cavs went in the first round -- Chris Long at No. 2 to the Rams and Branden Albert at No. 15 to the Chiefs. D'Brickashaw Ferguson went No. 4 to the Jets in 2006, and Heath Miller just snuck into the first round at No. 30 to the Steelers in 2005.

Add to that a handful of players who have been picked in the later rounds but have stuck as starters (OT Brad Butler, OG Elton Brown, and DE Chris Canty) and a few others that had the talent to do so (LBs Ahmad Brooks and Darryl Blackstock come to mind), and you've got a solid stable of talent. It should also be noted that of Virginia's 2009 draft class, all four players who were drafted made NFL rosters, and a fifth - WR Kevin Ogletree - made the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent.

(3) He Has Been the Victim of Circumstance At the Most Important Position on the Field: After the 2006 graduation of QB Marques Hagans, who led to the Hoos to consecutive bowl games as a starter, Virginia turned to Christian Olsen, a once-heralded recruit who had transferred from Notre Dame, but he quickly flopped. By Week 4, the Hoos had turned to a true freshman named Jameel Sewell, who showed flashes of brilliance. But with a rookie signal-caller leading the way, Virginia predictably finished 5-7, and did not make a bowl for the first time in five years.

With a year under his belt, and stalwart defense led by Chris Long on the other side of the ball, Sewell helped lead a revival in 2007. The Cavs, picked by many to be no better than a middle of the pack team in the ACC, was in contention for the ACC crown throughout the season, and was 9-2 heading into a season finale showdown with Virginia Tech and a trip to the ACC Championship game on the line. The matter was in doubt into the fourth quarter when Sewell left the game temporarily with an injury.  The Hoos would not score again. However, UVA still earned a berth in a New Year's Day Bowl -- the Gator against Texas Tech -- for the first time since 1994.

Things looked secure at the QB spot in 2008, with Sewell returning as a two-year starter, and highly-touted Peter Lalich, who had played as a true freshman, backing him up.  But Sewell was declared academically ineligible, and Lalich, amidst myriad allegations of wrongdoing, was eventually dismissed from the team and decided to transfer to Oregon State. That left Virginia with third-stringer Marc Verica at QB, and a pair of embarrasing (but predictable) losses at Connecticut and at Duke. Nonetheless, the Cavs rallied for four straight wins in October, including a pair of wins against ranked opponents North Carolina and Georgia Tech. Needing only one more win to secure an unlikely bowl berth, the Cavs fell short in OT against Miami, and then lost its last three, including a game effort at Blacksburg in a 17-14 loss that saw converted CB Vic Hall almost Wildcat the Hoos to victory against a superior opponent.

We, of course, don't know how Virginia would have done with more stability at the QB position in 2006 and 2008. We're just saying its a little too easy to pin the failures of those seasons on Groh when he was playing short-handed at the most important position on the field.

(4) We're Not Sure Virginia Could Do Any Better: When the Hoos went searching for a replacement for George Welsh after the 2000 season, let's remember that it wasn't an easy search. It won't be any easier this time around. Is Virginia going to drop its academic standards for recruits? Unlikely. Does it still have to fight tooth and nail for in-state recruits with Virginia Tech, who has dominated the state recruiting-wise for years? Yes, until Frank Beamer calls it quits. Does it also have to contend with previously sleeping giants to the south (Butch Davis at North Carolina) and west (Lane Kiffin at Tennessee) for recruits? Yep. Is the Virginia fan base going to start travelling better, thus ensuring better bowl berths? I'll let you answer that one.

Yes, we'd all like to think that Virginia should do better. But I'm not sure there's much evidence supporting those aspirations. And all of the above considerations will be on any prospective coach's mind before he signs on the dotted line.

And I'll leave you with this. Its said that those who do not learn from the lessons of history are bound to repeat them. Once upon a time, Virginia had to replace an iconic coach who had built a major program from the ground up.  It turned to one of its own to fill the void. That coach led the Hoos to the postseason in four of his first five, and five of his first seven, seasons. After the wheels came off in two of his last three seasons, Virginia fired that coach. His name was Jeff Jones.

I issue that reminder not to say that the decision to fire Jones was a mistake, or that it would be a mistake to do the same to Groh. Virginia had reasons beyond performance to part ways with Jones, just as it has reasons beyond performance to fire Groh. But Jones was also known as a guy who got every ounce out of his players, but couldn't recruit.  Yet people forget that towards the end of his tenure, he brought Courtney Alexander to UVA (only to see him transfer to Fresno State before heading to the NBA) and was in the process of bringing a badly needed big man on campus until Melvin Whitaker decided a pick-up basketball game was important enough to slash someone in the face.  So like Groh, he has in part been the victim of circumstance, and the results he has achieved are eerily similar to Groh's.

So when people say to fire Al Groh, remember that after firing Jones, it has taken ~~we hope only~~ ten years to get it right after him. People thought the program was in the wilderness under Jones too, but his results (five NCAA tournaments in eight years) look awfully good next to the men who replaced him (Gillen 1 in 7, and Leitao 1 in 4). So if you think Virginia football is in the wilderness now (five bowl trips in eight seasons), let's just say you may not have seen anything yet.  Maybe, just maybe, you don't want to find out.

Welcome to Hattiesburg

2009-09-24T11:16:00.004-04:00

At our weekly Seven Win Society meetings in our red-bricked, white-columned lair on an otherwise nondescript Charlottesville street, I often rail about Virginia's schedule, and it finally got to the point where Red4z told me to stop complaining generally and actually make a coherent argument. Everybody knows that Virginia's trip to Southern Miss (and Wyoming before that, and Middle Tennessee State before that) were likely as not to end poorly. So what?

Coaches and athletics directors often like to act like building a schedule is subject to the whims of fate, that games materialize and disappear at random. I'm sure to some extent that's true, that things change (often at the last minute), resulting in compromises that make few people happy. But then there's Virginia's schedule, which has been a hodgepodge of undesirable opponents (from a marquee standpoint) and horrible road trips for awhile now.

The bottom line is this: Virginia's schedule has been a cause for anger among its fans for the past five years---and that's before the Cavaliers have stepped on the field, let alone after---and shows a lack of critical skills required for the job either on the part of Al Groh or Jon Oliver, the assistant AD who usually answers questions about such things.

Back in the Welsh days, it seemed pretty consistent how Virginia filled out its 11-game schedule: 8 ACC games, Virginia Tech to end the year, a known quantity nonconference opponent (either a BCS team or an established program like BYU) and a I-AA team or a I-A scrub to round things out in September. Virginia rarely went west of the Mississippi, and, most importantly, never played beneath its station on the road.

Now, considerations of how low exactly is Virginia's station aside, the answer as to why the hell Virginia played at Southern Miss last weekend remains unsatisfying to me. More than that, it remains a fairly unexamined heavy criticism of either Al Groh or Jon Oliver or both.

Let's get this story straight: the MAC said it'd give anybody three home games if you'd go TO Middle Tennessee State. Virginia went to Middle Tennessee State. Then the MAC called up UVa and said, sorry, man, no can do on the three home games from one of our 13(!) teams. Everybody's dance card was full, so UVa agreed to do a home-and-home with Southern Miss---except Southern Miss gets the first home game?

This begs the natural question: is Jon Oliver or Al Groh or whoever agrees to these deals a bigger sucker or fool? What exactly is to stop Southern Miss from canceling on Virginia at the last minute in 2011? Our fierce team of litigators which enforced the contracts we (presumably) signed with the MAC?

Presuming Groh had a high measure of control over the schedule starting in 2004, resulting nonconference schedules that have looked like this:
2004: At Temple, Akron, Syracuse.
2005: Western Michigan, at Syracuse, Temple.
2006: At Pittsburgh, Wyoming, Western Michigan, at East Carolina
2007: At Wyoming, Pittsburgh, at Middle Tennessee State, UConn
2008: USC, Richmond, at UConn, East Carolina
2009: W&M, TCU, at Southern Miss, Indiana

Some thoughts:

1) Obviously with the 12-game schedule, a I-AA game against an in-state opponent (likely with a Southern Conference team like the Citadel, Wofford or Furman mixed in from time to time) is going to be a part of the agenda from now on. Even more obviously, Virginia needs to schedule VMI or somebody that has even LESS of a chance of winning than W&M did, because apparently we can't do anything right.

2) Syracuse and Pitt are no-brainers, same as Indiana---these are meat-and-potatoes games.

3) The USC game is awesome, even if Virginia's outscored by 100, because it's USC, and the helmets, and the Song Girls, and that's awesome.

4) I even buy a home-and-home with Temple, because there's a lot of people in the Northeast that went to Virginia that can get to a game more easily in that half-empty stadium, and because most people forget that they got dumped to the MAC.

5) MAC teams at home, even those with a chance of winning, need to be welcomed, because I'm not unrealistic in thinking that there's a finite number of I-A teams, and there's no way somebody could be so diligent as to schedule the worst teams in the MAC and Sun Belt year after year. I get why the Middle Tennessee State deal looked good---I don't get why it wasn't enforced.

6) A home-and-home against ECU might well be a necessary (and convenient) evil---the Pirates are a decent-to-good program, are (relatively) close by, though Greenville's about as far from anything as anywhere within the ACC "footprint."

I'd say a reasonably competent athletics department consistently can get 1-5 right every year, and a very good AD can avoid ECU in favor of a bottom-rung Big East or Big 10 program. That's nothing against ECU, they've clearly accomplished more than Virginia recently, but Greenville is not a good trip to make if you can avoid it and there is not much more upside to beating ECU than there would be to beating a bad Big 10 or Big East team in the grand scheme of things, and a lot more downside, and that's not including spending time in eastern North Carolina, which is a downside in and of itself. ECU is clearly good enough (as is Wyoming) to demand a home-and-home, but it's still a great move for Virginia.

And yet....
At Middle Tennessee State, home-and-home with Wyoming, at Southern Miss. Three seasons begun on the road.

Good BCS conference programs don't do these things. They don't travel across the Mississippi to play at altitude. They don't travel to Mississippi to play an afternoon game in mid-September. They don't travel to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. (By the way, more people attend MTSU than attend UVa. So don't get too snooty.)
Two of these four games ended in easily-predicted disaster, and another nearly did, and it's almost egregious enough to give Groh a pass on those games if scheduling responsibility belonged to Oliver instead of Groh. Almost enough.

Now, let's compare that to three conference schools with (roughly) similar profiles program-wise, Maryland, UNC and NC State (we stopped being Virginia Tech's peer a long time ago):

Maryland:
2004: Northern Illinois, Temple, at West Virginia
2005: Navy (in Baltimore), West Virginia, at Temple
2006: W&M, Middle Tennessee State, at West Virginia, Florida International
2007: Villanova, at Florida International, West Virginia, at Rutgers
2008: Delaware, at Middle Tennessee State, California, Eastern Michigan
2009: at California, JMU, Middle Tennessee State, Rutgers
Future commitments*: Towson, Rhode Island, Navy in Baltimore, Eastern Michigan, home-and-homes with Temple, West Virginia, Connecticut.
A big thumbs' down on the at MTSU game---man, did those MAC officials work over the ACC or what?The West Virginia series was awesome for awhile. The Cal series is fine despite a long road trip, because, a) it's a Pac 10 team; b) it's at sea level. One objectively bad game, and only one season begun on the road.

UNC:
2004: W&M, Louisville, at Utah
2005: Wisconsin, Utah, at Louisville
2006: Rutgers, Furman, South Florida, at Notre Dame
2007: JMU, at East Carolina, at South Florida, South Carolina
2008: McNeese State, at Rutgers, UConn, Notre Dame
2009: The Citadel, at UConn, East Carolina, Georgia Southern
Future commitments: W&M, JMU, return trip to South Carolina, home-and-homes with Rutgers, East Carolina, Tennessee and Minnesota.
Not sure about a home-and-home at Utah during the 11-game era, but otherwise good scheduling by any reasonable definition---no road games to open the season, notice.

NC State:
2004: Richmond, Ohio State, at East Carolina
2005: Eastern Kentucky, Southern Miss, Middle Tennessee State
2006: Appalachian State, Akron, at Southern Miss, East Carolina
2007: UCF, Wofford, Louisville, at East Carolina
2008: at South Carolina, W&M, East Carolina, South Florida
2009: South Carolina, Murray State, Gardner-Webb, Pittsburgh
Future commitments: a trip to UConn, return trips to UCF, South Florida and Pittsburgh, home-and-homes with Cincinnati, South Alabama (in its second and third years in I-A), East Carolina, and a neutral site game with Tennessee.

The loss at Southern Miss in 2006 in mid-September should have provided a cautionary tale for Virginia, but one key factor not to ignore here: Southern Miss came to NC State FIRST. Otherwise, little to quibble with here, including but one road game to open the season (in a year with three nonconference home games).

In short, I would say that each of these three teams made one of Virginia's mistakes over the past five years, but none made two, and none began more than one season with a nonconference road game. (Maryland had a neutral site game in Baltimore against Navy, and a road game at Cal, but that is a minor quibble compared to Virginia).

A pattern seems to have emerged among these schools in the 12-game era: 8 conference games, one BCS opponent, one I-AA game, and two mid-major(MAC or Sun Belt) or near-major (MWC, WAC, Conference USA) I-A games. That seems reasonable enough to me.
Virginia's future commitments---to Richmond, a home-and-home against Penn State in 2012/14, return trips to USC and Indiana, a visit from Southern Miss in 2011---appear heading in the right direction, but there are a lot more gaps on its calendar than for the other teams. Particularly worrisome is the ever-present threat by the NCAA to reinstate the old rule of counting a I-AA win for bowl eligibility only once per four years, thus making I-A games harder to come by.

The bottom line is this: Virginia's athletics department has had a demonstrable critical failure of planning for years now, putting its football team in a bad position before it takes the field. It can argue that it was at the mercy of circumstances beyond its control, but it finds itself in that position far more than peer schools (beyond just the sample of three above). If the failing is Groh's, fine, add it to the list of black marks next to his tenure. If the failing is Oliver's, that needs to be addressed either by changing his responsibility or at least by him acknowledging the poor job the program has done over the past five years and the lessons learned in the interim. Either way, the lack of accountability is striking and endemic within the program, and it's further evidence (as if any were needed) that change needs to come, sooner rather than later, and it likely needs to spread beyond just the football coach's office.

*---Future commitments can be found here.

Some Signs of Life, but Still No W

2009-09-20T22:15:00.001-04:00

It wasn't unwatchable this week (well, unless you don't get College Sports TV, one of the only networks to be offered in less households than ESPN U Don't Get It). For those of you who could watch, you were treated to non-stop cliches from Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila's younger brother Akbar, who was "analyzing" the game for CSTV. O where, o where have you gone, Mac McDonald.

Some thoughts on the game:

Al Groh attempted to take control of his own fate this week, ditching parts of the spread while reinstalling more traditional pro sets. The result was 268 first half yards, an offense that outgained USM for the game, and 25 first downs, six more than the Hoos had in their first two games combined.
But Virginia did appear to return to more spread-like playcalling in the 2nd half, particularly in the way they ran the football, to their detriment. Notably, Cavalier RBs had 13 carries to Sewell's nine in the first half. Relying more on RB runs also set up play action, including a 69-yard TD bomb to Tim Smith in the first half. But after a handful of Sewell draws led to a late touchdown in the first half, the Hoos seemed to fall in love with the QB run, to the tune of 14 second half carries for Sewell against only seven RB carries. It was effective at times (Sewell did finish with 79 rushing yards), but the proof is in the pudding - 27 first-half points to 7 in the second.
Hootie aptly noted last week that the Hoos' offensive problems start in the trenches. The o-line was better against USM, which Hootie attributed to ditching the wider splits usually associated with the spread.
The D-line was not. When Damion Fletcher decided to serve notice that he was the best player on the field, the Cavs' D did little to stop him. The senior back, who will play on Sundays, finished with 26 carries for 132 yards, but it was his counterpart in the wildcat formation, Tory Harrison, who broke the Cavs' back with a 57-yard touchdown run that proved to be the decisive score.
The Hoos were helped by some sloppy play by the Golden Eagles early in the game. A pair of fumbles in their own end, which were more given away than forced, led to a pair of UVA FGs. Unfortunately, the final result would probably have been different if Virginia finished those drives off turnovers with TDs instead of stalling inside the USM 20 and settling for FGs.
Welcome back to relevance Jared Green. Darrell's son had 5 catches for 30 yards. Four of those catches resulted in first downs.
Chris Cook missed the contest with a groin injury. And in what is becoming a familar refrain, Mikell Simpson also missed the game with an injury, this time with a bruised shin.
Finally, the last two times Virginia had gone 0-2 to start a season, the Cavs won their third game en route to a bowl game berth. In Groh's second season in 2002, the Cavs lost their first two to Colorado State and Florida State, but rebounded to finish 9-5. The last time before that Virginia lost its first two was 1987, when George Welsh led the Hoos to an 8-4 mark after dropping a pair to Georgia and Maryland. Now that the Cavs have broken that trend, its probably time to settle in for a long season ... and ask when basketball season starts.

Pack the Road Whites

2009-09-18T10:07:00.001-04:00

It’s only the third game of the season, and for some reason, it feels like we have been stuck in the twilight zone for ages. William and Mary’s game clinching pick six made Sportscenter’s top plays and last Saturday's infamous Cavalier tossing has garnered more attention than the Hoos’ actual on-field play. Furthermore, mention Virginia football and the conversation almost always ends with, “don’t fear, at least U2 is coming to Scott Stadium.”

So, while Cavalier fans should essentially continue to expect the unexpected, it also makes sense to take a look at the few things we do know. In a pair of firsts, Virginia’s first road game of the season and their first-ever trip to Hattiesburg, Virginia faces Southern Miss. on Saturday. Looking to avoid their first 0-3 start since the beginning of the Welsh era, UVa treks to the friendly confines of “The Rock” to square off with the undefeated Golden Eagles. Sadly, the Cavs would likely describe anywhere other than Scott Stadium as “friendly confines.”

After going 7-6 in 2008, their first season under head coach Larry Fedora, USM entered the 2009 campaign expecting to contend for its first Conference USA title since 2003. The Golden Eagles closed out last season with five straight wins, and so far this year, they have picked up right where they left off. After thrashing in-state foe Alcorn State 52-0 to open the season, USM picked up their first conference win last Saturday by defeating UCF 26-19. The Golden Eagles are off to their first 2-0 start since ’04 and they are currently riding a seven game winning streak (spanning back to last season). So far, the young ‘09 season has been highlighted by statistically impressive play on both sides of the ball.

Sure, USM padded their stats a bit against Alcorn State (630 total yards), but still, the Golden Eagles are averaging 507.5 yards of total offense per game, which is good for 13th in the nation. Sophomore QB Austin Davis has already thrown for 470 yards on the season with 4 TD’s, no picks, and a QB rating of 169.1. Unlike Virginia’s signal callers, accuracy proves a strength for Davis who boasts a stout 75% completion rate on the year.

Senior tailback Damion Fletcher is looking to become only the ninth player in NCAA history to run for over 1,000 yards in four consecutives seasons amidst difficult circumstances. Fletcher is already well on his way, amassing 229 through the first two games while averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

After missing the Alcorn State game, prime target DeAndre Brown posted a solid effort against UCF finishing the day with 7 catches for 75 yards. A freshman All-America in 2008, The Post notes Brown is regarded as one of the top receivers in the country and looks to be back in form after breaking his leg in last year’s New Orleans Bowl. Entering the season, Cavalier fans might have figured its secondary, the so-called bright spot of the defense, and lock-down corner Ras-I Dowling would be up to challenge in defending Brown. However, after two anemic performances from that group, you can expect USM to go to Brown early and often.

Speaking of defense, USM has a solid unit anchored by eight returning starters from a year ago. In 2009, the Golden Eagles have held opponents to 182.5 yard of total offense per game (the shutout against Alcorn State certainly helped the cause) which ranks 9th in the NCAA. Last week against UCF, the defense allowed only 15 rushing yards on 27 attempts and gave up a mere 179 yards through the air. At least on paper, USM’s defensive numbers don’t bode well for a Virginia squad that once again ranks near the bottom of the NCAA in total offense.

For the second straight week, the Hoos find themselves in ESPN's infamous Bottom 10. With an inept offense and shaky defense things likely won’t change unless the Cavs can unexpectedly put together a complete game on both sides of the ball. Then again, so far this season the unexpected is really about the only thing Virginia fans can count on.

An Open Letter to Craig Littlepage

2009-09-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

Dear Mr. Littlepage:

For the last two weeks, Al Groh has been the subject of fans' criticism, scorn, and boos. Sometime in the next few months (or if unsubstantiated rumors are to be believed the next week), you'll begin the search for a new football coach, and the heat will be on you.

To be sure, Virginia fans have unreasonable expectations. When a George Welsh-led football program won at least seven games from 1987-99, Virginia fans often complained that he couldn't get the program over the hump to being great, and cited his contemporaries (Georgia Tech's Co Nat'l Championship team in 1990, Mack Brown's 1997 UNC team that went 11-1, and Frank Beamer's pair of 11-1 squads in 1999 and 2000) as evidence that it should have been possible. Similarly, Virginia fans didn't fully appreciate its own Jeff Jones, who brought his team to the NCAA Tournament in his first five seasons, including an improbable run to the Elite Eight in 1995 behind one marginal NBA player (Junior Burrough) and a guard who got the absolute maxium out of his limited physical ability (Harold Deane). Since being shown the door here, Jones has made the Dance twice at former doormat American, while Virginia was either sitting at home or hosting CBI games.

But its been a tough couple of years, and that can humble a fan base. They've lost to teams that don't belong on the same field or court as the University of Virginia. William & Mary is the most recent example, but its been too common in recent years: Liberty (Hoops '08), Wyoming (Football '07), Western Michigan (Football '06), Fordham (Hoops '05). They've been embarrassed by teams they should always be able to compete with, especially at home. A post-renovation low graced the confines of Scott Stadium Saturday because everyone else that thought about attending cringed at what they might see. Perhaps they had flashbacks to a pair of whippings by Xavier (the last two season in Hoops), a 35-point gridiron loss in 2008 at Connecticut, who just started a I-A program this decade, or a 25-point thrashing at the hands of a Dave Wannstedt-led Pittsburgh squad in 2007. And they've gotten their brains beat in by Virginia Tech. We'd like to beat Virginia Tech more than once a decade in football, and we'd like to beat their brains in in everything else.

In the meantime, we're happy you've built an Athletic Department that competes for the Director's Cup. We congratulate the ACC Champions in Tennis, Cross-Country, Swimming & Diving, Track & Field, and Baseball. We applaud the fact that our lacrosse and soccer teams regularly compete for NCAA titles. And we think its great that you've revitalized some programs (field hockey) and built others from the ground up (rowing). But tennis and field hockey don't fill the stands, attract alumni donations, and generate money so all your others sports can compete on a national level.

Football and men's basketball do. And fair or not, you won't be judged on building Stanford-East; you'll be judged on the successes and failures of the University's most visible programs. And the blame for their present failures ultimately lies at the feet of the guy picking the men to run those programs.  You whiffed on your first big hire (Dave Leitao in 2005). The returns on Tony Bennett, the man you picked to replace him, have been good so far, but you'll have to deliver on your next hire if you want to avoid repeats of the sparse crowd you saw against TCU on Saturday. We won't pretend to know for certain who the best man for the job is, although I'm sure we'll have our opinions.  But its on you to get it right.  Otherwise, there's plenty of room on that hot seat once Coach Groh vacates it.

Signed,

The Scribes of the 7even Win Society

P.S. - if you do bring us the next George Welsh or Jeff Jones, we reserve the right to raise our expectations again. Sorry, comes with the territory.

On the Long and Winding Road to An Inevitable Coaching Change

2009-09-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

For the eternal optimists among us, Saturday was yet another opportunity for an Al Groh-coached team to rebound from a jarring early season loss. TCU was having none of it. Some thoughts:

QB Jameel Sewell will undoubtedly incur the wrath of most Virginia fans for the loss, but especially those who went to the game saw an O-line that didn't block (8 sacks) and receivers that got ZERO separation (2 catches for 9 yards before a pair of purely cosmetic TD catches late in the game against the Frogs' second-string D). For those of you pining for Verica, he wouldn't have done much better against the rush Jerry Hughes & Co. were bringing. At least Sewell could run for his life (21 carries for 35 net yards rushing).
From Last Week's Head-Scratcher Dept.: One week after going with 3 QBs, and worse yet admitting that he planned to do so, Groh stuck with 1 signal-caller this week. If it was such a good idea last week, why do a 180 the following week? [Answer: it was a bad idea last week.]
From This Week's Head Scratcher Dept.: For those who noticed that the Hoos were letting the play clock run all the way down before snapping the ball, it was by design, said Groh, to keep down TCU's usual advantage in time of possession. Coach, you win the time of possession battle by successfully running the ball and converting third downs, and stopping your opponent from doing the same, not by manufacturing that advantage. Its not like the Hoos were playing the 2007 Patriots, and thus trying to keep them off the field. I apologize to those who overheard me screaming at the radio during that answer in the post-game presser.
The result of the HC's gimmick to try to win the time of possession battle? TCU 34:49, Virginia 25:11. Better luck next time, Coach. Maybe the Hoos can ensure no worse than a tie in the turnover battle next week by taking a knee on every offensive play.
The defense was helped out early by a shaky opening game start by TCU QB Andy Dalton. But when the Frogs committed to just running the ball late in the first half, they moved it at will and took a 14-0 lead into the locker room. Not a good sign with run at will teams like Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech still on the schedule.
Dalton was much sharper to open the second half. Ras-I Dowling has the burn marks to prove it.
Mike London Watch: I can't help those who may be pining for the football program's version of Tubby Smith, but a pretty good coach is just down I-64 at the University of Richmond and did a pretty good job when he was here as the DC in C'ville. A week after slaying their own ACC opponent (a 24-16 win at Duke), last year's FCS champions and this year's No. 1 FCS-ranked team won at Delaware in dramatic fashion.
Finally, at some point, they may have to fire Groh for the sake of the kids busting their butt to win games. It was hard to watch the majority of Virginia fans booing as the Cavaliers ran into the tunnel after a difficult first half. I know ~~most of them at least~~ they were booing the coach, not the team, but tell that to a bunch of 18-22 year olds. Cavalier fans are also talking with their wallet. Saturday's official attendance of 48,366 was the lowest total since the latest renovation to Scott Stadium in 2000.

Know Your Enemy: The TCU Horned Frogs

2009-09-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

Ugly SOB, isn't he?

Since we have some idea what to ~~dread~~ expect from U.Va., time to turn to Virginia's opponent for the week: the TCU Horned Frogs.

TCU finished 7th in the final AP poll a year ago after an 11-2 record out of the Mountain West Conference and a victory over previously unbeaten Boise State in the Poinsetta Bowl.
The Horned Frogs have yet to play a game this season, but their conference is looking pretty good so far after BYU’s upset of No. 3 Oklahoma last weekend. TCU didn’t fare nearly as well against the Sooners last season, falling 35-10 in their only foray into major conference land. The Horned Frogs are upping the ante this season, following their trip to Charlottesville with a visit to Death Valley on September 26.
The Frogs are coached by Gary Patterson, who worked his way up the coaching ladder the old-fashioned way. Did I mention he's pretty good? TCU is 73-27 since he took over in 2000 (Al Groh is 56-44 in that same span).

TCU's hallmark, especially last season, is defense. The Frogs led the nation in team defense a year ago (217.8 ypg), the third time they have led the nation in that category under Patterson. They gave up a paltry 11.3 points per game last season (and that's with giving up 35 to Oklahoma).

The unquestioned star of that defense is rush end Jerry Hughes. Keep your eye out for #98. He's a monster. 6-3, 257, and speed to burn. May have been a first-round pick last year, but decided to return for his senior season. He's still projected as a first round pick, and if you have ESPN Insider, his draft profile can be found here.
But Hughes may have less help this year, as the Horned Frogs must replace seven defensive starters, including a pair of stud LBs that led the team in tackles last season. The Post thinks they'll be fine, but will have to learn a bit on the fly. May be that the first game is the best time to catch them.
On offense, TCU likes to run the ball. They averaged 220 ypg on the ground, 11th best in the nation in 2008. Their leading rusher - Sr. Joseph Turner - returns, but the Frogs tend to employ a RB by committee, so you'll probably see multiple ball carriers tomorrow.
TCU is led at QB by third-year starter Andy Dalton. He's more of a game-manager type (he only threw 5 picks in '08). Dalton can also run it; he had 432 yards rushing and 8 rushing TDs last season. But he may throw more in '09 because his receivers should be pretty good this season, led by Jr. Jimmy Young. #88 caught 64 passes for 1,012 last season.
As the USA Today notes, in light of Virginia's loss against W&M, Saturday's showdown with the Hoos is now almost a no-win situation for the Horned Frogs. Kind of like playing S. Miss., right?

Around Virginia Football

2009-09-10T08:00:00.001-04:00

Surfing the interweb, picking out the best UVA stories of the week for your reading pleasure:

As the DP notes, the defense was OK. Should have been better against a 1-AA opponent.
Hootie also chimes in to add that TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson is saying all the right things about a possible Virginia rebound. I think he’s more interested in routing a BCS Conference school on national television, and wants to make sure he gets maximum return on such a win.
Doug Doughty sings the praises of Steve Greer, perhaps the next stud Cavalier LB.
Also in LB news, Mike Phillips over at the RTD notes that Cam Johnson didn’t start, but played a ton. Expect the true sophomore to continue to play more, especially on passing downs to get after the opposing QB.
For those of you looking for a 2007-style renaissance, Norm Wood at the Daily Press reminds us that team had 19 returning starters, not 11 like the 2009 team.
Finally, Paul Montana at the Sabre aptly notes that TCU was great last season in TO margin and time of possession. In light of UVA's performance against W&M, that doesn’t bode well for Saturday.

Seriously, why on earth is Groh still the coach? No, seriously.

2009-09-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

As red4z noted in yesterday’s post, it is too easy to simply write a “Fire Groh” post. But given that William & Mary sealed Al Groh’s fate, let’s get into the real question of the hour: why is he coaching against TCU? To me, it’s sort of the opposite of what Harry told Sally: when you figure out you don’t want to spend your Saturdays with someone, you want to stop spending your Saturdays with that person as soon as possible.

Groh coaching Saturday creates a lose-lose situation for both Groh and Virginia. If TCU and Southern Miss beat Virginia, it’s expected and the long march to December continues, tension mounting with each loss for when the hammer will drop.

If Virginia somehow manages to beat TCU or Southern Miss, it raises the possibility of Groh doing just enough to keep his job but not enough to actually get the program out of neutral, and puts off the inevitable for another year or two. The entire season becomes defined by the Groh Death Watch, which is a horrible way for the year to play out and does the school no public relations favors.

If, say, Ron Prince (the uninspiring but obvious choice) gets a battlefield promotion, and has the exact same best-case-scenario season that Groh would have had, it is a cause for excitement. Littlepage gets the chance to evaluate a candidate on the job, things start getting pointed towards the future a little earlier. If team stinks, it is not like anyone would have expected that results would have been far better WITH Groh, so there really is very little opportunity cost.

To be clear, losing to William & Mary IS a firing offense. Don’t give me any them-be-the-breaks, that’s-how-the-ball-bounces, they’re-a-I-AA-playoff-team bull. Yes, losing to I-AA teams happens. To badly-coached teams.

Virginia has much more talent in both quality and quantity than William & Mary. This is not an argument. There is a massive advantage in the number of scholarships a I-A team has versus a I-AA team, and it is incredibly unlikely that any player on William & Mary would have gone there if Virginia had offered an opportunity.

Now, I would not doubt that a half-dozen players on William & Mary are better than many players on Virginia’s roster, maybe even a dozen players are better. But even if those players are perfectly distributed in impact positions (quarterback, receiver, offensive and defensive backfield, left tackle, right end, etc.), Virginia’s overall superiority in talent should have persevered in the end. With relative ease.

Or, think about it this way: if Virginia and W&M are remotely equal in talent, that means that Groh is either INCREDIBLY deficient at recruiting and/or developing talent, OR that William & Mary’s coaching staff is VASTLY superior tactically than Groh. Either way, it’s damning.

The “Virginia has turned things around before” chorus is not a good counterpoint. Any program that has this much experience at “turning things around” from terrible starts has some serious problems. The argument of “We Play Better with Our Backs Against the Wall” implies that a team gets its back to the wall often enough to have a well-established track record there---and I’m looking at you, Washington Capitals. Good teams don’t do that. Good teams win enough not to constantly put themselves in the position of needing to win.

Also, it’s not like Virginia isn’t bound to play better after playing so poorly. Virginia played terribly on Saturday, and it will play better at some point in the near future simply because the Cavaliers are not truly THAT bad, just as they weren’t as bad as they looked against Wyoming and Directional Michigan and USC and even Richmond and all the other craptastic early season performances in years past. Regression towards the mean dictates that teams tend towards their true ability in the long run, and by starting out poorly year after year, Virginia really has nowhere to regress but up.

So, Virginia WILL play better, and it will have little to do with Groh; it’ll play better because it IS a better team than it looked like. (Additionally, some amount of randomness went into that turd of a performance last Saturday, though not enough to compensate for the loss). This natural tendency to “improve” only increases the danger of Groh winning six or seven games and creating a narrative that gives Littlepage cover to keep Groh.

This is not a Steinbrennerian (Snyderian?) spur-of-the-moment decision. Groh’s been coach FOR EIGHT YEARS. Freshmen and sophomores in high school don’t remember George Welsh coaching Virginia. If those freshmen and sophomores happen to run a sub-4.5 40-yard-dash, they can use a reason to pay attention.

It’s not hasty to fire Groh now, even if it’s in midseason. It’s set against a backdrop of questionable and alienating moves since almost day one, ranging from the not-go-for-two decision against Wisconsin (which was perhaps the first step on the slippery slope to where we’re at) to the bizarre scheduling choices, to the losses to the teams scheduled in the bizarre scheduling choices, to the problematic drain of talent both of coaches and player off-field issues. Any semblance of a relationship with the fans is gone, setting up a perverse incentive to root against a sixth win (were there to be a miracle and Virginia to reach that point) to ensure that Littlepage can’t rehire him without facing a riot.

Groh has defenders, not supporters, at this point.

The two most similar decisions that leap to my mind (though others I’m sure are out there), are Frank Broyles firing Jack Crowe after Arkansas lost to the Citadel in an opener in the early 1990s and Clemson canning Tommy Bowden after a month last year. The Citadel was similarly I-AA, and while expectations are presumably higher at both programs (they’ve both won national titles, after all), Bowden had a similar path of success (even slightly superior) to Groh, mixed with a reputation for arrogance and aloofness from the fanbase.

Crowe’s firing didn’t end up working out so well for Arkansas---they were stuck for awhile in the mud, but again, it’s not like anyone was lamenting the Jack Crowe era afterwards. Bowden’s firing so far has seemed to work out for Clemson---the Tigers found value in a lost season, removing the interim tag from Dabo Swinney’s job description last December after the Tigers turned things around.

More than anything, firing Groh now gives hope, perhaps fleeting, of better Saturdays to come, even this year. If nothing else, it gives certainty to a situation that has needed it for three years, and avoids the biggest problem of all: Groh winning more games.