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.
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As noted in our opening post, one of the things we're looking for here at the 7even Win Society is intelligent discussion of UVA sports. Judging from the Fourth Estate's coverage of Saturday's debacle against William & Mary, we're still looking. A sampling (and these are the highlights people):
I know its easy to Monday Morning Quarterback the media (although it shouldn't be this easy). Its also too easy to simply write a "Fire Groh" Post. I won't rant too much about a game many of us are trying to simply eject from our consciousness as quickly as possible. And really, there's not much to analyze - a team that had a lot more talent was outplayed in pretty much every aspect of the game by a team from a lower division - so maybe I'm being too hard on the media. But ...
- As the old football saying goes, if you have two quarterbacks, you really have none. If you have three quarterbacks, well, you have a coach with ADD. Don't tell me it was Gregg Brandon's idea to rotate three different kids at QB in his first game as OC. And if it was, someone (i.e. the head coach) should have stopped him from doing it.
- Vic Hall’s opening drive 34-yard touchdown scamper was breathtaking, but he appears to be a one-trick pony. Or at the very least the coaches think he is. He threw all of five passes at QB. If you don’t trust him to throw, Hall is the NFL version of a Wildcat QB. A nice change of pace, but not a QB. Stop pretending he is.
- But Hall wasn’t doing that badly, which made the switch to Sewell after all of three drives such a head-scratcher. The football gods immediately punished UVA for the change with a fumbled snap on Sewell’s first play. After that, it was vintage Sewell – a strike between coverage to Chris Byrd. Two plays later, he sailed a throw three feet over Byrd’s head to the other team. Get used to it folks. Sewell is the Hoos best chance at QB. But he is what he is – flashes of brilliance followed closely by complete exasperation.
- We’ll just pretend the desperation switch to Marc Verica in the fourth quarter didn’t happen, shall we? And hope it doesn’t happen again. I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but Verica should have joined the ranks Virginia QBs that never got in a game. The fact that he plays (and has even started games) is horrifying for a program that hopes to compete for conference titles.
- Mikell Simpson carried the ball five times for 32 yards, and caught six passes for 28 yards. I know a lot of those running yards were on one play late in the first half, but Simpson’s probably their best offensive player. Let’s get him the ball, not throw to receivers you or I couldn't pick out of a lineup.
- Is it possible – just possible – that they’re asking Hall to do too much? Not only does Hall have to learn a new offense, learn a new position, and split out wide at receiver every once in a while, but he also needs to return punts? Why exactly? Its hard to get mad at the kid when he’s asked to do that much, and then fumbles a punt. But very easy to get mad at the coaching staff that asks him to do it.
- The defense wasn’t as bad as the score indicated. It wasn’t good, mind you, against a 1-AA opponent, but not that bad. Redshirt freshman Steve Greer (10 tackles) used to be Jon Copper’s understudy; looks more like a clone to me. And a year after returning from academic suspension, Chris Cook looks like the best corner on the roster (yes, I’m looking at you Ras-I Dowling).
- Finally, another old football saying (one I happen to believe in) is that players take on the personality of their head coach. Saturday's performance did not reflect well on the head coach. The program's history under Groh says they will rebound, of course, but we're not sure that matters. We suspect there will be ruminations all week about Groh's job status on one side, and attempts to rally the troops on the other. Far from the discussion we thought we'd be having this week, huh? Doesn't that tell you everything you need to know?
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