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.
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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.
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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.
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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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