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Mere hours from Signing Day (a national holiday in many states far exceeding such trivial celebrations as Thanksgiving and Christmas), Virginia Football is positioned for a banner haul. It's a (gasp) drama-less Signing Day.
But in this special case, the recruiter needs recruiting. Or re-recruiting - Virginia's most important recruit might just be a current Cavalier: Mike London.
Wow.
In many ways, that's the only word to try to describe Sean Singletary's game-winning shot against Duke on Thursday night. It was one of those shots where the Duke players ended up just hanging their heads with a 68-66 overtime loss and even the media on press row just looked at each other shaking their heads.
The new semester has started. The basketball team is making a run at the NCAA Tournament. Signing Day is right around the corner and the official visits are done. The Bears are about to win the Super Bowl. Spring practices creep ever closer. So that must mean it is time to put UVa's 2006 football season to rest with the last of the review columns. This week, the defensive backs.
I'll admit it. With Dave Leitao's squad facing a double-digit deficit and a dwindling game clock, I didn't think the Hoos were going to pull out that victory at Clemson. In fact, I was so sure about the outcome that I shifted to comedy to drown out my sorrows. And, I bet if I had taken a stroll through the basketball message board at that time, I would've found plenty of company for my misery.
Then the unexpected.
I will always have a particular and peculiar connection to linebackers. Something about the position just appeals to me. Maybe it is because the position can bring so much to the defense. Maybe it is because each of my sons seems to play that position.
Maybe it is some kind of cosmic connection based on the fact that I am a Bears fan, and the Bears are and have been a linebacker team from Bill George to Dick Butkus to Mike Singletary to Brian Urlacher. Whatever the reason, I like the LB position. So what did I learn about Jon Copper and UVa's linebackers this season?
Virginia (11-6, 3-2 ACC) heads back out on the road tonight for a match-up against N.C. State (11-7, 1-4 ACC) at the RBC Center in Raleigh. So far, the month of January has been an up-and-down one for the Cavaliers. A win over Gonzaga was followed by a three-game losing streak, including the team's first loss at the John Paul Jones Arena. The Hoos followed that with back-to-back ACC wins. Before UVa tries to notch its first road victory of the season tonight, let's take a look at 5 Things I Learned so far this month.
At the conclusion of my article on the football season's highs and lows, I proclaimed bravely that I could be signed up for next season instantly. I love Virginia athletics, and I can handle another trip on the rollercoaster. But I didn't figure I'd be forced to handle it again so soon. J.R. Reynolds and the men's basketball team thrust me back into the first car quickly so now I'm ready to just throw my hands up and scream.
There may have been no unit that I enjoyed watching last year as much as the defensive line. Why? Because after a season of development, we may have no unit with more upside going into next season. Barring injury, I believe that Chris Long, Jeffrey Fitzgerald, and Nate Collins represent the best returning unit of the Al Groh era. With that in mind, let's look at Things I Learned About The Defensive Line.
The receivers - both the wide receivers and the tight ends - may have been the toughest unit of all to evaluate this past season. At first glance, there was plenty to criticize. Upon further review, things are not always as simple as they seem. With that said, there is a lot to talk about with those groups. Take the emergence of Kevin Ogletree for example. Here are Things I Learned About The Receivers and Tight Ends.
During the 2006 season, no unit - with the possible exception of the quarterbacks - was under the harsh glare of the spotlight more than the offensive line. Of course, I was part of the problem, providing weekly updates with my view of the offensive line's collective progress (or lack thereof). But progress was made in 2006. Much more progress, however, has to be made before 2007 can truly be a happy new year.
Virginia's football season proved to be an up-and-down ride as Vandy-Hoo described in his recent column. Wins over Miami, N.C. State, and North Carolina late were countered with shutout losses at Virginia Tech and Florida State. Along the way, many players - Chris Long, Jon Copper, Jeffrey Fitzgerald, Jameel Sewell to name a few - came up with big plays and became big stories. Greg Waters takes a look back at the season with his 2006 Superlatives.
Football season is over, you say? Time to move on to basketball, you say? Rubbish. Football season never ends, particularly in the college ranks, where recruiting - both talent evaluation and acquisition, to spout an Al Groh-ism - is a year-round task.
In that spirit, I am going to take a position-by-position look back at the 2006 season, discussing what I learned at that position from the season. Let's get started with Jameel Sewell and the quarterback position.
Every season has its ups and downs. A final goal line stand against Florida State … a 65-yard scoring interception return by the Hokies. A high snap in Raleigh … a fake field goal in Charlottesville. An upset by the Blue Devils … an upset against the Jackets. Every season for us Cavalier fans is like sitting on a raging rollercoaster. Highs, lows, and everything in between.
This season was no different. Dubbed a “rebuilding year” by most, the 2006 installment of the gridiron Hoos was still another amusement park ride.
After JHoo successfully reeled off the “10 Things I Learned” series throughout football season, many Sabre users wanted a similar set of articles for basketball season. While I don't expect to be as successful as JHoo's endeavors, I'm going to give it the ole college try. After each game week is completed, I'll provide you with “5 Things I Learned” in an effort to look back at the previous week's basketball games. With that in mind, let's look back at N.C. State and Purdue.
O.K. Football season just ended. You've been drawing up post patterns and trick plays in the bean dip during Saturday games until now, but suddenly football season is over and you're ready to shift into high gear with basketball. What's that? You feel like you're out of the loop? You need a crash course on Dave Leitao's Cavaliers? No problem, I've got you covered. Here are 5 quick questions you may have and the answers to fill you in on the Hoos as they play in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge later tonight.
It is sad to see the Virginia/Virginia Tech game relegated to a noon kickoff with regional coverage. But that's where the rivalry is right now due in large part to UVa's inability to keep the score competitive in recent years. This year was the same story, different year. If that's the case, are there “10 Things I Learned Against Virginia Tech?” Let's take a look.
After a 17-7 victory over the Miami Hurricanes, the Virginia Cavaliers look to become bowl eligible this week with a victory over rival Virginia Tech. Unlike last week, the Cavaliers will have to win on the road at a very tough Lane Stadium, where they have not won since 1998.
While I was at Virginia, the week of preparation was very different when it came to playing Virginia Tech. Coach Welsh would always tell us that records did not count when it came down to this game. The coaches would have almost every play in the playbook on call for this game.
As Coach Groh likes to say, you measure a quarterback by his pelts. Well, Jameel Sewell earned another one on Saturday. And if that's the only measuring stick, adding the pelt of Sebastian the Ibis is a significant trophy. Sure, the Canes are down this year - but the Hoos are the midst of their own “rebuilding season.” And for a freshman quarterback, being responsible for the school's first win against a recent national championship program is an achievement by itself.
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