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TE
Tom Santi |
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2006
Statistics |
Coach:
Al Groh
42-33,
6 years |
2006
Record: 5-7 |
|
at
Pittsburgh |
LOST
13-38 |
WYOMING |
WON
13-12 (OT) |
WESTERN
MICHIGAN |
LOST
10-17 |
at
Georgia Tech |
LOST
7-24 |
at
Duke |
WON
37-0 |
at
East Carolina |
LOST
21-31 |
MARYLAND |
LOST
26-28 |
NORTH
CAROLINA |
WON
23-0 |
NC
STATE |
WON
14-7 |
at
Florida State |
LOST
0-33 |
MIAMI
FL |
WON
17-7 |
at
Virginia Tech |
LOST
0-17 |
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2006
Final Rankings
AP-UR, Coaches-UR, BCS-UR
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2007
Outlook |
In
2006, alum Al Groh suffered only the
second losing campaign of his six
year tenure here as head coach (42-33).
Their point production pattern in
’06 – scoring 13 or less
in their first four games, then going
over 20 points the next four, and
finally closing out with four games
of 17 or less points (including two
shutouts) – ominously depicted
their inability to find any kind of
offensive groove. But when you allow
an average of just under 18 points,
as UVA did, you will win nearly half
the time (5-7), even when your team
only averages a little over 15 themselves.
So, like at Florida State, the coaches’
son as his father’s offensive
coordinator was under scrutiny. But
the younger Groh is nothing like the
younger Bowden – as a record-setting
Cavalier QB, Groh isn’t just
another nepotistic hire. The consensus
reached after the staff evaluated
why the offense finished 113th in
yardage and 110th in scoring was a
call for a system change, not for
a new coordinator. Keeping their new
hand close to their vest, Groh showed
little of the new offense this spring.
We know there will be more throws
out of the shotgun to compliment creative
three-plus-receiver sets, but we can’t
assuredly say it means the spread
will now be in vogue here. Though
he’s the school’s freshman
passing record holder, tentative QB
starter Jameel Sewell hasn’t
thrived in his off-field command of
the new system…coupled with
losing their only proven receiver
for the season, coach Mike’s
work is cut out. But the entire OL
is back, and along with 10 starters
returning on the Wahoo’s No.17
D, there is much to buoy the team’s
prospects. The first three games feature
beatable foes, offering Groh’s
guys a breaking-in period for the
new-look offense. Then, the two home
tilts that follow to close September
will reveal areas still needing work
- they had better fix the problem
areas before their season-defining
five-game ACC slew occurs. That gauntlet
starts October 20th, with a trip to
College Park, and ends with conference
champ Wake Forest at home, followed
by a trip to (resurgent) Miami and
then in-state nemesis Tech to close.
Unlike last year, this team actually
has a chance to surprise many who
won’t see them coming (like
Wake Forest did). But the needed developments
at QB and receiver will probably keep
UVA from reaching as far as this much
talent potentially could. A ten-win
season and a place in the final top
25 should be their modest goals. Parity
in their ever-toughening league means
there is a huge range for where this
team could eventually land, but you
can expect the Orange-and-Blue to
be heard singing the “Good Old
Song” a lot more than they ever
did in ‘06.
Projected
2007 record: 6-6
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VIRGINIA
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 3 |
DL
- 4 |
RB
- 2.5 |
LB
- 3.5 |
WR
- 2 |
DB
- 3.5 |
OL
- 3.5 |
.. |
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Jameel Sewell, 143-247-6, 1342 yds.,
5 TD
Rushing: Jameel Sewell, 95
att., 200 yds., 4 TD
Receiving: Kevin Ogletree,
52 rec., 582 yds., 4 TD
Scoring: Chris Gould, 11-19
FG, 18-18 PAT, 51 pts.
Punting: Chris Gould, 56 punts,
38.4 avg.
Kicking: Chris Gould, 11-19
FG, 18-18 PAT, 51 pts.
Tackles: Jon Copper, 81 tot.,
39 solo
Sacks: Jeffrey Fitzgerald,
5.5 sacks
Interceptions: Jeffrey Fitzgerald,
2 for 3 yds.
Kickoff Returns: Cedric Peerman,
19 ret., 27.3 avg., 0 TD
Punt Returns: Mike Brown, 14
ret., 9.6 avg., 0 TD
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DB
Nate Lyles |
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OFFENSE
- 8 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 10 |
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KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Christian Olsen-QB, Kevin McCabe-QB,
Jason Snelling-TB, Fontel Mines-WR,
Deyon Williams-WR, Emmanuel Byers-WR |
DEFENSE:
Marcus
Hamilton-CB, Tony Franklin-S |
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2007
OFFENSE |
The
new wrinkles being kept under wraps by the
coaches Groh (Al’s son Mike is the
coordinator and QB coach) have many excited
for more production after the Cavs finished
113th in total offense. Groh’s visits
to other programs during the offseason were
definitely for a purpose, though extra receivers
and QBs working out of shotgun formations
is all we can guarantee. New plans may be
promising, but executing those plans with
an underclassman at the helm and their top
receiver likely out for the season becomes
a daunting task. Offseason wrist surgery
kept last year’s freshman record-setting
QB, Jameel Sewell, out of spring drills
– the good news for Sewell, but bad
news for the younger Groh, is that the backups
in camp didn’t come close to threatening
for the Richmond-native’s starting
status. Sewell has the size and speed to
do well. Still, it has been his marginal
ability to prepare off the field that keeps
a slim chance for incoming frosh Peter Lalich
to possibly get reps right away. At this
juncture, the No.5 pro-style prospect represents
the best hope for the program’s future,
and with great feet and a 6-5, 237lb. build,
something will have to give if Lalich is
to be redshirted, which we doubt. These
two will face off in August; you can bet
the winner will be on a short leash so that
the new system can be maximized by the top
candidate. The other “situation”
– finding receivers for their more
aggressive play calling – went south
when last year’s top guy (Ogletree)
went down in early spring with a torn knee.
Tough and big, Maurice Covington now has
huge expectations as the leading returning
receiver (six catches). Ex-track champion
Chris Dalton has impressed enough this spring
to tentatively occupy the other starting
slot, and speedy Chris Gorham being moved
back to offense (from starting at CB) has
worked well so far. How all-around athlete
Mikell Simpson fits into things remains
guarded information, but with only one other
letterman returning (besides those listed
above), the corps will rely on unknown/undeveloped
walk-ons (Jobe, Koch) and true freshmen
(Burd, Green, Milien) to step up if Virginia
is to take this offense anywhere near its
potential. Expect hulking TEs Tom Santi
and Jonathan Stupar to augment any shortcomings
with their proven snarling capacities. Junior
Cedric Peerman is ready for the mantle as
the team’s top tailback. The state’s
100 meter prep sprint champ (junior and
senior year) is tough between the tackles
while having soft hands, as is huge RS frosh
Keith Payne. Payne’s size-speed combo
has to have a place in the new scheme, especially
in one-back sets where blocking is paramount.
Fullback Rashawn Jackson could be the odd
man out, though the little-used position
should have a rebirth if production is needed.
Still, it all hinges on the performance
of their fully-returning line – all
of the starters back have to equal better
overall results. Right Tackle Will Barker
was a second-team Freshman All-American,
and the left-handed Sewell will find better
protection with his maturity. It may have
been left tackle Eugene Monroe who garnered
five stars out of high school, but it was
classmate Branden Albert who earned all-ACC
honors first from his guard slot. Factor
in the solidity and senior leadership supplied
by guard Ian Yates-Cunningham and center
Jordy Lipsey, and you get a line that should
improve by leaps and bounds if their collective
raw talent can be maximized in what’s
to come. We think some version of a spread
attack will be the outcome of the revampings,
and it will only take the right set of receivers
and a steady QB to make this offense again
feared.
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OG
Branden Albert
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VIRGINIA
2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Jameel
Sewell-So (6-3, 219) |
Scott
Deke-Jr (6-3, 216)
Marc Verica-Fr (6-2, 190) |
FB |
Rashawn
Jackson-So (6-1, 254) |
Josh
Zidenberg-Sr (6-0, 213) |
TB |
Cedric
Peerman-Jr (5-10, 205) |
Keith
Payne-Fr (6-3, 243)
Raynard Horne-Fr (6-0, 203) |
WR |
Maurice
Covington-Jr (6-4, 215) |
Kevin
Ogletree-Jr (6-2, 189) (inj.) |
WR |
Chris
Dalton-Fr (6-2, 172) |
Chris
Gorham-Sr (6-0, 193) |
TE |
Tom
Santi-Sr (6-5, 250) |
Jonathan
Stupar-Sr (6-3, 254)
John Phillips-Jr (6-6, 257) |
OT |
Eugene
Monroe-Jr (6-6, 315) |
Zak
Stair-Jr (6-6, 298) |
OG |
Branden
Albert-Jr (6-7, 315) |
Gordie
Sammis-Sr (6-4, 289) |
C |
Jordy
Lipsey-Sr (6-3, 280) |
.. |
OG |
Ian-Yates
Cunningham-Sr (6-3, 290) |
Patrick
Slebonick-So (6-5, 289) |
OT |
Will
Barker-So (6-7, 306) |
.. |
K |
Chris
Gould-Sr (6-1, 204) |
Noah
Greenbaum-Sr (5-10, 189) |
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2007
DEFENSE |
The
prognosis for the Cavalier defense looks
great, especially since only two departures
from the secondary need attention. Already
the 41st-ranked run stopping unit, the entire
front seven back means improvements will
be seen in this area. As just a freshman,
Jeff Fitzgerald led the team in sacks and
tackles-for-loss while finishing third in
total tackles. Like all-conference bookend
senior Chris Long, guys that size shouldn’t
be able to move so fluently…but that’s
why the 3-4 here works. Allen Billyk and
Nate Collins are revolving nose tackles
who stay fresh and therefore garner double-teams
most of the time. Depth up front is experienced
and hungry to prove they should start, and
this year’s class brings even more
hybrid, 280-something-pound, interchangeable
linemen to bolster this strength. Two four-star
linebacking recruits pump up an already-deep,
well-sized corps that has great closing
speed throughout its ranks. Roanoke-native
John Cooper, a state power-lifting record-holder,
and ex-DE-TE Antonio Appleby predictably
led the team in tackles from their inside
positions, but experience behind them is
thin. Outside, bigman Clint Sintim, like
ex-four-star senior DE Olu Hall (turned
down Ohio State and Virginia Tech), is an
excellent fourth lineman when needed –
the Woodbride (Gar-Field)-product is a former-two-way
star whose athletic prowess keeps his side
blanketed all the way to the hash-marks.
Jermaine Dias has enough speed to match
up evenly with most WRs, so underneath coverage
will again be tight. This LB group looks
to be special and will be the backbone of
everything that succeeds defensively. Byron
Glaspy, a former walk-on engineering student
who wasn’t recruited at all, started
the last 11 games of 2006 at safety and
proved his worth by finishing sixth in tackles.
Nate Lyles and Jamal Jackson bring senior
leadership to the deep middle, and both
know how to keep the play in front of them
and defenders out of the endzone. 6’2
senior corner Chris Cook is too good to
see many balls come his way, so well-groomed
Mike Brown will likely get picked on until
the former sprinter proves to opposing coordinators
why he has played in every game since his
true freshman season (2005). Vic Hall is
the likely nickel, and this former offensive
prep record-holder has DC Mike London salivating
over his huge, unrealized upside. This year’s
strong recruiting efforts also grace the
secondary with two four-star prospects,
so improvements to the Cav’s No.15
pass defense are also expected. This team
allowed only 18 points per game in 2006,
and other numbers, like how they allowed
foes to convert a stingy 32% of their third-down
efforts, are also likely to go down as this
unit tightens even more.
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DE
Chris Long
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VIRGINIA
2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Jeffrey
Fitzgerald-So (6-3, 279) |
Alex
Field-Jr (6-7, 288) |
NT |
Allen
Billyk-Sr (6-4, 287) |
Nate
Collins-So (6-2, 281) |
DE |
Chris
Long-Sr (6-4, 284) |
Kevin
Crawford-So (6-3, 284) |
OLB |
Jermaine
Dias-Sr (6-1, 237) |
John
Bivens-Fr (6-2, 213) |
ILB |
Antonio
Appleby-Jr (6-4, 248) |
Darren
Childs-So (6-1, 244) |
ILB |
Jon
Copper-Jr (6-0, 232) |
Darnell
Carter-Fr (6-3, 244) |
OLB |
Clint
Sintim-Jr (6-3, 256) |
Olu
Hall-So (6-3, 230) |
CB |
Chris
Cook-Jr (6-2, 204) |
Trey
Womack-Fr (5-11, 177)
Mike Parker-Fr (6-2, 190) |
CB |
Mike
Brown-Jr (5-9, 180) |
Vic
Hall-So (5-9, 184) |
S |
Byron
Glaspy-Jr (5-11, 203) |
Brandon
Woods-So (6-2, 214) |
S |
Nate
Lyles-Sr (6-0, 203) |
Jamaal
Jackson-Sr (6-3, 212) |
P |
Chris
Gould-Sr (6-1, 204) |
Ryan
Weigand-Sr (6-2, 181) |
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2007
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Chris
Gould as a placekicker was perfect from inside
the 40 (7-for-7), but in going a mere 4-for-12
from beyond that range, coaches have to consider
other options when the Cavs are outside of the
opponent’s 30. Accordingly, the senior is
not a ‘shoe in’ and the slot remains
open until fall. As a punter, Gould placed over
half of his tries inside the 20 and nearly 30%
of them were fair caught. Cedric Peerman and Mike
Brown are capable of huge things from their given
return spots, and along with Gould, UVA should
win a majority of their field position battles.
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