Who knows why 50,747 people came to Scott Stadium to see Maryland play Virginia. Maybe they came to tailgate on an achingly gorgeous fall night. Maybe they came to see if the lifted sign ban would bring out provocative posterboard. Maybe they came to see an embattled bunch of Cavaliers for the same reason that people rubberneck at gruesome highway crashes. Heck, maybe they came to see how the animated CavMan would vanquish his Terrapin foe (for the record, his horse saved the day).
Whatever the reason they came, Virginia fans left elated but more than a little shocked: The same team that lost to Duke (Duke!) 31-3 last week absolutely hammered Maryland 31-0. And it was no fluke: the Cavaliers (2-3, 1-1 ACC) simply outplayed the Terps in just about every aspect of the game.
“We never thought we were that bad as every one said we were,” said linebacker and defensive co-captain Clint Sintim after the game. “Today was just a small stepping stone of what this team might be.”
On defense, the Cavs wrapped up tackles and laid punishing hits. Maryland running back Da’Rel Scott came into the game averaging 115 yards, top in the ACC, but Virginia’s front seven limited him to only 36 yards on 11 carries. Maryland’s electric wide receiver, Darrius Heyward-Bey, only touched the ball once, on a desperate hook-and-ladder play at the end of the second half. But safety Byron Glaspy snuffed that out just as UVA snuffed out every other Terp drive, and went into the half up 24-0.
The offense, ranked dead last in the country coming into this game, somehow became an efficient thing of beauty, putting up 427 yards that were almost evenly split between rushing and passing. Early in the season with strong-armed Peter Lalich as quarterback, UVA has thrown the ball surprisingly often. With Lalich now taking classes at Oregon State after violating his probation for alcohol possession and being booted from the team, UVA went back to handing the ball off to Cedric Peerman, who is finally recovering from a knee injury. But Peerman was peerless Saturday as he made crisp cuts and burst past Terp defenders for 110 yards—more than he’s had all season prior to Saturday night. Running back Mikell Simpson also played well, finishing with 77 yards rushing.
Passing the ball, UVA was just as successful. Sophomore quarterback Mark Verica threw four interceptions against Duke last week, but on Saturday, he completed 25 of 34 passes for 226 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, tacking on a rushing touchdown for good measure. The passing touchdowns, both to speedster receiver Kevin Ogletree, were the first of the season for UVA.
The Cavaliers played with an intensity unseen this season, and perhaps it helped having Chris Long back on the sidelines. Before the game, he wore a Clint Sintim jersey and hoisted the “Power of Orange” banner on a flagpole with UVA’s former tennis standout, Somdev Devvarman. Sintim, a Long’s roommate last year, was able to return the favor: After making the kind of sack that every defensive player dreams of on a third down, Sintim flashed the “L” sign that was Long’s signature after big plays. Sintim jogged to the sideline pointed to Long, coming in for a pair of high fives as Maryland was forced to punt.
“That might have been one of my all time favorite moments,” said Sintim after the game. He was laughing—a sound that hasn’t been heard too often in the interview room this season. “You want to be that guy to come in there and make that play. Last year, it was Chris making that play. I threw up the L for my homey Chris.”
Head Coach Al Groh had every right to serve up crow after the game. Not only has the usual crowd of skeptics been calling for either his head or that of his offensive coordinator and son, Mike, but even diehard Wahoos have had thin patience after the debacle at Duke, a team that hadn’t won an ACC game in 25 tries before beating UVA. Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist Paul Woody wrote on Wednesday that, “When this season ends, so should [Groh’s] tenure at Virginia.”
But Groh was his usual self, refusing to take any credit for the game and trying as always to lull reporters to sleep with typical coach-speak. “We took a little step forward here tonight,” said Groh. “We’ve got a ways to go yet. Our challenge now is trying to move forward next week and realize that this is just a phase in the development of our team.”
Virginia will take on East Carolina next Saturday. The game starts at noon.