When Coach Mike London took over a UVA football program in disarray after the acrimonious departure of Al Groh, he promised to turn the program around by doing things the right way. Last year the team finished 4-8, and it was easy to start wondering whether the Hoos were lining up as the nice guys finishing last, particularly after they were crushed 44-10 at home by Butch Davis’ Tar Heels. But look a little closer at the past 18 months, and you may start to believe that something special is brewing inside the McCue Center’s orange and blue walls. In 2010, London installed a new pro-style offense, a new 4-3 defense, and an entirely new way of conducting business in Charlottesville.
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Second-year head coach, Mike London, has had success recruiting in-state talent from the top schools in the 757 area code and setting a new tone of accountability in the locker room. Now he needs a winning season.
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One of the most important aspects of the program’s new approach has been its focus on rebuilding the relationships between UVA and the top-tier high school programs in the state. From the moment London was hired, he made it a point to travel all over, mending fences with coaches and trying to convince the elite teams in the 757 area code that he wants their boys so he can turn them into men. London said again and again that he wanted players who valued leaving his program with degrees from the best damn public school in the nation, my words not his. The idea: relationships first, wins to follow. London’s three basic tenets for his program: go to class, show class, and treat people with dignity and respect. As someone who’s watched the team closely for over a decade, I have to say it’s working so far. In the spring semester of 2011, the football team posted its best cumulative GPA average in 10 years. More than that, when you interact with the players and coaches, there’s a sense of shared accountability, of plain-spoken toughness.
A huge difference between the two coaches is mainly that Groh coached from a place of fear. Fear that he wasn’t working hard enough, fear that if someone drove by the McCue Center at 11:30pm on a Thursday before a game and his BMW wasn’t there that folks might not think he knew what the hell he was doing. The fear translated to his players and, ultimately, to the team’s performance.
Head coaches in their 60s who are still at the office more often than not after 10pm aren’t living a balanced life. London has a quiet confidence, and an enveloping sense of trust that he will get the job done, which quickly rubs off on others. He does not wax poetic just to sound smart, and he leaves the office when the work is done.
LOOKING BACK ON 2010
The London facelift wasn’t all about talk. One of the more intriguing ideas he instituted in his first season was to bus the entire team to Old Dominion University in Norfolk for a practice that was open to the fans and media in that part of the state.
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Sophomore quarterback Mike Rocco (top) is the frontrunner to lead the UVA offense this season, but he has fierce competition from classmate Ross Metheny and freshmen Michael Strauss and David Watford. Freshman tailback Kevin Parks (bottom) is looking to make an impact after a spectacular high school career in North Carolina.
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London’s plan was to show fans in the region that they remain important to the success of the team. He also wanted to get the young players used to travel, so when they headed out to Los Angeles to play USC in front of more than 80,000 fans in week two, they had already been on a road trip. Things started well on the gridiron, as the Hoos opened the season by trouncing London’s former team, Richmond, 34-13. Out of that victory 6’3", 260-pound bruising tailback Keith Payne, who had quit the team in 2009, rumbled to the center of the stage. Payne ran for 114 yards and four touchdowns as he emerged from the former coaching staff’s doghouse as the new leader of the offense. A week later, Virginia surprised almost everyone at the venerable L.A. Coliseum during a penalty-marred, heartbreaking 17-14 loss to Lane Kiffin’s No. 16-ranked USC Trojans.
At that point, it seemed like London might have executed an improbable turnaround. But after whipping in-state foe VMI, the Hoos season began a three-game slide as they lost to Florida State in Charlottesville, Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and then UNC in Charlottesville. The victory by Butch Davis’ ’Heels was the first win for Carolina at Scott Stadium since a 17-14 affair on November 14, 1981. Uggh. Virginia regrouped from the Carolina loss to dismantle one of college football’s worst teams, Eastern Michigan, 48-21. Saturday, October 30 brought the Top-25 Miami Hurricanes to town. London’s team gave up nearly 500 yards of offense to the ’Canes but following a balanced attack, it got back on track, winning 24-19 and adding a nail in the coffin of coach Randy Shannon’s tenure in Coral Gables.
One step forward, two steps back. Unable to carry over the momentum from the home victory against the ’Canes, the Hoos lost a 55-48 shootout to perennial doormat Duke. It was the program’s third straight loss to the Blue Devils. Double Uggh. Virginia finished the season with three losses in a row––to border-rival Maryland 42-23 at home; then to Boston College 17-13 in Chestnut Hill; before finally getting smashed by arch-rival Virginia Tech 37-7 in Lane Stadium, a result that ruined Thanksgiving weekend for the seventh straight year. That win capped an impressive undefeated season in conference play for the Hokies, making them the first team to run the table in the ACC since Florida State in 2000 and reiterating their status as Top Dog in the Commonwealth.
It was a tough year that furnished valuable lessons. Last season, Virginia struggled to get the ball in the end zone from the red zone. The Hoos also lacked a big-play threat on offense after wide receiver Tim Smith injured his ankle and was done for the year with surgery. Jim Reid’s defense was 10th in the conference in scoring defense, giving up 28.2 points per game, yielding nearly 400 yards a game on average. The new 4-3 setup was carved up by the big play. Of the 480 opponents’ rushing attempts, 413 of them went for less than 10 yards. Unfortunately, the other 67 went for a huge average of 21.6 yards.
Reid personally took much of the blame for the lapses on defense, saying on Media Day this summer that last season he and his staff likely oversimplified the defense. He said his players came to UVA because they were smart, and he was ready to challenge them with more complex schemes this year.
Fast forward to 2011. Gone, and graduated are starting quarterback Marc Verica, dependable tailback Keith Payne, and All-World shutdown corner Ras-I Dowling. Also gone is the best long-snapper in the college game, Danny Aiken. Aiken, now in camp with the Buffalo Bills, just might be the player that Virginia misses the most on special teams, since he was not only an outstanding, sure-fire snapper, he was often the first guy down the field to make the tackle on the punt team.
OFFENSE
The top storyline of the preseason period is an emerging quarterback controversy. The competition has been fierce, and, as of press time, no one has won the job. So far, sophomore Michael Rocco has looked to be the front-runner to earn the first start of the season. Dual-threat quarterback and Hampton native David Watford (who enrolled early in January to be able to compete for the position in spring practice) looks to be right on Rocco’s tail as the No. 2 guy, with the left-hander Ross Metheny, who has spent the most time in the program, right on his butt. What makes me believe that Watford is the dark-horse candidate to start is that he is fast as hell, a trait that none of the other guys possess. Michael Strauss has the strongest arm of all four guys, but Watford is lightning-quick once he hits the open field. A redshirt season would allow him to put weight on his skinny, 6’1" frame, and give him time to absorb Cornell grad Bill Lazor’s complex, NFL-style offense. There are precious few quarterbacks who are truly ready right out of high school for the speed of blitzing college defenses. London has said again and again that he wants to find a starter sooner rather than later.
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The Hoos got their preseason going with four open practices on the astroturf fields at the McCue Center in sweltering summer heat. Here, members of the defensive secondary take a short break from the action.
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The good news for whoever wins the job is that the offensive line should be one of the strengths of the program this season. Junior offensive tackle Oday Aboushi is quietly becoming a star up-front. Sophomore tackle Morgan Moses, if healthy, could be an All-American candidate. Moses has lost weight from last season, and Coach London has called him the strongest guy pound-for-pound on the team. Canadian Austin Pasztor is also solid at guard on coach Scott Wachenheim’s line, and so is senior Anthony Mihota, who lines up at center. Perry Jones will get the nod as the starting tailback for the second straight season. He led the Hoos in all-purpose yards last season with 1,106. Look for redshirt freshman Kevin Parks, who is built like small freight train at 5’8", 195 pounds, to become a star. Parks was the best prep player in the state during his senior season in North Carolina and likes to run north/south with a bruising style similar to Payne’s.
The fullback should play an important part of the Lazor offense both from check-down passes and also as a ball carrier from the line of scrimmage. Senior Max Milien, redshirt freshmen Ryan Cobb and Terence Fells-Danzer will all see time at fullback. Colter Phillips is back leading a talented group of tight ends. All three tight ends (Phillips, Freedman, Mathis) caught at least one touchdown last season, and with such a young group at quarterback, UVA is going to need that position to be huge in the offensive game plan. Zach Swanson and Collegiate’s Jake McGee are most likely a year away from major contributions, but will also be in the mix.
The wide receiver corps is perhaps the deepest position the Hoos have going for them. Tim Smith, Kris Burd, Bobby Smith, and Captain Matt Snyder will all see lots of playing time. The biggest X factors are talented true freshmen Darius Jennings and Dominique Terrell.
At the last of the open practices, both Jennings and Terrell were selected out of all of the receivers to work with the quarterbacks on the fade route right in front of the assembled media and fans. Both kids are lightning fast, and both played quarterback in high school. Both catch the ball with their hands away from their bodies just like the pros are taught. Fan favorite Ray Keys, Kevin Royal, E.J. Scott and converted quarterback 6’3", 220 pound Miles Gooch will be additional weapons at wide receiver for Coach Shawn Moore.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Other than the long-snapper, the kicking game should remain exactly as it was last season. Senior Robert Randolph will handle the field goal duties, and Chris Hinkebein will kick long field goals and kickoffs. Randolph was a perfect 37-37 on extra points, and was 10-14 on field goal attempts. Jimmy Howell will continue to be Virginia’s punter, and he hopes to improve on his 42.2 yard average from a year ago. The return game will most certainly be different than it was last year. Gone is Raynard Horne, who was just outstanding at times in that facet of special teams. Perry Jones, and Chase Minnifield will definitely be involved, but Terrell, Jennings, Fells-Danzer and a host of other guys could see time as the Hoos look to spice things up.
DEFENSE
Defensively, the Wahoos are much deeper and more athletic than a year ago. Virginia was very close to sacks a multitude of times last season, but wound up the 88th best team in the country, with only 19. Whether the defense will be more successful this year depends on experienced players like 6’7", 270-pound defensive tackle Matt Conrath. Conrath played like a nasty beast at times in the past three years, but has struggled with injuries. He is healthy going into the season, and could be a rush end at the next level if he can learn to play lower. At the other tackle position, team captain Nick Jenkins has a great motor, but is a bit under-sized at 6’3" 275.
Will Hill has had an impressive camp so far, and it looks like he could become a very good player for Reid’s defense.
The sacks should come again for 6’4", 265-pound defensive end Cam Johnson. Johnson has been working hard this off-season, and will not let a sickle cell trait he was diagnosed with earlier in his life keep him from getting to the quarterback this year (or any year). Johnson had six sacks last season, and could double that number if he stays energized and healthy. Billy Schautz, Jake Snyder, and Brent Urban will all be competing for playing time at the defensive end spots as well. Urban (another Canadian) looks huge this summer, and he’s now 6’7" and 280 pounds.
Steve Greer leads the linebackers, and is finally healthy again after battling injuries last season. Greer was the second leading tackler on the team with 59. LaRoy Reynolds (66 tackles), and true freshman Daquan Romero will both rotate at the “will” linebacker position. Reynolds will most likely get the starts and see more time as Romero picks up the speed of the college game. Aaron Taliaferro, who Jim Reid calls “Lazarus,” because he rose from the dead of the depth chart last season, is poised to make an impact this season at the “SAM” linebacker position. Taliaferro had 36 tackles a year ago in 12 games. Tucker Windle and Henry Coley will be in the mix at linebacker as well.
Chase Minnifield had an outstanding season last year at cornerback for the Hoos, and he is back and healthy once again. Rijo Walker is listed on the depth chart as the other starting corner, but true freshman phenom Demetrious Nicholson could quickly be playing his way into the starting lineup as he continues to grow up right before our eyes. Corey Mosley, Pablo Alvarez, and LoVante’ Battle will see plenty of balls thrown their way at the safety position, along with strong safety Rodney McLeod, who I hope has learned he does not have to knock someone’s head off every single play. McLeod has been penalized too often, but is a nice, physical player, and if he keeps his emotions in check could have a solid year.
SWAMI SAYS
Overall, Virginia is much deeper and more talented at almost every position than they were a year ago. If they can limit turnovers, find a solid quarterback that manages the game well, or at least does not hurt the offensive momentum too much, then I see no reason why the team can’t win six or seven games. Must wins: William & Mary, Indiana, Idaho, N.C. State, Duke. Good wins: UNC, Maryland, and Southern Miss. Probable losses: Georgia Tech, Miami, Florida State and Virginia Tech. But, you never know. That’s why they play the games…and why we go watch ‘em. Go Hoos! Beat the Hokies!
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