Author: trent-thurston

Virginia Football Versus University of Southern Mississippi Saturday 9/19/09 3:30 p.m. TV- CBS College Sports (CSTV) Radio 97.5 3WV FM and 1070 AM

The down-trodden Cavaliers travel to hot and humid Mississippi for a showdown with Brett Favre’s alma mater in Hattiesburg Saturday afternoon. Not exactly one of Travel and Leisure Magazine’s mythical Top 25 College Football Getaways With the Wife, but at least my sense of humor isn’t down in the ditch with my old dog Rusty like my football pride is. If you are heading down there, Hoos fans, make certain to bring your mosquito repellant and Bass Pro Shops frequent shopper card.

Southern Mississippi has never met Virginia on the gridiron before, but a return visit to Charlottesville is on the docket for 2011 in this two-game series. Virginia (0-2) also has never played a game in Mississippi, which makes it a bit of an interesting matchup as well as another odd choice by Associate AD Jon Oliver. Anyone remember the Wyoming series? UVA is 2-6 in road openers under beleaguered coach Al Groh, and the Vegas early odds on this contest have Southern Miss a 14-1/2 point favorite.

The Golden Eagles have won their last 4 home games and have a 7-game winning streak, their longest since 1996. Southern Miss is led by Jr. Tailback Damion Fletcher who is attempting to become the all-time leading rusher in Conference USA history, starting the 2009 season rushing for 126 in their season opener versus Alcorn State and another 103 in the second game against Central Florida. Including the last five games of 2008 as well, USM has only given up 11.6 points per game (81 points total) and only allowed 54.3 yards per game rushing, while also forcing their opponents to make 18 turnovers over a 7-game stretch as well.

For Virginia to win this game, the Hoos offensive line is going to have to start playing better as a unit, and they are going to have to protect the quarterback better and keep starter Jameel Sewell off the ground. In last week’s TCU game, Sewell rushed for the third most attempts (21) all time by a UVA QB which reminded me of the good ol’ days of the single wing offense run by "Bullet" Bill Dudley back in the early 40’s.

Look for Coach Groh and Company to pull the plug on Sewell early if he struggles with accuracy problems again, and redshirt freshman Riko Smalls might see his first college action as a wildcat quarterback. Most likely Marc Verica will get the second shot. Groh does not travel players that are injured, so it will be interesting to see if Vic Hall even makes the trip because he is still recovering from a hip injury.

My prediction – Fighting Brett Favre’s 30, Hoos 13. Hoos then go on the road to UNC next weekend, and 0-4 could be right around the corner. Man, I sure hope not. Yikes. Go Hoos! If you have a question, or if you would like to make a comment, please go right ahead.

The more I think about it the more I know deep down inside that Al Groh is going to be replaced sometime this calendar year. The real question is whether he will get the ax during the season, or Thanksgiving weekend after our not so favorite cousins from Blacksburg come to town and beat the living snot out of us another time.  And most likely in front of 30,000+ Hokies.  Groh’s record against Frank Beamer while here at UVA is already an appalling 1-7.  Another Thanksgiving weekend down the toilet.

First, let’s set the way back machine to the year 2000 which was the last time the Hoos were looking for a regime change.  At the time I wanted either Mark Richt or Jerry Sandusky.  In 2000 Richt was directing the high flying offense for Bobby Bowden’s Florida State Seminoles as their offensive coordinator.  Most thought Richt was destined to become a head coach for the first time at a national powerhouse certainly by the Fall of 2001.  Jerry Sandusky was a two time winning Assistant Coach of the Year in 1986 and 1999 that had been at Penn State running the defense for his college coach Joe Paterno.

My top choice was Richt because he was younger than Sandusky and also I was a quarterback growing up and preferred a wide open high scoring team style of play as opposed to a defensive mined attack like Groh has run unsuccessfully here for years.  So when Al Groh was hired by John Casteen (someone I admire a great deal) I was shocked and bummed that Mark Richt did not get the gig here.  So, the next time I saw President Casteen I asked him point blank why the job did not go to Richt.  After reminding John who I was talking about he told me exactly why there was no offer to Coach Richt.  He told me that Richt interviewed well, and was a great young man but when Casteen asked ask him at the end of the interview how are you going to graduate players Richt said that was important but it was not his job it was Casteen’s.  Richt went on that year to become head coach at The University of Georgia and in nine years is 83-23 (.783) and has a 6-2 and is 30-4 in true road games.

This brings me to my point.  Virginia is not an easy place to win.  Jameel Sewell was eligible both on an NCAA level and at the ACC minimums but not up to snuff for UVA’s standard.  Most serious Hoos fans, myself included would rather be 8-4 or even 7-5 and have kids on the team that are well rounded student athletes. Guys that we can be proud of as human beings and not be a team that wins at all cost like Alabama Football or anywhere John  Calipari has coached in basketball.  The culture is different here than College Park or Blacksburg and I am fine with losing a few games a year as long as our coach understands the culture of The University of Virginia and does not waste his time worrying about what the hell people wear to games and who has "orange fever".  Groh’s work ethic is not to be disputed, but do you know anyone that works 18 hours a day that has made so much damn money for so little long term progress?  His integrity as a man and his devotion to his family are also not be be disputed.  Sometimes, that’s not enough.

My top choices to be Virginia’s next coach are:

1- Mike London- University of Richmond.  Coach London understands the culture here and won a National Championship at Richmond in his very first year!  He knows all the so called players in every nook and cranny of Virginia.  He is also from the Tidewater region of Virginia which is best producer of talent in the state.

2- Derek Dooley- Louisiana Tech.  Great guy who played here for George Welsh.  His father was the legendary coach and athletic director at Georgia Vince Dooley.  Derek has been immersed in college football since he was in the womb.  Dooley is a player’s coach and absolutely understands the culture here.

3- Turner Gill- University of Buffalo.  Played quarterback for Tom Osborne at Nebraska and has always been a great student of the game. Gill was the first african american to start at QB for Nebraska and would be a perfect fit here in Charlottesville.

4- Mickey Matthews- James Madison University.  Mickey won a National Championship at JMU in 2004 and understands football.  Watch his kids play the game and you see the passion for the game at every single position.  He does more with less every single year.  Football is football and he is a wonderful coach and a fabulous evaluator of talent

5- My wildcard is John Shuman who is the post-graduate head coach at Fork Union Military School.  Coach Shuman knows football, know how to mold young men into leaders and knows every single quality high school program in the nation.  His ability to find talent is almost magical.  Especially in  the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Texas Christian University defeats Virginia 30-14 9/12-09

No. 17 TCU came in to Scott Stadium Saturday on a picturesque afternoon and pretty much did what most college football educated folks thought would happen and beat the Virginia Cavaliers 30-14 in front of 48,336 fans. Coming off rotating three quarterbacks in a losing performance last week Virginia chose to go with Senior Jameel Sewell throughout the entire game. Sewell Finished the game 8-18 for 120 yards with one interception, two touchdowns, and was sacked 8 times.

Virginia’s only serious scoring opportunity in the first half came early as the injured Vic Hall mishandled a slightly high snap on a 40 yard field goal attempt by Robert Randolph. TCU scored 14 straight points in the second quarter behind the strong play of their offensive line and led 14-0 at halftime.

The Horned Frogs behind a gutsy performance by Andy Dalton, who was 15-21 for 177 yards with 1 touchdown and no picks finished Virginia off in the second half despite a couple of late touchdowns by The Hoos. The Cavs managed only seven first downs in the entire game.

As I walked back to my car after a bit of post-game tailgating in the parking lot, I happened to run in to Coach Dave Borbely and Coach Anthony Poindexter and their families. We talked mostly about fishing and a little bit about the game, and it reminded me college football is often more a wonderful experience of community than just a big win or a huge loss. When fans get fired up and call for a coaches head to roll it means a great deal of folks we have rooted for are going to have to uproot their families and put their houses up for sale. Take their kids out of school and move to an entirely new place. Obviously, coaches know all this when they sign on the doted line, but after having this real world experience today it really hit home for me. Sometimes it’s prudent to let things play out just a little bit longer before rushing to judgment on a team that is still playing hard for Al Groh & Company.

Two games does not make a season and I look for The Hoos to most likely continue the early season misery next week on the road against Brett Favre’s alma mater Southern Miss. My prediction Southern Miss 24 Hoos 17. 

Have a queston about Virginia Football please ask away!  My question to you, "Should Sewell start next week in Mississippi?"

Behind a scintillating performance by Albemarle County native R.J. Archer, William and Mary handed Virginia their first loss of the season and a fourth straight season opening loss in front of 54,587 mostly listless and uninspired fans. I’m not sure it gets anymore down in the ditch than losing to Thomas Jefferson’s alma mater in the friendly confines of Scott Stadium. Not since 1986 had Virginia lost to The Tribe.

 

Being a diehard Virginia fan is like having the family dog die at least once every single football season: you aren’t sure when it’s coming or where on the schedule it will be, but you know it’s coming. It’s like drinking water straight from the spigot in Mexico—stomach distress is just around the corner. Get your Imodium® A-D extra strength ready. See Groundhog Day every single season, but with different and painful ways to lose. 

 

As I left the game last weekend, a well-known alum’s wife was walking out of her suite at the same time. We exchanged pleasantries and then she said to me that she was done with the NFL Al Groh experience here in Charlottesville; she’d seen enough. She was off the bandwagon and was going to make her displeasure known to the guys that run the athletic department as soon as humanly possible. I fear that exact sentiment is brewing around “The Grounds” and all over The Commonwealth.

 

Virginia played three quarterbacks, none really distinguishing themselves as the go-to guy, and committed 7 turnovers in a very sloppy effort. In contrast, William and Mary’s R.J. Archer was 23/44 for 184 yards with a touchdown pass and 1 interception, making some fans wonder how Coach Groh could have not offered the kid a full scholarship. At many times during the contest Virginia looked confused both offensively and defensively.

 

Up next on the docket for Virginia is No.17 ranked Texas Christian University. The game is on ESPN U @ 3:30 pm Saturday September 12. Is it too early to say, “Is it basketball season yet?” My prediction for the game Saturday is TCU 45- Hoos 13. If you have a question about UVA sports, ask away. Who do you think the starting quarterback should be for the Hoos this season? Marc Verica is my answer. Is this Al Groh’s last season in Charlottesville? Yes, more than likely. Can the 3-4 defense work at Virginia? Not this year. I see another 5-7 season on the horizon.

The Hoos try to bounce back Saturday from an absolutely humiliating loss last weekend coming at the hands of William and Mary. The game will also be the 2009 season debut for head coach Gary Pattersons’ No. 17 TCU, a team which has won its last 6 season openers. TCU and Virginia are meeting for just the second time in their history, with the Cavaliers winning the first game 20-10 in the formerly fabulous Poulan Weed-Eater Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The Horned Frogs (yes, that really is their nickname) come into the season as the pre-season favorite to win the regular season title in the top-heavy Mountain West Conference. That’s right Hoos fans, the same Mountain West conference that has provided us with memorable losses to BYU, Colorado State and Wyoming all in the past 9 years.

TCU is a wicked-fast, strong, and very well-coached team that over the last four seasons has won 11 games three different times, and 10 games 5 out of the last 7 seasons. Yikes!

Their defense is led by 6-3, 257 pound Sr. DE Jerry Hughes, who had 15 sacks in 2008. On the offensive side of the ball, three-year starter Andy Dalton will lead a very balanced attack from his quarterback position.

Virginia made it through the William and Mary game in pretty good shape injury-wise, but rumor has it that last week’s starting QB and punt returner Vic Hall will not play due to a hip injury. In order for the Hoos to have a chance in this one we will have to win the turnover battle and play with much more intensity and pride than we did last week.

Either Quarterback Jameel Sewell or last week’s #3 QB Marc Verica is going to have to step up and run the show and make better decisions while under pressure. Can one of these student-athletes distinguish themselves as the go-to guy? Is Virginia going to even try to run the ball against a much superior defense than what we saw in Charlottesville last week? Will Groh pull out all the stops with reverses and fake punts and risk even more failure?

Las Vegas has this game as an 11-point spread for TCU giving Virginia much more pre-game credit than I thought they would after the debacle last week. But for those Wahoos thinking about staying home Saturday, I remind you that the weather is going to be splendid; one of those days sundresses was invented for. The season is not over and everyone in Virginia’s locker room knows Al Groh’s butt is on the hottest of hot seats. Now let’s see if they can play as a team and win one for the man that brought these kids to Charlottesville!

Prediction: Hoos 13- TCU 45 Please make a comment, ask me a question! Here are a couple I’ve got for you: Will the stands be full Saturday? Will the Boo-birds come out if we struggle? Can we win this game?