Cavaliers Journal

It's always interesting at this time of the year to go back to the season's first week and see what was expected to happen compared with what happened. Before the first week, all the discussion was about Vic Hall at quarterback, the spread offense and replacing the linebackers.

The depth chart is unreliable in Virginia football because of the multiple sets, but here were the 22 offensive and defensive starters against William & Mary, and what I anticipate they'll be on Saturday against Virginia Tech:

vs. William & Mary vs. Virginia Tech
WR 18 Burd, K...............Burd
LT 67 Bradley, L............Bradley
LG 63 Pasztor, A...........Pastztor
C 64 Shields, J.............Shields
RG 65 Cabbell, B.J........Cabbell
RT 61 Barker, W...........Baker
TE 83 Torchia, J...........Torchia
QB 4 Hall, V.........Sewell
TB 5 Simpson, M.......Rashawn Jackson
WR 14 Snyder, M..........TE - Colt Phillips
WR 9 Brown, J.........Hall

POS ## DEFENSE
DE 98 Collins, N............Collins
NT 96 Jenkins, N..........Jenkins
DE 94 Conrath, M.........Conrath
OLB 41 Clark, A........Cam Johnson
ILB 53 Greer, S...............Greer
ILB 49 Childs, D..............Childs
OLB 45 Burrell, D............Burrell
CB 2 Cook, C................Cook
S 28 McLeod, R............McLeod
CB 19 Dowling, R...........Dowling
S 40 Mosley, C.........Woods

I bolded the spots where there were changes. Six different starters seems high -- especially when injury has accounted for only two (Hall losing his QB job, Brown losing his WR job).

I proposed the question to Groh to see if this was a high number, and what he made of it. Here's what he said:

"I would have to do some research to be able to answer your question on that basis," Groh said. "But obviously, when you see a team that has great consistency in who starts the games, that says two things to me. One, it's a fairly mature team. That is, you have older players that are at a high point in their game, performing well, therefore able to hold their position. It's not necessary to rush players in there to beat them out. And two, that the players the team thought were the best players going into the season were able to stay healthy and play throughout the whole course of the year."

Bring up Vic Hall’s name to Virginia Coach Al Groh, and you’d think you just asked Groh about his own son.

“I always feel very inadequate in trying to properly profile Vic for people who don't know him,” Groh said. “You just have to be around him on a daily basis to know his goodness and his values and everything that he's about. That's why I would extend it beyond saying he's a special player. He's a very special person. He's one of those kind of players that -- one of those kind of associations that make this a very fortunate profession to be able to be in.”

Hall is a favorite of Groh's, and for good reason. On the field, he earned the nickname “Do-it-all Hall” and has lined up at cornerback, safety, quarterback, wide receiver, kick returner and holder throughout his career. Hall also has scored touchdowns four different ways: on a pass, a run, a catch and an interception return. He also has had two touchdown returns on punts called back because of penalty.

A senior-heavy day, starting with little-known guard Patrick Slebonick. Two seniors emerged in their senior seasons. One of Coach Al Groh's favorite players is a senior.

Groh's players continue to support him. They can send him out with a win if a surprise is on its way.

In Cancun, the Cavaliers coughed up a game they should have won.

After 11 games, here is your 12th and final depth chart. It looks MUCH different from the first week (which I will get to in an extended post tomorrow). For the time being, this week's changes could be seen on special teams. Chase Minnifield has lost his jobs. Vic Hall is the punt returner; Corey Mosley and Perry Jones are the kick returners.

Also, Marc Verica is the No. 3 quarterback. Riko Smalls is No. 2.

See for yourself on the attachment below.

depth chart vs. Va. Tech.pdf

Virginia vs. Stanford
When: 7 p.m. Where: Moon Palace Resort, Cancun, Mexico.

TV: CBS College Sports. Radio: WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), WTEM (980 AM).

Major tests: Virginia plays Stanford on Tuesday and either No. 4 Kentucky or Cleveland State on Wednesday. These will be perhaps the two toughest games on the Cavaliers' nonconference schedule and will provide an indication of how Coach Tony Bennett's team can compete against major conference foes. If the Cavaliers emerge from the neutral-court tournament with success, the 2009-10 season might materialize into more than the rebuilding year outsiders expected.

Surging Cavs: Virginia enters Cancun on a hot streak after winning its past two games by an average of 27 points. Those victories came against Rider and Oral Roberts, two mid-major programs who had already knocked off major conference opponents before visiting Charlottesville. The winning streak has injected optimism into Bennett's group, which improved their defense and spread the scoring on offense.

Rise of Sherrill: Although he's a walk-on, 6-foot-9 junior Will Sherrill has become a role player within Virginia's rotation. Bennett likes Sherrill's shooting and his size and savvy. Sherrill played 13.5 minutes in the past two games and is one of the first forwards off the bench -- at least while Jamil Tucker remains on a leave of absence.

A big dose of Al Groh stories heading into the regular season finale -- and likely his finale...

Here's what happened on Monday, here's what could have happened, and here's who might be in the seat next season.

Special teams are still an issue for the Cavaliers, who are treating Saturday's game like a bowl game. It is a farewell to this current group of seniors.

Finally, a dispatch from Cancun, where the Cavs play basketball tonight.

Running back Mikell Simpson (hamstring) and defensive end Nate Collins (shoulder), two Virginia seniors who were injured in Saturday's loss to Clemson, both expressed optimism that they will play Saturday against Virginia Tech. It is the final games of their collegiate careers after all, and it is likely they will err on the side of playing.

That said, Coach Al Groh indicated that the criteria to become medically cleared is no different than any other week.

"Before I can answer that question, I'd have to ask the doctors, but I wouldn't imagine so," Groh said. "They know we'd like to have everyone for every game. But I think the big deal is I think they're going to make a judgment for what's good for the players. They're trying to get the players back to the team as fast as they can. By the same token, it's their job to protect the players, too."

In Sunday's teleconference, Coach Al Groh was asked if it crossed his mind that Saturday's game against Virginia Tech could be his final game.

"No, I try to be the same person that I talk to the team about being," Groh said. "Get all our focus on one game that we have, and I think that's part of the reason why we've always been able to have a lot of energy, and I think that started the very first year."

On Monday, Groh was asked again about his job security. How do you think he answered that one?

"It's not really about me," Groh said. "It's about the team and it's about the players. You know, that's all I'm really thinking about, so I don't really have any thoughts on it."

This is the same stance he's had since he first met with reporters in Greensboro in July for the ACC media day. Even if his tenure seems as if it's drawing to a close, Groh will not provide a sound bite or rant about the topic everyone else is discussing.

It's "Tech week", and (likely) Coach Al Groh's final game as head coach. There are two big basketball games for the (somewhat) hot Cavaliers. And here are the links to start the week off...

It will be a week of rehashed "What ifs?" for Groh and the Cavaliers. Virginia found a glimmer of accomplishment in the Clemson loss.

On the other side, a 10-win season is still possible for Virginia Tech.

In men's basketball, Coach Tony Bennett's squad looks to build on a step forward.
For women's basketball, it was the opposite result of a season ago at Tennessee. A record crowd watched the game.

Different week, same result. Virginia falls to 3-8 overall, 2-5 in the ACC. Clemson is 8-3 with a 6-2 ACC record -- and most important for the Tigers, a bid to the ACC championship game. The fans in Death Valley are ecstatic. The fans throughout Virginia are likely waiting for next Monday. More to come on the game in the coming days. As always, I'm curious what you think. Please e-mail me at bermanz@washpost.com or leave comments below.

Two quick injury notes to relay...

Defensive tackle Nate Collins hurt his left shoulder -- it was iced in a sling after the game -- and running back Mikell Simpson hurt his hamstring. Both are seniors. Both know next week is their last game ever. Both are hoping to play against Virginia Tech.

"We're going into this last game full throttle and trying to get this win," Collins said. "I'm trying to let everyone know that we're taking this as a bowl game. This is our game. No one on our team has beat Tech. No one on our team has beat Tech since they've been here. So this is a big deal."

Finally, here ere are some notes from Virginia's media relations department...