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Wednesday, September 20, 2006
A few Cavalier notions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So it’s quite obvious that the ACC reeks of overripe limburger this year, and just from looking at some of the results and near-misses.
But delving a bit into the numbers, and examining the lack of progress of some of its supposedly on-the-move programs, reveals that the stench goes deep into the old pigskin olfactories.
Prime example being the Virginia Cavaliers, the Loyal Opposition for ESPN’s unslakable Thursday night ACC football thirst against Your Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd.
Back in the days when The Enemy Watchwoman made regular sojourns up down the league — when its northerly point was College Park — she used to hear that George Welsh couldn’t recruit, and the Wahoos would never be a big-time college football power as a result. Then they went out and slayed Florida State in its first ACC loss. UVa made a regular habit of participating in fairly decent New Years Dayish bowl games, including the Atlanta Bowl Formerly Known as the Peach. Welsh produced a good number of players now competing in the NFL, such as Tiki and Ronde Barber.
Indeed, the heavenly autumnal visits to Mr. Jefferson’s University in Charlottesville were occasions to watch good football as well as the magical changing of the colors in the Blue Ridge. When Coach Welsh was ushered off into retirement, Al Groh was brought in from the NFL to take the Cavs into FSU-Miami-Virginia Tech company.
But on Thursday, he’ll start redshirt freshman Jameel Sewell, one of three quarterbacks he tried in last Saturday’s homecoming loss to — Western Michigan?
Groh’s not happy with any of them. Yes, these would be QBs he recruited. Well, Al, even the student press isn’t happy with you.
There is a top QB prospect on the UVa roster, cornerback Vic Hall, signed as the top prep passer in Virginia high school history, more prolific than Michael Vick, even.
But Groh, who pouted that good Cavaliers fans shouldn’t boo after a loss — even to a I-AA team — says Hall isn’t an option under center.
While UVa’s decline as a program may be turning heads, the current offensive woes are being trumped as not much of a surprise.
Yes, Virginia, there are a few teams worse than you in Division I-A in offensive statistics across the board. But not many.
As Tech fan Dr. Football sez, the Jackets have no excuses not to put on a command performance. Keep this in mind, however: Tech’s lost 4 of its last 5 Thursday night affairs, including that unfortunate heartbreaker to N.C. State last season.
Yes, Jackets fans, that was the same Wolfpack team led by the soon-to-be former N.C. State Chuck Amato, who’s part of the lineup of what’s being referred to as the Atrocious Coaching Conference.
This take doesn’t hold out much chance for the Cavs to have a decent season, with apologies to ‘Mr. and Mrs. Wahoo’ out there.
There is a glimmer of hope, however:
“There are still games to be won. The ACC, if you haven’t noticed, isn’t overflowing with talent.”
As they always say at Duke, and at an increasing number of other campuses now stringing from Coral Gables to Chestnut Hill, October 15 is only 26 days away.
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