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March 25, 2003
Charlottesville, Va. – Head coach Al Groh and his football Cavaliers open preparations for the 2003 season with their spring minicamp beginning Friday (March 28).
Practice begins that day at 2:30 pm and concludes with the annual spring festival and game on April 19 at the Carl Smith Center, home of David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium. The festival starts at 11 am, with the game following at 12:30 pm.
Groh and his staff welcome 41 returning lettermen, including 19 starters, from a team that finished second in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season with a 6-2 conference mark. The Cavaliers compiled a 9-5 overall record and were ranked 22nd in the final Associated Press poll.
Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Matt Schaub headlines nine returning starters on offense. Last season’s ACC Player of the Year, he guided the Cavaliers to three fourth-quarter victories. He set or tied at least 10 school records last season and is one of just two returning QBs that won his league’s Player of the Year award.
Defensive end Chris Canty, a second-team All-ACC selection last year, leads eight returning starters on defense. He had a breakout year last fall, his first as a starter. He made 86 stops and was the only defensive linemen to finish in the top 25 in the conference in tackling.
“This really isn’t the start; the start was in the offseason program. This is the start of the next phase,” said Groh. “While we’ve made significant strides through the direction of Evan Marcus, who is one of the outstanding strength and conditioning directors in the country, we can’t lift weights forever. We’ve got to go play football. I think the players are looking forward to going out and finding how much this new found strength helps them in their performance.”
Several practices are open to the public. Fans attending practice are asked to pick up an admission credential at the reception desk at the football office at the McCue Center. If no one is there, you can pick up the proper credential at the table at the entrance to the football practice fields located behind University Hall. All spring events are free.
Open Practices
Friday, March 28 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 29 10:45 a.m.
Sunday, March 30 2:15 p.m.
Monday, March 31 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 6 2:15 p.m.
Spring Festival and Game
Saturday, April 19 activities begin at 11 a.m., game at 12:30 p.m.