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Oct. 7, 2003
Smoke and mirrors? Try schemes…defensive schemes. Nickel and dime coverages, zone blitzes, run blitzes, man to man coverage…corners playing force. It’s part of the Virginia defensive plan that is beginning to frustrate a lot of opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators.
As I drove home with the radio crew from North Carolina, it dawned on me that in UVA’s 38-13 win over North Carolina, the ‘Hoos had just dominated another high powered offense. Five sacks, 24 points under their last three game average…an ACC leading wide receiver who never really broke a big play, and head coach Al Groh and defensive coordinator Al Golden had puttogether another show-stopping performance. It’s becoming the norm.
“Our guys are getting it,” Groh told the media Monday. “(Darryl) Blackstock, (Ahmad) Brooks, and (Kai) Parham are becoming three down guys…guys who understand that playing defense is just not bob and weave. I told them Saturday just go…just go.”
Virginia’s system, plus the athletes that the coaching staff has put in place has been turning heads over the past three seasons. Consider the numbers…this year’s opposing quarterbacks are completing just 57% of their passes and in five games, there have been just three touchdown passes thrown.
UVA has sacked opposing qb’s 13 times already…and game day passers who receive all the pre-game hype are leaving the stadiums trying to figure out what just hit them.
Western Michigan’s gunslinger, Chad Munson threw for only 197 yards…UNC’s Darian Durant did not throw a touchdown pass…and last year Philip Rivers, who has 75 career touchdown passes, never got one in the endzone against the ‘Hoos.
“People have seen us,” Groh told me during Cavalier Call In Monday. “It’s not like we’re doing anything they haven’t seen before. We (ACC teams) all know each other pretty well.”
One set of numbers I will pass along. During Groh’s tenure, Virginia quarterbacks have thrown 65 touchdown passes and only 27 interceptions. The opposition? 31 touchdown passes…and 39 interceptions. This is not a coincidence.
On to Clemson…Virginia gets a Tiger with a thorn in it’s paw. Tommy Bowden’s bunch struggled against Maryland, put only seven points on the board, and got beat 21-7.
“Things have flipped when you talk about Clemson,” Groh said Monday. “You used to talk about their running backs all the time, but now it’s their wide receivers…three of which are in the top 60 in the country. (Charlie) Whitehurst has no point of struggle. He throws the deep ball well and could be one of the next stars in this league.”
“Their defense is very athletic and the corners are very, very good.”
When asked about the Clemson win in Death Valley two years ago, the initial campaign for Al Groh and his staff, Groh said it was just a win UVA needed at the time.
“It was just a win. It might have gotten their attention where the Clemson people said, hey, these guys have a plan.”
And as we have learned…when you plan your work and work your plan, good things happen.
See you in the Valley!
GAME NOTABLES:
–Virginia is looking for a three game winning streak in the series…something that has never happened.
–Quarterback turned wide receiver turned quarterback turned wide receiver, Marques Hagans, is getting reps in practice at both positions…he is still the back-up to Schaub.
–Groh complimented Wisconsin Monday as a program he admires…calling the system “a true evidence of coaching and recruiting to that system.”
–Mark Bailey, back up center, is continuing to practice at guard and tackle.