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Football
Quarterback Battles Will Continue
April 21, 2010
5:45 p.m.
CHARLOTTESVILLE — As expected, Marc Verica will enter training camp as UVa’s No. 1 quarterback. That was the word from Mike London on the ACC football coaches’ spring teleconference Wednesday afternoon.
So who’s No. 2?
Ross Metheny and Michael Strauss emerged from spring practice deadlocked, London said.
Come August, however, the competition will be renewed. Virginia’s incoming recruits include freshmen-to-be Jake McGee, Miles Gooch and Michael Rocco. Each could ultimately end up at another position, but all three are expected to begin training camp at quarterback.
“Every position is still up to be re-evaluated in terms of performance, execution and the expectation that as coaches we have,” London said.
Verica will compete as a graduate student in the fall. Metheny will be a redshirt freshman. Strauss enrolled at UVa in January and will be a true freshman this season.
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Six players who missed most or all of spring practice figure to be on the two-deep in the fall: tight end Joe Torchia, tailback Dominique Wallace, wide receiver Javaris Brown, defensive lineman Matt Conrath, linebacker Steve Greer and safety Corey Mosley.
Torchia, Wallace, Conrath, Greer and Mosley were recovering from injuries, but all should be 100 percent by the start of training camp. London held Brown out of all but the final two spring practices for violating team rules.
The absence of so much front-line talent meant more reps and more opportunities for other players, London said. “Then we get these guys healthy and hopefully will be a better overall football team.”
Also, defensive end Brent Urban, a freshman who redshirted last season, is recovering from a torn ACL, London said. Urban should be available for training camp.
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London was asked about his wide receivers, a group that includes Brown, Tim Smith, Dontrelle Inman, Kris Burd, Jared Green, Bobby Smith, Quintin Hunter and Matt Snyder.
“There’ll be some speed on the field,” London said. “Probably not as big as I’d like to be, but nonetheless, guys that can catch and run.”