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Football
Lazor Favors Collaboration on Offense
Sept. 2, 2010
10:28 p.m.
CHARLOTTESVILLE — The man who coaches UVa’s running backs, Mike Faragalli, is a former offensive coordinator. So is the Cavaliers’ tight ends coach, Scott Wachenheim.
That’s good for the program, Virginia offensive coordinator Bill Lazor said, and good for him.
“Both of them of them have great insights,” Lazor said Wednesday.
“There may be some things they did differently than what I would do, but when we talk as a staff, those are guys who’ve kind of been there, done that, and also do a great job.”
Faragalli has been offensive coordinator at Richmond, Lafayette and Bowling Green and for three teams in the Canadian Football League. Wachenheim is a former offensive coordinator at Liberty and Rice.
That Marc Verica would be UVa’s starting quarterback has been all but certain since Mike London took over as head coach in December. Verica is the only quarterback in the program who has played in a college game. The challenge for the staff has been choosing his backup from a group that comprises redshirt freshman Ross Metheny and true freshmen Michael Rocco, Michael Strauss and Miles Gooch.
Lazor, also the quarterbacks coach, has leaned on Faragalli and Wachenheim, as well as Shawn Moore, for help in evaluating the freshmen. Moore, who coaches Virginia’s wide receivers, is perhaps the greatest quarterback in school history.
“Because when you have a lot of young quarterbacks you’re trying to get prepared to be the No. 2 quarterback, which as you know is a critical spot, we wanted to make sure that we were taking in the insights of the all coaches who had their eyes on them,” Lazor said.
Rounding out the Wahoos’ offensive staff is Ron Mattes. A former NFL offensive tackle, Mattes coaches the line.
“I think probably the greatest asset I have to me here is the staff we have on offense and how we work together and how we can use the veteran coaches that are here with me, that have done it also,” Lazor said. “And also the guys who aren’t as veteran bring great perspectives, because of their backgrounds.”
On his Thursday teleconference, London said that Metheny would take over at quarterback if Verica came out of the game Saturday. UVa opens the season against Richmond at Scott Stadium. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.