Q & A: Guest Columnist

David Irwin from Dave Sez since February, 2004 is a Virginia fan, but lives in North Carolina now and his site focuses on all ACC teams. I asked Dave a few questions regarding Virginia.Thanks to Dave for taking the time to answer my questions.

Q: Who are the marquee players for the University of Virginia?

A: One of UVA's main problems this year is that they have a lack of star players. Recruiting, academic and off-field issues have led to very few of Al Groh's star recruits making it into their third or fourth years.

The biggest name and best player on the team is defensive lineman Chris Long. Long is probably most famous for being the son of NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long, but Chris is doing a great job building his own legacy. Playing on a defense that doesn't blitz a ton, Long is sixth in the ACC in sacks and seventh in tackles for losses while frequently dealing with double-teams.

Senior cornerback Marcus Hamilton is the only starting senior on Virginia's defense and is the clear leader of the solid secondary. Hamilton has four interceptions this year and 14 for his career.

Freshman defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald lines up opposite of Chris Long and has had a surprisingly good year. It's Fitzgerald's quick rise that has allowed Virginia to hide the inexperience of their linebackers and lead the ACC in sacks. Fitzgerald actually has more sacks (5.5) and TFLs (11) than Long.

On the offensive side of the ball, UVA really has no stars, but the quarterback is always a critical position, so I suppose Jameel Sewell would qualify as "marquee." Sewell, a redshirt freshman, started the year as the third-string QB, but moved up when the guys in front of him failed to make plays (well, failed to make good plays). Sewell started very slowly himself, but Al Groh decided to stick with him, figuring he'd rather lose with a freshman than a senior. In recent weeks, that patience has paid off as Sewell has noticeably improved his composure and decision-making. Offensive Coordinator Mike Groh (Seminole fans may remember him as the Cavalier quarterback in that great 1995 game) has kept the offense very conservative for Sewell. He doesn't get a chance to throw the ball down the field much, but he compensates by running often enough to keep defenses somewhat honest.

Q: What has led to the renewed confidence and resurgence of the team?

A: It's hard to say. Early this year, Virginia fans, like fans at nearly every ACC school it seems, were calling for Al Groh's head. The team was struggling mightily. But Groh stuck with his plans, didn't panic and slowly the worm has turned. The young players are making fewer mistakes and are gaining confidence. As Groh said several times after last week's win over NC State, they are playing 2006 with the 2007 team. Clearly Groh and his staff have done a good job of getting those 2007 players to play like it's already next year.

So in a word, coaching. If you are going to blame the coaches when the team is floundering, you have to credit the coaches when the team improves.

Q: What are the strengths of the team?

A: The defense. Virginia's defense is one of the best in the ACC, although the stats may not reflect because the offense has been so inept. There have been a few games, like against East Carolina, where the defense collapsed, but mostly they've held up extremely well, especially considering the number of three-and-outs turned in by the Cavalier offense.

Q: Can the Virginia secondary cover receivers like Carr and Davis?

A: I'll go with a maybe on that one. Generally, UVA's pass defense has been solid, ranking fourth in the ACC in passing yards, but they got burned by Calvin Johnson for 165 yards and two long touchdowns. So clearly, a great receiver can cause them problems, but as good as Greg Carr and Chris Davis are, neither are Calvin Johnson.
Johnson's big plays actually didn't come because of his height, but simply because he got himself wide open.

That suggests to me that Davis might be a bigger threat than Carr, but on the other hand, how do you stop a guy as tall as Carr? It seems like a well-thrown high ball to Carr would be virtually unstoppable.

Q: What defensive scheme does Virginia employ?

A: The Cavaliers play an unusual defense. As most know, Al Groh brought his 3-4 scheme from the NFL. I don't believe any other ACC defenses play a 3-4, so gives UVA an advantage as teams have only one week to prepare for the different look. The Cavs tend to not be as aggressive as the ACC's traditional big-name defenses (FSU, Miami, NC State, Virginia Tech). Instead of constant pressure, trying to dictate what the offense can do, they play more of a bend-but-don't-break game. They'll give up yards, but not too many big plays (well, unless you're Calvin Johnson) and hopefully not too many points.

That strategy has worked in well in several games, shutouts against Duke and UNC and only seven points to NC State, but blew up in a few other games - 38 points to Pitt, 31 to ECU and 28 second-half points to Maryland.


Against Florida State, the key will be the matchup between Virginia's front three and the FSU O-line. Obviously, FSU has had problems on their line for the past couple of years, a big reason why they haven't been able to run. As mentioned above, UVA has a very productive defensive line and leads the ACC in sacks. If they can stop the Seminole run (which most teams have been able to do), they'll probably be able to force passing downs and get to Xavier Lee.

Q: What is your prediction for the game?

A: With these two teams, it's hard to really predict what will happen. Florida State is talented but erratic and performing way below their ability. At what point will they get mad and rise up to their level? With Virginia, they are very young but gaining experience and confidence every week. Will they see a game in Tallahassee as a huge opportunity or will they wilt under the pressure?

Given the history between the teams, their relative talent levels, the location of the game and that UVA upset the Noles last year, I have to think that Florida State will win. They might even issue a beatdown. But then, with this squad, you just never know