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SabreMail - Dec. 24th, 2004 |
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Happy holidays, 'Hoos. For a while there, it was looking like it might not be a Happy New Year for the Virginia football team. Why? Because the defense, which has steadily improved over the past four years, ran the risk of being decimated by defections. Would Al Golden go to Notre Dame? Was Darryl Blackstock going pro? How about Ahmad Brooks? If all three left, the Cavaliers would go into 2005 minus six starters and their coordinator on defense. Honestly, it would be hard to get excited about a unit lacking its leader (Golden) and its top four playmakers (Blackstock, Brooks, Andrew Hoffman and Chris Canty). But we received an early Christmas gift when Golden said he was staying put and Blackstock strongly implied the same. Brooks also is leaning toward sticking around, his father told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. If so, the Virginia defense should be even better next season, perhaps dominant enough to make the Cavs an ACC title contender. With the added bonus of D'Brickashaw Ferguson's pledge to stay for his senior year, Wahoo football fans can't ask Santa for much more this month. OK, maybe three things: A big bowl win, Heath Miller's return, and as long as we're greedy, how about some world peace too?
John Galinsky |
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Recruiting News | ||||||||||||||
This Week In Recruiting By Chris Horne Football recruiting... It is now the Dead Period in football recruiting. The Dead Period means that there can be no in-person contact between coaches and recruits from now through January 1st. Coaches are allowed phone calls during this period. The Contact Period resumes on January 2nd and goes until January 29th. During that time (except for certain dates), coaches can make in-person contacts and prospects can visit campuses again. In recent recruiting news. Earlier this week, Victor "Macho" Harris chose Virginia Tech over Michigan, Virginia and Southern California. Harris is rated the top player in the state of Virginia. Former UVa target Derrick Williams, who is one of the nation's top prospects, committed to Penn State. Williams eliminated UVa about one month ago. Duquesne (PA) tailback Shane Brooks is no longer listing UVa. The Cavaliers have not been recruiting him heavily in the past month, likely focusing on other prospects. Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.J.) safety Kitt Pommells, who was not receiving heavy attention from UVa, has committed to Connecticut. With the recent decisions being made, UVa's top target list (players with offers who are being heavily recruited by UVa) now looks like this.
Commitments that UVa is hoping to keep in the fold include.
For more recruiting information and updates, please see Sabre Edge.
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News, Notes and Fan Discussion | ||||||||||||||
Post of the Week
Subject: I'm a hopeless old man; 45 years old and my
Now I realize that I read this message board way to much. I would probably have a much more successful career, if I spent as much time on my career as I do reading this crazy message board. This past week had me checking the events on this board way too much. I went from near depression to unexplainable glee after the Golden press release. I thought to myself, what a wonderful XMas gift, not even considering that no matter what happened, I still have a wonderful wife and daughter. Then I realized that the recent Golden announcement will only bring a brief moment of excitement, I will soon be reading the board and riding the ups and downs of ever 18 year's words of encouragement and disappiontment as we approach the February signing date. I am a sick old man. I long for the days of UVA 7 and 4 seasons, where expectations were set at a more reasonable level. When I never even considered or expected conference championship. I am a sick old man that needs to develop a new hobby. Groh not happy about Golden rumors
Because of that, the situation was more of a distraction that Groh likes. The head coach normally does not let his assistants speak to the media, but he allowed Golden to issue a statement pledging his commitment to the Cavaliers. "It's kind of like someone running around in your house putting a match to your curtains. Eventually you've got to deal with it or else the fire gets too hot," Groh said. "I thought a lot of it was irresponsible, people more interested in creating the news than reporting on it." Cavaliers preparing for Bulldogs in Boise All the talk about Golden, Brooks, Blackstock, Ferguson and Miller - who would stay, who would go? - overshadowed Virginia's preparations for the MPC Computers Bowl on Dec. 27. The Cavaliers practiced in Charlottesville before heading out to Idaho this week. They have gone snowmobiling and bowling in Boise while getting ready to face Fresno State. On the surface, it seems that Virginia has little to gain from beating an unranked team in a low-level bowl, but Groh has been trying to convince his team otherwise. "There are a lot of people who want to set a negative agenda on this, but internally we've set our own agenda," Groh said. "We've got a chance to win nine games, one of the few Virginia teams to do that. We have a chance to have one of the highest rankings Virginia's ever had. We have a chance to win a third bowl game in a row for the first time in the history of Virginia. Those are worthwhile things to get excited about." For more information on the Dec. 27 MPC Computers Bowl, please see the link below.
Men's basketball overcomes adversity, Loyola Marymount
Because of that, the lone game during the holidays - vs. Loyola Marymount last night - figured to be a dangerous one, catching the Cavs out of sync. And it was. Not only were the Wahoos rusty, they were playing without senior forward Jason Clark (strained Achilles tendon). Leading scorer Devin Smith went down with a sprained ankle in the second half and leading rebounder Elton Brown fouled out in overtime. Despite all that, Virginia managed to beat the Lions, 79-77, on a driving finger roll by J.R. Reynolds with 1.5 seconds left in OT. That allowed UVa to enter the New Year with an 8-1 record and some optimism going into the tough ACC schedule.
For more information on UVa men's basketball, please see the link below.
Women's basketball shows no mercy on St. Francis The women's basketball team had no such trouble in its first game after the exam break. The Cavaliers crushed St. Francis, 84-50, on Tuesday as five Cavaliers scored in double figures. Brandi Teamer led the way with 18 points, while Brenna McGuire drained five 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 16 points. It was the third straight victory for Virginia (7-3), which will host the Marriott Cavalier Classic on Dec. 28-29. The Cavs will face Albany in one semifinal, with American and James Madison facing off in the other semi. For more information on UVa women's basketball, please see the link below.
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What's New on TheSabre.com? | ||||||||||||||
MPC Computers Bowl talk on CavTalk
Among the highlights of Tuesday's edition of CavTalk were interviews with Fresno State coach Pat Hill and Cavalier players Heath Miller, Andrew Hoffman and Elton Brown. Edge subscribers can listen to the show at the link above. Sabre Edge articles and columns from the past week
Well, Virginia fans, welcome to the world of raised expectations. Never before in Cavalier history has 8-3 elicited such discontent. Questioning the playcalling.asking whether the offensive coordinator is in over his head. suggesting that the team scrap the defense.complaining about weak out-of-conference scheduling.feeling like the world has passed your program by. All of this makes me wonder something: Is this what it felt like to be Virginia Tech fans for the past few years?
Marques Hagans has proven that he's a winner. He is talented. He is an elusive runner with a gun for an arm. I have no doubt that Hagans can go on the field against 95 of the 117 teams in Division 1-A college football and lead the Wahoos to victory. The question is, can he lead his team to victory over the other 22? Hagans is just a junior and 2004 was his first full cycle (spring camp, fall camp, regular season) playing just the quarterback position. The expectation is that by next year Hagans will have matured at the position and be ready for a big senior season. After all, that's what happened with two other ACC quarterbacks this season, right?
D'Brickashaw Ferguson said he would stick around for his senior season, Heath Miller insisted he has not made up his mind about entering the NFL draft and Ahmad Brooks was unavailable for comment today. And Darryl Blackstock? He gave a strong hint about his intentions and also revealed his plans to wear a new number during the bowl game. This article also includes audio of Coach Groh's press conference and Greg Waters' interviews with Elton Brown, Andrew Hoffman, Heath Miller and Marquis Weeks.
Unlike many fans, UVa football coach Al Groh said he didn't get too caught up in all the speculation and rumors concerning Al Golden this week, since he "knew the reality of things." But Groh was clearly irked by reports that his defensive coordinator was leaving to go to Notre Dame, something that apparently won't happen. "It's kind of like someone running around in your house putting a match to your curtains. Eventually you've got to deal with it or else the fire gets too hot," he said. "I thought a lot of it was irresponsible, people more interested in creating the news than reporting on it." Sabre Edge recruiting updates from the past week Our resident recruiting expert, Chris Horne, provides updates for Edge subscribers about UVa's commitments and recruiting targets in football and men's basketball. To sign up for an Edge subscription, please see the sign-up promotion below. If you're already on board as an Edge subscriber, click the links below to catch up on recruiting. Football
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