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   SabreMail - Feb. 4th, 2005
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You can rate and rank recruiting classes all you want - there's a whole industry that does so, and we're a part of it - but it's probably unwise for fans to place too much stock in anyone's evaluations.

Recruits Rashawn Jackson (left) and Mike Brown (right) signed their LOIs with Virginia on Wednesday.

It's almost become a cliche to say that recruiting is an inexact science. (Heck, to me, chemistry and biology were inexact sciences. That's why I majored in English and Philosophy.) But it's true. You can measure a high school player's size, strength and speed. You can look at his stats and skills. But you can't accurately project how much he will progress in college, how he'll fit in with the program, how he'll adapt academically and socially, or how much things will change in his life from when he's 17 or 18 until he's 21 or 22.

Virginia's 2001 recruiting class is a good example. That group of 17 players, most of whom were recruited by George Welsh and signed by Al Groh, was not rated highly by any of the various recruiting services and gurus. But it turned out to be a terrific class that produced some of the best players in UVa history. Elton Brown and Heath Miller weren't even ranked among the top 10 recruits in the state of Virginia. Both were first-team All-Americans in 2004.

You don't have to get great national recruits to succeed in college football. Just look at teams like Utah and Boise State and Louisville and, um, Fresno State. Of course, programs that routinely lure the best athletes, like Miami and Florida State and Oklahoma and Southern Cal, demonstrate the importance of talent acquisition. Sure, recruiting is important.

So go ahead and get excited about the 2005 recruiting class that UVa reeled in on Wednesday, the top-20 national class that includes future stars (we hope) Eugene Monroe, Mike Brown, Mikell Simpson, Vic Hall and many more.

Just keep in mind that Signing Day isn't the end. It's just the beginning.

John Galinsky
Editor
TheSabre.com
[email protected]


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  •    Recruiting News

    This Week In Recruiting
    By Chris Horne

    Football recruiting...

    UVa's 2005 recruiting class may not be as highly ranked as the 2002 class, but Coach Al Groh feels that it may be as effective.

    "All of our classes have produced well for us," Groh said. "I think this one has the potential to be the equal of [the 2002 class.] The overall profile of the class is very strong. At every spot, we had a model we were working toward, not just running out and gathering players. We had a very specific model in general and by position we were working toward. And we feel very confident that we were able to stay to that model. We feel good about it. I think we'll see a lot of these players able to help us early."

    Eugene Monroe

    Twenty-two players signed with the Cavaliers on Wednesday. The group was ranked #14 overall in the nation by Tom Lemming, #15 by Scout.com and #19 by Rivals.com. The stars of the class incude 5-star offensive lineman Eugene Monroe, 4-star quarterback Vic Hall, 4-star cornerback Mike Brown, 4-star tailback Mikell Simpson, and 4-star 2004 holdovers offensive lineman Branden Albertand outside linebacker Olu Hal.

    This class may not be over quite yet. Hampton (VA) wide receiver Todd Nolen has yet to make his final decision. The 4-star receiver will make an official visit to Penn State this weekend and is expected to make a decision sometime in the next few weeks. He will decide among North Carolina, Penn State, Virginia and Virginia Tech. He will have taken official visits to all 4 schools. Nolen will likely sign somewhere and then head to prep school. It is expected that he will not qualify academically.

    With the exception of Nolen, the 2005 class appears to be complete. Recruiting never stops, so we will concentrate on gathering information on the 2006 class in the coming months.

    For more recruiting information and updates, please see Sabre Edge.

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       News, Notes and Fan Discussion

    What to do about Pete Gillen?

    All signs point to Pete Gillen's dismissal as head coach.

    For several years, UVa basketball fans had been divided into two camps - those who thought Pete Gillen should be fired as head coach, and those who believed he deserved to stick around. As this season has progressed (make that regressed), however, the only difference of opinion among fans seems to be whether Gillen should be fired now or at the end of the season.

    On Monday, I wrote a column for Edge subscribers called The Gillen Decision: Now or Later? and outlined the arguments for both sides. At the end, fans were encouraged to vote on the message boards whether Gillen should go now or if the school should wait until March to buy out his contract.

    The results? Forty-five voted for now, 91 for later. But the breakdown was interesting. On the free basketball board, 18 voted for now , seven for later. On the Edge subscriber board, it was 27 for now, 84 for later.

    Not sure what that means. Perhaps the non-subscribers are more emotional, maybe the subscribers are more patient. Or, since only subscribers could read my column, I might have made a more convincing argument for waiting until the end of the season. Either way, it's only a matter of time before the Cavaliers have a new head coach.

    Cavs sink to new lows with embarrassing losses

    Freshman guard Sean Singletary said some players gave up against the Tar Heels.

    Have the Virginia men's basketball players given up?

    It's a sad question, but it's a legitimate one given their performances over the past week. First, the Cavaliers were crushed at home by North Carolina on Saturday, falling behind by as many as 50 points before losing 110-76. Then on Wednesday, facing a Providence team that was 0-7 in the Big East, the 'Hoos suffered a 98-79 defeat that was just as pathetic.

    You can usually measure's a team's desire and effort by how well it rebounds and defends. Virginia was dominated on the boards and played virtually no defense in either game.

    Having lost seven of their past eight games, the Cavaliers (10-9, 1-7 ACC) have eight games remaining in the regular season. Is it asking too much that they at least make an effort to win them?

    For the Sabre's story on the North Carolina game, please see the link below.

  • Heels Humiliate Cavs, 110-76

    For the Sabre's story on the Providence game, please see the link below.

  • Cavalier Freefall Continues Against Friars

    Women's basketball goes 2-1 for the week

    It could have been a perfect week for the UVa women's basketball team.

    The Cavs started off by edging Virginia Tech, 70-67, at home last Friday. Then they travelled to Tallahassee and whipped No. 24 Florida State, 77-62, on Monday. Finally, on Thursday in Raleigh, they took a 16-point lead in the second half against No. 25 N.C. State. Had they held on, they probably would have earned a spot in the national rankings for the first time this season.

    Alas, the 'Hoos squandered their lead and fell to the Wolfpack, 62-56. Bummer. But it was still a solid week for Virginia, which is now 16-6 overall and 5-3 in the ACC. It was also a superb week for senior LaTonya Blue, who scored 64 points in the three games, passed the 1,000-point mark for her career and was named ACC player of the week.

    For more information on UVa women's basketball, please see the link below.

  • UVa Women's Basketball

    Fans encouraged to meet the baseball team

    The UVa baseball team's annual "Step Up to the Plate" fundraiser will be held tonight at Memorial Gym. Starting at 6 p.m., the Cavalier players will be available for autographs. Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda is the featured speaker and there will be a dinner, a silent auction and a live auction. Tickets are $50 for adults and $35 for kids (12 and under). For ticket information, call 800-542-8821.

    If you can't make tonight's event, you can still meet the Cavaliers tomorrow at Fashion Square Mall in Charlottesville. The UVa players will be greeting fans and signing autographs from 5-7 p.m. on the JC Penney's side of the mall. Fans can also register to win tickets to Virginia baseball games.

    For more information on UVa baseball, please see the link below.

  • UVa Baseball

  •    What's New on TheSabre.com?

    Tommy Lasorda talks baseball on CavTalk

  • CavTalk Archives

    Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda, in town for UVa baseball's "Step Up to the Plate" fundraiser, was the featured guest on Tuesday's edition of CavTalk, hosted by Greg Waters. Other guests included TheSabre.com recruiting expert Chris Horne and Charlottesville Daily Progress sportswriter Andrew Joyner. Edge subscribers can listen to the show at the link above.

    Sabre Edge articles and columns from the past week

  • Did Cavaliers Get What They Needed?, Chris Horne and John Galinsky

    Image: Vicqual HallMore than anything, Virginia needed wide receivers, running backs, inside linebackers and offensive linemen in its 2005 recruiting class. Did the Cavaliers fill those needs? And how well-stocked are they for the future at every position? We'll take a close look at how UVa's 22-member incoming class, which includes quarterback Vic Hall, may help or hinder the program's chances of succeeding in the future. John describes the projected needs, while Chris evaluates whether those needs were met.

  • After Gillen, 'Hoos Next?, Greg Waters

    Image: Coach Pete GillenAs John noted in his Monday column, the issue isn't if Pete Gillen will go, it's when. Once that significant detail is figured out, the next step in the process becomes hiring a new head coach. First, let's look at some of the characteristics that a search committee should (or should not) consider in its task. Then let's take a look at some of the candidates we feel would make a good fit for the university and evaluate the probability of these respective men making the leap to "The League."

  • Signing Day: Cavalier Class of 2005, Chris Horne

    Image: Eugene MonroeVirginia's 2005 recruiting class is one of versatility and diversity. The Cavaliers landed quality linemen as well as skill-position players. They added size and they added speed. A very good class for Coach Groh and company, who landed one 5-star (Eugene Monroe), five 4-star, 13 3-star and three 2-star recruits. Overall, UVa's class is rated #14 in the country by Tom Lemming of ESPN.com, #15 by Scout.com and #19 by Rivals.com. (This article also includes audio from Coach Groh's teleconference with reporters.)

  • The Gillen Decision: Now or Later?, John Galinsky

    Image: Coach Pete GillenPete Gillen lost another game Saturday, but that's the least of his problems. By now, it's abundantly clear, he's lost his team. He's lost this season. He's lost the program. He's lost the fans. The only question is when he will lose his job. Gillen's dismissal (or resignation or whatever they eventually call it) now seems as inevitable as the sunrise. Or, in this case, the sunset. But should Gillen go now or at the end of the season? Those seem to be the only plausible scenarios, and there are convincing arguments for both of them.

    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

  • Fitzgerald Excited About Future
  • Davis Set to Announce

  •    Sabre Edge

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    All of the great Sabre Edge content can be yours for the price of $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. Try it for a month and cancel if you like. But we think you'll get hooked on the Edge and find out for yourself why the most knowledgeable Cavalier fans are Edge subscribers.

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