Homecoming Weekend Arrives at UVa

With Western Michigan coming to town Saturday, the University of Virginia is set for Homecoming Weekend 2006. That, of course, means there are a variety of events going on around town (including the Alumni Association's and TheSabre.com's "Friday Night Chalk Talks with George Welsh" series. Learn more below.). But Homecoming Weekend is about more than events and football, it's about seeing old friends, sharing old stories, and visiting the ol' alma mater.

So with that in mind, I have a few reminders for those returning to Charlottesville this week:

1. As always, No. 1 on this sort of list begins with the Lawn. Make sure you take a stroll around Central Grounds this weekend. It always is worth it.
2. Pick somewhere on The Corner and have a bite to eat. I won't play favorites here because everyone has different opinions, but have a least one snack on The Corner this weekend.
3. Swing by the John Paul Jones Arena. The new facility is incredible so if you haven't seen it yet, try to stop by and walk around the front of the building. If you can get in, take a look at the inside too. Ah, Virginia basketball's new home, sweet, home.
4. Visit your favorite spot on Grounds. Take a nap or at least sit for a few. Maybe even tell a story or two.
5. Leave the boos at home. Even though I don't agree with it, a fan has the right to boo, I suppose. Still, leave 'em at home this weekend and enjoy the Homecoming Weekend game.

Kris Wright
TheSabre.com
Editor

Football recruiting ...

UVa had a handful of prospects on hand for Saturday's win over Wyoming. Included among the group were star quarterback commitment Peter Lalich, Henrico DB/ATH Corey Mosley, and, making an official visit, Oaks Christian (CA) wide receiver Sean Wiser.

We were able to catch up with Wiser late last night for comments on his UVa experience. UVa is right in the thick of things for the 6-2, 185-pound prospect who is also considering Oregon (official visit this upcoming weekend) and Stanford.

Wiser enjoyed his UVa experience and says the Hoos are close with the other two finalists. Wiser's experience at Oregon this weekend should be telling to see if UVa still has a shot or if the standout receiver will likely stay close to home.

Peter Lalich threw for 225 yards and three touchdowns on Friday in a loss to Stone Bridge High School. Sabre EDGE subscribers can follow Lalich's (and the other commitments) senior season on his recruiting card, where we will post his statistics from each game.

Virginia did come away with a commitment last night, but it wasn't from one of the weekend visitors. It was from 6-2, 180-pound place-kicker prospect Chris Hinkebein out of Providence High School in Charlotte (N.C.).

Hinkebein was notified last Friday night that UVa would be extending an official offer. After talking about it with his family, he decided to make a verbal commitment to the Hoos on Sunday.

Hinkebein impressed at UVa's summer camp earlier this year, kicking a 56-yard field goal from off the ground. He chose UVa over an offer from Marshall and interest from Clemson and Missouri.

Basketball recruiting .

Coach Dave Leitao and company hosted one of its bigger recruits - both literally and figuratively - over the weekend on an official visit. The recruit was 7-1, 235-pound Montverde (FL) center Solomon Alabi. Stay tuned, as we hope to produce an article on Alabi's experience. The five-star prospect will make official visits to Florida State and Arizona this month before making a commitment.

Chris Horne, our resident recruiting expert, provides updates throughout the week for Edge subscribers about UVa's commitments and recruiting targets in football and men's basketball. To sign up for an Edge subscription, please check out the Sabre Edge Sign Up and Information Page. If you're already on board as an Edge subscriber, click the links below to catch up on recruiting.

Sabre Edge recruiting updates from the past week ...

Matt Mihalik's Road to Committing to UVa
Matt Mihalik had a terrific UVa camp - in terms of his experience as well as his performance - and, following that time, interest between UVa and the Gilmour Academy (OH) standout kept growing. On the Friday before last, Mihalik was notified by Gilmour Head Coach Bob Spicer that he would be receiving a call from the UVa coaches, presumably to extend a scholarship offer. It was then that the standout offensive tackle recruit started thinking seriously about a commitment.

Preseason Check-In: QB Peter Lalich
Coming off of an outstanding off-season, quarterback Peter Lalich has been anxious and ready for his senior season to begin. That time has come, as West Springfield takes on Stone Bridge later this week in the season opener for both teams. TheSabre.com caught up with UVa's 6-5, 230-pound signal caller recruit, who seems primed and ready for the 2006 season

Three-star WR Holds Off on Decision
Three-star wide receiver Kris Burd, TheSabre.com's 25th ranked player in the state, seemed very, very close to making a verbal commitment to UVa in mid-August. The 6-1, 185-pound Matoaca standout has yet to make a decision, although UVa remains his favorite. The holdup seems to be a visit to the University of Maryland, Burd's other major Division 1A offer.

Also from the past week ...

• Hinkebein Becomes UVa's 15th Commitment
• Groh Impresses South Carolina Star
• In-State Programs Contact Mosley
• Minnifield a Top Get for the Hoos
• 2008 Target: RB Williams Lands First Two Offers
• UVa Begins 2008 Class in a Big Way!
• UVa Hoping to Impress Wiser

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George Welsh Chalk Talk Series Continues

With Western Michigan coming to town Saturday, the University of Virginia Alumni Association and TheSabre.com are happy to announce the "Friday Night Chalk Talks with George Welsh" series. The former UVa coach will be on hand to talk football strategy. The event opens at 7 p.m. at Alumni Hall. Learn more about the series here.

Learn from a Legend Friday Night Chalk Talks with George Welsh Every Friday night before home football games, Cavalier fans can spend time with former UVa head coach George Welsh as he breaks down the weekend's opponent and talks football strategy. Come by Alumni Hall at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15 for Buffalo wings and cash bar. Coach Welsh will begin his chalk talk at approximately 7:30. The event is open to the public and is sponsored by the University of Virginia Alumni Association and TheSabre.com.

Don't forget, the Alumni Association features lots of game weekend activities. There's the "More Than the Score" pregame lecture series (Lou Bloomfield, Physics Professor, is this week's guest), pregame Barbeque and beverages at Alumni Hall, and a postgame celebration at Alumni Hall as well. You can learn about all of those events and the Chalk Talk series here.

Post of the Week

The little kid down to the left in the #33 jersey in Section 117 appears to be the only person to realize it's no good. The Big Man down front is as intense as ever!

The photo has been modified to fit this space. Check out the orginal post here!

UVa Bookstores' 2006 Virginia Football Pick 'Em

Pick'em is simple. The first contestant who picks the winner and comes closest to predicting the final score wins. In case of ties, the earliest entry will be awarded the prize. Last week's winner won a No. 91 Virginia jersey for example!

Entries must be received by 12:00 a.m. EST game day. Entries received after 12:00 a.m. (midnight the night before the game) are ineligible. Limit one entry per person. The next business day following game day, UVa Bookstores will email a short note regarding the results.

For the full information or to enter, click here!

Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• Mia Link, All-American scientist: Mia Link, a three-year starter for the Virginia field hockey team who has earned both All-American and All-Conference honors, is also a member of Dr. Roy Ogle's research staff. She has participated in ground-breaking experiments that are trying to help scientists understand more about nerve regeneration.
• Virginia Women's Soccer Beats Georgia, Upset by Seton Hall: The Virginia women's soccer team was upset 1-0 by Seton Sunday afternoon in the final game of the Virginia Nike Soccer Classic at Klockner Stadium. The loss snapped the Cavaliers' school record 14-game home winning streak, which the Hoos had extended by beating Georgia on Friday.
• No. 2 Cavaliers Win ACC Opener at NC State, 2-1: Sophomore forward Yannick Reyering scored two goals including the game-winner in the 62nd minute as No. 2 Virginia defeated NC State, 2-1, Saturday afternoon. Senior forward Adam Cristman added an assist for the Cavaliers who remained undefeated at 5-0-0.
• Cavalier Men's Golfers Open at Scenic City Invitational: The Virginia men's golf team opens the 2006 fall tour on Monday in the Scenic City Invitational. The 54-hole event continues thru Tuesday with the final 18 holes of competition. The first two rounds (36 holes) will be contested on Monday. The 19-team event is being hosted by Tennessee-Chattanooga. .

To read the full stories or gather more information on Virignia athletics, check out Virginiasports.com.

Issue No. 111 - Oct. 31, 2003

Rivers and Schaub battle this Saturday in Raleigh

The battle for second place in the ACC begins in Raleigh, North Carolina tomorrow when Virginia travels to face N.C. State. Both teams have two losses each in the conference. The winner of tomorrow's 3:30 (ABC) contest will take the lead for second place. If Virginia can win, they will face both Maryland and Georgia Tech in the coming weeks with a chance to secure their finish. The Cavaliers' destiny is truly in their own hands at this point, and a win over the Pack gives them the upper hand.

Leading the way for the Hoos tomorrow will be senior quarterback Matt Schaub. Schaub currently leads the nation in pass completion percentage with 71 percent, just barely ahead of N.C. State's Philip Rivers. Schaub has thrown for over 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns in his five starts since coming back from a severe shoulder separation.

UVa will be facing one of the nation's weakest defenses tomorrow. N.C. State ranks 112th out of 117 Division 1-A teams against the pass, and 71st in scoring defense. If the Cavaliers can manage any success with the run, it should be open season with the pass most of the afternoon. Now we know why Coach Groh was trying to run the ball against Troy State, rather than lighting it up through the air.

N.C. State's strength is their passing game, where they rank 4th nationally. What may hurt them is their ability to have success on the ground. With a healthy T.A. McLendon, the Pack could do some serious damage. But McLendon is hobbling into this game, and without him N.C. State has major problems. With McLendon being injured most of the season, N.C. State comes in at 115th nationally in rushing offense, just ahead of Western Michigan and Army. If McClendon cannot product tomorrow, UVa could quite possibly shut the Pack down. While State has a strong passing offense, Virginia's strength is their pass defense and their ability to get to the quarterback.

Coming Soon

Football season has kicked off for Virginia and the Hoos are 1-1. The Sabre is the place to be for all of your Cavalier content as we keep you up to date on all that's going on. Here's a sneak peak at some of the articles to expect on the site in the coming days:

J.R. Reynolds

• Catching Up With ...
  The Sabre caught up with J.R. Reynolds and Lars Mikalauskas last week. See what the Cavalier hoopsters have worked on this offseason.
• Greg's Game Grades
  Virginia's win over Wyoming wasn't easy as the Cavaliers escaped with a 13-12 overtime win. Will the Hoos escape with decent grades this week?
• First Home Game Impressions
  Vandy-Hoo talks about the fan experience at the Hoos' home opener with Wyoming.
• Flashback: 1990 Clemson Game
  The Cavaliers ended a 29-game losing streak to Clemson in historic fashion.

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles from the past week

JHoo: 10 Things I Learned Against Wyoming
Not a lot of mystery to this week's list. In Groh-speak, the game was what the game was. With that in mind, JHoo looks at 10 things he learned from Virginia's win over Wyoming. Find out JHoo's take on Mike London's defense and the offensive line in Week 2. Also, why did Jon Copper made this week's list?

The Turning Point - Wyoming
The Virginia-Wyoming game Saturday featured a variety of storylines, plays, and subplots that could fall into the "key moments" categories. Two fake punts, a blocked punt, a missed extra point, a pair of late fourth down decisions - the list could be Santa Claus long. The Sabre focuses on a key third quarter fumble recovery in "The Turning Point" this week.

Defense Shines in Wyoming Win
Virginia's defensive scheme has been bashed roundly by critics of the 3-4 and some have moaned about the aggressiveness of the play-calling to boot. Well for at least one September afternoon, the 3-4 left little to be critiqued as the Hoos defeated Wyoming 13-12 in overtime. Linebacker Jon Copper and defensive backs Chris Cook and Marcus Hamilton led the way as the Cavalier defense allowed just one touchdown all day.

McCabe Helps Hoos Gun Down Wyoming
When thinking of old Hollywood Westerns, it's easy to envision bucking broncos, gunfights, and exciting horse chases. Unlike the showdown on the Lawn in "The Adventures of CavMan", however, Virginia's home opener resembled a slug-it-out saloon fight a whole lot more than a shootout from the Wild, Wild, West. The game did have one Hollywood twist, though - a gunslinger that rode into town and saved the day.

Keys to the Game - Wyoming
Wyoming marches into Scott Stadium on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. showdown with Virginia. The Cowboys are looking for a 2-0 start, while the Cavaliers are trying to even their record at 1-1. The Hoos have won 15 of their last 18 games at home, but that doesn't guarantee a victory this time around. If the Cavs can capture three of the following five keys, however, they'll likely come away with the win.

Why or Why Not? - Learning From Week 1
The Sabre's 'Why or Why Not' series returns with the Virginia football team's home opener set for this weekend. 'Why or Why Not' presents a statement to our guest panelist who then determines why it is right or why it is not. This week, WINA Radio's Jed Williams, the host of The Best Seat in the House, takes on five Cavalier football items.

Game Preview: Wyoming at Virginia
Wyoming comes to Charlottesville flying high after a lopsided win against Utah State. Virginia's football team, meanwhile, is trying to regroup from a loss at Pittsburgh. Still, the Hoos have won 15 of their last 18 home games and they are 59-4 in non-televised games since 1989. So what should Cav fans expect this weekend from Wyoming?

The Hawk's Nest - Bouncing Back Takes Leadership
I can remember losing a season opener while I was at Virginia. That next week had to be one of the longest weeks of the season. You not only start the season off on a low note, but you are also under .500 and at the bottom of the conference. My junior and senior year we lost our season openers, only to bounce back and win our next game in front of our home crowd. That's what the Hoos will be trying to do this week.

Hoos Tailgating With Mom - Teriyaki Chicken
Finally, football Saturdays at Scott Stadium have returned. Orange and blue covers the parking lots as far as the eye can see. The sounds of kids playing football or lacrosse or Frisbee or just plain playing fill the air. Faint trails of grill smoke spiral into the crisp blue sky. Wait, you don't have a grill recipe for this week yet? Well, have no fear, The Sabre's Week 2 tailgating recipe is here!

UVa Announces Crowd Control Changes
The University of Virginia will implement a series of operational modifications for postgame crowd control at football games this fall in Scott Stadium. The changes come in the wake of some fan injuries suffered during a rush onto the field following the Florida State game last October. UVa Athletics Director Craig Littlepage announced the changes on Tuesday.

Greg's Game Grades: Pittsburgh 38, UVa 13
During the Pitt game, I remember noting in bold letters: NOBODY MADE A BIG PLAY WHEN VIRGINIA NEEDED IT. I found it interesting that coach Al Groh had this to say after the game: "Their stars played like stars - we had no stars." Indeed, the Hoos struggled at least a little in every phase of the game and other than Nate Lyles' interception, there weren't a lot of noteworthy moments. With that in mind, let's dive into the grades for Game 1.

JHoo: 10 Things I Learned Against Pittsburgh
I could not wait for the start of the season. Couldn't wait. Counting the minutes. Finally, it's here. Game time! And . ugh. I suspect that I am not the only Hoo fan that experienced a similar weekend. The game was, without question, painful to watch. Where the Hoos go from here will be telling. But for the time being, we will focus on where we have been. Thus, the first edition of 10 Things I Learned This Weekend.

Photo Gallery: Virginia at Pittsburgh
The Virginia football team opened its season on Saturday with a loss at Pittsburgh. While the outcome was disappointing, some players made some positive plays. Jason Snelling, for example, scored the Hoos' only touchdown that was set up by a Nate Lyle's interception. Check out 72 photos from the UVa game at Pitt in this photo gallery.

Cavalier Call-in Highlights 2006, Show 2
The Virginia football team got back to work on Monday with practice for Wyoming this Saturday. UVa coach Al Groh joined Mac McDonald for the Cavalier Call-in Show on Monday night and said practice "went well" as the Hoos tried to remedy the ills from the weekend. McDonald asked if they had put the loss behind them and Groh said they hadn't.

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