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   SabreMail - October 30, 2006
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So What About November?

Jameel Sewell is cool under pressure - and that's helped this team get better.

I have been interested in the number of people of late who have said something along these lines to me:

"I'm having more fun watching this team than last year."

Or ...

"This team is a lot of fun to follow."

Or ...

"This year is going by fast. I wish the season wasn't so close to the end."

In a nutshell, things have changed a lot since mid-September when there was a mutiny aimed at Hooville. Debates raged about Kevin McCabe vs. Christian Olsen vs. Jameel Sewell. Was there a hot seat in Charlottesville? Could Virginia lose every game on the rest of its schedule? So on and so on. In fairness, the way the season started had a lot to do with those frustrations. The way the season has gone since has done a lot to transform many fans' outlook from frustrated to encouraged.

Sewell has developed as quickly as any freshman quarterback in Hoo history if the numbers are a guide. He sits atop numerous freshman record lists with three games to play. The offensive line has slowly but surely improved and how they dealt with N.C. State's impressive front line was another step forward. Kevin Ogletree has emerged as a go-to receiver in the passing game and Jason Snelling has started bowling people over in the running game. Defensively, the big plays from early in the season have come on a more seldom basis and defensive ends Chris Long and Jeffrey Fitzgerald are leading an inspiring effort by the D.

Of course, there is a little bit of remaining frustration - about what might have been. The Cavaliers let a 20-0 lead slip away against Maryland and lost 28-26. That could ultimately haunt the Hoos because of the Coastal Division standings and bowl bid hopes. UVa still needs two victories to get to the required six-win bowl plateau and they would be alone in second place in the division standings if they had held on in that game.

Nonetheless, November rolls into town this week with a renewed sense of enthusiasm from the team, the coaches, the fans, and the pundits. If Virginia can somehow when 2 of 3 against the trio of FSU, Miami, and Virginia Tech, there will be great rejoicing in Hooville. After all, this part of the schedule was supposed to the be the toughest of all when the season began. Things look differently now, but none of those three teams is a pushover regardless of the situation. Plus, two of those contests are on the road where Virginia has won just 10 times under Al Groh.

So what should we expect from November? Here's my advice: Don't expect anything. Quite a few folks - myself included - started taking that approach with the 2006 season way back in the dark days of September. The ride since has been bumpy at times, but the view has been grand. After all, this team is a ton of fun to follow.

Kris Wright
TheSabre.com
Editor

   Recruiting News

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

Football recruiting .

Chase Minnifield, one of Virginia's top 2006 commitments, was in town to see the Cavaliers' 14-7 victory over N.C. State. Stay tuned, as TheSabre.com plans to get in touch with the talented four-star recruit for his reaction to the game.

Minnifield is a 6-0, 185-pound wide receiver/defensive back recruit out of Henry Clay High School (Lexington, KY). His father, Frank Minnifield, played cornerback in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns. The younger Minnifield is likely an "athlete" for Virginia, as he could end up on either side of the ball.

Prior to this past weekend's visit, Minnifield had stated that, while remaining committed to Virginia, he had been listening to other programs including Stanford. He has been quoted several times saying that he will sign with Virginia as long as Al Groh is at Virginia.

Minnifield, who has helped his team to a 9-1 season, committed to the Hoos over Louisville in May.


Nick Jenkins

Game ball .

This week's Sabremail game ball goes to defensive tackle/offensive lineman Nick Jenkins. The 6-3, 285-pound four-star standout racked up 10 tackles including one tackle-for-loss in Good Counsel's 38-13 win over Paul VI. The win puts Good Counsel at 9-0 heading into its match-up versus DeMatha this week.

For the season, Jenkins has tallied 81 tackles, including 10 tackles-for-loss and 8.5 sacks. He has added 10 quarterback hurries and has forced one fumble. Jenkins is being recruited by Virginia as a nose tackle/defensive tackle and, coupled with current true freshman Nate Collins, gives the Hoos a bright future at the position.

Jenkins, who chose Virginia over 30 Division 1A offers, is known for his toughness and athleticism.

"He's the best tackle I've ever had in all my years of coaching," Good Counsel Head Coach Bob Milloy said. "He's an avid weight-lifter and he works out five days a week. He really wants it. He's a good leader, role model and the whole bit. We're fortunate to have him."


Basketball recruiting .

Huntington (W.V.) power forward Patrick Patterson did not make his official visit to U.Va. this past weekend as planned due to "personal" reasons, according to his father. The 6-8, 235-pound prospect did reschedule the trip and now plans on visiting Charlottesville on the weekend of November 11. On November 12, the Cavs tip-off their 2006-2007 season against Arizona at John Paul Jones Arena.

A five-star prospect, the coveted Patterson will make an official visit to Wake Forest this weekend. He has also taken official visits to Florida, Duke, and Kentucky, with West Virginia being in contention as well.


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 ...

Checking in at Ballou High School
Marvin Austin, who may be the number one overall prospect in the 2007 class, has another official visit in store for next month. Lamar Milstead may make official visits following the departure of North Carolina Head Coach John Bunting. UVa commit Romale Tucker is making a big impact this season. TheSabre.com caught up with Ballou High School (Washington, D.C.) Head Coach Moses Ware to talk about these issues and more regarding his talented players.

Patterson Reschedules UVa Visit
Image: Patrick PattersonFive-star power forward prospect Patrick Patterson will not make a previously scheduled official visit to UVa this weekend, his father told TheSabre.com this afternoon. The 6-8, 235-pound recruit, rated among the top 15 overall recruits in the country by Rivals.com and Scout.com, has rescheduled the trip.

5-Star Junior to Visit This Weekend?
Image: Ed DavisEd Davis, a standout junior power forward recruit out of Benedictine High School (Richmond, VA), may make another unofficial visit to UVa this weekend. Davis, who has been to UVa several times already, currently has the Cavs in his top five. He discusses the possible visit, his upcoming junior season and names a top five.

Also from the past week ...

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   News, Notes, and Fan Discussion

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Thread of the Week

Bryant Stith

Subject: Bryant Stith NEWS
Posted by: southsidewahoo on Sat Oct 28 2006 3:40:04 PM
Message: This may already have been posted ... BUT

Bryant Stith is the new boys basketball coach at perennial high school power Brunswick High School, his high school alma mater in Lawrenceville...Truly serving his community, the Commonwealth, and the University. Having attended Southside District rival Park View High in South Hill, I can tell you PV and others are in for a real show.

Brunswick has always been a power in high school basketball and look for them to become a fixture in the state championship. No doubt Brunswick youth are shooting hoops in the backyard now...


Subject: Favorite Stith story, was after we had beaten Sucks or somebody and he gave
Posted by: NBHoo on Sun Oct 29 2006 8:43:21 PM
Message: a heartfelt liner after being named the MVP or something and talked about how he felt in state talent should stay in state. Pretty much a direct slap in George Lynch's face at the time.


Subject: Good for Bryant. Storybook ending for Brunswick: the superstar
Posted by: dpc1994 on Sat Oct 28 2006 3:49:01 PM
Message: returns to where it all began. I remember hearing about Stith in HS when I was a senior, and in hushed tones the UVa folk would say how great he was and they hoped that the light would stay under the bushel.

Nowadays, a guy like Stith could never be under the radar. Just too darn good.

Real cool dude around Grounds. Great ballplayer. I hope he does very well back at Brunswick.


Join the conversatoin on the Men's Basketball Message Board.


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.

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 ...

  • Wild Ending Gives UVa First Tourney Win: A wild ending and a favorable tiebreaker earned the ninth-ranked Virginia women's golf team its first-ever tournament title. The Cavaliers took top honors at UNC Wilmington's Landfall Tradition after finishing the 54-hole event tied with Michigan State at 902. With the top four individual scores accounting for the team's 18-hole total, the tie was broken by the better score between the team's number-five finisher in the final round. Virginia freshman Whitney Neuhauser shot 80 Sunday, which was one stroke better than Michigan State's Heather Rose.
  • Virginia Rowers Finish First In Open Eight At Princeton Chase: The University of Virginia women's rowing team placed first and fourth in the open eight competition at the Princeton Chase on Sunday on Lake Carnegie. Virginia's "A" boat defeated the defending national champion and host of the regatta, Princeton University, in the open eight competition with a time of 15:50.9.
  • Virginia Volleyball Cruises To 3-0 Win Over NCSU: The Virginia volleyball team notched a 3-0 (30-16, 30-27, 30-17) victory over N.C. State on Saturday. The victory marked the Cavaliers' 23rd consecutive win over NCSU. UVa (17-6, 10-4 ACC) improved its winning streak to four straight matches. A night after surpassing the 5,000-career assist milestone, senior setter Emily Kirkwood tied the school record for career service aces with her 154th during the first game..
  • Virginia Women's Soccer Scores Overtime Win at N.C. State: Jess Rostedt scored two goals, including the golden goal in the 95th minute as Virginia topped NC State 3-2 Saturday afternoon at Method Road Stadium. With the win, the Cavaliers end the regular season with a 10-6-2 record (5-4-1 ACC).
  • Virginia Men, Women Take Third at ACC Cross Country Championships: The Virginia women and men both finished third at the ACC Cross Country Championships. The Cavaliers' Jan Foerster finished third overall to lead the men while the Cavalier women, led by Emily Harrison, placed three in the top-10 to finish third overall.
  • Virginia Swimming and Diving Opens Season: The Virginia men's and women's swimming teams concluded their first meet of the season Saturday at the Aquatic and Fitness Center. The quad meet with Clemson, Penn State, and Virginia Tech ended with the Cavalier men going 3-0 and the Cavalier women going 2-1.
  • Cavaliers Fall to Duke 3-1: Virginia's Fenna Breitbarth scored late in the contest against No. 4 Duke, but the No. 10 Cavaliers (12-6) fell to the Blue Devils 3-1 in field hockey.

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

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   SabreMail History

Issue No. 183 - April 1, 2005

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

Basketball recruiting...

Two UVa recruits will be on display at the 2005 Commonwealth Classic. The event, which will be held at the Siegel Center on the campus of VCU tonight, features 6-5, 180-pound DeMatha Catholic wing guard/forward Mamadi Diane and 6-8, 240-pound Blue Ridge School power forward Laurynas Mikalauskas.

Mamadi Diane

After observing part of practice last night, I was particularly impressed with Diane. Diane has a nice-looking jump shot, solid athleticism and very good jumping ability. He's a little thin right now, but once he gets bigger and stronger he should become even more athletic and be able to move more fluidly. He should be able to contribute solid minutes next season and is probably the best player in UVa's 2005 recruiting class.

Mikalauskas is a physical, tough player in the post. He is a good rebounder and has a pretty good touch on his shot. While he is an excellent leaper, Mikalauskas does need to improve his quickness and overall athleticism. But he should be able to help UVa next season on the boards and ought to be able to contribute some points.

Tonight's event begins at 6:15 with the Old Dominion game, which is immediately followed by the National game featuring Diane and Mikalauskas. Other prospects on display in the National game include Virginia Tech power forward recruit Terrance Vinson, North Carolina guard recruit Marcus Ginyard, N.C. State guard/forward recruit Courtney Fells and Wake Forest signees Kevin Swinton (power forward) and David Weaver (center).

   What's New on TheSabre.com?

Coming Soon

November is just around the corner so football is entering the home stretch while basketball is just starting up. 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:

    Greg's Game Grades
    Virginia won its second straight football game. Will the grades be favorable after a 14-7 triumph?
  • N.C. State Photo Gallery
    The Sabre's Mike Ingalls captured all the action on Saturday and he has a to of photos from the Cavaliers' victory.
  • The Turning Point
    What were the key moments in the Cavaliers' win against the Wolpack? Here's a hint: we'll focus on two plays on the last drive.


In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles from the past week

10 Things I Learned Against N.C. State
Image: Branden AlbertBack-to-back wins. Wow, that sounds good. It certainly makes this article more pleasant to write. So after beating the Wolfpack 14-7 on Saturday, Virginia enters November with a two-game winning streak. Was there anything in the weekend's victory to indicate more success could be waiting in the final month? Here are 10 Things I learned against N.C. State.

Cavaliers Claim Win Over N.C. State
Image: Jameel SewellFor two and a half quarters, it wasn't Jameel Sewell's best day throwing the football. The receivers dropped a pass or two; he made a few misreads and inaccurate throws. He was struggling to lead the offense on a sustained scoring drive. When it mattered most, however, Sewell couldn't have been better against N.C. State. The Virginia freshman completed 4 of his final 5 passes, including three straight in the last five minutes when he led the Hoos on a game-winning drive. Jason Snelling capped the touchdown march with two bruising runs, including a 17-yard touchdown that gave the Cavaliers a 14-7 win against the Wolfpack.

Keys to the Game - N.C. State
Virginia needs to win three of its last four games in order to achieve .500 and bowl eligibility. While it may be a far-fetched goal, the Hoos are focused on giving it a shot. Will the rest of the season unfold like a Cinderella story or will it implode like a film noir? The answer begins with a noon kickoff against N.C. State and a cinematic look at the Keys to the Game.

Game Preview: N.C. State, Part 3
Image: N.C. State WolfpackThe Virginia offense keeps getting better from week to week, but there's still room for improvement. This time out, N.C. State's run defense could be susceptible to a Cavalier rushing attack that has really picked up steam during the last month. Will that match-up be enough to jumpstart the Hoos on the scoreboard?

Game Preview: N.C. State, Part 2
Image: Marcus HamiltonAs Virginia fans, this game probably makes you a little nervous. Al Groh says the Wolfpack are "the most dangerous team" yet on the schedule when it comes to big play potential. On the flipside, the Hoos have allowed several big plays - scoring and otherwise - at times this season. That means the defense will have to be on its collective toes Saturday.

The Hawk's Nest - Noon Games Provide Test
Image: Ahmad HawkinsThe Cavaliers once again find themselves playing in front of their home crowd. Unlike the past two home contests, the Hoos will have to play a noon game. The Cavs have only played one game this year at noon and that was against Duke. In my opinion, noon games are one of the tougher games to play. Players have to get up about 8 a.m. the day of the game, eat breakfast, and then load up the bus and get ready to play a football game.

Hoos Tailgating With Mom - Hash Browns & Pound Cake
It's hard to believe, but the Virginia football team has just two home games remaining this season. That means you have just two more chances to tailgate before taking in a glorious fall day in Scott Stadium. This week, the TV brass passed out a noon kickoff for the Wahoos so we're passing on a couple of brunch friendly recipes.

Game Preview: N.C. State, Part 1
Image: N.C. State WolfpackIf you wanted a game between two evenly matched teams - you got it. Virginia has the conference's ninth-ranked rushing defense while the Pack is 10th. The Hoos are seventh in pass offense with State sitting 9th. Virginia is third in pass defense and the Wolfpack is fourth. Get the picture? That probably means a close contest awaits between these two teams.

Jed's Best Seat Buzz: The Likeability Quotient
Image: Jed WilliamsThis past weekend - with Virginia enjoying a blessed Saturday off after its pasting of North Carolina on Thursday - I made my annual fall pilgrimage to Norman, Oklahoma to breathe in some OU Football. It's a trip that always gets me excited because it's can't miss college football culture. As for the 2006 team itself, well, I'm not so sure. Why? It has everything to do with something I call "the likeability quotient."

Best Seat in the House: Solomon Tat
Image: Solomon TatBasketball freshman Solomon Tat has had quite a journey from Nigeria to the University of Virginia. Among the interesting twists was a visa issue late in his recruiting process and that left his arrival at UVa up in the air. But all of that got straightened out in time for Tat to enroll and he is drawing attention in practice as a mature and physical player. Tat joined Jed Williams on The Best Seat in the House to talk about his path to UVa and his expectations for the coming season.

Greg's Game Grades: UVa 23, UNC 0
Image: Jason SnellingVirginia claimed its first ACC home win of the year on Thursday night by trouncing hapless North Carolina 23-0. But despite the lopsided score, the Cavaliers' report card isn't spotless - too many dropped passes, missed tackles, and a zero-touchdown first half prevented the Hoos from taking home straight A's. Still, the grades are always better when you win - especially when you have a career night like Jason Snelling.

Photo Gallery: UVa 23, UNC 0
Image: Chris LongThe Virginia football team stomped rival North Carolina on ESPN's Thursday night telecast, shutting out the Heels 23-0. Several players had good nights as Jason Snelling set a career-high mark for rushing yards and Chris Cook recorded 9 tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception. Chris Gould, Chris Long, Jameel Sewell, and others had good outings as well. Check out this 130-image gallery to relive the action against the Tar Heels.

   Sabre Edge

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