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   SabreMail - Oct. 13, 2008
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Blog Banter: Quick ECU thoughts

More full-blown thoughts in my Notes from the Upperdeck later in the week, but here are a few for now:

  • I'm beginning to think that Groh lost the Duke game on purpose to set himself up for a major run at a second consecutive ACC Coach of the Year award after storming back to win 6 games total. Halfway there!
  • I'm pleased with Marc Verica's development, though I think that his receivers are bailing him out a bit too. Kevin Ogletree is having the best season at wide out since Billy Mac's last season. And Maurice Covington is looking great out there too, getting open and snagging balls that come anywhere near him.
  • Cedric Peerman is an absolute beast. And a cyborg. He's a cyborg beast. I think we can officially put him in the UVa Hall of Players His Team Couldn't Afford To Lose. Make room, Ralph, Shawn, and JR.
  • Oh, and this was Baby Vandy-Hoo's first game. If you think that I'm not going to post some pictures of him, you're very mistaken.

Read the full entry here and keep up with all the hot Hoo topics on The Good Ol' Blog.

Rob Mahini (Vandy-Hoo)
The Good Ol' Blog


   Recruiting News

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

New commitment ...

Western Branch (Chesapeake, VA) standout Javanti Sparrow said he might commit to Virginia if his official visit went well. The visit certainly went well enough, as the 6-1, 185-pound wide receiver/defensive back recruit verbally committed to Cavaliers head coach Al Groh on Sunday.

A wide receiver/safety/returner for Western Branch, Sparrow will likely play wide receiver for the Cavaliers. There is the possibility that he ends up as a defensive back and he could potentially play cornerback or safety.

For more on Sparrow's commitment, be sure to check out the EDGE article posted Sunday.

Sparrow is the 20th high school senior to commit to Virginia. He is the fourth prospect from the talent-rich Tidewater region, joining Phoebus safety/outside linebacker LoVante Battle, Oscar Smith defensive back Perry Jones, and Maury athlete Laroy Reynolds. UVa is very much in contention with another top Tidewater prospect in Oscar Smith wide receiver Tim Smith, who will make an important official visit to Louisville this coming weekend. He has taken officials to West Virginia and Virginia already.

Virginia continues its in-state success ...

After receiving much criticism for only signing four in-state prospects in the 2008 class, Al Groh and company have come on strong in 2009 with 12 commitments hailing from the state of Virginia. Ten of UVa's commits are ranked in TheSabre.com's Preseason Top 40. Here is the current breakdown by position of in-state commitments ...

QB - Ross Metheny, Sherando (Stephens City)
RB - Alex Owah, Harrisonburg
RB - Dominique Wallace, Chancellor (Fredericksburg)
WR/QB - Quintin Hunter, Orange
WR/DB - Javanti Sparrow, Western Branch (Chesapeake)
OL - Luke Bowanko, Centreville (Clifton, VA)
DE - Jake Snyder, Deep Run (Glen Allen)
LB - Connor McCartin, Fauquier
S - Corey Lillard, Liberty (Bealeton)
S/CB - Perry Jones, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake)
S/LB - LoVante Battle, Phoebus (Hampton)
ATH - Laroy Reynolds, Maury (Norfolk)

This week, stay tuned for more from several other state of Virginia prospects. Later today, we will post a profile on Brooke Point (Stafford) defensive end Lanford Collins, who is a top target of Virginia's as well as many others. The 6-5, 240-pound recruit is being recruited by the Cavs as an outside linebacker.

We'll also check in again with Brookville offensive lineman Devin Bolling, who is said to have been in Charlottesville on Saturday. Is there anything new with his standing with the Cavaliers?


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 ...

Sparrow Enjoys Visit, Commits to Virginia
Image: Javanti SparrowJust minutes after leaving the University of Virginia to head home from his official visit, Western Branch (Chesapeake, VA) standout athlete Javanti Sparrow felt compelled to give Cavaliers head coach Al Groh a call. The 6-1, 185-pound senior, fresh off of his official visit to UVa, had made his college decision.

Brookville OL Adds Offer, Looking For More
Image: Devin BollingSenior offensive lineman Devin Bolling is looking forward to Friday night, when Virginia Tech is expected to be represented at Brookville's (Lynchburg, VA) home football game against Liberty (Bedford). This will be an opportunity for the 6-5, 270-pound prospect to impress the Tech coaches and perhaps help earn a scholarship offer.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...


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   News, Notes, and Fan Discussion

Basketball Practice Starts This Week

The NCAA set the first day of practice for 2008 as Friday, Oct. 17. That's this week!

The Cavaliers got a mini-introduction to the 2008 season in late August when they were allowed to practice in preparation for a three-game trip to Canada. UVa was allowed to hold 10 practices before leaving on the trip and the Cavaliers began preparations on Aug. 19. The Cavaliers' three freshman had to wait until classes began at Virginia on Aug. 26 to join practice. UVa won two of three contests in Canada.


The Best Seat in the House

TheSabre.com's ongoing relationship with "The Best Seat in the House" continues this fall with host Jay James. The Best Seat features the best radio discussion of the Hoos and includes guests from every corner of the Wahoo athletic world. The Cavs' coaches and student-athletes are frequent guests on the show along with expert analysts from all across the sports landscape. Learn more about the show by clicking on the logo below!

The Best Seat is also teaming up with The Sabre to provide you with a unique feature to the site. On the home page, you will find a new daily (weekdays) audio update on the hottest items in Virginia athletics, courtesy of The Best Seat in the House.

Please provide your feedback on this. The Sabre wants to continue to add new and exciting elements to the site, but we want your help in adding features. You can email your thoughts, suggestions, and feedback [email protected]


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TheSabre.com has come a long way since its conception in 1996. We are the #1 media source and community covering UVa athletics, producing an average of 95,000 unique viewers and over 4 million page views each month. We reach a coveted demographic (you know Hoo you are) 24/7, 12 months out of the year. Rooting for their team clearly represents one of the big passions in the life of our Sabre community members. This site greatly enhances this never-ending passion through information, analysis, and most importantly through communal dialog/networking.

Our advertising approach is different in that we make it abundantly clear in a direct and honest way that your company's commitment of sponsorship dollars is what enables the site to continue existing and improving into the future.

To learn more, please contact [email protected].

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To learn more about SportsWar network sponsorship opportunities, please contact [email protected] and visit the SportsWar media guide www.sportswar.com

To view a list of our sponsors, please visit our Sponsors Page.


Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

  • 2008 Recruiting Class Ranked 14th Nationally by Baseball America: The Virginia baseball program has once again been honored for a strong recruiting class. The Cavaliers' 2008 incoming class was rated 14th nationally by Baseball America in its rankings which were released Friday. UVa's class was the second highest among ACC programs, just behind No. 13 Clemson.
  • No. 18 Virginia Tops Clemson, 1-0: Chase Neinken's goal in the 88th minute broke a scoreless tie, and No. 18 Virginia defeated Clemson, 1-0, Friday night at Klöckner Stadium. UVa won its sixth-straight game and remained unbeaten in Atlantic Coast Conference play. "Clemson played very direct and I think we dealt better with that in the second half," Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch said. "We were better at possessing the ball and we were able to wear them down and eventually score."
  • Six Virginia Greats on NCAA Men's College Cup 50th Anniversary Team Ballot: Five former Virginia men's soccer players and coaching legend Bruce Arena are among the 32 student-athletes and six coaches that make up the voting ballot for the NCAA Men's College Cup 50th Anniversary Team, the NCAA announced. Fans will have the chance to select the 11 best student-athletes and one coach throughout the last 50 years of the championship.
  • Cavaliers Suffer First ACC Loss at Virginia Tech 1-0: The No. 7 Virginia women's soccer team suffered its first loss in conference play this season, falling to Virginia Tech 1-0 Thursday night at Thompson Field. Julian Johnson's goal just after halftime was all the Hokies needed, as Virginia couldn't take advantage of their 17-5 shot edge in the game. "Give Virginia Tech credit, they deserved to win," said head coach Steve Swanson. "We didn't come out with the same energy level as we have had in recent games and we paid the price for it."
  • Track and Field Releases 2009 Schedule: Virginia Director of Track and Field Jason Vigilante announced the 2009 indoor and outdoor track and field schedule for the Cavaliers' men's and women's teams. Highlighted by two home events, the schedule consists of 21 meets from December through June.
  • Shabaz Falls in ITA All-America Quarterfinals: Cavalier sophomore Michael Shabaz had his run at the 2008 ITA All-America Championships come to an end Saturday in the quarterfinals. Shabaz fell to Enrique Oliveras of East Tennessee State 6-7, 6-3, 6-2. In the singles backdraw, Houston Barrick advanced to the semifinals with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win over Abdullah Magdas of USC in the quarterfinals. Later in the day, he fell to Raony Carvalho of Texas Tech 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals.
  • Volleyball Falls at N.C. State: The Virginia volleyball team saw its win streak snapped at three, dropping a four-set match (18-25, 25-23, 22-25, 22-25) to N.C. State in Reynolds Coliseum on Saturday evening. The Cavaliers fall to 11-8 on the season, 3-4 in the conference. Beth Shelton led Virginia's attack with 12 kills and collected 13 digs for her second-consecutive double-double. Brittani Rendina led the defense with a match-high 21 digs.
  • No. 10 UVa Falls to No. 13 Penn State 1-0: The 10th-ranked Virginia field hockey team (10-5) fell to No. 13 Penn State (9-4) Sunday in University Park, Pa. The shutout was just the second of the season for the Cavaliers, who have dropped their last three games including another weekend contest against No. 5 Iowa.

For more Hoo news or to read full releases, check out Virginiasports.com.


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   SabreMail History

Issue No. 158 - Oct. 1, 2004

Cavaliers pass tough test vs. Syracuse

Virginia's first three football opponents didn't provide much of a challenge. They were too small, too slow -- and the Cavaliers were just too good.


Marques Hagans
Syracuse was a little different. The Orange aren't a great team by any means, but they are big and physical, especially on offense. Which is why UVa coach Al Groh anticipated a stern test, and that's exactly what his team got last Saturday.

For the first time this season, the 'Hoos were unable to dominate the line of scrimmage, but they flaunted much more big-play capability in producing a 31-10 victory at Scott Stadium. Syracuse had no run or pass of longer than 18 yards, while Virginia made four plays that covered 39 yards or more.

Junior quarterback Marques Hagans had a hand in all of those plays. He completed passes of 47 and 39 yards to Michael McGrew and a 54-yarder to Heath Miller. He also had a 59-yard scoring run in a near-flawless performance. He ended up 11 of 12 for 202 yards and a TD. He also rushed for a team-high 81 yards and two touchdowns.

The defense allowed several long drives but only relinquished one TD and one field goal in a solid performance. Canty's injury in the fourth quarter was the lowlight of the game.

   What's New on TheSabre.com?

Coming Soon

The Sabre has you covered when it comes to Hoo news. Here are a few of the articles to expect on the site soon:

  • Looking Ahead To UNC: The Sabre brings you pregame coverage and analysis for the football team's game with UNC this weekend.
  • Looking Back At ECU: Our analysts and columnists take a look at the Hoos' second straight win.
  • Basketball Update: UVa opens practice on Friday.


In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Hoos, Peerman Paste Pirates
Image: Cedric PeermanThe football movie Remember The Titans features a scene near the end of the story where coach Herman Boone asked a leader on his team a simple question: "Rev! Where's Rev? Alright listen, you ready to run?" Jerry Harris, nicknamed Rev by his teammates, answers: "Yes sir." He delivers with a touchdown run to win the state championship. Well, one of the Virginia football team's own leaders - and a man of faith himself - could star in the remake. That's because senior Cedric Peerman, a 'yes sir' type of player himself who became an ordained minister this summer, is always ready to run and on Saturday, his 173-yard day - including first-half touchdown runs of 79 and 60 yards - elevated the Cavaliers to a 35-20 win against East Carolina.

What They're Saying ... O-Line Improves
Image: Eugene MonroeIn last week's win against Maryland, the offensive line had its best performance of the 2008 season, helping the offense pile up 31 points and 427 total yards against the Terrapins. The line allowed just one sack and one tackle for loss in the entire game. That allowed Cedric Peerman and Mikell Simpson to run successfully and Marc Verica to find receivers like Kevin Ogletree for big plays. Let's take a look at some thoughts about the offensive line in "What They're Saying ..."

A Hoops Idea: Hire Boo
Image: Jed Williams"Well, at least there's basketball season." For the die-hard, dyed-in-the-wool college sports nut, this trusty little cliché is akin to self-medication. In a fall funk? Leaves turning brown and your football team falling down? Never fear, basketball is here. Problem is, at Virginia the basketball situation doesn't look to be much sunnier. The word that's missing is buzz. The two money-makers in UVa athletics are buzz-less. They've become buzz kills. Unfortunately, this columnist isn't rife with solutions. But I do have one idea, and this one goes directly to the desk of basketball coach Dave Leitao. Hire Boo Williams.

ECU Scouting Report: Defense & Punting
Image: East Carolina PiratesEast Carolina's defense can be dangerous to opposing offenses - since 1999 the Pirates have scored 40 non-offensive touchdowns, which is tied for 13th nationally in that time period. The Pirates have already racked up a trio of non-traditional scores in 2008 - cashing in on a pair of kick blocks and an interception. Defensive coordinator Greg Hudson's group still holds down No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 Conference USA statistical rankings in the four major defensive categories: scoring defense (1st), total defense (2nd), rush defense (3rd), and pass defense (4th).

Virginia Soccer Off To Strong Start
Image: George GelnovatchWhen Virginia men's soccer coach George Gelnovatch says this year's team is young, he isn't exaggerating for effect. No, not at all. Gelnovatch is starting five freshmen for the first time since ... well, ever. And until Chris Agorsor tore his ACL recently, the Cavaliers were starting six freshmen. With that information alone, one might wonder if Virginia's typical success will be threatened this year. But according to Gelnovatch, what the Cavaliers (6-3-0, 3-0-0 ACC) lack in experience, they make up for in talent.

Photo Gallery: Virginia 31, Maryland 0
Image: Clint SintimAfter losing a pair of tough road games, the Virginia football team bounced back at Scott Stadium with a 31-0 thrashing of Maryland on Saturday. Clint Sintim and the defense shut out the Terrapins while Marc Verica, Kevin Ogletree, Cedric Peerman, and the offense rolled up more than 400 yards of offense in the victory. Relive the action with this 98-image photo gallery.

ECU Scouting Report: Offense & Kicking
Image: East Carolina PiratesWhenever a defense faces a motion-oriented, read-option spread offense then our scouting report will always feature in some way the principles of contain, control and discipline. Assignment football was key in the Maryland victory and it will be a critical component of a Virginia victory this weekend. Today we take a look at East Carolina's power running based, multi-facet spread offense and three critical things the Cavaliers must do to contain it.

Tuesday Press Conference Notes '08 - ECU
Image: Kevin OgletreeVirginia's passing game got on track Saturday against Maryland with 226 yards and 2 touchdowns coming through the air in the 31-0 victory. The top target for quarterback Marc Verica? Junior receiver Kevin Ogletree hauled in five catches for 100 yards and both scores. The good news for UVa fans is that Ogletree's production is more than just a flash in the pan, it's becoming a pattern and a part of the Cavalier record books.

Inside The Game - Maryland
Image: Rodney McLeodIn Saturday's 31-0 win against Maryland on Saturday, Virginia held the Terrapins to 4 of 13 on third down conversions. The Cavaliers' success on defense in that area can be attributed at least partially to the more frequent use of the dime substitution package. The dime features six defensive backs, including true freshman Rodney McLeod.

10 Things I Learned ... Maryland
Image: Marc VericaWow. A 31-0 win over Maryland. You saw that one coming? Yeah, sure you did. Right. No really, I believe you ... . So what did we learn from the Cavaliers' impressive outing this weekend? How did the Hoos set up that Marc Verica to Kevin Ogletree touchdown bomb? How about Cedric Peerman's play? Let's take a look in this week's 10 Things column.

Cavalier Call-In Highlights '08: Show 7
Image: Dave KoehnThis week's edition of Cavalier Call-In took on a definitively more positive tone after Virginia's 31-0 shutout victory against Maryland on Saturday. Dave Koehn welcomed head coach Al Groh to the show saying that Saturday's game had been a "big win for the football team." Coach Groh agreed saying the win had been "very reinforcing in terms of making progress."

Greg's Stock Report '08: Maryland
Image: Maryland TerrapinsAnyone that says they saw this coming is not telling the truth. No one saw a 31-0 spanking of the Maryland Terrapins coming. Most assuredly Ralph Friedgen did not see it coming. But what was the difference? In this week's trend report, you see significant improvement in four of the major areas we highlighted as essential to winning in last week's scouting reports and those were the major factors in an unexpectedly high mark performance. Our trend report also show some continuing disturbing trends in special teams play, especially in the punt return and kickoff coverage operations.


   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.

If you're a true Wahoo, then the Sabre Edge is right for you. Check it out!


 
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