Groh Doesn't Receive Extension

The University of Virginia has elected not to extend the contract of football coach Al Groh, Virginia Athletics Director Craig Littlepage said in a statement. Groh's contract features a clause that leaves UVa with the option of adding (extending) a year to the deal to keep its length the same. Two years ago, Groh's contract was not extended, leaving the length of the deal at four years; that number remained last season with the roll-over extension granted after a 9-4 Gator Bowl season. With the decision not to extend the contract after this season, the second 5-7 campaign in three years, Groh's contract now sits at three years.

Littlepage released the following statement Sunday night:

"In accordance with a specific clause in Virginia head football coach Al Groh's contract, I have informed him that his contract will not be extended for an additional year. Coach Groh has three years remaining on his current contract. I will be meeting with him in the next 48 hours to conduct a year end review of the football program. I will have no further comment about coach Groh's contract or the review process of the program."

Read the various news reports in Sabre NewsLink.

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

Later today, we will have an update on St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH) defensive end Pat Muldoon. Muldoon, a 6-4, 250-pound prospect, made an official visit to UVa the weekend of the Clemson game. The visit seems to have gone well, as Muldoon got along well with players and coaches. He discusses the trip, the rest of his official visit schedule, and what head coach Al Groh told him as far as when he would need to make a decision.

Muldoon has taken official visits to Boston College, Wisconsin, and Virginia. He has December official visit dates set with Duke and Cincinnati and he expects to have a decision made by the New Year.

TheSabre.com hopes to catch up with Muldoon's teammate, linebacker Luke Kuechly, as well this week. The 6-3, 215-pound Kuechly also made an official visit to UVa on the Clemson weekend. He is considering Boston College, Duke, and Stanford in addition to the Cavaliers.

Virginia has tallied three defensive end recruits so far in the 2008 class, including Penn Charter (Philadelphia, PA) standout Justin Renfrow, Deep Run (Glen Allen, VA) star Jake Snyder, and Lorne Park (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) standout Brent Urban. The Cavaliers hope to add another in Lafayette's (Williamsburg, VA) William Hill, a 6-4, 260-pound prospect who is looking to make a commitment on Wednesday of this week.

Hill has narrowed his list to Maryland, Penn State, Tennessee, and Virginia. Wherever he commits, he is looking to enroll in January of 2009. UVa could use as many defensive ends as it can get in this class, so adding Hill would be a nice get, especially since he would be able to enroll in January.

Stay tuned for more on Hill as the week goes on. No press conference has been set, but Hill expects to have something by Wednesday.

This week, we also hope to run down Camden (N.J.) wide receiver commit Tyree Watkins for more on his recruitment. The 6-2, 180-pound recruit, one of Virginia's most highly rated commitments, was scheduled to make an official visit to Virginia for the Clemson weekend but did not due to his team's postseason schedule.

Also stay tuned for a "Countdown to Signing Day" feature, a look at the Cavaliers' 2009 class as a whole and what may lie ahead for the remaining few months until Signing Day 2009.

Basketball recruiting ...

Last Tuesday, UVa released the news that two prospects signed with the Cavaliers in the November signing period. As expected, the Cavaliers received letters of intent from Word of Life (Springfield, VA) forward Tristan Spurlock and Bethel (Hampton, VA) point guard Jontel Evans. Here is what head coach Dave Leitao had to say about each prospect on Virginiasports.com ...

On Spurlock ... "Tristan has multidimensional abilities that I've always liked. He can shoot, pass, handle the ball and rebound. With the departure of Mamadi Diane from the team after this season, I think he's going to help us fill that void. Tristan can also play the two spot. He's going to be a great addition to our team."

On Evans ... "In Jontel I think we've got a guy who can defend like I haven't seen in a long time, especially on the ball. He takes great pride in it and brings a football mentality to the basketball court. Jontel's speed, quickness and strength come out on offense and defense, but especially on defense. I think that's going to add a whole lot to our program."

For more on these two prospects, check out their recruiting cards on The Sabre. TheSabre has produced several articles on each prospect and will continue to check in with them throughout their senior seasons.

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 ...

Cascarano Catches First UVa Game
Glenbrook South (Glenview, IL) offensive lineman Sean Cascarano made an unofficial visit to the University of Virginia this past weekend, arriving in Charlottesville on Friday and leaving for home on Sunday. Unlike the Elite Prospect Day experience in June, this visit provided Cascarano the opportunity to see his future team in action.

UVa Commits in Playoffs
Virginia recruits Perry Jones and Tim Smith came to play last Friday night, helping the Oscar Smith Tigers (Chesapeake, VA) to a Division 6, Eastern Region championship win over Ocean Lakes. Jones, a 5-9, 185-pound running back/linebacker for head coach Rich Morgan, sparkled despite playing most of the game with an ankle injury.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...

• 2010 Profile: LB/RB Forbes Making Visits
• Hill Eyeing Decision by Early Next Week
• Robinson Notes: Stanton, Laiti Updates
• NY OL/DL Narrows List to 3

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UVA Bookstores Charity Raffle

Feel good about helping the Charlottesville area homeless and get entered into a raffle for a Toshiba 42" HD TV! The UVA Bookstores are holding a raffle to support Charlottesville Health Access, a local non-profit organization seeking to provide health care and treatment services to the homeless. One raffle ticket is $2 and three tickets are $5. Stop by the UVA Bookstore or TJ's Locker to enter! The last day to enter the raffle is Friday, Dec. 5 and the raffle will be drawn the following week.

Monroe Named Jacobs Blocking Trophy Recipient

Official Release
Virginia Athletic Media Relations

Virginia's Eugene Monroe has been awarded the 2008 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced today.

The Jacobs Blocking Trophy has been awarded annually since 1953 to the player voted the most outstanding blocker in the ACC by a poll of the league's head coaches and defensive coordinators. The trophy is given in memory of William P. Jacobs, who served as president of Presbyterian College from 1935 to 1945.

A first-team pre-season All-ACC selection this season, Monroe, a 6-6, 315-pound senior, was an Honorable Mention All-ACC selection at tackle in 2007. A two-year starter at tackle for the Cavaliers, he was the leader of a young offensive line which has given up an ACC-low 14 sacks this year.

"The honor of being the Jacob's recipient means a lot to me," Monroe said. "It is one of the goals I set out to reach two years ago. It is a reflection of not only my work, but my coaches who helped guide me, teammates who push me everyday, and family back home who has been a supporting cast through my journey. My career has come a long way, from being a backup my first year, overcoming set backs, and being able to achieve this award."

Monroe has started 29 games in his career for the Cavaliers, and this year earned the highest blocking grade in seven of Virginia's first 11 games. He earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors as a junior last season.

"We are absolutely thrilled for Eugene and very proud of him not just because he won, but because of how he won," said UVa Head Football Coach Al Groh. "Eugene's early career was not easy for him. But it was his personality, determination to be great, and the work ethic that he developed that enabled him to raise his performance level, which led those he played against to recognize him as the best."

The South Plainfield, N.J., native was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week following the North Carolina game on Oct. 18 for his play in Virginia's overtime upset win over then18th-ranked North Carolina as both of Virginia's scores-including the game winner in the first overtime period, came behind his blocks.

Monroe's selection marks the 11th time a Virginia player has won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy. He is the first Cavalier offensive tackle to be picked since Ray Roberts was a back-to-back winner in 1990 and 1997.

Virginia's Jacobs Blocking Trophy Winners:
1968 - Greg Shelly, OT
1970 - Dan Ryczek, C
1984 - Jim Dombrowski, OT
1985 - Jim Dombrowski, OT
1990 - Ray Roberts, OT
1991 - Ray Roberts, OT
1993 - Mark Dixon, OG
1999 - John St. Clair, C
2003 - Elton Brown, OG
2004 - Elton Brown, OG
2008 - Eugene Monroe, OT

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Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• Krzysik Named Hermann Trophy Semifinalist: Virginia senior defender Nikki Krzysik was one of 15 players named semifinalists for the 2008 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy. The award, annually given to the top collegiate soccer player in the country, will be awarded on January 9. Krzysik is a semifinalist for the first time in her career and the first Cavalier semifinalist since Sarah Huffman in 2005. This season she played every minute to anchor a Cavalier defense that posted nine shutouts and allowed just 5.1 shots per game. Offensively, she added three goals and three assists. Krzysik was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-ACC for the second consecutive season. Last year she was a first-team All-American.
• Wrestling Goes 2-1 at Northeast Duals: The No. 24 Virginia wrestling team wrapped up its November schedule Saturday by going 2-1 at the Journeymen/Brute Northeast Duals at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, N.Y. UVa defeated Harvard (36-11) and Bucknell (30-11) and lost to No. 7 Oklahoma State (33-7). Chris Henrich continued his great start to the 2008-09 season by posting three wins at 174 pounds as he ran his record to 12-0.
• Cavaliers Defeat Hokies on Senior Day: The Virginia volleyball team sent its three seniors out on a high note in Memorial Gymnasium on Friday night, defeating instate rival Virginia Tech, 3-2 (25-21, 25-21, 20-25, 19-25, 15-12), in a five-set thriller. Virginia concludes the season with a 17-15 overall record and a 9-11 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "It's always emotional when you know that it's your seniors' last match here," UVa coach Lee Maes said. "We were excited to have a fantastic turnout tonight. You know it's always a good match when you're playing Virginia Tech. But, it's most special that our three seniors were able to come out here, play well and finish their career with a win, especially because they've given a lot to this program. They've been great role models in terms of just being the type of people who are outstanding representatives of great student-athletes here at Virginia."
• Cavaliers Fall 73-70 at Syracuse: Jonny Flynn and Andy Rautins each scored 15 points, Rick Jackson came off the bench to key a late rally, and Syracuse beat Virginia 73-70 on Friday night. Virginia was led by Sylven Landesberg, who had 16 points. Calvin Baker and Sammy Zeglinski each added 14 points for the Cavaliers.
• No. 15 Virginia Runner-Up At WBCA Classic: No. 15 Virginia concluded play at the WBCA Classic at the Al McGuire Center Sunday, falling to tournament champion Gonzaga, 69-62. Monica Wright led the Cavaliers with 26 points, eight rebounds and five steals. Wright was named to the all-tournament team, while Virginia was the tournament runner-up. UVa took down Utah and Marquette in the first two games of the WBCA event.

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

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Issue No. 307 - Sept. 3, 2007

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

Basketball recruiting ...

Sylven Landesberg, a 6-5 guard out of Holy Cross High School (Queens, N.Y.), has been in Charlottesville throughout the weekend and is expected to leave today. Landesberg, who averaged 27 points per game last season as a junior, is rated a 5-star prospect by Scout.com and a 4-star recruit by Rivals.com. He is one of Virginia's top targets in this 2008 recruiting class.

Besides UVa, Landesberg is also considering Georgia Tech, Kentucky, St. John's, and Texas. He has scheduled an official visit to Georgia Tech for the weekend of Sept. 15 and could make visits to the other programs as well. Prior to the UVa visit, sources indicated that Georgia Tech and UVa may have been the teams to beat.

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:

• Basketball Articles: The Sabre keeps the basketball stories rolling with more coverage of the Cavaliers.
• Looking Back At VT: Our analysts and columnists take a look at the Hoos' loss against VT.
• Jed Williams: Columnist Jed Williams takes a look at the football program.

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Hall Plays Offense, But Hoos Fall Short
I know what you're thinking. It's O.K., I'm thinking it too. There's no question that the folks in a tiny little town off of U.S. 29 are thinking it. Vic Hall may or may not be thinking it, but no one would blame him if he did. Vic Hall on offense? It's about time!

Cavs' Defense Struggles Against Taylor, Hokies
While the 17-14 loss to the Hokies wasn't exactly the defensive stalemate it was predicted to be, Virginia's defense made its mark on the outcome of the game, for better or worse. The game was not ultimately as close as the box score would indicate as Virginia Tech's offense ultimately dictated the outcome - the Hokies dominated the time of possession by holding the ball for 35:33 and tallying 24 first downs. But as porous as UVa's defense looked at times, it just as convincingly held the Hokies in their tracks at others.

Loss To Hokies Ends Hoos' Season
With Virginia trailing by a field goal and well in range to attempt a long kick to tie, Marc Verica's pass intended for wide receiver Kevin Ogletree in the heart of the Hokie defense was picked by safety Dorian Porch in the back of the end zone, all but sealing the 17-14 Tech victory. It was Verica's 16th interception of the season.

Cavaliers Come Up Short At Cuse
Playing its first road game of the 2008-09 campaign, Virginia played its best 30 minutes of basketball to date in this young season. Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, Syracuse didn't crumble during that portion of the game and rallied to win the last 10 minutes and remain unbeaten. The Orange eventually pulled out the victory, 73-70, to improve to 6-0 while UVa fell to 3-2 with the loss.

VT Scouting Report: Offense & Kicking
Both Virginia Tech and Virginia enter this contest with a lot in common. Special teams play has been inconsistent for both clubs. The respective defenses have been solid. The two offenses? Not very pretty. The winner of Saturday's contest will be determined by which offense executes and avoids turnovers. If you're looking for a 48-38 shootout, you might find Steel Magnolias more thrilling because this one will be ugly.

VT Scouting Report: Defense & Punting
After facing a Clemson defense that was among the best in the nation, Virginia's sputtering offense will take on a Hokie defense that like the Tigers is ranked among the top 20 teams nationally in several defensive categories. That doesn't bode well for a Cavalier club that enters the Tech game struggling to convert third downs and struggling to hold on to the football. In the month of November, the Hoos have converted only 25% of their chances on third down and have turned the ball over 10 times. If those two trends continue Saturday, the outcome will be a happy one for the home crowd in Blacksburg.

The Hawk's Nest - Facing Two Quarterbacks
This weekend the Virginia Cavaliers will face the Virginia Tech Hokies at hostile Lane Stadium. The Hoos are trying to end their three-game losing streak in hopes of becoming bowl eligible. The Cavs will have to win at a place where they have not been victorious since 1998 if they want to have a chance at postseason play. One key to the game for the Cavaliers is to be able to adjust to the two quarterback system the Hokies have used over the past couple of weeks as well as last season.

Flames Blow Past Cavaliers
After pulling off three tight wins to open the season, Virginia's luck finally ran out Tuesday night as the Cavaliers were stunned by Liberty University, 86-82, in the John Paul Jones Arena. Playing from behind for a majority of the game, Virginia failed to pull out a victory despite a late run in the game's final minutes.

Tuesday Press Conference Notes '08 - VT
The Virginia football team enters this week at 5-6 with bowl eligibility on the line. Standing in the way is in-state rival Virginia Tech, a team playing for a spot in the ACC Championship game as the representative from the Coastal Division. That means in order for the Cavalier players to earn a chance at postseason play, they'll have to do something none of them have ever done: Beat VT. The Hoos' last win in the series came in 2003.

10 Things I Learned ... Clemson
A few weeks ago, we discussed whether UVa's four-game winning streak was the best such streak of the Al Groh era. Discussing where the current three-game losing streak fits? Not so much fun. So we will limit the pain and only discuss the most recent loss, a loss to a very beatable Clemson team this past weekend. Not much fun there either.

Greg's Stock Report '08: Clemson
On a day when the Virginia defense played well enough to win, the Cavalier offense and special teams failed to live up to the performance of the defense. But on a day where no operation made enough plays, the effort of the defense was not sufficient as is failed to produce a sack since the season opener against Southern California, failed to make stops in critical situations, and was unsuccessful at forcing a game-changing play that clearly the offense or special teams was not going to deliver.

Inside The Game - Clemson
Virginia senior linebacker Clint Sintim had a very respectable game on Saturday as he finished with 6 tackles against the Tigers. While Sintim did not record a sack, he did find his way into the backfield on numerous occasions to force Clemson's Cullen Harper to move his plans from the pocket to elsewhere. Of course, he also drew a 15-yard personal foul penalty as well. But one play that impressed me probably didn't draw much attention from anyone else. After all, it was just one of 68 total offensive plays for Clemson. Just one random play of rushing the passer.

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