Monday Injury Report/UNC Game Time

The Virginia athletic media relations office released Monday's injury report for the Cavalier football team and there was bad news for Virginia fans.

The report, compiled by the University of Virginia Sports Medicine staff under the direction of Dr. David Diduch, listed two players that will not participate for the remainder of the 2009 season: Matt Leemhuis (clavicle fracture, no surgery needed) and Dominique Wallace (foot sprain, surgery to be scheduled). Wallace led the Cavaliers in rushing at Southern Miss this past weekend with 35 yards on 10 carries.

The ACC also announced the game times for the games scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3. UVa's road game at North Carolina will kick off at noon and be broadcast by Raycom on the ACC's syndicated network of stations. The following Oct. 3 games have set times and broadcast details.

Virginia at North Carolina, RAYCOM, noon
Clemson at Maryland, ESPNU, noon
Virginia Tech at Duke, ESPN360.com, noon (ESPN360.com is ESPN¹s video streaming platform)
N.C. State at Wake Forest, ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.
Georgia Tech at Mississippi State, CSS, 7:30 p.m.

The ACC announced that ESPN/ABC has declared a six-day option for two games that Saturday; the game times will be set by noon on Sunday, Sept. 27 for the Oklahoma at Miami contest (ABC, at either 3:30 or 8 p.m.) and the Florida State at Boston College contest (ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC at either 12 noon or 3:30 p.m.)

This Week In Recruiting
By Chris Horne

And then there were two ...

Well, at least at this point, this appears to be true. I'm speaking of serious targets in Virginia men's basketball's 2010 class. Virginia has received four verbal commitments to this point, and for now the top remaining targets are 6-11, 225-pound Cave Spring (Roanoke, VA) center Josh Henderson and 6-6 Provo (UT) guard Kyle Collinsworth.

Henderson has scheduled an official visit to Virginia for the weekend of Oct. 10. This is slated to be his final official visit, with Davidson, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest also under consideration. Henderson traveled to Vanderbilt earlier in the month for an official and was scheduled to go to Wake Forest this past weekend. He'll take a weekend off before traveling to Davidson the first weekend in October.

I hope to have more on Collinsworth's situation this week, so stay tuned. At last check, Virginia remained very much in contention and was still in contact with the versatile guard, who is also considering BYU, Stanford and USC.

So, at this point, there is the possibility that Virginia uses up all five scholarships in the 2010 class. The staff can now begin to focus more on 2011, though, and we'll have more from the 2011 class this week.

Baseball article ...

Sorry for the delay, folks, but the article on Virginia's 2009 baseball class will come out this week. As we reported last week, coach Brian O'Connor is pleased with his group of incoming freshmen, five of whom were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft before deciding to stick with the University of Virginia.

"It was a long summer for us because five of our recruits were drafted," O'Connor said. "They each had the feeling that the best thing to do was to enroll at UVa and be students here. It's important to understand that it's not necessarily college versus pro. It's what best for the individual kid."

In total, Coach O'Connor has 11 incoming freshmen. Stay tuned for the article later in the week.

E.J. Scott staying positive ...

Good Counsel (Wheaton, MD) wide receiver E.J. Scott, one of Virginia's top commitments in the 2010 class, remains positive about Virginia's program and says his verbal commitment is "strong." The 5-10, 170-pound senior believes his future team will turn things around this season, especially after an encouraging effort against Southern Miss.

Scott, who chose UVa over Rutgers and Wake Forest, among others, is a standout athlete with sub 4.5-second speed in the 40-yard dash. He hauled in two receptions for about 60 yards and a score in last week's win over Gilman, which put Good Counsel at 3-0 heading into conference play.

For more on Scott, stay tuned to TheSabre EDGE.

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 ...

Q&A: Joe Harris Reflects on Official Visit
Lake Chelan (WA) guard/forward Joe Harris made his official visit to the University of Virginia this past weekend, visiting the program he verbally committed to in early August. The 6-6, 200-pound senior, reigning Class 1A Player of the Year in the state of Washington, took some time to discuss the visit, which he was very excited about before and after.

Regan Impressed with Other Commits
The initial commitment in Virginia's 2010 recruiting class, 6-8, 220-pound forward Will Regan is excited that guard K.T. Harrell, guard/forward Joe Harris and forward James Johnson have since come aboard. The Nichols School (Buffalo, N.Y.) senior hasn't wavered in the decision he made in June, but seeing these talented prospects come aboard is a big positive.

Johnson Discusses Commitment to UVa
James Johnson didn't necessarily plan on committing to Virginia this past weekend. But on Sunday, while meeting with head coach Tony Bennett and assistant coach Ritchie McKay, the 6-9, 225-pound Elsinore (Wildomar, CA) forward came to a realization.

More recent recruiting updates on The Sabre ...

• First Colonial Star Talks Visits
• Parent's Perspective: Harris Talks UVa Visit

At The Boar's Head, hospitality comes naturally. Nestled in Virginia's Piedmont countryside, The Boar's Head promises world-class amenities in a setting uniquely Southern in character, charm, and natural beauty. An exceptional destination awaits you, with AAA Four Diamond Award-winning dining, attentive service, and first-class accommodations. Our visitors enjoy golf, tennis, bicycling, hiking, fishing, and a fitness club and spa, all within the grounds of our lush 573-acre estate. Add in the many attractions of Charlottesville and picturesque surroundings that always transfix and sometimes even inspire, and you'll find yourself transported to a new place of reflection and discovery.

Blog Banter: Wide Splits And More O-Line Talk

The Good Ol Blog on The Sabre is free and often provides additional coverage of your Hoos! The following is a blog post from Sabre Editor Kris Wright last week:

The EDGE message board has had a lot of chatter about the play of Virginia's offensive line this week. Among the hot topics: UVa's wider splits between the offensive linemen this season. What's the theory behind it? Well, KaHOOnah did some research for everyone and dug up a pair of articles. The EDGE thread features discussion while the two articles are linked here and here.

As those articles detail, Texas Tech is the team most known for wide splits. Here's a tidbit from the first article (Chris Brown, Smart Football blog) above:

Traditionally passing teams took very narrow splits to stop inside penetration, Texas Tech takes exceptionally large splits. Their rationale is a few-fold: (a) make the pass rushers come from farther away and enlarge the pocket, (b) open up throwing lanes for the quarterback, and (c) because they throw so much, all they need is a block or two to have an effective draw play - the defensive ends aren't even really a factor. They can do this because they are almost exclusively a "man" pass protection team, just as the old Lavell Edwards BYU offenses were.

Of course, Virginia fans have watched the offensive line struggle with these wider splits at the beginning of two straight seasons now; UVa scrapped the spread midway through last season and pulled the linemen closer together. The OL issues so far have led some folks to consider keeping a tight end inside to help the blocking schemes. I asked coach Al Groh about that very thing this week.

Groh's answer was surprising. He basically said it wouldn't help.

"Well, around here certainly and in a lot of quarters, there's nobody on a team, on most teams, who practices pass protection less than the tight end. They practice run blocking and they practice going out in patterns, but really offensive backs who are frequently in your pass protection actually practice pass protection generally more than tight ends," Groh said.

Of course, that theory runs contrary to conventional wisdom ... and, well, what Groh himself said in 2006 when he was asked why Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar weren't more involved in the offense. The answer back then was that they were being kept in to help block vs. running pass patterns. This from a Sept. 29, 2006 News & Advance article:

Certainly, UVa's uncertainty at quarterback has contributed to the lack of production by the tight ends. The struggle of the offensive line also has.

"One of the things that they understand real well is that if the quarterback is under siege, nobody's going to get the ball anyway," Virginia head coach Al Groh said. "So it doesn't make much difference if they're out in the pattern. They've been very unselfish about it and they've understood what was necessary.

"They were a good aid at Georgia Tech. The quarterback wasn't perfect, but he was under less duress than he has been in previous games."

I guess Santi and Stupar didn't need much practice to pass protect. I digress. Besides, it's possible that Coach Groh didn't want to tip his hand about using more in-line tight end sets before heading to Southern Miss. I guess we'll see on Saturday, but one thing is clear: if the Hoos don't find some answers up front, it could be a long, long time before the offense looks any better.

Make sure to keep up with The Good Ol Blog!

Buy a shirt for a Boys and Girls Club child today!

The UVA Bookstore and the Central Virginia Boys and Girls Club are partnering to put smiles on the faces of local youth. UVA fans and benefactors may purchase a 2009 UVA Bookstore Football Fan T-shirt online or in-store that will be donated to a kid at the Central Virginia Boys and Girls Club. T-shirts are only $9.99. (Don't forget EDGE subscribers, you get 10% off with your EDGE discount!)

Jon Kates, Executive Director of the UVA Bookstore, said: "The Boys and Girls Club is a fantastic organization. It will be great knowing that the kids are wearing our football fan shirts while they root on the Hoos. We want to reach out to as many of them as possible and are confident that the UVA and Charlottesville communities will help us make this happen."

James Pierce, from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia, noted: "We all know that positive role models can influence young people to set goals and achieve them. Here at the Boys & Girls Clubs, we provide our kids with a safe place to go after school, where they can boost their self-confidence, develop a sense of security and reach their full potential. The UVa fans have been great partners in demonstrating to our kids that people care about them and want them to have fun and be great!"

To order online, go to this link or in-store at the main UVA Bookstore located atop the Central Grounds Parking Garage and TJ's Locker, across from Scott Stadium in the Aquatic and Fitness Center.

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Around the World of Wahoo Sports ...

• No. 20 UVa Upsets No. 2 Wake Forest, 1-0: Junior defender Mike Volk's first career goal as a Cavalier was the difference in the match, as the No. 20 Virginia men's soccer team upset No. 2 Wake Forest, 1-0, on the road Friday night. The Virginia win snapped a Wake Forest home unbeaten streak of 35 games, and was the first Cavalier victory in Winston-Salem since 2005.
• Cavaliers Defeat American 2-0: The No. 16 Cavalier women's soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to seven games with a 2-0 victory over American Sunday afternoon at Klöckner Stadium. With the victory, Virginia closes out its non-conference schedule with a 5-1-2 record.
• Cavaliers Handle No. 8 Michigan State, 3-0: The fifth-ranked Virginia field hockey team improved to 8-0 this season with a 3-0 win over No. 8 Michigan State (5-3) Sunday at the University Hall Turf Field. Freshman Tara Puffenberger scored two goals and had an assist to lead the Cavaliers.
• Cavaliers Dominate Lou Onesty Invitational: The Virginia men's and women's cross country teams dominated its season openers on Saturday morning at Panorama Farms with both teams winning its respective Lou Onesty Invitational titles. Senior Lauretta Dezubay won her second-consecutive crown to lead the women's squad to the title with 19 points, while junior All-American Emil Heineking ran away with the men's title and the squad captured the victory with 28 points.
• Virginia Downs Virginia Tech in ACC Opener: The Virginia volleyball team defeated conference-foe Virginia Tech, 3-1 (29-27, 25-19, 22-25, 11-25) in Memorial Gymnasium on Friday in the Marriott Cavalier Invitational. Sophomore Simone Asque led all players with 16 kills. Unfortunately for the Hoos, the team dropped two games in the Cavalier Invitational on Saturday.
• Baseball's 2009 Recruiting Class Ranked 10th Nationally by Collegiate Baseball: Virginia's 2009 baseball recruiting class has been ranked 10th nationally by Collegiate Baseball, the newspaper announced Thursday. UVa's class is tied for 10th with Stanford.
• Virginia Softball Sets Fall Schedule: The Virginia softball team has announced its fall schedule. UVa heads to Allentown, Pa., to participate in the Carole Weil Tournament for three games on Sept. 26. Those opponents include Division II National Champion Bloomsburg, as well as Seton Hall and St. Joseph's. The month of October includes three games against Bridgewater (Oct. 11) and a doubleheader with George Mason (Oct. 17) at The Park.
• Devvarman Lifts India into Davis Cup World Group: Former Cavalier men's tennis player Somdev Devvarman led India to a 4-1 victory over South Africa this weekend in a Davis Cup World Group Playoff matchup. The victory moves India into the 2010 Davis Cup World Group, the first time India has competed at the highest level of international tennis since 1998.
• Virginia Wins Four Titles at UVa Fall Invitational: The Virginia women's tennis team concluded a strong performance at the UVa Fall Invitational as the Cavaliers won four titles at the tournament. In singles Flight A, Lindsey Hardenbergh rallied to upset No. 36 Michaela Kissell of Marshall 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. In the Flight A backdraw, Erin Vierra and Hana Tomljanovic recorded victories for the Cavaliers. Neela Vaez took the Flight C singles title with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Alex Whutehead of UNC Greensboro. In the Flight A Doubles Championship, the team of Tomljanovic and Jennifer Stevens won their second tournament in as many weeks, defeating the team of Brock and Nagaraj of NC State 8-2. The Flight B doubles title was an all-Virginia matchup with the team of Hardenbergh and Vierra winning the title 8-2 over Maria Fuccillo and Emily Fraser.

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

Nike Pre-Season Virginia Polo
Regular: $60.00, Sale: $39.88!

The Nike Pre-Season Virginia NikeFIT Polo is a three-button polo with self-fabric collar that features Virginia embroidered left chest with the Nike Swoosh on the right.

Issue No. 95 - July 11, 2003

Brian O' Connor Named Head Baseball Coach at Virginia

Brian O'Connor, the associate head baseball coach at the University of Notre Dame for the last two years and a member of the Irish coaching staff for the last nine years, is the new head baseball coach at the University of Virginia. UVa Athletic Director Craig Littlepage made the announcement on Tuesday (July 8).

"Brian O'Connor will bring energy and enthusiasm to our baseball program, and a great understanding of the landscape in college baseball," Littlepage said. "He will hit the ground running and make an immediate impact in all aspects of our program. Notre Dame is one of the country's most admired baseball programs. The experience Coach O'Connor gained in helping build Notre Dame's program will be instrumental in developing a plan to move the University of Virginia's baseball program forward."

Check Out SabreMail #95.

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:

• Postgame Coverage: The Sabre's postgame looks at Southern Miss continue with JHoo's 10 Things and Greg's Stock Report.
• Kelsey Wolfe: The Sabre caught up with Kelsey Wolfe, who recently committed to Debbie Ryan's women's basketball program.

In Case You Missed It ...

Sabre articles since the last SabreMail

Changes Boost Offense In Loss
After struggling on offense for the first two weeks of the season, the Virginia football team dialed up some changes for its road trip to Southern Miss on Saturday. The moves helped jumpstart the offense to the tune of 34 points - the fifth highest total points for the Hoos since the start of the 2006 season. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers still fell 37-34 to the Golden Eagles.

Cavaliers Fall To 0-3
Several positive things can be said about Virginia's performance Saturday against Southern Mississippi. The offense finally showed productivity in the passing game. Some young receivers proved themselves as legitimate downfield threats. The offensive line gave quarterback Jameel Sewell more time to even look down the field. Despite the Cavaliers' fight on the road, however, the facts remain. The Golden Eagles scored 20 unanswered points to win 37-34, and Virginia is 0-3 for the first time in coach Al Groh's tenure.

Priorities, Picks, & Power Players - Southern Miss
For each game this season, The Sabre will present a final peek at the week's match-up with a new feature called Priorities, Picks, and Power Players. In the "Priorities" section, we take a look at the keys to a Virginia victory. In the "Picks" section, Sabre Editor Kris Wright and another Sabre representative make a case for who will win and give you a final score. In the "Power Players" section, The Sabre predicts who some of the key players could be for that Saturday's showdown. Take a look at Southern Miss!

Photo Gallery '09: TCU
Last Saturday was a beautiful day in Charlottesville and it was perfect football weather. That led to a wonderful opportunity to get some great photos at Scott Stadium. Check out this 92-image gallery, including shots of Jameel Sewell, Corey Mosley, Aaron Clark and special guests like Roger Mason Jr. and George Welsh.

Cain Slides Into Rotation For UVa
Isaac Cain was on the field at football games for all four years at Hampton High School. Two of them, though, were in quite a different uniform. As a freshman and sophomore, he only saw the field when the football team was in the locker room, as a trombone player for the school marching band. He never had even played organized football in his life.

Game Preview 2009 - Southern Miss
There is no history when it comes to this series - UVa and Southern Miss have never met on the football field. Shoot, Virginia's football team has never even traveled to the state of Mississippi. With that said, the two teams' separate history recently may tell the tale of this contest. The Cavaliers have lost six straight games. The Golden Eagles have won seven straight games. So Southern Miss owns the momentum factor - what about the rest of the match-up? The Sabre takes a look in its weekly game preview.

Greg's Stock Report '09: TCU
It appears the 2009 football season is quickly becoming a broken record. Lapses on punt coverage, poor pass protection, poor execution by Virginia's young receivers and breakdowns in the secondary mark a frightening trend of consistency going in the wrong direction. But the most frightening aspect of it all may be just a lack of common football sense as we discuss in this week's Stock Report.

Press Conference Notes '09: Southern Miss
In the Cavaliers' first road game at Southern Mississippi this weekend, they'll expect plenty of boos and catcalls. This time, though, at least they will indeed be expecting them. Virginia's performance in Scott Stadium its first two games has prompted numerous showings of displeasure from fans, from booing the Cavs into halftime to painting "GROH MUST GO GROH MUST GO GET OUT" on Beta Bridge at UVa. Whether Virginia will travel to a more hostile environment Saturday is debatable; at Monday's press conference, though, Virginia coach Al Groh and his players said that what happens outside the locker room is irrelevant.

10 Things I Learned From TCU
When it is game day at Scott Stadium and the horse comes out of the tunnel and bucks his rider, is that a sign that the team should turn around and go back? Maybe. This past Saturday, it certainly seemed to be the case. TCU admittedly is a very good team. They were last year, they have been for a while, and they were on Saturday. Right now, UVa has a way to go if it wants to be able to stay in the game with very good teams, much less beat them. But before UVa goes on the road next week and tries to accomplish that task, it first has to figure out what went wrong at home this week. And so do we ...

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