Groh encouraged by freshmen

Media General News Service
Published: September 29, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE — For at least one weekend, ESPNU and the University of Virginia football team will go their separate ways.

UVa’s Oct. 11 date with East Carolina at Scott Stadium will start at noon and be televised by Raycom, the ACC announced Monday.

Virginia (0-1, 1-3) hosts Maryland (1-0, 4-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday in an ACC game that ESPNU, naturally, will carry. This will be the fourth consecutive UVa game shown on that network, which isn’t widely available in the state.

Maryland is tied for first in the Atlantic Division. UVa is tied for last in the Coastal. These, as they say, are teams headed in opposite directons.

The Terrapins have won three straight since a shocking loss at Middle Tennessee. The Cavaliers have lost two in a row, by a combined score of 76-13.

Freshmen have played an increasingly large role for Virginia’s defense, and that’s likely to continue. Three redshirt freshmen started Saturday against Duke: defensive end Matt Conrath, nose tackle Nick Jenkins and safety Corey Mosley. True freshmen Cameron Johnson (outside linebacker) and Rodney McLeod (cornerback) played in passing situations.

Conrath has been on the first team all season, but Jenkins and Mosley made their first starts against Duke. Before Saturday, Mosley had been used primarily on special teams. The former Henrico High star was credited with four tackles in the 31-3 loss to Duke.

“There are certainly plenty of plays to go back to and say, ‘Here’s what you can learn from them,’” Cavaliers coach Al Groh said. “But for the first time out … Mosley, McLeod, Cameron Johnson, Jenkins — those four in particular who saw appreciably more time than they have in the past — were very encouraging.”

Also, Groh said, “Matt Conrath, who’s really in the same circumstance as those guys, just a few games ahead of them, probably did his best job (at Duke).”

Two of UVa’s top tailbacks — senior Cedric Peerman and sophomore Raynard Horne — missed the Duke game with injuries. That meant a larger role for sophomore Keith Payne. He’d been limited to special-teams duty in the first three games but carried five times for 36 yards against the Blue Devils.

Payne hurt his left hand on the final play against Duke, a 5-yard carry. He wasn’t listed Monday on the first of UVa’s two weekly injury reports, however, so apparently he won’t require surgery that would cause him to miss the Maryland game.

Regardless of Payne’s availability, look for Rashawn Jackson to get more carries. Jackson is Virginia’s No. 1 fullback, but the 6-1, 253-pound junior was featured in the one-back offense against Duke. He rushed eight times for 43 yards.

“I felt real comfortable,” Jackson said. “I think I performed well, to the best of my ability. I don’t have any regrets. The only thing I regret is the loss.”