UVa notes

By Andy Bitter

Published: September 2, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Virginia’s game notes usually feature a list of the team’s standout players from the previous week, citing one player from the offense, defense, special teams and scout team.

Tuesday’s notes didn’t honor anyone.

“We didn’t single anybody out,” coach Al Groh said after suffering the most lopsided defeat of his time at UVa, a 52-7 thrashing by third-ranked USC. “Nothing. Nobody’s the player of the week. There’s no coach of the week. There’s no player of the week.

“There’s the bum of the week. And I’m leading the club.”

There wasn’t much to take from Saturday’s game. The Cavaliers (0-1) were out-gained 558-187. They didn’t register a sack. And they were shut out in the second half — all in front of a home crowd.

It drew comparisons to last season’s opener at Wyoming, a 23-3 loss. The Cowboys romped in that one-sided affair, holding the Cavaliers to 100 yards of total offense and racking up 452 yards of their own.

Virginia fans can at least find a silver lining in the fact that last year’s team rebounded to win its next seven games.

“After that Wyoming loss, pretty much the mind set on the team was enough is enough,” safety Byron Glaspy said. “We were ready to be a good team and have a good season and do whatever it takes to get there. That’s would drove us last year.”

Familiar face

Mike London, who had two stints as an assistant at Virginia, serving the last two seasons as the defensive coordinator, took the head coaching job at his alma mater, Richmond, in January. Now he’s coming back to Scott Stadium in enemy colors.

“I think it will only be strange to see him on the other side of the field,” Glaspy said. “But once the game gets going, it’s only another football game.”

Groh said London’s connections to UVa won’t be an issue in preparation this week.

“He did an awful lot for us when he was here,” Groh said. “But this particular week, there really are no personal feelings about it. … We’re pretty sure they’re not going to take it easy on us just because Mike likes us.”

Plenty powerful

Place-kicker Yannick Reyering might have missed his only field goal opportunity Saturday — a 46-yarder in the second quarter that sailed just wide right — but it was encouraging nonetheless.

The kick had plenty of distance and was “straight as a string,” according to Groh. “It was just off in its aiming point,” he said.

Reyering, a native of Germany, was making his first appearance in a football game. Groh sent him, holder Scott Deke and long snapper Danny Aiken to Scott Stadium on several occasions during the preseason to allow the kicker to get used to that atmosphere.

A former all-ACC soccer player, Reyering has a unique kicking style, with very little follow through, something that doesn’t bother Groh in the least.

“It goes far and it goes straight,” he said. “I don’t really care what the style looks like. It’s like those golfers. They’ve all got a different swing. It’s just what the ball looks like in the air.”

Extra points

Sophomore cornerback Ras-I Dowling (leg), who did not suit up for the USC game, was not listed on Tuesday’s depth chart. Sophomore Mike Parker is listed as a starter, ahead of true freshman Chase Minnifield, who started against the Trojans but was a frequent target in his first career appearance. … Virginia will don retro uniforms for its game against Richmond this Saturday, wearing throwback helmets and jerseys to celebrate Cavaliers teams from 1984-93. As part of the promotion, tickets are available for $16, reflective of the cost from that era.