UVa’s offense comes back to life at home

By Jeff White/Media General News Service
Published: October 4, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE — It took the Virginia Cavaliers more than four games, but they finally threw a touchdown pass.

The breakthrough came last night against Maryland, which surrendered a 51-yard TD pass from sophomore quarterback Marc Verica to junior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree late in the first quarter.

Verica and Ogletree hooked up again on a 15-yard TD pass with 11 seconds left in the second quarter.

Of the 119 teams in the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision, UVa was the last to throw a TD pass this season. The Cavaliers entered last night’s game ranked 119th nationally in scoring offense, but they led Maryland 21-0 at halftime.

Verica, in his third start, was nearly flawless in the first half, completing 17 of 20 passes for 178 and two TDs, with no interceptions.

Fans still paint stadium orange

Early in his tenure as football coach at his alma mater, Al Groh asked Virginia fans to form a “sea of orange” by wearing clothes of that color to games.

For the most part, UVa fans have complied. But there was talk this week that many students would wear blue to last night’s game against Maryland at Scott Stadium to protest the university’s “Power of Orange” campaign, as well as the ban on signs, which UVa repealed Thursday.

The protest didn’t seem to take off. There was a smattering of blue in the student section, and more than a few students wore ties. Overall, however, orange dominated, as usual.

Long back in town, waving UVa flag

Two of the greatest athletes in UVa history — Chris Long and Somdev Devarrman — raised the “Power of Orange” flag before Saturday night’s game. Long, of course, was an All-American defensive end for Virginia last year now with the St. Louis Rams. Devarrman was a two-time NCAA singles champion in men’s tennis who graduated this past spring.

Nobody is happier than Maryland quarterback Chris Turner that Long is now in the NFL. In College Park last year, Long hammered Turner on a safety late in the third quarter and the Cava-liers went on to win, 18-17.

“I don’t know if Turner wants to see Chris anymore,” Virginia linebacker Clint Sintim said with a smile Tuesday.

Monroe, Sintim impress ESPN

Two UVa seniors are highly rated by ESPN’s NFL draft analyst, Mel Kiper Jr. Offensive tackle Eugene Monroe is No. 1 on Kiper’s 2009 draft list. Sintim, a four-year starter at outside linebacker in UVa’s 3-4 scheme, is No. 20.

Sintim came into this weekend leading the nation’s linebackers in sacks with four. Groh, who spent more than a decade on NFL coaching staffs, said Sintim would not only be a natural 3-4 linebacker in the pros, but there are also “certain 4-3s in which his overall skills would (fit well).”

Peerman overshadows Simpson

Junior tailback Mikell Simpson, the star of UVa’s win over Maryland last year, didn’t get into the game last night until the 8:02 mark of the second quarter.

Senior Cedric Peerman, a William Campbell graduate who missed last weekend’s Duke game with a knee injury, started at tailback last night and played superbly. By halftime, Peerman had 57 yards on 12 carries and 23 yards on seven receptions.

Young freshman gets start for Cavs

The youngest player on the UVa roster, offensive guard Austin Pasztor, made his first start Saturday night.

Pasztor, a 6-6, 310-pound true freshman from Canada, won’t turn 18 until Nov. 26. He spent his 12th-grade year at Fork Union Military Academy, where he played for the postgraduate team.

“There’s some aspects of him that are very much 17 years old,” Groh said last weekend. “But his commitment and purposefulness and his work ethic are mature beyond 17 years old.”

Pasztor, whose hometown is Langton, Ontario, moved up from the second team at UVa after fifth-year Zak Stair, who started the first four games at left guard, hurt his knee against Duke last weekend.

Virginia, Maryland share players

Virginia has eight players from the state of Maryland: tailback Raynard Horne (Baltimore), nose tackle Nick Jenkins (Westminster), outside linebacker Cameron Johnson (Greenbelt), quarterback Brendan Lane (Annapolis), safety Matt Leemhuis (Bethesda), cornerback Rodney McLeod (Oxon Hill), tight end Colter Phillips (Darnestown) and safety Devin Wallace (Fort Washington).

Maryland’s roster, meanwhile, features 14 Virginians.

Future star Johnson shows promise

Johnson, a 6-4, 252-pound true freshman, has yet to start for the Cavaliers, but the consensus among players and coaches on the team is that he’s destined for greatness.

“He’s a very good athlete, a very natural and smooth athletic kid,” Sintim said Tuesday. “He’s very big, as we all know, and he’s very smooth for somebody his size.

“He has the ability to come out and play as a true freshman and make an impact ... He’s a young player — he’s still learning the system — but he’s obviously developing from week to week.“

Johnson had a tackle for loss against Duke last weekend, and he recorded another in the first quarter last night.

Devlin gets first catch

UVa tight end Andrew Devlin, a redshirt freshman, caught a 6-yard pass in the first quarter Saturday. It was the first career reception for Devlin, a redshirt freshman whose role has increased with the loss of Joe Torchia, who hurt his shoulder against Duke.