At first glance, the Virginia football team's receiving corps would appear to be of little threat to the defenses of the ACC. Four of the top five pass catchers from last season are gone, including tight end Billy Baber, who is now with the Kansas City Chiefs. Those four receivers combined to catch 91 passes last season.
However, the remaining receivers and tight ends are confident that their unit has just as much depth as their predecessors' squad did. New head coach Al Groh has dreamed up several new offensive wrinkles to throw at defenses, starting with an expanded role for the tight end.
"I like that idea, the red zone, scoring touchdowns," senior tight end Chris Luzar said. "I don't know what [Groh] has in mind for the tight end [yet], but everyone wants the ball, so I hope the ball comes my way."
Luzar is the second-leading returning receiver for the Cavaliers, behind junior wide receiver Billy McMullen. However, Luzar totaled only nine receptions last season, so there is plenty of room for receivers to step up as playmakers.
McMullen is unquestionably the team's top dog as receiver. His supporting cast includes junior wide receiver Tavon Mason, sophomore wide receiver Michael McGrew, Luzar and freshman tight end Patrick Estes.
"A lot of people will key on me, so that opens them up," McMullen said of his receiving counterparts. "Tavon's got great speed, Michael's got a lot of moves, so I think it's going to help us out."
McMullen led the team last season with 30 receptions for three touchdowns. In Saturday's 26-17 loss to Wisconsin, he caught a 36-yard touchdown pass for Virginia's first score. The next four receivers on the stat sheet last year - Demetrius Dotson, Kevin Coffey, Billy Baber and James Johnson - are gone. Groh hopes Luzar and Estes can help fill the void left by those four players, particularly Baber.
A "very significant role for [the tight end] is in the red area where things get all constricted," Groh said. "A lot of it is getting the ball up and above the defense."
Several other players will contribute in the passing game and add depth to an inexperienced receiving corps. Redshirt freshmen Jeremiah Chambliss and Scott Penwell and true freshmen Ottowa Anderson and Scott Robinson are the leading candidates to receive playing time. However, the freshman that comes in with the highest pedigree is Estes, a high school All-American from Richmond. His presence should push Luzar to higher levels of production, and the senior tight end isn't scared of the competition.
"I'm not worried about it at all really," Luzar said. "If he's confident, fine. But I'm not worried about it."
Luzar's sentiments echo those of the Virginia receiving corps about the upcoming season. They may not be well known, but the talent is there, and the players are eager to prove naysayers wrong.
Read More
Virginia baseball boasts the best catcher in the country — a Division III transfer
By Xander Tilock | 10 hours agoFerence has replaced Teel admirably, and will look to lift Virginia back to the College World Series.
Lacrosse defenseman Cole Kastner announces transfer to Stanford basketball
By Michael Liebermann | YesterdayKastner is reviving a hoops career that has lain dormant since he graduated high school.
Virginia gets second Notre Dame rematch in a dynamic ACC Tournament bout Friday
By Michael Liebermann | YesterdayThe Cavaliers will get a shot at redemption against a vaunted ACC foe, in a game with serious postseason seeding implications.
