When the Virginia football team invades College Park, Md., on Saturday to take on No. 25 Maryland, it will be battling for first place in the ACC. Both teams are 2-0 in conference play.
Virginia coach Al Groh said his squad faces a very tough opponent in the Terrapins (4-0).
"The team that we play this week is 4-0 for some of the classic reasons," Groh said. "Number one they are playing very good defense. Two, they are running the ball with authority. Three, they have very good special teams, which is getting them excellent field position."
The statistics support Groh's assertions. The Terrapins are ranked No. 1 in the conference in scoring defense, No. 2 in rushing offense and No. 1 in punting.
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Virginia (3-1) will see even more number ones if it beats Maryland. The team would be atop the ACC standings alone, a rare occurrence since Florida State entered the league in 1992. But Groh isn't going to worry about standings just yet.
"I'm not worried at all about playing for first place because there is only one time when it is important to be in first place, and that is in December," he said. "All we're trying to do is beat this team."
Virginia has beat the Terrapins nine straight times, including the last four at Maryland.
Youngsters step up for Cavaliers
Alvin Pearman and Almondo Curry are two players that gained high praise from Groh this week. Pearman, a freshman running back, rushed for 54 yards on eight carries Saturday and continued to handle his kick-returning duties for Virginia. He is fourth in the league in punt returns and first on the team in all-purpose yards.
"He is very competitively tough," Groh said. "When I reviewed the tapes on him I could tell he's fast in any league. He showed that he had very good quickness and acceleration. He has been very successful on the football field and we need that from some of our youngsters."
Curry has stepped up as a nickel-and-dime package defensive back. He is second on the team in sacks with three, behind linebacker Angelo Crowell. Curry had two sacks Saturday against Duke.
"He's got a nice knack for" sacking the quarterback, Groh said. "He's a very savvy kid as a player. He understands what he has to do to play. Competition is trying really hard to figure out a way to be successful, and that's what this kid does."
Penalties a thorn in Virginia's side
Groh also said Virginia must reduce its penalties to continue hunting for an ACC title. The Cavaliers were penalized 13 times for 110 yards on Saturday and 11 times for 80 yards on Sept. 22 at Clemson. Groh doesn't have a problem with being aggressive, but he won't stand for careless penalties, he said.
"A lot of those aren't aggressive, it's just stupidity," he said. "Every player is accountable for his own penalties. Perhaps I haven't been enforcing that accountability hard enough. No player is worth penalties because they can lose games. There is a point everyone uses up all their chits"
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