Two weeks ago, Virginia sophomore quarterback Matt Schaub got the break he was looking for. He walked onto the field Oct. 6 in the second quarter against No. 25 Maryland with nothing to lose and everything to gain. He was coming off the bench, looking to be the spark that would jump start Virginia's anemic offense and propel the Cavaliers to a big victory. Schaub did provide the spark, but the Virginia defense didn't pull through for the win.
Schaub threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns against the Terrapins. Although Virginia lost, Schaub propelled the offense to 21 points.
Ever since then, the 6-foot-4, 226-pound quarterback from West Chester, Pa., seems to be the answer Virginia coach Al Groh is looking for.
Named the starter for the season-opener against Wisconsin, Schaub struggled mightily in a performance that quickly brought backup sophomore Bryson Spinner off the bench. The Cavaliers went on to lose, 26-17. For the next three games, Schaub played sparingly as Virginia got off to a hot 3-1 start.
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But Spinner then struggled in the first quarter against Maryland, and it was then that Schaub got another chance. Schaub was at the helm as Virginia went up against North Carolina the next week on Oct. 13. He had 334 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 33-of-54 passes - a Virginia record. It seemed as though Schaub finally was getting the hang of it.
"I am getting into a groove," he said. "I feel comfortable going out and playing now. I think both me and Bryson are developing on pace."
Everything was going Schaub's way again, that is, until Florida State came to town on Saturday.
Schaub struggled the entire evening and later called his performance "embarrassing," as the offense never really seemed to click.
But even after all the shuffling around this season on the Virginia offense, Schaub made it clear that there is no way that he will let the Cavaliers' 43-7 loss to the Seminoles get him down. He is determined to show everyone that he can be consistent and put up big numbers every game.
"I had trouble with everything" on Saturday, he said on Monday. "But I'm not going to let that get me down."
Schaub has taken over a Cavalier offense that traditionally has been a rushing power over the last decade. But with Virginia's best running back - senior Antwoine Womack - injured, the Cavaliers have had to rely on their passing game more than ever. That has meant a bigger role for Schaub.
"None of us expected to throw this much," Schaub said. But after Womack went down, "we have had to go to the passing game a little more."
Groh is confident putting the offense in the hands of Schaub, and he said that Schaub has come a long way from the beginning of the season.
"He has played very well in a couple of games," Groh said. "But both of our quarterbacks still have a lot of growing to do."
The quarterback position has been like a revolving door for the Cavaliers this season, as Groh is determined for both quarterbacks to see time. He said that both Schaub and Spinner have bright futures, and he is willing simply to wait and play whoever has the hot hand that week.
Although both quarterbacks have made it known that they want to be "the guy," Schaub assures that there are no hard feelings between he and Spinner.
"It's a good thing not to have any animosity," Schaub said. "Nobody worries about who is playing. We just go out and compete."
Coming out of high school, Schaub was a SuperPrep All-American, and was ranked as high as No. 11 by Lindy's in the 1998 preseason issue.
Schaub was not only a football star. He also played basketball for West Chester High School and was a pitcher for the baseball team. His pitching skills are easy to see, as he is known for how hard and accurate he throws the football.
Now Schaub is ready to take over the offense for good, and lead the Cavaliers to national prominence.
He has been named the starter for the Cavaliers' game at N.C. State this Saturday, and he vows to stay away from the mental mistakes that plagued him against Florida State.
"I had to reflect some, but I'm ready to get back at it," he said. "We have to step up and play harder."
With only five games left - and the fact that the Cavaliers need four wins to become bowl eligible - Virginia needs Schaub to step up more than ever.
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