Spring football has arrived, and with it the countdown to the gridiron season can officially begin.
The 2003 Virginia football team had an up-and-down season that produced great plays and exciting finishes. The 2004 Cavaliers should be even more fun to watch. Already, many analysts are predicting that the Cavaliers will finish in the top 20 and challenge Miami and Florida State for the league title in the newly-expanded ACC.
The strength of this year's team is its defense, which some are predicting will be the best in the conference. Virginia lost three starters from last year's defense; but if the right players can step into those roles, the 2004 squad will be the most dominating in almost a decade.
"We've been working very hard to become a significant defensive team," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "Certainly there's a process that has to be gone through to accomplish that, and we're moving down that process."
Most of the defensive firepower will come from the linebacking corps. All-ACC linebacker Ahmad Brooks and former National Rookie of the Year Darryl Blackstock will anchor the linebackers and will receive plenty of help from mammoth inside backer Kai Parham. This trio came together toward the end of the 2003 campaign, shutting down Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh in consecutive games. The fourth linebacker spot in Groh's 3-4 scheme is up for grabs, but look for it to go to a redshirt freshman -- either New Jersey native Jermaine Dias or two-sport star Vince Redd. The early edge has to go to Redd because of his sheer size. He stands 6'7" and his height could make it difficult for quarterbacks to throw to the outside.
The defensive line also should be improved after another year of weight room training. Rising senior defensive end Chris Canty could have gone pro following the 2003 season but chose to stick around for his senior year. He will play the role of "superstar" up front. Nose tackle Andrew Hoffman and end Brennan Schmidt have performed well for two seasons despite being slightly undersized, and they'll be the starters going into spring ball.
Two names to watch for are end K'wakou Robinson and nose tackle Keenan Carter. Robinson was a highly regarded recruit coming out of high school but has not blossomed like some thought he would. 2004 could be his breakout season. Carter weighs over 300 pounds, an attribute Groh has been looking for in a nose tackle. Regardless of who starts, the defensive line will combine with the linebackers into a scary front seven.
"I wish I was around to be on the defense with those type of guys, with the speed and power that they have," departing cornerback Almondo Curry said. "I wish I had another year just to hang around, now that they've been through the ropes."
Groh has said that any good defense starts in the secondary, and unfortunately for him, the Cavalier secondary has some question marks. At corner, look for Tony Franklin and Marcus Hamilton to step into the starting roles vacated by Curry and Jamaine Winborne. Franklin started some last year after Winborne moved to safety and played well enough to hold the starting spot into spring practice. Hamilton has the prototypical body of a good, strong corner. In the fall, these two will face a challenge from incoming freshman Phillip Brown. Groh has referred to Brown as a "shut down corner" and may look to him early if one of the starters falters.
Virginia's real question mark is at the safety spot, where the starters in spring practice might not be the starters in the fall. Virginia received a huge blow when Willie Davis suffered a neck injury in a Sept. 7 collision against South Carolina. Davis, one of Groh's most dynamic defensive players, may never play football again.
The injury bug also bit Jay Hardy, who played most of the 2003 with a torn MCL. Hardy had surgery after the Continental Tire Bowl and will sit out spring practice. If healthy, he should regain his starting spot in the fall.
The second spot is anyone's guess. Lance Evans and Robbie Catterton played well in limited time last season and should start in spring practice. Groh also is considering moving an offensive player to safety -- either receiver Ottowa Anderson or running back Marquis Weeks. Anderson led Virginia in receptions last season, so it is unlikely Groh will move him to defense. Weeks is somewhat buried under Wali Lundy and Alvin Pearman on the two-deep at running back so a switch to safety might be his best way to see the field. In the fall, look for incoming freshman Nate Lyles to challenge for a starting spot as well.
If Virginia can solve its questions in the secondary, look for the Cavaliers to make a strong run into the ACC's elite.
"We will have to work harder in the offseason because we have new teams coming in," linebacker Ahmad Brooks said. "Our defense did good [in 2003] but will be better next year."
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