The Virginia offense will have a different look this year with number seven no longer under center. The graduation of quarterback Matt Schaub, who finished his illustrious Virginia career owning nearly every school record and second place in NCAA history in career completion percentage, has opened the door for what will be the spring's biggest positional battle when the Cavaliers open spring practice tomorrow.
"It's going to be real big to lose Matt on offense because he was such a leader for us," sophomore tailback Wali Lundy said. "You always have to have leaders come up out of each class and somebody's going to have to step up and lead the team."
The front-runner for the job is quarterback-turned-receiver-turned quarterback Marques Hagans. The redshirt sophomore came to Virginia as a quarterback and turned in a strong performance as a replacement for an ineffective Schaub in the fall of 2002. But Schaub bounced back and coaches, seeking to get the athletic Hagans onto the field, moved him to receiver last offseason.
In the midst of his adjustment, Schaub was injured and Hagans was forced to move back to quarterback. In his one-game stint, he completed 17-26 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns against Western Michigan.
Groh and his staff have referred to Hagans as a "playmaker," and will find a way for him to be on the field, be it at quarterback or receiver. Chris Olsen, a sophomore transfer from Notre Dame, is expected to give Hagans the most competition for the starting job. Redshirt sophomore Anthony Martinez, who struggled mightily against South Carolina last year and redshirt freshman Kevin McCabe will also throw their hats in the ring.
The good news for whoever wins the quarterback job is that they will have potential gamebreakers surrounding them. Junior tight end Heath Miller, coming off a 70-catch, 835-yard season, is the nation's top returning tight end and should make the new quarterback's adjustment smooth. With uncertainty in the passing game, the Cavaliers will look to showcase an improved running game. All five starters on the offensive line are back this year, led by Jacobs Award winner Elton Brown. The line will remain young, with only two seniors expected to start in the fall, and will have benefited from an offseason of strength and conditioning (sophomore left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson has added 30 pounds to his 6'5" frame).
"The offensive line... [became] more cohesive throughout the year," junior tailback Alvin Pearman said after the Tire Bowl. "They're young so it takes a little time for everybody to develop and learn to work with each other."
The line will protect a plethora of talented backs with Lundy, the second team All-ACC back, and Pearman -- both dual threats running and catching the ball.
"We've got a lot of talent in the backfield," Pearman said. "Whenever the coaches decide to go with us, we'll never shy away from a challenge."
The offense will welcome back a pair of 2002 Cavaliers who missed last season with injuries, both of whom will step into starting roles. Senior Michael McGrew, expected to be the team's top receiver in 2003 before he broke his leg, will start at wideout and sophomore Jason Snelling will take over the fullback duties. A pair of rising sophomores with size and speed, Deyon Williams and Fontel Mines, are expected to see significant time as well.
"We've got a lot of weapons on offense coming back," Miller said. "If we can utilize them all, then we're going to be a dangerous offense."
Perhaps the biggest scoring weapon is second-team All-American Connor Hughes, the placekicker who hit 23 of 25 attempts last season, including three from beyond 50 yards.
"He's definitely automatic," Schaub said in December. "We know that when we get to a certain point of the field, he's going to make it. If we just give him an opportunity, he's definitely going to kick it through."
The punting situation, however, is clouded with uncertainty since two-year starter Tom Hagan decided to quit football and concentrate on baseball. Sophomore Sean Johnson, who has spent the last two years on a Mormon mission in Las Vegas, will battle with sophomore walk-on Noah Greenbaum and incoming freshman Bryan Lescanec, according to collegefootballnews.com. Look for Johnson, who earned scholastic All-State honors in 1999, to be booming kicks in the fall.
The quarterback battle should merit watching, but it is important to remember that the Virginia offense is still very young, with only three seniors projected to start in the fall.
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