After Saturday's game that featured all three Cavalier quarterbacks, Jameel Sewell is slated to start for Thursday's game against Georgia Tech entering practice this week.
"I think we will probably start the week in the order in which we finished the game and see how it progresses from there," Virginia coach Al Groh said.
That would put the order on the depth chart as Sewell, Christian Olsen, Kevin McCabe.
Sewell, a redshirt freshman, played the entire second half against Western Michigan in the first appearance of his career. He completed seven passes on 10 attempts for 51 yards in the 17-10 loss.
The Cavaliers failed to score with Sewell under center, despite the fact that they started two drives from beyond their own 40-yard line. Kicker Chris Gould was unable to convert the only scoring opportunity in the second half, a 41-yard field goal attempt with 8:38 left in the fourth quarter.
"He's getting his opportunity to get some playing time," Groh said. "We expect that he'll progress along and we're willing to handle whatever goes along with that."
Sewell came in after a first half in which McCabe and Olsen threw for a total of 138 yards. McCabe, the starter, accounted for 111 of those yards, but threw two interceptions before being replaced by Olsen.
Sophomore wide receiver Kevin Ogletree insisted that the quarterback controversy is not causing any problems for the team.
"We work with all three of them every day in practice," Ogletree said. "The rotation is pretty steady so we're not uncomfortable or worried about which QB is in. It's not going to have that much of a difference on the offense as a whole."
However, there is no denying that the offense needs a boost.
The offense was "a little sloppy," Sewell said. "We needed a lot more enthusiasm. Just mentally we weren't there."
Sewell is in his second year with the Cavaliers, after redshirting his first year. As a senior at Hermitage High School in Richmond, he earned Second-team All-State honors while leading the region in passing with 106 completions for 2,001 yards and 27 touchdowns.
When Sewell entered the game Saturday, he had only one thought on his mind. "Just win," Sewell said. "I was thinking just win."
Sewell is a threat both with his arm and with his feet. He was rated by Rivals.com as the nation's number-20 "dual threat" quarterback. He showed glimpses of this versatility against Western Michigan. On the Cavaliers' last offensive play, a desperate 4th and 20 from the Cavaliers own 31 yard-line, Sewell nearly got a first down with an 18-yard run.
Even with Sewell's talent, Groh said patience is the key for his young quarterback.
"As I pointed out to [Sewell] last week, when your chance comes, I have a lot of confidence in you and expect that you'll do well," Groh said. "Peyton Manning had 24 interceptions his first season and Tom Brady was inactive for 16 games. So even guys playing at that high level didn't get off to a roaring start."
Read More
Cavaliers collapse, lose 3-2 in walkoff to North Carolina
By Xander Tilock | YesterdayVirginia will head to the loser's bracket Sunday after a disappointing loss to North Carolina.
Gertrude out for season after scooter accident
By Michael Liebermann | YesterdayThe hype around his second season will have to wait.
Tony Bennett’s contract extended to 2030
By Xander Tilock | YesterdayWith the legendary coach secured in Charlottesville, the Cavaliers can focus on returning to a standard of postseason success.
