For University students, midterms are about two weeks away. But Virginia athletics run on a different schedule, with the fall season starting a couple weeks before the academic semester starts, and ending a couple weeks before the academic semester ends.
So, I find this an ideal time to give each of the fall sports midterm grades. Report card columns have been written before, in this publication and in others, so this is not exactly original. But students get midterm grades every semester; why shouldn't athletic programs?
Here are the associated midterm grades for each of the five fall varsity sports and their justifications. Following each explanation is a metaphor to the classroom setting, which may or may not border on the absurd. And finally, based on the popularity and revenue-generating potential of each sport, I will give approximate credits "earned" and calculate a midterm GPA at the end of the column.
1. Football. This evaluation is by far the easiest. The football team has yet to win a game and is 108th in total offense out of the 120 BCS teams - prior to its 37-34 loss to Southern Mississippi, the Cavs were dead last. It even appears that Virginia coach Al Groh is moving away from new offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon's spread offense and back to the more pro-style approach from previous seasons, with Groh telling reporters after a 37-34 loss that "we got back to our roots" in the days leading up to the game. Now 0-3, only a drastic turnaround will change this team's fortunes.
In other words, the football team flunked the first two tests, and a C- on its last exam doesn't bring its current grade above failing. And before the semester started, the professor - Groh - gave more leeway to his teaching assistants - the coordinators - but he is now tightening his leash. One might imagine that the Cavs might be a little confused. Only superb performances the rest of the semester will save the team now, and that is pretty unlikely. Grade: F. Credits: 10.
2. Men's soccer. This one is interesting. Virginia coach George Gelnovatch decided to rethink his tactical outlook this past summer; this season, he is asking more players to attack from midfield and defending positions. To start, the outlook was not particularly promising, as the team scored one goal combined while losing all three of its exhibition games. Admittedly, Gelnovatch was playing nearly his entire roster while awaiting the return of marquee players Tony Tchani and Chris Agorsor.
Still, however, No. 11 Virginia barely scraped by unranked Washington in overtime in a season-opening tournament, then fell to No. 12 Duke, also in overtime. But, Gelnovatch's bunch then turned around and impressively took out then-No. 2 Wake Forest on the road Friday, before sweating out a 1-0 win at home against lowly Mount Saint Mary's. It appears that the Cavs are capable of playing up or down to just about anyone on their schedule.
In other words, Virginia flunked the practice test - albeit while not giving a full effort - but followed that with a couple Cs on some homework assignments that were certainly not meaningless. Virginia then rallied for an A on the next test - Wake Forest - but received another meager passing grade on its next assignment, Mount Saint Mary's. The Cavs' grade report is riddled with all sorts of grades, but the A on the toughest test so far means the most. A couple more exams like that, and they'll be in A territory. And as the Cavs continue to adjust to their new study method - the new tactical outlook - those types of performances appear more likely. Grade: B+. Credits: 4.
3. Women's soccer. Like its male counterpart, the No. 11 women's soccer team did not open the season well. Unranked Penn State had only one win in four games against opponents ranked in the top 15 until it faced the Cavaliers - and that was Virginia's season opener. Unlike the Cavalier men, though, the women have yet to land a landmark win, coming up with a loss and two ties against the three opponents that are ranked or have received votes in the latest NSCAA/Adidas poll. On the other hand, the Cavs have trounced just about everybody else.
In other words, the Cavaliers are making As on homework assignments, but when it comes exam time, they have not fared as well. When the meat of the exam schedule - the ACC slate - hits, the Cavs must perform if they want to earn a B or better, but for now, they are at least on solid ground. Grade: B. Credits: 3.
4. Field hockey. So far, this is the team that has made its biggest mark. No other team that has competed more than once is undefeated in the fall season - field hockey is 8-0. Lately, in particular, the No. 4 Cavaliers have been marvelous, walking all over No. 8 Michigan State, 3-0, and winning their previous three games by at least three goals and by as many as five.
But, I am not completely sold yet. Prior to their streak, the Cavaliers won each of their previous three games against unranked opponents by one goal each. Virginia statistically dominated those three games, outshooting its opponents 51-17, but converted just four of those 51 shots into goals. It is likely no coincidence that the Cavaliers' leading scorers are both underclassmen: freshman Tara Puffenberger and sophomore Paige Selenski.
Perhaps now, midseason, Virginia's youth is a thing of the past. On the other hand, the Cavs have yet to play an opponent in their conference, and three of the other four ACC teams are ranked in the three spots above Virginia at No. 4.
In other words, Virginia has gotten As lately, and most recently pulled an A+ on its last and most important exam - Michigan State - but had a few Bs to start the year. The Cavs sit on the border of an A and an A-; if they pull out a few more As the rest of the way, they could be golden. Grade: A-. Credits: 2.
5. Cross country. The cross country teams - both men's and women's - are harder to evaluate at this point in the season, because the only meet they have competed in is the Lou Onesty Invitational. This year's version presented preseason-No. 11 Virginia with unranked Norfolk State, George Mason and UNC-Greensboro, and the Cavs easily tallied the most points on both sides. Nevertheless, Virginia ran exactly as it should have in that one competition.
In other words, the Cavs have had one assignment - the Lou Onesty Invitational - and it was a fairly meaningless one. Virginia put in the work and came out with the A, but the big exams - the ACC and NCAA Championships - won't occur for more than a month. For now, though, Virginia got an A on its first assignment and will be given its midterm grade accordingly. Grade: A. Credits: 2 (one each for the men and the women).
Without going into too much of the math - I'm sure U.Va. students are pretty accustomed to calculating GPAs - the Cavs' midterm GPA for 21 credits (quite the course load!) is 1.79, hovering just above a C- average.
Doesn't seem fair to all the sports other than football, does it? On the other hand, given the state of the football program and the weight it carries in the scheme of Virginia athletics with fans and alumni, I'd say it's a pretty fair assessment.
Too bad that, unlike University courses, the football team can't be withdrawn.
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