The long-awaited announcement Monday that junior Michael Rocco will be the starting quarterback for Saturday’s season-opener against Richmond was the highlight of Virginia’s unveiled depth chart. The decision leaves sophomore Phillip Sims, a recent transfer from Alabama, as the team’s backup. Coach Mike London intimated that sophomore David Watford, the dark horse candidate for the starting job, may be redshirted.
London ended weeks of speculation and debate about who would be under center against the Spiders by listing the incumbent Rocco atop the depth chart. In opting for Rocco, London and offensive coordinator Bill Lazor chose experience and stability over the enticing physical capabilities of Sims and Watford.
“It became apparent that Michael has the best grasp of the offense right now,” London said. “To start a game, he’s the guy we feel most comfortable with right now because of what he knows — knowing the systems, the schemes, and knowing the players that he’ll be throwing the ball to or handing the ball off to.”
Starting all 13 games last season, Rocco amassed 2,671 yards and 13 touchdowns against 12 interceptions and completed 60.7 percent of his passes.
“I believed that I was the starter throughout the spring and into the summer and it was my job to lose,” Rocco said. “I was excited [to hear I would start], but I kind of had a confidence in my mind too.”
Rocco’s play improved dramatically in the final quarter of the season after London stopped alternating between Rocco and Watford and deemed Rocco the surefire first-team quarterback. The Lynchburg, Va. native tallied 1,485 yards, nine touchdowns and just four picks in his final six games. Emboldened by his successful end to 2011 and an impressive offseason, Rocco expects vast improvement in his second season as a starter.
“The confidence I feel now, not just playing college football but knowing the offense and knowing where to go with the football, is just light-years ahead of where I was last year,” Rocco said.
For the second straight season, Sims will play a supporting role to a starter. He played behind A.J. McCarron last season at Alabama. He finished 18-for-28 for 163 yards and two interceptions in eight games with the Crimson Tide in 2011.
London pledged to make use of the Chesapeake, Va. native and all-time leader in career passing yards in high school for the state of Virginia. But the coach played coy when pressed if he would employ the same two-quarterback, series-by-series formula used for Rocco and Watford last season, citing Sims’ lack of familiarity with the offense.
“I think any opportunities we get a chance to play Phillip, we will,” London said. “I just think it’s hard for me to say right now, ‘this is what we’re going to do’ with regards to series.”
London said Sims’ learning curve in a new offense factored into his decision.
“He’s a guy that’s learning our offense. To expect him to know the whole offense by the time the season started, I don’t think that would be fair to him,” London said.
Watford, a dual-threat quarterback from Hampton, Va., appears to be the odd man out of the three for now. After completing 30-of-74 passes while struggling to find consistency in many of his appearances last year, Watford clawed his way back into the quarterback competition with a strong offseason. Still — to London’s chagrin — it was not enough.
“With David, it was a tough call,” London said. “David has done everything that we’ve asked and some.”
Though London stated that his “plans are to redshirt him,” the coach has not ruled out the possibility of using Watford this season and has even gauged the quarterback’s interest in switching positions.
“I just want to make sure as we’re moving forward that the decision with Michael and Phil does not exclude David,” London said. “But as the season goes on, it will be evaluated, reevaluated.”
London spoke glowingly of the conduct of all three throughout the fierce contest for the starting job.
“I had a chance to talk with all three of them,” London said. “What’s amazing about it, we talked about being selfless. I mean, they’re three selfless players. They want what’s best for the team.”
Rocco is relishing his opportunity to reward his coach’s confidence in him. He will have his first chance to do so when he faces London’s former team, the Spiders, who are currently coached by Rocco’s uncle, head coach Danny Rocco.
“I root for Phil and David as hard as I can,” Michael Rocco said. “They’re both teammates of mine and I would never want anything bad to happen in their career. But I believe that I’m here to play quarterback, and I’m here to play quarterback at a high level.”
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