The Virginia athletic department officially announced Sunday morning that it has granted junior quarterback Michael Rocco an unconditional release from the football team and the school. Rocco will pursue a transfer following this semester, according to the release.
Reports of Rocco’s abdication first surfaced Saturday morning, when The Roanoke Times’ Doug Doughty tweeted the news. Rocco met with Coach Mike London Friday to discuss his intention to leave the Cavaliers.
“After meeting with Michael and discussing his future with our program and his personal goals and interests I understand his desire to complete his college football career elsewhere,” London said in a statement.
In 30 appearances and 21 starts for Virginia, Rocco compiled 4,731 yards, 27 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. He found his groove near the end of the 2011 season, leading the Cavaliers to four straight late-season wins and a Chick Fil-A Bowl appearance while finishing the year with 2,671 yards — a record for a Virginia sophomore and the fourth-best output overall in program history.
“Michael has been an outstanding member of our program on the field, in the classroom and in the community. I appreciate the competitive nature, work ethic and leadership he brought to our program, and I wish him the best in his future endeavors,” London said.
Rocco’s production dipped at the outset of 2012, however, leading to London benching him in favor of sophomore Phillip Sims for the Oct. 6 game against Duke. Rocco returned to the starting lineup Nov. 10 against Miami and finished the season with 1,917 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Along with Sims, sophomore David Watford and freshman Greyson Lambert could challenge for the Virginia starting quarterback position in 2013. Appearing in every game and starting four, Sims passed for 1,263 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions this season.
An athletics department representative said that Rocco would decline comment “until he enrolls at a new school, which is unknown still.”
—compiled by Fritz Metzinger
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