It is hard to ascertain much from a spring football game. There are no kickoffs, the quarterbacks can be taken down by a two-hand touch and players compete against their own familiar teammates. At best, the game offers a clue as to what lies ahead in the five months between early April and start of the season in late August.
On a chilly Saturday afternoon at Scott Stadium, a Virginia football team surrounded by unanswered questions suited up for its annual Orange-Blue intrasquad scrimmage. Throughout the course of the game — an 18-15 win by the Orange team — some aspects of the coming year began to come into focus while others may remain a mystery right up until the end of the summer.
“The big thing was to see execution,” coach Mike London said. “There were good things there today, but obviously things we need to work on.”
Perhaps the biggest story coming into the spring game was the quarterback situation. After junior starter Michael Rocco transferred out of the program in January, the Cavaliers were left with several options to choose from under center. Since the beginning of spring practices, London has had sophomore David Watford atop the depth chart, followed by redshirt freshman Greyson Lambert and junior Phillip Sims, who made four starts last year and saw significant playing time in tandem with Rocco.
Saturday, all three quarterbacks rotated drives between the Blue team — the No. 1 offense — and the Orange team, the second string offense. Watford and Lambert both made strong opening statements, each leading a touchdown drive to open the game. Watford scrambled for his score and showed flashes of his mobility all throughout the game. After a disappointing 2011 season, Watford redshirted last year.
“I feel like I’ve matured a lot mentally and in my knowledge of the game,” Watford said. “We still have a lot to go, but I feel like I’ve matured a lot … just training myself just to read defenses better.”
Watford and senior defensive tackle Brent Urban were awarded the Iron Cavalier award by London for their work in the weight room this spring.
Lambert also impressed at quarterback, showing the type of ability that made him a well-regarded recruit in 2011. He finished with 248 yards and two touchdowns on 21-for-36 passing, further intensifying a quarterback controversy that has plagued the team for the last two seasons.
“I feel really comfortable,” Lambert said. “I’ve learned a lot since the beginning of spring, and I really enjoy playing. I’ve just been trying to grow [the mentality that] I’m the facilitator. I’m just trying to get the ball to the guys who are a lot more athletic than I am.”
Listed third in the rotation was Sims, the starter for parts of last season and a highly-touted transfer. Sims struggled Saturday, failing to lead a scoring drive in the game and completing 8-of-18 passes for 89 yards.
“I know if I do the things I’m capable of doing, that’s all I can ask of myself,” Sims said. “If it’s good enough, it’s good enough and if not, so be it.”
While Virginia’s quarterbacks battled it out Saturday, its receiving corps shined. The Cavaliers had three players with more than 70 yards receiving in senior Tim Smith, junior E.J. Scott and sophomore Adrian Gamble. Smith is expected to be one of Virginia’s top receivers this year, but the contributions of Scott and Gamble came as a welcome surprise.
“[Gamble’s] got plenty quicks — he’s very fast,” London said. “There are a healthy number of receivers that we have that are being held to the standard that everything they do has to give a chance to win games. … He can be and he will be special.”
All three quarterbacks are adjusting to the scheme being implemented by newly hired offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild. The system is predicated on “smash-mouth” football starting with the running game, but neither the Blue nor Orange teams found much success on the ground. The teams combined for just 40 rushing yards in the game as Virginia’s offensive line struggled. The line came into the spring with some uncertainty, and the unit did little to assuage those doubts Saturday, allowing 14 sacks and three safeties in the game.
Watford was sacked seven times, but that number was in part the product of the game’s quirky rules. Quarterbacks in the scrimmage were ruled down after any two-handed contact by a defender, and Watford believes he may have been able to do more in an actual game.
“I felt like there were a couple of opportunities where I could have ran, used my legs, but it’s all good,” Watford said. “It’s all just part of spring ball.”
On the other side of the ball, the unit under new defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta performed well. The defense used a blitz-heavy attack to register the 14 sacks, and Urban recorded 3.5 by himself.
“[Urban] has to be a player for us, and I think he’s an older guy now, he’s been in the college football game,” London said. “This is an attack style defense — it gives him the chance to get on the edge and play vertical … he definitely is going to be one of the guys on defense that we have to rely on.”
Though its spring game may have generated as many questions as answers, London and Virginia will have an entire summer between them and opening weekend against Brigham Young to address lingering concerns.
“We’re continuing to learn on all phases,” London said. “We’re pleased with the progress right now, but we know there’s still some things the coaches want to accomplish with the players.”
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