Submitted by admin on Sun, 2006-12-03 08:00. ::
I see several problems with the U.Va. program. I think that the current coaches and players need to be more agressive in coaching techniques as well as their play. They tend to look like high school players out there at times.
Also, I think maybe their nonconference schedule needs to be a little more competitive. Maybe schedule lower-echelon teams from major conferences, such as Mississippi State from the SEC, Northwestern from the Big Ten or Iowa State from the Big 12.
Truth be known, there is only so much that can be done in the offseason. Coaches hit the recruiting trail, and players hit the weight room. But come opening day of spring practice, Vic Hall needs to be moved from special teams back to offense, whether it be at QB, RB or flanker.
Fire Al Groh and his entire staff and start over. It sure couldn't be any worse, and at the very least we would have some new quips and quotes.
To improve Virginia's football team, please, get rid of coach Al Groh and all his assistants. If U.Va. cannot get rid of Groh, then please get rid of the assistant who calls the offensive plays. He is just plain horrible at his job.
There is a good coach by the name of Larry Coker who is looking for work. He's a good coach and was not responsible for all the bad things that happened at his past job. Miami and Coker were smart to part ways, and both need a fresh start.
The only thing that U.Va. needs to do in order to improve the football team is sit back and let Al Groh do his job. Even before the season started, you had to know that this would be a rebuilding year for the Cavaliers.
They lost six players to the NFL, including a first-rounder in D'Brickshaw Ferguson, a RB in Wali Lundy that holds numerous school records, and an experienced QB in Marques Hagans that is top five statistically in nearly every QB stat that U.Va. keeps. Those are significant losses.
U.Va. also lost six players to the NFL the year before. The 12 players taken in the NFL draft in the past two years is most in U.Va. history for any two-year period.
On top of that, the program lost their defensive and offensive coordinators (who are now head coaches at other universities) and two other assistant coaches. With all of those personnel losses on the sideline and on the field, you had to expect this season would be a tough one for the Cavaliers.
It is also important to keep in mind that U.Va. is not a football factory. Ten-win seasons, ACC titles and BCS bowls are not the standard there. If you win seven to eight games a year and get invited to play in the Peach Bowl, you are doing just fine. That is what George Welsh did, and that is pretty much what Al Groh has done thus far.
1. The offense must be more creative if the team is to improve. Few downfield passes allows the defense to crowd the line of scrimmage and shut down the running game. Also, how many times do you run a good, but slow 235-pound running back on sweeps when the lateral defense is as fast as it was against Virginia Tech, Miami and Florida State. The offense showed some creativity against Miami, and the results were positive.
With one of the lowest-producing offenses in the ACC and certainly a modern-era historical offensive low for Virginia football, it's clear a change here is a must. Virginia has the talent on this team to compete.
Its young QB is coming into his own, and the offensive line is maturing and should make great strides next year. The defense is solid and carried the day week after week despite the pressures created by the offense.
What the team needs is a new play-caller with some offensive imagination who can build some offensive punch and give our young team a chance to win. Who calls a spread formation, empty backfield on third and long in the shadow of their goal near the end of a scoreless half against a Beamer defense just waiting for a kill?
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