UVA never had a chance and were beaten badly. It was one of their worst drubbings in history. I'm glad they took the chance rather than opting to go against Heygivemebackmyjockstrap high school. Still, rather poor performance all around. We'll see if they can bounce back against Richmond this week.
JMU got it handed to them pretty good too against Duke. We held close in the first half. It was 7-7 late into the first half but I am not sure what happened in the second half but I believe the final score was 31-7. I really expected to win this game and maybe on another day, we could have performed better but it is what it is and it's time to move on.
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USC is clearly at a completely different level. I would have liked to see it closer, but didn't expect victory. The next 8 games are critical. They are games that UVA should be competitive in and frankly most of which they should win. I expect them to go at least 6-2 before closing out against Clemson, Wake, and VT.
If they finish 7-4 this year and get into a reasonable bowl game, it is a successful year and I am happy.
That would be a typical UVA year. Mediocrity and getting into the Scratchbybuttohwaitthenmyfingerstinks Bowl.
Look, I don't really expect national championships. I think UVA is a solid team that can challenge for an ACC crown from time to time and make a BCS bowl once a decade.
Major college football - not 1-AA - requires significant resources to be spent and quite often academic standards to be lower for football players. UVA just doesn't do that, nor do I want them to. I don't want scandals and I'd rather money be spent on academic programs than be diverted to football.
The fact that three starters from last year's football team, including the starting QB and UVA's best returning defensive player, were dismissed for academic reasons is fine with me. At other programs they would have been retained to save the football program.
Losing to Duke is never a good thing, but there is a difference between 1-A and the lower divisions. Not good, but I'm not surprised.
UVA looked like it belonged in the lower divisions against USC. I have to disagree with Robs. I didn't expect to win, but for Homer's statue's sake, at least be competitive! That was downright embarrassing. The only good part of the game was when ABC took their cameras to the Corner and showed the cooks making Gusburgers at the White Spot. Oh, and the stadium looks really nice.
The offense line couldn't block, the receivers seemed like they were jogging through their routes, and there were a bunch of stupid mental errors. The defense was constantly out of position. The one thing that irritated me to no end was that whenever a safety or LB blitzed around the edge and had a clear shot at the RB in the backfield, USC's QB would fake a bootleg and our safety or LB ALWAYS went with the QB. As a result we basically had 10 guys on the field on every defensive play. That was just plain stupid...Bad coaching if you ask me. These are basics...fundamentals...It's not about USC being on a different talent level. It's about UVA not being prepared to the level they should be to be competitive.
I'm still not a Groh fan and that performance didn't help change my mind at all.
Deeps, you need to actually get behind the team. Last year, they lost to Wyoming before getting on their run. It is a long season. If they finish 7-4 after losing so many of their starters from last year.
I am behind the team. I watched the game. I was not happy with what I saw and I want better for my school.
Being critical of the team doesn't mean I don't support it. I was excited to see us have a real challenge ahead of us. I had my son wearing a UVA football jersey and I was rooting for us to succeed and at least give the home crowd something to enjoy.
You see...I was at Scott Stadium the day we beat FSU. I saw us run over and through the then #2 team in the country as if we belonged in the discussion of legitimate football programs. Since Groh's arrived, year in and year out, we just don't show up for our big games. Remember when we were 4th in the country going down to FSU for a big ACC showdown on national TV a couple seasons ago? We lost 36-0. That's just one example, but one that typifies UVA football under Groh.
I'm not saying Groh needs to go (yet), but if you're going to put USC on your schedule at home on national TV and in front of a record crowd, at least don't go out there not ready to compete with a high school team.
I don't care if people criticize the team or not. However, there is so much doom and gloom for no real reason in my opinion.
The program is a clean program. It is a reasonably competitive program. Recruiting has been solid - not great - but solid. There have been a lot of coaching losses as a result of guys getting head coaching positions - it shows they must be doing something right.
When I was at UVA, people were calling for George Welsh's head because they wanted UVA to be a national contender. Groh is facing the same thing. Unless UVA is going to focus more energy and resources - which they shouldn't - on football, then fans should expect about 7-4 seasons with an occasional surprise season that is better and occasional down years.
I would be more likely to call for Groh's head if I learned that he was cheating on recruiting or allowing unqualified players to stay with the program.
Come on now! UVA recruits guys that have no business going to a school like UVA. I knew a guy that played at UVA from my high school and he didn't have the qualifications for UVA. Sure that was under the Welsh years but Groh has been a great recruiter and I'm sure that many of those players that are great recruits do not have the grades to make it in UVA.
That also leads to part of the problem with Groh. He gets great recruits but that doesn't translate into wins on the field.
As far as Deepie supporting his team, he is supporting his team. There is nothing wrong with being upset with a 52-7 drubbing. In fact, I would expect fans to be upset. He should expect better. In fact, I am surprised you aren't more disappointed with that type of massacre.
See, RobsObs, your problem is that you support your teams blindly. You can only see the good in them.
Just as Deepie was upset with that loss, I was equally upset with JMU's loss to Duke. I understand that they are 1-A and we are 1-AA but I expected to win that game or at the very least make it competitive. For a half we did that but we faded in the second half and I take no solace in that.
You can be happy with the the mediocrity. I expect better.
They do? Who are you referring to? Be specific. Anyone who cannot make the grade is dismissed from the program.
UVA has some talent, but they don't have the most talented recruiting classes. Show me how/where that is written.
No, I don't follow my team blindly, I simply don't want to see UVA commit any more resources to the football program. I have a realistic view of the team and the level that it can compete at. I keep saying it but you keep ignoring it.
OK, since you think all they need is another coach, who should they hire?
I also expect that you believe they should also spend more money to build the program. That is easy for you to say - but what academic programs should UVA cut? Frankly JKD, I have no idea why you care given that you aren't an alum and you don't have stake in the school.
Com'on Robs. Surely you remember how highly praised Groh was for his so-called strong recruiting classes his first few years as coach:
http://www.cavtalk.20m.com/photo.html
That's from 2002. Plenty of analysts had us with a top 10 recruiting class.
Go to http://virginia.rivals.com/teamrank.asp?
and search by year.
For 2009 we have the 22nd rated class.
2007 - 25th
2005 - 19th
2003 - 20th
2002 - 12th
You keep arguing that we don't focus on football, but we do. That's why we got Groh. When he was hired, he said he wanted to see his alma mater become significant at the national level. Our recruiting classes are always better than average, but we keep performing like an average team that occasionally wins a few more than it loses.
If our recruiting classes were average and we didn't approach football the way we obviously do, I wouldn't have higher expectations. The only reason I do have higher expectations is because we do everything to win 9-10 games a year and be competitive except win and be competitive.
Oh. And by the way, Groh was the 16th highest paid coach in NCAA in 06-07:
http://www.dopke.com/Archives_Pages/
Coaching_Changes/DIACoachesComp2006.
htm
Consistently having a top 25 recruiting class and having a highly paid coach are pretty clear indicators of UVA putting an emphasis on its football program...Or do you disagree?
From your listing you should be able to see the problem. The top programs in the country (like USC) have Top 10 to Top 5 recruiting classes EVERY YEAR. That is how they end up winning 9-10 games regularly.
If every other year UVA has a recruiting class ranked around number 20 in the country then they should be a team that consistently wins games - THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY DO.
How in the Hell do you expect UVA to compete against a USC that has top 5 recruiting classes every single year?
Deeps, UVA football has been competitive and has performed consistently better than most 1-A teams.
UVA is not a football powerhouse - it never was and it probably never will be. The reason is simple - we don't have any history and we do not commit the significant resources that require that. We also maintain very high academic standards relative to other 1-A programs.
Please explain to me what attraction a top flight coach would have to come to UVA. We have tough standards, a luke-warm fan base, and average (but solid) facilities. On top of that, there is an in-state rival that is better for football on all of these things.
Fans - including you Deeps - need to get real. Al Groh has done a very good job. We could have a lot, lot worse.
He is not 16th highest paid anymore I am sure.
There is a focus on UVA football to make it a solid performer - and that is what it is. You can see my last post.
Dude...we win more than we lose only because we play Michigan TeenieWeenieThimblePeenie University every year...Not to mention that most of the ACC sucks.
I'm quickly being reminded that trying to prove a point to you is a useless effort in futility, but I'll give you one more nugget. Since 2002, Va Tech has had 2 top 25 recruiting classes to our 5. What does Beamer translate his marginal talent into during that time? A nationally recognized program with 2 ACC championships. What have our 5 top 25 recruiting classes turned into? We're apparently the darlings of the Gaylord Hotel and Continental Tire Who Cares Bowls.
Keep being satisfied with mediocrity if you want. Our talent doesn't translate to solid play on the field against decent teams. We can't beat Va Tech. We don't even belong in the same sentence as USC. I don't even care if we don't win those big games...just be competitive and show everyone that our top recruiting classes are providing a solid foundation for our team. That's not happening and it's due to ineptitude on the coach's part.
Deeps brings up a good point. Despite the fact that, as you claim, VA Tech has lower standards, a warmer fan base, and better football facilities (I can neither confirm nor deny this claim), UVA has out recruited them. If that is correct, how can it be explained that VA Tech is consistently in the national spotlight and UVA is no where to be seen?
Oh. And another little gem for you. In 1997, UVA's fitness centers for its athletes were rated as the best in the country by Sports Illustrated. I remember reading an article about it back in my drunken stupor college years. Yes, it's 11 years later, but if you want to believe it's dropped significantly from 1st place, you're kidding yourself.
We have top notch facilities, a beautiful stadium, a great school, very good recruiting classes and a so-so coach that makes it all pointless.
Deeps you don't need to convince me of anything. And, I don't feel a need to convince you of anything. The facts are what they are and I have no problem with UVA football. It is performing well on a consistent basis.
UVA has gone 46-30 (.605) since 2002, and VT has gone 60-20 (.750). UVA has a solid program that does not embarrass the university with scandals (unlike some of the things that have happened at Tech). They have had their coaching staffs raided over the years which makes things tougher. They have dismissed players for academic violations at a fairly high pace than most programs (so it seems to me).
I looked over the rankings at Rivals (and there are other recruiting rankings sites that probably differ). From 2002-2006 UVA's recruiting class was ranked #26. Over that same period, VT's was ranked #32. Hardly a difference. (I did not count the 2007-2009 recruiting classes because we haven't seen what they have done yet.)
Is Frank Beamer a better coach - sure. But, VT got lucky in that Frank Beamer is a VT alum. It is not like they went out and found a big time winner. When Beamer goes, so goes the program.
Groh is not a disaster, nor is he even a bad coach. His teams have basically lived up to their talent expectations. You are looking at an anomoly in VT, where they consistently outperform their recruiting ranking and want to duplicate their type of success. There or a couple of hundred 1-A programs and UVA is consistently a winner. I have no problem with that.
The great Florida State has gone 50-28 since 2002. Clemson has gone 47-28. Georgia Tech has gone 44-33. Maryland has gone 40-34. North Carolina has gone 23-48. Wake has gone 40-34.
That is the way college football is.
Changing coaches just for the sake of changing coaches is ridiculous.
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