Cavs' Lundy Ready to Return to Stage

"She's a strong woman," Lundy said. "She made our family what it is. Without her, I don't know where we'd all be."

Lundy said he never moped or complained about his reduced playing time last season because his grandmother, whom he affectionately calls "Bis Mama," and his older brothers wouldn't have approved.

"I was playing well," Lundy said. "I wasn't going to be frustrated when we were winning games. It was a coach's decision, and Alvin was playing really well. That's how it was explained to me. I'm going to be the same person whether I'm in the game or not."

Groh said he never lost confidence in Lundy, despite two flagrant gaffes last season. Against Clemson on Oct. 7, the Cavaliers led 13-10 early in the third quarter and seemed to be driving for another touchdown. Lundy appeared to pick up a first down at the Tigers 6-yard line, but then he fumbled and Clemson recovered. Pearman took over on Virginia's next possession and Lundy never went back into the game as the Cavaliers won easily, 30-10.

Lundy's fumble against Virginia Tech in the regular season finale is still a play that haunts him and his coach. Late in the first quarter, after Pearman's 78-yard run, the Cavaliers seemed to be driving for the game's first score. Pearman was winded, so Lundy went into the game to relieve him. Lundy gained six yards on each of his first two carries to move inside the Hokies 10. But on first and goal, Lundy didn't take a handoff from quarterback Marques Hagans cleanly, and Hokies defensive tackle Jonathan Lewis recovered the fumble. Virginia Tech hammered the Cavaliers and won the ACC championship by beating Miami the following week.

"There were a lot of big games I fumbled in and people noticed, so I was considered a fumbler," Lundy said. "I'm not a fumbler."

Actually, Lundy has fumbled only three times in 598 carries during his three-year career. The last two fumbles just came at bad times.

"I want to clear up a couple of misconceptions about Wali -- one, that he has a fumbling problem and two, that he was in the doghouse, which we don't have," Groh said. "He lost two fumbles in three years, so he obviously doesn't have a fumbling problem."

With Pearman playing in the NFL, Lundy figures to get the majority of carries for the Cavaliers this season. He is close to earning his degree in sociology and recently received an academic scholarship from the Virginia Athletics Foundation.

"We've been very pleased with everything Wali Lundy has done since he's been here," Groh said. "He's a non-maintenance player. He's ready for class, he's ready for the weight room, he's ready for practice and he's ready for the games. He's very purposeful. He's a very versatile player. He's a reliable receiver. He's one of our most knowledgeable and effective backs in pass protection. Most guys who have been in as many games as Wali has are graduated now. He has a lot of experience."