Defense Is Cavs' Saving Grace

Offense Struggles Again in an Unconvincing Win Over Richmond: Virginia 16, Richmond 0

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Sept. 6 -- Virginia cornerback Vic Hall trotted down the Cavaliers' sideline with just more than two minutes remaining Saturday, returning an interception for a touchdown that sealed a 16-0 victory over Richmond and allowed his teammates and fans to finally exhale.

The 60-yard return was a fitting finale to an afternoon in which the Cavaliers' defense made up for an offense with still apparent flaws. Virginia evened its record at 1-1 but certainly cannot enter next week's game at Connecticut optimistic about where the team stands overall.

Virginia Coach Al Groh started sophomore quarterback Peter Lalich even though he was charged Thursday with violating his probation from a July arrest. Although Lalich is the only Virginia quarterback with any experience, his off-field incident complicated the competition during the preseason.

In last week's 52-7 loss to No. 1 Southern California, Lalich lined up as a starter. Following the game, Groh was critical of Lalich's performance. When Lalich's name surfaced in the headlines for the wrong reasons late in the week, it raised speculation about his playing status.

But Lalich emerged as the starter for the second straight week, and he struggled for the second straight week.

Lalich's struggles were most apparent just 49 seconds before halftime, when the Cavaliers faced fourth and two on Richmond's 15-yard line and Groh elected to go for the first down instead of attempting a 32-yard field goal. The Cavaliers led 3-0 at the time and were scheduled to get the ball first to start the second half.

The play called for Lalich to roll to his left -- his weak side -- and he sent a short screen to Cary Koch. Whether Lalich did not see Richmond's Jordan Shoop or thought he could throw around him was not apparent. What was clear was the interception Shoop returned 63 yards to Virginia's 24-yard line. If Koch had not chased down Shoop from behind and forced him into the middle of the field, Virginia would have entered halftime trailing. Instead, Richmond's Andrew Howard shanked the 29-yard field goal attempt, and the Cavaliers took an unimpressive three-point lead into intermission.

When the Spiders set up to kick a 39-yard field goal late in the third quarter, Virginia defensive tackle Nick Jenkins penetrated the protection and blocked the kick, allowing the Cavaliers to escape another scoring threat. And once again, the Cavaliers' offense faltered. Two plays into the ensuing drive, Lalich surrendered any momentum by throwing his second interception of the game.

Virginia found the end zone only in the fourth quarter, when a 12-play, 54-yard drive concluded with Mikell Simpson's one-yard touchdown run. After spending much of the first three quarters passing the football, Virginia offensive coordinator Mike Groh effectively turned to the run during the touchdown drive. Nine of the 12 plays were rushes, accounting for 34 of the 54 yards.

Any credit for avoiding an embarrassing 0-2 start to the season should be distributed to the Cavaliers' defense and special teams, which combined to hold the Spiders scoreless and found a way out of a handful of difficult situations.

With the Spiders ready to puncture the 10-0 lead late in the fourth quarter, Virginia cornerback Chase Minnifield intercepted a pass at the goal line and kept his defense's shutout intact.

On the Spiders' next drive, Hall's 60-yard interception return put the final points on the board. It was an appropriate ending for a defense that emerged from a opening-week drubbing and reestablished itself as the reason for any optimism that Virginia can surpass preseason expectations.