Lost Players Contribute to Losing Record

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia Coach Al Groh addressed a question about his professional vulnerability while sitting in front of a banner displaying the Cavaliers logo with the athletic department's motto: "Uncompromised Excellence."

Months after finishing 9-4 and reaching the Gator Bowl, the Cavaliers' football program appears far from that lofty aspiration. The Cavaliers lost 11 non-seniors from last season's roster, including eight to disciplinary or academic reasons. In their absences, Virginia might remain "uncompromised" but appear to be a long way from "excellence."

Virginia, 1-3 entering Saturday's game against Maryland, sunk to an embarrassing low when it became the first Atlantic Coast Conference team to lose to Duke in 26 games. The early-season struggles left some fans wondering whether Groh, who has been named the ACC coach of the year twice in his seven years in Charlottesville, remains the right coach for the program.

"Every week there is a tremendous amount put into this, every week between 90-100 hours just to have the sense of satisfaction of the accomplishment of the team playing well," Groh said. "For anyone involved who puts in that amount of time, and you don't get any reward for it, that's a difficult end of the week."

Before the loss to Duke, Groh acknowledged a lack of "inventory" on the Virginia roster. The Gator Bowl depth chart included seven senior starters on offense and defense, and four seniors in backup roles. Beyond those departed seniors, four other starters are no longer with the Cavaliers.

Guard Branden Albert bypassed is final year of eligibility for the NFL Draft, in which he was selected in the first round. Standout defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald, cornerback Chris Cook and quarterback Jameel Sewell are all no longer on the team because of academic reasons. Each was expected to play key roles on this season's team.

Three backups from the Gator Bowl squad who were expected to contribute this season are elsewhere. Defensive end Sean Gottschalk took a leave of absence for personal reasons; quarterback Peter Lalich was dismissed after violating the terms of his probation from an alcohol-related arrest; and linebacker Darnell Carter is off the team because of academics.

Among the other premature departures were linebacker John Bivens, who suffered a career-ending injury and has since joined the baseball team; cornerback Mike Brown and linebacker J'Courtney Williams, both of whom were dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons; and Chris Dalton because of academics.

The result is a largely inexperienced roster.

"Most of it is, I would put under the category, how would I say, some unexpected absences," said Groh, before listing some of the reasons for the absences. "A combination of those things have made some of these younger players take on roles that those players were expected to take on."

The problems have become most apparent are quarterback and defensive line.

At quarterback, Sewell was a two-year starter, and Lalich was the most decorated player Groh had recruited at the position. Both played last season, and the position appeared solidified for years to come. Virginia now starts Marc Verica, who was fourth on the depth chart last season.

On the defensive line, Fitzgerald and Gottschalk were supposed to anchor a rotation to help supplement the loss of Chris Long, the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft and perhaps the best player in the program's history. But without both defensive ends, redshirt freshmen Matt Conrath and Zane Parr have entered important roles earlier than expected.

"We lost a tremendous amount of not just talent, but leadership," Verica said. "But our 'next man up' puts guys in positions to embrace those roles and be factors on the team."

Receiver Kevin Ogletree recognized the players lost but refused to use it as an excuse for the team's poor start.

"The only people to blame for the slow start are the people on the field," Ogletree said.

Linebacker Clint Sintim said the young players in key spots are delaying the team's progress. He pointed to 2006, when the Cavaliers won three of their final five games of a 5-7 season as reason to be optimistic.

In three games this season against division I-A opponents, Virginia has been outscored 128-20.

"It's an issue where it's our role to push and try to accelerate that development as fast as possible, and in one respect, almost unreasonably fast," Groh said. "The other side of it is to have the patience and understanding that, like a lot of events in life, we can't make it happen as fast as we would like to. If you don't have that balance in there, you get into mishandling a particular player. They all come at different speeds, they all come at different levels."

While they are developing, the wrath will fall on Groh. Virginia is on pace to suffer its second losing season in three years. Groh is under contract through 2011, and fans have become restless.

"It's unfortunate to see," Verica said. "You kind of wish people would have your back more, have your coach's back, because this program's done a lot of great things under Coach Groh here. And for things just to be down at this point, to turn your back or to get down on someone, that's not the right way to handle it."

Athletic Director Craig Littlepage declined to comment for this story.

Ogletree said the players "don't live in holes" and know the criticism exists. So responsibility falls on the inexperienced roster to turn the season around -- or the frustration will become louder and more expansive, but it will still be directed at the same coach.

"I don't think about my future. I just think about the next game," Groh said. "I try to coach the team the way we think it needs to be coached and do for the players, whatever that might mean -- encourage, admonish, direct, care for -- the things that go with the title of being head coach in college football. [Scrutiny] is the nature of the business. It is what it is. It doesn't make any difference why it is that way, but it is what it is. We all understand it."