The Cavaliers' Money Player

Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 31, 2005; Page H4

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Most NFL general managers and scouts believed D'Brickashaw Ferguson was ready to play in the pros this year, but the Virginia tackle didn't think he was prepared physically or mentally. So Ferguson did what many thought was unimaginable: He walked away from a potential $30 million contract to play one more season of college football.

Ferguson, a senior from Freeport, N.Y., was widely regarded as the best tackle in the country by most NFL scouts and general managers after the 2004 season. If Ferguson had entered the draft, he might have been selected among the first five picks. Former Auburn running back Carnell Williams, the No. 5 selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signed a five-year, $31 million contract that included a $13 million signing bonus.

Quite simply, Ferguson said he just wasn't ready to leave Virginia.

"Honestly, I love playing for this team, and there are a lot of things I want our team to accomplish, including winning a championship," Ferguson said. "Anything I can do to contribute to that would be great, and I want to do that. That's why I'm here. Coach recruited me to win championships, and I want to do my role."

Cavaliers Coach Al Groh, who worked 12 seasons as an NFL assistant and one season as head coach of the New York Jets, said he believes Ferguson made the right decision. Groh had numerous discussions with Ferguson before April's NFL draft and admits he didn't know what the player was going to do.

"There's so much talk about players coming out of school that the assumption is made that that's what they're supposed to do," Groh said. "That's an option for them if that's what they'd like to do. I know this is a kid who values his education, wanted to get his degree, likes this school, likes college football and knew he could get better."

Ferguson, who has started all 39 games in his college career, didn't turn 21 until Dec. 10 and is just now growing into his body, Groh said. Ferguson, 6 feet 5 and 295 pounds, gained 30 pounds before the 2004 season and didn't become an overpowering pass blocker until last year.

"From having been on the other side of it, the most critical factor in a player getting to a team is not just his draftability, but his ability to play well when he gets there," Groh said. "All the evaluators of guys going in the draft, they're always saying, 'Well, he's the fifth-rated cornerback in the country.' Well, that's relative to who's going to get picked in the draft. That's not always relative to, 'Is the guy going to be a really good player?'

"When a player really makes their money is on the second contract. That's when they're truly a free agent. That second contract is based on how well a player plays early. If a player goes in and he's just not ready to perform early, that's going to hurt his résumé toward his marketability in the future."

If Ferguson stays healthy this season, he could break two significant marks in Virginia football history. His 39-game starting streak is the second-longest by a Cavaliers left tackle -- all-American Jim Dombrowski started 45 games in a row from 1982 to 1985. No Cavaliers offensive lineman has ever started 50 games or more and none has started four bowl games.

Ferguson has certainly come a long way since he reported to Virginia in 2002 as one of the country's best offensive line prospects. He was immediately installed as the starting left tackle in training camp, became the first Cavaliers freshman to start an opener on the offensive line, and stayed in the lineup the rest of the season. Ferguson more than held his own against older and stronger players despite weighing only 252 pounds.

"He's a much more powerful player now," Groh said. "His anticipation and reaction to pass rush games is better. He's become much more knowledgeable of it, where he doesn't always have to react to it but can kind of see it coming from pre-snap looks. Without having played a game yet, he can do things with his game right now that he couldn't do last December."

Most NFL general managers and scouts believe Ferguson will remain in the top five picks in next April's NFL draft. Last year, Oklahoma's Jammal Brown was the first tackle selected, No. 13 overall by the New Orleans Saints. In April, Ferguson could be one of at least four tackles selected in the first round, along with Auburn's Marcus McNeill, Miami's Eric Winston and Texas's Jonathan Scott.

Even if he slips in the draft, Ferguson said he won't second-guess his decision to stay in school. After Virginia finished with a disappointing 8-4 record in 2004 and lost to Fresno State, 37-34 in overtime, in the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho, Ferguson hopes to lead his team to better things this season.

"Whenever you don't finish or complete your goals, it always makes you want to do more," Ferguson said. "Until we reach the goal of winning a championship, I'll never be satisfied. There's a lot to be done."

At Boston College, Oct. 8
The Cavaliers could be 4-0 when they make their first trip to Chestnut Hill, Mass., since a 30-21 loss in 1963. The game will go a long way toward revealing which of these teams can entertain hopes of playing in the ACC championship game and which will be hoping to scrape together six or seven wins to get to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
Led by former Virginia assistant Tom O'Brien, the Eagles are playing their first season in the ACC and return 15 starters from a team that finished 9-3 last season, its last in the Big East. Defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka is one of the country's best pass rushers, and wide receiver-cornerback Will Blackmon is a great two-way player.
Virginia's Marques Hagans may be the key to this game, as much for his feet as his arm. In each of the Eagles' three losses last season, the opposing quarterback ran the ball effectively.
That won't be easy against a defense that, in addition to Kiwanuka's imposing presences has all three starting linebackers from last season returning.

Sept. 3 -- Western Michigan, 6 p.m.
• The Broncos fired Gary Darnell after a 1-10 record last season; ex-Stanford offensive coordinator Bill Cubit takes over.
Sept. 17 -- at Syracuse, noon
• The Orangemen should be more competitive under new coach Greg Robinson, a long-time defensive coordinator in the NFL.
Sept. 24 -- Duke, TBA
• Former Maryland assistant Bill O'Brien tries to inject some life into the Blue Devils' offense.
Oct. 1 -- at Maryland, TBA
• The Cavaliers lost their last two games in College Park by a total of 30 points.
Oct. 8 -- at Boston College, TBA
• The big game.
Oct. 15 -- Florida State, TBA
• The Seminoles have beaten the Cavs nine times in a row by average of 24.2 points.
Oct. 22 -- at North Carolina, TBA
• Virginia has won five of six vs. the Tar Heels, including a 38-13 victory in 2003.
Nov. 5 -- Temple, TBA
• The Owls were kicked out of Big East Conference; they become full Mid-American Conference member in 2007.
Nov. 12 -- Georgia Tech, TBA
• The Yellow Jackets haven't won in Charlottesville since their co-national championship season in 1990.
Nov. 19 -- Virginia Tech, TBA
• The Cavs have lost seven of last 10 games to Hokies, who were 24-10 winners in Blacksburg in 2004.
Nov. 26 -- at Miami, TBA
• The Cavaliers make their first trip to the Orange Bowl.

Tom Santi Takes Over
For Tight End Heath Miller
It might take both Santi and Jonathan Stupar to fill the big shoes left by tight end Heath Miller, who last season led the Cavaliers with 41 catches, 541 receiving yards and 5 touchdown receptions. More than anything, Miller was a safety valve when quarterback Marques Hagans was forced from the pocket or couldn't find a receiver open downfield. That is one of the reasons the all-American tight end earned the nickname "Big Money" -- he made big plays when his team needed them most.
Santi, 6 feet 5 and 225 pounds, was one of two Virginia freshmen to play on offense last season and was 10th among ACC rookies with 13 catches for 155 yards. The Nashville native has solid hands and good speed, but isn't yet the blocker Miller was when he left.
Stupar, a 250-pound sophomore, was plagued by a foot injury last season and missed the first five games. But he was a highly regarded recruit from State College, Pa., and caught 45 passes as a high school senior. He isn't quite as tall as Santi at 6-3, but he runs well and has dependable hands.

• QB Marques Hagans, Sr.: Threw for 2,024 yards and nine touchdowns and ran for 394 yards and four scores last season.
• OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Sr.: Might be rated the No. 1 offensive tackle in April's NFL draft.
• LB Ahmad Brooks, Jr.: Could be a top 10 pick in NFL draft if he recovers from knee injury.
• LB Kai Parham, Jr.: Underrated linebacker had 80 tackles and 11 tackles for loss in 2004.
• DE Brennan Schmidt, Sr.: Has started every game the last three seasons.

• TE Heath Miller: Hagans' favorite target took his 41 catches and five touchdowns to the NFL.
• LB Darryl Blackstock: Was team's best pass rusher with 45 tackles and 10 sacks.
• G Elton Brown: First-team all-American leaves void on the line.
• RB Alvin Pearman: Dependable runner and receiver had 12 touchdowns last year.
• S Marquis Weeks: One of two safeties gone from last year's team, had 60 tackles.