the recruit: Stephen Lawe

Name: Stephen Lawe
Position: OT
Hometown: Norfolk
School: Maury
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 285

ESPN: 75, three stars, #104 OT
Rivals: 5.2, two stars
Scout: NR

It's sort of fitting that Lawe and Jake McGee committed on the same day, because their stories are pretty similar. Coach is hired from I-AA institution, brings recruit with him. In this case, Old Dominion is the I-AA instituion, and Chip West is the coach. Lawe's decision in the end came down to ODU or UVA, and let's see, when UVA is the higher-profile program, better school, and has your ODU recruiter onboard, the choice is easy. It really wasn't so much a choice as "can I get into school there" - Lawe had a little SAT work to do before he could pass muster with UVA admissions. I suppose there's still always the possibility that the SAT score won't be up to snuff, but Lawe is at least officially in the class.

On the field, Lawe is a borderline I-A prospect. He's got the size, which you can't teach, but only one of the scouting services really took him seriously as a I-A player. Lawe was in attendance at our prospect camp in July and did not, obviously, get an offer then. He pretty much made the rounds on the camp circuit, in fact, so calling him a sleeper isn't really accurate. People knew who he was and didn't offer. On the flip side, neither is it accurate to claim we're scraping for I-AA talent here just because ODU was his other final choice. Lawe was sort of being kept in the rolodex by a lot of programs and was also offered by Memphis, a program like ours that hired a new coach and needed to fill out a recruiting class.

Lawe's future in the program is going to be very much of wait-and-see. A redshirt year is a lock. Rare is the lineman that doesn't redshirt anyway, but Lawe needs to get stronger - it's a commonly cited weakness, even by his own high school coach. I offer no prediction at all as to when Lawe might see the field, if ever: he's the kind of depth guy you grab because you can never, ever, ever have enough offensive line depth. Sometimes they make an impact (Austin Pasztor) and sometimes they just sort of fade into the background (Billy Cuffee.) Lawe will be thrown onto the pile and we'll see where it goes from there.

To finish up:

- The greatest football player in UVA history is gone. Bullet Bill Dudley was old-school as all hell and had a proper old-school nickname to match. He ran, passed, kicked, punted, played defense - did it all, like old-school football stars did in old-school days. (In fact, Dudley is one of only three NFL Triple Crown winners and the only one in history to ever lead the league in four categories.) Served in WWII like all the old-schoolers. Wore an old-school number. Played for the old-school NFL teams - Pittsburgh, Detroit, Washington. And most of all he had that old-school integrity and character. One of the real greats is gone, and the world is a little less old-school for it.

- The schedule is out, and I don't really have much comment, other than that it really, really sucks to have our bye week so early, and before the easiest game of the season. Thanks, scheduling gods. As of now (that is, before the MAC schedules are released) Eastern Michigan has an open date on September 18th when we have our bye - if that remains open when the MAC schedules come out, I'm'a be pissed. Tell me you wouldn't rather have that bye in the middle of the season before Miami instead of like, right away.