Well well. Let's start this off with what must be the first piece of good football news in weeks: a recruiting board update that includes a commitment. Whoda thunk it? Here's the new score:
-- Added CB Darious Latimore to orange. Latimore is a guy I did know about, and with SEC offers fairly close to home, didn't think would be worth adding. A guy who likes us better than Tennessee is a guy who I think has his head on straight and probably nobody else does. But a guy who's willing to commit now has to know the score and doesn't care, instantly making him the safest commit on the whole list.
Latimore is a consensus mid-to-low three-star guy with mid-three-star offers: Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, and Kansas State. Assuming Jeffery Farrar is also a cornerback, he makes the second in the class, which in turn is just about the sweet spot for that position this year.
-- Moved DE Melvin Keihn from blue to green.
-- Moved OT Alex Bookser from green to yellow.
-- Moved DT Derrick Nnadi from yellow to red. These three are reflective of the poor shape of the win-loss record and roughly what I think the effect is on the recruiting board.
I still rather expect that Mike London will find another Mason Thomas type somewhere in-state to fill out some numbers, because that's what he does; whether such a player will be impactful is generally up in the air, although it should be noted that Divante Walker has been making appearances on both special teams and defense this year.
*******************************************************
Sock-hair. And more good news! Not as much in the men's department, where they managed only a tie in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech is a team you'd like to beat, but the Hokies are 1-2-5, so draws are kind of their thing. The ladies, on the other hand, went down to Chapel Hill - without USWNT member Morgan Brian, earning her third cap against Australia - and did something extraordinary. According to the official recap: "the Cavaliers [handed] North Carolina just their second multi-goal loss since 1986, a span of 690 games."
That's amazing. In 27 years UNC has lost by more than one goal just twice - one of them last week. Carolina has a surprising three ACC losses this year, but still. UNC was also missing a top player to USNWT action, but still. This ladies' team is a mighty offensive powerhouse, with some real depth - there are three players in Brian, Makenzy Doniak, and Brittany Ratcliffe who are crushers of dreams and a full complement of forwards and midfielders who know how to find their playmakers. In Brian and Danielle Colaprico, UVA has the top two assist leaders in the ACC.
The impression I've had from watching this team - admittedly against the two worst squads in the ACC, Pitt and a portion of the NC State game - is one that attacks not with relentless aggression, but with a calm self-assuredness. As if they know that as long as they keep the pressure on, they're better than the defenders and eventually something will go in. They play with confidence, knowing they don't need to be flying forward at all times in order to score. It's fun to watch a Virginia team that is better and knows it.
*******************************************************
A couple of news notes:
-- It looks like Miami will finally hear the word from the NCAA. Sanctions come tomorrow. Guaranteed nobody will be happy. After the NCAA botched the investigation, it's not likely the punishment will appease people who want to see blood for, you know, allowing players to live like pimps on delicious booster cash. Meantime Miami president Donna Shalala is being a colossal whiny bitch, claiming that "we have been wronged in this investigation." So if the punishment is no dessert for a week, she'll appeal.
-- You remember Trae Golden, maybe. He was recruited fairly heavily by UVA, then went to Tennessee where he suited up against the Hoos in JPJA last year - and will now do so again at Georgia Tech. GT could be solid this year.
-- Basketball media days were last week - and I consider the result a surprise. In a show of respect for what Tony Bennett has put together, the Hoos are 4th in the preseason media poll. Given the amount of impressive new blood joining the league - the lowest-ranked new member in the poll was Pitt at 6th of 15, with ND 5th and Cuse 2nd - that is high praise indeed. It says "we expect you to make the ACC semis and, obviously, the NCAA tournament." Like, 4 or 5 seed stuff in the NCAA tournament. Plus they put Joe Harris on the preseason all-ACC team - and not a single Tar Heel.
We all know what the media poll really means once the rubber hits the hardwood, but there's another truism about college programs: they're only as good as their publicity. If the media says you're awesome, people start to believe it. This isn't the same as constant TV coverage with Dick Vitale and all the rest, but it's a little bit something regardless. It says there are expectations, and that the games we play will be Big Games for reasons besides the opponent. You have to back that up obviously, but it's a start.
And just as a footnote, that other team in Virginia is last. With 65 points from 54 voters, a minimum of 43 media types figure the Hokies for the worst team in the ACC. Playing them a guaranteed twice a year is going to be a little advantage over the rest of the league for the foreseeable future.
*******************************************************
Darious Latimore joins the club just in time for this week's Senior Seasons feature. It's easy for me, too, because I can use the same source I use for Jordan Ellis. They're from the same region of Georgia and their schools are not terribly far apart. They don't play each other, though.
Episcopal 30, Penn Charter 0 - Evan Butts scored twice, once on a conventional reception and once on a fumble return as a defensive end. He also racked up 98 yards receiving. Episcopal is 7-1.
Upland 27, Los Osos 10 (Jeffery Farrar) - Upland is 4-3.
Central Catholic 47, Calvary Christian 23 (Caanan Brown) - CCC is 6-1.
Brookwood 23, Central Gwinnett 14 (Darious Latimore) - Central Gwinnett is 2-5.
Cummings 37, Carrboro 20 (Will Richardson) - Cummings is 2-6.
Oscar Smith 42, Grassfield 0 (Andrew Brown) - Oscar Smith is 7-0.
James Monroe 42, Chancellor 12 (Steven Moss) - Chancellor is 1-6.
Loudoun County 31, Woodgrove 28 (J.J. Jackson) - Woodgrove is 4-2.
Oscar Smith also beat Nansemond River 48-7 last Monday in a rain-delayed game that didn't make it into last week's update, and Chancellor lost to Caroline 26-20 on the same date.
Showing posts with label walker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label walker. Show all posts
Monday, October 21, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
weekend review
The not-yet-jaded among you (you're so adorable) may find some reason for optimism in this week's ACC results:
-- For one, GT got pretty well rolled by BYU this week. That's good, right? Since we beat BYU and have yet to play GT. That should offer some hope for that particular game. I think it's more likely that we'll look at the BYU game the exact same way we looked at last year's Penn State game.
-- Also, Clemson struggled, at home no less, against Boston College. Maybe they're vulnerable - or maybe they just got caught looking ahead to next Saturday and Florida State.
-- Pitt-VT looked kind of like UVA-Pitt would've looked minus stupid turnovers. And with a flicker of a passing game from VT. Stat of the week: Trey Edmunds carried the ball nine times. His longest carry was 14 yards. He finished with 13 yards. If by some miracle Brent Urban's injury is minor (it's probably not) VT's offensive line is ridiculously vulnerable.
***************************************************
The depth chart isn't too heavily changed up. I think the "or" at DT next to Brent Urban says a lot about his status, though. Despite my Eeyoring, London says Urban's injury is "not season-ending" which I take as code for "but he's not exactly coming back soon, either." Demetrious Nicholson gets an injury-related "or" as well, and Brandon Phelps gets a decidedly non-injury-related "or" and now shares the top spot with Rijo Walker. There's a lot of fan bellyaching about Phelps because he "doesn't make plays" but that's exactly what you want out of a free safety: total invisibility. Nevertheless, some big pass plays from Maryland should indeed cause a little re-examination of the position.
***************************************************
Senior Seasons time:
Peachtree Ridge 38, Mountain View 13: Jordan Ellis scored three of his four total touchdowns in the third quarter and racked up 174 yards on the ground on 23 carries. Peachtree Ridge is 6-1.
Episcopal 34, Germantown 25: Evan Butts had four catches, including an all-YAC 81-yard touchdown (and two TDs overall) in Episcopal's sixth win. Episcopal is 6-1.
Green Run 21, Bayside 16: It's not a great season for a Bayside team that's usually among the better ones in Virginia Beach. Quin Blanding ran some wildcat offense, running for 110 yards and both of Bayside's touchdowns, but Bayside lost their fourth of the year. Bayside is 3-4.
Glendora 24, Upland 21 (Jeffery Farrar) - Upland is 3-3.
Graham 13, Cummings 7 (Will Richardson) - Cummings is 1-6.
Woodgrove 34, Park View 0 (J.J. Jackson) - Woodgrove is 4-1.
A couple games - Oscar Smith and Chancellor - got weather-delayed til Monday so I'll include them in next week's feature.
***************************************************
This week the still-undefeated, still-#1 ladies soccer team makes another ESPN3 appearance: Thursday night at 7:00 when they take on NC State. Why they chose that game and not Sunday's big one against UNC, I'll never know. The men are not so visible and won't be watchable live (and on the ACC's website rather than ESPN) until November, but they did do a solid job this weekend in earning a draw against #5 Maryland. The teams combined for six goals in the first 27 minutes and then remembered they were playing soccer and not supposed to score as if it were a lacrosse game. They'll take on the always-lousy Hokies next.
-- For one, GT got pretty well rolled by BYU this week. That's good, right? Since we beat BYU and have yet to play GT. That should offer some hope for that particular game. I think it's more likely that we'll look at the BYU game the exact same way we looked at last year's Penn State game.
-- Also, Clemson struggled, at home no less, against Boston College. Maybe they're vulnerable - or maybe they just got caught looking ahead to next Saturday and Florida State.
-- Pitt-VT looked kind of like UVA-Pitt would've looked minus stupid turnovers. And with a flicker of a passing game from VT. Stat of the week: Trey Edmunds carried the ball nine times. His longest carry was 14 yards. He finished with 13 yards. If by some miracle Brent Urban's injury is minor (it's probably not) VT's offensive line is ridiculously vulnerable.
***************************************************
The depth chart isn't too heavily changed up. I think the "or" at DT next to Brent Urban says a lot about his status, though. Despite my Eeyoring, London says Urban's injury is "not season-ending" which I take as code for "but he's not exactly coming back soon, either." Demetrious Nicholson gets an injury-related "or" as well, and Brandon Phelps gets a decidedly non-injury-related "or" and now shares the top spot with Rijo Walker. There's a lot of fan bellyaching about Phelps because he "doesn't make plays" but that's exactly what you want out of a free safety: total invisibility. Nevertheless, some big pass plays from Maryland should indeed cause a little re-examination of the position.
***************************************************
Senior Seasons time:
Peachtree Ridge 38, Mountain View 13: Jordan Ellis scored three of his four total touchdowns in the third quarter and racked up 174 yards on the ground on 23 carries. Peachtree Ridge is 6-1.
Episcopal 34, Germantown 25: Evan Butts had four catches, including an all-YAC 81-yard touchdown (and two TDs overall) in Episcopal's sixth win. Episcopal is 6-1.
Green Run 21, Bayside 16: It's not a great season for a Bayside team that's usually among the better ones in Virginia Beach. Quin Blanding ran some wildcat offense, running for 110 yards and both of Bayside's touchdowns, but Bayside lost their fourth of the year. Bayside is 3-4.
Glendora 24, Upland 21 (Jeffery Farrar) - Upland is 3-3.
Graham 13, Cummings 7 (Will Richardson) - Cummings is 1-6.
Woodgrove 34, Park View 0 (J.J. Jackson) - Woodgrove is 4-1.
A couple games - Oscar Smith and Chancellor - got weather-delayed til Monday so I'll include them in next week's feature.
***************************************************
This week the still-undefeated, still-#1 ladies soccer team makes another ESPN3 appearance: Thursday night at 7:00 when they take on NC State. Why they chose that game and not Sunday's big one against UNC, I'll never know. The men are not so visible and won't be watchable live (and on the ACC's website rather than ESPN) until November, but they did do a solid job this weekend in earning a draw against #5 Maryland. The teams combined for six goals in the first 27 minutes and then remembered they were playing soccer and not supposed to score as if it were a lacrosse game. They'll take on the always-lousy Hokies next.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
practice shakeup
One annoying - yet entertaining - feature of fall camp is that once the whistle blows, a lot of old assumptions get tossed out the window. You have this nice simple worldview and it has to get all complicated once the coaches start deciding things. No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy.
The biggest one so far this year: the secondary. No surprise, that. It's full of young'uns whose on-field abilities aren't yet fully known. Before the year we went in with the assumption that the safeties would be Anthony Harris and Rijo Walker, one cornerback would be Demetrious Nicholson, and then Brandon Phelps and Drequan Hoskey would battle to see who would start and who would be the third corner.
Maurice Canady is blowing that up with prejudice. Four practices in and he's running with the first team already. To me that's a bit of a surprise; Canady made a huge impression, pressed into duty as Varina's emergency quarterback last year, and his athleticism opened a lot of eyes. But as a cornerback, I expected he'd need some time to acclimatize back to defense. Apparently not. I'm not allowed to pass on paywalled practice reports, but let's just say that if they're right, the newspaper is way underselling this dude.
Add to that the revelation that Phelps "may see time at both corner and safety" according to Jeff White, and you have the makings of a slightly new pecking order in the secondary. Truth is, with the makeup of the group, Phelps isn't likely to be much of a cornerback anymore. If you have three cornerbacks you like, that's all you need for 90%-plus of the snaps. Phelps is sliding over to safety and looking more and more likely to stick.
So let's possibly overreact to four practices none of which were in full pads. What this means for all the personnel involved:
- Nicholson: Still the man. Duh.
- Canady: If he keeps going gangbusters like this, the second cornerback.
- Hoskey: The third cornerback, at that rate. But still a major piece who will play plenty of snaps.
- Phelps: A safety of some variety, and of the three safeties in the mix, the highest-profile as a recruit, therefore a major threat to nose in on someone's playing time.
- Walker: Free safety, for now.
- Harris: Strong safety, for now.
A starting four of Nicholson, Canady, Phelps, and Harris would be the most freakily inexperienced secondary I have ever seen. Three true sophomores and one true freshman, with only one of them ever having actually played defensive back in a real game with real footballs. That makes this a scary, scary year, in a thank-God-we-don't-play-Clemson sort of way. But the idea of that group being together for three years is also droolingly appealing.
The biggest one so far this year: the secondary. No surprise, that. It's full of young'uns whose on-field abilities aren't yet fully known. Before the year we went in with the assumption that the safeties would be Anthony Harris and Rijo Walker, one cornerback would be Demetrious Nicholson, and then Brandon Phelps and Drequan Hoskey would battle to see who would start and who would be the third corner.
Maurice Canady is blowing that up with prejudice. Four practices in and he's running with the first team already. To me that's a bit of a surprise; Canady made a huge impression, pressed into duty as Varina's emergency quarterback last year, and his athleticism opened a lot of eyes. But as a cornerback, I expected he'd need some time to acclimatize back to defense. Apparently not. I'm not allowed to pass on paywalled practice reports, but let's just say that if they're right, the newspaper is way underselling this dude.
Add to that the revelation that Phelps "may see time at both corner and safety" according to Jeff White, and you have the makings of a slightly new pecking order in the secondary. Truth is, with the makeup of the group, Phelps isn't likely to be much of a cornerback anymore. If you have three cornerbacks you like, that's all you need for 90%-plus of the snaps. Phelps is sliding over to safety and looking more and more likely to stick.
So let's possibly overreact to four practices none of which were in full pads. What this means for all the personnel involved:
- Nicholson: Still the man. Duh.
- Canady: If he keeps going gangbusters like this, the second cornerback.
- Hoskey: The third cornerback, at that rate. But still a major piece who will play plenty of snaps.
- Phelps: A safety of some variety, and of the three safeties in the mix, the highest-profile as a recruit, therefore a major threat to nose in on someone's playing time.
- Walker: Free safety, for now.
- Harris: Strong safety, for now.
A starting four of Nicholson, Canady, Phelps, and Harris would be the most freakily inexperienced secondary I have ever seen. Three true sophomores and one true freshman, with only one of them ever having actually played defensive back in a real game with real footballs. That makes this a scary, scary year, in a thank-God-we-don't-play-Clemson sort of way. But the idea of that group being together for three years is also droolingly appealing.
Friday, July 27, 2012
questions at camp for the defense
Continuing the series from yesterday with the camp issues for the defense.
1. Can Eli Harold be a terror on the edge?
The least proven ability on the entire defense is pass-rushing. Your starting defensive ends are Billy Schautz and Jake Snyder. Schautz has an outstanding head for football, but isn't athletic enough to speed-rush the quarterback, or powerful enough to bull-rush. When he gets by his man, it's through technique and footwork. Snyder is a big, strong-side run stopper, whose job is to hold the edge, and his backup, Brent Urban, is the same.
Mike London moved Ausar Walcott down from linebacker - for real this time, not as a wake-up call after offseason foolishness - in an effort to provide some speed-rush for pressuring the QB. But not one of these DEs has the raw athletic freakishness of top recruit Eli Harold. Harold will get a chance right off the bat to make his presence felt in the backfield. And truthfully, if he isn't yet up to the chore, this season's pass rush will be inconsistent and not terribly productive.
2. Is Steve Greer the real deal?
Greer was one of two Hoos named to the preseason all-ACC team. He's not very big and not very fast, but he's developed into a crucial player - captain on the defense, unquestioned leader, and team tackling champ for two of his three years on the field. And probably this year, too. He's always been able to work quietly in the background, though, or at least, as much as you can do that at middle linebacker. Being named one of the top three linebackers in the league is a high honor, but it means teams are gonna be gameplanning for him. He'll have a lot on his plate no longer being backed up by senior safeties, and UVA's defense is going to go as he goes. That's likely to be great news.
3. Do the defensive backs know what's about to hit them?
Folks had complaints about the play of our defensive backfield at times last year, but they still were mostly seniors, and the plaudits for Chase Minnifield outweighed any complaints about safeties sometimes giving up big plays.
As veteran as that group was, though, this group is greener. Let's put it this way: Tre Nicholson is a true sophomore and has six times as many starts as every other defensive back on the roster combined - which is because the only other player to have started a game is Rijo Walker, with two. The other safety, Anthony Harris, is as green as they come.
At cornerback, it looks like a three-man rotation (a familiar setup - you'll remember how much time Dom Joseph saw despite not technically being a starter) with Nicholson as the veteran leader and Drequan Hoskey and Brandon Phelps rotating. Hoskey - for now - has a leg up. There's a ton of talent in the cornerback group, but barely enough experience to fill a paper bag.
And if that weren't enough, it seems a near certainty that a true freshman will be forced onto the field, and it's anyone's guess who that might be. Defensive back might be the position that draws the most scrutiny in the whole camp.
4. Am I right about Chris Brathwaite?
I've long felt that Brathwaite is a sleeper talent in the truest sense of the word. I hate when people use the word "sleeper" or "diamond in the rough" because usually they do it wrong, but Brathwaite is the type the terms are meant for. And this is a possible breakout year for the big, strong DT from New York. Brathwaite is poised to leapfrog Justin Renfrow on the depth chart and earn a starting role alongside Will Hill, which is really great because I think there comes a time when Brathwaite is seen stepping on some right guard's face on the way to eating his quarterback as a light tea-time snack. Practically every time Brathwaite has been mentioned on this blog in the past it's accompanied by effusive praise for his future prospects, and now that he's getting first-team reps, I'm excited to find out if this praise is well-placed.
*****************************************
Get excited yo: next week I kick off the ACC previews. As always, FOV readers will be the best-informed UVA fans on the competition. Can't get this stuff anywhere else, and you will be able to talk intelligently about the rest of the ACC and where the Hoos fit into the pecking order.
Oh, and finally, speaking of kickoffs, as the Olympics begin their two-week run tonight, check out the list of UVA athletes participating in the Games in London, as put together by Streaking the Lawn. Included are no fewer than three former Cavalier of the Year nominees as well; there's a reason that award exists.
1. Can Eli Harold be a terror on the edge?
The least proven ability on the entire defense is pass-rushing. Your starting defensive ends are Billy Schautz and Jake Snyder. Schautz has an outstanding head for football, but isn't athletic enough to speed-rush the quarterback, or powerful enough to bull-rush. When he gets by his man, it's through technique and footwork. Snyder is a big, strong-side run stopper, whose job is to hold the edge, and his backup, Brent Urban, is the same.
Mike London moved Ausar Walcott down from linebacker - for real this time, not as a wake-up call after offseason foolishness - in an effort to provide some speed-rush for pressuring the QB. But not one of these DEs has the raw athletic freakishness of top recruit Eli Harold. Harold will get a chance right off the bat to make his presence felt in the backfield. And truthfully, if he isn't yet up to the chore, this season's pass rush will be inconsistent and not terribly productive.
2. Is Steve Greer the real deal?
Greer was one of two Hoos named to the preseason all-ACC team. He's not very big and not very fast, but he's developed into a crucial player - captain on the defense, unquestioned leader, and team tackling champ for two of his three years on the field. And probably this year, too. He's always been able to work quietly in the background, though, or at least, as much as you can do that at middle linebacker. Being named one of the top three linebackers in the league is a high honor, but it means teams are gonna be gameplanning for him. He'll have a lot on his plate no longer being backed up by senior safeties, and UVA's defense is going to go as he goes. That's likely to be great news.
3. Do the defensive backs know what's about to hit them?
Folks had complaints about the play of our defensive backfield at times last year, but they still were mostly seniors, and the plaudits for Chase Minnifield outweighed any complaints about safeties sometimes giving up big plays.
As veteran as that group was, though, this group is greener. Let's put it this way: Tre Nicholson is a true sophomore and has six times as many starts as every other defensive back on the roster combined - which is because the only other player to have started a game is Rijo Walker, with two. The other safety, Anthony Harris, is as green as they come.
At cornerback, it looks like a three-man rotation (a familiar setup - you'll remember how much time Dom Joseph saw despite not technically being a starter) with Nicholson as the veteran leader and Drequan Hoskey and Brandon Phelps rotating. Hoskey - for now - has a leg up. There's a ton of talent in the cornerback group, but barely enough experience to fill a paper bag.
And if that weren't enough, it seems a near certainty that a true freshman will be forced onto the field, and it's anyone's guess who that might be. Defensive back might be the position that draws the most scrutiny in the whole camp.
4. Am I right about Chris Brathwaite?
I've long felt that Brathwaite is a sleeper talent in the truest sense of the word. I hate when people use the word "sleeper" or "diamond in the rough" because usually they do it wrong, but Brathwaite is the type the terms are meant for. And this is a possible breakout year for the big, strong DT from New York. Brathwaite is poised to leapfrog Justin Renfrow on the depth chart and earn a starting role alongside Will Hill, which is really great because I think there comes a time when Brathwaite is seen stepping on some right guard's face on the way to eating his quarterback as a light tea-time snack. Practically every time Brathwaite has been mentioned on this blog in the past it's accompanied by effusive praise for his future prospects, and now that he's getting first-team reps, I'm excited to find out if this praise is well-placed.
*****************************************
Get excited yo: next week I kick off the ACC previews. As always, FOV readers will be the best-informed UVA fans on the competition. Can't get this stuff anywhere else, and you will be able to talk intelligently about the rest of the ACC and where the Hoos fit into the pecking order.
Oh, and finally, speaking of kickoffs, as the Olympics begin their two-week run tonight, check out the list of UVA athletes participating in the Games in London, as put together by Streaking the Lawn. Included are no fewer than three former Cavalier of the Year nominees as well; there's a reason that award exists.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
the recruit: Divante Walker
Name: Divante Walker
Position: CB
Hometown: Virginia Beach
School: Salem
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 160
24/7: 83; three stars; #89 ATH; VA #32
ESPN: 71; two stars; #186 RB; Atlantic #284; VA #61
Rivals: 5.3; two stars
Scout: N/R
Other offers: instate I-AAs only
Almost a year ago to the day since Divante Walker committed on Sunday, UVA took Mason Thomas's commitment, a surprise since Thomas's entire profile (what there was of it) screamed I-AA and nobody had ever heard his name and UVA's in the same sentence. The more things change. Like Thomas, Walker was an uncommitted recruit (this year, he was the only one) at UVA's Verbally Committed Recruit Extravaganza and All-Weekend Party, so he was surrounded by a bunch of guys saying "you're coming too, right?"
Walker is a little bit different though, which means a little bit more optimism. For one thing, he was first-team all-region as selected by the coaches, and made the Virginian-Pilot's first-team all-Tidewater as well. (Thomas was only second-team in the district.) Walker got these honors on the strength of his work at running back, where he totaled nearly 1,400 yards rushing. One recruiting site offers a really high rating for a guy who had no other I-A offers; in fact, 24/7 has him higher-rated than guys like Sean Karl (BC and Syracuse offers), Kye Morgan (Illinois, Cincy, BC), and Demeitre Brim, who Wisconsin and Miami tried to pull away from a UVA commitment. To them he's the #32 prospect in the state, and that's still not as optimistic as it gets; Doug Doughty ranks him 28th, ahead of four UVA commits and three Tech ones.
The other sites, though, are way down on him, dropping mid-to-low two-star ratings. Why the huge discrepancy? I'm willing to bet it's not a coincidence that the optimistic assessments are the ones that think he's 175 pounds (as Doughty does) and the pessimistic ones list him at 157. Somebody, somewhere, made a typo, and it spread, and I don't know which it's supposed to be.
Truthfully, I don't believe either. It's probably in the middle. He doesn't look like 175 pounds in his pictures at all. On the other hand, I'm 5'7" and can't get down to 157 to save my life. Walker is 5'10" or 11", if he weighs 157 pounds he's got no muscle and is strong like mosquito, which would explain all the low ratings.
The problem with those accolades, of course, is that Walker won't be playing RB for us. At this point there's no need for yet another small back. There is a need for athletic bodies with cornerback experience, so toss Walker into that very large mix of incoming freshmen. Walker will redshirt because he's not 175 pounds, and after that.....well, the cornerback shuffle in this class will sort itself out somehow. Walker has a little bit of a disadvantage because he's not as fast as C.J. Moore, not a pure corner who played the position every day like Kelvin Rainey, probably not quite as athletic as Maurice Canady, and not as big as Wil Wahee. Yes, the deck is stacked a little bit against him, but it'll be interesting to see who comes out of that big spin cycle on top.
Position: CB
Hometown: Virginia Beach
School: Salem
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 160
24/7: 83; three stars; #89 ATH; VA #32
ESPN: 71; two stars; #186 RB; Atlantic #284; VA #61
Rivals: 5.3; two stars
Scout: N/R
Other offers: instate I-AAs only
Almost a year ago to the day since Divante Walker committed on Sunday, UVA took Mason Thomas's commitment, a surprise since Thomas's entire profile (what there was of it) screamed I-AA and nobody had ever heard his name and UVA's in the same sentence. The more things change. Like Thomas, Walker was an uncommitted recruit (this year, he was the only one) at UVA's Verbally Committed Recruit Extravaganza and All-Weekend Party, so he was surrounded by a bunch of guys saying "you're coming too, right?"
Walker is a little bit different though, which means a little bit more optimism. For one thing, he was first-team all-region as selected by the coaches, and made the Virginian-Pilot's first-team all-Tidewater as well. (Thomas was only second-team in the district.) Walker got these honors on the strength of his work at running back, where he totaled nearly 1,400 yards rushing. One recruiting site offers a really high rating for a guy who had no other I-A offers; in fact, 24/7 has him higher-rated than guys like Sean Karl (BC and Syracuse offers), Kye Morgan (Illinois, Cincy, BC), and Demeitre Brim, who Wisconsin and Miami tried to pull away from a UVA commitment. To them he's the #32 prospect in the state, and that's still not as optimistic as it gets; Doug Doughty ranks him 28th, ahead of four UVA commits and three Tech ones.
The other sites, though, are way down on him, dropping mid-to-low two-star ratings. Why the huge discrepancy? I'm willing to bet it's not a coincidence that the optimistic assessments are the ones that think he's 175 pounds (as Doughty does) and the pessimistic ones list him at 157. Somebody, somewhere, made a typo, and it spread, and I don't know which it's supposed to be.
Truthfully, I don't believe either. It's probably in the middle. He doesn't look like 175 pounds in his pictures at all. On the other hand, I'm 5'7" and can't get down to 157 to save my life. Walker is 5'10" or 11", if he weighs 157 pounds he's got no muscle and is strong like mosquito, which would explain all the low ratings.
The problem with those accolades, of course, is that Walker won't be playing RB for us. At this point there's no need for yet another small back. There is a need for athletic bodies with cornerback experience, so toss Walker into that very large mix of incoming freshmen. Walker will redshirt because he's not 175 pounds, and after that.....well, the cornerback shuffle in this class will sort itself out somehow. Walker has a little bit of a disadvantage because he's not as fast as C.J. Moore, not a pure corner who played the position every day like Kelvin Rainey, probably not quite as athletic as Maurice Canady, and not as big as Wil Wahee. Yes, the deck is stacked a little bit against him, but it'll be interesting to see who comes out of that big spin cycle on top.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
the recruit: Anthony Cooper
Name: Anthony Cooper
Position: WR
Hometown: Virginia Beach
School: Bayside
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 177
24/7: 92; four stars; #24 WR; VA #8; US #221
ESPN: 78; three stars; #64 WR; VA #11; Atlantic #62
Rivals: 5.7; three stars; #55 WR; VA #12
Scout: two stars; #209 WR
Other offers: Tennessee, Boston College, Vanderbilt, East Carolina, Western Michigan
July was a good month for cleaning up in Hampton Roads and getting a few in the fold that we'd been waiting for during a good while. Courtnye Wynn and Anthony Cooper were "Virginia leans" for like basically ever, and four of the five July commits were from that one special area code.
And Anthony Cooper is almost certainly the most talented of that July group. You see the scouting service ratings up there; 9 times out of 10 you can ignore the outlier in the group if the other three are in agreement, and that goes up to 10 out of 10 when the outlier is Scout, which is notorious for not doing their homework and hasn't done it here.
"Speed and hands are his biggest asset," says Recruit 757, and ESPN agrees, liking his hands and straight-line speed and ability to get yards after the catch. He's very productive at a top program in the Beach District; he's a do-everything receiver, an excellent defensive player, and a regular threat to take a kickoff back to the house. In fact, he just did that again tonight. There's little doubt in my mind that Cooper has the tools to succeed in college; perhaps right away, if given the chance.
Therein lies the slight catch. Cooper is a very talented receiver joining a class of very talented receivers (Canaan Severin, Adrian Gamble, etc.) and coming in behind another class of very talented receivers. What Cooper offers that the others don't is flexibility. You won't see Severin, Gamble, or the wondertwins on defense. Cooper is part of a group that includes Mario Nixon and Maurice Canady that play (or have played) both receiver and defensive back and could go either way in college. He's also almost certainly the most talented of that group.
Parse ESPN's scouting report and you find phrases like "has moments where he looks like he has a hitch in his giddyup and isn't overly smooth." The possibility exists that Cooper ends up on defense; if he does, safety is the place. Definitely not cornerback. I think he's probably a more natural wide receiver than safety, but if wide receiver is his career path, we'll have to be a little more patient, as there's a logjam coming at us in a year or two. Putting Cooper at safety might well be a good way to get him on the field faster; the position will need a huge shot of athleticism. The free safety depth chart next year is Rijo Walker starting and a dogpile of a competition for backup. At strong safety the competition dogpile is for starter, with Anthony Harris maybe having a leg up. I will always hate the idea of having to play a true freshman at safety, but inserting Cooper into that mix probably can't hurt. It's not a position of otherworldly talent.
In a vacuum, or a less stacked WR depth chart, I'd be very happy about Cooper as a receiver. But I don't think he'd be a game-changer, and if he were we'd still have to wait for him to polish his route-running and "refinement on the little things," as ESPN puts it. On the team as it's built now, Cooper's best chance at being a contributor is to play defense and get involved in the return game. I think he'll see the field earlier that way; possibly as a true or redshirt freshman. As the most talented of the two-way athletes coming in next year, he has a leg up on his compeition in that regard and could be a long-term contributor like our current starters at safety.
*************************************************
This has been a bonus post, on account of bye week. No game preview means let's dig for a little extra, and you get a Friday post. (It's technically Saturday, but be quiet.) I just have one more item of business on this week's agenda before I send you off for a weekend of pressure-free football watching:
GO TIGERS!!
(seriously, if you're a baseball fan and you aren't watching Justin Verlander pitch - a Commonwealth product so there's your local tie-in - you need to have your credentials renewed.)
Position: WR
Hometown: Virginia Beach
School: Bayside
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 177
24/7: 92; four stars; #24 WR; VA #8; US #221
ESPN: 78; three stars; #64 WR; VA #11; Atlantic #62
Rivals: 5.7; three stars; #55 WR; VA #12
Scout: two stars; #209 WR
Other offers: Tennessee, Boston College, Vanderbilt, East Carolina, Western Michigan
July was a good month for cleaning up in Hampton Roads and getting a few in the fold that we'd been waiting for during a good while. Courtnye Wynn and Anthony Cooper were "Virginia leans" for like basically ever, and four of the five July commits were from that one special area code.
And Anthony Cooper is almost certainly the most talented of that July group. You see the scouting service ratings up there; 9 times out of 10 you can ignore the outlier in the group if the other three are in agreement, and that goes up to 10 out of 10 when the outlier is Scout, which is notorious for not doing their homework and hasn't done it here.
"Speed and hands are his biggest asset," says Recruit 757, and ESPN agrees, liking his hands and straight-line speed and ability to get yards after the catch. He's very productive at a top program in the Beach District; he's a do-everything receiver, an excellent defensive player, and a regular threat to take a kickoff back to the house. In fact, he just did that again tonight. There's little doubt in my mind that Cooper has the tools to succeed in college; perhaps right away, if given the chance.
Therein lies the slight catch. Cooper is a very talented receiver joining a class of very talented receivers (Canaan Severin, Adrian Gamble, etc.) and coming in behind another class of very talented receivers. What Cooper offers that the others don't is flexibility. You won't see Severin, Gamble, or the wondertwins on defense. Cooper is part of a group that includes Mario Nixon and Maurice Canady that play (or have played) both receiver and defensive back and could go either way in college. He's also almost certainly the most talented of that group.
Parse ESPN's scouting report and you find phrases like "has moments where he looks like he has a hitch in his giddyup and isn't overly smooth." The possibility exists that Cooper ends up on defense; if he does, safety is the place. Definitely not cornerback. I think he's probably a more natural wide receiver than safety, but if wide receiver is his career path, we'll have to be a little more patient, as there's a logjam coming at us in a year or two. Putting Cooper at safety might well be a good way to get him on the field faster; the position will need a huge shot of athleticism. The free safety depth chart next year is Rijo Walker starting and a dogpile of a competition for backup. At strong safety the competition dogpile is for starter, with Anthony Harris maybe having a leg up. I will always hate the idea of having to play a true freshman at safety, but inserting Cooper into that mix probably can't hurt. It's not a position of otherworldly talent.
In a vacuum, or a less stacked WR depth chart, I'd be very happy about Cooper as a receiver. But I don't think he'd be a game-changer, and if he were we'd still have to wait for him to polish his route-running and "refinement on the little things," as ESPN puts it. On the team as it's built now, Cooper's best chance at being a contributor is to play defense and get involved in the return game. I think he'll see the field earlier that way; possibly as a true or redshirt freshman. As the most talented of the two-way athletes coming in next year, he has a leg up on his compeition in that regard and could be a long-term contributor like our current starters at safety.
*************************************************
This has been a bonus post, on account of bye week. No game preview means let's dig for a little extra, and you get a Friday post. (It's technically Saturday, but be quiet.) I just have one more item of business on this week's agenda before I send you off for a weekend of pressure-free football watching:
GO TIGERS!!
(seriously, if you're a baseball fan and you aren't watching Justin Verlander pitch - a Commonwealth product so there's your local tie-in - you need to have your credentials renewed.)
Friday, July 29, 2011
questions at camp for the defense
Continuation of Wednesday's post in which we asked similar questions about the offense. Here we'll look at the defense and what questions need to be answered in the coming weeks.
1. Can Rijo Walker seize the starting cornerback job opposite Chase Minnifield?
This is probably his big chance. He's done some impressive work for the coaches in the past year, enough to be currently listed as the starter, but now he'll have to fend off two freshman phenoms, and compete with senior Dom Joseph besides. Joseph is solid but limited, and freshmen, no matter how talented, end up torched by a wily senior receiver sooner or later. Now that Walker's been around the block once, having him ready to get the bulk of the starters' minutes is probably the best-case scenario for the defense. If he can't jump on the job this year, Demetrious Nicholson and Brandon Phelps may ensure he never gets another chance.
2. Is Cam Johnson a holy terror?
Every year with Johnson has been the same: we're pleased with what he's done this year and expect more next year. Unless Jake Snyder has a few surprises in his hat, Johnson is the defense's only real shot at having a QB-terrorizing pass rusher on the end. He's easily the best athlete on the line. Chris Long almost singlehandedly dragged his 2007 team to a New Year's bowl game, so if Cam Johnson lives up to his best potential, he could be worth a win or two. Truthfully, this question won't be properly answered until a few games into the season, but if Morgan Moses can't handle Johnson in camp, not many opposing tackles will, either.
3. Where will the freshmen get slotted?
There are a ton of DEs and DBs on the roster in the freshman section. Camp will be the first step in figuring out where the best position for some of these guys are - guys like Kameron Mack, Anthony Harris, Marco Jones, and Rob Burns, among others.
4. Have we found a workable linebacker combo?
The switch to the 4-3 still hasn't seen much settling down in the middle, as the coaches have done some experimenting with the lineup over the past year. Laroy Reynolds was switched to the weak side, Aaron Taliaferro moved to the outside from the middle, and Steve Greer still seems to be stuck in a platoon, the latter being much to the chagrin of many fans - including myself - who think Greer is good enough to be an every-down player. Meanwhile, former starter Ausar Walcott is now a DE and LoVante' Battle was moved back to the secondary. Certain other players are breathing down the necks of the nominal starters. There's not a fluxier unit on the roster outside of the quarterbacks.
5. Can we run any semblance of a secondary at all if a ton of freshmen are involved? Because it still looks awfully thin behind the starters.
*shudder*
1. Can Rijo Walker seize the starting cornerback job opposite Chase Minnifield?
This is probably his big chance. He's done some impressive work for the coaches in the past year, enough to be currently listed as the starter, but now he'll have to fend off two freshman phenoms, and compete with senior Dom Joseph besides. Joseph is solid but limited, and freshmen, no matter how talented, end up torched by a wily senior receiver sooner or later. Now that Walker's been around the block once, having him ready to get the bulk of the starters' minutes is probably the best-case scenario for the defense. If he can't jump on the job this year, Demetrious Nicholson and Brandon Phelps may ensure he never gets another chance.
2. Is Cam Johnson a holy terror?
Every year with Johnson has been the same: we're pleased with what he's done this year and expect more next year. Unless Jake Snyder has a few surprises in his hat, Johnson is the defense's only real shot at having a QB-terrorizing pass rusher on the end. He's easily the best athlete on the line. Chris Long almost singlehandedly dragged his 2007 team to a New Year's bowl game, so if Cam Johnson lives up to his best potential, he could be worth a win or two. Truthfully, this question won't be properly answered until a few games into the season, but if Morgan Moses can't handle Johnson in camp, not many opposing tackles will, either.
3. Where will the freshmen get slotted?
There are a ton of DEs and DBs on the roster in the freshman section. Camp will be the first step in figuring out where the best position for some of these guys are - guys like Kameron Mack, Anthony Harris, Marco Jones, and Rob Burns, among others.
4. Have we found a workable linebacker combo?
The switch to the 4-3 still hasn't seen much settling down in the middle, as the coaches have done some experimenting with the lineup over the past year. Laroy Reynolds was switched to the weak side, Aaron Taliaferro moved to the outside from the middle, and Steve Greer still seems to be stuck in a platoon, the latter being much to the chagrin of many fans - including myself - who think Greer is good enough to be an every-down player. Meanwhile, former starter Ausar Walcott is now a DE and LoVante' Battle was moved back to the secondary. Certain other players are breathing down the necks of the nominal starters. There's not a fluxier unit on the roster outside of the quarterbacks.
5. Can we run any semblance of a secondary at all if a ton of freshmen are involved? Because it still looks awfully thin behind the starters.
*shudder*
Monday, April 4, 2011
spring game and weekend review
I probably should write this stuff sooner, because the spring game is already floating out of my head. That's what happens when nothing at all stands out. I don't know about the event, but the game was awful. Yes, awful. I blame the lack of receivers; the offenses couldn't open anything up because the defenses had absolutely no trouble covering the bench-warming receivers in single coverage. So the run looked as if it was always going up against an eight-man front.
I'd like to say, for example, that Rijo Walker had an excellent game, and truthfully he might well be ready to leapfrog the competition and join Chase Minnifield as a starter. But how ready is he, really, when the best we've seen is against a sixth-string receiver? So, I don't feel comfortable making any observations whatsoever about the defense.
So we'll stick to the quarterbacks. It was disconcerting watching them flip back and forth between teams. Rosters were handed out that had two on one team and two on another, but what we got was the all-time-QB look that I was afraid of. Did we learn anything, though? Plenty, actually. Mike London will insist from now til September that there's no hierarchy, the depth chart is filled with ORs, that it's a competition to the end. And it is a competition, but one in which Mike Rocco has the clear advantage for now. We know this because Rocco took easily the most snaps in this game. The order looks like Rocco, Strauss, Metheny, Watford.
None of the quarterbacks were consistent. The lack of excitement in the game can be pinned on the lack of receivers, but not the QB inconsistency. All of them, even Watford, showed they can at least be functional if called upon. But most of them had at least one ill-advised throw. Rocco and Strauss each threw a pick that should never have happened, and Rocco would've had at least one more if Steve Greer had any hands. Rocco's inaccuracy on short throws cost at least 20 yards overall, not counting the yards that might've been picked up after first downs that didn't happen. Strauss actually looked like the most accurate thrower, but his pick was also the worst. Metheny didn't make many mistakes, but needed to add zip to his throws.
There were some quality throws, though, too. Everyone but Watford picked up a big chunk of yards on more than one occasion with a well-placed downfield throw. Strauss had the throw of the day, nailing walk-on receiver Johnny Pickett in perfect stride for a big gain. I would guess that the QB situation isn't actually going to be much worse than last year, but with growing pains and the potential to be better by November.
Anyone else catch my eye? Khalek Shepherd was the surprise of the day with some decent gains at running back and a very nice kick return. Clearly outplayed Kevin Parks, who had major ball control issues. Looked like nerves, honestly. But as I've said, there's a ton of playing time at stake at tailback alongside Perry Jones (who looked good catching the ball on the occasions it wasn't thrown two feet away from where it should) and Shepherd just took a big step toward claiming some.
Speaking of Jones, how about the team captaincy in his third year in the program? I think we should expect big things from this kid.
******************************************************
I have to keep reminding myself that it's only two losses for the lacrosse team (in a row, that is) but it feels like we haven't won all season. That kind of a pathetic second-half effort against Maryland no less will give you that ugly feeling in the gut. Did anyone play well? Adam Ghitelman, for a half, but the off-ball defense is so poor that opposing attackers are so open that no save is even possible, hurting his numbers. On-ball defense wasn't too bad. Chris LaPierre seems to be the only guy not needing a written invitation to get a ground ball.
Other than that, pfeh. There's an ongoing debate that crops up every now and again about whether our years-long inability to win a single damn faceoff is poor coaching or poor recruiting, and with as many faceoff violations as I've seen go against UVA and as few on other teams, I've decided I'm on the "coaching" side.
And don't even get me started on Shamel Bratton. If he's going to get his dumb ass suspended for the second time this season - indefinitely this time - I don't want to see him on the sideline having a merry old time laughing it up. It doesn't take a crotchety old bastard to be pissed off about that. If Shamel's played his last game in a UVA uniform then it might very well be a short season, and that shouldn't mean happy-time.
It sucks to lose, given the expectations this program has built up, but it's not the end of the world. There are at least three more chances to beat someone - anyone - in the ACC, and there's Penn too. It's easy to feel like the wheels are coming off, and they might be. But they might not.
******************************************************
In case they are, let's ramp up the baseball talk. Now here is a team getting it done. VT apologists - if there are any that still care about baseball given their team's losing record - that the reason for their struggles is because they've lost so many players to graduation. And so they have. I said as much in the preview. But I didn't see Tyler Cannon, Jarrett Parker, Robert Morey, Franco Valdes, Dan Grovatt, Phil Gosselin, or Kevin Arico anywhere in Blacksburg for the series this weekend, and the 37-8 difference in runs is the difference between a program and a fleeting blip.
The UVA nine was so dominant this weekend that Brian O'Connor only threw closer Branden Kline in the ninth inning of Sunday's game for the sake of it. Gotta get the man some work or he'll be rusty. Tech scored just two runs off UVA starters all weekend, and here's the crazy stat: all their eight runs came off home runs, while UVA hit just one all weekend - David Coleman went yard in a 4-for-5, 5 RBI effort on Saturday, three of those ribbies as a result of the moon shot. This is why O'Connor shuns the home run and prefers to play Oakball.
The sweep of Tech gives the Hoos an astounding 28-2 record after 30 games. Everyone - everyone - is playing well. The team is absolutely humming along, just in time for the showdown of the year next weekend in Atlanta. Georgia Tech is 23-6 and tied with UVA at 11-1 atop the Coastal standings. (It continues to be totally baffling as to why there are divisions. They playin' some shit baseball in the Atlantic.)
******************************************************
News section!
- We got us a hoops commitment on Friday! Score-o. Evan Nolte is a unanimous four-star and one of the top-rated recruits Tony Bennett's ever picked up for UVA. Like Malcolm Brogdon, he's from Atlanta. Nolte is a player very similar to Paul Jesperson, who'll join the program in the fall. That gives us an overabundance of 2-3-maybe-four-ish tweener types (wings, they're often called, but I don't care for thet term because it's overused) but Nolte is the kind of guy you bring in if you can and work the system to make it fit. More about him tomorrow or Wednesday.
- NC State still doesn't have a coach, and their search has officially dragged to the point where it seems obvious that whoever is hired is like the ninth choice. They're not close. Remember, Tony Bennett was announced on March 31, and that was after a week of cloak-and-dagger shit that had the whole fanbase in a frenzy. Shaka Smart turned them down, and who knows who else has? Maryland blogger Testudo Times can be forgiven for being a Maryland blogger for this well-timed (ahem) nugget of info on their search.
- Speaking of Maryland, they just became a little less of a threat on the recruiting trail this year. Perfect timing since we're recruiting against a new regime, which is always tricky. They got bit by the APR bug and will forfeit three football scholarships. Per Testudo Times that'll take effect after this year, meaning the impact is on the 2012 recruiting class. That's not an insignificant thing in a coach's first year when he wants to build a huge class.
- Could this happen? A neutral-site hoops doubleheader in Richmond with UVA, VT, VCU, and ODU? It would be fun right here to bring up Seth Greenberg's sniveling about ODU not being the kind of school that would help VT "grow a brand" but the truth is, such an event would be a much bigger deal for VCU and ODU than for the two ACC schools. Hence the line about "some concerns." If either Tech or UVA want any instate recruits, it's not really in their interest to try to give them the big-time basketball pitch after losing to VCU. I hate to say it but Greenberg, for all his gum-flapping about everything else, is right: Old Dominion would stand to gain a lot more from a game against UVA or Tech than we would. Mid-majors like to complain about the big boys refusing to play them, but the fact is they have to find a way to make it worth the big boys' while to do so - kind of like how Boise State agreed to come to Landover, MD to play VT in football - because you know they'll celebrate like lottery winners if they win, while the big-boy-turned-victim looks a huge fool.
Also a concern: please don't play a hockey game at the Coliseum the day of because our memories of the last time that happened are lousy.
I'd like to say, for example, that Rijo Walker had an excellent game, and truthfully he might well be ready to leapfrog the competition and join Chase Minnifield as a starter. But how ready is he, really, when the best we've seen is against a sixth-string receiver? So, I don't feel comfortable making any observations whatsoever about the defense.
So we'll stick to the quarterbacks. It was disconcerting watching them flip back and forth between teams. Rosters were handed out that had two on one team and two on another, but what we got was the all-time-QB look that I was afraid of. Did we learn anything, though? Plenty, actually. Mike London will insist from now til September that there's no hierarchy, the depth chart is filled with ORs, that it's a competition to the end. And it is a competition, but one in which Mike Rocco has the clear advantage for now. We know this because Rocco took easily the most snaps in this game. The order looks like Rocco, Strauss, Metheny, Watford.
None of the quarterbacks were consistent. The lack of excitement in the game can be pinned on the lack of receivers, but not the QB inconsistency. All of them, even Watford, showed they can at least be functional if called upon. But most of them had at least one ill-advised throw. Rocco and Strauss each threw a pick that should never have happened, and Rocco would've had at least one more if Steve Greer had any hands. Rocco's inaccuracy on short throws cost at least 20 yards overall, not counting the yards that might've been picked up after first downs that didn't happen. Strauss actually looked like the most accurate thrower, but his pick was also the worst. Metheny didn't make many mistakes, but needed to add zip to his throws.
There were some quality throws, though, too. Everyone but Watford picked up a big chunk of yards on more than one occasion with a well-placed downfield throw. Strauss had the throw of the day, nailing walk-on receiver Johnny Pickett in perfect stride for a big gain. I would guess that the QB situation isn't actually going to be much worse than last year, but with growing pains and the potential to be better by November.
Anyone else catch my eye? Khalek Shepherd was the surprise of the day with some decent gains at running back and a very nice kick return. Clearly outplayed Kevin Parks, who had major ball control issues. Looked like nerves, honestly. But as I've said, there's a ton of playing time at stake at tailback alongside Perry Jones (who looked good catching the ball on the occasions it wasn't thrown two feet away from where it should) and Shepherd just took a big step toward claiming some.
Speaking of Jones, how about the team captaincy in his third year in the program? I think we should expect big things from this kid.
******************************************************
I have to keep reminding myself that it's only two losses for the lacrosse team (in a row, that is) but it feels like we haven't won all season. That kind of a pathetic second-half effort against Maryland no less will give you that ugly feeling in the gut. Did anyone play well? Adam Ghitelman, for a half, but the off-ball defense is so poor that opposing attackers are so open that no save is even possible, hurting his numbers. On-ball defense wasn't too bad. Chris LaPierre seems to be the only guy not needing a written invitation to get a ground ball.
Other than that, pfeh. There's an ongoing debate that crops up every now and again about whether our years-long inability to win a single damn faceoff is poor coaching or poor recruiting, and with as many faceoff violations as I've seen go against UVA and as few on other teams, I've decided I'm on the "coaching" side.
And don't even get me started on Shamel Bratton. If he's going to get his dumb ass suspended for the second time this season - indefinitely this time - I don't want to see him on the sideline having a merry old time laughing it up. It doesn't take a crotchety old bastard to be pissed off about that. If Shamel's played his last game in a UVA uniform then it might very well be a short season, and that shouldn't mean happy-time.
It sucks to lose, given the expectations this program has built up, but it's not the end of the world. There are at least three more chances to beat someone - anyone - in the ACC, and there's Penn too. It's easy to feel like the wheels are coming off, and they might be. But they might not.
******************************************************
In case they are, let's ramp up the baseball talk. Now here is a team getting it done. VT apologists - if there are any that still care about baseball given their team's losing record - that the reason for their struggles is because they've lost so many players to graduation. And so they have. I said as much in the preview. But I didn't see Tyler Cannon, Jarrett Parker, Robert Morey, Franco Valdes, Dan Grovatt, Phil Gosselin, or Kevin Arico anywhere in Blacksburg for the series this weekend, and the 37-8 difference in runs is the difference between a program and a fleeting blip.
The UVA nine was so dominant this weekend that Brian O'Connor only threw closer Branden Kline in the ninth inning of Sunday's game for the sake of it. Gotta get the man some work or he'll be rusty. Tech scored just two runs off UVA starters all weekend, and here's the crazy stat: all their eight runs came off home runs, while UVA hit just one all weekend - David Coleman went yard in a 4-for-5, 5 RBI effort on Saturday, three of those ribbies as a result of the moon shot. This is why O'Connor shuns the home run and prefers to play Oakball.
The sweep of Tech gives the Hoos an astounding 28-2 record after 30 games. Everyone - everyone - is playing well. The team is absolutely humming along, just in time for the showdown of the year next weekend in Atlanta. Georgia Tech is 23-6 and tied with UVA at 11-1 atop the Coastal standings. (It continues to be totally baffling as to why there are divisions. They playin' some shit baseball in the Atlantic.)
******************************************************
News section!
- We got us a hoops commitment on Friday! Score-o. Evan Nolte is a unanimous four-star and one of the top-rated recruits Tony Bennett's ever picked up for UVA. Like Malcolm Brogdon, he's from Atlanta. Nolte is a player very similar to Paul Jesperson, who'll join the program in the fall. That gives us an overabundance of 2-3-maybe-four-ish tweener types (wings, they're often called, but I don't care for thet term because it's overused) but Nolte is the kind of guy you bring in if you can and work the system to make it fit. More about him tomorrow or Wednesday.
- NC State still doesn't have a coach, and their search has officially dragged to the point where it seems obvious that whoever is hired is like the ninth choice. They're not close. Remember, Tony Bennett was announced on March 31, and that was after a week of cloak-and-dagger shit that had the whole fanbase in a frenzy. Shaka Smart turned them down, and who knows who else has? Maryland blogger Testudo Times can be forgiven for being a Maryland blogger for this well-timed (ahem) nugget of info on their search.
- Speaking of Maryland, they just became a little less of a threat on the recruiting trail this year. Perfect timing since we're recruiting against a new regime, which is always tricky. They got bit by the APR bug and will forfeit three football scholarships. Per Testudo Times that'll take effect after this year, meaning the impact is on the 2012 recruiting class. That's not an insignificant thing in a coach's first year when he wants to build a huge class.
- Could this happen? A neutral-site hoops doubleheader in Richmond with UVA, VT, VCU, and ODU? It would be fun right here to bring up Seth Greenberg's sniveling about ODU not being the kind of school that would help VT "grow a brand" but the truth is, such an event would be a much bigger deal for VCU and ODU than for the two ACC schools. Hence the line about "some concerns." If either Tech or UVA want any instate recruits, it's not really in their interest to try to give them the big-time basketball pitch after losing to VCU. I hate to say it but Greenberg, for all his gum-flapping about everything else, is right: Old Dominion would stand to gain a lot more from a game against UVA or Tech than we would. Mid-majors like to complain about the big boys refusing to play them, but the fact is they have to find a way to make it worth the big boys' while to do so - kind of like how Boise State agreed to come to Landover, MD to play VT in football - because you know they'll celebrate like lottery winners if they win, while the big-boy-turned-victim looks a huge fool.
Also a concern: please don't play a hockey game at the Coliseum the day of because our memories of the last time that happened are lousy.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
the recruit: Rijo Walker
Name: Rijo Walker
Position: CB
Hometown: Hampton
School: Bayside
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170
ESPN: 75, three stars, #56 CB
Rivals: 5.5, three stars
Scout: three stars, #67 CB
Rijo committed at just exactly the wrong time as far as me finishing up this post is concerned. What with racing to finish all the previews before the season started, and then getting all out of sorts over Saturday's debacle, I damn near forgot about it. But here we are.
Anyway, the one thing that's different about Walker from most of our other recruits, especially on defense, is that the scouting services are all mostly in agreeance about him. And the offers bear that out, too - our main competition here was West Virginia and South Carolina, and mostly South Carolina. Sometimes you can ignore most of what the gurus have to say (ahem Kevin Parks), but in this case, they're probably pretty reliable. He likely gets a little bit of a downgrade because of his size (he's rather generously listed at 5'10", and even that's a tad on the short side for a cornerback.) I choose to ignore that when it comes to, say, Chris Brathwaite, who I'm irrationally excited about. You can do that with linebackers and running backs and such. Not so much with cornerbacks.
Walker's high school resume is fairly typical. Standout player, of course. 11 interceptions as a sophomore, which was helped by having a senior on the other side that teams were avoiding. When he became the player they avoided, the number dropped to four. No academic issues. Runs track. Kind of a prospect-in-a-can, but that's not meant to be a knock: Walker represents some stability and predictability in a recruiting class that badly needs some. This is going to be a weak-looking class on paper, and could end up a complete bust or a smash hit. Getting a solid, and just as importantly, instate player from a school where we seem to be establishing a good relationship (Jontel Evans is also from Bethel) is vital for both this class and future classes.
As for actual on-the-field stuff, Walker's even more important. Do you know how long it's been since we recruited a for-real, actual cornerback? Not picking one up last year was a mistake. In 2010, this could easily go from a major strength to a major weakness: if Dowling leaves, there's no real heir apparent to start across from Minnifield. Cornerback is not where you want to start a true freshman, but Walker could push for playing time that early just on lack of competition alone, and he should be a starter probably sooner than most of this class.
Position: CB
Hometown: Hampton
School: Bayside
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170
ESPN: 75, three stars, #56 CB
Rivals: 5.5, three stars
Scout: three stars, #67 CB
Rijo committed at just exactly the wrong time as far as me finishing up this post is concerned. What with racing to finish all the previews before the season started, and then getting all out of sorts over Saturday's debacle, I damn near forgot about it. But here we are.
Anyway, the one thing that's different about Walker from most of our other recruits, especially on defense, is that the scouting services are all mostly in agreeance about him. And the offers bear that out, too - our main competition here was West Virginia and South Carolina, and mostly South Carolina. Sometimes you can ignore most of what the gurus have to say (ahem Kevin Parks), but in this case, they're probably pretty reliable. He likely gets a little bit of a downgrade because of his size (he's rather generously listed at 5'10", and even that's a tad on the short side for a cornerback.) I choose to ignore that when it comes to, say, Chris Brathwaite, who I'm irrationally excited about. You can do that with linebackers and running backs and such. Not so much with cornerbacks.
Walker's high school resume is fairly typical. Standout player, of course. 11 interceptions as a sophomore, which was helped by having a senior on the other side that teams were avoiding. When he became the player they avoided, the number dropped to four. No academic issues. Runs track. Kind of a prospect-in-a-can, but that's not meant to be a knock: Walker represents some stability and predictability in a recruiting class that badly needs some. This is going to be a weak-looking class on paper, and could end up a complete bust or a smash hit. Getting a solid, and just as importantly, instate player from a school where we seem to be establishing a good relationship (Jontel Evans is also from Bethel) is vital for both this class and future classes.
As for actual on-the-field stuff, Walker's even more important. Do you know how long it's been since we recruited a for-real, actual cornerback? Not picking one up last year was a mistake. In 2010, this could easily go from a major strength to a major weakness: if Dowling leaves, there's no real heir apparent to start across from Minnifield. Cornerback is not where you want to start a true freshman, but Walker could push for playing time that early just on lack of competition alone, and he should be a starter probably sooner than most of this class.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
