Recap
 Cavalier Marching Band Member |
The new Cavalier Marching Band got plenty of practice playing the “Good Old Song” today. Virginia scored touchdowns on its first six possessions, added a 100-yard kickoff return by Marquis Weeks and steamrolled North Carolina, 56-24, for the 12th straight time at Scott Stadium.
Destroying a dreadful Tar Heel defense, the 15th-ranked Cavaliers (2-0, 1-0 ACC) rolled up 549 yards of offense and scored on drives of 77, 68, 97, 79, 90 and 47 yards in the first three quarters.
Marques Hagans was nearly flawless in directing the offense, completing 10 of 12 passes for 209 yards, and Wali Lundy capped off each of UVa’s first three drives with touchdown runs. Alvin Pearman also scored twice and had a 93-yard kick return as the Cavaliers finished with 299 yards and seven TDs on the ground.
Virginia’s defense turned in a shaky performance, especially
against the pass, but it didn’t matter because Carolina couldn’t keep things close. It was 35-10 by halftime and 49-10 before UVa’s first punt.
It’s true what they say. Carolina really does, um, stink.
Virginia MVP
 Alvin Pearman |
Anyone on offense could get this, but let’s give it to Alvin Pearman because of his extraordinary versatility. The senior ran for 35 yards and two touchdowns. He caught a 45-yard pass. He returned a kickoff 93 yards to the Carolina 1. He had three punt returns for 21 yards. He also made a tackle on special teams.
“Alvin had a spectacular day,” UVa coach Al Groh said. “Alvin did everything a football player does today.”
North Carolina MVP
Darian Durant did everything he could to keep Carolina in the game. He eluded pressure, bought time for himself and made a bunch of pinpoint passes. He finished 11 of 15 for 128 yards and a touchdown, numbers that included two dropped passes. His backup, Matt Baker, was even better (8 of 9 for 171 yards and a TD) but that came against Virginia’s second-string defense.
Key Plays
1) Late in the first quarter, trailing 14-0, North Carolina faced fourth and
one at the 2-yard line. Ronnie McGill took a deep handoff, never generated
forward momentum and got squashed by Chris Canty at the 3. The Cavaliers promptly marched 97 yards for another touchdown.
2) After the Tar Heels showed signs of life with a long touchdown drive that
made it 21-7, Marquis Weeks snuffed them out. The senior fielded the ensuing
kickoff a yard deep in the end zone, broke a tackle by Carolina’s Hilee
Taylor at the 30 and weaved his way across the field for a 100-yard
touchdown. It was reminiscent of his 100-yard return two years ago that
sparked UVa’s comeback win over the Heels.
3) Any doubt about the game’s outcome ended when the Cavaliers scored their fifth TD
in the last minute of the first half. The key play was a third and eight
from the UNC 49. Hagans stood in the pocket and looked right, then
looked right some more before turning and tossing the ball to Pearman in
the left flat. All alone, Pearman raced 45 yards to the UNC 4, then scored
two plays later to make it 35-10.
Offense
Looked Good
 Alvin Pearman |
You name it, Virginia’s offense looked good doing it. On the ground, Jason Snelling (80 yards), Wali Lundy (73), Michael Johnson (71), Alvin Pearman (35) and Marques Hagans (30) each had at least 30 rushing yards. Through the air, the Cavaliers completed 13 of 16 passes for 250 yards without an interception. UVa averaged 8.6 yards per play and received contributions from almost everyone. Eight different players caught at least one pass and the line was absolutely dominant at the point of attack.
Needs Work
When a team scores touchdowns on every possession until the fourth quarter, it seems tacky to nitpick. But what the heck. Let’s do it anyway. The Cavaliers got a little too cute when Michael Johnson tried to pitch the ball back to Deyon Williams for what was going to be a flanker pass or reverse early in the final period. Williams couldn’t handle the pitch and lost 18 yards after picking up the fumble. The Cavaliers still had a chance for a field goal but Heath Miller was called for a personal foul, forcing a punt. Figures that if the Virginia offense was going to be stopped, it would be because it stopped itself.
Defense
Looked Good
 Ahmad Brooks |
The goal-line stand in the first quarter was pivotal as the Cavaliers stuffed Ronnie McGill twice on third and one and fourth and one from the 2-yard line. Elton Brown was part of the goal-line unit that made those plays. Several defenders had productive days. Sophomore linebackers Ahmad Brooks and Kai Parham combined for 18 tackles. Parham also sacked Durant in the second quarter, while backup safety Lance Evans made an easy interception in the third quarter.
Needs Work
The secondary was one of the few question marks for the Cavaliers going into the season. It became a bigger question mark today. All three cornerbacks – Marcus Hamilton, Tony Franklin and Philip Brown – were picked apart by the Tar Heels, who completed 19 of 24 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Hamilton, in particular, had a rough first quarter. Franklin and Brown were burned later after the outcome was no longer in doubt. But this was the only thing that even slightly soured an otherwise superb afternoon for the home team.
Special Teams
Looked Good
 Marquis Weeks |
Ahmad Brooks is the kick returner everyone has been talking about, but Virginia evidently has a few other dangerous guys handling that role. Weeks and Pearman each made sensational returns, breaking tackles, cutting back and, in Weeks’ case, coming to almost a dead halt at one point to elude defenders. Both also were aided by good blocking. On Pearman’s 93-yarder, Isaiah Ekejuiba raced downfield to clear out a defender at the UNC 30. After a rough outing last week, Connor Hughes didn’t get to try a field goal but he drilled all eight extra points.
Needs Work
The jury’s still out on Sean Johnson. He had two chances for pooch punts and neither looked good. His first one wobbled and went only 15 yards, going out of bounds at the UNC 29. After getting an earful from Groh on the sideline, Johnson did a little better on his next punt – a 29-yarder that went out of bounds at the UNC 15.
Quotes
Notes
performances. Now, I’m no music critic, but I thought they sounded pretty
good. I’m also no fashion guru, but they sure looked snazzy in their orange,
blue and white outfits, didn’t they? Did I say snazzy? I meant silly.
when freshman wideout Emmanuel Byers took a handoff on an end-around and
threw a 32-yard pass to Michael McGrew. The throw was a bit off but McGrew,
who was wide open, made a sliding catch at the UNC 33. Virginia scored two
plays later to go up 21-0.
(This story was made available to all Sabre readers so that everyone can get a taste of the postgame coverage on TheSabre.com. In the future, postgame stories will be available exclusively to Sabre Edge subscribers. Audio from Coach Groh’s postgame press conference and interviews with several players are currently available to Edge subscribers at this link. A photo gallery of the game also will be posted tomorrow for Edge subscribers.)
