“Finding some playmakers, particularly at receiver, is a priority. If Virginia can find some wide receivers, quarterback Marques Hagans is more than capable of getting them the ball.” – Athlon Sports College Football 2005
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Receivers coach John Garrett |
You think? No unit proved more disappointing in 2004 on offense than the wide receivers. With the fanfare and pedigree that accompanied the arrival of coach John Garrett, expectations were heightened for the receiving corps and they simply were not met. There are several reasons for this but I’ll save those for a longer article about the passing game. This much is clear: The wide receivers must step up and make plays in 2005.
Fortunately, Garrett may be making some inroads. The wide receivers coach has spent much of the last two seasons teaching his young charges how to run routes, achieve separation and make plays. Hopefully that work will pay off this fall.
Wide Receivers
Projected Starters
1) Deyon Williams (Jr., 6-3, 188)
2) Fontel Mines (Jr., 6-4, 222)
3) Emmanuel Byers (So, 5-9 191)
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Few would argue that it is time for Deyon Williams and Fontel Mines to step up and become consistent playmakers. The juniors have combined for six starts (38 games played), 40 receptions, 519 yards and three scores.
Williams may be the most talented receiver on the squad. He possesses a deadly combination of size, speed, body control and hand-eye coordination. He is physical enough to be used across the middle and has the speed to be a deep threat on the outside. He also has the potential to be a dominating blocker, yet he was inconsistent last year and did not always appear to give it his full effort. But he seems to have a renewed focus in 2005.
“You have to come into [the season] with a different mindset,” Williams said. “It’s your third year and you’ve got two years to do something and make a change in your game in order to win games for your team, to produce for your team. This year my priorities are different and my mindset is different and my attitude toward practice is a whole lot different.”
Mines is a very physical receiver who will go up in he air and take the ball away from the defensive back with his big, long arms. He has solid ball skills, adjusts well to the ball while it’s in the air and makes tough catches in traffic.
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Byers has been the star of the receiver group in camp and, according to Al Groh, has had one of the better camps on the team. Byers has significantly improved his route running, he’s getting better acceleration off the line and he’s done a much better job of gaining separation from defenders.
“I’m really proud of EB, he’s really made a lot of improvement,” Garrett said. “He decided one day [last season] that he was going to make [football] important.”
Byers did not travel with the team to the Duke game last season because “he needed to improve his assignments and he needed to be more conscientious,” Garrett said, noting that was a “wake-up call” for Byers.
This fall Byers has learned two positions, has caught virtually everything thrown to him and has taken an active role in helping teach the new receivers in camp. “When you can articulate it, you can perform it,” Garrett said.
Second Unit
1) Ottowa Anderson (Sr., 6-0, 186)
2) Maurice Covington (Fr., 6-4, 189)
3) Theirrien Davis (So., 5-11, 182)
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Ottowa Anderson |
Anderson returns after a year away from the team as Virginia’s leading active career receiver with 62 receptions, 703 yards and five touchdowns. What makes him so valuable to this team is his versatility, his toughness and his leadership.
“He’s got the toughness to go block people, he’s got the toughness to play special teams, he’s got the skills to be versatile,” Groh said. “But without the level of toughness that he has, his versatility wouldn’t be at as high a level.”
Davis had an excellent spring and got a lot of repetitions early in the fall, but he has been hampered by a pulled muscle that has limited his ability to run at full speed. What we saw in camp is that when Davis has been in drills or live scrimmages, he is still a gifted athlete and the mental aspect of his game as a wide receiver has improved since last season.
Covington has been impressive in fall drills. A very physical receiver, he has tremendous ball skills, makes good in-pattern adjustments and has the physicality to break tackles. He has also displayed a knack for making the difficult reception. Do not be surprised if Covington has worked his way into the starting lineup by year’s end.
Third Unit
1) Mike Robertson (So., 6-2, 201)
2) Brandon Woods (Fr., 6-2, 203)
3) Kevin Ogletree (Fr., 6-2, 180)
Tight Ends
1) Tom Santi (So., 6-5, 238)
2) Jonathan Stupar (So., 6-3, 250)
3) John Phillips (Fr, 6-6 240)
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Santi emerged last season as another in a long line of exceptional tight end prospects at UVa. He started three games last fall (as an H-Back or in the two-tight end set) and finished 10th among ACC freshmen with 13 receptions for 155 yards. Santi is still developing physically but even last season showed an ability to break tackles and deliver a blow to defenders. The speedy, versatile tight end will likely enter the season as the starter but will see time again in the H-back role.
Stupar suffered through an injury-plagued season in 2004, seeing action in just two games. Considered out one of the top tight end prospects out of high school, Stupar has appeared back to that form in fall camp. He has good size and strength, possesses superb balls skills and is developing into a fine college blocker.
In camp both players have exhibited the ability to find the openings in the defense, make big catches and finish the play with good yardage after the catch.
The Last Word
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In 2004 everything appeared to be a struggle for Virginia’s pass catchers. Route running, pass catching, separation ability, playmaking ability and even the ability to remain healthy. For two years, the Cavs have been looking for a stud to replace Billy McMullen and no one has emerged. This season they also must replace the nation’s top tight end. If the ‘Hoos are to have a successful season, this group must perform at a considerably higher level and must take a significant step forward.
One of the keys to the receiver play this season is Marques Hagans. The senior quarterback has taken an aggressive role with his wideouts, challenging the passing offense to eliminate excuses and make plays.
What I like about this group is the ability to put a very diverse group of receivers on the field. A burner on one side, a solid possession guy on the other and a scatback like Byers in the slot. Add to that having to defend tight ends like Santi and Stupar, or a fullback with the speed of Jason Snelling, and Ron Prince and company are in mismatch heaven.
