The Roster

Trey Womack – 5’11”, 177, R-Fr. Vic Hall – 5’9″, 184, So. Ras-I Dowling – 6’2″, 180, Fr. Byron Glaspy – 5’11”, 203, Jr. Dom Joseph – 6’1″, 180, Fr. Chris Cook – 6’2″, 204, Jr. Jamaal Jackson – 6’3″, 212, Sr. Mike Brown – 5’9″, 180, Jr. Rico Bell – 5’10”, 184, R-Fr. Nate Lyles – 6’0″, 203, Sr. Chase Minnifield – 6’0″, 185, Fr. Brandon Jarvis – 5’9″, 188, Jr. Matt Leemhuis – 6’1″, 200, R-Fr. Corey Mosley – 5’10”, 195, Fr. Mike Parker – 6’2″, 190, R-Fr.

Admit it. At least once this offseason, you’ve had a thought like this: If the secondary can just get its act together, the Virginia defense could be dominant in 2007. It’s O.K. It’s no secret that the Cavalier secondary gave up too many big plays in 2006, which prevented a great defense from being dominant. The defensive backs have heard those whispers for an entire offseason and they insist they’re ready to tell a different story this time around.

“Definitely, we have to work on giving up less big plays,” Virginia safety Nate Lyles said. “A lot of that comes to the secondary. We’re the guys in the back and we have to save anything that happens up front. We definitely plan on picking it up.”

The pick-it-up plan begins with experience, which UVa hopes will cancel out some of last season’s home run play hiccups. Lyles and Byron Glaspy are projected as the safety starters, giving Virginia 50 games and 30 starts combined in the middle of the field. The back-ups – Jamaal Jackson and Brandon Woods – have logged plenty of practice reps, but have limited game exposure. Further down the depth chart, Rico Bell and Matt Leemhuis are expected to contribute mostly on special teams.

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