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Chris Long and Al Groh laugh during the Gator Bowl press conference. |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Virginia football team has moved near the 24-hour window prior to kickoff at the Gator Bowl and the final few moments of fun are wrapping up in Jacksonville. Al Groh, whose team has enjoyed everything from miniature golf to zoo trips to today’s Gator Bowl luncheon, said the Gator Bowl trip has been a good one for his team.
“This has been a terrific experience up to this point for our team. The organization and the hospitality of the Gator Bowl people have been tremendous from the outset. … They know how to treat teams,” Groh said.
However, the Cavaliers’ head coach has already shifted to business mode with kickoff officially on the radar screen. At today’s press conference, Groh pointed out that there’s not much left to say. The game has been dissected, analyzed, and discussed for weeks. Now, Groh says, it is time to play the game and see what happens.
Kickoff is at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
Challenge For The Defense
With that said, the preparation period is over for the Cavaliers and their practices have concluded. Groh indicated that practice has gone well leading up to the game, but the top item on everyone’s question list remains the same: How do you slow down Texas Tech’s offense?
Behind a dynamic passing attack, the Red Raiders have scored more than 30 points in all but two games this season (10 at Missouri and 26 at Colorado) while producing more than 400 yards of total offense in all but one (388 at Colorado). Texas Tech features record-setters Graham Harrell (QB) and Michael Crabtree (WR) as the stars of the offense; Harrell ranks second in the Big 12 in career passing yards (10,275), career pass completions (917), and career passing touchdowns (86) while Crabtree, a freshman, set a Big 12 and NCAA freshman record with 21 touchdowns this season.
That prompted one reporter to ask Coach Groh how the Hoos were going to deal with Crabtree without their “best cornerback” in Chris Cook , who did not make the trip to Jacksonville.
“I wasn’t aware that you were in the personnel business. I don’t think I’ve ever designated that player as our top defensive back. He’s one of our very good players, but it’s going to take more than one player to slow this particular offense down and this particular player,” Groh said. “But our practice has gone well and any time we put anybody in the game, we feel real good that player’s ability to perform, otherwise we wouldn’t put them out there, and we feel the same way about the guys we’ll put out there tomorrow.
“We understand on a play-to-play basis, it’s going to be a challenge and it’s going to be a struggle. We think over the years that Oklahoma and Texas have proven what kind of players they have on their team, yet they both have found it extremely difficult to slow this offense down,” he added. “We understand the challenge it is going to take and it will be interesting to see how we do with it. We’re anxious to see.”
At least part of the plan has to feature Virginia star defensive end Chris Long , who has 14 sacks this season. Of course, with Texas Tech’s offense often utilizing short drops and throwing the ball quickly, Long may be at least partially neutralized. Long, not surprisingly, said Monday that he’s approaching things the same way, though.
“It’s a challenge and it’s not only a challenge because of the scheme they run, but because they have good players running the scheme. As a defensive lineman, I can’t say ‘Oh heck, they’re going to be getting rid of it quick, I’m not going to bring it.’ You just have to keep coming like you would as a pass rusher in any game and be relentless,” Long said. “If you get back there once or twice in the game, you had a good day. You’ve got to keep bringing it.”
Knowing that Long plays that way, some coaches have chosen to draw up special plans for him during games. Double and triple teams toward Long have been normal sights during UVa games this season. Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said he doesn’t have any special scheme prepared for the All-American star, though.
“They move him around so there’s no real special game plan,” Leach said. “Just go out and play sound, play well, have good technique, and do it consistently.”
Harrell, on the other hand, does have a plan for Long and the Cavaliers’ entire defensive line. Trust the offensive line, which has allowed just 15 sacks this season. UVa has recorded 40 sacks as a team, setting up an interesting match-up.
“Their defensive line as a whole has done a great job. Chris Long is kind of the face of that defensive line, but all of them have done a really great job this year just watching them on film,” Harrell said. “But at the same time, our offensive line has done a great job too. … Hopefully they can protect me one more time. They’ve done a great job all year and I expect them to do a great job tomorrow in the game.”
More Points
Much of the media and focus during the bowl preparation period has been directed at Texas Tech’s prolific offense. And why not? When you have a quarterback who has thrown for 5,298 yards and a receiver that leads the nation in receptions (10.4 per game) and receiving yards (155.1 per game), your offense is going to get attention.
But there’s another important factor from Virginia’s standpoint. Even if the Hoos manage to slow down TT’s offense and hold the Raiders to less than their 42-point average, they likely still will need to score a significant amount of points. After all, as Groh points out, he doesn’t expect to get Tech all the way down to two points or something crazy like that.
That means UVa’s offense will have to raise its level of play and its production. After all, the team scored more than 30 points just twice this season (44-14 vs. Pitt and 48-0 at Miami). The Cavaliers produced more than 400 yards of total offense just twice as well (439 at Maryland and 418 at Miami).
The players are focused on executing and controlling the tempo of the game while letting the points fall how they may.
“Like Coach Groh said, we have to come out strong, put points on the board, manage the clock, and whatnot,” Branden Albert said. “We just have to come out aggressive and play hard and see where we go from there.”
Quote Of The Day
“Going to the zoo. That was a lot of fun. I got to see a lion. I got to see a giraffe. I mean, there’s some crazy stuff at the zoo.” ~ Chris Long on the most fun thing he’s done this week.
Picture Hunting
Long said he didn’t meet any Red Raiders while on his recent travels to national award banquets. Long, the Ted Hendricks Award winner as the nation’s best defensive end, did run in to a Texas Tech fan, though. And he wants a copy of a photo that was taken.
“No, I ran in to one fan who made me do guns up in a picture. That was interesting. Other than that, I didn’t run in to anybody. He was a real nice guy I met and it just seems to be a class organization. He made me do the guns up and everything. I don’t know where that picture is, but I’d like to have a copy,” Long said laughing.
