Tribe Takes Down Virginia

Vic Hall sprints for Virginia’s first touchdown.

New special teams coach Ron Prince’s field goal block and punt coverage units were outstanding Saturday evening. Otherwise, Virginia’s performance in its 26-14 loss to William & Mary was an absolute horror show.

Cavalier coach Al Groh has spoken highly of his team’s versatility at many positions; the only versatility that the Hoos showed Saturday, though, was in the ways they turned the ball over. Virginia lost possession in all of the run-of-the mill ways – three interceptions, a fumble by the ball carrier, a muffed punt. Then, they also showed some rarer versions of giving the ball away – the ball slipping out of the hand of the QB and a snap off the center’s leg. All told, Gregg Brandon’s new offense had a whopping seven turnovers, and in general had enormous difficulty moving the chains. The seven turnovers are the most since a 1994 win against Clemson.

“I’m not stuck for answers; I’m sure you all are stuck for questions,” Groh told reporters after the game. “What more questions do you need to ask after you turn the ball over [seven] times? That’s the question. After that, there are really not any coaching questions, and there really are not any answers that are necessary.”

At the game’s outset, the Cavaliers came out in a fashion that was more expected – with a fire in their eyes, and with Vic Hall at quarterback. Hall received a rousing cheer in Scott Stadium when he was announced as the starter, and he made himself even more likeable with Virginia’s first drive. Three plays and 58 seconds after the drive started, Hall was in the end zone following a 34-yard TD scramble.

But …

“When plays like that happen, they’re overshadowed by mistakes,” Hall said.

And so the mistakes began. Hall and the Cavaliers went three-and-out on the next two possessions. The defense didn’t help matters, as Tribe QB R.J. Archer connected with wideout Ryan Moody for a 48-yard bomb on a miscommunication in Virginia’s secondary, ultimately leading to a Tribe touchdown.

Then, in what Groh said was a planned move, Virginia elected to insert Jameel Sewell at quarterback on the next drive. In his first series since the Gator Bowl in 2007, Sewell promptly air-mailed wide receiver Kris Burd downfield, and the ball landed instead in the hands of William & Mary’s B.W. Webb for Virginia’s first turnover. Prince’s special teams saved the Hoos from harm, as Tribe placekicker Brian Pate’s 42-yard field goal was tipped at the line of scrimmage.

Jameel Sewell walks to the sidelines after his second interception of the first half.

Sewell would recover to lead a second Virginia touchdown drive on a series of options and quick-hitters, but Brandon’s offense then followed with turnovers on its next three possessions. On Virginia’s next drive, Sewell attempted to thread the needle downfield to tight end Joe Torchia , but the ball bounced off his hands and once again into the arms of Webb. On the following possession, Groh went back to Hall, who was stripped as he attempted to scramble out of the pocket.

Hall appeared again on the next possession, and another turnover ensued, though this time at no fault of his own. Center Jack Shields’ snap never made it to Hall, instead hitting him in the leg and going straight to the ground; W&M recovered and Hall injured his left hip on the play. The Tribe earned three field goal tries on these three possessions, and Pate made two, leaving Virginia with a 14-13 lead at the half.

In the second half, Sewell went back under center (Hall’s injury played a role, Groh said.) Meanwhile, Tribe coach Jimmy Laycock – perhaps sensing the vulnerability of Virginia’s offense – went conservative, content to play the field-position battle.

Though the Virginia offense indeed remained stagnant, it was the special teams that gave the Tribe an opportunity this time. Hall remained in at punt returner, and had a punt deflect off his body inside Virginia’s 10-yard line. W&M recovered and while the Cavs stood up the Tribe from the 6-yard line, another Pate field goal gave Laycock’s bunch a stunning 16-14 lead.

Hall said that he is told to stand at the 5-yard line on punt returns in Virginia territory, and is allowed to catch a punt anywhere in front of that mark.

“I’m sure that’s a decision that Vic had to make at the spur of the moment,” Groh said. “I’m sure he’d like to have it back.”

Offensively, as Sewell continued to struggle, Groh finally went to QB Marc Verica with 11:31 remaining in the fourth quarter. On his second drive, though, Verica – already notorious for turnovers – committed one of his own in the middle of what appeared to be a promising drive. After Verica completed four passes in a row, moving Virginia into Tribe territory, the ball simply slipped out of his hand on 2nd & 8, and the Tribe fell on the ball at the Virginia 36-yard line. Another turnover, another field goal, and William & Mary had a five-point lead.

Still, though, Virginia had hope, as Groh went back to Sewell with 3:50 on the clock. On 3rd & 4, however, Sewell threw his final pick and any comeback chance Virginia went in the tank. Webb made his third pick of the day and was rewarded in a big way, as he took it 50 yards for the final backbreaking score.

Though there were other problem areas for Virginia – receivers getting behind the secondary, missed interception opportunities – suffice it to say that the offensive woes are enough for Groh to worry about. One could make a case that for much of the game, the offense was literally counterproductive. Following the Cavaliers’ final score at the 7:29 mark of the second quarter, the offense gained 111 yards and scored no points; the offense’s next five turnovers, however, gave the Tribe 75 yards and a touchdown.

“Look, I’m responsible for what happens to the ball,” Groh said. “We turned the ball over [seven] times, and I’m responsible for those.”

And, as for the players and Wahoo fans, losing the home opener to an FCS opponent by 12 points is enough to cause plenty of discomfort.

“It’s really setting in that this is definitely a big loss,” Burrell said. “As a captain, I think it’s most important that we need to almost preach to the younger players that this is not what we’re about. We need to bounce back, and we need to do it now.”

Final Stats