Mike London’s first spring practice period opens on March 15. |
Rest assured, Virginia football fans aren’t the only ones excited for the start of spring practice this month. You can count new coach Mike London among the group in fact because he’s as excited as anyone to get things rolling on March 15. London’s reasons for the enthusiasm are simple: who and what.
“The expectation is – and this is across the board whether you’re a quarterback, a defensive end, a tackle – to find out the who and the what. Who can play? Who the playmakers are? Who can grasp the offensive and defensive schemes as well as special teams?” London said. “To find out where we are as a football team.”
With the defense shifting to a 4-3 and the offense starting to take shape with hopes of a power running attack and playmaking skill positions, the who and what questions make a lot of sense. The who portion, of course, means some roster changes have taken place heading into this practice period. Among the position shifts are Cam Johnson (outside linebacker to defensive end), Terence Fells-Danzer (linebacker to fullback), Ausar Walcott (safety to outside linebacker), Brent Urban (defensive end to defensive tackle), Justin Renfrow (defensive end to defensive tackle), Jeremiah Mathis (linebacker to defensive end), Brendan Lane (quarterback to tight end), and J.C. Poma (linebacker to quarterback). Max Milien is listed as a fullback.
The spring roster is also missing some names from the fall. The two most notable names are Billy Cuffee, a 6’5″, 320-pound offensive guard, and Buddy Ruff , a 6’4″, 310-pound defensive tackle. Some listed juniors from the fall are also absent: Staton Jobe (receiver), Zack Mendez-Zfass (receiver), Patch Duda (receiver), Daniel Childress (linebacker), Nathan Rathjen (punter), Matt Leemhuis (safety) and Jack Shields (center). Shields previously announced that he had given up football.
London did not call them by name, but answered a question about Cuffee and Ruff by saying that “there’s two individuals that had not met the academic expectations of them so they’re not here with us.”
He also added the following: “There are some guys on the roster that based on my expectations of them as a student-athlete within the community and what they do, that’s going to be contingent on whether or not they return next year. It’s a spring practice full of trying to evaluate the talent that we have on the team, trying to evaluate those that have a fifth-year opportunity, and [those where] whether or not the expectations of being a good student and doing the right things and whether that comes to fruition and if that happens, they may be on the team next year. There are a couple of different elements going on right now in terms of how the team is going to finally look next year. Everybody that’s on the roster absent those two and Jack Shields, they’re out there lifting and working and they’re going to participate in spring practice.”
Beyond those names not on the roster, there are some team members that won’t be working in spring practice because of injury rehabilitation as well as some others that will be limited.
“There are a couple of players who have had surgeries. Dominique Wallace is still coming off an injury, but he’s back running and doing some things that he looks good at doing but he’s not going to be ready for spring practice. Matt Conrath had a bone removed from his foot; he’s going to be hampered and probably not engage in spring practice,” London said. “Corey Mosley had shoulder surgery. He’s back lifting and running and he wants to play right now, but the trainers are like ‘You’re not ready’ so he won’t. … There’s a couple of other guys at the start that may not start out running around doing drills and we’ll see how they progress.”
Cavalier fans can watch it all unfold at seven open practices this spring. The open practice schedule follows:
- Monday, 3/15, 3:50 p.m.
- Wednesday, 3/17, 3:50 p.m.
- Friday, 3/19, 3:50 p.m.
- Saturday, 3/20, 10:20 a.m.
- Monday, 3/22, 3:50 p.m.
- Wednesday, 3/24 3:50 p.m.
- Saturday, 3/27, 1:30 (At ODU’s Foreman Field)
The final opportunity to see the Hoos’ football team in the spring comes on Saturday, April 10. The program’s annual Spring Football Festival and Spring Game is scheduled for that afternoon beginning at noon.