Coach Mike London.

The prognosticators predicted before the season Virginia would be bad in 2010, the worst team in the ACC’s Coastal Division and perhaps worse than a year ago. The last two humbling weeks are certainly pointed in that direction. At some point, however, there isn’t much to say. I guess it’s the “shut up and take your medicine” phase of rebuilding that’s sinking in.

Sure, it would be easy to point to bad match-ups against ACC contenders. Georgia Tech, which defeated UVa 33-21 on Saturday, is the defending ACC Champion after all and still in the thick of things with a 3-1 start to league play this season. Florida State, meanwhile, seems to have new life in the Atlantic Division where only N.C. State looks like a viable contender in 2010. Both teams run the football extremely well and it’s abundantly clear that stopping the run is not a defensive strength for UVa this season.

I hope I’m wrong, but that approach probably takes a great deal of wishful thinking about the games in weeks to come. Can UVa compete? Sure and the Cavaliers already look worlds better in that department this season than last. Will the players give it all they’ve got in an effort to turn things around? I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. They like Mike London and his staff and they believe they can lay the foundation for turning this thing around. Will the Hoos win any? I think so. I still think more than one or two at this point too.

...