Wake, UVa Search For A Win

The season has been a challenging one for coaches and players.

Virginia is in the midst of a five-game losing streak headed into this Saturday’s matchup against Wake Forest. With just five games remaining on the schedule and a 2-5 record, the Cavaliers’ bowl hopes are dwindling fast. While not yet mathematically eliminated from postseason play, the team has to improve greatly to avoid a losing record this season.

The first step, of course, is to stop the slide and get one win. Up next is a struggling Demon Deacons team with its own share problems. Wake Forest is 3-3 and 1-3 ACC. The Deacs have lost three of their last four games, including a 19-14 loss to Maryland entering their bye week this past Saturday. Wake suspended eight players during the past two games against Duke and Maryland (read more here and here , but many of those players are expected to return against the Cavaliers.

“I think Coach [Jim] Grobe obviously has had some off-the-field issues that have devastated his team to this point. From what I’ve read, it’s been indicated that four of those suspended players will be back. So they’re on the road, conference game, looking for a win. This [Virginia] team is desperate for a win at home, conference game. That’s our goal right now, is just to get a win at home,” UVa coach Mike London said at his weekly press conference. “[Wake] is a good team, 3-4 defense. Quarterback Tanner Price is a very good quarterback. Kind of the offenses we’ve been seeing with the spread, zone read, all that type of stuff. It will be challenging again. But, like I said, our team is hungry, desperate for a win.”

The last meeting between these two teams came in 2008 when Wake Forest won 28-17, but Virginia has won 11 of the last 12 games against the Deacs that have been played at Scott Stadium.

Dealing with Adversity

Among several topics of discussion during the Monday afternoon press conference was overcoming adversity. Coach London and his staff are working hard to keep the team focused and positive through this losing stretch, constantly teaching the fundamental elements of the game and helping them overcome the challenges week to week.

“You never stop teaching this game, how to play the game,” London said. “You never stop teaching about concepts, things that can help you be great players: effort, energy, and preparation – all those things. It’s always constant. But it’s one of those things that you have to shows these young men that adversity is going to happen in life. We’ve experienced our fair share of it. At the same time, on the other side, I’ve always said I feel we’re a few inches from making a catch or making a play, tipping a ball, whatever it maybe, to start or ignite a spark. We always talk about the positive things. I’m always looking to the positive things, evaluate what you are, what you’re doing. These 18-, 19-year-olds are looking to the leadership, seeing what type of positive influences we can provide. That’s what we’re supposed to do. That’s the mindset of coaches, staffs.”

Special Teams Not So Special

To return or not to return? That is the question.

One of the key areas London discussed Monday relates to special teams. Mistakes from those units have been costly this season, particularly against Maryland where Virginia allowed a 100-yard touchdown return by Stefon Diggs on the opening kickoff, had a field goal blocked, and committed a personal foul on an extra point attempt that allowed the Terps excellent field position when they added another big return. That eventually led to another Terrapin score.

“We are always talking about decisions. The thing of note is not particularly the scheme of things – it’s the execution. If you’re the kickoff cover team, your lane is a certain lane, you see a block coming, instead of taking on the block that’s taught and preached and practiced time after time again, you think you can make it, so you do a quick swim over the top. All of a sudden that lane you’re supposed to be in, it’s vacated and you get a long return,” London said.

“[Later in the game] a point after a touchdown is kicked. There’s no reason to try to block a defender when basically the play is over- there’s no reason to block that defender. You get a personal foul, so the ball is kicked off at the 20-yard line, which leads to another field position issue for them to score,” London continued. “So the schemes and things like that are not as much the issue as the people that are executing them and having to quantify, you got to make better decisions.”

Another source of contention with special teams has been the inability to reach the 25-yard line on kick returns. Khalek Shepherd , the Hoos’ primary kick return, has posted 25 returns on the season for an average of 22.4 yards per attempt. That’s ranked 56th in the nation.

In several games, however, UVa’s kick returners have elected to bring the ball out of the end zone and have failed to make the 25-yard line, which is where the ball is now placed on touchbacks in college football. In fact, the opponents have kicked off 45 times this season and Virginia has only taken 7 touchbacks on those kicks, a touchback percentage of 15.6%. Only Michigan, Oregon, and Texas State have a lower percentage in that category among FBS teams.

Coach London feels that perhaps the kick return team needs to start taking the touchback whenever the ball is clearly headed into the end zone and not to risk putting his offense in a hole.

“I think two of the four or five possessions we had did not go beyond the 25. One of those that goes one-yard deep, the momentum of the ball is carried into the end zone – this is a decision, I go back to a couple games ago, Duke game, once it goes in there, let it go,” London said. “It’s automatically on the 25. That’s something that we did talk about, that’s something that definitely will be implemented into our approach to kickoffs.”

Coach London mentioned that overall things might need to be simplified on special teams so that the team can execute better.

“[If] we got one return, fine, let’s go with that. Let’s do one of this, whatever it is. Whatever it is, let’s get it right and let’s practice it enough where we can be successful so these guys don’t have the different techniques,” London said. “You like to go in and teach different returns, different style of kicks – all those things like that. But when you assess your team to see where you are talent-wise, execution-wise, sometimes you got to say, ‘All right, let’s just make it simple.’ I think that’s to the point of where we are right now, is just making it simple.”

More Opportunities For McGee?

Jake McGee nearly made this catch against Maryland, but it was called out of bounds.

One of the bright spots for Virginia this season has been the play of tight end Jake McGee . McGee came to Virginia as a quarterback, but similar to Wahoo alum and Pro Bowl Steelers tight end Heath Miller, he switched to tight end as a freshman. This season, McGee has caught nearly every pass thrown his direction. McGee is currently tied for fourth on the team with 19 receptions, but media and fans alike have wondered if McGee might be able to help out at wide receiver, or at the very least have him more involved in the offense.

“I’ve just been trying to grow each week with what I can do to help this team,” said McGee. “Whatever I’m asked to do I try to do it the best I can. I love when the ball comes my way, but whatever the solution is, I’m with it to get us back on track.”

London also provided his thoughts on the talented sophomore.

“He’s definitely an option because of his height, because of his athleticism. Always kind of joking, throw the ball up in the red zone, just like back in his high school going for a rebound. Because of that athleticism, it does play into a large part in game planning, the opportunity to get him involved in that,” London said. “Honestly, [against Maryland] there was some game-planning plays that had him involved in it. Had the look been what we anticipated, we would have tried to execute that. But the look wasn’t that way. But Jake is an outstanding player, will be. He is one player that gravitates to the ball. We’ve all seen great catches that he’s made. Obviously, we’ve got to find ways to get him involved in that.”

Worth Quoting

Mike London on how he personally deals with a losing streak and adversity: “You guys that know me – my priorities are faith, family and football. A lot of times what I rely on is the ability to know that things like that that happen, that occur, it’s just one more step in the process of trying to get this program to where I envision it, to where it can be. When I step in the room before you guys, in the forefront of my mind is that I will remain positive, that I trust on the faith that I have in that my efforts and my intentions are all geared on trying to win football games, trying to educate young men, trying to be a role model, a mentor and a leader in every way. When I step into the room, although disappointed with the ‘L’ and the losses, there’s a piece of me that understands there’s a vision, a plan, and these young players that are looking for some sort of way to get through this adversity on the field, that it’s going to happen, and it will be a breakthrough.

“There’s so many of them on this team that in their personal lives are devastated in some issues. I close the door, we talk about what’s going on with them, and it’s the one you’re looking at. If I look at you, how devastated you are, and I don’t have that positive energy, you don’t see that reflected in me, then that’s a bad situation for the young man. So when I go in and I face you guys, the media, the questions, I don’t run, I don’t hide from anything. I’m still very humble. Still I try to give honest answers. Maybe I talk too much about the players, coaches. But I don’t try to duck any issues or questions things that go on. I try to be as up front and honest about it.

“I trust in the fact that as we build this thing the right way, that this program, people, our fans, administrators, will be proud. I know there are still a lot of people that are proud of the program, but disappointed in the outcome of these games. I know that’s a long answer to your question. But, as I said, my source doesn’t come from the accolades I get from you guys, whether it was ACC Coach of the Year last year, whatever it was. That’s fleeting. That’s here today, gone tomorrow. My accomplishment is in the development of the players.”

Worth Noting

• This week’s game kicks off at 12:30 p.m. It will be televised on the ACC Network (NBC 29 in the Charlottesville area).
• This week’s game is part of the ACC’s Fall Sportsmanship Week, and UVa and Wake Forest will engage in a pregame handshake to showcase their continued dedication to sportsmanship.
• This week’s game is also Youth Day at Scott Stadium. The first 5,000 kids in eighth grade and under will received a free youth program upon entry.
• Virginia and Wake Forest haven’t played since 2008.
• Four of the last five games between Wake and UVa have been decided by four points or fewer.
• Wake Forest head coach Jim Grobe is a double Hoo. He earned his undergraduate degree in education in 1975 from and a master’s degree in guidance and counseling in 1978.
• London said UVa running back Perry Jones suffered a concussion against Maryland but did not elaborate further on his condition. Jones needs just four more receiving yards to become the fourth player in program history with 1,000 career rushing yards and 1,000 career receiving yards.
• Quarterback Phillip Sims said Monday that he has not had a problem with fumbles previously in his career. He’s fumbled the ball three times at Virginia.

Note: TheSabre.com Editor Kris Wright contributed to this story.