Virginia
Cavaliers
Preview 2008 - Offense
- 2008 CFN Virginia
Preview | 2008
Virginia Offense
- 2008 Virginia
Defense |
2008 Virginia Depth
Chart
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2007 CFN Virginia
Preview | 2006 CFN Virginia
Preview
What you need to know:
Without QB
Jameel Sewell, the offense will likely be turned over to
unproven Peter Lalich, a 6-5, 225-pound flame-thrower who could
be a sitting duck playing behind a rebuilt Cavalier offensive
line. While the sophomore will no longer have Albert or his top
two tight ends as protection, he will get WR Kevin Ogletree and
RB Cedric Peerman back from serious injuries. Ogletree was
slated to be Virginia’s go-to receiver before tearing his ACL,
while Peerman was leading the ACC in rushing when he suffered a
season-ending foot injury in October. The silver lining to
Peerman’s absence was that it created an opportunity for Mikell
Simpson, who responded with 570 yards rushing, 43 catches, and
10 touchdowns in just half a season.
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Returning Leaders
Passing: Peter Lalich
35-61, 231 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Cedric Peerman
113 carries, 585 yds, 5 TD
Receiving: Mikell Simpson
43 catches, 402 yds, 2 TD
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Star of the offense:
Senior LT Eugene Monroe
Player who has to step up and
become a star: Sophomore QB
Peter Lalich
Unsung star on the rise:
Senior TE John Phillips
Best pro prospect: Monroe
Top three all-star candidates:
1) Monroe, 2) Junior WR Kevin
Ogletree, 3) Senior RB Cedric
Peerman
Strength of the offense:
The backs, the tackles
Weakness of the offense:
Inexperience at quarterback, the
interior of the line
Quarterbacks
Projected Starter: In
January, Jameel Sewell went from the
quarterback of the future to the
quarterback of the past, failing to
qualify academically for the
upcoming season. His absence opens
the door for strong-armed sophomore
Peter Lalich, who earned
valuable playing time as a rookie,
going 35-of-61 for 321 yards, two
touchdowns and an interception. At
6-5 and 225 pounds, he has nice
size, is poised in the pocket,
mature beyond his years, and forging
a nice bond with head coach Al Groh.
While not the scrambler Sewell was,
he can sidestep pressure and is
adept at locating targets on the
move. Unless something goes very
wrong this fall, he’ll be barking
out signals when USC visits Aug.
30.
Projected Top Reserves:
The battle for the No. 2 job focuses
on 6-3, 206-pound sophomore Marc
Verica and 6-3, 215-pound senior
Scott Deke. Verica throws a
nice ball and shows good feet in the
pocket, but has yet to take a snap
at this level, a sizable
disadvantage in the field.
While Deke has only appeared late in
blowouts, he knows the offense well
and is entering his fifth season in
the program. A heady veteran who
isn’t going to buckle if pressed
into action, he gets good zips on
his passes.
Watch Out For ... Lalich
to quickly become one of the faces
of the program. Not only does a void
exist now that Sewell and Chris Long
are gone, but he has the right
demeanor and level of maturity to
command respect in the huddle and
become a fan favorite.
Strength: Arm
strength. All of the Cavalier
quarterbacks can wing it, but none
more so than Lalich. He’s a
prototypical pocket passer with the
powerful right arm to stretch a
defense and squeeze throws into
tight places.
Weakness:
Inexperience. None of the
quarterbacks on the roster has ever
started a game at Virginia,
including Lalich who’s only in his
second year on campus. He has tons
of upside, but he still has plenty
to learn and needs to cut down on
the number of passes he forces into
coverage.
Outlook: While it
would have been nice having Sewell
on campus for another season or two,
it’s full steam ahead with the
Lalich era at Virginia. In his first
year at the controls, he’ll show the
locals why he was so heavily
recruited, but he’ll also make the
mistakes that come with
inexperience.
Rating: 6.5
Running Backs
Projected Starters:
When senior Cedric Peerman
suffered a season-ending foot injury
midway through the season, he was
leading the ACC in rushing with 585
yards and five touchdowns on 113
carries. At 5-10 and 208 pounds,
he’s a tough north-south runner who
hits the hole quickly and is
difficult to bring down when he
lowers his shoulder. He also has
outstanding vision, an attribute he
picked up as one of the ACC’s
premier kick returners. Healthy
again, he practiced in the spring
with an eye toward picking up where
he left off last October.
The relocation of junior Rashawn
Jackson from linebacker last
year was a success, as he helped
Virginia produce two 500-yard
rushers. A physical 6-1, 253-pounder
who likes contact, he’ll also be
used occasionally in short yardage,
getting a season-high 14 carries for
52 yards in the Gator Bowl loss to
Texas Tech.
Projected Top Reserves:
When Peerman went down, it created
an opportunity for little-known
junior Mikell Simpson to make
an immediate splash and a name for
himself as the Cavs’ new feature
back. At 6-1 and 200 pounds, he
bolted for 570 yards and eight
touchdowns on 113 carries, adding a
team-high 43 receptions for 402
yards and two more scores. More of a
shifty, breakaway threat than
Peerman, he’s too good not to be on
the field in some capacity.
When Virginia needs to soften
opposing defenses or move the chains
in short yardage, it might turn to
6-3, 236-pound sophomore Keith
Payne, the biggest and strongest
of the backs. He played in 10 games
a year ago, logging 58 carries for
219 yards and two touchdowns. While
no threat to become the starter, he
offers valuable size and experience
from the second unit.
Watch Out For ...
Alvin Pearman and Wali Lundy: The
sequel. Back in 2004, Al Groh had
two talented and diverse backs, so
he used both of them to the
offense’s advantage. Expect more of
the same this fall with Peerman
playing the part of Lundy and
Simpson doing his best impression of
Pearman.
Strength: The
one-two punch of Peerman and
Simpson. Now that Peerman is healthy
and Simpson has proven himself, the
Cavaliers have a complimentary duo
that could be the next best thing to
Clemson’s James Davis and C.J.
Spiller in the ACC.
Weakness: Health. There
isn’t a whole lot to dislike unless
Peerman has an unexpected setback
related to last year’s injury. It
required surgery and was below the
waist, which adds a little concern
for a player who relies so heavily
on his wheels.
Outlook: Provided Groh
can keep everyone happy, there’s not
much to complain about with this
group. Either Peerman or Simpson is
capable of being the feature back,
with the latter doubling as a
dangerous receiver on third and
long. Jackson will be even more
effective in his second season as a
pile driver who can open holes for
the two primary runners.
Rating: 8
Receivers
Projected Starters:
The Virginia passing game wasn’t the
same last year without junior
Kevin Ogletree, who suffered a
season-ending knee injury in March.
His healthy return is terrific news
for the offense and new starting
quarterback Peter Lalich. At 6-2 and
189 pounds, Ogletree has clocked in
at 4.3 in the forty, runs tight
routes, and does an outstanding job
of breaking free from jams at the
line of scrimmage. When last seen in
2006, he was building a foundation
as one of the ACC up-and-coming
receivers, catching 52 balls for 582
yards and four touchdowns.
When Ogletree was lost, it created
an opportunity for senior Maurice
Covington to step into the
spotlight and become more of a go-to
receiver. He showed some flashes,
catching 21 passes for 269 yards and
touchdowns, but lost almost a third
of the season with a broken hand. At
6-4 and 225 pounds, he’s a big,
physical target who’ll benefit now
that Ogletree is back to absorb some
attention.
Al Groh loves to use his tight ends
and never seems to have a shortage
at the position. Next in line is
6-6, 250-pound senior John
Phillips, who has bided his time
behind Tom Santi and Jon Stupar.
Country strong as a run blocker, he
also has excellent hands, catching
17 passes for 193 yards and two
touchdowns a year ago. He could be
posturing for a crack at the NFL, a
familiar destination for former
Virginia tight ends.
Projected Top Reserves:
Sophomore Staton Jobe is a
former walk-on who enjoyed a solid
debut as a backup, catching 17
passes for 163 yards and a
touchdown. While he won’t frighten
defenders at 6-0 and 182 pounds,
he’s a precise route runner with the
ability to find soft spots on short
and intermediate routes.
A more imposing option in the
passing game is 6-3, 191-pound
sophomore Dontrelle Inman,
one of only five true freshmen to
play in 2007. More of a big-play
receiver who can win the jump balls,
he caught 17 passes for 181 yards,
getting more comfortable as his
first season progressed.
Once Phillips graduates, the heir
apparent at tight end will be
sophomore Joe Torchia, a 6-5,
255-pound with the long frame to add
a few more pounds of muscle. After
mostly playing on special teams as a
freshman, his role is about to
expand, including more chances to
make plays as a receiver.
Watch Out For ...
Ogletree to erupt after sitting out
all of last season. It’s been years
since Virginia has had a wide
receiver of his caliber, and the
school plans to maximize his talent.
He has all of the ingredients for a
coming-out party, including a
strong-armed quarterback who can
reach him on fly patterns.
Strength: Size. Jobe
aside, all of the Cavalier receivers
are long, lean, and capable of
plucking balls out of the air. When
Ogletree and Covington are on the
field at the same time, they’ll
create mismatches once the USC
opener is completed.
Weakness: Wide receiver
depth. After Ogletree, the drop-off
comes in a hurry. In three years,
Covington has yet to evolve into a
scary talent, and Jobe and Inman are
a couple of sophomores still
learning the ropes.
Outlook: Ogletree’s
return will make a world of
difference for a passing game that
was painfully reliant on the backs
and tight ends a year ago. He’ll
help open up the field and create
more space for Phillips and the
receivers to make plays. Still, more
help is needed if the Cavs are going
to open up the attack as planned.
Rating: 7
Offensive Line
Projected Starters:
While Virginia has lost one star
blocker to the NFL, Branden Albert,
it gets back another who’ll be
playing on Sundays before long.
Senior LT Eugene Monroe is
already being hailed as a possible
first round selection next April
depending on how he closes his
Cavalier career. Entering his third
year as a starter, he’s a 6-6,
315-pound brick wall with the
footwork and athleticism inherent to
elite tackles. He didn’t allow a
sack during the regular season,
which should give comfort to the new
starter under center.
The unenviable task of replacing
Albert at left guard falls to 6-6,
304-pound sophomore B.J. Cabbell.
One of the line’s strongest players
and a good athlete for his size,
he’ll need to quickly overcome
having played just four games in his
career.
At the pivot, untested sophomore
Jack Shields is being counted on
to replace the departed Jordy
Lipsey. A terrific athlete for a
6-5, 289-pounder, he’s been packing
on the pounds in the weight room
since arriving from Massachusetts as
a heralded tight end.
The right side of the line will be
anchored by 6-7, 315-pound junior
Will Barker, a third-year
starter at tackle who’s been in the
lineup for 25 games in-a-row. While
he still needs to improve as a pass
protector, he drive blocks like a
guard, registering 44 knockdowns a
year ago, which was good for second
the team.
The new starter at right guard is a
familiar figure, 6-6, 300-pound
senior Zak Stair. One of the
most versatile and experienced of
the offensive linemen, he has earned
a letter in each of the last three
seasons, pitching in at guard and
tackle. A tough, heady blocker at
the point of attack, his time has
arrived to be more than just a spot
starter.
Projected Top Reserves:
A serious lack of depth is an
unavoidable issue that’s going to
plague Virginia all year long. The
closest thing the Cavaliers have to
a veteran on the second unit is
junior G Patrick Slebonick,
who made one brief appearance last
season. At 6-5 and 298 pounds, he
has a great work ethic and ample
upper body strength, but it hasn’t
been enough to get him regular reps
on offense.
After Slebonick, there’s a long line
of redshirt freshmen fighting for
playing time. Tackles Lamar
Milstead and Landon Bradley,
and G Billy Cuffee have
worked their way into the two-deep,
with an eye on earning their first
letters. The 6-5, 290-pound Milstead
was a top recruit from a year ago,
showing considerable upside as a
pass protector once he adds more
bulk and sharpens his technique.
Bradley arrived in Charlottesville
with fewer accolades than Milstead,
still needing to add a considerable
amount of mass to his 6-7, 275-pound
frame before being ready to compete
against the ACC’s top rushers. He’ll
learn from Monroe this fall before
competing for an expanded role in
2009.
Cuffee is big and strong at 6-5 and
310 pounds, with enough agility and
foot speed to be an integral part of
the offensive line for the next four
seasons. With a strong summer, he’s
capable of becoming the first Cavs’
first guard off the bench.
Watch Out For ... Monroe
to play his way into the first round
of next year’s NFL Draft, following
Albert and D’Brickashaw Ferguson
into that hallowed circle. He’ll
begin the season as one of the
nation’s top 10 tackles, living up
to the hype that came with being the
nation’s top high school lineman of
2005.
Strength: Monroe. He’s the
one rock on an unstable line that
could struggle all year. With the
senior protecting Peter Lalich’s
blindside, it’ll be one less thing
the quarterback has to worry about.
Weakness: Proven
talent on the inside. With three new
starters slated to slide in at guard
and center, the interior has to grow
up in a hurry of the Cavs will have
problems with physical defensive
lines that can bull rush the middle
and generate backfield pressure.
Outlook: While the
tackles are in good hands with
Monroe and Barker back, the line
will only go as far as the interior
linemen take them. If injuries crop
up, label it a major crisis because
most of the reserves are a year away
from being ready to compete in the
ACC.
Rating: 7