Football
The Building of a Program
May 18th
Okay, so I didn’t watch the premiere episode of “Virginia Football: The Building of a Program,” mostly because I don’t have Comcast. I’m hoping to see it at VirginiaSportsTV soon.
Lambeth Field watched it, however; impressions on episode one here.
Reality TV, UVa-style
May 12th
A reality show about building the UVa football program? Yes, it’s true, and I can’t wait. Should be interesting to get a peek behind the scenes of Mike London’s first year at the helm.
College Football Conference Expansion
May 12th
Perhaps it’s just my naturally pessimistic outlook when it comes to Virginia sports, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the ACC is going to end up getting screwed here. The Big Ten is looking to expand, and the dominoes are about to fall with respect to the other conferences, including the Big East, the Big Twelve, and the SEC, perhaps.
Jerry Ratcliffe and David Teel have provided their takes on the subject. I dunno…the ACC has never had visionary leadership, so I’m expecting the worst.
Mike London making a good impression
May 6th
The coaches are out making their rounds on the rubber chicken circuit, schmoozing with donors. It appears that head football coach Mike London and assistant hoops coach Jason Williford made a pretty good impression in Suffolk.
I’m hoping to catch basketball coach Tony Bennett later this summer when he’s speaking to alums down here in my end of the state.
Come on, Mike London
May 3rd
Mike London, I’m a big fan and I was excited when you were hired to be UVa’s head football coach…but this isn’t good. I know it’s minor, but you gotta know better than that.
Hoo will get picked in the NFL Draft?
Apr 23rd
As UVa fans, we’ve grown accustomed to seeing our guys picked early in the NFL Draft, despite less-than-stellar results for the team. Not seeing a Hoo picked in the first round last night was a bit of a shock to the system. Check out recent first and second round selections from Virginia:
| Year | Name | Round | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Eugene Monroe | 1 | 8 |
| Clint Sintim | 2 | 45 | |
| 2008 | Chris Long | 1 | 2 |
| 2008 | Branden Albert | 1 | 15 |
| 2006 | D'Brickashaw Ferguson | 1 | 4 |
| 2005 | Heath Miller | 1 | 30 |
The Draft continues tonight, and cornerback Chris Cook appears to be a good bet to be selected in the second round. Rashawn Jackson and Nate Collins are likely mid-to-late round picks, as well. Others, including Vic Hall and Jameel Sewell, are unlikely to be drafted but stand a decent chance of catching on as a free agent with a team. (On that note, the Redskins recently signed former UVa quarterback Marques Hagans, and we’re hoping Biscuit will be able to stick this time.)
It’ll be interesting to see where Cook, in particular, is selected. I was kinda hoping he’d sneak into the first round last night, but you have to believe he’ll be picked fairly early tonight. My fingers are crossed.
On Michael Strauss
Apr 21st
Jay Jenkins has this very interesting profile of Michael Strauss in the Daily Progress:
It is all about jockeying for a spot on a depth chart as a Cavalier now for the 6-foot-3 quarterback.
And based on his decision to ask and be allowed to enroll early at Virginia — typically a taboo thing for Virginia football players — Strauss is ahead of the game….
Strauss knows that he has to shine in practice to move up the pecking order, but is willing to bide his time and did not take it as a knock when he was the third signal caller to take a snap in the spring game.
“I try to do the best that I can when I get in there,” he said. “I just try to take it one play at a time and whoever plays is the guy that plays.
“That’s the coach’s decision.”
I love the fact that Mike London is able to get some guys into school early — greyshirting, it’s called — to let them get a head start. It certainly has to help Strauss. There has never been a better time to be an incoming quarterback at UVa, because there is a great opportunity to win a spot.
Rashawn Jackson’s Draft Prospects
Apr 19th
The WaPo has a pretty good look at Rashawn Jackson’s chances of building a pro career, with some quotes from Jackson. He’s the top fullback prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft, but that’s not exactly a deep pool.
Good luck, Derek Dooley
Jan 16th
Down here in southwest Virginia, I’m forced to listen to blather from both Virginia Tech fans and University of Tennessee fans. Therefore, I’m looking forward to making sure all the Vol fans know that their new coach, Derek Dooley, is a Wahoo.
I wish Dooley the best of luck; he’s stepping into a big job, and I just hope he’s ready for it. I admit that I didn’t consider him one of the top candidates for our job when it was open (I’ve been a Mike London fan since day one). Seemed like he needed a little more experience before taking a high-major job.
Tennessee didn’t agree, and I hope they’re right. Then, when they’re winning big, I can look at all the UT bandwagon homers around here and remind them that they had to look to UVa to bail their football program out. That’ll be sweet. 
