Wednesday November 18, 2009

Virginia Preview; Special Saturday

Virginia Preview
The Cavs come into Saturday’s game as a 20-point underdog with a 3-7 record.

They lost their first three games to William & Mary, TCU and Southern Miss but appeared to have their season turned around with a three game winning streak against North Carolina, Indiana and Maryland. Both conference wins were on the road and the defense allowed only 19 points in the three game win streak. At this point Virginia was tied for the lead in the Coastal Division.

However, the Cavs could sustain the momentum and now are on a four game losing streak. In the four loses to Georgia Tech, Duke, Miami and Boston College the Cavs have allowed 128 points.

The offense has been the big issue this season and has scored 21 or more points only twice this season. Virginia is 106th in the country and last in the ACC in scoring offense with 19.8 points per game. The Cavaliers are 118th in the nation and last in the ACC in total offense averaging only 266.7 yards per contest.

The Cavs are 110th in the country and 11th in the ACC in rushing offense with 93.6 yards per game. Rashawn Jackson (6-1, 245, Sr) is the leading rusher with 420 yards and two touchdowns on 79 carries. Mikell Simpson (6-1, 200, Sr) has 66 rushes for 286 yards and five touchdowns.

Virginia is 104th in the nation and 10th in the league in passing offense with 173.1 yards per game. Jameel Sewell (6-3, 225, Sr) has completed 134 of his 253 passes for 1,568 yards for six touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also has the most carries of any Cavalier with 109 carries for 106 yards and five touchdowns.

The Cavs have four receivers who have more than 20 catches in the season but no one have more than 24. Kris Burd (5-11, 190, So) has 24 receptions for 323 yards and a touchdown. Vic Hall (5-9, 185, Sr) has 22 catches for 253 yards and a score. Running backs Rashawn Jackson has 23 receptions for 193 yards and Mikell Simpson has 24 catches for 184 yards. Tight end Joe Torcia has 13 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown.

The offensive line is led by All-ACC candidate Will Barker (6-7, 320, Sr) who is a multi-year starter at right tackle. The Cavs are 113th in the country and last in the league in sacks allowed with 3.20 per game.

The defense has been fairly solid for most of the season. Virginia is 60th in the nation and sixth in the league in scoring defense giving up 24 points per game. The Cavs are 45th in the country and seventh in the ACC in total defense allowing 345.2 yards per contest. They are 86th in the nation and 10th in the league against the run allowing 165.6 yards per game. Virginia is 19th in the nation and fourth in the ACC in pass defense allowing just 179.6 yards per game.

Defensively, the Cavaliers utilize a 3-4 scheme with three bug defensive linemen and the largest set of linebackers in the ACC. Their linebacking corps average almost 240 pounds across the board.

Place kicker Robert Randolph has been a strength by going 15 of 17 on the season with a long of 49 yards.

Al Groh got off to a decent start in Charlottesville and actually had the Cavs in the top ten in the country when Clemson visited on a Thursday night in 2004. Virginia averaged seven wins a year from his second season until last season. But the program has fallen on bad times and many think Groh will be asked to take his pawns, bishops, knights, queens and kings and go home. Unless they upset Clemson or Virginia Tech next week, Virginia will finish this campaign with a 3-9 record and maybe Checkmate.

Special Saturday
This Saturday could be one of those special Saturday’s in Death Valley. As a kid I remember those November Saturdays where Clemson would beat Maryland the week before the South Carolina game. I remember the fourth quarter chants that started in the student section. The first centered on the celebration of the ACC title where the fans shouted, “ACC, ACC, ACC!” It was about the two minute mark of the game where the next chant started, “Cock-a-doodle do…..”

I mentioned a few weeks ago that when Clemson won the ACC title in 1991 I was 24 years old but I had no idea that I would be sitting in the Valley the next 17 years without another title. Its been too long!

Military Appreciation Day is always a special day in Clemson and I hope fans will buy the Military Appreciation Day t-shirts that help support the Clemson Corps. The shirts can be found at Tiger Town Graphics on College Avenue. The Clemson Corps provide ROTC scholarships to Clemson students so this is a terrific cause. Also, Clemson assistant athletic director Jon Seketa deserves a lot of credit for his hours of work on the ceremony each year.

Saturday is also special because it is Senior Day. It is bittersweet that this will be the last time we get to welcome C.J. Spiller, Jacoby Ford, Thomas Austin Kevin Alexander, Michael Palmer, Ricky Sapp, Kavell Connor, Crezdon Butler, Chris Chancellor, Sadat Chambers and other seniors down the hill.

The combination of Military Appreciation Day, Senior Day and a potential ACC Atlantic Division title could make this a very special day in Clemson.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
*If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
*If you would like to add someone to the list please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list

Those who need our prayers include:
Finn Brookover, Larry in Naples, FL, RTG-Pawsitive Tiger, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Jo Ann Bachman, Frank Taylor, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Christine Hepfer, Daniel Rosborough, Amy Murphey, Jack Huffman, Nancy Winkler, Dr. Nancy Strom Morgan, John Reeve, Eileen Woodrum, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L, Eric Boessneck, John Bowers, Jimmy Ness, Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, John Petrey, Chalmers Carr, Drayton Melton, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Ann Fallaw, Bob Pollock, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Mike Kingsmore,Perrin Seigler, Carole White Begley, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan.