The tides turned and Virginia reaped the ultimate reward Thursday when the four-star offensive lineman verbally committed to play for coach Al Groh.

Ogletree, listed at 6-foot-1 and 189 pounds, had one year of eligibility remaining after he was sidelined in 2007 after knee surgery. Yet with his sociology degree and a pair of 50-catch seasons under his belt, the New York native elected to pass up an opportunity to play in new offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon’s spread offense.

For the last five years or so, Virginia coach Al Groh has made it an annual practice of sitting down with some of his players in December to help them evaluate their pro football possibilities.

Back in 2004, neither Al Groh or Gregg Brandon could have imagined that they would some day be putting their minds together on the same football staff.

Now, the spread is coming to Charlottesville and one of its most innovative technicians, Gregg Brandon, will breathe life into it for Virginia’s Cavaliers.

The latest haul provided the Cavaliers’ football program an inside-the-park — well, inside-the-state — mammoth blast.

Needing to make a splash, Virginia coach Al Groh essentially delivered a cannonball from the high dive.

According to sources, Virginia coach Al Groh has placed former Bowling Green coach Gregg Brandon at the top of his wish list to become the Cavaliers’ new offensive coordinator.

In the eyes of Levern Belin, there was failure to communicate.

It is different with every situation, but Sherando quarterback Ross Metheny is firmly committed to play football at Virginia.

Having ranked among the worst offenses in the country for three years meant change was imminent.

In addition to Mike Groh, defensive line coach Levern Belin and secondary coach Steve Bernstein were told that they would not be returning.

Regardless of what transpires over the next 24 hours in terms of Virginia football, there are a few things that need to be said.

On Friday at a press conference at Lafayette High in Williamsburg, defensive end Will Hill selected the University of Virginia.

Sources said Wednesday night that Virginia head football coach Al Groh will continue to guide the Cavaliers for the 2009 season, countering speculation about whether the embattled coach would return.