With the heat reaching an all-time high, Virginia coach Al Groh has been presented a fortuitous schedule that may determine his ever-fragile future.

Scattershooting around the ACC, while noting that the Maryland vs. Virginia rivalry has developed into one of the league’s best over the past couple of seasons…

Scattershooting around the ACC, while noting that the Maryland vs. Virginia rivalry has developed into one of the league’s best over the past couple of seasons…

Thanks to 28 second-half points, Duke pulled away to blast Virginia, 31-3, at Wallace Wade Stadium, giving the Blue Devils their first ACC win since Nov. 13, 2004 and their most lopsided league win in 18 years.
UVa vs. Duke forum thread.

Virginia coach Al Groh said he did not want to risk playing Peerman, who was listed with a leg injury on the team’s injury report on Thursday.

In Al Groh’s eyes it was essentially a disease and an unwholesome condition.

In Rain Man-like fashion, Al Groh spouted out number after number Tuesday during his weekly press conference in the depths of John Paul Jones Arena. Every set of digits tossed out relayed the scary proposition that awaits Virginia’s football coach on Saturday at Connecticut.

“I could have sworn that I had another half sack,” Clint Sintim yelled. “I thought I actually had two.”

For the past eight months, as players came and went for varying reasons, Virginia’s football program had a true attention-getter to prepare for: a season-opening date with vaunted Southern California.

On the heels of a nine-win season and a trip to the Gator Bowl, Virginia was predicted to finish fifth in the six-member Coastal Division in the ACC’s preseason poll as voted on by members of the media at the league’s annual kickoff in Georgia. UVa, which was picked to better only Duke (85 points), trailed Virginia Tech (383), North Carolina (288), Miami (253) and Georgia Tech (195).

Rampant speculation emerged, however, that once Sunday’s votes are tabulated from the members of the media present that the Cavaliers will land in a spot similar — or worse — to that of the past two seasons, when they were predicted to finish fourth.

“Cedric Peerman for Heisman!” he yelled. “Doak Walker Award — unanimous decision. No. 37.”
While an enormous long shot to be named the nation’s top player — or even top running back — Peerman is back in business for the Cavaliers.

Virginia’s equipment managers dusted off and passed out shoulder pads Monday for the first time since a heartbreaking loss to Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl.
With the equipment addition for the third spring practice, Virginia coach Al Groh said he was hopeful that he’d gain a better idea of the progression of players fighting for numerous vacant positions on the team’s depth chart.