Woeful Start for Cavaliers in 09

Will someone please give Virginia Head Coach Al Groh a wet towell to sit on because his back side is on fire after a 26-14 loss to Playoff Subdivision opponent William & Mary to open the 2009 season. Groh is on the hot seat.

The Cavaliers committed seven turnovers including an interception by W&R Defensive Back B.W. Webb who ran it back 50 yards for a touchdown with 2:39 left in the game. It was one of 3 interceptions Webb had on the day for the Tribe. Virginia used all three of their QBs to try and muster something with their new spread offense. Unfortunately, the only spreading they were doing was spreading the ball around to the William & Mary Defense, who forced seven turnovers.

W&M Redshirt Senior R.J. Archer was the most effective of all QBs on the field. The Charlottesville native was 23 of 45 for 184 yards and one interception. He also rushed for 46 yards on 9 carries. UVA Sr. Quarterback Vic Hall started the game and delivered right away for Virginia. He completed a 3 yard pass on the Cavs first play from scrimmage, and two plays later, Hall ran 34 yards for a touchdown to give Virginia an early 7-0 lead. However, Archer and the Tribe struck right back as he hit Rob Varno for a 5 yard TD pass to tie the game at 7.

Cavalier Sr. QB Jameel Sewell drove Virginia for a go ahead touchdown as he completed all 5 of his passes for 45 yards and rushed for 35 yards. However, it was all William & Mary after that as the Tribe Kicker Brian Pate connected on 2 of 5 field goal attempts in the second quarter alone to make the score 14-13 Virginia at the half. However, three Cavs turnovers allowed to connect on a 20 yarder after Vic Hall's muff with 5:35 in the third and a 24 yarder with 3:50 remaining in the game after Jr. QB Marc Verica's fumble. Then their was back breaking interception run back for a touchdown by Webb to seal the deal for the Tribe. This was the first time since 1986 that Virginia has lost to a Playoff Subdivision (formerly Div. l-AA team) team. Ironically, it was the Tribe of William & Mary who defeated the Cavs back in 1986 41-37. It was the Tribe's first win over a Bowl Subdivision team since a 1998 win over Temple.

Last Saturday was a bad day for the ACC, especially for Virginia and Duke, who both lost to Playoff Subdivision teams. The Blue Devils were beaten by Subdivision National Champions Richmond. The lower division almost made it three wins as Iowa had to block not one, but two field goals to hold off N. Iowa 17-16. Virginia hosts TCU next week and then travels to Southern Miss before starting ACC play against North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The Cavs had better get their offense sorted out quickly, or it will be a very long year if not a winless year. If they cant beat William & Mary, there's no way they can win against the better teams in the ACC or the two solid C-USA opponents in Southern Miss and TCU. I thought at first that the Tribe, along with Big 10 seller dweller Indiana were easy wins for the Cavaliers and that they should upgrade their non-conference schedule. Well, I was very wrong. The quarterback situation is a mess. They need to stick with one guy and go with him. The W&M looked as if Virginia was treating it as a pre-season game. Please! Put a wet towell on Coach Groh's hot seat, two wet towells! the seat is gonna get hotter!