Special teams littered with questions

If you have followed UVa football throughout the past few years, you know of our struggles with special teams play. Ever since Connor Hughes graduated, we haven't had a reliable kicker. I don't ever remember having a truly reliable punter. And despite Vic Hall's promise as a kick/punt returner, he never lived up to expectations.

We reached a low point in 2012 when Anthony Poindexter was still the position coach. We ranked last nationally in basically every special teams category. We gave up multiple kick returns for touchdowns and had inexcusable punt return errors (GET OFF THE FIELD KHALEK!).

In a move that was a no brainer, Anthony Poindexter was relieved of special teams duties following the season, and for the first time since 2006, a new man occupied the title of special teams coordinator. This man was Larry Lewis.

Lewis -- who also coaches the running backs -- brought over 30 years of experience when he joined our staff last season. He began coaching special teams in 1981 and was one of the first coaches in college football given the title of special teams coordinator in the 1990s at Washington State.

While the special teams were by no means a strength of the team in 2013, to be fair to Lewis, they did improve from 2012. While it can be said that the unit had nowhere to go but up, some signs of progress were made. We never found a dynamic returner, but we lacked the egregious muffed returns for the first time in years. We seemed to have found a placekicker in Ian Frye until he was injured three games into the season. And while Alec Vozenilek filled in admirably on field goals (12-15), he didn't have the leg to do it full time (long of only 40).

So while we saw some improvement last season, there is still much more work to do. We did not rank high in any special teams category last season. I don't think special teams really lost us any games last year (even the Maryland game because we kicked four field goals while we were in the red zone -- those need to be touchdowns). However, good special teams play can also give you a little extra advantage. In our quest for six wins in 2014, special teams will probably have to play a role in at least one of those wins. We seem to have the athletes for a solid unit, but it's about them buying in and reaching their potential -- easier said than done.

As I am about to begin each position preview, let me first point out that the special teams starters -- especially the returners -- are still very much up in the air. No returners were listed on the post spring depth chart. The kickers/punters are basically set, be we can never assume that they aren't subject to injury either. I would assume the returners will be the same as last season, but some incoming freshman could still unseat them. We really won't know what this unit will be like until August 30.

Kicker likely starter: Ian Frye (Jr.)

Frye was our starting kicker coming into the season and performed well in his small sample size before injury ended his season just three games in. On the season, he was 3-4 on field goals (his only miss was a 37-yarder against VMI) and 10-10 on extra points. His signature moment came against BYU when he hit a 53-yarder in the rain to pull us within four points at halftime.

However, because his season ended prematurely, I can't go into too much more detail. He has a strong leg -- we knew that. He handled kickoff duties in 2012. But we really have no gauge on his consistency -- perhaps the most important trait of a placekicker. Was his 53-yarder an anomaly? Will his 37-yard misses continue? Four field goal attempts simply isn't enough to make a conclusion. That being said, there seems to be more upside than downside with Frye.

Depth

To no one's surprise, listed behind Frye is redshirt sophomore Dylan Sims. Sims handled the kickoff duties last season after Frye went down. He wasn't anything special by any stretch with only 14 touchbacks, but he was just a freshman. The experience alone was valuable. If Frye were to go down, it would be Sims on the kickoffs.

The real question is who would fill in on field goals. Last season, it was Vozenilek. Vozenilek provided consistency, but he didn't have the leg to handle it full time. And maybe it was just me, but his punts seemed to suffer as a result. With a year of experience under his belt, is Sims ready to handle placekicking duties? Only Mike London and Larry Lewis will know.

As an aside, it really bites that the nation's top kicker -- Gary Wunderderlich -- decommitted from Virginia. He was the fourth commitment of the 2014 class, or so we thought. He was a three-star recruit (kickers never receive stars!), so he was a stud in the making. If your the nation's best kicker by recruiting services, then odds are you will play in the NFL. He chose UVa because we gave him a scholarship. But when Ole Miss decided to do the same, he chose the Rebels. Obviously I'm biased, but I just don't see the draw there. Ole Miss isn't a great program. Also, Wunderlich said he liked UVa in part due to its academic rigor. It's not the same down there in Mississippi. You can't really blame him I guess, but man it would have been nice to have an automatic kicker for the next four years. We were so close.

Punter likely starter: Alec Vozenilek (Sr.)

Vozenilek won over our hearts last season by providing consistency in the punting department. Yes, that sounds sad when we look back at it, but Vozenilek probably was one of the better players on last year's team. He finished on the All-ACC fourth-team and was named to Phil Steele's preseason third-team All-ACC.

His highlight moment came against Pitt where he boomed a 77-yard punt -- the fourth longest in UVa history and the fifth longest in the nation last season. He also downed 23 punts inside the 20 -- good for third best in the ACC.

However, he did have some struggles. He only averaged 41 yards per punt, which was ninth in the ACC. We know he has leg strength, so that's an area he needs to improve this season.

Basically, there is no question that he is the starting punter. He has the experience and the credentials. My only concern is that his numbers were so good last season because our offense was so bad so we had to punt nearly every possession. Hopefully that's not the case -- and I don't think it is. I like Voz, and he should perform well this season.

Depth

Honestly -- as it is with a few special teams positions -- who knows what we have behind Voz. Listed behind him on the depth chart is redshirt sophomore James Coleman. He had one punt last season against VMI for 28 yards (don't read too much into that since it was raining in a blowout). He probably will be our guy for 2015 and 2016, but I cannot give any analysis on him. I never pay attention to punters/kickers during practice. Unless a guy booms one or shanks one, I'm not going to notice. So I guess Coleman did alright during the spring game. We can only hope.

The only other punter on the roster is another redshirt sophomore in Nicholas Conte. Again, who knows with him. I guess he will compete in 2015 and 2016, but there is really no way of knowing. However, the fact that he isn't listed on the depth chart isn't a good sign.

Basically, the future of the punter beyond 2014 us still very much up in the air.

Holder: Matt Johns (So.)

Not much needs to be said here. He didn't bobble any snaps last year, so he seems good to go. Often times with specialists, the less you notice them, the better. I do like the fact that a backup quarterback is our holder instead of say, a punter. With a quarterback back there, defenses need to at least be aware that a fake is possible. London's trickery hasn't been what it used to be his first few years (even when he did fake a field goal, it was almost always a run).

Whatever, I still remember Schaub throwing to Heath Miller on a fake field goal that iced our last win against Virginia Tech. I like that a quarterback is our holder. It gives us options if we want them.

Depth

Who knows. Johns isn't likely to go down with an injury since he hopefully won't see the field. I guess another backup quarterback would fill in. Brendan Marshall? Andrew Mackay? Maybe a punter like Coleman or Conte? It doesn't really matter. Anyone could handle it. Next.

Long snapper Likely Starter: Alex Foertsch (RS Fr.)

Now that would be senior Matt Fortin departed for the military, we have a hole at long snapper. Atop the post-spring depth chart is Alex Foertsch. He was rated as the 40th best long snapper in last year's class. There's not too much detail to go into with this player. He's a long snapper -- you only notice him if he messes up. In the two practices I saw, there were no miscues on the snap.

This is not to say Matt Fortin will not be missed. He lived on the lawn and earned a scholarship this past season. That's really impressive. It's even more impressive that he's forgoing his senior season to serve our country. Fortin is the prime example of the type of player London tries to recruit.

We have had great long snappers the past several years in Danny Aiken (now the long snapper for the New England Patriots) and Fortin. Let's hope Foertsch can continue the tradition of long snapper U.

Depth

Listed as an "or" along with Foertsch is fellow redshirt freshman Tyler Shirley. The only reason I listed Foertsch as the starter is because he was ranked as a recruit coming into UVa and Shirley was not. In reality, either could start. As long as there are no bad snaps, I couldn't care less.

Punt returner Likely Starter: Dominique Terrell (Sr.)

In 2013, Terrell served as our primary punt returner to start the season. However, he struggled, so Tim Smith did most of the returning in the second half of the season. Smith had straight line speed, but not the wiggle needed to be an effective returner -- which Terrell possesses.

If Terrell is looking to end a largely disappointing Virginia career on a positive note, special teams will be his best bet. He is very fast and quick, which would make you think he would be elusive. So far though, that hasn't been the case. He has never done anything special after the catch, and has yet to excel as a returner.

However, Terrell remains our best option. If he can simply catch the ball (which he's always struggled with), he could be pretty good. He has all the skills, it's just a question of whether he can put them together. Can he find the hole? Can he make a guy miss? Can he hold on to the ball? These are questions he still has yet to answer. At punt returner, we are relying on potential -- something you never want to do, especially when he's failed before.

But there is no punt returner listed on the post spring depth chart, so I'm going to assume no one has beat him out. Like I said, he has the skill set to succeed in this role. He just needs to do it.

Depth

The only real competition behind Terrell is senior running back Khalek Shepherd. To be blunt, Shepherd scares the hell out of me in punt return duties. On paper, he seems like a good returner. He's got good speed, and his strength has always been planting his foot and getting up field -- that's what you want as a returner. But I still have nightmares about his disastrous 2012 season as the primary punt returner.

If you don't remember what I'm talking about, go ahead and click the link up at the top of Tony Covington yelling at Shepherd to get off the field against Louisiana Tech. It is horrifying. The penalty meant that Louisiana Tech could run out the clock. Or how about Wake Forest that same year, when Shepherd muffed a punt near midfield that Wake recovered, again allowing them to run out the clock. And then even last year he fumbled a late kickoff return that allowed BYU to go ahead. If not for the heroics of Anthony Harris on a terrible pass by the BYU QB, we would have lost that game as well.

It's probably not fair for me to say he shouldn't get a shot, but it seems every time he's back there, something bad happens. That's even true to some extent with Terrell. Punts scare the hell out of me because I know there is a decently strong chance we're going to muff it. I'm not even lying when I say it pains me to watch the other team punt -- it's so damn scary.

There's a chance that Taquan Mizzell could fill this role as well, but he had no practice last season. It seems to be Terrell's job to lose.

Kick returner likely starters: Taquan Mizzell (So.) and Darius Jennings (Sr.)

There was nothing special here last season. Jennings and Mizzell served as the main guys all season, and neither had any real success. Jennings was statistically better, averaging about 22 yards per return compared to Mizzell's paltry 17.

However, I don't think Jennings ever struck fear into opposing kick off units. Neither did Mizzell because of his injury, but Mizzell could be very good next season. He had a 72-yard kick return in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He was also first team all-district as a kick returner (as well as running back) in high school. Assuming he stays healthy, he could be our answer on a unit that has struggled for years.

As for Jennings, we know what we're getting. Like Terrell, he has largely underwhelmed during his first three years on grounds. We'll get into wide receivers in a few weeks, but he's by no means a star kick returner. He's been mediocre his whole career, and there's no reason to think that next year he will all of a sudden be better.

I think you can expect around 400 return-yards from Jennings with about a 20-yard average. With Mizzell, it's possible he could reach 500 or 600-return yards with around a 25-yard average. Unless a freshman steps up, Jennings and Mizzell will be the guys.

Depth

Really the only player that comes to mind is Shepherd. He's had some decent success returning kickoffs in 2012 when he was the main guy. He set a UVa single season record with 929 return yards; he averaged 22 yards per return. His highlight was a 72-yard return against Georgia Tech.

Shepherd is the most proven of the bunch, but he lost playing time last season because of others' 'potential'. If Mizzell proves to be more effective than last season and takes over as Parks's change of pace back, then it's possible for Shepherd to see more action in place of Mizzell on the returns. Also, if Jennings struggles early, then Shepherd could replace him.

It really all comes down to Larry Lewis. Shepherd could see time depending on others' circumstances. But remember -- absolutely nothing is set in stone.

Conclusion

We should feel pretty good in the kicking department. Vozenilek will continue to be a solid punter, and can be a placekicker if necessary. However, his services shouldn't be necessary as the placekicker. Frye will handle the field goal and kick off duties. Sims might get a run every now and then on the kick offs if Frye needs a rest. I would hope that if Frye goes down again, Sims is good enough to take over as the primary kicker. Not only does he have better range than Vozenilek, but he also now has the experience where I think he would feel comfortable taking over kicking duties.

With the specialists, I really don't care as long as they don't mess up. Matt Johns has given us no reason to doubt him. Long snapper is still very much undecided, but competition only brings out the best in players. So far, both have seemed fine.

The returner positions, however, bring more questions than answers. I would think Terrell would be the primary punt returner, but really, who knows? I think he has a higher ceiling than Shepherd back there, but do the coaches? After a disappointing career, will the coaches be willing to give him one last shot? Or will he get it by default because we're still too scared of Shepherd?

I would think Mizzell and Jennings are safe bets to return kicks against UCLA, but if one struggles, when does Shepherd come in? A dark horse candidate could be redshirt freshmen Daniel Hamm or Andre Levrone, but that is just speculation based off of skill sets.

As a whole, there certainly are a lot of questions with the special teams. The returners are always questionable, Frye still needs to complete his first full season as a starter, and we have a truly unknown long snapper.

What scares me here is that special teams rarely win games, but they can certainly lose them. It's tough to project this unit right now because it simply was not an emphasis in the practices I attended.

And although not addressed here, let's not forget about coverage units. Believe it or not, Jake McGee was arguably our best coverage guy on kick and punt returns. His loss not only hurts the offense, but also the special teams.

In one of the practices I attended, about half of the team worked on gunner drills for around 10 minutes. They were just drills, but at least they're practicing and getting real instruction -- something we couldn't really say when Poindexter was in charge.

The coverage units were fine last season, so I'm assuming they will be again this year. I would like to see more emphasis on forcing fumbles, but we need to take it one step at a time. If we're not giving up long returns, I will be mostly pleased. I also think Kwontie Moore could turn out to be a really good special teamer -- he was laying some nice hits in the drills I saw.

So in short, we should be okay -- nothing more and nothing less. We could end up being pretty good, but we could also be pretty bad. There's really no way to know. Even after this long post, the verdict still appears to be wait and see.

Next Week: Running Backs

News/Notes: CWS and NBA Draft

Wow. What a week for Virginia athletics. First off, let me apologize for being MIA this past week, in terms of blog posts. I easily could have come up with three or four posts, but I decided to leave the computer at home while on vacation. My apologies.

I tried to tweet some thoughts/opinions as the week went on, but I personally am not the biggest fan of twitter. Simply put, 140 characters is not enough room for clear and coherent analysis, even over the course of multiple tweets. That's basically why I started this blog in the first place -- I could have just tweeted my thoughts, but nothing beats news/analysis in paragraph form.

Well now that my aside is over, here is basically your update on everything that happened this past week in UVa athletics news:

College World Series

Game 1

There's really no need to go into too much depth on this one -- the third inning killed us. After taking a 2-0 lead, Vandy rallied off nine runs in the top of the 3rd inning. We came back, but the deficit was just too big to overcome. Papi's near homerun would have put us up 10-9, but that park is really big. We can play 'what ifs?' all day, but the bottom line is we lost.

The only subject I want to touch on is coaching. I've heard from many people that our coaching staff (specifically Brian O'Connor) lost us that game by not having anyone ready in the bullpen. This is far from the truth. In reality, Kirby pitched a pretty darn good first two innings. As arguably our best starting pitcher, there was no real reason to think the 3rd-inning onslaught was coming. Therefore, there was no real reason to have anyone in the bullpen ready in the top of the 3rd. You can pull the ol'e Boy Scout saying, "always be prepared", but I would think that most everyone thought we were prepared.

Yes, the third inning killed us. But it was a freak inning. We hadn't given up that many runs in a game all season, so we certainly did not expect to give up that many in a single inning. We were the victims of an unfortunate circumstance (and I will not blame Kirby because ultimately he's still a college athlete -- whether it was nerves or whatever, it doesn't really matter. No win or loss -- in my opinion -- should ever be traced back to one player. There are always other circumstances that could have occurred that could have changed the outcome).

In short, what a waste of a pretty damn good offensive night (we out-hit Vandy 15-6!!!).

Game 2

There's even less detail we need to delve into here. The game was never really in question, as we rolled to a 7-2 win. Lefty Brandon Waddell put the team on his back by throwing his first career 9-inning complete game. We outhit the Commodores 13-5 and seemed to have all the momentum on our side going into the all-or-nothing, end-all-be-all game 3.

Game 3

I think we can all agree we didn't see this coming. We had controlled 17.5 of the 18 innings so far in the series. A freak third inning was the only thing holding us back from hoisting the trophy on Tuesday night. I fully expected not only a win, but a blowout. I had no doubt in my mind that game 1 had lit a fire in us -- we were going to win, and nothing was going to stop us.

Unfortunately, we were envisioning the trophy and celebration a little bit too soon, because regardless of the momentum, Vandy only had to win one game and they too were national champions.

This is why I caution against 'moral victories' a.k.a. we played well enough that we feel okay even though we lost. The bottom line is you either win or you don't (I'm talking about game 1). Yes, maybe at the beginning of the season if we are playing a team that is clearly better than us and we play them close, then maybe we can take something away from that. I had a coach tell me once that late in the season, there is no such thing as a moral victory -- I think game 1 of the CWS qualifies under that statement. So basically even though we played well enough to win game 1 and had to feel good about our momentum, we ultimately still lost. We were still down 1-0. We still needed to win two straight. Moral victories don't add anything to the win column -- only the loss column.

So as we all know, we came up just one run short, falling on Wednesday, 3-2. A Commodore homer in the top of the eighth broke the 2-2 tie and gave them a 3-2 lead. Although we had our chances, we could never cash in. For the first time in the series, we were outhit (7-5). Again, we had a pitcher (Sborz) that struggled early. The difference from game 1 was that we replaced that pitcher early (with Lewicky). Nick Howard closed out the game.

Ultimately, this game came down to missed opportunities. Although it still was not our best defensive effort, the pitching, etc. was good enough to win. I don't care what sport we're talking about, but in big games you have to make big plays if you want to win. We didn't do that this game (or really this series). We were 0-5 with the bases loaded on Wednesday -- that was the difference. The killer was the bottom of the eighth when the bases were loaded with only one out. After just falling behind 3-2, we absolutely had to take advantage there. And we didn't. And Vandy pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning. 

Despite a poor game and arguably being outplayed, we still could have (should have?) won. Damn, that bites.

Conclusion

I know my tone has been negative thus far throughout this post, but I don't want to take anything away from this team. They worked their tails off to get to the CWS. That's no small feat, and we as fans need to recognize that (the Charlottesville community did so at Davenport on Thursday). 

But we had no business losing this series. I'm not going to act like one player/play/call ended our chances, because that's never the case. We had our chances. Several errors, a terrible inning, 0-5 with the bases loaded in a one-run game, etc. It kills me to even write this. 

The best team doesn't always win. It's that simple.

What pains me the most is that it's so easy to say we'll just get them next year, but that is far, far, far away from a guarantee. It is damn hard to make it to the championship series. And we will lose some guys to the MLB too. While we might have another chance to play for the national championship next season, the odds will be against us. This was our best chance to win a baseball national championship. We in Charlottesville will remember this team, but not like we would have if we won the championship. Outside of Charlottesville, this team was one of too many to count second place teams. 

Losing sucks. We were too damn good to let this one slip away.

NBA Draft

In lighter news, the NBA draft was held on Thursday, and we were well represented by our beloved Joe Harris (check out the video of his celebration here).

Harris said he was projected to go anywhere between 20 and 40. He ended up as the 33rd overall selection, becoming the highest UVa player selected since Roger Mason Jr. was selected 31st overall by the Bulls in 2002. (Mike Scott was selected 43rd in 2012).

Harris has mixed views in the eyes of scouts. Some focus on his lack of athleticism and inability to fit the mold of a prototypical 2 or 3 player. Others love his shooting ability, defensive prowess, and intangibles.

Unfortunately, Harris will be subject to criticism early on in his career because he was a questionable draft-pick for Cleveland. With the first overall pick, Cleveland took Wiggins, who obviously will play over Harris. The problem is that Harris just added more depth to that roster, nothing more in the short term. Cleveland, however, has a hole at center that many fans wanted to address with the Harris pick.

Ultimately, the future of 2nd round picks is always uncertain. Usually only around half of those picks even play their rookie year. Only about 20 make a roster. From that point of view, it seems odd that some of Cleveland was so upset with the Harris pick. Even if they were to address their need in the paint, there was no guarantee that guy would be the solution. So for that reason, I like the Harris selection in the second round for any team. He is a proven shooter and defender. He will never be asked to carry the team, but he will serve well as a role player for almost any NBA squad.

I tweeted this as a side note, but I feel strong enough to point in out again here -- I am very thankful that a statistically worse 2013-2014 season did not prove to hurt Harris's draft stock. He was a borderline first round pick after his junior season where he averaged 16 points per game and shot 42.5% from three. As we all know, he chose to come back to Charlottesville where he was a key player in a historical season. I was scared his dropoff in production would hurt him, but it doesn't seem like it did. Sure, it would have been nice for him to get that first round guaranteed contract, but there was no way of knowing whether he would have gone in the first round last year anyway. Like I said, there is no sense in playing 'what if's'. His decision to stay for his senior season had little to no effect on his draft stock, benefitted the school and program, and won our hearts over. Joe, we will miss you.

Our other NBA hopefull -- Akil Mitchell -- went undrafted Thursday night, but signed with the Houston Rockets soon after the draft. Basically what this means is that he will practice with the team and play on their summer league team. Likely, Mitchell will be subject to at least a year of development in the D-league. While we know of his athleticism and superb defensive ability, you need to score to make it in the NBA. For Mitchell, this may be his biggest struggle. He averaged about 13 points per game his junior season, but like Harris, that number went down his senior season, where Mitchell only averaged about 7 per game.

Mitchell's scoring dropoff was frustrating at times. He was still making his signature dunks and layups, but his outside shooting declined dramatically. The best statistic to show this was his free throw percentage, which dropped from 70% his junior season to 43% his senior season. I have no explanations as to what happened, but NBA teams will want one. This alone is probably the biggest reason why he wasn't drafted. A fringe draft pick needs to make free throws.

If his shooting develops, I could see him on a NBA team in a year or two. His defense is his greatest asset, but that's simply not valued as much in the NBA. Mitchell has no guarantees, so he will have to work for every penny he earns and every second on the court he plays. If he doesn't reach a NBA level, he will have all sorts of options open abroad, where he could become a very, very good international player.

It will take at least a year to determine Mitchell's basketball future, but we are all wishing him the very best of luck. Both he and Harris helped to turn our program into a consistent winner. They will have earned every bit of their future basketball success. May the odds be ever in their favor.

Defensive line could be ferocious

A whole day early! I apologize if the date of this post threw anyone off (although I'm 99.9% sure it did not). These previews will still usually come on Sunday or Monday. However, with summer comes vacation. And because I don't want to bring my computer to the beach, here you go. The defensive line preview - A WHOLE DAY EARLY!

Now back to business - the defensive line. Gone is Vincent Brown and in comes Jerome "Jappy" Oliver to coach the unit. Brown left with Poindexter to UConn to become the linebacker's coach and the co-defensive coordinator. While I was sad to see Brown leave, the promotion was well deserved. Our defense has had its ups and downs over the past few years, but the defensive line has always been up to the challenge.

I honestly have no clue what to think about Oliver. He has 35 years of experience, including stops at big name programs such as South Carolina and Notre Dame. He was previously the defensive line coach and associate head coach at Buffalo (in a way, similar to Tom O'Brien's role at UVa). I'm not involved in any assistant coaching circles, but Oliver seems to be a solid replacement for Brown. Buffalo had 38 sacks last season (10 better than UVa) and also has worked with Tenuta at Notre Dame in 2008.

Thankfully for Oliver, he has plenty of talent to work with in Charlottesville. Despite losing DT Brent Urban (4th round pick to the Ravens) and DE Jake Snyder (undrafted to the Vikings), this group has the depth to replace them, and probably even improve upon last season's statistics. (For more info on UVa draftees, check out this post from a few weeks ago).

Let's get into a few more details about the talent Oliver - and also London, who assists on the defensive line - will work with.

Defensive end (left) likely starter: Eli Harold (Jr.)

I like to start each post with the most accomplished and proven player. On the defensive line, I think there is no doubt this player is Eli Harold. He came in with all sort's of hype: the No. 1 player in Virginia by Rivals, five-stars from Scout, four-stars by ESPN and Rivals, the No. 1 outside linebacker by Scout, unanimous top-50 recruit...the list goes on and on. He was a real steal for London to grab, and his commitment is a true testament to London's ability on the recruiting trail. Harold had been set on Florida for a while, but he switched to UVa because he thought London could be the father figure he never had (he grew up without a father, and his mother died of pancreatic cancer in 2011).

It is also worth noting that he is freakishly athletic for a defensive end. He reportedly runs the 40 in 4.46 seconds (take that for what it's worth). Basically, he's faster than most skill-position players (he did play wide-receiver in high school). His unusual speed is partly because he is a tad undersized for a defensive lineman at 235 pounds. He struggled his freshman season because of his weight, when he weighed 215-220. He plans to reach around 245 by the time he graduates. His true position is probably as a 3-4 outside linebacker due to his size and athleticism.

Harold came on a little slow his freshman season (maybe due to his light weight, but also due to a difficult learning curve from high school to college). But by the end of the season, his talent was evident. He made his first start against NC State, where he recorded 1.5 sacks and snagged an interception. He only recorded two sacks on the season, but that number was actually third on the team. His talent had become evident.

In 2013, he continued to excel, leading the team with 8.5 sacks (the fourth most in the nation by an underclassman) and 15 tackles for loss. He was dominant in the BYU game, recording two sacks and creating havoc in that star-studded backfield led by QB Taysom Hill, who is a pre-season Heisman candidate. Harold also added three sacks against Virginia Tech - the most sacks in a game by a UVa player since 2008.

If Harold has a flaw, it is that he is too inconsistent. Seven of his 8.5 sacks came in just three games - BYU, Maryland, and Va. Tech. This can happen to pass-rushers that rely primarily on speed, like Harold. Offenses can run plays up the middle, throw screens, or have many quick, three-step drop pass attempts. This will neutralize most speed rushers.

However, one anonymous head coach called out Harold for taking plays off. I have no clue how true this is, but it would not really surprise me. At his size, he has to get exhausted at times, especially in the run game while working against linemen that can weigh up to 100 pounds more than him.

For this reason, I hope he gets more breaks this season, especially on early downs. He is fine against the run, but his real strength is pass rushing. If Harold doesn't have to play every down (and he shouldn't - I'll get into the depth in a second), then he can focus on rushing the quarterback and hopefully have more of an impact in all 12 games.

Still, I am kind of nit-picking here. Harold is a fantastic player, make no mistake about it. He was named to Phil Steele's preseason third team All ACC. He is a quick, athletic pass-rusher that is also phenomenal against the run for his size. I just want him to become elite. I think that is a possibility this year, especially with Max Valles rushing from the other side in nickel situations. Harold has shown the impact he can have in games; now it's time that he does it in all 12 contests.

Depth

First off the bench behind Harold is another athletic freak in Trent Corney (Jr.). Corney came to UVa with a sparse football background. Most recruiters thought he was better suited for a track scholarship, a sport he played damn well in high school. No recruiting services even ranked him or gave him any stars. Add that to the fact that he could have played wide receiver, safety, running back, linebacker, or defensive end, and you had yourself a true unknown.

He came in, had a decent camp, and established himself as a defensive end. After scant playing time his freshman season, he moved up to Eli Harold's back-up in 2013. He recorded two sacks on the season - both in mop-up duty against VMI.

Corney serves as a great example of a Mike London redshirting blunder. Corney played on special teams from time to time throughout his freshman season. While I understand wanting to take advantage of Corney's athleticism, what the hell was Mike London thinking?! This man had barely played the game before, and he had the potential to develop into a solid player. But now with Harold in his same class, Corney will rarely see the field.

I'm hoping he will relieve Harold in certain situations (mostly early downs) in 2014, but thanks to Mike London, we'll truly never know what he could have been given a year as the full-time starter.

Despite my anger, he is a very capable back-up in 2014. Also, as a side note, check out this video of Corney jumping out of a pool. That is freakish athleticism.

Defensive end (right) likely starter: Mike Moore (Jr.)

After spending two seasons behind Jake Snyder, Mike Moore will move into the starting lineup in 2014. Moore was a consensus four-star recruit that was the No. 11 defensive end in the nation by Rivals. He is also the son of former UVa All-American quarterback and later assistant coach Shawn Moore.

I would have preferred to see Mike Moore get the benefit of a redshirt his freshman season, but it's always tough to convince top-flight recruits to sit for a year. Not only do the players on the team not want to be redshirted, but it also scares off other potential recruits in the forthcoming classes. Moore has come along a bit slower than most four-star prospects. In 2012, he recorded two tackles for loss and one sack - all in garbage time.

In 2013, he cracked his way into the rotation by spelling Jake Snyder from time to time, while also playing defensive tackle in some nickel situations. He didn't see much playing time, but it was more than in 2012. He recorded one sack and 1.5 tackles for loss among his 16 tackles.

To me, Moore looks like a Jake Snyder clone with a higher upside. If he was going to develop into a stud, we probably would have a clue by now. However, Snyder was no slouch to sit behind either. And it seems that Moore has learned a thing or two from Snyder. Moore was a recipient of the Rock Wier award given to the most improved player during spring ball.

Don't expect Moore to rack up a bunch of sacks, but I think somewhere around three or four is doable for 2014. That being said, his biggest impact will come in the run game, as is the case for most left defensive ends. I don't think we'll see a drop off at the position as he succeeds Snyder.

Depth

Moore's primary back-up will be Kwontie Moore - the former all-world recruit at middle linebacker. Kwontie was a consensus four-star and rated as the No. 3 middle linebacker in the country by Rivals. He definitely would have benefited from a redshirt season, but like Mike Moore, he was too good of a prospect to sit.

In 2012, Kwontie sat behind Steve Greer, only seeing time on special teams. In 2013, he was not only beat out by Henry Coley, but he also only played two games - BYU and Oregon - due to injury. So now two years and a disheartening six tackles later, Kwontie is giving defensive end a try.

But this isn't even his first position switch. With little time to be found at linebacker last season, the coaches moved Kwontie down to defensive tackle. I had noticed that Kwontie seemed to be slower than the rest of the linebackers, but this made no sense. Did the coaches want him to gain 50+ pounds in a few weeks? All that I know is that Kwontie has not and probably never will reach his high school potential.

Hopefully, however, Kwontie can find a home at defensive end. At the two practices I attended, he looked pretty good. He's not great at working against guards and tackles, but he can sure shoot off the line. He'll definitely be more of a pass rush type of guy.

Now that he's at defensive end, it really makes you wish that he would have redshirted. Our top four defensive ends are all juniors. I'm fine with Eli Harold and Mike Moore getting snaps their first year on grounds, but Trent Corney and Kwontie Moore did not gain anything in that first season. Now we have two pretty solid players that will never see time starting.

Kwontie Moore might see a few plays in sub-packages, but still, he will not have a large role on the defense, which is a real shame. There was all sorts of hype surrounding Kwontie even just over a year ago when it was thought he could challenge Coley at MLB. But sometimes recruits just don't pan out. To Kwontie's credit, he has never once complained about playing time, and he has embraced his new position. I think everyone would agree that to this point, he has been a bust. But at least he's been a team player.

Behind Kwontie Moore is Jack English (RS Fr.). Because he redshirted last season, I don't have much to say regarding English. He was a three-star recruit from St. Christopher's in Richmond that is listed at 6-5 and 265 pounds. If he has added a little weight since last season (which I'm sure he has), he could be a solid player. Jake Snyder 2.0? That's a possibility; they have the same measurables. But this is all just speculation, since there is no such college film to speak of.

This season will essentially be another redshirt year for English, as will 2015. By 2016, his junior season, he should be groomed and ready to play strong-side defensive end, assuming he doesn't get recruited over.

Defensive tackle likely starters: David Dean (Jr.) and Andrew Brown (Fr.)

Just like at the top, I'll start with the more accomplished player. Although Brown has more talking points, that means we'll begin with David Dean, who was just recently named to Phil Steele's preseason third team All-ACC

Dean was a three-star recruit by Scout and Rivals and a four-star by ESPN. He redshirted his first year and received a little time in 2012, highlighted by his sack against Wake Forest. In 2013, he stepped into the starting role (due to the departures of Chris Brathwaite and Justin Renfrow), and did a fantastic job. He was sixth on the team with 49 tackles, including 7.5 for loss. He also added four sacks - tied with Max Valles for second on the team.

It's tough to pay too much attention to guys like Dean every down just because your eyes don't draw to the trenches. However, I never noticed him get terribly beat, and plenty of times I saw him get penetration in the run game and/or pressure the quarterback. His coming out party (like Valles) was against Pitt, in which he recorded 1.5 sacks.

For 2014, I expect similar numbers, although probably more disruption in the backfield. The reason he won't add too many more sacks or tackles for loss is because of his new teammate - Andrew Brown.

Along with safety Quin Blanding, Brown is one of two consensus five-star recruits London pulled in for the 2014 class. At 6-4 and 300 pounds, he already has the ideal size of a college (and even professional) defensive tackle. He is widely considered the best defensive tackle recruit in the nation, and ESPN has him as the No. 5 overall recruit. He was even named the 2013 Gatorade National Player of the Year - as a defensive tackle!

Brown enrolled for the 2014 spring semester so he could participate in spring practice. Unfortunately, he suffered turf-toe in one of the first practices and missed the majority of spring ball. He is still expected to be able to participate in summer training camp.

Now there are two telling signs to point out. The first is that just a few practices in, Brown was already receiving first-team reps. Second, Brown is part of Phil Steele's preseason fourth-team All-ACC. If those two don't show you the potential and expectations for Brown, then I don't know what will. I mean, he practiced two or three times and is listed as the co-starter at defensive tackle. That's incredible!

What a talent we're going to have! Almost a year since his commitment, I'm still gushing about him. While he might not transcend the program like a quarterback or running back could, he could have the same type of impact that Ndamukong Suh had at Nebraska (minus all of Suh's dirty, cheap-shot plays).

I must give another shout-out to Mike London for landing Brown. I am not kidding when I say Brown could have played anywhere in the country. His final three schools were UVa, Virginia Tech, and Alabama. Thankfully for Wahoo Nation, he wanted to stay in-state, loved Mike London, and like Blanding, wanted to help rebuild the UVa program.

I realize that it will take time for his impact to truly be felt, but I think in the neighborhood of five sacks is a realistic expectation. He is very quick, and what scouts love are his hands once the o-lineman tries to engage. I don't know any specifics, but he apparently has great hands at fighting off blocks to avoid ever really engaging with the offensive linemen. He should do just fine replacing Brent Urban, which is saying something. We can only hope he stays in Charlottesville for four years.

Depth Behind Andrew Brown

Defensive tackle is always a position that you want to have a lot bodies to rotate in and out to keep the big boys fresh. This season, it appears we will.

First off the bench behind Brown will be sophomore Donte Wilkins (he is currently listed with Brown as an "or" for the starting position). Wilkins was expecting to see some time during his freshman season, but I think he was a little surprised by how much playing time he actually got. Wilkins started four games in place of the injured Brent Urban. To expect Urban's same impact from Wilkins was unfair for a true freshman, even despite his four-star rating by 247sports (Rivals, Scout, and ESPN all gave him three-stars).

To be honest, I'm not really sure what to make of Wilkins. Like I said, I don't pay much attention to the trenches during a play. Overall, I saw some positives and negatives from Wilkins. The key is whether or not he develops.

I think his best comparison is actually David Dean. Both were ranked similarly by recruiting services, and both seem to be fairly quick for bigger guys. Unlike Dean, however, Wilkins will not hear his name again in the starting lineup for at least two more years (of course, barring injuries).

But Wilkins is the type of player you want as a backup. He has starting experience and the ability to play in both the base and nickel defense. You have to believe that Wilkins will see a decent amount of playing time this season.

Currently behind Wilkins on the depth chart is sophomore Andre Miles-Redmond (we'll call him AMR to save some time). AMR is a very weird case in that he was recruited across the board as a three-star guard (even though he was a bit of a tweener at 260 pounds), but once he arrived on grounds, London somehow decided that his home was on the defensive line ... at defensive tackle.

I'm not going to act like I know London's future succession plans or anything, but I still don't understand this move. We are currently frighteningly bad in terms of offensive line depth, and here I am listing players left and right that can contribute on the defensive line. Who's to say if AMR would have ever taken meaningful snaps at guard, but I can tell you he won't at defensive tackle. I mean, seriously? Why would you put a 260 pound, three-star guard at defensive tackle? He was small on the o-line. Even now at 280 pounds, he's small for a defensive tackle.

I hope for the best, but I fear that this kid's career was ruined by this coaching staff. Don't expect to see him on the field in 2014.

And now, behind AMR is Chris Brathwaite, who sat out the 2013 season due to an academic suspension. It was a shame he had to sit out because he was coming off his best season in 2012. He led UVa with 3.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. He was a sure-fire thing to start opposite Urban before his suspension. That and Justin Renfrow's transfer pushed Dean into the starting lineup, where as noted, Dean performed admirably.

Unfortunately, it is unfair to expect the same Brathwaite in 2014 that we saw in 2012. He is fourth on the depth chart for a reason - it takes time to adjust back to the game after taking a year off. It's tough for big guys to stay in playing shape, and without a coach or reps at practice, linemen's hand-moves can wither away. In the two practices I saw, he was a shell of his former self. He never was able to penetrate the backfield. Sadly, due to his redshirt season in 2010, he still lost a year of eligibility in 2013 and is now a senior for 2014. Unless something drastic happened between the spring game and now, Brathwaite won't see the field much in 2014.

Depth Behind David Dean

I am sorting out the 'depth' section into to categories because that is how it appears on the depth chart. So according to the depth chart, there is only one backup behind Dean - senior Greg Gallop.

That is why before I get into any details, I want to point out that the defensive tackle spots are basically interchangeable. Players will practice on a certain side, but the principles between the two spots are nearly identical. That means even though Wilkins, AMR, and Brathwaite are listed behind Brown, they could just as easily see time in place of Dean. Hopefully that explains why on the post-spring depth chart, one DT position has four players while the other only has two.

As for Gallop, don't expect him to see the field. He redshirted 2010, but still did not see action in 2011 or 2012. He made his debut last season (as a junior) against VMI. He played in three other games.

Gallop is a walk on. To be honest, it's pretty impressive that he is even staying for a fifth year. He must really love the game, which I commend him for. With an injury or two, it's not inconceivable that he would see time. However, I don't think he'll ever see meaningful snaps.

Now for some reason, Tyrell Chavis (RS Fr.) is not listed on the depth chart, but I would expect Chavis  to wind up being the first off the bench for Dean. Chavis is a massive man that is every bit of 6-3 and 290 pounds (which he is listed at). I'm not going to lie, this guy is absolutely huge. Take my word for it.

He spent a year prepping at Fork Union before he came to UVa and then proceeded to redshirt in 2013. To be honest, I really expected Chavis to play and for Wilkins to redshirt, since Chavis had that extra year at Fork Union. However, it ultimately was Chavis who sat, and I don't know if I'll ever complain about a redshirt.

Chavis was a four-star by 247 sports and a three-star by Scout, Rivals, and ESPN. He committed to us, then de-committed after former defensive coordinator Jim Reid was fired. After a valiant pursuit by those demonic fools in Blacksburg, Chavis recommitted to UVa.

I really have nothing to go on here except that his size is important. He likely is our biggest lineman, so he could see action in goal-line situations.

I'll temper my expectations about Chavis cracking the lineup immediately for two reasons. First, he did not stand out during the spring practices. I wasn't looking for him, but I never noticed him during individual or team drills. Second, I find it odd that he's not on the depth chart. I don't know if there are some off-the-field issues here, but it's weird that four year bench-warmer Gallop (sorry, Greg) is on the depth chart and highly touted Chavis is not. Maybe it was just London paying respect to Gallop. But at the same time, this is a football team coming off a two-win season, so the best players should be on the depth chart. I fear something fishy is going on with Chavis.

Conclusion

If you have made it this far in the post, I commend you. You are a true Wahoo. To those who just skipped down to the 'conclusion' part, I guess I still applaud you for reading about another potentially abysmal UVa football team. BUT.... this defensive line could be pretty good.

The reason this post is so long is because of the depth on this unit. I almost split this post up into two separate posts - one for defensive ends and one for defensive tackles. But because they are both coached by Jappy Oliver, I figured I'd just throw them both together.

Anyway, that's the takeaway I want you to get from this post - we have defensive line depth. I am more than comfortable with Eli Harold and Mike Moore as our starting defensive ends, and I even feel comfortable with Trent Corney or Kwontie Moore playing some meaningful snaps. At defensive tackle, David Dean and Andrew Brown should be a dynamic duo. With the depth of Wilkins, Chavis, and Brathwaite among others, we should be solid here as well.

As I hope people learned from championship teams both collegiately and professionally, a strong defensive line can take you a long way. The Seahawks rotated talented guys in and out on the d-line this past season, as did the Giants in their two recent championships. In the SEC, teams have such big, powerful running backs (Trent Richardson, Todd Gurely, etc.) because of the huge, yet still fast, defensive lineman. In short -- a good defensive line can carry a team farther than you might think.

That's why I think the success of the defense hinges on the defensive line. You know what you're going to get from the linebackers -- steady play. The secondary (with it's talent) should account for around 15 interceptions. But this interception number can vary up or down based on the play of the defensive line. If they're creating havoc, then the secondary, and thus defense, will thrive.

We had 28 sacks last year, good for 39th in the nation. While that is somewhat respectable, I expect more from this position unit (let's leave out Valles for now). With more consistency, Harold should improve upon his 8.5 sacks last season. I think Brown will grab a few as well (Urban, despite his great play, only had one sack last season).

While Urban and Snyder's leadership will be missed, I think their production is easily replaceable with this unit. And we will still have depth behind the starters. I wish more guys were redshirted to separate the defensive end class, but I guess that will become a problem in 2016. While London should definitely have that issue in the back of his mind, another losing season this year will end his tenure at Virginia, so it's not his primary concern.

If London is smart, he will put a lot of his faith in the defensive line. And while the talent on offense might ultimately doom his head-coaching career, the defensive line will do their part to keep him around.

Next Week: Special Teams

Notes: Endurance pays off for UVa baseball

I think we all know by now how last night's game ended. 15 innings!?! And seriously, I cannot be more thankful that we pulled out the win!

First, I'll state the obvious: we needed that win. I think the stat is 30 of the last 33 CWS champions started out 2-0. There's several reasons for that, but I think what will help UVa the most is an added day of rest while TCU and Ole Miss duke it out on Thursday before one of them faces UVa on Friday.

This is huge for the UVa players. They get an extra day of rest while their foe does not. I have no clue what the pitching rotation is like, but I know Nick Howard pitched the longest he had this season last night. I'm sure he'll appreciate the rest as much as anyone. Also, we didn't even get on base in extra-innings until Irving's ground-rule double. You could just tell the batters were exhausted. Now with three days off, we will certainly have an advantage against whichever team we face, and an even bigger advantage if it's against TCU.

Also on a selfish note, I would have been furious had I stayed up just to watch us lose. I had no problem getting out of bed for work this morning because I'm always happier after we win. It's like a natural burst of energy - no coffee required.

If we had lost....I'm pretty sure everyone would have hated me today. Tired...Grumpy...Oh, the struggles of a UVa fan.

But we won! And boy, was it sweet!

Now because I can't analyze the game like others, here are a few links from around the web:

Doug Doughty: UVa outlasts TCU in 15-inning College World Series thriller

Andrew Ramspacher: Virginia edges TCU in 15-inning CWS marathon

Doughty and Ramspacher: CWS notebook: UVa baseball parents enjoying the ride together

Go Hoos!

Other Notes: Basketball team receiving accolades

• In other news, the basketball team is still receiving honors. First off is Tony Bennett, who according to ESPN, is the14th best coach in the country. Personally (and I do admit to some bias), I think this is too low. What this team did this year was truly incredible. I won't go on to list all of our accomplishments because you already know them. But coming into the season, if you had told me that we would win both the ACC regular season and tournament championships, I would call you crazy. We were supposed to be good, but not this good. And a lot of our success came from Bennett's "scheme" - the packline defense. Unfortunately, I think ESPN is holding Bennett's first few years against him, even though the team was still improving. To ESPN, this is also a sort of career achievement award, and Bennett is still considered to be on the rise. In a few years though, he should cement himself into ESPN's top-10. (As a side note, Roy Williams at UNC was ranked 16th. UNC has not fielded the teams they used to these past few seasons, so it's not too much of a surprise. I also think the academic fraud has something to do with it - and who can forget the great signs about the scandal at JPJ when we whooped them?! Point is, it's awesome Bennett is now considered a better coach than Williams!)

• As for NBA draft updates, Joe Harris is absolutely destroying it in his pre-draft workouts. According to this ESPN post, Harris has worked himself up to potentially a late first-round pick. He is getting credit for his shooting ability, obviously, and also for his defense (which was always an underrated part of his game). Even if he was a first round pick, there's still no guarantee he makes it in the NBA. But I love his rising stock because Harris really took a step back this season to help the team. He could have been a first-round pick after last season, but a "disappointing" 2013-2014 season kind of dropped him off of some teams' radars. I'm just really happy that his NBA career won't suffer as a result of his unselfishness.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, LET'S GO VIRGINIA BASEBALL!! THREE MORE WINS!!!

Linebackers bring steady, consistent play

Last week we previewed the secondary. This week, it's time to take a look at the linebackers. I'm not sure how clear I have made myself, but I think this defense could be one of the best in the ACC for two reasons - talent and experience. At linebacker, experience trumps talent. Don't get me wrong, we have some very good athletes at the linebacker position (yes, I'm thinking of you, Max Valles). But what will set this group apart is its experience. This will be both Henry Coley and Daquan Romero's third season with consistent playing time, and Valles gained plenty of experience by seeing significant time in the last 9 games of 2013.

This position group doesn't have the talent (at least according to recruiting services) that the secondary has, but these guys are good. You won't see many missed tackles, and Coley and Romero can both lay some ferocious hits. There won't be many big plays from these guys, but linebackers in a 4-3 defense are meant to stuff the run first and blitz/cover second. These guys have their priorities straight, thanks in large part to having their defense coordinator also serve as their position coach.

London and Tenuta (and also Jim Reid) deserve credit for developing 2014's contributors.

Middle Linebacker likely starter - Henry Coley (Sr.)

At least in my opinion, Coley is just now starting to get the respect he deserves. I too was one of his doubters. His natural position is at MLB, which he plays now. But he also played admirably in 2012 as the SAM 'backer. I remember watching the Penn State game in 2012 (thank you Sam Ficken!) and thinking how good of a run defender Coley was. He notched 11 tackles and 1 sack in that game. After that, he didn't have another big game the rest of the season, and was arguably outplayed by his backup Daquan Romero in the final four games of the season in which Coley was suspended.

After Romero's emergence, many were unsure about Coley's future. I expected Kwontie Moore (the No. 3 inside-linebacker in the country for the 2012 recruiting class, according to Rivals) to beat out Coley for the spot in the middle in 2013. And with Romero moving to the weak side, I thought Coley could potentially stay as the SAM linebacker if he could avoid off the field trouble.

But this just goes to show that I can't be right about everything, and neither can the scouts at Rivals, because Coley had a hell of a season n 2013. He led the team in tackles (91) and also added 10 tackles for loss. Kwontie Moore never gave Coley any real competition and has since been moved to defensive end, where he might never start a game. Coley was a consensus three-star recruit from Bayside High School, but he has outperformed expectations, like his predecessors at MLB - Steve Greer and Jon Copper.

This season, Coley was elected as a captain and named to Phil Steele's third-team All-ACC defense. Although Anthony Harris is the clear defensive leader, it will again be Coley's responsibility to call the plays and get the defense lined-up. He no doubt has the smarts to do so, as he was on the All-ACC academic team for the past two seasons.

My favorite part about Coley is that he plays like a badass. It was never revealed why he was suspended for 2012's last four games, but it definitely gave him the edge he needed. He will never shy away from contact, and more times than not, you can hear the collision of pads when he meets the ballcarrier. In the spring game, he shot straight through the A-gap and put a vicious (but clean) hit on the running-back (I forget who it was) that forced the running back out of the game for the series. Coley just plays mean. That's what you want from everybody on your defense.

Expect him to lead the team in tackles again and maybe add a few more sacks and tackles for loss in 2014.

Depth

A common theme with our linebackers is a lack of experienced depth. At MLB, this is definitely the case. Only two MLBs are listed on the post-spring depth chart, so Coley's back-up is redshirt freshman Micah Kiser. As you will almost always here me say, I am very glad that he was redshirted. Coley was on the field for almost every snap last season, so there was no need for Kiser to play. Kiser was a three or four star recruit depending on which scouting service you prefer. He attended Gilman High School in Baltimore, Md (the same school as WR Darius Jennings).

When it comes down to it, I think he'll probably start in 2015 unless Kwontie Moore fails at DE and moves back to linebacker (although that would be a tough transition). Two years of learning behind Coley should pay dividends for Kiser. But Kiser is still very much an unknown. I haven't heard any reports about him, so all of my thoughts are pure speculation.

If Coley goes down this season, we would be in trouble. Kiser I'm sure would have his moments, but at least in my opinion, Coley is the heart and soul of this defense. There is definitely a drop off from Coley to Kiser. But going into 2015, I think Kiser will be just fine.

Weak-Side Linebacker likely starter - Daquan Romero (Sr.)

As mentioned above, Romero saw his first real action as the strong-side linebacker in the final four games of 2012 after Coley's suspension. He came in and didn't miss a beat, maybe even outplaying Coley. I was in Blacksburg in 2012 for the Virginia Tech game and had really good seats about 15 rows up from the field. I just remember thinking how solid of a tackler Romero was and being rather impressed by his pass coverage and blitzing.

In 2013, Tenuta moved him over to the weak-side, where he again had a positive impact. He was second on the team with 89 tackles, including 7.5 for loss. He was not spectacular by any means, but there was never any doubt who should be playing his position.

With an added year of experience next to Coley, it's only natural that he improves in 2014. I think an All-ACC season is in reach. His chances might suffer due to the success (or lack thereof) of the team, but I think he has a shot at a very good 2014 season. He could possibly even make an NFL practice squad in 2015.

Depth

Romero is backed up by a senior (D.J. Hill) and a sophomore (Zach Bradshaw). As for D.J. Hill, he is a linebacker that really never panned out. He was only a three-star recruit, but he had a number of opportunities to secure a starting spot. He never seemed to be able to do so.

In his sophomore year, he started two games for the injured La'Roy Reynolds. Against TCU, he actually led the team with eight tackles. It was thought this might give him some helpful experience as he hoped to compete for a starting job as the SAM 'backer last season, but he never pulled through. He appeared in all 12 games but only on special teams.

For next season, don't expect much more from him. He will be a dependable back-up if called upon, but make no mistake in thinking he can hold down the starting spot. Romero is definitely a notch above him in playing ability.

Hill is the first half of an "or" as the back up to Romero. The other half is Bradshaw.

Bradshaw is an interesting prospect in that he was a three-star recruit out of high school, but he has more upside than most three-stars. He originally committed to Penn State after debating between the Nittany Lions and South Carolina. However, the NCAA sanctions prompted Bradshaw to reconsider, and after a visit to Charlottesville, he decided he liked us better than South Carolina.

Bradshaw is considered freakishly athletic for a linebacker. At 6-3, he should be a hard-hitting force. But he also brings great speed. Many schools recruited him as a wide receiver. (Shout out to Brendan at From Old Virginia for a a great recruiting piece.)

Not surprisingly, London seems to think the world of him. In fact, after not playing a snap since he injured his wrist against Oregon, London thought it was a good idea to start him against Georgia Tech. But we know how that game played out. Georgia Tech ran in for a long touchdown on just the third play of the game. If that doesn't crush the hopes of the already sparse home crowd, I don't know what will.

Romero was immediately called back into the game and led the team with 10 tackles. I remember scrambling on my phone to the UVa roster, trying to find out who the hell #51 was. I couldn't find his name in the Scott Stadium reception wasteland before he was yanked after the touchdown.

However, in order to start - unless our coach is crazier than we thought - London and Tenuta (remember, he's the linebacker's coach) must have seen something they liked from him in practice. He didn't show it against Georgia Tech, but he must have something we just haven't witnessed.

If Romero were to go down mid-game, I would expect Hill to fill that role to finish the game. But if it turned into a multi-week injury, I think it would be Bradshaw that would fill in as the starter for the next few weeks. Hill provides immediate in-game experience, but with a week to prepare, I would expect Bradshaw to out-perform Hill.

With the graduation of Romero and Hill next spring, expect Bradshaw to start as the weak-side linebacker in 2015. Hopefully then, he can show Wahoo Nation what the coaches have already seen.

Strong-Side Linebacker likely starter - Max Valles (So.)

Now if you thought Bradshaw was an interesting case, just wait until you hear that of Max Valles (but my guess is that if you're reading this post, you already have). Here are two pieces from the Daily Progress and the Cavalier Daily basically introducing him to the Cavalier faithful.

In a sparknotes version, Valles was considered almost position-less coming out of high school. He was only a two-star recruit that was pretty mediocre at everything on the football field. In fact, he only played football for two years in high school (he happened to be a baseball stud). At UVa, he was originally slated at tight-end during summer workouts. When training camp began, he was moved to defensive end. It wasn't until the days leading up to Oregon that he played linebacker.

He must have shined in practice as London gave him the starting nod over Demeitre Brim against Pittsburgh. And as you all know, he delivered. Valles registered 2.5 sacks in the game and finished with four on the year - tied with David Dean for second best on the team behind Eli Harold's 8.5.

He made four starts last season because UVa often went with three-corners instead of a third linebacker in the starting lineup. But make no mistake, he was out there when a pass rush was needed. Tenuta lined him up in both two and three-point stances. As the season progressed, he almost always had his hand in the dirt opposite Harold on third and long. After such a breakout game against Pitt, I selfishly expected more of the same throughout the season. While he did provide some solid pressure, he did not record another sack until Virginia Tech, when he recorded 1.5.

In 2014, he still remains without a true home position. Tenuta had him working with both the linebackers and defensive ends in spring practice, although he was listed as the starting SAM 'backer on the post-spring depth chart. He still struggles against the run as a 4-3 linebacker, so he might not be in on some early downs. (I think most would agree his most natural fit is as a 3-4 outside linebacker). However, when we go nickel, expect him and Harold as the bookends rushing the passer.

It looks like we landed a real steal in Valles. Hopefully he will be terrorizing opposing passers for the next three years to come.

Depth

The depth behind Valles is highly questionable, to say the least. While fairly highly touted prospects back-up the middle and weak-side linebackers, the only name listed behind Valles is sophomore Mark Hall. Hall was listed as a three-star recruit by scout and rivals and a two-star by ESPN. Reports say he is athletic and aggressive (some considered him a tight end), but at this point, really only our coaches and players would know. He redshirted in 2012 and - with the exception of a few snaps in blowouts - only played special teams last season. (As a side note, he is the older brother of UVa basketball guard Devon Hall, who redshirted this season).

If Valles was to get injured, Hall would technically be the first off the bench. However, for about half of our games last season, we played nickel essentially the entire game. So if Valles couldn't go, it would be Coley and Romero at linebacker and then DreQuan Hoskey in the slot. If Valles was hurt against a run-first team, like Georgia Tech, then Hall might see some action. But even so, I would bet on Bradshaw or Hill moving from their back-up spots on the weak-side into the starting role on the strong side. Basically, I don't think the chances of Hall getting any significant playing time this season are very good.

Things might be a little different if Demeitre Brim did not transfer. He played decently against BYU and VMI. He didn't see much time against Oregon due to their spread offense, and by the time Pitt rolled around, he had been replaced by Valles. Brim would have been a senior this season, but there was really nothing special about his play in 2013. Brim would have backed up Valles and provided quality depth, but with the strong-side position of less importance due to so many nickel packages, Brim became replaceable. With Hall now in sole possession of the back-up role, he should see more snaps in practice and hence develop quicker.

Going into the future, it seems as if Hall will be a career back-up. Assuming no new recruit steps up, in 2015 and 2016, Bradshaw will be starting on the strong-side, Kiser in the middle (assuming Kwontie Moore does not move back to MLB, since there is a logjam at defensive end, but the fact that the coaches moved him to a very different position seems to indicate his run at linebacker is over), and Valles on the weak-side. Unless Valles moves to defensive end for his senior year when Harold/Trent Corney/Mike Moore/ Kwontie Moore are gone, Hall will not see any real playing time (barring injuries), except for special teams.

Conclusion

When I started this post, I knew the starting core was solid. Coley and Romero provide consistency and leadership, while Valles provides big-play potential in sacks and forced-fumbles. What I did not expect to find though was much depth at the position. But as I continued researching some of these back-ups and their stories, I came away impressed.

It's always tough replacing seniors, but I must give London some credit in his succession plans. He had Coley and Romero ready for Steve Greer and La'Roy Reynolds, respectively, after they graduated. Now it seems that Bradshaw and Kiser will be the next guys to succeed at linebacker.

But these guys will have to wait their turn because this starting group is quite good. You have an inspiring, high motor player in Coley, an athletic run defender in Romero, and a pass-rushing specialist in Valles. If Tenuta can figure out a way to play to all of their strengths, then we might just have another piece for a potentially special defense for 2014.

Off to Omaha!

As you might have heard, the baseball team pulled through and sent the ever detestable Maryland back to hell. I mean College Park... Well, they're basically the same thing.

Our hopes of the Super Regional victory actually didn't look too promising after a 5-4 loss to the twerps on Saturday. The beat us in the ACC tournament, and now they were going to beat us in the Super Regionals. If so, it meant that Maryland would have come away victorious in our final meetings in football, basketball, lacrosse, and baseball.

That absolutely could not happen. No member of the Cavalier faithful would ever want to dream about that type of eternal suffering, let alone live through the horror. And fortunately, our baseball team felt the same way. And they delivered to the tune of two consecutive wins. THANK GOD!

Maryland coach John Szefc even called us "an absolute college baseball monster." Well done Cavs, well done.

Like I've said before, I'm no baseball guru. Therefore, there's no point in me reading a bunch of articles just to restate what they say. So here are some of the better stories throughout the past few days. (And I'd like to give a shoutout to Jerry Ratcliffe for using a dragon metaphor to describe our team. That was awesome!!!)

Ratcliffe: the dragon has awakened, and it's heading to Omaha

Jeff White: Omaha awaits triumphant Cavaliers

Doug Doughty: Coach O'Connor glad Cavs piled it on this time

Post-Game Celebration Video!!!

I'm so excited that I actually found myself watching baseball on Monday night! That just doesn't happen to me!

I don't want to see this magic end. Not like it did with basketball. Next up is Ole Miss (46-19) on Sunday at 8 p.m. And if we keep winning, all of Wahoo Nation can celebrate for a little while longer.

Bennett can get, BUT doesn't need big recruits

This post is a response to a fan post from June 3 on Streaking the Lawn by John Shepherd. I will emphasize that it was a fan post and thus does not reflect the opinions of the Streaking the Lawn writers.

Shepherd basically calls out Bennett for not landing a big name recruit in the 2014 recruiting class. The class consists of four new first-years - B.J. Stith, Jack Salt, Isaiah Wilkins, and Marial Shayok. I'll also group together redshirt freshman Devon Hall and Tennessee transfer Darius Thompson with the bunch since come 2015, they will all have the same years of eligibility remaining.

What Shepherd points out is that all of these guys are three-star recruits. We haven't had a four star recruit since the rising junior class that consists of four-stars Mike Tobey, Justin Anderson, Malcolm Brogdon, and Evan Nolte. This class (also throw in Anthony Gill, although he was a three-star) will hog the minutes for the next two seasons. But after they depart, who will be left to take the reins? Although these guys don't stack up to the recruiting talent at Duke, Syracuse, or UNC, they helped to carry us to a historic season. Do the two classes behind them have the talent to continue their success? Will Bennett ever recruit a big name, one-and-done type player?

I will respond first to whether or not we can continue to compete in two years with a team filled with three-star recruits. And I will argue yes.

Let's further break down the 2013-2014 team that won the ACC regular season and tournament championship. Brogdon led the team in scoring. The other four-star players from that class finished 4th (Anderson), 6th (Tobey), and 9th (Nolte) in scoring. Obviously a lot more goes into a basketball player than just his scoring numbers (see Anderson's blocks, energy, etc.), but these guys did not carry the team. Anderson was great coming off the bench and was well deserving of his ACC 6th man of the year honor, but there was a reason he did not start - other guys were better. Tobey had one good game for every five bad ones. And Nolte barely saw the court once conference play began (although he showed some potential in the NCAA tournament).

Rather, it was the combination of role players such as Harris, Perrantes, and Mitchell that truly carried this team. Brogdon's play was big and he probably had the best season of anyone on the team, but there is no way in hell he could have carried this team alone.

My point here is that in Bennett's system, we do not, and cannot, rely on one player, no matter how talented, to carry the team. In 2014, a group of mostly three-stars rolled over teams filled with McDonalds All Americans.

A lot of this is about the system - the pack line defense. Defense carries our team, as Bennett said after every big win. Even if we landed a huge recruit who was a big time scorer, he would see very few minutes if he could not play defense. In our system, the better defensive players have more of an impact. This was a huge part of Harris and Mitchell's game. And Tobey was burned early on the defensive end and soon replaced by Gill.

Our team doesn't need big time players to succeed. We got by last season just fine. We need guys who are decent shooters, decent passers, decent drivers, and excellent defenders. That is what this past team had, and what the 2014 class will continue to bring.

This leads into my next point - don't read too much into player ratings, especially here at Virginia. Let me begin by stating the obvious - scouts are not always right. Just because a player is a five-star recruit doesn't mean he is destined to be a NBA star. Similarly, just because a player is a three-star doesn't mean he will never go anywhere. All sorts of things, including injuries and coaching changes, can derail a player's career. At Virginia, we now have coaching continuity for the next several years. That alone should increase our players' performance.

Next let me point out something that doesn't get a lot of attention - scouting services often overlook defense in their ratings. At UVa, the ability to play defense is a must. This is tough to gauge because the majority of college players dominate in high school purely on athleticism. The future DI college athletes are on another level than most other high school basketball players. This makes judging their defense very difficult. Due to their athleticism, they will all look like good defenders on the high school level.

But Bennett and his staff place a priority on defense. Look at Joe Harris. He was a great offensive player but did not bring the same athleticism as other recruits (although this dunk was awesome!). However, he was one of the best defenders on our team. Bennett values this. Recruiting services do not always take such attributes into account because they are easy to overlook at the high school level. So basically, just because a player is a three-star recruit does not mean he cannot develop into a four or five-star type of player in Bennett's system.

Lastly, let me make clear that we were in contention for several big name players this season, namely Devonte Graham, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, and Maryland transfer Seth Allen. We didn't land them, but we had a chance. When was the last time we actually had a chance at a national, big-name recruit? This is the first year I can remember.

We had our chance in a last second push this year, and we will continue to have chances to land big recruits. This alone stuns me. Most one-and-done guys want to go to flashy programs where their talents will be showcased. Virginia is not necessarily that place in the eyes of recruits. But yet they showed interest even though it was clear not much playing time was available in the next two seasons. I consider this alone to be a good sign.

In 2015, we will only have one scholarship to offer (assuming no transfers, which is never a safe assumption). But in 2016, we will have several spots available with immediate playing time. If a top-10 program cannot attract big-name talent in 2016, something is wrong with this world. Like Shepherd concluded, I agree in that we will land a big-name talent in 2016.

But I will add that I do not think it is absolutely necessary to the success of the program. The groundwork has been laid on teamwork on defense and offense, and it worked very, very well this season. To eventually compete for national championships, I think we will need to add some four-star players that thrive in our system (despite a great performance, I thoroughly believe we lost to Michigan State because they simply had more talent across their roster). But to consistently compete in the ACC and make sweet-sixteen runs, Bennett can do just fine with three-star players. He's looking for something that the scouting services don't see. He has proved he can recruit three-stars who can have an immediate impact (Perrantes).

So when it comes down to it, I do think Bennett will eventually land a big recruit. The odds were stacked against us this season as we were making our run after most players had already committed. But I do not think the success of the program depends on us landing five-star recruits. Talent is always good, but Bennett has found talent when the scouting services missed it.

Still, given our new stage in the national spotlight and a full year or two of committed recruiting, we can land a big-time recruit. And even without one, the program will be just fine.