Virginia Cavaliers football
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- Main Virginia Cavaliers Athletics article: Virginia Cavaliers
| Year founded: 1888 | |||
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| City | Charlottesville, Virginia | ||
| Team Colors | navy blue and orange | ||
| Head Coach | Al Groh | ||
| Home Stadium | Scott Stadium | ||
| League/Conference affiliations | |||
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| Team history | |||
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| Conference Championships (3)
1908, 1989, 1995 |
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The Virginia Cavaliers are a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-A and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Established in 1888 playing local YMCA teams and fellow state teams without pads, the Cavaliers have evolved into a multimillion dollar operation in front of over 61,500 fans at recently renovated Scott Stadium.
[edit] History
[edit] Beginnings
The Virginia Cavaliers' first team--a helmetless band of young men in tight shirts, laced-up pants and high-top cleats--opened its season on a gravel-strewn field, the historic contest witnessed by a sparse gathering of fans and no press coverage. That 1888 squad of 11 men and one substitute played three games, winning two and losing one, on a five-acre tract behind what is now Madison Hall.
President Grover Cleveland spoke at finals in 1888. The next fall, the first intercollegiate football game was played at UVa, with the team dressed in new school colors--orange and blue--that replaced the original, Confederate-inspired red and gray. The first squad, its coach forgotten by history, was run club-style by a "Foot Ball Association." The '88 team defeated Pantops Academy and Episcopal High School, and lost decisively to Johns Hopkins.
The General Athletic Association was formed to govern UVa sports in 1892, and Virginia joined its first league, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1894.
[edit] Lambeth Field
Work began in 1901 on 21-acre Lambeth Field, propelling sports development at UVa. The trend was not welcome in all corners, however, according to University historian Philip Alexander Bruce, who wrote disparagingly of the arrival of "professional athletes in disguise" from all over the country. School President Edwin Alderman was significantly alarmed to appoint an investigating committee in 1904, and a strict athletic code was written in 1906.[1]
[edit] Coaching Carousel
Between 1900 and 1915 saw Virginia change coaches 10 times and achieve 10 winning seasons with help from a quarterback named Robert K. "Bobby" Gooch and a Walter Camp All-America halfback named Eugene N. "Buck" Mayer. Season tickets were $7.50 for students and $9.50 for alumni when 8,000-seat Lambeth Stadium opened in 1913, with a price tag of $35,000. The season began with three home shutout victories for Virginia, followed later in the season by a home game with Vanderbilt that was billed as The Football Classic of the South. Trainloads of alumni rolled into Charlottesville to watch Virginia crush the Commodores, 34-0, at Lambeth's dedication.
[edit] 1900 - 1920
For years hence, it was traditional to designate "a greatest home game" each season. In 1914, it was Georgia -- a "Rally 'Round the Rotunda" won by UVa, 28-0, in a drizzle, as Bobby Gooch "general-led his men with rare ability," the Alumni News gushed.
Betting was heavy on Yale for a 1915 game that ranked as the biggest all-time win at that stage of Virginia's history. No Southern team had ever defeated the Ivy League power until Virginia--led by quarterback Norborne Berkeley and Buck Mayer--won 10-0 in New Haven. Headlines in the Charlottesville Daily Progress read, "Yale Bowl a Soup Tureen--Virginia Eleven Serves Dish of Bulldog Stew!"[2]
The University's first-ever losing football season occurred the next year, including a 61-3 payback at Yale. "Played them too early in the season," moaned a 1916 Alumni News. Questions about the role of athletics were cast aside in 1917, dwarfed by a larger battlefront now known as World War I. Athletics were curtailed in 1917 and 1918 "in an effort to adapt this University to the stern necessities of a people at war," according to the Corks & Curls[3].
The war ended, enrollment began to rebuild, and football practice resumed in 1919 with only two lettermen. "All Trains Lead to Charlottesville!" proclaimed posters promoting the "Great Post War Gathering of Virginia Alumni" for the November 15, 1919, home game with Vanderbilt. UVa lost, 10-6, and dropped the traditional Thanksgiving Day game with North Carolina to finish the "start-up" season at 2-5-2.
In December of 1919, Dr. Rice Warren was hired as coach in 1920. Warren led the 1920 squad to a 5-2-2 record. UVa also joined the Southern Intercollegiate Conference in 1920, which would become the Southern Conference in 1923. Rice Warren's tenure ended before the 1922 season, and new coach Thomas Campbell guided the team to a 4-4-1 record--not so mediocre considering the '21 team had managed only three points in its final four games.
[edit] Beginning of the Cavaliers
University teams became the Virginia Cavaliers around 1923, and the leader of the first "official Cavs" was Earle "Greasy" Neale. Although his 1923 record was 3-5-1, his teams enjoyed winning records from 1924-27 before falling to 2-6-1 in 1928. Student indifference ran high, participation ran low, and Neale resigned after the '28 season.
Earl Abell took the football reins for two years in the midst of another athletic department reshuffle. The position of athletic director was created, and James G. Driver--a three-year letterman at UVa--was named Athletic Director.
Lambeth Field was outgrown by the spring of 1930, as varsity and first-year teams in football, baseball, track, and lacrosse attempted to practice there. UVa historian Virginius Dabney related that spring football workouts were stopped due to the javelins and discuss throwers[4]
[edit] New Stadium
The University began negotiating to obtain land for a new sports site, and plans were finalized for Scott Stadium to open in October, 1931. Land for practice fields between Ivy Road and the C&O Railroad tracks also was acquired.
Support for UVa football had become spasmodic--even fraternity brothers were betting openly against the Cavaliers--around 1930, but in 1931, a dynamic new coach named Fred Dawson buoyed spirits. Losing seasons and a lack of athletic scholarships took a toll on Dawson's enthusiasm, however, and he quit after '33--succeeded by Gus Tebell.
Just as frustrated at the dearth of notable wins was University President Edwin Anderson Alderman, who impaneled a committee to study the situation. Virginia decided in 1936 to resign from the Southern Conference, which prohibited players from being paid, in order to be able to offer sports scholarships.
Tebell bowed out after three losing seasons, succeeded in 1937 by Frank Murray. Although the Cavaliers went 2-7 during Murray's first year, the team produced a state championship and near hysteria in the student body in 1938 with a 4-4-1 record.
[edit] WWII Years
The 1940s arrived in Charlottesville, soon to be etched in memory as a decade of war and the era of "Bullet Bill." William McGarvey Dudley, a 168-pounder from Bluefield, Virginia, is called the best ever to wear a Virginia uniform. Dudley, number 35, ran, passed, kicked, blocked, tackled and intercepted his way to All America honors.
Under Murray, the 1940 team--running out of a T-formation--went 4-5, but improved to 8-1 in 1941, the only loss a 21-19 upset at Yale. In his final game as a Cavalier, Dudley scored 22 points at North Carolina in a Thanksgiving classic broadcast nationally. After a 28-7 UVa win, his teammates carried him off the field. Dudley finished fifth in the 1941 Heisman Trophy balloting. Murray's 1942 squad dropped to 2-6-1, having lost 29 players to graduation and "scholarshipping for Uncle Sam."
Until the war ended in 1945, UVa football functioned with makeshift teams--guest stars from other schools who enrolled in the University's military units and were thus eligible to play. In spite of a 7-2 season, Frank Murray left, succeeded in 1946 by Art Guepe, who coached seven years with a winning reacord.
[edit] Post War Years
In 1947, Virginia defeated Harvard, 47-0, with a team that featured John Papit, George Neff and Bob "Rock" Weir. The game was significant because UVa was facing its first-ever black player--Harvard's Chester Pierce.[5] The gridiron success of the late '40s continued into the early '50s, as Guepe teams--with Papit, Joe Palumbo and Tom Scott winning All-America honors--lost only five games from 1950 through 1952. The Guepe years ended after the 1952 season, when the coach was wooed away by Vanderbilt. In successor Ned McDonald's first year, the record plunged to 1-8.
[edit] Joining the ACC
Heated arguments ensued about whether Virginia should join the Atlantic Coast Conference. Athletic Director and former football coach Gus Tebell and President Darden differed sharply--Tebell in favor, Darden worried about the league's academic standards--and the Board of Visitors backed Tebell. Virginia was admitted into the ACC on Dec. 4, 1953.[6] The first 9 years in the ACC brought 9 losing seasons and a 28 game losing streak lasting from the third game of 1958 until the opening game of 1961. The streak ended in front of 18,000 fans in Scott Stadium for opening day of the 1961 season. Virginia beat William & Mary 21-6
[edit] Integration
In 1970, George Blackburn's last year, UVa's football program was integrated for the first time, with the signing of Harrison Davis, Stanley Land, Kent Merritt and John Rainey. Blackburn was replaced by Don Lawrence, who suffered through three consecutive losing seasons between 1971 and 1973. Lawrence was succeeded by Ulmo Shannon "Sonny" Randle, UVa '59. Astroturf was laid at Scott Stadium in May of 1974 and team still had a losing season going 4-7.
After a disastrous 1-10 season in 1975 Athletic Director Eugene Corrigan fired Randle and hired Dick Bestwick in 1976. Bestwick proved to be popular with players, alumni and faculty until five losing seasons out of six. Bestwick was dismissed by Athletic Director Dick Schultz after the 1981 season.
[edit] The George Welsh Era
Head Coach George Welsh was hired for the start of the 1982 season leaving the same position at the U.S. Naval Academy. He spent years as an assistant coach under Joe Paterno and brought a winning tradition in his 19 years at the helm.
After going 2-9 and 6-5 in his first two campaigns, he guided the Cavaliers to an 8-2-2 season in 1984 with a 27-24 Peach Bowl win over Purdue representing UVa's first-ever bowl appearance and win.
Many firsts continued under George Welsh:
- 1st-ever unanimous All-America choice - 1985, offensive tackle Jim Dombrowski
- 1st 10-win season - 1989 10-3
- 1st ACC Championship - 1989
- 1st time ranked #1 - 1990, 3 weeks
[edit] New uniforms & Stadium improvements
Virginia, wearing new uniforms for the first time in 10 years and only the second time in head coach George Welsh's tenure, enjoyed one of the finest seasons in UVa history in 1994. Most noticeably, the team switched from white helmets with orange and blue stripes down the middle to dark blue helmets with a "V" over two crossed sabres on the sides. The rest of the uniform changed from predominantly orange and white to predominantly blue and white.
Representing a major athletic facility improvement, the artificial turf at Scott Stadium was removed and replaced with natural grass before the start of the 1995 season. Artificial turf was first installed at Scott Stadium in 1974. David A. Harrison III Field was dedicated September 2, 1995, at Virginia's season-opener against William & Mary.
[edit] Memorable games
[edit] Virginia 33 - Florida State 28
UVa managed to win its share of close games as the season unfolded, including a 33-28 upset victory over second-ranked and previously unbeaten Florida State. Playing on national television in the first-ever Thursday night game in Charlottesville, Virginia stopped the Seminoles at the goal line on the game's final play to preserve the win. With the victory, the Cavaliers ended FSU's four-year, 29-game winning streak against ACC teams since joining the conference in 1992. Florida State became the highest-ranked team to ever fall to the Cavaliers. Virginia and Florida State were later crowned co-ACC Champions after finishing the season with identical 7-1 conference records.
[edit] Virginia 36 - Virginia Tech 32
Virginia ended the 1998 regular season with a 36-32 victory at Virginia Tech in the greatest comeback in school history. Down 29-7 at the half, the Cavaliers outscored the Hokies 29-3 in the final two quarters. UVa capped its historic rally with a game-winning 47-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Brooks to wide receiver Ahmad Hawkins with 2:01 left to play.
[edit] Retirement
Citing concerns about his health as a primary reason for his decision, Welsh announced his retirement in a press conference on December 11, 2000. Welsh stepped down at Virginia at the age of 67 after establishing himself as the winningest coach in UVa and ACC history. He compiled a 19-year record of 134-86-3 at Virginia, including a conference-record 80 ACC wins. Welsh led the Cavaliers to 12 bowl games and 14 consecutive years of winning at least 7 games.
[edit] The Al Groh Era
With the retirement of a UVa legend, the Virginia faithful were looking for a new coach that could bring the same success to the team that George Welsh maintained throughout his tenure. On December 30, 2000, Virginia hired New York Jets head coach and former Virginia player Al Groh. His first year was a rebuilding year with the team going 5-7. Groh led the Cavaliers to four consecutive winning seasons from [[2002] to 2005, including a 3-1 record in bowl games. The 2004 team attained a #5 ranking in national polls after a 5-0 start, but lost 36-3 at #6 Florida State, and finished 8-4. In 2006, the Cavaliers record slipped to 5-7.
[edit] 2006 Season
The Cavaliers finished their season 5-7, 4-4 in the ACC:
| Current Record | |
|---|---|
| Overall | ACC |
| 5-7 | 4-4 |
| Poll Positions | |
| AP[1] | Coaches[2] |
| N/A | N/A |
| As of November 28, 2006 | |
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sep 06 | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | L, 38-13 |
| 9 Sep 06 | Wyoming | Charlottesville, Virginia | W, 13-12 (OT) |
| 16 Sep 06 | Western Michigan | Charlottesville, Virginia | L, 17-10 |
| 21 Sep 06 | Georgia Tech | Atlanta, Georgia | L, 24-7 |
| 30 Sep 06 | Duke | Durham, North Carolina | W, 37-0 |
| 7 Oct 06 | East Carolina | Greenville, North Carolina | L, 31-21 |
| 14 Oct 06 | Maryland | Charlottesville, Virginia | L, 28-26 |
| 19 Oct 06 | North Carolina (South's Oldest Rivalry) | Charlottesville, Virginia | W, 23-0 |
| 28 Oct 06 | NC State | Charlottesville, Virginia | W, 14-7 |
| 4 Nov 06 | Florida State | Tallahassee, Florida | L, 0-33 |
| 18 Nov 06 | Miami | Charlottesville, Virginia | W, 17-7 |
| 25 Nov 06 | Virginia Tech (Commonwealth Cup) | Blacksburg, Virginia | L, 17-0 |
| ACC Games |
| Homecomings |
[edit] 2007 Season
The Cavaliers and coach Al Groh face a pivotal season in 2007 as they attempt to overcome their losing record in 2006. While the defense made improvements under new coordinator Mike London, the offense struggled all season. In November 2006, Groh indicated that he was not ready to "anoint" Jameel Sewell, who started the final nine games of 2006, as the unquestioned quarterback for 2007. The Cavaliers were a young team in 2006, leading Groh to comment that the 2007 team was playing the 2006 season. While Groh had frequently played true freshman in earlier seasons, sometime for very limited action, he redshirted the entire freshman class except for defensive lineman Nate Collins. Several players from that class are expected to be contributors in 2007, in particular running back Keith Payne has generated excitement among fans. Several talented true freshmen, such as quarterback Peter Lalich, have committed to join the team in 2007; it remains to be seen if Groh will continue redshirting most incoming players.
[edit] Coaching Staff
[edit] Current
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head Coach: | Al Groh |
| Defensive Coordinator Defensive Line Coach: |
Mike London |
| Offensive Coordinator Quarterbacks Coach Recruiting Coordinator: |
Mike Groh |
| Assistant Head Coach for Offense/ Wide Receivers: |
John Garrett |
| Assistant Head Coach Defensive Backs Coach: |
Steve Bernstein |
| Special Teams Coordinator Linebackers Coach |
Bob Diaco |
| Defensive Assistant Coach Assistant Defensive Line Coach |
Lervern Belin |
| Running Game Coordinator Offensive Line Coach |
Dave Borbely |
| Asst. Special Teams Coordinator Running Backs Coach |
Anthony Poindexter |
| Tight Ends Coach/ Assistant Recruiting Coordinator |
Bob Price |
| Graduate Assistant Offense | Kase Luzar |
| Graduate Assistant Defense | Rich Yahner |
| Head Strength Coach] | Evan Marcus |
| Director of Football Video Operations | Like Goldstein |
[edit] Previous Head Coaches
- 1888-1892 Unknown
- 1893-1894 John Poe
- 1895 Harry Mackey
- 1896-1897 Martin Bergen
- 1898 Joseph Massie (Virginia 1893)
- 1899-1900 Archie Hoxton (Virginia 1896)
- 1901 Wesley Abbott
- 1902 John De Saulles
- 1903 Gresham Poe
- 1904 Foster Sanford
- 1905-1906 William Cole
- 1907 Hammond Johnson (Virginia 1907)
- 1908 Merritt Cooke, Jr. (Virginia 1906)
- 1909 John Neff (Virginia 1908)
- 1910 Charles Crawford (Virginia 1908)
- 1911 Kemper Yancey (Virginia 1909)
- 1912 John “Speed” Elliott (Virginia 1909)
- 1914 Joseph Wood (Virginia 1914)
- 1915 Harry Varner (Virginia 1911)
- 1916 Peyton Evans (Virginia 1915)
- 1917-1918 No Team
- 1919 Harris Coleman (Virginia 1916)
- 1913, 1920-1921 Rice Warren (Virginia 1905)
- 1922 Thomas Campbell
- 1923-1928 Earle "Greasy" Neale
- 1929-1930 Earl Abell
- 1931-1933 Fred Dawson
- 1934-1936 Gus Tebell
- 1937-1945 Frank Murray
- 1946-1952 Arthur Guepe
- 1953-1955 Ned McDonald
- 1956-1957 Ben Martin
- 1958-1960 Richard Voris
- 1961-1964 Bill Elias
- 1965-1970 George Blackburn
- 1971-1973 Don Lawrence
- 1974-1975 Sonny Randle (Virginia 1959)
- 1976-1981 Dick Bestwick
- 1982-2000 George Welsh
- 2001-Present Al Groh (Virginia 1967)
[edit] Stadiums
[edit] Conference Championships
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship
[edit] Individual Award Winners
[edit] First Team All Americans
- Jim Bakhtiar, fullback, 1957
- Will Brice, punter, 1995
- Ahmad Brooks, linebacker, 2004
- Elton Brown, offensive guard, 2004#
- Mark Dixon, offensive guard, 1993#
- Jim Dombrowski, offensive tackle, 1985$
- Bill Dudley, halfback, 1941#
- Percy Ellsworth, defensive back, 1995
- D'Brickashaw Ferguson, offensive tackle, 2005
- Thomas Jones, tailback, 1999#
- Patrick Kerney, defensive end, 1998
- Noel LaMantagne, offensive tackle/offensive guard, 1999
- Eugene Mayer, halfback 1915
- Heath Miller, tight end, 2004$
- Herman Moore, wide receiver, 1990#
- Shawn Moore, quarterback, 1990
- Joe Palumbo, middle guard, 1951
- John Papit, fullback, 1949
- Anthony Poindexter, defensive back, 1997 & 1998#
- Ray Roberts, offensive tackle, 1991
- Ray Savage, defensive end/ outside linebacker, 1989
- Tom Scott, defensive end, 1952
- Chris Slade, defensive end, 1991 & 1992#
- John St. Clair, center, 1999
| $ -unanimous All Americans |
| # -consensus All Americans |
[edit] Retired Numbers
- 12—Shawn Moore, quarterback
- 24—Frank Quayle, halfback
- 35—Bill Dudley, halfback
- 48—Joe Palumbo, middle guard
- 73–Jim Dombrowski, offensive tackle
- 97—Gene Edmonds, halfback
[edit] College Football Hall of Famers
- Bill Dudley, halfback, inducted in 1956
- Earle "Greasy" Neale, head coach, inducted in 1967
- Tom Scott, defensive end, inducted in 1979
- Frank Murray, head coach, inducted in 1983
- Joe Palumbo, middle guard, inducted in 1999
- George Welsh, head coach, inducted in 2004
[edit] NFL Hall of Famers
- Bill Dudley, halfback, inducted December 6, 1966
- Earle "Greasy" Neale, head coach, inducted September 13, 1969
- Henry Jordan, tackle, inducted July 29, 1995
[edit] Maxwell Award
[edit] John Mackey Award
[edit] Draddy Trophy
- Thomas D. Burns, 1993
[edit] Traditional Rivalries
- South's Oldest Rivalry. Virginia vs. UNC. The Cavaliers share the South's Oldest Rivalry with UNC and the schools have played every year since 1919 totaling 111 games.
- Jefferson-Eppes Trophy. Virginia vs. Florida State. In a friendly rivalry to promote ties between the two universities, this trophy was created in 1996.
- Commonwealth Cup. Virginia vs. Virginia Tech. Although a less historical rivalry, the team faces off with Virginia Tech annually for the Commonwealth Cup, given since 1999 to the winner of this game played 86 times and each year since 1970.
[edit] Current NFL Players
- Ronde Barber - Cornerback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tiki Barber - Running Back, New York Giants
- Brian Barthelmes - Center, New England Patriots
- Darryl Blackstock - Linebacker, Arizona Cardinals
- Aaron Brooks - Quarterback, Oakland Raiders
- Ahmad Brooks - Linebacker, Cincinnati Bengals
- Elton Brown - Guard, Arizona Cardinals
- Brad Butler - Tackle, Buffalo Bills
- Chris Canty - Defensive end, Dallas Cowboys
- Angelo Crowell - Linebacker, Buffalo Bills
- Isaiah Ekejiuba - Linebacker, Oakland Raiders
- Patrick Estes - Tackle, San Francisco 49ers
- James Farrior - Linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers
- D'Brickashaw Ferguson - Tackle, New York Jets
- Marques Hagans - Quarterback, St. Louis Rams
- Dennis Haley - Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens
- Thomas Jones - Running Back, Chicago Bears
- Patrick Kerney - Defensive end, Atlanta Falcons
- Ryan Kuehl - Long Snapper, New York Giants
- Wali Lundy - Running Back, Houston Texans
- Billy McMullen - Wide Receiver, Minnesota Vikings
- Heath Miller - Tight End, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Alvin Pearman - Running Back, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Wali Rainer - Linebacker, Houston Texans
- Matt Schaub - Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons
- John St. Clair - Tackle, Chicago Bears
- Marquis Weeks - Running Back, Seattle Seahawks
- Terrence Wilkins - Wide Receiver, Indianapolis Colts
- Jamaine Winborne - Cornerback, Baltimore Ravens
[edit] Other Famous Players
- Jim Grobe - Head Coach, Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
- Don Majkowski - Retired NFL Quarterback
- Herman Moore - Retired NFL Wide Receiver
[edit] See Also
[edit] References
- ^ Philip Alexander Bruce, History of the University of Virginia, 1819-1919 (New York: The MacMillan Co. 1920-22), 5 vols.
- ^ Charlottesville Daily Progress
- ^ Corks and Curls Yearbook web site
- ^ Richmond Times Dispatch
- ^ Mike Hudson Roanoke Times October 5, 1997
- ^ This Is the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference site)
