Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 26, 1995 TAG: 9508280053
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: ANN ARBOR, MICH. LENGTH: Medium
Well, certainly stranger things have happened, such as the Pigskin brunch-time conversation Friday at Crisler Arena. Sitting together and gabbing were Jim Copeland, Terry Holland and coach George Welsh.
They aren't exactly the Three Amigos of Charlottesville.
Copeland, the former UVa athletic director now at Southern Methodist, is here as the president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, the Pigskin Classic organizers. It's fair to say former hoops coach Holland, now Copeland's successor, and Welsh were regarded as anything but Copeland guys.
Footballs can take crazy bounces, too. The Cavaliers aren't likely to make today a happy 62nd birthday for Welsh, but it's only one game. But it's one for which Virginia is guaranteed $650,000, and with a six-figure attendance, the check should be closer to $850,000.
It's to Welsh's credit that 17th-ranked UVa is on the road before more than 100,000 spectators to open his 14th season, ``because even if we lose, it will help us.''
Some teams wouldn't do this. North Carolina reportedly could have been playing Penn State in Sunday's Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium. The Heels weren't interested in what still would have been a Nittany Lion Country safari, so the game turned to Ohio State and Boston College.
Virginia is one of only eight Division I-A programs with at least eight straight seasons of seven victories. The Cavaliers figure to make it nine, unless quarterback Mike Groh goes down.
Then, Welsh has no one to blame but himself, because it was partly his stubbornness that sent former QB starter Symmion Willis to the baseball diamond. Welsh wanted Willis to move to receiver because he was no longer competing for the No.1 quarterback job.
Willis wanted to stay at quarterback. There was no compromise offer, whereby Willis could have worked some at QB and some at end and been around at least in an emergency. Tim Sherman is the backup - or is it Mr. Peabody?
There's a lot to like about the Cavaliers again, although they'll be thin at receiver - Symmion, where are you? - without Patrick Jeffers in the opener.
UVa has been picked anywhere from second to fourth in the league, depending on the poll. According to one Pole - me - the Cavaliers will finish 8-4, play in a bowl for the sixth time in seven seasons, and finish third in the league.
Not only does a 12th regular-season game make this a different season for the Cavaliers. That game will give Welsh's club more leeway in the bowl picture, too.
William and Mary's visit to Scott Stadium next Saturday night is the last I-AA opponent on any UVa schedule. It also doesn't count toward the needed six wins for bowl eligibility.
The 12th game will give Virginia an added opportunity to reach postseason. And Cavalier faithful won't have to wait long to find out if this will be a successful season.
By Oct.7, the Cavaliers will have played at North Carolina State, Clemson and UNC. Welsh's team must win at least two of those to have a shot at second place in the league.
The schedule is probably the best the Cavaliers have ever played. Six foes - Michigan, Florida State, Texas, Virginia Tech, UNC and N.C. State - are ranked in one or both weekly polls to start the season, and four of the six are road opponents.
As Holland said Friday, ``Coach Welsh is constantly finding a way to measure what we've accomplished.''
UVa usually gets one win each season on coaching alone. There's no question Welsh is among the game's top three or four coaches, and he's certainly the most underrated among the best.
Although there are more players like the multi-talented Barber twins from Roanoke than, say, five years ago, he still doesn't have the overall talent most of his ranked peers have.
The ACC has been getting five bowl teams in recent years, but this year, the league begins the season without even a certainty of a fourth team. The Carquest Bowl will take a fourth selection from the ACC or No.5 from the Southeastern Conference.
That's why Virginia's finish in conference play is so crucial. With Alabama replacing Auburn on NCAA probation and out of the bowl picture, the SEC could again struggle to get a fifth team (Georgia, LSU?) better than 6-5.
The Cavaliers have never won at a Big Ten stadium. They aren't likely to do it today, either. However, they'll be much richer for the experience, in more ways than one.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB