I was gonna play GT 1H, but a little higher than I would have liked so probably no play. Wanted to share this though.

As of Monday, UVA was planning to give redshirt freshman Jameel Sewell his first start at QB. Nothing in the papers say that has changed. Smooth lefty went to HS 2 minutes from here, but tough spot for your first start....offense has sucked, night game on the road, national audience. Hope he plays well, but figured it could be a rough start.

Sewell likely to start against Ga. Tech

Groh says Virginia's offense will strive to make improvement

BY JEFF WHITETIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Sep 18, 2006

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- It's not unprecedented for a University of Virginia football team under Al Groh to start a season 1-2. That was the Cavaliers' record three games into the 2002 season, Groh's second as coach at his alma mater, and that team finished 9-5 after whipping West Virginia in the inaugural Continental Tire Bowl.

That U.Va. team, however, had quarterback Matt Schaub, the ACC player of the year in 2002. This U.Va. team -- now 1-2 after losing 17-10 to Western Michigan -- has no such threat on offense, especially at QB. What the Cavaliers have is a shockingly ineffective line and three unproven quarterbacks, none of whom distinguished himself Saturday at Scott Stadium.

"Certainly the quarterback is not the only issue," Groh said last night, "but this is a quarterback-driven game now, and you need big plays out of that position. . . . You need a lot of production out of that position, and clearly our production isn't what it has been in the past."

It all adds up to the worst U.Va. offense in memory, a group that's averaging only 225 yards and 12 points per game and does not seemed poised to break out.

"We'll stick together," Groh said after the game Saturday. "We'll keep forging forward. We'll do what we need to get better." The Cavs don't have the luxury of a full week to prepare for their next opponent. In the ACC opener for both teams, Virginia meets Georgia Tech (2-1) at Atlanta in ESPN's Thursday night showcase. Groh's offense can expect a dizzing array of blitzes and stunts from the swarming defense overseen by Jon Tenuta, a U.Va. graduate who's considered one of Division I-A's elite coordinators.

Against Western Michigan, Kevin McCabe started at quarterback for Virginia. McCabe completed 13 of 16 passes and led the Cavaliers on an 83-yard touchdown drive, but after the junior's second interception was run back for a TD, senior Christian Olsen replaced him. Redshirt freshman Jameel Sewell took over for Olsen at the break and played the entire second half.

Groh said last night that Sewell, a 6-2, 219-pound left-hander from Hermitage High, will start the week as the No. 1 quarterback, and the coaching staff "will see how it proceeds from that."

Sewell, who played one series late in the fourth quarter of the opener against Pittsburgh, didn't get off the bench in Virginia's second game, an overtime win over Wyoming. He completed 7 of 10 passes for 51 yards, with no interceptions, and was sacked twice Saturday.

"I was extremely excited," Sewell said. "I wasn't really nervous. The only thing that was going through my mind was to go out there and make something happen and try to get the win."

Virginia trailed 14-10 at halftime Saturday, and there "was a lot on the line when was in there," Groh said. "There were some things that happened that I'm sure the next time will come a lot faster to him. We understand that will be the case."

Groh isn't always the most patient coach, but he realizes that Sewell is likely to hit some rough spots this season.

"You got to start at the start of the race, and he's getting his opportunity now to get some playing time, and we expect that he'll progress along," Groh said. "We're willing to handle whatever goes along with that."