Hoos for Herzlich

For lifelong Virginia football fan Robbie Lawrence, it is a winnable game.

In his eyes, what happens inside Scott Stadium on Saturday as Virginia hosts Boston College will take a back seat to a more pressing issue.

Knowing that money was being raised for Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, out for the 2009 season after being diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, Lawrence and those that attend the Wilk Hall tailgate each week during football season seized the opportunity to make a difference — even a minimal one, by national standards.

Those that frequent the pregame spot elected to raise money for Herzlich prior to Saturday’s game.

“We are trying,” said Lawrence, noting that Wilk Hall has made donations to such efforts since 2003. “We just hope that we can make a difference.”

Virginia’s football players have followed on the same path.

Despite losing Herzlich, who once verbally committed to Virginia before electing to play for BC, the Cavaliers have elected to donate their individual $15 per diem from Saturday’s game to help with his medical bills that piled up while chemo was administered.

“It’s tragic to see anybody who is considered to be in their prime for athletes, in college, whatever it may be, to go through a situation where, what you’ve worked so hard for in your life is taken away from you,” Virginia linebacker Aaron Clark said on Monday. “I think anytime that the rest of the athletic community can step up and help out, and offer whatever they can, is really big, and I know we’re excited to be a part of that.”

The UVa student council and the Hoo Crew joined the effort, collecting over $3,000. The goal, however, for the school is $9,494.94, and donations are being collected at numerous local establishments, including Ragged Mountain Running Shop and Boylan Heights.

Prior to Virginia’s contest with the Eagles, a check will be presented to Herzlich inside Scott Stadium.

Every school in the ACC — as well as the Orange Bowl and Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis — has made an initiative to support Herzlich, the 2008 ACC defensive player of the year.

Few of those schools have the connection that Virginia has with the linebacker — he attended lacrosse camp at UVa and played youth sports with offensive lineman Will Barker.

“He’s very familiar with