UVA picked to finish last in ACC for 1st time since 1983

GREENSBORO, N.C. – For the first time since 1983, Virginia will enter the season projected as a last-place team in the ACC.

On Monday, the ACC announced the results of the media poll gathered at the annual football kickoff and the Cavaliers garnered the fewest votes overall and in the Coastal Division, tabbed to finish behind Virginia Tech, Miami, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Duke.

“That’s exactly where I want them,” said Virginia coach Mike London. “It is what it is. Obviously, you try to take things like that and you try to use it as motivators.”

It marked the first time since 1987 that the Cavaliers were slotted behind Duke, which has won the past two meetings in the series.

It will not necessarily become bulletin board material, London said.

“I don’t think I need to use that as a motivating factor for our team. We are where people think we are, but all I am worried about is what we think about ourselves and how we do on the field.”

London, who was hired in December to replace former coach Al Groh, has had just 15 practices with a team that went 3-9 last year, but said he likes the potential for the upcoming season.

“So far, what I think about our players, my thoughts are positive thoughts about where we are and what we are doing now,” London said. “The season starts here pretty soon and we will talk again after the season is over with.”

In the Atlantic Division, Florida State was picked as the favorite as it was the first-place team on 78 of 98 ballots. The Seminoles were followed by Clemson, Boston College, North Carolina State, Wake Forest and Maryland.

The Hokies, the favorite to win the Coastal Division the past three years, were also the most popular team to win the overall title.

Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder, who led the league in total offense last year, was voted the ACC player of the year on 45 ballots. That edged Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams (16 ballots), Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor (11), N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson (6) and North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn (6).

Three other quarterbacks also received votes, something that Virginia did not have the luxury of, as only one signal-caller on the team has taken a snap in a game.

“If I was told I was going to get good quarterback play then I would sleep at night,” London joked.

The coach remains optimistic, however, that fifth-year senior Marc Verica can handle the job.

“The reality of it is that you have to go out there and play, whether it is Marc Verica, whoever it is,” he said. “The quarterback position is one of those where you get the ball 100 percent of the time. He has to make decisions to distribute it to the right players.

“Our situation is we have a quarterback in college that has played in games and then no one else has played in any college games. There is a concern with the back-up. There is a concern with the development of who is next.”

It will take time in training camp, London added, to assess where the quarterbacks are and how they will be slotted on the depth chart.

“Those questions, I think, will be answered early on in camp, from the transition from spring and the practices that we had to what they have done on their own right now, to the 16th practice to see how much is carry-over or how much is ‘we have to start back over,’ ” London said.

“It will be interesting to see but I’m hedging that I think that Marc Verica, who has seen a lot of coverages, who has won games before, who has become a leader of the team, was elected captain by our guys, that he is going to come out of this thing and be a productive player.”

Going old school

One of the first announcements that London made upon being hired was that the 3-4 defense, which uses four linebackers, would be retired.

Instead, London shifted the Cavaliers defense to a traditional 4-3, which was appealing to defensive linemen and would make the team faster.

“I was with coach Groh when he implemented the 3-4 [at Virginia] and at times we were very successful at it,” London said. “It’s a good defense provided that you have the stand-up outside linebackers and the defensive linemen that can play two-gap in it. When you have it it is a beautiful thing.

“Over the years, in the last two years particularly being at Richmond, you find that getting that high school defensive lineman that is big enough to fulfill that role of being a two-gap tackle or defensive end is somewhat difficult. It is not necessarily, for linemen, a defense that they find very attractive.”

With the move in mind, former outside linebacker Cam Johnson bulked up to 260 pounds and will start at defensive end. It also allowed Matt Conrath to move to the inside at defensive tackle, where he should find fewer double teams.

“With the transition from 3-4 to 4-3, it starts with the mindset,” London said. “The mindset of [nose tackle] Nick Jenkins and Matt Conrath is like, ‘I want to get on the edge, we want to rush the passer.’ ”

The advantages in recruiting have been noticeable already.

“The defensive linemen that are high-caliber high school defensive linemen out there can see themselves on the edge and playing,” he said. “The 3-4, if you have the players, the personnel to do it, it is a defense that can work well for you, but in a 4-3 defense you can recruit more linemen and get that big safety in high school who Mother Nature is probably going to put some pounds on and end up being a Will linebacker.

“That’s kind of the direction that is going to dictate the way that we recruit also.”

Hitting the road

As part of his duties as the new head coach, London has been on the move, attending social events throughout the country.

The tiring task was something that the new coach knew would pay off eventually.

“I make the joke that I have spoken to the Boys Club, the Girls Club, the Rotary Club, Hair Club for Men,” London chuckled. “I have done all those things from Rhode Island to Florida.

“That’s necessary right now. When there is change that is necessary so people can see you, and when you talk about being available and accessible, then I have to travel and do things like that.”

Luckily, it will come to an end very soon.

“I am thankful now that we are at the point where football is right around the corner and I can get back to do the things that I really love doing,” he added.

Not so fast

An internet report on the school’s website on Sunday said that safety Corey Lillard was transferring.

London said he had not been in the office recently and would not confirm that yet, however, since Lillard has not filed the proper paperwork to transfer.

Last year as a true freshman, Lillard saw action in three games for a total of 10 plays, all of which came on special teams.