The Virginia Cavaliers will have a new look in to them in 2010, as the school decided to part ways with head coach Al Groh and bring in former Richmond coach Mike London. With London in charge the Cavaliers will make the switch from a spread offense to a more pro-style offense and will shift the defense from the 3-4 to the 4-3. London will inherit only 12 starters from the 2009 season that saw the Cavaliers go just 3-9 overall and 2-6 in ACC play. It will likely take a couple years before London gets the players he needs to fit his schemes on both sides of the ball, but here is a quick look at what the Cavaliers will look like in 2010, plus my prediction on where they finish the season in the ACC Coastal Division.
Offense:
With 2009 starterJameel Sewell departed the Cavaliers will have to make a change at quarterback heading into the 2010 season, but it already appears that London has his starter picked out, as he has made it clear that senior Marc Verica will be the starting quarterback for the 2010 season. Verica started one game for the Cavaliers in 2009, and finished the season with just 158 yards and zero touchdowns to one interception in 63 attempts.
The Cavaliers lost their top two rushers from 2009, and will likely turn to senior Keith Payne to carry the majority of the load. Payne actually quit the team before the start of the season last year, but has decided to come back for his senior year. Red-shirt freshman Dominique Williams and sophomore Perry Jones will compete for the No.2 role, and one of them could end up being the feature back before it's all said and done.
At wide receiver the Cavaliers bring back their top threat from 2009 in junior Kris Burd, who led the Cavaliers with just 31 receptions for 413 yards and one touchdown. The Cavaliers bring back sophomore wide out Tim Smith and add another sophomore to the mix in Quintin Huner, and it will be important for at least one of these two guys to step up and produce this season. Senior Joe Torchia is back at tight end, and could see his numbers increase in the Cavaliers new offensive game plan.
The Cavaliers bring back three starters on the offensive line, and this unit has to improve if this team is going to start winning games. Senior right guard BJ Cabbell and junior left guard Austin Pasztor are two of the top performers at their position in the ACC, but the key to this unit will be the play of junior left tackle Landon Bradley and freshman right tackle Morgan Moses.
Defense:
With two of the top defensive tackles back for the 2009 season in juniors Nick Jenkins and Matt Conrath, the Cavaliers figure to improve their run defense that allowed 174 yards a game in 2009. The Cavaliers also bring back starting defensive end Cam Johnson, and are expected to add talented red-shirt freshman Jake Snyder at the other end spot.
Sophomore inside linebacker Steve Greer will take over as the starting middle linebacker in the team's new 4-3 scheme. Greer led the team with 92 tackles in 2009, and figures to be one of the best linebackers in all of the ACC this season. Sophomore Tucker Windle and junior Jared Detrick are the two projected starters at the two open outside linebacker spots, and these two guys must produce for the Cavaliers to be competitive on this side of the ball.
In the secondary the Cavaliers have one of the top corners in all of the ACC in senior Ras-I Dowling, who finished second on the team with three interceptions in 2009. Former wide receiver Chase Minnifield is expected to start at the other corner spot, with juniors Rodney McLeod and Corey Mosely the projected starters at the two safety spots.
ACC Coastal Prediction - 6th: To many changes taking place for the Cavaliers to be a competitive team in 2010. I have a hard time seeing this team topping its three win mark in 2009, and could struggle to win a single conference game, as they miss out on playing Wake Forest and NC State, two of the worst teams in the Atlantic division.
For a detailed look at the 2010 ACC predictions check this out.
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