Cavalier Corner

February 2013

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all of a sudden, you are going to commit, but he'll find guys that fit the system," Farrell said. "He'll get high-character kids that he can mold and will run through a wall for him." The hope is the meshing of the new assistant coaches will pay off on the field next fall, which in turn will help in recruiting. "They preach faith, family, football. Coach London harps on those things, and the kids buy into it," said Matthew Hatfield of VirginiaPreps. com and ESPN radio 94.1 FM. "They'll have to start getting the results. They've had some top-25 recruiting classes, but not top 25 seasons. They'll have to get one." Hagans, who was a star quarterback for the Cavaliers out of Hampton (Va.) Bethel High, could form a strong one-two punch in the Tidewater area with West. UVa and West landed commitments from wide receiver Zack Jones of Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith, Cutler and Mizzell in the class of 2013. "I think Hagans is a home-run hire because of his ties to the Tidewater area," said Rod Johnson, who is the football editor for VirginiaPreps.com. "Not to disrespect any other area in Virginia because there are good players everywhere, but the prime focus for any school coming into the state is to look at the Tidewater area. Hagans is deeply entrenched in the Tidewater region. He's young and relatable to a lot of the kids." Friedman said at the end of the day, despite the changes on the staff, the personality of London will always play a key roll in Virginia's recruiting efforts. "He is really the driving force behind all of their recruiting," Friedman said. "They are in a good position right now for Quinn Blanding and Andrew Brown, and a bunch of other high four-star guys in the Virginia Beach area for 2014." Brown is a defensive tackle that played with Jones at Oscar Smith, and Blanding is a safety that played with Mizzell at Bayside. ◆ Notes From The Recruiting Trail • The North squad cruised to a 38-13 victory over the South in the third annual Chesapeake Bowl Dec. 29 in Landover, Md. The event showcases top talent from the Mid-Atlantic states. Three Virginia verbal commits took part in the contest: Taquan Mizzell, a running back from Virginia Beach (Va.) Bayside; Kirk Garner, a cornerback from Olney (Md.) Good Counsel; and Donta Wilkins, a defensive tackle from Dumfries (Va.) Potomac Senior. Mizzell scored on a two-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. • Outside linebacker LaChaston Smith of Statesville (N.C.) South Iredell and wide receiver commit Keeon UVa commit Kirk Garner, a cornerback at Olney (Md.) Good Counsel, was among three Cavaliers invited to play in the third annual Chesapeake Bowl Dec. 29. photo courtesy rivals.com

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