Cavalier Corner

April 2014

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The Cavaliers faced several challenges leading into the annual spring game April 12. The schedule (spring break at UVa came right in the middle of the practices) and the weather (one practice had to be cancelled due to the university closing) have made what was already a different spring feel even more unique. Head coach Mike London said that his team doesn't have a depth chart this spring, but has "an organiza- tional chart." He and his coaching staff want the players to know that, too. "All of us have to improve our performance and our production," London said. "When I look at the roster, there are 22 seniors. The team is starting to mature. What's consistent [between this spring and last] is the coordinators. We have a year of film, a year of correc- tion. But we have to perform better, and we have to produce." London planned to use the 15 practices to "get our team in a position to be more competitive," and that's why he said he's let all of his players know that every job is up for grabs. "When that happens, you have a better football team, a better product," he added. There are a few other story lines to keeps an eye on this spring: QB COMPETITION Rising redshirt third-year David Watford started ev- ery game in 2013, but this spring he's once again in the midst of a quarterback competition that by all ac- counts is going into the summer and beginning of fall camp before it's decided. "Who plays is determined by what you do on the field," London said simply. Watford has been taking reps in practices this spring behind second-years Greyson Lambert and Matt Johns. "We have to play better there," London said. "I think it's important and significant that they all know that we will chart throws, we will chart opportunities that they've had, and we want to create a very competi- tive situation. No one is given anything; they have to earn it." JAKE MCGEE AT WR/TE UVa didn't lose many fourth-years from last year's team, but one of the biggest issues the team must ad- dress in 2014 is the lack of production at wide receiver. That's one of the reasons why London and offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild decided to move star tight end Jake McGee into more of a receiver/tight end hybrid role. "Jake's got a great set of hands, and he can catch the ball," London said. "Whether you call it H-back, whether you call it tight end, whether you call it wide receiver, we want to put him in a position that we can utilize his height, and his catching ability and skills." "I'm really enjoying it," McGee said after the third practice this spring. "There are some new routes that I'm learning, but it's been good so far. It doesn't feel as different as it might seem, but I was really receptive to it when they asked me about adding the 'slash receiver' to my position." "Where he is now, he's done a good job," London added. NEW COACHES, NEW ENERGY With Anthony Poindexter and Vincent Brown leaving for UConn, UVa has a new safeties coach (former LSU head coach and North Carolina State assistant Mike Archer) and a new defensive line coach (former Notre Dame and Buffalo assistant Jappy Oliver). The new assistants, who each have a great deal of experience with Jon Tenuta's defensive scheme, have brought a lot of new energy into the program, and that's been evident during practices. "I love Coach Dex, but Coach Archer has been fun to be around," All-ACC safety Anthony Harris said. "He understands this system so well, and he's been a coach for a long, long time. He brings a lot to our position group and to the defense as a whole." — Brad Franklin SPRING FOOTBALL STORYLINES i24-27.UVa Recruiting.indd 7 4/2/14 9:34 AM

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