UVA Football Round Table: Will Virginia Sink or Swim in the ACC?

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

It is my pleasure to introduce the University of Virginia football round table for this season here on the Bleacher Report.  If you would like to join, make sure to just write on my bulletin board.

Here are our current members:

Aaron Mullins

Not only has Aaron been a Wahoo since the fetus, he has a strong memory, too.  Check out his recent article here chronicling the tenure of coach Al Groh and his eight years in Charlottesville. 

Wade Peery

Wade has been writing sports articles for quite some time and has a great deal of knowledge and experience with the Cavaliers.  Wade has worked with cavscorner.com and has a great interview with former Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans which you can find here. 

Ben Gibson

Then there's me.  I hate when authors talk about themselves in the third person so let's just I've been covering Virginia sports since 2005 for various outlets and have loved my opportunity to write here on the Bleacher Report.  If you want to join our Wahoo community, we welcome you!

Here is a look at the questions we discussed.

1. Complete the following sentence: Virginia will be successful people if...

Aaron Mullins

The young receivers are able to quickly pick up the spread offense and develop a good chemistry with whoever earns the starting quarterback job.

Don't worry about the linebackers.  They will be fine.  Say what you will about Al Groh, but he knows how to coach linebackers.  The name Lawrence Taylor comes to mind.

Wade Peery

The Cavaliers follow through on my prediction and go 8-5 this season. I honestly think that all of the preseason magazines are not giving the Cavaliers enough credit. Granted the ACC Coastal Division will be extremely tough this season, with teams like GT, UNC, Miami, and VT looking extremely strong.

I still think you have to put the Cavs right in there with that group and say they could easily beat any of those teams on any given day. Although I think the chances the 'Hoos beat the Heels at UNC are very, very slim.

Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech come to Scott Stadium and I honestly feel like many people tend to forget how good Virginia plays on their home turf.

Quarterback Vic Hall is a natural born leader who is one of the more complete and versatile football players in Virginia football history. As a coach, your eyes would have to light up when this guy walks into the room. When he was gliding down the field last year against VT, it seemed like it took him forever to turn the corner, but once he did he just glided down the field ever so smoothly and nobody could catch him.

No matter what anybody says about Virginia football, I feel like No. 4 is a proven winner—the guy led his high school team to back-to-back state titles as a QB. Virginia fans have been waiting for years to see Vic Hall at QB and I think he's just one of those types of players that will make big-time plays happen.

He reminds me alot of Marques Hagans in that he plays with a tremendous amount of heart and he's extremely versatile.

Ben Gibson

...if they just loosen up.  I think the anemic offense for the past three years had the Cavaliers playing so tight, they had little margin for error. 

If Virginia wants to be successful this season they need to come to the realization that they cannot just "out-talent" the competition.  They have to take risks like they did under Bill Musgrave's offense.  In 2002, Virginia was picked to finish eighth in the nine-team league and finished in a tie for second because they rolled the dice and utilized their play-makers (regardless of experience).

With a completely new offense being installed, Virginia is in prime position to surprise people again.  They just have to learn it and execute it properly.  Ultimately that will rely on letting the players play and have fun out there.

2. What game are you most looking forward to and why?

Wade Peery

First, the TCU game. I'm excited to watch the 'Hoos against a very tough top-25 opponent and I was actually shocked they priced the TCU game at $35 bucks, lower than many other games on UVA's schedule. Defensive end Jerry Hughes will be a treat to watch and Coach Gary Patterson has always been one of college football's most underrated coaches.

Hughes will be a big-time draft pick, possibly even a first rounder, so it's quite a treat to see a player of that caliber on your home turf. TCU's always had a dominant defensive unit, so it will be a fun matchup to watch with Virginia's explosive offense with players like Mikell Simpson going up against them.

Second, the Maryland game. If there is one team Virginia fans cannot stand it's Maryland—the rivalry between the two teams has only intensified over the years and Virginia's thrashing of the 'Terps last season in Scott Stadium surely doused a little gasoline on the fire. I think all Virginia fans are excited to watch Virginia go on the road to Maryland, because of the magical performance of Mikell Simpson two years ago.

I would love to see him "rekindle the magic" and have another phenomenal performance like he did on Homecoming in the Cavaliers "heart-stopping" 18-17 win in 2007.

Third, the Virginia Tech game. I think all Cavaliers fans would love to see the 'Hoos spoil the Hokies season by beating them for the first time since 2003. I think Virginia Tech is slightly overrated in the preseason rankings—I would rank them around 15 or 16 to start out the season, no way would I place them in the top 10.

I think it's ridiculous to put a team with an erratic passing quarterback like Tyrod Taylor in the top 10. He's a playmaker with his legs, but still very raw as a passer and I think too many people, fans and media alike, tend to forget that.

Ben Gibson

I would have to say the Georgia Tech game because I think it is a barometer for the rest of the season.  The Yellow Jackets have not won in Charlottesville since 1990 and if the Cavaliers can pull off the upset it may be the difference between a bowl game and another losing season.

It will not be easy though, Georgia Tech remembers what happened last year when we shocked them on the road and they have the talent to do it certainly.  I think we are helped out by the fact that this game is the week after their huge Virginia Tech duel. 

If the Yellow Jackets win in Atlanta against the Hokies, it will be the perfect trap game and a chance for the Cavaliers to springboard into the second half of the season.

Aaron Mullins

The Virginia Tech game is always the highlight of the season for me, and with that game being at home this year, I am eagerly awaiting Nov. 28.  However, that answer seems too obvious, so I will say the Georgia Tech game on Oct. 25. 

Last year, the Cavaliers ventured down to Atlanta and shut down Paul Johnson's triple option offense.  Experts say that the Jackets' offense will be even more dangerous in Johnson's second year, but look for Al Groh's infamous 3-4 defense to yet again pose problems for the Jackets.

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