UVA vs. TCU: New Game, Same Result

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The Virginia Cavaliers could not have asked for a better start to the game against the Texas Christian Horned Frogs.  The Frogs received the opening kickoff and easily moved the ball against the Virginia defense for two quick first downs.  But on the fourth play of the game, TCU lined up in the wild-cat offense and committed a major error.  Running back Jeremy Kerley mishandled the snap, and Virginia managed to recover the football on the TCU 39 yard line.  There was hope for Virginia Football after all.    

But the Cavaliers wasted no time in throwing away this golden opportunity.  After picking up a first down, the Virginia offense sputtered and was forced to settle for a 40 yard field goal attempt.  Instead of snapping the ball to the holder as is the norm on field goal attempts, long snapper Danny Aiken launched the ball over the handicapped Vic Hall’s outstretched hands.  Virginia would not threaten to score again until much, much later in the game.

Instead of making changes to the offense that was totally ineffective against William and Mary, Groh and Company apparently concluded that the game against the Tribe was a fluke.  That running the ball with Sewell time after time will eventually catch the defense off guard.  That three and outs are not a bad thing.  That running on third and long will eventually result in a first down if you try it enough times.  That passing the ball downfield is a thing of the past.

But the William and Mary game was not a fluke.  And for the second consecutive week, the Virginia offense looked completely helpless on the field. 

Give Groh some credit.  He picked a quarterback, and stuck with him.  Unfortunately, he selected the wrong one.

I understand that a dual-threat quarterback is very valuable in college football, especially in this so called spread offense.  But Jameel Sewell is not a dual-threat quarterback.  In order to be a dual-threat, you have to be able to both throw and run.  Sewell cannot throw the ball.  He is inaccurate downfield, and has no touch on his short throws.  When you throw in Sewell’s bad decision making, you have a disaster of a quarterback.  Sewell is simply an athlete who just so happens to be lined up at quarterback.  

Every time the Virginia offense came out to start a new drive, I examined the huddle, hoping that I would see Marc Verica relieving the hapless Sewell.  For some reason that defies the laws of common sense, Sewell played the entire game.  Don’t be fooled by his 120 passing yards and two touchdowns.  The two touchdown throws came against TCU’s second string defense with the outcome decided long ago.

Before Virginia’s first touchdown with just over four minutes left in the game, the score was 30-0 in favor of the Horned Frogs.  Sewell had thrown for 18 yards, and Virginia’s offense was as predictable as ever.  Quarterback runs were plenty, and the thought of downfield throws never even entered Groh’s head.    

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