(Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
The good news for Virginia football fans is that their team will avoid an eighth straight loss this upcoming weekend.
Why? They won't be playing.
The bye week has come like a proverbial "mercy rule" for the Cavaliers as they lick their wounds, both physically and mentally, after the worst start in the history of Al Groh's tenure.
An 0-3 record is enough to depress any fan but considering the way in which they lost, spirits are an all-time low in Charlottesville.
Add to the laundry list of frustrations over the offense, defense, and special teams the fact that the actual playmakers on this team like quarterback Vic Hall is hurt and emerging running back Dominic Wallace just had season-ending surgery makes that sunken feeling even worse.
Undoubtedly, Al Groh has the hottest seat in college football right now and the question of whether or not the nine-year head coach at Virginia will be fired seems all but answered.
Even if Athletic Director Craig Littlepage will wait until the end of the season to finally end Groh's misery, the writing is clearly on the wall. Names have already begun to bubble to the surface.
While some may call this premature since Groh still is currently employed by the University of Virginia, Littlepage would be foolish not to be shopping around. Granted, most years it makes little sense to start looking around in the middle of the season while most top candidates are still working and therefore cannot be officially contacted.
Fortunately for Virginia fans, there is one guy out there who is currently unemployed and has already proven he looks good in orange.
Tommy Tuberville, the former Auburn head coach, will be the trendy name out there at the end of the season when the coaching carousel is in full turn.
Tuberville certainly has some impressive credentials. Over 14 seasons as a head coach, he has compiled an overall record of 110-60, including 11 winning seasons. Considering he has spent all those years in the brutal SEC, Tuberville is not padding his coaching statistics. The man is used to playing in the big game and he is used to winning it.
For example, Tuberville dominated the biggest game on Auburn's schedule, the Iron Bowl. Against the Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn went 7-3 during his time there.
His strongest team was in 2004 when his Auburn Tigers went a perfect 13-0 behind quarterback Jason Campbell and an impressive rushing attack featuring Carnell "Cadillac" Williams.
That season earned Tuberville the AP National Coach of the Year award. However, after a 5-7 campaign in 2008 Tuberville unexpectedly stepped down from his position to the shock of many. College football fans know that he still has a great deal to offer and at age 55 still has plenty of years to build a consistent winner.
Now that some time has passed, will Tuberville be looking for a new gig in 2010? Virginia certainly hopes so. More importantly to the Cavalier fans though is convincing him to come to Charlottesville.
Despite the terrible season so far, the Cavaliers actually have a great deal to offer.
The University of Virginia itself is one of the most beautiful colleges in America, located in the middle of a conference so mediocre that coaches know they have a chance to make a big splash early.
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