Although Coach Al Groh is only a two- year veteran at Virginia, he already has left an indelible mark on the program, promoting humility, resilience and togetherness. Indeed, the Cavalier players and coaching staff have embodied all of these traits during the team's five-game winning streak.
With a record of 5-2 (3-1 ACC), Virginia stands third in the conference and a mere two wins from bowl eligibility. Yet Groh and his players remain focused on their next opponent, the North Carolina Tar Heels.
"We've won five games," Groh said. "My attitude is that I'm looking to find where the sixth one is going to come from."
Although his hopes sound modest considering his team's recent success, that modesty does not stem from pessimism about his players' abilities.
"When I say we're just trying to win a sixth game, I'm not trying to be silly," he said. "I'm just appreciative of how hard it is to win a game."
Groh's "scratch and claw" approach to games has rubbed off on his young team. Down or tied at halftime in four of their five wins, the Cavaliers have demonstrated remarkable resiliency in the second half, outscoring their opponents 72-23 during the second halves of those games.
"It's just a team consensus that we feel like we're gonna keep fighting," junior quarterback Matt Schaub said.
It may seem as if Groh has inspired his players during those wins with fiery halftime speeches. Instead, he lets the players handle their own motivation.
"He just stands aside," freshman linebacker Darryl Blackstock said. "He never tries to motivate us. We do that ourselves."
Rather than yelling at halftime, Groh and his coaches act as field tacticians, making the minor adjustments that so far have produced four comeback victories.
The coaches "show us what the problems are, and then they show us little changes here and there," freshman offensive lineman Brian Barthelmes said.
While the team has proved successful in overcoming adversity in game situations, it also has handled personnel adversity. The Cavaliers have experienced a number of key injuries this season, but the players have filled in the gaps quite well.
"We're such a close unit that it didn't really get the team down," Barthelmes said.
The togetherness of the Cavalier squad faces another test this week as quarterback Darian Durant leads the Tar Heel attack into Charlottesville. Durant played well against Virginia last season, stepping in for an ineffective Ronald Curry and leading the Heels to a 30-24 victory in Chapel Hill.
"He's the most dangerous passer that we've played against," Groh said. "He has a very good ability to elude the rush, whether in the pocket or outside, and a very good ability to throw the ball."
And the Virginia defense may face Durant without their captain, linebacker Angelo Crowell. The senior left the Clemson game with an injury in the first half, and his status for Saturday remains uncertain.
"He's not much of a candidate for a three-legged race right now," Groh said. "We're just going to have to see him work in practice to see if he can go."
An injured leading tackler would surely be a big loss for Virginia's defense, but if the last five games are any indication, the team once again will come back from adversity and trudge ahead to victory.
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