DURHAM, N.C.
Alvin Pearman returned to the Cavalier line-up this weekend after missing the Wake Forest game with a broken hand. He made an immediate impact, scoring the game-winning touchdown on a 2-yard plunge late in the fourth quarter, putting the game out of reach for the Krzyzewskiville Blue Devils.
While Pearman's touchdown was huge, his contribution was two-fold. On the afternoon, Virginia gained 2 yards on the ground. Yeah, that's right. Two yards. Had Pearman not scored his game-winner, Virginia would have finished the game with zero net rushing yards. Such a fact does not bode well for a young team looking for success in the improved ACC.
In a stroke of irony, one of the spectators in the press box on Saturday was former Virginia Coach George Welsh. Before retiring after the 2000 season, Welsh resurrected the Virginia football program and brought it to national prominence. Much of his success rode on the shoulders of great running backs such as Terry Kirby, Tiki Barber and Thomas Jones. Welsh's presence at the game Saturday acted as a reminder of how different things are these days in Charlottesville.
When Al Groh's coaching tenure at Virginia began last season, the running game took an immediate hit. In the opener against Wisconsin, star running back Antwoine Womack was injured and sat out for most of the season. As a consequence, Virginia's ground game stagnated and Groh was forced to look to his young quarterbacks to move the team through the air. The same scenario is beginning to play out again this season.
For the last two weeks, the Virginia running game has been almost non-existent. Against Wake Forest, freshman Wali Lundy led the Cavaliers with a mere 25 rushing yards. This week, the rushing output was even worse, barely residing in the neighborhood of positive yardage.
The Cavalier running game has suffered from injuries again this season. Freshman tailback Michael Johnson has been out since the South Carolina game with an ankle injury. More importantly, the offensive line has been hurt all season and has required Al Groh to play a number of linemen out of position.
Therein may lie the main cause of the running game's problems: Without an offensive line that can create holes and block as a team, the Virginia running attack has suffered greatly.
In response to his team's rushing woes, Groh has turned to junior quarterback Matt Schaub to spark the offense.
Before the Duke game, Schaub led the nation in completion percentage and was third in passing efficiency. His statistics were so impressive that an
unnamed Cavalier Daily writer hailed him as a "confident gunslinger." Against the Blue Devils, he struggled for the first three quarters before getting hot in the fourth and pulling out the win.
Schaub's struggles this past week highlight the importance of a balanced offensive attack. While he has been on fire for most of the season, his performance against Duke clearly showed that while he still is the team's go-to guy, he is only one man.
Football is a team sport, and Schaub will need help from his running back teammates as the Cavaliers begin another tough stretch in their schedule. Whatever the problem with the running game is, the Virginia coaches need to find a solution quickly. In its upcoming game against Clemson, the Cavalier offense will need to work the clock to give the defense some rest against the Tigers' high-flying passing attack.
After the Clemson game, Virginia's schedule does not get any easier. In the upcoming weeks, the Cavaliers will face a number of nationally ranked teams, including Penn State and Virginia Tech. In order to be competitive in these contests, Virginia will have to be able to move the ball on the ground.
Virginia has a plethora of talent at the running back position. Groh has four young tailbacks at his service, all with promising futures. At the fullback spot, Jason Snelling seems to be the back of the future. For Virginia to be successful year in and year out in the ACC, they will need to harness the potential of these and other great backs. For proof, just ask George Welsh.
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