Twenty-one players signed letters-of-intent Wednesday to play football for the University of Virginia. This year's class comes on the heels of Virginia's best recruiting class ever, and represents another positive step for the football program under second-year coach Al Groh.
"We're very pleased to have put together a second very strong class, especially as it was able to fulfill areas that we very specifically targeted," Groh said. "That's two in a row, and now we're already thinking towards number three."
While the Virginia coaching staff reeled in players at nearly every position, the bulk of the commitments came from linebackers, wide receivers and offensive linemen. With only six Cavalier starters graduating this May, these players will give Virginia some needed depth at key positions.
Coach Groh and his staff made their most progress on the offensive line, where they obtained commitments from five outstanding prospects. Leading the corps is Jordy Lipsey, a center from Florida who was regarded as the top center in the nation by almost every recruiting service. Joining Lipsey are fellow out-of-state prospects Gordie Sammis and Ian-Yates Cunningham. Sammis was ranked the 19th-best player in New Jersey by Superprep magazine, and Cunningham was ranked the 6th best lineman in the country.
While Lipsey and Cunningham might be slightly higher rated, Virginia's two in-state linemen commitments should trouble opponents with their sheer size. Springfield's Marshall Ausberry and Forest's Eddie Pinigis both stand over 6-foot-6 and weigh over 285 pounds. "This year's class isn't quite as jazzy in terms of numbers as last year's," Groh said. "But that's because offensive linemen don't have numbers. 6-6 and 300 pounds, those are the type of numbers we like."
One place the Cavaliers made waves last year was at linebacker, where they signed super freshmen Ahmad Brooks and Kai Parham, as well as sack phenom Darryl Blackstock. Virginia recorded another great linebacking class this year, headed by New Jersey product Jermaine Dias and Tennessee native Vince Redd. Dias was rated as the nation's 4th best linebacker by Superprep, while Redd was ranked as the 12th best defensive end. Both were among the last minute commitments Virginia picked up this week.
"That's the way it goes when you decide to target these type of players," Groh said. "It's a real horse race to those kind of guys and you realize it's going to come down to the end...I hope it will be this way every year."
Virginia also picked up four commitments at wide receiver, including two from in-state standouts Shannon Lane and Fontel Mines. Lane was rated the 17th best wideout this year by Superprep and looks to give the Cavaliers the deep threat they've been looking for.
"Shannon has shown that he has real good big-play ability," Groh said.
Mines hails from Richmond, and has been favorably compared to Cavalier All-American Billy McMullen.
"I think Fontel is a little bit taller, a little bit heavier and a little bit faster," Groh said.
Virginia's recruiting success began early this past year with the recruitment of quarterback Kevin McCabe. The Pennsylvania native committed to the Cavaliers this summer, and played an integral role in getting some of Virginia's more touted prospects to commit. McCabe was listed as the 15th best quarterback in the nation by Superprep, and should challenge Freshman Anthony Martinez for the starting spot after Matt Schaub graduates.
"We wanted one quarterback in this class, and we targeted Kevin McCabe as the quarterback that we wanted," Groh said.
Overall, Coach Groh expressed his pleasure at the success of this year's recruiting effort. As he told reporters Wednesday, he and his staff have viewed recruiting thus far as a two-year process with an eye towards a third year.
"What I said last year was that we had a terrific class, if we got one more like it we'd be really good, and if we got two more like it we'd be as good as anybody," Groh said. "We're on track with that."
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