Recently, there have been many ill words spoken of the Virginia football team. Many fans are feeding on a growing sense of skepticism about the true ability of this football team, and the Cavaliers have given fans plenty of reason to doubt.
The team is barely beating inferior opponents. The secondary cannot even stop the feeble aerial attacks of Western Michigan and Syracuse. Marques Hagans suddenly has developed a tendency to turn the ball over. The running backs seemingly are struggling to hold onto the ball. The offensive and defensive lines have not shown the dominance expected of them.
All of these shortcomings seem to be reason enough for fans to lose hope. But, before we as Virginia fans sound the alarms, let's think back to another team that had a rocky start.
In 2002, a young, inexperienced Virginia squad took the field against a solid Colorado State team. The first quarter was a struggle for the Cavaliers. Matt Schaub, the returning starter at quarterback, was ineffective in moving the ball on offense, and the defense showed a lot of bend, allowing two short field goals. Schaub's struggles were so great that he was replaced in the second quarter by a redshirt freshman named Marques Hagans.
Schaub and Hagans shared possessions as the game wore on. The team struggled mightily, losing four fumbles to go along with a Schaub interception. That pick came on Virginia's second to last drive, while its last drive ended on a Hagans fumble on the goal line. These turnovers cost Virginia the game as the Cavaliers lost to Colorado State 35-29.
The next week against Florida State, Virginia coach Al Groh turned to the freshman to start at quarterback, benching the struggling Schaub. Virginia's difficulties only grew in this game though, allowing Florida State to take a commanding 33-0 lead en route to a 40-19 victory. The defense allowed starter Greg Jones to rush for a career-high 179 yards.
Despite these struggles, the Cavaliers finished strong. Virginia reeled off six straight wins after starting 0-2. They faced a tough end of the season schedule. Of the five top 20 teams Virginia faced that season, the Cavaliers won three, including a huge victory against No. 18 Maryland that earned the Cavaliers a tie for second-place in the ACC. The Cavaliers went on to dominate No. 13 West Virginia in the then-Continental Tire Bowl.
Many comparisons can be made between this past Virginia squad and the current one. Both started the year with struggling returning quarterbacks: Hagans has thrown five interceptions. Both had rather inexperienced players, especially on defense: Virginia currently has seven new starters on D. Both teams had problems with turnovers and struggled to stop opposing offenses: The 2005 Cavaliers have six turnovers and have given up an average of 304.5 yards per game.
So, if the 2002 Cavaliers could finish with such huge success, why can't this year's team? Let's not forget this is an inexperienced team that is still getting its bearings on the field. With each game, the players' confidence grows. Although the running backs have had fumble problems, freshman Cedric Peerman has stepped in and done an incredible job. Furthermore, these two wins came without arguably Virginia's best offensive and defensive players.
Perhaps the greatest comparison that can be made between this team and the 2002 squad, though, cannot be measured. Unlike the teams in the past few years, this Virginia team has shown the resolve and the will to win despite the misfortunes that have fallen upon them. When Syracuse tied the score late in the fourth quarter, Hagans and the offense put the turnovers and mistakes behind them and orchestrated a winning drive. Hagans proved especially clutch, converting a key third down on a 26-yard burst that should have been a sack. Add this type of resolve to an improving team and things can get interesting as the season progresses.
Additionally, unlike the 2002 team, this year's squad has the luxury of not having to climb out of a 0-2 hole. Despite everyone's bickering and discontent, the Cavaliers are 2-0 and in position to make some noise down the stretch. All this begs the question: Can this team be even better?
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