While much of the focus this off-season has been on how to replace departed high-profile star players like Marques Hagans and Kai Parham, a more important issue may be who will step up to take the place of kickers Connor Hughes and Kurt Smith.
The kicking positions "are right up on the same bar of importance with the other positions," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "The one guy I might want back more than anyone else is Connor Hughes."
Hughes set a new standard for dependability at the placekicking position throughout his four years at Virginia. He made 83.5 percent of his career field goal attempts and set school records in points (332), field goals made (66) and extra points made (134). Of the 12 field goals of 50 yards or longer in Virginia history, Hughes kicked five of them. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints this summer but was released last week and is currently looking to catch on with another NFL squad.
Smith may have received less attention than Hughes but was equal in importance. Of his 66 kickoffs in 2005, 38 resulted in touchbacks and the average starting position for Virginia's opponents was the 21-yard line, tied for the best mark in the ACC. He was picked in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers.
The Cavaliers will look to junior Chris "Beep" Gould and senior Noah Greenbaum to handle the kicking duties. Gould carried out the punting duties for Virginia the past two seasons, a role that may be filled by junior Ryan Weigand this year, depending on how the competition shakes out.
"Anytime you follow two kicking legends -- Hughes and Smith -- there is pressure," Gould said. "But they were last year's team and Noah Greenbaum, Ryan Weigand and myself are this year's team. We just have to focus on ourselves and what we have to do to help this team win."
Gould will kick off for Virginia but the battle for who will take the field goal and extra point duties is ongoing. Gould was primarily a field goal kicker in high school but moved to punter his freshman year at Virginia to replace a struggling Sean Johnson. Greenbaum, a Richmond native, converted on the only field goal attempt of his collegiate career, a 41-yarder last Nov. 5 in a 51-3 win over Temple.
"It's just so close," Groh said of the competition. "Noah has done a very good job [in training camp]. He has acquitted himself well and has presented himself with a good opportunity."
The fight for playing time has put a high level of pressure to perform during training camp on both Gould and Greenbaum.
"The competition is tight every day, so if you don't bring your A game, you might not be playing at Pittsburgh," Gould said.
Gould's development as a kicker has been aided by his older brother Robbie, who kicks professionally for the Chicago Bears.
"He's been a great mentor to me," Chris Gould said of his older brother. "In high school, I was able to learn what he was learning in college. Now when I'm in college, I'm learning from what he's learning in the NFL. So I am able to stay one step ahead and be a little more advanced at what I do. Hopefully, I can carry that on the field this year and help the team win."
Weigand transferred to Virginia from Pasadena City College following the 2004 season. Last year, he did not see any action as he backed up Gould, who averaged 40 yards per punt. If Gould wins the field goal/extra point kicking job, the likelihood that Weigand starts at punter will increase.
Gould has been impressed with how Weigand has adjusted to the speed of the Division I level.
"He came in being able to get it off in 2.3 seconds and now he has to be below 2.0, around 1.9," Gould said. "So it's a big difference but he has adjusted well and I think he'll do a great job for the team this year."
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