The Virginia football team will take the field for its first game of the year Saturday. The start of a new season always draws predictions from fans and a degree of suspense about how the team will fare, but the uncertainty is particularly high this year. Mike London and a new coaching staff take the reins after nine seasons with University alum Al Groh at the helm.
The football team's management - both on and off the field - drew significant criticism during the past several years. Fewer victories were coupled with a number of distractions, the most high-profile being the legal troubles and eventual dismissal of quarterback Peter Lalich from the team.
Groh's demeanor did not work to his advantage - he never seemed quite at ease in front of a camera or speaking with fans or the media. Not allowing assistant coaches to speak with the media during the season led some to think Groh was overbearing. Despite the defense's relative success, many thought he was out of touch with the college game for instating the 3-4 defense, a scheme usually reserved for NFL teams. The coach also was more of micromanager than a community leader - he seemed inclined to spend late nights reviewing game tape rather than building support for the program or acting as a spokesperson for Virginia athletics. So when the program began sliding, most fans did not rally to his side.
But ultimately, the issue is simply that Groh did not win enough. Any of his perceived flaws almost certainly would be forgiven by more success on the gridiron. He was one of the University's own - an alumnus and former player. Fans wanted to see him win; though when it became clear that the program was not progressing, many Virginia supporters just wanted to stop the bleeding. Losing seasons do not sit well, and losing to one's archrival eight out of nine times will not endear a coach to any fan.
It then would seem that London's charge is fairly clear: Win games, and do so as quickly as possible. Only time will tell if he is up to the challenge, but so far, he has done all the right things during the offseason. Upon taking the job, he emphasized the need to compete for in-state recruits, an area in which Virginia Tech has dominated in recent years. He has discussed at length the importance of building relationships with players and their families, of being approachable and of developing character in his athletes. He met with fraternities and sororities to build support for his program and show that he wanted to be an active participant in the University community.
None of that means he will win games, but each of these steps is still very important for creating a culture for winning. Sustained gridiron success rarely comes without first building the program: attracting top-notch recruits, getting players invested in the team and galvanizing the athletes and coaches with a strong fan base.
But London can only do so much - if fans want wins, they need to help create a high-energy environment that fires up players and makes high-school athletes want to play in Charlottesville. Realistically, few recruits will want to attend a school where students stagger out of the stadium during the second quarter and the rival team's supporters are able to fill up half the student section.
More wins would probably limit those tendencies, but if Virginia fans are serious about giving Tech a run for its money, then the football spirit here is in need of a recalibrating.\n\nNote: For a more in-depth look at Virginia football and the upcoming season, see tomorrow's special Gridiron edition of The Cavalier Daily.
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