Unless you were either hiding under a rock last Saturday night or were too plastered to remember, you are probably aware that Virginia Tech is not the only 2-0 football team in the commonwealth. For the first time since 2005, Virginia has started the season with consecutive victories. But if Virginia football has taught me anything these past few years, it's to take early wins with a grain of salt. Last year, after a promising 2-1 start, I wrote a column touting Mike London and his crew after they slaughtered Richmond and VMI and showed tremendous heart out west against Southern California. One ACC win and seven losses later, I was left eating my words. So this year, rather than tallying possible ACC wins - like Duke - and non-conference games until the Cavaliers are bowl-eligible, I instead will focus on some of the more certain aspects of our exciting team.
First off, Michael Rocco is nothing special under center, and he probably won't be until at least next year, if ever. The sophomore from Lynchburg, Va. already has thrown two interceptions in as many games and has thrown zero touchdowns this season. Last Saturday at Indiana, Rocco completed just 15 of 29 passes at a mere 51.7 percent completion rate. Thankfully the quarterback's subpar stat line hasn't mattered quite yet, as Rocco has done just enough to give the Cavaliers chances to win, and they have yet to disappoint.
The rushing attack already appears to be in mid-season form, as all seven offensive scores against the Cavaliers' first two opponents have come on the ground. The halfback tandem of Kevin Parks and Perry Jones has punched in six of those seven Virginia touchdowns. Parks leads the way with 157 yards on the ground and five touchdowns despite being labeled Jones' backup before the season began. The offense alone, though more than adequate against William & Mary in the season opener, would not have gotten it done last Saturday without some help.
I know the saying goes, "Defense wins championships," but allow me to retort: field goal kickers win championships. Just ask Adam Vinatieri, who is no stranger to kicking game-winning, pressure-packed field goals on the biggest stages. Any Buffalo Bills fan also knows a thing or two about the importance - or lack thereof - of clutch kicking after they lost Super Bowl XXV to the New York Giants by a single point after Scott Norwood's infamous "wide right kick." Things didn't improve for the Bills as Norwood's shank began a four-game Super Bowl losing streak which the Bills have not recovered from to this day. With so many college and professional football games being decided by a touchdown or less, every point matters and a field goal kicker can become one of the greatest weapons in a team's arsenal.
If we have learned one thing during Virginia's first two football games, it is that when Rocco and the offense can move the ball down the field, the field goal unit is more than capable of winning games. For any other close fourth-quarter games this season, London has a secret weapon in his back pocket - Robert Randolph.
Randolph, a senior, has been Virginia's placekicker since way back when I was a first year. He has always been reliable, but during the latter half of last year and through two games in 2011, the man has been nothing less than automatic. Randolph is tied with Parks as the team's leading scorer with his perfect 8-for-8 on field goals and six extra points. Randolph's four field goals Saturday, which included two kicks longer than 40 yards and a game winner from 23 as time expired, earned Randolph his second straight National Placekicker of the Week award, and he wasn't the only Cavalier making headlines. Oday Aboushi was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week and Cam Johnson ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week after the latter's strip sack set up the game-winning score against the Hoosiers. During his postgame press conference Saturday night, London mentioned that Randolph has been good from 60 yards in practice. Contrast that with Virginia Tech kicker Cody Journell, who I watched bounce one off the uprights from just 30 yards out Saturday against East Carolina. Journell's miscue almost proved pivotal as the Hokies barely escaped ECU with a 17-10 win to keep their BCS title hopes alive. Assuming that Randolph's production doesn't decrease dramatically during the season, there is a real chance that he could become one of a select few kickers drafted into the NFL next spring.
Consistent play from Rocco and the offense combined with a defense that plays its best ball with the game on the line is a recipe for certain success. With a red-hot place kicker warming up on the Virginia sideline, sweating out close games will not be all that bad in 2011. Hopefully Virginia will play some tight ones against ACC opponents this year and nail down plenty of victories thanks to Randolph's right foot.
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