This Week, Chris Long, Jonathan Coleman Join The Pigskin Panel…

Dave and Scott are starting to pull away from Jerry as the college football season enters its fifth week. Dave led everyone last week with an 11-4 record to take a one-game lead over Scott, who went 10-5. Hilldrup CEO and guest picker Charles McDaniel also went 10-5, while his son and fellow guest picker Charlie McDaniel tied Hootie with a 9-6 record. Hootie is now 7 games off the lead, but vows a comeback is in the offing. This week’s guests include Chris Long, former UVA football star and member of the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles; and Jonathan […]

Listen In As Hootie, Greg DePalma Look At This Week’s ACC Action

Listen in for the inside scoop on all of ACC Football action from Ourlads host Greg DePalma, and ACC analyst Jerry Ratcliffe as they welcome in legendary Phil Kornblut from the Sports Talk South Carolina network to talk about the huge quarterback controversy at Clemson, and Bob Sutton, sports editor at the Burlington (NC) Times-News to discuss the huge Virginia Tech at undefeated Duke game this week, plus a look at Virginia at N.C. State. To do so, click below:

Coaches Unfamiliar With Each Other Going Into Saturday’s Game

When longtime ACC rivals Virginia and N.C. State face off for the 58th time Saturday, there will be a greater sense of unfamiliarity than in previous matchups in the series, which dates back to 1904. Ever since the league has been split into two divisions, schools can go several seasons — six in this case — between meetings. Each side admits that there may be a small amount of knowledge when you factor in scouting other like opponents on film, but more attention is being paid to the team you’re preparing for. In his 14 years as a head coach, […]

New Season, New Title For Associate Head Coach Jason Williford

New NCAA rules allowed college basketball teams to begin practicing Wednesday, a couple of weeks earlier than in the past, and there were no surprises at defending ACC champion Virginia. Associate Head Coach Jason Williford The only intrigue was the question of when Alabama transfer Braxton Key will learn if his hardship application will be decided by college basketball’s governing body, and the fact that freshman recruit, 7-foot Francisco Caffaro, from Argentina, has not participated in any practices since he arrived. There is, however, a new associate head coach in the program, 10-year veteran assistant Jason Williford. His promotion came […]

uva football

Cavs Have Chance To Reverse Road Trend With A Win In Raleigh

Life on the road in the Atlantic Coast Conference has not been particularly kind to the Virginia football program in recent memory, but the Cavaliers have a chance to reverse the trend and make a statement, beginning this weekend in Raleigh. Wins have been few and far between away from Scott Stadium in conference play for the Wahoos over the past decade. Since the start of the 2008 season, Virginia has a record of 9-31 (0.225) in ACC road games.

Virginia Offense Will Face Its Toughest Challenge Of The Season Yet

Robert Anae’s offense will face its toughest challenge so far this season on Saturday when they take on N.C. State in Raleigh. Anae, whose offense has been impressive the past two games, realizes touchdowns won’t come as easy against the Wolfpack, ranked ninth in the nation in scoring defense. State has allowed only four touchdowns in three games this season, and is giving up only 13.3 points per game.

UVA Defense Gets Bad News As Two Key Starters Sidelined by Injury

Virginia has lost two defensive starters, one for the rest of the season due to a medical issue, and the other for at least six weeks. The news came from Bronco Mendenhall’s weekly press conference Monday, news that will have a major impact on a Cavaliers’ defense that hit its stride last weekend with a dominating performance against Louisville.

No Surprise: Charles Snowden Named ACC Linebacker Of The Week

When the ACC announced its Players of the Week Monday, anyone who saw what Charles Snowden did against Louisville knew his name would be on the list. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound sophomore was named the conference’s Linebacker of the Week after an eye-popping, breakout performance against the Cardinals that helped propel Virginia to a 3-1 record with a dominating afternoon.

Five Things We Learned After Virginia’s 27-3 Win Over Louisville

Five Things We Learned from Virginia’s dominating, 27-3 win over Louisville: 1. The Cavaliers’ defense is improving. Both Micah Kiser and Quin Blanding said they believed this season’s defense would be even better than last season’s defense when they were the stalwarts. Why? They agreed that this year’s defense would be better because there would be more experienced players, and because there would be more players that could spread out the tackling rather than depending so heavily on two guys. Kiser and Blanding led the ACC in tackling for three consecutive years.

McCarthy Wins Sunday, Punches “Golden Ticket” For PGA Tour

Denny McCarthy fired a 6-under par 65 Sunday to win the Web.com Tour Championship and in the process punched his “Golden Ticket,” to a fully exempt status on next season’s PGA Tour. McCarthy, a former Virginia All-American, was a rookie on the PGA Tour this past season, but was not fully exempt. That meant he played a partial PGA Tour schedule and a partial Web.com Tour slate.

Virginia Ups Record To 3-1 With Impressive Win Over Louisville

Virginia’s Joe Reed gets behind the Cardinals defense for a fourth-quarter score It took a little while for the Virginia offense to kick into gear Saturday in the ACC opener against Louisville, but better late than never. The Cavaliers moved to 3-1 on the season as Bryce Perkins returned from a brief injury he suffered late in the first half, then wowed the crowd by hurdling defenders, throwing a pair of second-half touchdowns and running for another in a convincing 27-3 victory over the Cardinals at Scott Stadium. On the third play of the third quarter, Perkins threw just his […]

Now That UVA Has Found Its Thorterback, Time For Optimism

Bryce Perkins has become the “Thorterback” the Virginia offense has been looking for Holly Mendenhall isn’t accustomed to getting the answer from her husband that she received Friday night, the eve of Virginia’s ACC opener against Louisville. Bryce Perkins leaps over a defender “She asked me, ‘How do you think you’re going to do?’” UVa coach Bronco Mendenhall explained to media after the Cavaliers dominated visiting Louisville, 27-3 on Saturday. “I said, we’re going to win.” Rarely does Mendenhall say that to his wife or to anyone else for that matter. His confidence showed to his team because he noticed […]

Defense Provides A Spark In The Second Half To Propel Wahoos

Young U.Va. alumni (from left) Mary Ann Goode, Ray Ramirez and Carrie Leon celebrate on the Hill In the first half of Virginia’s ACC opener against Louisville Saturday, the offense managed just six points on a pair of first-year kicker Hunter Pearson field goals, after starter A.J. Mejia misfired wide right from 32 yards out on the opening possession. Charles Snowden (11), Aaron Faumui celebrate big play on D The Cavaliers needed a lift after failing to convert otherwise over the opening 30 minutes of play, and it was the UVa defense that provided the spark as the ‘Hoos (3-1, […]

Hootie, Shawn, Billy Join Jay On Best Seat In The House…

Hootie joined WINA Sports Director Jay James on Best Seat In The House Friday along with former UVA greats Shawn Moore and Billy McMullen for two 20-minute segments on Virginia football. In the first segment they review Virginia’s win over Ohio; in the second segment they analyze the Cavaliers’ ACC home opener against Louisville, in a huge early season “must win” for the Wahoos. In case you missed it, here are the recordings of the segments, which you can listen to by clicking below: Moore, Mullen and Ratcliffe, Part 1 Moore, Mullen and Ratcliffe, Part 2

Week 4 Tale Of The Tape: It Looks Like UVA Could Have An Edge

Well, it’s Friday morning, game day is tomorrow, so it’s time to look at the tale of the tape between Virginia and Louisville. Weather should be close to perfect (partly cloudy and 78 degrees and game time) and the stats seem to favor the Wahoos. They’ve gained considerably more yards on offense than Louisville, and given up fewer yards and points than the Cardinals. Both teams are 2-1, but as Hootie pointed out in an earlier piece, the explosive Louisville offense of the past is not the same one they will be bringing to Charlottesville. Could be a great opportunity […]

UVA Offense Now Unleashing Passing Side Of Perkins’ Game

Bryce Perkins against Ohio last week When Virginia coordinator Robert Anae and quarterbacks coach Jason Beck were scouting the Ohio defense, they must have been champing at the bit to unleash Bryce Perkins “the passer,” on the Bobcats’ secondary. Until last Saturday, Perkins was known more for beating you with his legs than his arm. His performance in Vanderbilt Stadium, in a game moved to Nashville because of potential hurricane issues, Perkins showed that teams better not sleep on his passing skills. UVa’s junior quarterback completed 25 of 30 pass attempts for 379 yards and three touchdowns against Ohio in […]

Hootie Goes Foodie And Discovers Great Harvest Bread Co.

Hootie with the manager of the Law School Great Harvest restaurant, Linda Black I appreciate great food as much as the next guy, and while I don’t know if that classifies me as a “foodie,” I do have friends, including business partner Dave Scarangella, who are. They all swear by Great Harvest Bread Company. When we decided to partner up with Great Harvest, Eric Keshin, who is President & Chief Marketing Officer for the national company, insisted that I go try out one of their two restaurants in Charlottesville. Eric, by the way is a Wahoo, and has twin daughters […]

Been More Than A Decade Since A UVA Back Did What Ellis Did

Scattershooting around the ACC, while betting that most of you are sitting around wondering when the last time a Virginia running back had the kind of success that Jordan Ellis had last Saturday in Nashville … Ellis, a senior from Suwanee, Ga., carried the ball 19 times for 171 yards and three touchdowns against Ohio in that game played at a neutral site due to the threats of hurricane activity. Before you get overly excited, remember the numbers were put up against Ohio, which ranks 80th out of 129 FBS teams in rush defense. Still, it was a memorable performance […]