By Jerry Ratcliffe
Big ol’ Noah Josey arrived at the press room for postgame interviews late Saturday night, wearing the unmistakable smile of a champion, clutching the Commonwealth Cup to his chest like a shipwrecked sailor hanging on to the last coconut.
Josey, the 6-foot-5, 310-pound, starting left guard, was fresh from Virginia’s dominating win over arch rival Virginia Tech, a somewhat historic victory that sealed only the second 10-win season in school history and vaulted the Cavaliers into next Saturday’s ACC Championship tilt against Duke.
“This cup is really special to me,” said Josey, branded one of this team’s “Forefathers,” by Coach Tony Elliott. “Being a state champion is our first goal, so being able to go out there and put an emphatic exclamation point on the season on this night means everything.”
UVA’s landslide victory couldn’t have been much more emphatic, having reigned supreme over the visiting Hokies in every facet of the game. While the lopsided outcome exposed the depths to where Tech’s program had tumbled, it didn’t exorcise the shortcomings of the past quarter century, but it was a damn good reset.
Josey, who was a promising prospect coming out of high school from Murfreesboro, Tenn., signed with Bronco Mendenhall in ‘21, two years after the Cavaliers played in the ACC Championship and the Orange Bowl. This week, he and the other “Forefathers” will return to Charlotte for another try.
He represents a group of seasoned veterans on this Virginia roster that have endured the worst of times, only 11 collective wins in the previous three seasons, the brutal loss of three teammates by a murderer’s gun, heavy criticism and disappointment. They could have sought greener pastures in today’s what-have-you-done-for-me-lately climate, but they stuck.
Saturday night made all the sacrifice worth their blood, sweat and tears.
Josey, Jahmeer Carter (sixth-year defensive tackle), James Jackson (fifth-year linebacker) and Antonio Clary (seventh-year safety) never lost faith, never stopped believing, even when the odds of success seemed staggering.
“I was taught to dream big,” Elliott has repeated all week. His belief was contagious.
Carter, a 6-2, 311-pound nose tackle from Baltimore, believed and experienced the payoff Saturday night.
“Man, this means everything to finish my time at Scott Stadium like this,” Carter said. “It’s been a long time coming. Six years of being at UVA in college football and being able to experience the things I have, I can’t think of any better way to finish at Scott Stadium.”
Clary, who was sporting one of those boxing/wrestling championship belts adorned with all the bling, may have appreciated Saturday night more than anyone.
This guy is finishing up his seventh year of college football. Heck, he was around when Bronco took the Cavaliers to the Orange Bowl in 2019. He’s someone, who when asked earlier in the season why he’s stuck around, responded, “I love football, I love Virginia. I’m going to play until the wheels fall off.”
Well, the wheels need constant attention. Fans probably don’t realize that the safety has to get his knees drained weekly, not an enjoyable process. On Mondays following weekend games, he struggles to move around, but manages to make it to practices on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
His payoff in his last game at chilly Scott Stadium on Saturday night was worth every minute of the past seven years.
Clary picked off a Virginia Tech pass with a little over 9 minutes to play, deep in Hokies territory, setting up a field goal that made it 27-0.
“Tonight was huge for all the seniors (and super seniors, and super-duper seniors), all those who have played in this program over the years and for the city of Charlottesville,” Clary said.
The Forefathers, even the older players who transferred in and bought into and helped change the culture of this program, transforming the mindset for the future, won a special place in the heart of Wahoo Nation. They all witnessed the gigantic change in the landscape of their sport, adapted and came together to change Virginia football.
Josey may still be carrying the Cup around with him, and if you see Clary with that WWE-looking belt slapped over his shoulders, salute them for their dedication.
They just may have helped change Virginia football forever.
