The hallmark of Virginia football is consistency: at least seven wins in each of the last nine years-a feat accomplished by only seven other Divison I-A schools.
Last year was particularly successful for the Cavaliers, as they posted a 9-4 record, including a victory over Georgia in the Peach Bowl. Head coach George Welsh, now in his 15th season at Virginia, received Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors for his team's efforts-which left them in a tie for first place in the conference.
Throw all that in with the myriad of All-ACC selections the team garnered and imagine the amount of pride Wahoo fans must feel. Now multiply that by 100 and you will realize how excited the Cavaliers were when they became the first ACC team to down Florida State since the Seminoles joined the conference in 1992. The 33-28 victory in Charlottesville brought the goalposts down and created a ripple effect that the football program will feel for years to come.
"The win over FSU did a lot for us nationally," Welsh said. "We got looks from a lot of bigger name recruits from all over the country. We ended up with some of them, and that is sure to help us ."
With the new season, Virginia's players and coaches alike realize that that is all ancient history. The focus now turns to an offense that boasts Heisman Trophy candidate Tiki Barber, and a defense that returns six starters after finishing 10th in the nation in run defense.
Barber, a senior tailback, was an All-ACC first-team selection last year after setting a UVa record with 1,397 yards rushing in 1995. He is also extremely adept at catching passes out of the backfield and he is one of the more electrifying punt returners in the conference.
"I'm expecting a lot out of myself this year," Barber said. "Rushing-wise, the one thing I do want to do is break Terry Kirby's rushing record. That's my primary [statistical] goal-I want to get that done early, and once that gets accomplished, I'll set new goals."
Though Barber may not be a leading contender for the Heisman, he certainly has a legitimate shot. The added pressure associated with being a Heisman Trophy candidate is something that Barber wishes to avoid.
"It's a great honor to be mentioned for [the Heisman], but I'm not going to dwell on it," Barber said. "It's not something I am going to let rule my season. I can't; it's too distracting."
Barber's immense talent dictates that Virginia's offense will focus on the run first.
"Barber is as good a back as I've ever had here," Welsh said. "He combines great speed with power and he is a very smart football player.
"We plan on giving him the ball a lot, but I'm not going to give him the ball a lot if the offensive line isn't blocking for him. That's still going to be the key to our success-the offensive line is where there has been the most upheaval and the least experience on the team."
The lack of experience on the line conveys the overall question mark involved with the offense. Junior German Crowell is the top returning receiver after grabbing 27 balls last year. Quarterback is also an area of concern for the Cavaliers with the graduation of second-team All-ACC quarterback Mike Groh. Senior Tim Sherman has gotten the nod for opening day, but do not be surprised if sophomore Aaron Brooks gets some significant playing time as well.
"This may be as tough a year as any for us to get those seven wins since we've had a lot of changes in the offense," Welsh said. "I think we're going to have to win with our defense. They are going to have to help us win more than they ever have, especially early in the season.
"We've got to get more big plays out of our defense and we're talking to them about creating more things-maybe working on knocking the ball loose and somebody picking it up and running it in."
That defense should be strong in most areas-especially at outside linebacker, where seniors James Farrior (125 tackles) and Jamie Sharper (95 tackles) return.
The secondary is led by junior Ronde Barber, Tiki's twin brother. Ronde has been a first-team All-ACC selection each of his first two seasons and has 12 career interceptions. Unfortunately for Virginia, Barber is the only returning starter in the secondary.
The defensive line is anchored by senior tackle Todd White. White was a second-team All-ACC selection last year and registered 77 tackles and four sacks. He is flanked by seniors Jon Harris and Duane Ashman, both returning starters.
"I think we have six or seven players on defense who are All-ACC caliber or better... and they should form the nucleus for an outstanding defense," Welsh said.
Virginia's special teams are also a strong point as senior punter Will Brice returns, along with his ACC-leading 37.0 yard net punting average. Senior place kicker Rafael Garcia holds the school record with a 56-yard field goal and is set to become the school's most prolific kicker.
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