Virginia seeks to get untracked against old rival Maryland

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Posted 6:17PM on Friday, October 13, 2006

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Maybe being at home again will help. That has to be the feeling at Virginia this week, where the Cavaliers begin a three-game homestand hoping that redshirt freshman quarterback Jameel Sewell can get the offense moving, especially with longtime rival Maryland coming to town. ``The big thing for us is that we're getting back home in front of our home crowd,'' receiver Fontel Mines said. ``It will help our younger players be more confident.'' The Cavaliers (2-4, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) clearly need all the help they can get. They rank 115th in the nation in total offense with an average of 232 yards, and 113th in rushing offense with an average of just 77 yards. Their passing game isn't much better, ranking 97th, and their 16.8-point average is 98th in the country. Sewell, who has played the last 14 quarters after coach Al Groh decided the left-hander was a better choice than junior Kevin McCabe or senior tri-captain Christian Olsen, has thrown three touchdown passes, but passed for just 394 yards so far. Mines and tailback Jason Snelling both give Sewell high marks for how he's learning on the job, especially with the weight of a football program on his shoulders. ``His confidence level, just command as the leader of the offense, he's made great strides,'' Snelling said, adding Sewell is more poised and in control of the huddle. Groh said he's never once considered benching Sewell after letting him play the entire second half in a 17-10 home loss to Western Michigan. The coaching staff knew there would be difficulties, he said, and is willing to let him grow into the job. Matt Schaub, he noted, eventually set most of Virginia's quarterback records and now draws a hefty paycheck in the NFL, but he didn't seize the job for keeps until the second game of his junior year his fourth season as a college quarterback. The proverbial light bulb could come on for Sewell at any time, Groh said. ``Who's to say what this player's timetable will be,'' he said this week. ``I think it might be real soon. We are not conceding anything. We're not conceding that we are not going to get enough points this week, next week, or the week after, but until we start producing points on that basis, then there are going to be some struggles.'' Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen knows, too, that things can change quickly. ``They have a lot of talent on their team and they have a big offensive line,'' he said this week. ``They have a quarterback right now that concerns me. I think they are playing very good defense and that is also a concern for us.'' In his first four years at Maryland, Friedgen's team has been beaten soundly in both trips to Scott Stadium and won handily at home, including 45-33 last year. ``It was just one of those games where everyone put everything together and I would love to have one of those again,'' he said of last year's game. ``I think Virginia is pretty intent on not letting that happen, and I think we have our work cut out for us.'' The Cavaliers confirmed his suspicion. ``We're using that game as fuel to say that will never happen to us again,'' safety Byron Glasby said of the game, won by the Terps with a 21-point fourth quarter. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m.