Can ‘D’ carry Cavs?

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Virginia has a 3-3 record, which generally denotes an average team.

It just doesn’t seem that way to most fans.

The Cavs started 0-3, including a loss to FCS member William and Mary, before turning things around with a 3-0 rally. Now with six games remaining, coach Al Groh is going to have to find a way to make up for the loss to the Tribe if he wants to return for a 10th season at U.Va.

It’s not impossible, but it will be challenging. The schedule for the second half of the season is significantly harder than the one the Hoos rode to their .500 record.

But especially this season in the ACC, anything is possible, and while Groh knows there is work ahead, he’s pleased with the progress that’s been made.

“I wouldn’t put it up against the scales yet and say we’re there,“ he said. “But this is what teams are supposed to do. Teams are supposed to get better. Players are supposed to get better.“

Groh has weathered slow starts before, but the last time he suffered a bad opening-season loss, it was in Wyoming. This year, it happened in front of the biggest crowd of the season, against a state opponent.

And while all the woes can’t be traced to that one game, it will certainly be cited as the main reason if this is the final year of his tenure at Virginia.

The coach, of course, maintains he’s looking squarely forward. With an offense that is finding its groove and a defense that has been dominating, the Cavs are beginning to turn heads. Here’s a look at where they stand at the halfway point.

Halfway through the season, Virginia is 3-3, but maintains a perfect 2-0 mark in ACC play. Here’s how the report card stacks up at the midway point:

OFFENSE: Hermitage grad Jameel Sewell said that he had no confidence in himself while he was auditioning with two other quarterbacks for the starting spot. Now that he’s the choice, he’s grown into the role and is playing with poise and ability.

Sewell is also benefiting from having Vic Hall at wide receiver. Along with Matoaca grad Kris Burd, the two are providing a playmaking threat for the offense that can stretch the field. Running backs Mikell Simpson and Rashawn Jackson also started maturing when Groh made the decision two weeks into the season to dump the spread offense that Gregg Brandon was brought in to install.

The weak spot offensively remains the offensive line, which is allowing too much pressure on Sewell every week. They couldn’t hold up their assignments in the spread, hastening its demise. It will be crucial for Sewell to learn to make quicker decisions, or there will be even more costly sacks in the second half of games. Grade: C

DEFENSE: Despite a lack of big names, Virginia has created a defense just as stout as any of the unit’s past incarnations. The front seven of the 3-4 has benefited from the rise of sophomore linebacker Cam Johnson, who now anchors the outside. Up front it’s a unit that has been solid at stopping the run, but often allows quarterbacks time.

That hasn’t been a problem, because the cornerback combo of Ras-I Dowling and Chris Cook might represent the two best players on the unit. Bringing Vic Hall in to help on third downs also has boosted the unit’s ability to shut down the long pass.

To continue to succeed against ACC competition, the group will have to develop stamina, and work on being as effective in the fourth quarter as they’ve been in the first. Grade: B+

SPECIAL TEAMS: Put bluntly, this is the weakest unit on the team. After saying there would be a renewed emphasis on putting the best players on the unit, and a focus on scoring points through kick runbacks, that has yet to happen.

The kickoff situation remains in flux, with Robert Randolph and Chris Hinkebein both struggling to pin opponents deep. Punter Jimmy Howell has been better, but still hasn’t met expectations. Kick and punt runbacks have both been well below the national average, with no signs of that turning around anytime soon.

The unit’s lone bright spot is Randolph’s field-goal kicking. Thanks to a timely penalty, he hasn’t missed one yet. Grade: D-

COACHING: The offseason included two new coordinator hires. Neither has been as successful as hoped. On offense, Brandon was supposed to introduce the spread and modernize the U.Va. offense. That was scrapped after two games. Similarly, Ron Prince’s special teams have failed to produce the game-changing results he was expected to bring. Meanwhile, the defense, under Groh’s supervision, continues to thrive.

Groh’s time at Virginia will almost certainly come to an end if he fails to reach six victories this year. The results down the stretch will show whether this is the final act, or whether he lives to see another day. Ultimately, it may come down to an embarrassing loss in the season’s opener. Grade: D+