Two-A-Days: Virginia

The morning session took a look at the last out-of-conference foe on the 2009 schedule. At this point the Eagles will have slogged through a tough season, but still in the hunt for a winning season and perhaps a bowl bid. The afternoon session will look at the Virginia Cavaliers.

Last Year: Last season was a disaster for Virginia. They suffered their second losing season in the last three years and there were constant rumors that Coach Al Groh was about to be fired. Buttressing those rumors is the fact his automatic extension was declined after the season. He was also forced to shake up his staff, firing his son amongst others.

The trouble for Virginia started on the offense. They finished last in the league in total offense and last in scoring. They managed just 16 points per game last season. That was largely due to the last minute loss of their starting quarterback to disciplinary issues. Freshman Marc Verica was ranked 94th in the country in passing efficiency.

The defense also took a step back last year. They dropped to eight in the conference in total defense and scoring defense. They also were near the bottom in turnovers. Only two teams forced fewer turnovers last season.

Why They Could Be Better: One area for optimism is the return of Jameel Sewell from academic purgatory. He is the combination of athleticism and passing ability they want in their new offense. The move to the spread means they need to get running yards from the quarterback spot and Sewell is a capable runner.

They also have four returning linemen from last year. The system is different and the blocking schemes are changed, but experience makes the transition easier. This will keep Sewell from taking a beating and maybe allow the offense to be more productive than last season.

The other area is an intangible. The coaching staff had grown stagnant along with the style of the offense. The influx of new coaches and new energy will give the program a boost. Adding veteran coaches like Ron Prince and Greg Brandon will give new energy to the staff.

Why They Could Be Worse: The biggest area of concern is the offense. They are moving away from the West Coast to the spread. Any time a team makes such a radical change in the offense, there are growing pains. Sewell may be the right guy for this system, but he has not been on the field for almost two years.

They also lack play makers at receiver and running back. Even with a lot of run option, they have to get something from their passing game and their running game to make the offense productive. Virginia will start a red-shirt freshman at tailback and three underclassmen at receiver.

The other area of concern is at linebacker. The 3-4 is predicated on having big play guys patrolling the middle of the formation. They will have three experienced guys, but none have proven to be big-time players. If they do not step up their level of play this defense will struggle.

What To Expect: At this point, this game will mean everything for both teams as both will be fighting for a bowl berth. There may be some lingering bad blood as fans will remember the last game when a Virginia player delivered a late hit on a BC defender's knee.

This is a game where the match-ups favor Boston College. The Virginia offense will not be a threat to rack up a lot of points. The BC offense should be able to run at the Virginia defense. Much like the 2005 game, the lines will decide this one.

Prediction: Whatever deficiencies the BC offense has to start the season will be settled by the time this game rolls around. Playing at Virginia can be tough, but it is not exactly Blacksburg. So, home field will not count for much. BC 27 UVA 17