So, I decided to resurrect the summer previews of the Trojans' opponents. I hope people enjoy them, as I enjoy writing them. A lot will change for these teams between now and the opening game of the season, and from now and the time that the Trojans will play them, but it's still fun to take an early look.

So off we go, starting with the Virginia Cavaliers.

The Hoos were very much a surprise team last year. They returned 19 starters to last season's team, and most thought they could be competitive in the ACC Coastal Division. Few thought that they would be competing to go to the ACC title game in the last week of the season. After a stunning twenty point loss at Wyoming to start the season, there was grumbling with the fan base about head coach Al Groh, who entered his seventh season with a 66-73 record. Virginia then proceeded to run off seven straight wins. After a road loss to North Carolina State, the Cavs defeated #21 Wake Forest and then annihilated Miami 48-0. The season ended on a down note though, with a double digit loss that cost UVA an ACC title berth, and a Gator Bowl loss to pass happy Texas Tech.

While a 9-4 record can definitely be seen as a successful season, there is some thought that it was a mirage. Six of the nine wins came by five points or less, and five of those came by two points or less. Close wins over teams like North Carolina and Middle Tennessee didn't exactly inspire confidence. Still, in the end, it's about winning football games, and the Cavaliers were able to do that, which likely saved Groh's job for a year. This season, it's a tall order. Virginia must replace a lot of veteran players, including a few stars.

This is the team's number one question mark right now. Last year's starting quarterback, Jameel Sewell, was slated to be a junior this season. He is an academic casualty for 2008 though, which is unfortunate for the Cavs. He was not the most efficient QB, battling accuracy and decision making problems for a portion of the season. Still, he improved as the season went on, and he gave Virginia the hope of having an experienced three year starter who could keep plays alive with his legs.

Instead the Cavs will turn to sophomore Peter Lalich, who played a lot in the early season last year. When Sewell struggled in the opener against Wyoming, Lalich got some time, and then split snaps with Sewell for the first third of the season. He was a key cog in the win over Duke, which was likely his best game. He is a big guy who is a pocket passer, and fans feel that the passing game will be better than it was under Sewell. Lalich was somewhat inconsistent in the spring though, and he had a disaster of a spring game, completing only six of his eighteen passes for 72 yards and three INTs.

Senior Scott Deke will likely be the backup. He was slated to be second banana to Sewell last year, but Lalich supplanted him with a strong camp. Sophomore Marc Verica will compete for second string as well. Both played well in the spring game. None of the three QBs is much of a threat with their legs.

The offense is going to be very different from last season. Offensive coordinator Mike Groh went to Texas Tech after the season to study their offense, and they will be implementing the pass heavy scheme this season. Of the 86 plays called during the spring game, 70 were passes, so the Trojans should expect to be covering the short passing game all over the yard.

The receivers will be the happiest people in town to see a new offense because they were completely under-utilized last season. Senior Maurice Covington had the most receptions at the position, with only 21 catches for 269 yards and two TDs. Covington is a big guy who could thrive in the offense. Junior Kevin Ogletree was the most productive receiver in 2006, but an injury cost him last season. The Cavs will implement a three wide receiver set, and sophomore Staton Jobe will likely be the third guy after seeing spot duty last in 2007. Ogletree and Jobe are similar players with moderate size and decent speed. Dontrelle Inman will see some time as well.

Virginia played a lot of two tight end formations last season, and Sewell loved to throw to them. The top two guys combined for 76 catches, 777 yards, and five TDs. Both are gone, and the switch to the shotgun spread will mean fewer looks for the position. Senior John Phillips got his feet wet last season with 17 catches, and the team is deep at this position. Their fans consider the tight end group to be a strength.

In the last few years, Virginia has tried to showcase the running back in their offense, but they haven't really had a solid running game since 2004, when Alvin Pearman was their workhorse. Last season, Cedric Peerman started out as the man, and he led the ACC in rushing at midseason when he went down with an injury. Mikell Simpson took over for him, and did just as well. Simpson also proved to be an outstanding receiver, and he led the team with 43 catches. As a result, I suspect we'll see a lot more of Simpson against SC than of Peerman because of the change to a pass dominant offense. Neither guy is big or has elite speed. Junior Rashawn Jackson was the fullback last season, and he is also efficient as a receiver. Virginia will likely be running the ball only to keep teams honest. They will use the short passing game as a running game, with the backs making a living in the flats.

This group was mediocre last season. Only a mobile QB kept them from giving up over 40 sacks, and the running game didn't scare the better defenses on the schedule. So you're going to see a change in scheme, and the offensive line will do things dramatically different this season. Texas Tech's offensive line has exceptionally wide splits. In the run game, they want defensive linemen to try to shoot into gaps, and then they just ride them out of the play, allowing a back to pick and choose where he wants to go. In the passing game, so much of the offense is designed to get the ball out quickly that sacks just are not commonplace. The Red Raiders last year surrendered 18 sacks in 13 games, which was only one more than SC gave up despite 300 more pass attempts. The offense is designed to minimize the impact of the line.

That's a good thing because the Cavs have some big questions here. They do have a bright spot in left tackle Eugene Monroe. Recruiting junkies likely recognize his name, as he was one of the most highly coveted tackles in the nation a few years ago. He made ACC honorable mention in 2007, and has the kind of size and feet to be a first rounder in the NFL Draft. Junior Will Barker enters his third season as a starter, but he could be pushed by Lamar Milstead, who was heavily recruited. Milstead could slide over to guard as well.

The middle of the line is an unknown. Branden Albert was a first round pick at guard, and he will be missed. The center and right guard were two year starters. Anthony Milhota, Jack Shields, Billy Cuffee, B.J. Cabbell, Zak Stair, and Milstead head a mish mosh group who will try to hold things together in the middle. I think the uncertainty here will mean that we will see more passing than we might normally see from a group transitioning from a balanced attack to a bombs away style.

The Cavs made their bones with their defense in 2007, and it all started up front. Chris Long was a dominant player for UVA, and he proved it by being a first team All American and the #2 pick in the draft. He was the anchor and key pass rusher in Groh's 3-4 style, which featured more attacking last year than it did in year's past. Not only has Long moved on, but so have the other two starters on the line. Other than QB, this is the major worry of Virginia fans. No one really knows who will emerge.

The hopes of the UVA faithful rest on sophomore Sean Gottschalk. He has the unenviable task of trying to fill the shoes of Long, and he is the most talented player in this group. The most experienced moniker goes to senior Alex Field, who will man the other end spot. Field has been a career contributor, and he provided some pass rush off the bench last season. Nate Collins gives the team a serviceable nose man whose specialty is pass rush up the middle. There is very little depth here, and an injury or two at this position would be disastrous.

This group will be busy with such a young DL unit. Fortunately for UVA, Groh thinks that the LB corps is the strength of the team. Inside backer Jon Copper led the team in tackles and INTs last season, and could be an all conference performer. Antonio Appleby is also an inside guy, and most feel he is the most talented of the group. He has optimal size and speed for his position. Now he needs to make more plays.

Clint Sintim is a senior captain this season, and he's the resident blitzer on the outside. He will sometimes line up with a hand on the ground as well. Jared Detrick and Aaron Clark are fighting for the other outside spot, and Detrick has the inside track because of his speed. This group is talented and experienced, and they did a great job with stopping the run and pressuring the passer. The question now is can they do it against without a guy like Chris Long up front. Also, if they fail to get pass rush early in the game with blitzing, will they just sit back and force and play read and react as they have in previous seasons under Groh?

This group did a decent job in the ACC, but the conference isn't exactly a Murderers' Row when it comes to quarterbacks. They were exposed at the end of the season, as NC State, Virginia Tech, and Texas Tech lit them up through the air. Vic Hall is a captain, but he is a little on the short side at 5-9. There is some thought that he could be supplanted as a starter. Ras-I Dowling made some impact as a freshman, and he could slide into the first group. Mike Brown is a senior who was big time recruit, but just hasn't panned out. He's also 5-9. Those three guys look to be the top three, as last year's starter opposite Hall, Chris Cook, will miss the season due to grade problems.

Byron Glaspy gives the group an experienced if not spectacular player at free safety. Junior Brandon Woods will likely be the guy at strong safety unless a younger guy like Corey Mosley steps up. This secondary is not super talented and has little depth. If the Cavs can't get their pass rush untracked early, this unit will take some hits. It's lucky for them that they play in the ACC and not the Pac-10.

The Cavs will miss Chris Gould, who had a strong leg and was steady as a kicker. They will replace him with freshman Chris Hinkebein, who has some range. Walk on John Roberts is currently the top punter, but he was inconsistent in the spring, so this could be a problem for them. The return teams weren't bad last year, with Hall returning punts. This year Peerman will likely be the top kickoff return guy. There isn't a player in the incoming class who looks like a challenger to either Hall or Peerman. Poor snaps were a concern last year, especially on punts. That will be something to watch in an opener, with a true freshman in Danny Aiken likely taking over the duties.

Obviously, starting against the Trojans will be tough, and going to Connecticut two weeks later will be a challenge. There will be a chance for the Cavs to again make some noise early in conference play if they can get their passing game off to a good start. Then October 25th rolls around and things get tough: at Georgia Tech, Miami, at Wake Forest, Clemson, at Virginia Tech. Win two of those, and this team could go bowling. I tend to doubt that they will win more than seven games, and they'll probably be lucky to reach that level. They will probably make an easy transition with their offense, because no one in the conference has seen it, but Long will be impossible to replace, and the defense will suffer as a result. I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up Groh's last season in Charlottesville.

Questions, comments, or info? Contact me at tvenegas@comcast.net.