Rocco to start at QB vs. Richmond
Junior Michael Rocco, who started all 13 games in Virginia’s 8-5 season in 2012, was identified as the Cavaliers’ starting quarterback when coach Mike London released an updated depth chart Monday.
He was followed by sophomores Phillip Sims and David Watford.
Perhaps the most revealing information pertained to Watford, who played in 10 games as the 2011 back-up.
“I have the right to reserve whether we use David or not through the year,” London said, “but my plans are to redshirt him.
“The conversation was, ‘Would you want to play another position?’ He said, “I will, coach, if you want me to. Whatever the team needs.’
“I asked him what he wanted to do. He said, ‘I’d like to be a quarterback.’ ”
August 27, 2012 - 6:37 PM
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It sounds like Rocco is the opening day starter based on ability and knowledge of the system, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sims get some playing time early in the season and eventually take over the starting job. Physically he is more gifted than Rocco and once he gets more game experience he will probably be UVA’s best option.
Although I’m a Hokie, I’m interested in Football in Virginia. Phil Simms is a nother case in point of players somehow feeling they are too good to stay at home and went to Alabama. Another is Kevin Newsome to Penn State. Both of them and others are now back down on the depth chart where they could well have been starters at either VT or UVA and could have done well. A word to the wise!!
Who would go to UVA for football, london is a proven recruiting lier he tells recruits 1 thing and does the opposite. Simms is a major bust I didn’t like him in high school he doesn’t have the mechanics to be 1 of the great ones, besides he looks like something that crawled out of a rock. UGLY!
It has been two days, Doug, since you posted this “news.” Interesting there have been no comments on this Hokie Hotel board. I think I know why: the party hasn’t stopped long enough for folks to comment, and those who aren’t cavorting are shushing each other to keep from giggling to death. But I’ll say it: “yes, the UVA 2-star QB with the candy-arm, king of the 15 play drive to FG range, who commandeered the team to a 38-0 loss to the Hokies on major network television at home has been rewarded with another stint in the driver’s seat.” There just wasn’t enough time in the millenium for anyone but Rocco to learn “the Lazor system.” And we all know the “Lazor system” is the bread and the butter, the cat and the meow, the bees and the knees. A real Dick Bestwick move.
Wow…lotta folks here who know more about college football, recruiting, coaching, quarterbacking, leadership, the side-by-side skillsets of all the quarterbacks in Charlottesville, and who have the prognostic abilities to determine who will be a bust and who will not.
I guess London, Lazor and all the other coaches who went through the trouble of coaching, play-calling, reviewing, repetitions and getting to know the players could have saved themselves a lot of trouble by just asking the geniuses here.
Troll fail by Drew.
Theo,
You’re at midseason form. Nobody has given me any timetable, but I’m guessing that Rocco will remain the starter through Week 4, by which time UVa has played GT and TCU on the road in back-to-back weeks. I think that would be a good time to take stock.
You pretty much have to go on what he did in high school and that was pretty sensational. Can’t say he’s a bust because he was a back-up for the national champions.
Did a face-to-face interview with Newsome at Hargrave and found him to be a very intelligent, level-headed kid. I just think everything gets out of whack, as Frank Beamer likes to say, when these kids start to get recruited.
I can’t say for sure that Sims is more physically giften than Rocco. Sims never was a running quarterback, but he has a reputation for throwing a nice long ball. That’s been an area in which Rocco has made some improvement, according to the coaches.