UVa Insider, the column: Rocco not treated unfairly
There’s one word I’ve been waiting to hear in connection with Virginia’s quarterback change.
It’s “spark.”
After losing five of its last six games against FBS competition, what this UVa program needs more than anything is a spark.
I can’t say that junior Michael Rocco deserved to lose his job, but I think he has been treated fairly. Some people were calling for Phillip Sims, a celebrated transfer from Alabama, to start in the opening game.
Sims played in each of the first five games for the Cavaliers (2-3) but never before the third quarter. After making a move to Sims in the third quarter of a Week 2 affair with Penn State, the Cavaliers put Rocco back in the game and he led them to a 17-16 victory.
Rocco was never more entrenched than he was during the first half of last Saturday’s game against unbeaten Lousiana Tech, when he completed 13 of his first 16 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns.
Who would have believed, one week later, that he’d be carrying a clipboard? (Do they still carry clipboards)?
The Cavaliers led 24-10 and were on the move before two plays totally changed the complexion of the game. After stopping the Bulldogs for losses or no gain on three straight plays starting at the UVa 3, the Cavaliers needed no time to move the ball to their 48.
After a 7-yard pass from Rocco to Darius Jennings, Virginia was looking at a second-and-3 from the Louisiana Tech 48, but that was short-lived. As the referee’s whistle sounded, offensive guard Sean Cascarano was called for as personal foul.
Virginia was sent all the way back to its 40, where, on first-and-18, Rocco spotted sophomore Dominique Terrell on a crossing pattern over the middle. The ball was high, but Terrell got both hands on it.
It should have been caught, but if all Terrell had done was bobble it and let it fall to the ground, UVa still would have been in business. Instead, the ball slipped out of Terrell’s hands and into the waiting arms of Lousiana Tech’s Quinn Giles, who returned it 30 yards to the Virginia 25.
IT WASN’T THE first pass Terrell had been unable to handle this season and it wasn’t the only pass that went through a UVa wide receiver’s hands Saturday.
Later in the third quarter, Sims attempted to hit E.J. Scott in the corner of the end zone, but a perfectly thrown ball went through his hands. That series ended when the Cavaliers, down 41-24 at the time, saw Drew Jarrett miss a 39-yard field goal, his first miss of the season.
It’s a tribute to Rocco and Sims that both are completing more than 60 percent of their passes (and to Rocco for passing for 1,116 yards in five games) because there have been a lot of dropped balls. But, if it were just about dropped balls, Rocco might still be the man.
He was intercepted three times against Louisiana Tech, which returned one of the “picks” for a touchdown. At the end of that play, Cascarano was called for his second personal of the game.
(Virginia’s 16 penalties, one shy of the school record, did not count a personal foul on offensive tackle Oday Aboushi. Aboushi and a Lousiana Tech defensive lineman both were called for offsetting personal fouls after one-game exchange).
There was talk of a UVa wide receiver “cutting off” his route on one of the Lousiana Tech interceptions and Rocco admitted that he had not seen the linebacker. But, when you’ve been intercepted 20 times over two seasons, it’s hard to get the benefit of the doubt.
It’s a little reminiscent of former UVa quarterback Marc Verica, a fifth-year senior when Rocco was a freshman in 2010. Verica passed for 2,799 yards, the third-highest mark in school history, but was intercepted 14 times (compared to 14 touchdown passes).
That came two years after Verica passed for 2,037 yards as a redshirt sophomore but was intercepted 16 times. Verica was the feel-good story of the year after leading the Cavaliers to four straight victories at mid-season but he was intercepted three times in back-to-back losses to Wake Forest and Clemson.
In the final game of the season, with the Cavaliers enjoying their best chance to beat Virginia Tech in years, Verica gave up a late interception in a 17-14 UVa loss. He ranks as the No. 6 passer in school history but is still associated with his interceptions.
VIRGINIA HAD FEW OPTIONS in 2010, when Verica’s back-ups were Rocco and redshirt freshman Ross Metheny. They never played when the game was on the line.
This year, there is an option in Sims, who not only was one of the most celebrated recruits in the country coming out of Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, but already has thrown five touchdown passes in a back-up role.
If Sims is to be successful, he’s going to need more help from his receivers than Rocco was getting and his offensive lineman can’t be holding or committing personal fouls on every other possession.
Sims may provide a spark but, if the Cavaliers are to upset favored Duke, it will require a supporting cast.
October 4, 2012 - 1:50 PM
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I agree that Rocco was treated very fairly in this whole transitional process, and perhaps the even bigger story is how gracious and mature both Sims and Rocco have been about the whole thing. London’s got some great players, and they’re about to coalesce into a very good team in my opinion – they just need a “spark” as you say.
As for the topic of Rocco’s INT’s – one thing that bugs me a little bit is that nobody ever mentions how many of the “drops” and deflected passes which get turned into picks, are partly on Rocco. He often throws high and in front or behind of his receivers, with no discernable spiral or velocity – in short, he has no touch and lacks accuracy. Sure players have had their hands on passes that got dropped, but when you have to contort like a Chinese acrobat to make the grab, your QB isn’t doing you any favors either.
Where’s George Allen when you need him?
Seriously, you deleted my earlier comment? The overly protective mothering of Rocco in the local media is just bizarre.
I feel bad for Rocco. Like your article says the receivers didn’t give him much help this year. He got used to having veteran receivers like Byrd and Synder, guys who weren’t fast but had above average hands and could pluck the ball out of the air one handed even. He doesn’t have that his year and outside of maybe the true freshman I don’t think there is a receiver on the roster with the kind of hands those two had right now.
However, I think he lost his job for more than the turnovers. For a guy that’s been in a offense for 3 years and started a full season he seemed more like a red-shirt freshman getting his first action than a battle tested veteran. He seemed at times to be unsure and slow with his read progression, failed to spot open receivers, and probably should have 3-5 more interceptions to his credit than he has.
He’s a good solid quarterback, but he needs a better more experienced team to take full advantage of his best qualities. He was also the victim of teams having a year’s worth of tape on him and no ‘two qb system’ to fret over. I imagine he will only get better from this experience. He doesn’t seem like the type to quit and a good team oriented guy. Hopefully he keeps his head up and continues to work hard and get better so that if he is needed he will be ready.
UVA’s receivers cannot catch. Worse, they do not battle for the ball when covered, which is often, and they don’t stretch for balls when they’re clearly catchable. Sims may have taken blame for the loss, but that bravado doesn’t wash with me. I watched that lousy game in its entirety and I saw countless awful plays by the receivers on balls in their hands or within easy reach of their hands. With receivers this pathetic, I can see why Rocco, who obviously doesn’t have the same arm strength as Sims, couldn’t make consistent progress. So, as long as Lazor insists on making 40 pass attempts per game, we’ll see the same results for the rest of the season. There is not a single win left on the schedule with this team. 56, 44, 27 and now another 40+ from Duke. Maryland next, and it looks like they’ll have no problem with our passing game either. Long season getting longer. 3-9.
UVa’s pass defense is horrible! 2 men on Connor Vernon and he pulls in the pass. The receivers have sore hands I’m sure from all the balls smacking them…..they have been hit in the chest several times, even in the facemask against LaTech…..and penalties?,…that’s coaching!
I did not delete your earlier comment. May have been deleted by someone else or may have been deleted mistakenly. Will go back and read in its entirety.
I watched the replay Tuesday (?) night on Comcast and Phelps and Canady never turned around on the second TD reception by Vernon.
For 20 years, I’ve wondered why they’re taught that way. Phelps and Canady couldn’t have been in better position.
London has been talking all week about the balls that were on receivers’ fingertips. Should they have caught them? I don’t know. I didn’t see as many glaring drops as I had seen earlier. Thought that Sims was just a hair off, but there was one receiver in the end zone at the open end that he overthrew badly. But, there was pressure on that play.
Duke’s DBs played very well, I thought, and the Blue Devils appear to be much better in the secondary than the Cavaliers.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. Rocco couldn’t have been any hotter than he was the first 25 minutes vs. La. Tech. Stunning how things turned around.
Bombarding us with campaign ads, same as every other politician. I hate it.
Lot of the balls would have made for difficult catches. Ball to Terrell against La. Tech was high but that was more on Terrell than Rocco.