University of Virginia Library

Lawrence Emphasizes Attitude,
Gardner To Call Signals In '73

Don Lawrence's 1973
football menu features added
depth, formation innovations,
and a possible change at
quarterback. He's hoping the
fans will help him supply the
PMA.

PMA, or "positive mental
attitude," heads Mr.
Lawrence's list of ingredients
necessary to make records like
last year's 4-7 mark obsolete in
Virginia football.

"In the past when we've
made mistakes we've received
criticism from the fans and in
the press. Whenever that
happens, we, the players and
coaches, have got to start
telling ourselves positive things
to offset those remarks," says
the head coach.

To complement the
"think-positive efforts" a
letter-writing campaign among
Virginia fans has been
instituted Each player, Mr.
Lawrence says, will receive
approximately 50 encouraging
letters from Wahoo supporters
this summer. Student backing,
such as the team was accorded
during last fall's VPI game,
would also be more than a
little helpful, he asserts.

Among the more tangible
1973 alterations will be
increased depth, especially in
the offensive line and
backfield, a scrapping of the
slotback formation in favor of
the more standard tight end
set-up and a return to many of
the defensive formations of
1969, when the Cavaliers were
one of the stingiest units in the
land.

At the all-important
quarterback position, where
three Cavaliers operated on a
revolving door basis last year,
Mr. Lawrence hopes to be able
to use second-year man Scott
Gardner. Harrison Davis, who
held the spot at the beginning
of last year is slated to see
extensive duty as either a
receiver or a running back but
will "have to be ready to go"
at quarterback if circumstances
require.

Looking at the '73
schedule, Mr. Lawrence said
he saw three contests that the
Cavs had a "good chance" at
winning, five that could go
either way, and three that
would be "tough." He declined
to say which games were
which.

The Cavaliers will arrive in
town August 17 to begin
workouts on the 20th and go
into full pads on the 23rd.
Their first game is September 8
against VMI.