University of Virginia Library

From The Sidelines

Building Year?

By Tom Bell

THE CAVALIERS GET ANOTHER CHANCE
SATURDAY to score their first touchdown and their first win
when the Vanderbilt Commodores come to Scott Stadium
for a non-conference battle before the Commonwealth and
Band Day crowd.

Attitudes in Charlottesville have grown grimmer and
grimmer after each of the three disappointing defeats which
the Wahoos have suffered, leaving the pre-season optimism,
which Coach Don Lawrence and his new staff tried so hard to
instill in the team and community, as but a dull reminder of
brighter days.

THE TEAM, CERTAINLY, HAS NOT LIVED UP to
pre-season hopes and expectations. They have looked strangely
like the Cavaliers of old playing well until inside the 20
yard-line, having big plays called back by penalties, and
committing costly errors. They have given up almost twice as
many yards as they have gained. They have done little to
indicate that they are in any major way different from the
mediocre teams of previous years.

The disappointment of Cavalier fans is certainly
understandable. It is hardly a pleasure to watch or listen to
Wahoo games when there is so little to cheer about, and every
time it looks as if things are going to get better, they seem to
get worse. It looked as if we were giving Duke a pretty tough
battle, but when the scoreboard says 28-0, it's hard to find
anything to be happy about.

PERHAPS THE DISAPPOINTMENT IS MORE ACUTE
BECAUSE we were led to think that things would be better.
Since last winter Mr. Lawrence has said many times that the
University would be competitive this fall. His confidence was
contagious, and, despite a poor game in the spring, people
really began to believe that maybe he could change things right
away. The results of the first three contests show that things
have not changed overnight.

Most coaches would have called this a building year for the
Cavaliers. Eleven starters graduated in June, including seven
from the defensive unit. Last year's starting quarterback. Bill
Troup, decided for "personal reasons" to quit the team and
transfer to South Carolina. Seven second yearmen and
third-year redshirts were in the starting lineup for the first
game, including quarterback Harrison Davis, along with five
veterans who had never started before. To add to this wealth
of inexperience, injuries have hurt the depth-shy team,
particularly at running back and fullback, where only one of
the top four men, Kent Merritt, is in good health. As a result
of this, the Wahoos will start a total of nine second yearmen
and red-shirts this week against Vanderbilt. Also, the
Cavaliers have had to adjust to the new formations and plays
brought in by the new staff, a process which takes time.

UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS HARD TO BE
"COMPETITIVE", especially against the caliber of team the
Cavaliers have faced in nationally ranked Michigan and Duke.
The competition does not get much easier, as Vanderbilt,
from the tough Southeastern Conference, is 2-0-1, and South
Carolina, North Carolina, and other good teams are yet to
come.

In every game since the opening disaster against Navy, the
Cavaliers have looked a little bit better. There has been
improvement despite the overwhelming scores against
Michigan and Duke, as the staff has been quick to point out.

According to Mr. Lawrence, some sort of psychological
wall exists for the Cavaliers at the goal line, and every time
they try to crack through it and fail, it becomes a bit thicker.
He claims, however, that once the Cavaliers break that
wall, "things are going to snowball", and the offense will begin
to roll up the points.

SO THE CAVALIERS HAVE HAD a hard time getting
started. Inexperience, injuries, and adjustment to a new staff
have made it difficult, along with their inability to crack the
touchdown barrier. It has been disappointing and extremely
frustrating, and this will probably continue to be true at times
for the remainder of the season.

However, with a team such as this, the worst part must be
at the start of the season. As the new players gain experience,
the injuries heal, and the players become more comfortable
with the new system, the situation is bound to improve.