Virginia at Duke, 3:00 pm Kick-off

[Bob Green]

I see no reason to delay in starting a Virginia game thread. The odds are not posted yet, but my expectation is Duke will be a slight favorite when they come out. My guestimate is Duke -4 or -5. The ACC has updated the conference stats and Duke and Virginia match-up closely from a statistics perspective:

http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/s ... fldrs.html

Duke averages 37 ppg while Virginia averages 25. Duke gives up 26.8 ppg while Virginia yields 32.4.

I'll take a 34-26 win!

Duke is #4 in Total Defense and #8 in Total Offense. Virginia is #8 in Total Defense and #7 in Total Offense.

I am on pins and needles awaiting word on Sean Renfree. We need #19 running the show.

Virginia has a bit of a QB controversy growing. Michael Rocco is the only QB in the ACC who has thrown more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6). He threw two touchdowns and three interceptions yesterday. Back-up Phillip Sims replaced him in the 2nd half yesterday going 10/17 with two TDs and zero interceptions.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I'm on less pins and needles after watching Boone be effective with the ball, but I would still rather have Renfree. When I saw Boone run it twice my eyes were rolling and my hand was reaching to turn off the video. I was pleasantly surprised after sticking it through...but still our TD's in Boone's hands were the results of turnovers, not sustained drives. My biggest sense of relief was seeing him carry us through a long 3rd down...that made me realize we just might be ok. He'll be our starter next year, so this is ultimately great experience for him, the coaches...and us.

[Bob Green]

He'll be our starter next year, so this is ultimately great experience for him, the coaches...and us.

I agree with you Boone will be our starter next season, but Thomas Sirk is going to give him a battle for the job. My point being it is great having depth at QB (and everywhere else) this year and we will still have it in the years to come.

[Bob Green]

Renfree is listed as day-to-day. His MRI didn't reveal anything. I guess we have to wait for the injury report on Thursday for the next update.

Safety August Campbell has left the team for personal reasons. He remains in school.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Safety August Campbell has left the team for personal reasons. He remains in school.

At least he waited until the team finally beat Wake.

[DevilWearsPrada2.0]

Lets Go Duke!!!! Beat the Cavs!!! Or Yahoos, or Wahoos, or You Hoos or whatever they want to call themselves, this week.

[lawgrad91]

Renfree is listed as day-to-day. His MRI didn't reveal anything. I guess we have to wait for the injury report on Thursday for the next update.

Safety August Campbell has left the team for personal reasons. He remains in school.

FYI-on his FB page he told someone his career is over, he is moving on from football but he might run track or play baseball in the spring. Said he was going to get his "degree and certificates."

Best of luck to him in whatever he does, and may he represent Duke well in all things.

[Bob Green]

The odds opened even in Vegas, but the early money has been on Duke as we are now listed as a 2.5 points favorite. The over/under is set at 57. I'd bet the over.

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-foo ... /team/duke

[CameronBornAndBred]

It seems like Duke might be facing a change up in UVA's offense...specifically more air oriented. Cockrell must be licking his lips.

“That’s one of the things we talk about: where do you go from here, what are you looking at, personnel and things like that, and finding out what we do best,” London said earlier Monday. “We want to run the ball, but what do we do best in terms of moving the ball and with who in terms of the personnel?”
Personnel changes aren’t the only thing London might be contemplating.
Virginia opened up its playbook in the 44-38 loss to Louisiana Tech and the Cavaliers’ sudden offensive firepower seemed to suggest that they should consider airing the ball out more often.

http://www.accsports.com/wires/20121001 ... ffense.php

[Bob Green]

It seems like Duke might be facing a change up in UVA's offense...specifically more air oriented. Cockrell must be licking his lips.

And Kenny Anunike who is fourth in the ACC in Sacks with 3.5. Dez Johnson is tied for ninth with 2 sacks. This could fall into the be careful what you ask for category; however, I've no problem with Virginia trying to air it out against us.

Pressuring the QB has been a weakness in past seasons, but a strength so far this year. Duke is fifth in the ACC in Pass Defense Efficiency, tied for second in Sacks with 14 and seventh in Interceptions with five.

With Rocco being the only QB in the ACC with more interceptions than TDs, and Phillip Sims still adjusting to a new offense and teammates, I am all for Virginia testing our pass defense. Who knows, perhaps Rocco and Sims can combine to throw five interceptions with a Pick 6 like Tony Romo did last night.

[Bob Green]

Duke 34, Virginia 31

It will come down to a late 4th quarter field goal. Either Duke will make one or Virginia will miss one to decide the game. Or perhaps Duke will block a Virginia FG attempt and run it back for a TD.

In the Free Advice category: DO NOT LEAVE EARLY

[devildeac]

Duke 34, Virginia 31

It will come down to a late 4th quarter field goal. Either Duke will make one or Virginia will miss one to decide the game. Or perhaps Duke will block a Virginia FG attempt and run it back for a TD.

In the Free Advice category: DO NOT LEAVE EARLY

Is that clean crystal you are working with or slightly cloudy?
;)

[Bob Green]

Is that clean crystal you are working with or slightly cloudy?
;)

My Crystal Ball is consistently cloudy. It appears Phillip Sims will be the starting QB:

http://www2.cavalierinsider.com/sports/ ... r-2256019/

[CameronBornAndBred]

This will be the second time Sims has been in Wallace Wade. Three years ago he was on Alabama's sidelines as we got our asses handed to us. He was a redshirt freshman for the Tide in 2010. He was the backup QB for them last year, playing in 5 games. The NCAA gifted him with an immediate transfer waiver to UVA, allowing him to play this year.

[lawgrad91]

This will be the second time Sims has been in Wallace Wade. Three years ago he was on Alabama's sidelines as we got our asses handed to us. He was a redshirt freshman for the Tide in 2010. He was the backup QB for them last year, playing in 5 games. The NCAA gifted him with an immediate transfer waiver to UVA, allowing him to play this year.

"Gifted" is a good word for what happened. The party line is he got a medical waiver because his father has a heart condition and there's a heart surgeon at UVA that can help his dad.

DD, if you have any insight on this, I'd be interested to hear it, being the resident cardiac plumber.

But it seems to me that, unless dear old Dad has something that only UVA can fix, there are all manner of heart surgeons between Sims' home in Chesapeake and Charlottesville. It's a 3 hour drive from one to the other, and no one I know in Tidewater goes to UVA for medical care. There's a pretty good medical school in Norfolk, there's Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. (FWIW, it's about 10 miles longer from Chesapeake to Durham than it is from Chesapeake to Charlottesville. Think there are any medical types in Durham?)

[devildeac]

This will be the second time Sims has been in Wallace Wade. Three years ago he was on Alabama's sidelines as we got our asses handed to us. He was a redshirt freshman for the Tide in 2010. He was the backup QB for them last year, playing in 5 games. The NCAA gifted him with an immediate transfer waiver to UVA, allowing him to play this year.

"Gifted" is a good word for what happened. The party line is he got a medical waiver because his father has a heart condition and there's a heart surgeon at UVA that can help his dad.

DD, if you have any insight on this, I'd be interested to hear it, being the resident cardiac plumber.

But it seems to me that, unless dear old Dad has something that only UVA can fix, there are all manner of heart surgeons between Sims' home in Chesapeake and Charlottesville. It's a 3 hour drive from one to the other, and no one I know in Tidewater goes to UVA for medical care. There's a pretty good medical school in Norfolk, there's Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. (FWIW, it's about 10 miles longer from Chesapeake to Durham than it is from Chesapeake to Charlottesville. Think there are any medical types in Durham?)

Sounds like a pile of . You are correct about the medical school in the Chesapeake area and a pretty damned good one at MCV. Some pretty respectable ones in the DC area, too. I also heard Duke Medical Center has a pretty good rep. Hell, we are prolly closer here in Raleigh than UVa is.

[lawgrad91]

This will be the second time Sims has been in Wallace Wade. Three years ago he was on Alabama's sidelines as we got our asses handed to us. He was a redshirt freshman for the Tide in 2010. He was the backup QB for them last year, playing in 5 games. The NCAA gifted him with an immediate transfer waiver to UVA, allowing him to play this year.

"Gifted" is a good word for what happened. The party line is he got a medical waiver because his father has a heart condition and there's a heart surgeon at UVA that can help his dad.

DD, if you have any insight on this, I'd be interested to hear it, being the resident cardiac plumber.

But it seems to me that, unless dear old Dad has something that only UVA can fix, there are all manner of heart surgeons between Sims' home in Chesapeake and Charlottesville. It's a 3 hour drive from one to the other, and no one I know in Tidewater goes to UVA for medical care. There's a pretty good medical school in Norfolk, there's Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. (FWIW, it's about 10 miles longer from Chesapeake to Durham than it is from Chesapeake to Charlottesville. Think there are any medical types in Durham?)

Sounds like a pile of . You are correct about the medical school in the Chesapeake area and a pretty damned good one at MCV. Some pretty respectable ones in the DC area, too. I also heard Duke Medical Center has a pretty good rep. Hell, we are prolly closer here in Raleigh than UVa is.

Query: if dear ol' Dad gets medical help at wahoowa because Son was ESPNU's #1 QB a couple years ago, isn't this an improper benefit? Hellooo, NCAA? Oh, yeah, you idiots SIGNED OFF ON THIS. Too bad you can't read a map. You probably think El Paso and Galveston are right next to each other because they're both in Texas, don't you?

[Bob Green]

Virginia's injury report is full of defensive players:

VIRGINIA

PROBABLE

OT Oday Aboushi (upper extremity)

DT Will Hill (medical)

S Brandon Phelps (upper extremity)

DOUBTFUL

WR Tim Smith (lower extremity)

OUT

DE Billy Schautz (lower extremity)

DT Buddy Ruff (medical)

S Darius Lee (lower extremity)

OUT FOR THE SEASON

S Pablo Alvarez

LB Adam Caplinger

DT Marco Jones

S David Marrs

WR Mario Nixon

[CameronBornAndBred]

[Bob Green]

It's gameday! My car is loaded and we'll be leaving Norfolk very soon. Go Duke! Whip the Wahoos.