Orange QB Quintin Hunter was encouraged to consider Virginia by his friend Chancellor RB Dominique Wallace. FILE/MIKE MORONES/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

- FILE/MIKE MORONES/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

ABOVE: Chancellor's Dominique Wallace was impressed by U.Va.'s 'straightforward' approach in recruiting him. BELOW: Corey Lillard, a defensive back at Liberty, was implored to choose the Cavs by Orange's Quintin Hunter. FILE/MIKE MORONES/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Virginia intensifies in-state football recruiting efforts

Date published: 6/15/2008

BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

The numbers were staggering.

And not even the staunchest of the University of Virginia football program's supporters could ignore them.

The Cavaliers had signed just three high school seniors from Virginia in their 2008 class this past February, while rival Virginia Tech hauled in 22.

It was easily the fewest in-state recruits Cavaliers head coach Al Groh had delivered in his tenure, which began in 2001.

Groh has said the pool of players who fit the academic and athletic model for the Cavaliers wasn't big last year, but some aren't easily convinced.

"I don't think anyone was satisfied or would accept that type of performance on a consistent basis," said Charles McDaniel, a Fredericksburg resident and former Virginia standout linebacker, who is on the executive committee of the Virginia Athletic Foundation.

"We should've doubled that total at least. I think we could've gotten eight to 10, but we simply got beat by some other programs."

Groh has made sure that won't be the case for the 2009 class.

The Cavaliers have taken oral commitments from 15 high school juniors and 10 are from Virginia, including Chancellor running back Dominique Wallace, Liberty defensive back Corey Lillard and Orange quarterback Quintin Hunter.

The early recruiting success has Virginia supporters optimistic about the final outcome of the 2009 class, which will probably include at least 22 players in February.

"You'd better believe that those kids who have given an oral commitment are out there helping us recruit," said McDaniel, who is also a member of an advisory board of ex-players picked by Groh. "It just builds on itself."

A renewed commitment

Liberty head coach Tom Buzzo has had eight players sign with Division I-A colleges in his seven-year tenure, but none chose Virginia--until Lillard.

"The thing they did differently with Corey than any of our other players was how fast they offered him," Buzzo said. "They offered Corey before we even finished playing."

Buzzo said Virginia was the last interested school to offer a scholarship to former offensive linemen Brandon Gore, who later signed with Virginia Tech, and Alex Stadler, who signed with Alabama and later transferred to Liberty University.

Lillard went on to receive offers from Wake Forest, Boston College, Arkansas, Rutgers, Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State, but none had a realistic chance because of the Cavaliers' early aggressiveness.

Since becoming head coach in 2001, Al Groh has had an up-and-down history in recruiting in-state talent. His track record: YR. ALL RECRUITS STATE RECRUITS '02 26 14 '03 22 10 '04 19 11 '05 24 13 '06 22 8 '07 24 13 '08 18 3 '09 15 10

Date published: 6/15/2008