|
|||||||||||||
Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (0)
Return to the gridiron
If Oakton graduate Jared Green's nationally televised speech, which was used to introduce his father, longtime Washington Redskin Darrell Green, at the Pro Football Hall of Fame was any indication, this upcoming football season promises special things for the University of Virginia wide receiver.
After finishing his planned material, Green freestyled an anecdotal ending -- "I gave more than I had," he later said -- that described a text message his dad had received the night before the ceremony, which Jared, holding his dad's phone, subsequently deleted.
"I thought [the speech] was great," said Green's coach at Oakton, Joe Thompson, who led the Cougars to a Virginia AAA state title during Green's junior year in 2005. "I'm biased, but I thought it was the best one there."
As isolated as that podium was, Green has found himself in the complete opposite situation at Virginia. With the return of junior wideout Kevin Ogletree, who missed all of last season with a knee injury but had 52 catches for 582 yards and four touchdowns in 2006, Green is one of several receivers vying for that No. 2 spot behind Ogletree.
Green will battle players like Maurice Covington and Stanton Jobe for the job, but, as one of the things learned from the man he inducted, Green knows that it's all possible with hard work.
"It's just the will to win," said Green, when asked what it will take to win a starting job. "You know how training camp is. You just have to keep grinding."
And if anything, there's comfort in numbers. Green is one of five local players on the Cavaliers' roster, joining quarterback Peter Lalich (West Springfield), running backs Keith Payne (Oakton) and Max Milien (Yorktown) and wide receiver Johnny Pickett (Westfield).
After completing 35 of 61 passes as a true freshman last season, Lalich is one of three signal-callers looking to take over for 2007 starter Jameel Sewell, who's currently not enrolled at the school.
Payne was fourth on the team last season with 219 rushing yards but has switched to fullback due to the presence of Cedric Peerman and Mikell Simpson ahead of him. Milien and Pickett will most likely play reserve-type roles.
On Nov. 29, the Cavaliers will visit rival Virginia Tech, which could -- as is typical this time of year -- be led by Westfield graduate Sean Glennon. Unable to enjoy the comforts of an uncontested starting job, Glennon must either platoon with sophomore Tyrod Taylor or force coach Frank Beamer into giving his senior quarterback unabashed control of the offense.
"I hope I'm the guy taking all the snaps, but Tyrod's a good quarterback too," said Glennon, who completed 143-of-235 passes last season for 1,796 yards and 12 touchdowns. "[The coaches] really haven't given us any insight."
Outside of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Penn State will turn to Westfield's Evan Royster, who'll hope to shine in the Nittany Lions' new "Spread HD" offense. Royster gained 513 yards on 82 carries with five touchdowns a season ago while splitting time with departed tailback Rodney Kinlaw.
With a bevy of Northern Virginia football stars looking to make an impact at the Division I-A level, does this mean that the balance of power has shifted north?
"I guess that says that we're finally becoming a name," Green said. "Everybody talks about Southern Virginia, Hampton [Roads] and all that, but we're producing just as many recruits as them so we're on the map now."
You must be logged in to post a comment.