It is so !@#$%&ing on...

From ESPN, UVA's Phillip Sims Granted Waiver:

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Quarterback Phillip Sims has been granted a waiver to play at Virginia this season.

The school says it was informed by the NCAA of the decision Wednesday.

Sims played in eight games as a redshirt freshman at Alabama in 2011, then transferred to Virginia in May. When he left Alabama, Sims issued a statement saying he needed to be closer to home to support his family.

He was among the highest rated quarterbacks in the country coming out of Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake in 2010. He had a 48-4 record and set state records with 10,725 yards passing and 119 touchdown passes.

Coach Mike London says he is pleased to have the matter resolved. Sims is expected to be able to compete for the starting job against incumbent Michael Rocco and sophomore dual-threat David Watford.

Sims has three years of eligibility remaining.

Now, I could see this playing out in one of three basic ways:

1) Via more experience and mastery of Bill Lazor's playbook, Mike Rocco beats Sims out for the starting job in training camp but Sims emerges as the top backup.  Watford - with no clear path to playing time until his 5th year senior season in 2015 - transfers.  Rock goes on to have another very good season, with Sims excelling in mop-up duty to force an all-out quarterback competition in the spring.

2) Mike Rocco beats Sims out for the starting job in training camp but Sims emerges as the top backup.  Watford - with no clear path to playing time until his 5th year senior season in 2015 - transfers.  Whenever Rock throws an interception, fans hem and haw for Sims.  Looking over his shoulder like he did during the first half of the 2011 season, Rocco struggles, and Sims takes the job sometime around midseason, never to relinquish it until his eligibility is exhausted.

3) Sims beats out Rocco for the starting job in training camp.  Rocco - not wanting to be a career backup after starting all of last season - transfers.  For better or worse, we sink or swim with an inexperienced Phillip Sims under center to start the season.  After playing through some hiccups against Richmond, Sims settles in and guides us to a win over Penn State and a run of unparalleled success over the next three seasons.


All that matters right now is this: Phillip Sims is the most talented quarterback we've had on roster since at least Aaron Brooks, and maybe since Shawn Moore.  The cream will rise to the top.  But how Mike London handles this situation will go a long way toward determining the coach's ultimate success or failure at UVA.