WahoozeCast - November, 11th

Hey there errybody. We're back to fill your brain with our delightful discussion of all things UVA sports. Enjoy our reflection on the start of the basketball team's season, football's upcoming game at Miami, and a few other things - like how awful NC State is.

Leave comments so we can discuss!





If you have issues with the stream cutting out or restarting, just right click the rotunda-looking thing, save the mp3 file, and listen to the download.

WahoozeCast - November, 6th

Hello again, friends of Wahooze.

We're back this week to with our EXTENSIVE 2013-2014 BASKETBALL PREVIEW. Get excited, if you're a fan of long rambling discussion because this is easily our LONGEST episode EVER. We're going to break down the men's basketball roster with player previews for all the returning and new scholarship players. Have a look here if you want to following along with stats/bio from the roster.

Things get a little weird at one point. You'll enjoy it, I promise


As always, leave comments! And pardon our amateurish sound quality. BASKETBALL STARTS TOMORROW. BASKETBALL STARTS TOMORROW. BASKETBALL STARTS TOMORROW. BASKETBALL STARTS TOMORROW. BASKETBALL STARTS TOMORROW. BASKETBALL STARTS TOMORROW. BASKETBALL STARTS TOMORROW.

WahoozeCast - October, 22nd

Good morning, Wahooze nation!

We're back this week on the cast to run some coaching candidates names/thoughts, as well as a few basketball-related celebrations. For an RSS feed for our new host, archive.org, it looks like it may be possible to create a feed searching for anything with "Wahooze" in the title. I don't know if this will work, but try: https://archive.org/search.php?query=title%3A%28wahooze%29#raw

We reference a few links that I'll post below the player. Enjoy! Leave Comments!

KENDALL'S LIST

ACC COACHES - MEDIA DAY MASCOT DRAWINGS

WahoozeCast - October, 16th

WahoozeCast is back this week with some ramblings, frustrations, hopes, and dreams following a couple of tough losses for the football team. Where does the blame fall on a disastrous first half of the season? What can be done to fix it? We even disagree on some things...it's riveting stuff, folks.

Leave comments! Discuss! Enjoy!

WahoozeCast - October 1st

Welcome back, faithful listeners. Apologies for our brief absence from your headphones - work travel had me in the land of unreliable internet for far too long. This week, we discuss our current feelings towards the state of the program - which, for the amount of potential negativity, I think we summed it up quite nicely with a faint optimistic hope... Listen below. Leave comments. Archived previous casts to come soon.

Quin's Essential

In case you missed it on Wednesday, the Hoos reeled in consensus 5-star free safety prospect Quin Blanding from Bayside high school in Virginia Beach.  If this is news to you, you really should read more about it -- HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Say hello to "Pretty Ricky"

Saying Blanding is a 5-star doesn't even begin to tell the tale.  He's not only the #1 safety recruit in the nation, he's also the #4 recruit overall according to Rivals (#7 overall according to 247) and the #2 recruit in the state of Virginia.  Some analysts have joked that if the recruiting services gave out 6th stars, Quin Blanding would get one.

So he's a great player -- a free safety all the way, a guy who runs like a deer and hits like a truck, who is smart on and off the field, ca cover from sideline to sideline and boundary to boundary, has the proverbial 6th sense when it comes to taking proper angles from the safety position, has the clichéd "high football IQ," has outstanding ball skills, has a great attitude and work ethic, is a grinder, instinctive, has legit NFL potential, and is a charismatic leader.

And it's that charismatic leadership that makes Quin so essential.  Because not only are we getting a great player - probably the best safety prospect we've had since Anthony Poindexter, and it might not even be close - he's also one of those "first domino" types of recruits who has a ton of friends who happen to be very talented football players, guys who Blanding will work hard to help recruit to UVA.  Those very talented friends include:

• 5-star defensive tackle Andrew Brown
• 4-star wide receiver Jamil Kamara
• 4-star defensive end Jalyn Holmes
• 4-star offensive lineman Steven Moss
• 4-star defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi

It's not a stretch to think that Blanding could help reel in four of these five recruits, giving Virginia its best recruiting class in a over a decade, and setting the stage for UVA to ascend to the top of the ACC and to a position of national relevance.

So celebrate this commitment, because it's a pretty big deal.

Yep, that's right.  Number 3.  I have little doubt Pretty Ricky will be able to live up to the legacy of Dex.  Incredible to be able to say that, isn't it?

Gold Rush

There are bigger topics in Wahooze Land - namely, today's announcement by 2014 five-star safety überrecruit Quin "Pretty Ricky" Blanding, presumably in favor of the Hoos, and the pending BIGGEST GAME OF THE SEASON in basketball, at home against Dook late tomorrow night - but neither of those tasty tidbits is what this post is about.

Nope, this piece is about something else entirely.  This thread is about Virginia Football's Gold Rush.

Wiki, take us away...

The discovery of gold nuggets in the Sacramento Valley in early 1848 sparked the Gold Rush, arguably one of the most significant events to shape American history during the first half of the 19th century. As news spread of the discovery, thousands of prospective gold miners traveled by sea or over land to San Francisco and the surrounding area; by the end of 1849, the non-native population of the California territory was some 100,000 (compared with the pre-1848 figure of less than 1,000). A total of $2 billion worth of precious metal was extracted from the area during the Gold Rush, which peaked in 1852.

Okay, so the history lesson is over, now it's time to connect the dots with how this relates to Virginia Football.  It's pretty simple: HOLY CRAP, WE ARE ABOUT TO START PLAYING A LOT OF WESTERN FOOTBALL POWERS!  We're headed out West in search of money, fame, and fortune, right, so it's kind of like a gold rush, see?  Screw it, I thought it was clever.  (Excuse my incredibly long, awkward, clumsy, clunky intro and transition.  I appreciate your dedication and patience, dear reader.)

Anyway, news broke on Monday that we have hammered out a home-and-home series with Boise State to be played in 2015 (in Charlottesville) and 2017 (in Boise).

Add that to the loco-crazy games against Oregon in 2013 (CVille) and 2016 (Eugene).

Add that to the 2013 (CVille) and 2014 (Provo) series against BYU, the 2014 (CVille) and 2015 (LA) series against UCLA, and the 2017 (home) and 2018 (away) series against Stanford.

That's a whopping FOUR home-and-home battles we'll be waging against Western powers in the coming six seasons as part of our out-of-conference schedule.  Eight games against West Coast teams.

Why are we doing this?

I'm not entirely sure, but I do kind of like the idea of UVA repping the best coast against these left coast turdmongers.  I also like the idea of playing against strong academic institutions in UCLA and Stanford.  We already talked about how we like (or dislike) the Oregon game in aspiration of playing "big boy football" instead of snacking on cupcakes.  Whether or not we're able to MAN UP remains to be seen, but we'll be generating a lot more cash with these games than we would in gimme games against the dregs of the Sun Belt and MAC, hence the term "gold rush."  Go west, get paid.  Let's do it.

By the way, you can always see our upcoming schedule, HERE.  Clicksmack that site early and often.  It's awesome.

Meanwhile, since we're already on the topic of OOC scheduling and partnering up with West Coast programs... why are we leaving the most obvious angle of all sitting there on the table?  Why don't we forge an annual rivalry against California, and set up a yearly battle between the two best public universities in the free world?  Too obvious?  I think it's a perfect fit.  A slam dunk, a grand slam, a hole in one, a hat trick, a first round knockout.

Paging Mr. Oliver.  Make it happen, bruh.  UVA/Cal, annual rivalry.  Cook it up, mi amigo.

LET'S DO THIS!

If you have a better annual rival to suggest, deposit it into the comments section, below.  Who should be UVA's play-'em-every-season, hated, out-of-conference rival?  I say Cal.  Who do you say?

2013 Schedule Scoop!

Sorry to bump Mike's post down the list so quickly, but I got this about two hours ahead of the curve, and needed to share.  Here is our 2013 football schedule:

8/31 - BYU
9/7 - Oregon
9/14 - BYE
9/21 - VMI
9/28 - @ Pittsburgh
10/5 - Ball State
10/12 - @ Maryland
10/19 - Duke
10/26 - Georgia Tech
11/2 - Clemson
11/9 - @ UNC
11/16 - BYE
11/23 - @ Miami
11/30 - Virginia Tech

Instant analysis: 

• It's imperative we start 1-1 and not 0-2, though the bye on 9/14 allows us time to regroup after what is sure to be a shellacking at the hands of Oregon.
• I wish VMI weren't the first game after the bye week, however.  That's a wasted opportunity.
• I like the trip to Pitt so early in the season -- I wonder if we'll be their first ACC game?  That'd be kind of cool.  Though maybe not, as they'll likely be pretty fired up for that.
• Gotta go at least 3-1 in October to have any hope for a decent season.  All four are winnable games.
• Love Clemson in early November.  That's classic Clemson lull time, right there.  It's a longshot, but maybe we can catch the Tigers napping in that one.
• We're looking at the good possibility of an 0-4 end to the season.  That doesn't bode well for Coach London, as a 5-7 finish after a 5-3 start is the kind of thing that gets coaches fired.
• I'm calling it now: 6-6.  The wins: BYU, VMI, Ball State, @ UMD, Duke, GT, VT.  Whelp, I just listed seven wins.  I guess I'm calling it 7-5.  UN-A-BASHED-HO-MER-clap-clap-clapclapclap
• With eight freaking home games, we better scrape together a winning season.  Shit.

Meet the Recruit: George Adeosun

We've saved the best for last. George Adeosun is truly one of the most interesting stories of anyone this year, well except maybe Alex Collins. If Eric Smith really improved himself after his senior film, I'm not entirely sure how to describe what happened with George Adeosun. Adeosun is a 6-foot-6, 296-pound offensive tackle from Alpharetta, Georgia, who was committed to William and Mary, until the following happened:

January 18: UVA hosts "secret visitor" with the rest of the commits on official visits. Visitor confirmed to be Bill and Mary commit George Adeosun, who is offered by UVA

January 23: Adeosun offered by Oklahoma (Hoofans slightly concerned)

January 24: Adeosun offered by Missouri, Kentucky, and Purdue

January 25: Adeosun officially decommits from Bill and Mary (Man's game) and takes official visit to Oklahoma

January 29: Adeosun offered by Georgia Tech (Hoofans start to worry)

February 1: Adeosun offered by Georgia (Hoofans start to PANIC)

During this time, Adeosun has also jumped from unrated/1-star to 4-star in the 247 rankings. Over two weeks this kid went from a 1-AA commit to a big time D-1 recruit. A meteoric rise. That Iranian monkey didn't even rise this fast (BOOM, TOPICAL!) But in the end this worked out well for the Hoos. Now on to the important stuff. Adeosun is a stud. He has all the measurables to be a big-time player. He also is an exceptionally bright kid who will do as much mentally on the field as he does physically. He will be a quick learn, and I think will end up winning the RT job his redshirt freshman season.

UVA Projection: This kid is going to be good. I know I JUST said in the Smith writeup that it is hard to predict success for lineman, but I have a hard time not seeing Adeosun do well. Good head on his shoulders, prototypical size, good feet, good athletic ability - he's a cornerstone type of player. In fact, I would not be surprised to see him keep Whitmire on the right side. Yup. He's that good. Left tackle good.

ALSO: You should give him a follow. He's @realwords. You will not be disappointed.

Meet the Recruit: Eric Smith

Eric Smith is a 6-foot-5, 280-pound offensive tackle out of Columbia, Georgia. Smith flew relatively under the radar until his senior film came in, and then became the source of an interesting recruiting situation. After his film was evaluated, Smith was being pursued by both UVA and UNC. As Smith's stock continued to rise, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that he would be offered by both. However, following the firing of Jim Reid, UNC stole Brad Henson from the Cavaliers in their typical super-shady, backdoor, dark alley, scumbag ways. This however became an opportunity for the Hoos to move on Smith, as UNC was now full on the offensive line. UVA pounced on the opportunity and secured Smith, basically completing a trade of Smith for Henson. This is a trade we all liked, especially considering this one piece of logic: It is much easier to slide a tackle inside to play guard, than it is to bump a guard outside to play tackle. Smith could turn out to be a steal at tackle, literally.

UVA Projection: Smith probably has the best shot of anyone to play his freshman season, but I don't think I see that happening, barring some sort of disaster. A redshirt season will allow him to bulk up and be ready to compete for a spot at right tackle in his RS Freshman season. It's difficult to project the success of offensive lineman so early, but if I had to guess, I think he'll be a good one. He's got a physical nature that translates well at RT.

Meet the Recruit: Jack English

"He has a motor that won't quit."  Of all the annoying, played-out football scouting clichés, this one is probably the most annoying and played out.  But... like it or not, this cliché is what you'll hear whenever anyone wants to describe the best part about Jack English's game.  You know what that means, so I won't elaborate for you.  English is a try-hard guy.  We get it.  247 rated him a high 2-star and Rivals a low 3-star, so there's a bit of a consensus -- maybe Jack English is a nice football player, but his athletic ability is relatively limited and his ceiling is probably pretty low.  He has a good arsenal of pass rush moves, and the size (6-6, 250) to play inside if need be.  He also has some upside at tight end, as an in-line blocker.  But his position at UVA will likely be defensive end.  It's not difficult to see a little Brennan Schmidt in Jack English.  One thing I want to say is this: Gotta have kids like this to round out every recruiting class, and you need them on your roster to keep driving and pushing the more talented players forward.  Also, when we go fishing for these 2-star type players to flesh out the recruiting effort, I want them to be from Virginia, like English.

UVA Projection:  I just mentioned Schmidt, and that's probably the dream career for Jack English.  But unlike Schmidt, English isn't stepping into a situation at UVA where he'll be required to play early.  A 2013 redshirt is definitely in order.  After that, I assume we'll see English on the two-deep, and playing solid football whenever he sees the field.  I could see him figuring into the succession plan to replace Jake Snyder at LDE in 2014, though Mike Moore will certainly get first crack at that honor.  The best thing Jack English will likely do at UVA is light a fire under the asses of guys like Courtnye Wynn and Diamonte Bailey.  Match English's work ethic and effort level, or lose your opportunity for playing time.  I rather like that impact English could make.

Meet the Recruit: Brendan Marshall

Once upon a time (back when I was part of Team Cupcake), I said that in the wake of Al Groh's negligent handling of the quarterback position, we'd need to shift into the mode of "throwing numbers against the wall to see what sticks."  Mike London has done exactly that, recruiting Mike Rocco, Michael Strauss, Jake McGee, and Miles Gooch in 2010, David Watford in 2011, Greyson Lambert and Matt Johns in 2012, accepting the transfer of Phillip Sims, and recruiting Corwin Cutler and Brendan Marshall in 2013.  You already know that I'm high on Lambert, hold out hope for Sims, see Johns as a darkhorse in the race, and am really high on Cutler.  So what does Marshall add to the mix?  Well, for one, he's tall.  6-5, to be exact.  He's got great touch on the short-to-intermediate throws.  He also helped us secure his Good Counsel teammates - Andre Levrone and Kirk Garner - so there's that.  And as the first commitment in the 2013 class, he opened the floodgates for us.  But beyond all that, this 3-star prospect doesn't bring anything really remarkable to the table.  But you know what?  Neither did Matt Schaub, and he ended up being one of our best quarterbacks ever.  We've now got six scholarships tied up at the QB position, which is a lot... probably two too many.  Marshall isn't the kind of talent that will grab you and capture your imagination, but he might be a number that sticks to the wall as we sort the roster out.

UVA Projection:  I realize I just damned Marshall with faint praise, but being completely honest, I don't think he'll ever be more than a backup and potential transfer victim at UVA.  He doesn't have any special skills or abilities, and he's got some mechanical issues that need to be ironed out.  I just don't see much upside in his game, and I think he's facing a serious uphill climb.  In terms of pure potential, I'd rank him 6th out of the six QBs we'll have on the roster in 2013.  I hate to utter the word "clipboard"... but there it was.

(Again, I'd love to be proven dead wrong and eat a healthy plate of crow on some of these less-positive Meet the Recruit pieces, but I'm here to share my honest opinion on these guys.)

Meet the Recruit: Micah Kiser

With Steve Greer graduating and attempting to ply his wares at the next level, we're left with a 376-tackle hole in the heart of our defense.  Now, I remain bullish on Kwontie Moore as our Ray Lewis, and I like Henry Coley enough to feel comfortable with him at the Mike if that's what it comes to.  But the key to being a really good college football team is stacking up talent at key positions, and no matter how you slice it, middle linebacker is absolutely a key position in a 4-3 defense.  Enter Micah Kiser, a 4-star linebacker recruit (according to 247, he's a high 3-star on Rivals) earmarked for the Mike position.  Kiser is not the biggest linebacker prospect, at just 6-2, 215, but he's got the speed, movement skills, and relentlessness in pursuit that can add up to a pretty special sum.  He's an athletic guy, who adds some desperately-needed depth at the linebacker position.  In my mind, Kiser is one of the key recruits in this class.

UVA Projection:  Assuming a 2013 redshirt, there will be two seasons of spacing between Moore and Kiser.  Therefore, I project Kiser to get on the field in sub packages and special teams as a redshirt freshman (2014) and sophomore (2015) before taking over the Mike spot for 2016 and '17.  And during those two seasons, I fully expect Kiser to emerge as a star, and a Sunday player by the time he leaves Charlottesville.  I really like this kid and his potential.  (Kiser reminds me of Odell Thurman, if any of you are Georgia or Cincinnati Bengals fans.)

Meet the Recruit: Jack McDonald

Jack McDonald is a 6-foot-5, 275 pound guard from Boston, Mass. One of the trio of our Massachusetts targets going into this recruiting cycle, McDonald was the only one to come out for the good guys. McDonald projects as a guard at UVA, but will also get some reps at center during practice. A very smart kid, I think center may be where he ends up long term, though with his height, maybe not. Jack is one of a very strong recruiting class for the UVA o-line and should develop into a starter before his time at UVA is up. His mobility and nose for blocking is what projects him to guard, which should be good when pulling for runs for our dynamic backfield.

UVA Projection: Jack will redshirt next season. With the core of the interior line returning there will be no reason to burn his redshirt season. After a year in the conditioning program Jack should be able to challenge for one of the vacated interior line spots in the fall of 2014.

Meet the Recruit: Max Valles

Max Valles originally committed to the Hoos with the class of 2012. Forced to attend Fork Union for a prep season, Valles has grown into a significant threat at tight end. At 6-foot-5, 208 pounds he has the frame to grow into a prototypical tight end, and will most likely be used in blocking situations. Valles is very athletic  but also very raw at this position. TOB will be able to coach him up and possibly turn him into a starting tight end by his career's end. Valles is very unheralded coming out of FUMA, but has a chance to become a solid contributor, depending on how the tight end position is viewed in this offense moving forward.

UVA Projection: Valles is not going to be the next superstar tight end for this team. However he does have the chance to carve out a nice role as a blocking tight end that can also catch the ball on the goalline. Think of him as a potential secret weapon on a PA stretch play. Should definitely redshirt for the upcoming season.

Meet the Recruit: Eric Tetlow

Not including the 2013 draft class, we project to have seven scholarship offensive linemen on the roster at the conclusion of the 2013 season and the exhaustion of eligibility for Morgan Moses, Luke Bowanko, and Sean Cascarano.  Seven is approximately HALF of what a serious FBS-level program needs along the OL. Therefore, recruiting big uglies had to be a primary focus with the 2013 class.  We did well to land Sadiq Olanrewaju, Jack McDonald, and then Eric Smith, but it still wasn't enough.  I don't know if many UVA fans were panicked about the situation, but I was.  And it seems like Tom O'Brien was too, because one of his first orders of business was to nudge Coach London in the direction of bringing in a few more OL recruits in this class.  Cue the aggressive pursuit of George Adeosun, and the Signing Day flip-flop of Eric Tetlow from his Wake Forest commitment to join the Wahoos.  Tetlow is a rock-solid 6-6, 295 pound prospect who reeled in 3-star status from 247 and Rivals.  Along with Virginia and Wake Forest, he was pursued by Arizona State, Boston College, Maryland, Pitt, Purdue, and USF.  That's not a stunning offer sheet, but it does tell you that Tetlow was held in fairly high regard as prospect.  He's already "up to size," which means he doesn't need to add much more mass to his frame, which means he could be ready to play pretty early in his college career.  Where he'll play could be a bit of a question, though it seems like he's probably destined for the right tackle position at UVA.

UVA Projection:  Redshirting in 2013 opens up the opportunity for Tetlow to serve as a rare four-year starter at right tackle, beginning in 2014.  I think that's possible, but he'll need to fend off Sean Karl, Mike Mooney, and Eric Smith (I like Whitmire, Olanrewaju, and Adeosun at left tackle).  At worst, Tetlow is another big body we can move around the depth chart at any position on the line -- I think he's more than capable of a Cascarano-esque move inside to guard.  Really, having numbers is the most important thing at the OL positions, and Tetlow gives us another highly capable number.

Meet the Recruit: LaChaston Smith

Described as a "heat-seeking missile," LaChaston Smith is a run-and-hit linebacker prospect who earned mid/high 3-star status from both 247 and Rivals.  Two special things about Smith: 1) He's a power conference recruit from North Carolina, typically a tough draw for Virginia, and 2) He's a good student who enrolled at UVA in January and is set to participate in spring practice with the Hoos.  He's already here, and he's already preparing to play.  But where exactly he might play is still in question.  At 6-0, 205, he's admittedly a little bit small for linebacker.  Since he was a record-breaking running back in high school, he has requested the chance to practice and compete at that position this spring, an has been allowed his fair chance to do so.  I have mixed feelings about this, mostly because we specifically recruited him to play a position of great need in this recruiting class (linebacker), and because I think he should be focused on bulking up and learning the nuances of that position, not moonlighting at running back.  I think we have to assume he'll end up back at linebacker before too long, however -- running back is a very CROWDED position for us right now.  At linebacker, Smith's lack of height could haunt him, but he's got pretty special speed and hitting ability.

UVA Projection:  I think we're looking at a future core special teams player here, with some amount of upside to crack the two-deep at linebacker by his 3rd or 4th season in the program.  I think the Tenuta pressure scheme plays to Smith's specific strengths, so he could be a sub-package player earlier in his career, given how his skills translate to good ability to blitz and attack.  I don't think he'll ever be a star at UVA, but he brings some good, unique traits to the table as a career role player.  You need talented kids like this on your depth chart if you want to be a good team.  He's definitely talented, and a proven winner.

Meet the Recruit: Tyrell Chavis

At long last, Tyrell Chavis will arrive at UVA. A 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive tackle, Chavis was forced to prep a year at Fork Union after failing to qualify out of Varina in RVA last season. Now fully qualified, Chavis is ready to step in and become a monster in the DT rotation. Chavis has quick hands and feet, and really burst onto the scene this season at FUMA. In the wake of Jim Reid's firing, Chavis was pursued heavily by Virginia Tech. But in meeting with John Tenuta, Chavis decided that Charlottesville was the place for him. Chavis is going to step into a big role at a position of need and, paired with Wilkins, could help develop the defensive line as a strength of this team.

UVA Projection: Chavis could be part of the rotation from Day 1, especially given the departure of Chris Brathwaite. He and Wilkins will (not might or could) become a monster twosome up front for the Hoos. Chavis is a very important piece in the development of an SEC-style two-deep Mike London wants on the defensive line. Yeah, Chavis could be that good.  SEC good.

Meet the Recruit: Zach Bradshaw

Zach Bradshaw is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound athlete from Damascus, Maryland. Virginia landed Bradshaw after he decommitted from Penn State in the wake of the sanctions handed down from the NCAA. Slotted to play linebacker, Bradshaw has tremendous speed for his position. Bradshaw projects as a solid weakside linebacker. At Damascus, Bradshaw was a stud on special teams, a task in which he should also excel at UVA. Bradshaw returned punts and kicks, as well as working at receiver and linebacker. He possess a tremendous football IQ, which will translate well at linebacker, especially when he needs to drop into coverage and blanket a slot receiver or a tight end. Bradshaw has tremendous ball skills and solid top-end speed. He will need to gain weight to play, but should become a contributor to the base defense by the end of his career.

UVA Analysis: Bradshaw needs to pack on some pounds. If he gets to 225-230 he will be a nightmare. I think he will redshirt this season, but if Coach Lewis sees something in him, he may not. I think he will be starting and a solid contributor before his career is out, and will grow into a special teams maven.

Meet the Recruit: Connor Wingo-Reeves

All you really need to know about Connor Wingo-Reeves is what 247's UVA recruiting guru Jamie Oakes said about him today: "I see Wingo-Reeves as the steal of this class because of the value he brings at a position of need."  BOOM.  The value?  Prototypical fullback size (220 pounds and still adding beef) with functional fullback speed (4.75 in the 40) and a fullback-style sense of aggression.  (Said Wingo Reeves: "I play with a lot of passion and I'm a very physical football player.  I think I use my hands well and read things well in coverage and study the game. And I just like hitting people.")  The need?  The fullback position, where all we've had so far during the Mike London era is an ensemble cast of retreads and misfits.  We got CWR to flip from an earlier commitment to Temple, and we traded off the services of 3-star cornerback Hipolito Corporan in order to land Wingo-Reeves.  (Corporan's scholarship was stripped away when he chose to visit Utah, in order to create space for CWR's commitment in this class.)  Wingo-Reeves was recruited to play linebacker and/or fullback -- I believe his offer from Navy was to play fullback in that throwback wishbone triple-option offense.  Personally, I'm just glad we can end the trend of moving jumbo-type athletes who fail at their first position to the fullback position here at UVA.  Max Milien (RB), LoVante' Battle (S), Terence Fells-Danzer (LB), Ryan Cobb (LB), and now Zach Swanson (TE) and Vincent Croce (DT) all started out at different positions at UVA, then segued to fullback mid-career.  While Wingo-Reeves also played linebacker and tight end in high school, he's coming to Virginia to play fullback, to focus on developing as a fullback.  He's a fullback, all the way.  He's just a 2-star recruit (according to both 247 and Rivals), and he's the lowest-rated recruit in our 2013 class... but I agree with Jamie in that CWR is the coup of the class.  I look forward to seeing him split blocks and blow open holes as a featured component of a Tom O'Brien-style power running game in that not-too-distant future.

UVA Projection:  I'm going to be bold with this one.  Croce is a full-time fullback since he can't keep the weight he needs in order to play defensive tackle, so with him and now CWR and a few priority walk-ons at fullback, Zach Swanson (who was always too tall to play fullback position, anyway) is free to move back to tight end, where the numbers are perilously thin.  Wingo-Reeves could redshirt this season, but with Swanson out of the way, I see CWR as a four-year starter at fullback and as a core special teams player.

CWR's commitment to this class could essentially improve two positions, including ending a bad revolving door situation at FB.  All in all, pretty good for a lowly 2-star recruit.