U.VA. NOTES: Brandenburg adapts to pace of college game

Brandenburg adapts to pace of college game

-- Assane Sene isn't the only promising young big man in Dave Leitao's basketball program. Virginia's other freshmen include 6-11, 248-pound John Brandenburg, who had two points and a rebound Tuesday night in four minutes against Brown.

Moments after entering the game with 4:05 left, Brandenburg took a pass in the low post and, without hesitating, put up a jump hook that dropped through the net.

"We've really been working on developing that since I got here," Brandenburg said. "In high school, I was more of a jump-shooter. I really didn't need the hook, because I was so much taller than everybody."

Brandenburg, an outstanding student who chose U.Va. over Stanford, has played in four games this season, scoring six points and grabbing four rebounds. He's made 3 of 5 shots from the floor.

"We're trying to get him every day in practice to be aggressive in everything that he does: running, defensively, offensively, just adjusting to the pace of college basketball," Leitao said.

"I think at 6-11, he's been so used to being five, six, seven, eight inches taller than everybody, that playing against same-sized guys and playing at the pace, particularly of a guy like Assane, is a new experience for him, and he's just getting adjusted and caught up with that."

Three football players due to return to classes

The spring semester begins Tuesday at U.Va., and those expected to start classes will include quarterback Jameel Sewell, defensive back Chris Cook and linebacker Darnell Carter.

Sewell, Cook and Carter were among the four Virginia football players - including wide receiver Chris Dalton - placed on academic suspension January 2008. Each was required to leave U.Va. for two semesters before returning.

Dalton wants to transfer to another school - possibly Western Carolina - but Sewell, Cook and Carter will rejoin Al Groh's program.

Sewell and Cook will be fifth-year seniors in 2009. The 6-3, 240-pound Carter, from Englewood, N.J., has two seasons of eligibility left.

As a redshirt freshman in 2007, Carter was listed on the second team at inside linebacker but rarely got on the field. He appeared in seven games - for a total of 18 plays - and made one tackle.

Carter, 21, said he spent the past year in New Jersey, working at a locksmith's office and taking classes at Bergen Community College.

"It was really tough," he said. "It was hard just sitting out and watching my team, but I got through it. It helped me mature."

Groh looks to replace team's strength coach

Groh is looking for a strength coach to replace Matt Balis, and the candidates include Aaron Hillmann, who has a distant connection to U.Va.

Hillmann oversees the strength-and-conditioning programs for the 18 sports at Bowling Green State University, including football. U.Va.'s new offensive coordinator, Gregg Brandon, spent the past eight seasons at Bowling Green.

After two seasons at Virginia, Balis left this month for Mississippi State, where he's been reunited with Dan Mullen. Balis and Mullen worked together at Utah and at Florida.

Hillman, a Missouri graduate, was Notre Dame's assistant strength-and-conditioning coordinator from 1998 to 2001 before going to Bowling Green. He was Connecticut's head strength coach for football from 1996 to'98. - Jeff White