Virginia left with what-ifs

As Virginia's seniors are honored this Saturday before the rivalry game with Virginia Tech, it will be easy to ask if things might have gone differently for this group of players.

What if Cedric Peerman had stayed for his senior season, giving the quarterback an experienced receiver?

What if Al Groh had Jeffrey Fitzgerald and J'Courtney Williams in the lineup, and Jameel Sewell was returning with a full year of starting experience?

What if Mikell Simpson hadn't been interrupted so often by injuries?

And what about Peter Lalich, who is now sitting on the sideline at Oregon State?

"Football in general is a talent-driven game, and I think in college football even more so," Groh said last week. "And the position where that is most significant is at quarterback. When the player who was designated 'quarterback to the future' was not available to us, it put us on a different course."

That course has included a five-game losing streak for the Cavs, with one game remaining.

It's impossible to know if a different lineup would have made the difference for Groh, who will likely take his final bow Saturday as U.Va. coach, but it's easy to speculate.

The coach said the loss of so many key players was a new experience for him, and he has hinted this year that the talent level in the program isn't as high as it has been in years past.

Lack of depth also has hurt the team, which was evident in the second half of Saturday's 34-21 loss to Clemson.

Simpson had captained the offense to success in the first half in the wildcat offense but injured his hamstring on the final play of the half. Groh said last night that the injury will be evaluated day by day this week as to his status for Saturday.

With the team's top runner out, Groh turned to Vic Hall, who was unable to recreate the magic in one stalled-out wildcat drive. Hall was fighting a hip injury and hadn't practiced the entire week.

The offensive line also showed its strain, allowing six fourth-quarter sacks on Sewell, prompting Groh to insert true freshman Oday Aboushi. The job might have gone to Morgan Moses (Meadowbrook), but he's at Fork Union this year, and as such is not yet a member of Virginia's team.

For Simpson, the what-ifs have revolved around injuries. First he won the starting job in training camp, before being sidelined for the final weeks of practices. Then he finally started hitting his stride but was carried off the field with a neck injury during the Indiana game.

Depending on the severity of his most recent injury, his 127-yard first half against Clemson might be the last glimpse of his potential that fans get.

"He was obviously having his best game of the season against Indiana, and that ended with an injury," Groh said last night. "It seems to be a bit of an unfortunate pattern."