Curtain call for Cavaliers’  kindred spirits

CHARLOTTESVILLE In retrospect, it's a friendship that seems obvious.

Jameel Sewell played through more injuries than most people sustain in their lifetimes. He was academically suspended but didn't leave Virginia, instead fighting his way back onto the team.

Vic Hall switched positions on a seemingly weekly basis. He's scored touchdowns virtually every way possible and also has brushed off pretty much everything in the medical encyclopedia.

"I guess it's a mentality," he said. "How can you not play if you can walk?"

The two Virginians will take their final bow tomorrow against Virginia Tech. Sewell, a Hermitage graduate, will line up at quarterback, and Hall, who attended Gretna, will catch his passes.

It's an arrangement that was made at the request of Hall. The two jockeyed for the quarterback spot to start the season, but Hall was injured against William and Mary. In his absence, Sewell took over at the position.

When he returned, Hall went to coach Al Groh and suggested that Sewell be installed as permanent quarterback.

That story is just one of the reasons Groh speaks reverently of Hall -- the coach has described the two as "kindred spirits."

"I always feel very inadequate in trying to properly profile Vic for people who don't know him," Groh said. I would extend it beyond saying he's a special player. He's a very special person."

Sewell also speaks fondly of Hall's off-field talents, noting that he's an amateur musician who makes his own beats -- Hall is often spotted wearing DJ-style headphones -- and is the go-to guy on anything technology related.

"He's like the geek squad, basically," Sewell said. "He'll find a way to make anything work."

Sewell is just happy to be a part of the team after missing his junior season because of an academic suspension. Instead of transferring to an FCS school to play immediately, he was promised by Groh that he could return if he got himself caught up.

"Even through his discouragement at the time, and I can remember how soft-spoken he was talking about it, he was determined in that whatever he had to do he would to get back to play," Groh said.

Now he's playing his senior year on a bad ankle, an aching shoulder and any number of other sore body parts.

Yet he's still been able to climb to third place on the U.Va. all-time passing list, passing Scott Gardner and Aaron Brooks last Saturday. Despite the rocky ride, he'll be remembered as one of the school's most prolific passers.

He hasn't had a chance to visit Hermitage recently, but during his junior year he would visit the coaching staff and chat with the players. He's one of a handful of Cavs starters from Virginia, which allows his family to attend home games.

"When the family is an hour away, it's easy for them to come visit you sometimes," Sewell said. "They know you're up here for a reason, so they're not intervening too much, but when we need to see each other we'll make it happen."

Hall also is a Virginian, from nearby Gretna. His place in the U.Va. history books is as a player who seemed to occupy every position on the field at one point.

After throwing a touchdown pass last Saturday, he's now scored a touchdown by passing, rushing, receiving and returning an interception. Twice he's returned punts for touchdowns, only for the scores to be nullified by penalties. His competitive spirit showed when he was asked if he remembered who committed the infractions -- he said that he did.

Groh said he noticed the fire in each of them early in the recruiting process. For Sewell, it was when he attended U.Va.'s summer football camp. For Hall, it was as Groh watched him lead Gretna to two state titles.

"He just took over, and not only willed his team to win, but performed his team to win," Groh said. "You've got to have guys like that on your team."

Now they both have their sights set on Virginia Tech and tomorrow's game.

"We don't have a bowl game, we don't have a winning season, but we do have the opportunity to come out, execute and make it happen," Sewell said. "It would be a great feeling and a great way to go out."

Contact Michael Phillips at (804) 649-6546 or .