Wahoo Wire

Part 1: What’s new? and Offense

Part 2: Defense and Special Teams

Part 3: Recruiting and the Future

Part 4: Players to Watch and 2010 Season Outlook

Part III

The past two installments of the 2010 Virginia Football Preview took you through this upcoming season in terms of the coaching staff and schematic changes, as well as the on-field tandems and where they currently stand. In this part of the preview, Wahoo Wire will break down the future of the Virginia program, looking particularly at Mike London’s first recruiting class and attempting to divulge what we can expect in the next few years.

Recruiting

Throughout his tenure here in Charlottesville, Al Groh went through some ups and downs in terms of the level of talent he was able to bring in on a year-to-year basis. At times, Groh looked like a mastermind, swaying some of the nation’s top talent to come to Virginia in the hopes of playing for a former NFL coach in a talent-rich ACC league. Take, for instance, the recruiting class of 2002, where Groh landed three Rivals five-star products in the form of LB Ahmad Brooks, RB Michael Johnson, and DE Kai Parham.

However, after the class of 2002, Groh found little to no luck on the recruiting trail, particularly in his later years as Virginia’s Head Coach. Much of this can be attributed to Groh’s lack of relationships with high school head coaches, who have a tremendously large impact on the recruiting on their players. Groh was perceived to be cold or unsociable to recruits, which turned many off to Virginia before they even had a chance to take a tour of Grounds or make it to a game at Scott Stadium.

Thus, Mike London not only inherited a team in shambles, but a program with a weak recruiting reputation as well. Since taking over as head coach in December, however, London has made tremendous strides in reestablishing the Hoos as a dominant recruiting force both on the statewide and national scenes.

Through crafty methods (i.e. holding an open practice on the campus of Old Dominion University), London has been able to make inroads in the Hampton Roads area, his hometown and a community that consistently puts out good football talent. Virginia Tech has dominated in this area in the last few years, but since London’s hiring, Virginia has stolen away some players that, had it been a few years ago, would have most likely landed in Blacksburg.

According to recent rankings by ESPN.com, the University of Virginia has the 18^th best recruiting class in the country for 2011, ranking above in-state foe Virginia Tech and a handful of other ACC schools. Below is a listing of the current list of commits (verbals) for the class of 2011 and their rankings out of five stars according to Rivals.com:

Of note, David Watford is the first player from Hampton High School to commit to Virginia in the past decade. As mentioned before, this is huge, as the 757 area code is known for producing top caliber talent.

The Future

It’s tough to say what the future will hold for the Virginia Football program since everything is new this year, but we love the direction that the program has taken under London. Not only has he reinvigorated the fan base and upped support tenfold, but London has also made great strides in the areas of recruiting.

If London continues to make progress on the recruiting front, then Virginia should reestablish itself as a respectable program and regain its rightful spot near the top of the ACC. With players like Watford, Richardson, Phelps, and Dean, all of who either turned down high major offers to come to U.Va. or are considered underrated by many, the Hoos have a solid base to build around in the years to come.

However, it will take Virginia a few years to get back to where they want to be. Sure, expectations are high for 2010 because the program has gotten a fresh start under London and the staff has done many things to ensure immediate success, but we all must remember that the rebuilding process is still in full swing.

So when will Virginia battle for an ACC championship again? My best guess: 2014.

Check back tomorrow for the final installment of the 2010 Virginia Football Preview where we’ll give you a game-by-game breakdown of the season and tell you what players to watch for on the field this year.