Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, August 14, 1993                   TAG: 9308140041
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                                LENGTH: Medium

NO. 13 HOPES TO BRING LUCK TO CAVALIERS

"I had always worn No. 13 until we moved to New Jersey for my junior year in high school," Groh said. "They gave me No. 4, and then I broke my thumb on Friday the 13th. I've worn 13 ever since."

Groh, the most experienced of three upperclassmen bidding to start for UVa at quarterback, wasn't being superstitious. He likes the number because of his admiration for Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino.

Groh comes by his interest in professional football naturally. His father, former Cavaliers defensive lineman Al Groh, is in his first year as defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots after stops with the Atlanta Falcons, the New York Giants and the Cleveland Browns.

"I was just up in Rhode Island [at the Patriots' training camp] last week for a couple of days," Groh said. "He always has some advice, but the main thing is, if I ever need anything, he's only a phone call away."

Groh, a sophomore, finished the 1992 season as UVa's No. 2 quarterback and was called on to start the second half when starter Bobby Goodman faltered against North Carolina State. Of the 27 passes he attempted during the season, 23 came in the Cavaliers' 31-7 loss to the Wolfpack.

"They knew we were going to throw, and we were pretty limited in the calls we could make," said Groh, who became exposed to ACC football when his father was an assistant at North Carolina and, later, the head coach at Wake Forest. "I'm glad I got the experience, [but] it was so minimal as not to make a big difference."

There was no announcement on a No. 1 quarterback at the end of drills, although the field was reduced when former high school All-American B.J. Hawkins was suspended for a violation of team rules. That left Groh, sophomore Symmion Willis and redshirt freshman Tim Sherman.

"Our intention now is to pick a quarterback by the week of the opening game and go from there," head coach George Welsh said. "We'll obviously have a backup, and he'll get enough work to be sharp. If it doesn't work out, we'll go to somebody else.

"It's not set in stone, though. Whoever we pick, I hope it's the right one and he can be the guy, [but] it doesn't mean we're going to stay with him forever."

Although Virginia has lost its regular quarterback after each of the past three seasons, injuries allowed 1991 starter Matt Blundin and Goodman an opportunity to start two games apiece before their final seasons.

The last time Virginia entered a season without a quarterback who had started at least one game was 1984, when Kevin Ferguson was the initial choice but was replaced in the first month by Don Majkowski.

"It's preseason [when the decision is made] and you're playing against yourself," Welsh said. "Sometimes you have to play some games first."

Willis beat out Groh and Hawkins for the backup job last season, but he separated his right (throwing) shoulder against Duke in the fourth game and missed the remainder of the season. He completed spring practice without incident.

"There's not much difference in them," Welsh said. "Groh is not quite as fast as Willis and Sherman. He runs well enough to run our offense. I don't think anybody's ahead as a passer."

Wide receiver Larry Holmes, returning after a year's suspension, said Willis is in the mold of two-time ACC player of the year Shawn Moore while Groh is more comparable in style to Blundin.

"I'd tell you if I thought I knew who the quarterback was going to be," Holmes said, "but I think the job is a long way from being settled. I know a lot of people think it's going to be Groh or Willis, but you might not want to overlook Sherman."

One knowledgeable football observer, who has watched the team in practice for two years, predicted Sherman will start by the end of the season.

"I have no experience in live games, so obviously that's against me, but I feel I had a good spring," said Sherman, whose father, Tom, coaches UVa's wide receivers. "I'd say I was fourth on the depth chart before that. It's a big surprise [to be a contender]."

At least for now, no one seems to be losing sleep over the decision.

"The big question everybody is asking is about the quarterback," said offensive guard Mark Dixon, a preseason All-American. "I say it doesn't matter. As long as they know the snap count and the play we're going to run, that's all I can ask. If we do our job [on the line], they'll show up."