Groh on Favre soap opera: ‘Huh’

Al Groh has often said that he is merely focused on coaching his own team.

Any question regarding the Virginia football coach’s attention to the smallest details was answered Wednesday afternoon.

Despite having held just three practices, each of which was without full pads, Groh apparently was so tuned into the Cavaliers’ camp that he missed the latest development in the world’s most over-hyped sports drama.

The former head coach of the New York Jets had no idea that his old employer had landed quarterback Brett Favre through a late-night trade Tuesday.

“I didn’t know that, no. Huh,” Groh said. “That’s interesting.

“I am kind of bunkered down right now.”

Groh had reason to be analyzing his most previous practice. Wednesday’s session, he said, was “devoted almost entirely to special teams.” With players taking exams on Wednesday and today in the final session of summer school, getting in the special teams work provided a change of pace.

“Realizing their concentration was going to be split between two things, we didn’t do any installation [of the playbook],” Groh said.

For now, the kicking game is an area of concern with a complete makeover needed.

For better or worse, true freshman Jimmy Howell will likely be given the punting duties that were handled in 2008 by the combined efforts of Chris Gould and Ryan Weigand.

While it remains early in the process, Groh did offer a first impression of his new punter.

“[Howell] is a very mature kid for just being a first-year player,” Groh said. “He’s big, a real good-sized kid for that position. He has real good flexibility, which is an important factor at that position.”

Howell could add a wrinkle into the special teams playbook — he was an accomplished quarterback in high school and has said he would even welcome trying to play tight end, of which he fits the mold at 6-foot-6 and 238 pounds.

The situation at placekicker is different with a host of players fighting for roles handling placement kicks and kickoffs.

Chris Hinkebein, who is on scholarship, redshirted last year and may have the early edge, but struggled with consistency during spring practice. The woes in practice only fueled the desire to seek out contingency plans.

Rob Randolph may be a sleeper in the mix. The true freshman walk-on was recruited by programs such as Miami and Hawaii before electing to gamble on earning time at Virginia.

Groh said his first impression of Randolph was “positive.”

“He hits a nice, clean ball,” Groh added.

A converted soccer player, Randolph set a program record in high school with a 50-yard field goal and was near perfect on over 100 extra-point attempts.

Another player with a soccer background, former Cavaliers striker Yannick Reyering, is also in camp trying to latch on in another sport after completing his eligibility for soccer coach George Gelnovatch.

“He has a strong interest [in football],” Groh said. “He has performed in competition — he was the leading scorer on the soccer team last year. Even though it is a different circumstance, he has clearly had the ability to kick the ball with velocity and accuracy. “He had an interest in pursuing it. It was pretty quick — we were interested and he was interested so we both agreed, ‘Let’s go.’ It is not a circumstance where there is a player who could perhaps contribute something to us, but we have to talk him into it. The interest is certainly very mutual in this circumstance.”

Virginia could also use a spike in its return game. After losing kick returner Cedric Peerman last season in the sixth game, the Cavaliers struggled to gain excellent field position.

That could change, Peerman said, thanks to the addition of the players that redshirted last year and the development of the sophomore class.

“I think we are going to be fine,” the senior said. “The younger guys might not have a lot of experience doing it but they have seen guys step up before. They saw how Mikell [Simpson] stepped in and played a huge role on our team last year so it gives guys confidence that they can help.

“Maybe that will not help in as big of a role, but more so as a special teams guy. That is just as important as what Mikell did.”

The utilityman

Should Virginia need to find an in-season replacement for tackles Will Barker or Eugene Monroe, the answer would likely come through a seasoned-veteran.

“Probably that player now would be one of the first five and that would be Zak Stair,” Groh said.

Currently listed as the starting left guard, Stair has experience at all five positions on the line.

Landon Bradley, a redshirt freshman tackle, could alter that plan if he progresses throughout the season. Bradley worked last season strictly behind Eugene Monroe on the left side.

Another addition coming

Virginia added six walk-on players for training camp, and at least one more is on the way when fall classes commence.

J.C. Poma, a high school standout at quarterback at Henrico High in 2006, plans to join the program when Groh is allowed to add players. The NCAA mandates that only 105 players can report to training camp, but the number can climb after classes begin.

Poma, who was a walk-on first baseman with Virginia’s baseball team, knows about number-crunching policies. New NCAA rules limiting baseball rosters to just 35 players starting in 2009 left him as a roster casualty.

At one point in Poma’s high school career he appeared headed to Davidson for football after verbally committing to the Wildcats, but later picked baseball as his college sport of choice.