Hurricanes out for vengeance

As odd as it seemed, the confetti filled the air and eventually rested on the turf at the Orange Bowl.

Last November’s goodbye party for the stadium that hosted some of college football’s most memorable games seemed ill-timed based on what the scoreboard read.

Virginia had just completed a stunning 48-0 whitewashing of Miami in the Hurricanes’ final appearance at Orange Bowl.

Miami will get its shot at revenge on Saturday — the Hurricanes (5-3, 2-2 ACC) invade Scott Stadium at noon with hopes of upending Virginia (5-3, 3-1) and jumbling the league’s Coastal Division standings even further.

Virginia’s players said that they are aware that Miami should have something extra to play for based on last year’s result.

“I’m sure it’s going to be on their mind,” said UVa linebacker Clint Sintim. “I’m sure they’re going to be fired up and prepared to come down here and try to stick it to us.”

After losing back-to-back games to North Carolina and Florida State, Miami has salvaged its ACC title hopes with its current three-game winning streak, one that has included league victories over Duke and Wake Forest.

The Hurricanes, boasting the nation’s 15th-best scoring defense, have progressed rapidly with newcomers emerging for second-year coach Randy Shannon.

“Randy’s a year deeper into, ‘This is the way things are going to be,’ and clearly with these freshmen — so talented — to be able to play so much so early, they don’t know any other way,” said Virginia coach Al Groh. “So it’s probably a case where the team belongs to him to a much, much greater percentage than a lot of times would be the case in just the second year.”

While Groh expects an inspired effort from the Hurricanes, he has seen it play out in different fashions with different teams.

“It comes more from the players,” Groh said. “There are certain players that [previous results are] an issue with and certain other players that doesn’t seem to be. From just observing different teams, it seems to go differently from team to team.

“I am sure that they are anxious to change the tables.”

A new nickname

Virginia cornerback Vic Hall has been given a new label by one of his teammates.

After watching Hall perfect the finer details of a specific drill, Sintim slapped the new nickname on his friend.

“‘Can’t-Do-Wrong Vic’ is what we like to call him,” Sintim said. “He does everything right. You can expect on a daily basis to know that Vic Hall will do everything right. He approaches the game like he’s supposed to. He does everything right.

“I’m saying it, but I really mean it. Vic does everything right. The drills we do in practice where you have to strip the ball out and cause a fumble — he’s done that two times in a game. He reads the routes right. He’s perfect. He’s a great guy and I respect him tremendously.”

Hall was one of the defensive standouts in Saturday’s 24-17 victory over Georgia Tech, with his game-sealing interception in the fourth quarter highlighting the performance.

“Vic is very confident in his game,” Groh said. “He is one of the players who prepares the very most diligently for games and as his skills have developed and his understanding of what’s going on on the other side and how to fit every coverage on it; he has become just that much more assertive in situations.”

Hall also provided hidden yardage with two punt returns that went for 16 yards.

“They were inspirational returns,” Groh said. “He battled out 10, 11 yards each time. One time we had the ball on the 21- or 22-yard line instead of the 10. That’s a big difference. That’s a real big difference.

“He can ran the ball with the same mentality that Cedric [Peerman] runs his runs.”

Praising Pruett

Much was made about Virginia’s impending recruiting struggles in the Tidewater region when former defensive coordinator Mike London left to become the head coach at Richmond.

Thus far, the Cavaliers have not skipped a beat, which was evidenced again on Monday when Tim Smith, a three-star wideout from Chesapeake’s Oscar Smith High, verbally committed to play at Virginia.

Give credit to first-year coordinator Bob Pruett.

“It has gone well down there,” Groh said. “I would say it has gone better than people who didn’t have the facts thought, but if anybody knew Bob’s resume as an assistant coach and as a head coach at Marshall they would know that he always had good success in recruiting.

“As we said when people posed that negative question in the beginning, that if you know Bob, he relates well to people of all ages and understands people and develops a good connection with them.”

Virginia, at least in theory, has room to add four more recruits, but Groh said the program would “probably not” add that many.

A speedster

It was well documented that rookie quarterback Riko Smalls helped prep Virginia’s defense by running the scout team offense last week.

Smalls, headed for a redshirt season, had some help.

True freshman Torrey Mack lined up in the slot to help run Georgia Tech’s triple option and showcased his speed.

“Torrey Mack is fast,” Groh said before pausing. “Torrey Mack is really fast.”

Extra points…

... Two offensive linemen — Zak Stair and Landon Bradley — were not included on the team-issued depth chart on Tuesday. There was an explanation. Groh said it was merely an oversight. Since returning from a knee injury, Stair has not regained his starting spot at left guard, but he worked at numerous spots on the offensive line in practice to provide depth. … Groh said redshirt freshman tailback Max Milien, who had a foot injury, has returned to practice. … Virginia tight end Joe Torchia (shoulder) participated in drills on Sunday, marking his return to the practice field. Torchia separated his shoulder at Duke on Sept. 27. ... Defensive end Zane Parr, who has one sack this season, will not play this week and is scheduled to have knee surgery, pushing junior Jason Fuller up one spot on the depth chart behind senior Alex Field.