Unknown LBs look to create identity

They’ve been around the block a time or two, but most Wahoo fans might stumble a bit if asked to name Virginia’s starting linebacker corps in Al Groh’s 3-4 defense.
Here’s a hint: three of the starters are seniors, two of them are fifth-year guys.
Are you still without a clue?
OK, it’s understandable. Most of them have labored as understudies to guys like Clint Sintim, Jon Copper and Antonio Appleby for what seems like forever. Those guys were iron men. Never came out of games. Sucked up the injuries, the pain, and kept on playing football.
A new group
Denzel Burrell started 11 games last season, taking over for fellow outside linebacker and best pal, Aaron Clark, when Clark suffered a season-ending knee injury in the third quarter of the Southern California season opener. Clark is back and healthy and the two fifth-years will bookend the defense as outside linebackers.
Darren Childs is the other veteran, a San Diego native who ended up on the Right Coast and started two games (Georgia Tech and Miami) last season when Appleby was injured.
A couple of guys fans might not be that aware of are Steve Greer and Cam Johnson. Greer will lineup beside Childs inside, while Johnson is a pass-rushing specialist on the outside.
Questions abound
While UVa’s secondary might be its best, or at least its most athletic since the days that Ronde Barber and Anthony Poindexter roamed the turf at Scott Stadium, and the defensive line returns experience across the front, the big question mark has been the linebackers.
When Copper, Sintim and Appleby graduated, the Cavaliers lost a combined 123 starts and 30 percent of the tackles made last season.
There’s only 14 starts among the lot of the current crop of linebackers and Burrell, also the team’s leading returning tackler (not counting Vic Hall who moved from corner to quarterback), has 11 of those starts. Childs has two, Clark one.
“I have great respect for the linebackers that came before us,” Clark said. “People have seen the new linebackers here and there over the years, but not as a corps. So, I think the burden is on us to step up and make plays and show that we’re worthy of playing linebacker for Virginia.”
As the defensive coordinator, head coach Al Groh has brought his expertise to coaching that position, but also hired veteran assistant Bob Trott, as linebackers coach. So far, Groh likes what he sees.
“The two inside players, Childs and Greer, have been a real pleasure to work with,” Groh said Monday at his weekly press conference. “Both have been really purposeful.”
In fact, Groh gave us some insight when he pointed out that Childs has exceeded his expectations and has done a nice job in camp.
“His techniques, his diligence, his attention to detail have jumped up immeasurably,” Groh said. “In terms of just how he’s supposed to hit on the play, he’s a very reliable player.”
Greer was a true freshman last season, but showed he was coachable when from the very first day of training camp, Groh told the rookie to copy himself after Copper, to always notice how Copper did things.
Greer stuck to Copper like Krazy Glue. Sat to his side in meetings, worked out with him in the weight room, studied film with him, so much that Copper must have felt he had an extra shadow.
Clark said that fans might also be surprised that Greer is probably the fastest of all the linebackers.
“That kid can scoot,” Clark said.
Groh said that Burrell definitely profited from playing in all 12 games last season, filling in for Clark, who also learned a lot from observing the season from the sideline on crutches, serving as an extra set of eyes for Burrell. Both helped each other out in every phase of football and each learned a lot, although it was by different methods.
Johnson could be a rising star.
“He has come on well here during the latter part of camp,” Groh said of the sophomore from Greenbelt, Md. “We can see that this game clearly makes sense to him. It’s just a matter of getting him continued exposure.”
Burrell, who commented that the chemistry of the linebacking corps has been enhanced by them hanging together off the field, said that Johnson has developed much quicker than he did during his career.
On the field, both Burrell and Clark believe the group understands the strengths of each linebacker and has developed a feel for how each one plays the position. Childs and Greer, although less experienced, have become more vocal in leading the
defense along with UVa’s safeties, even though Clark and Burrell are two of the team captains.
“Again, this is another one of those ‘nothing has been done yet in the game’ deals, but all of the things have been done in practice in a very positive nature,” Groh said.
While each of these linebackers are aware of the skepticism about their abilities and that they’re being described in some circles as being the defense’s weakest link, they have each taken it to heart to change that perception.
“We have motivation in our unit to do as much as we can,” Burrell said. “We are going to try to prove everyone wrong.”