UVa limps into Death Valley

Joe Torchia has been looking forward to the moment for years.
Given the Atlantic Coast Conference’s odd revolving rotation between teams in the Atlantic and Coastal Divisions, no player on Virginia’s roster has played in a game at Clemson.
In fact, the tight ends that showed Torchia the ropes, former standouts Tom Santi and Jonathan Stupar, never hauled in a pass inside Death Valley. Only Stupar even made a trip to the historic venue.
“It should be a great experience,” Torchia said. “Every college football player likes to play in those kind of environments, you know, where a big crowd is in the game on every play.”
The second-largest venue in the league, officially known as Memorial Stadium, has boasted crowds larger than 85,000 four times since 1994 and the Tigers have ranked in the top 20 in attendance for 20 straight seasons.
It has given Clemson, the first-place team in the Atlantic Division, a decisive advantage — the Tigers have better than a 70 percent winning percentage at home.
“When you go down there, you know a couple of things: it’s going to be loud, and it’s going to be challenging and it’s going to be fun,” Virginia coach Al Groh said. “It’s a great atmosphere in which to play in. Their energy, it’s right up there at the very top of the ACC sites that we go to.
“There’s a real football fever — it’s not just a Saturday afternoon activity.”
The same cannot be said at Virginia (3-7, 2-4 ACC), something the players have noticed and commented on this season. The Cavaliers have averaged just 46,224 fans at Scott Stadium, a drop in over 7,500 fans per contest from a season ago.
In terms of attendance by capacity, Virginia has filled up Scott Stadium at just a 75.2 percent clip. That woeful mark ranks No. 75 in the country.
Having a winning product certainly helps, as Clemson can attest.
“There is a real passion and a real fever for Clemson football,” Groh said. “So I’ve always enjoyed going in there. It’s challenging. They always have a very talented team. I mean, I can’t remember when Clemson wasn’t talented.”
Groh was rudely exposed to that in 1981 as the coach at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons gave up 35 points in the second quarter at Clemson and were throttled 82-24.
“Football is really important not only to the players, but to the fans,” Groh said of Clemson. “And there is a very lively electric atmosphere. We haven’t been down there since they expanded the stadium or the renovations that went into it, but it was pretty imposing before it was renovated. [I am] kind of looking forward to seeing it.”
Extra points
Despite nagging injuries, Virginia is expected to have starting quarterback Jameel Sewell under center on Saturday. The left-handed throwing signal caller was listed as “probable” on the team’s injury report Thursday night.
That’s a good thing — back-up Marc Verica remains out of commission for the second straight game following the concussion that he suffered against Miami. Special teams standout Raynard Horne (back), tailback Torey Mack (ankle) and wideout Tim Smith (back) are also listed as “out.”
Virginia did not list a player as doubtful, but wideout Vic Hall is “questionable” with a hip injury.