Peerman’s return keeps paying off for Cavaliers

ATLANTA - Virginia offensive coordinator Mike Groh learned a long time ago, that when in doubt, hand the ball to Cedric Peerman.

During one of the most improbable runs in Virginia football history, Peerman has been the main catalyst for a four-game winning streak that finds the Cavaliers alone in first place in the ACC’s Coastal Division this morning.

Given up for dead a month ago, and with their embattled coach being declared a Las Vegas safe bet to be the next coach in the country to get the axe, the Cavaliers have upset four opponents in a row, including No. 21 ranked Georgia Tech, a 14-point favorite on Saturday.

Toughing it out

Throughout Southern gridiron history there have been many glorious running backs to grace age-old Grant Field. None of them ran any harder than Peerman did in leading the Cavaliers to a 24-17 triumph over the Yellow Jackets.

The “Running Reverend” refused to go down against one of the nation’s most stingy defenses as Peerman, a licensed minister, became the first opposing running back to gain 100 yards on Georgia Tech since Georgia’s Thomas Brown did it last November. Peerman bulldozed through the Jackets for 118 yards on 25 carries, including the game-winning touchdown on a dramatic three-yard dive to the right pylon with 3:29 remaining.

It’s no coincidence that Virginia’s four-game winning streak, which puts the Cavs in charge of their own destiny, has coincided with the return of a healthy Peerman. After UVa’s last loss, a bad day in Durham, Groh chose not to play his prized back who clearly wasn’t 100 percent.

“When Cedric is back, we’ll all know it,” Groh declared.

Ever since then, Peerman made it obvious that he’s baaaaaack.

UVa’s humble hero

While his coaches and teammates may shower him with praise, Peerman lets it roll off his back. Three performances of more than 100 yards rushing during UVa’s streak, and two key touchdowns in the Cavs’s cheat-the-Reaper win in overtime over North Carolina last week would cause many an athlete to pound their chest.

Not the Running Rev.

When asked to describe his running style after Saturday night’s win, Peerman just kind of grinned.

“Not very flashy,” the physical tailback said. “I have a little bit of speed to get around the edge every now and then.”

That’s about as much as you’ll ever hear Peerman talk about himself.

He often frustrates probing reporters who would rather hear him expound on his punishing running style, about how he imposes his will on defenses, about how he rarely allows the first tackler to bring him down.

Instead, Peerman, a fifth-year senior from the tiny community of Gladys, shuns the accolades and rather gives it to God.

What else would you expect a reverend to do?

He can deliver a sermon just as well as he can run through a defense or inspire his Cavalier teammates to not give up after a disastrous 1-3 start to the season. Now, UVa is 5-3 overall and 3-1 atop the division standings.

One reporter walked away, complaining that Peerman was giving too many answers about religion. But that’s Peerman. He wears his faith on his sleeve and isn’t ashamed to say so.

Feel free to insert your own Hallelujah chorus right here.

The bruising runner would rather someone else talk about his deeds.

“He’s the heart of the team,” said UVa quarterback Marc Verica. “He’s right that he’s not a flashy guy. He’s very humble. He never celebrates in the wrong way or shows anybody up. But when he hits the field, he’s a ton of fire and passion.”

That was never more evident than in key series when Virginia needed him most against the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech’s defense ranked in the Top 10 nationally in eight statistical categories.

But the Jackets hadn’t faced Peerman, the same guy who shredded them last season when Tech was one of the nation’s top run defenses.

“He’s a hard runner,” said Georgia Tech defensive back Morgan Burnett of the Virginia running back. “I knew that from last year. He’s just a tough back.”

When things looked their worst for the Cavaliers on this day, down 14-3 after Georgia Tech’s option offense has scored on its first two drives, the Grohs turned to Peerman.

When in doubt, right?

On a 12-play, 66-yard drive, Peerman carried the first four plays to set the tone.

“Defenses have to key on him and that takes the pressure off of me and everyone else,” Verica said. “If they don’t key on him, he’s going to burn them.”

The Cavs marched down the field to trail only 14-10 in the second quarter and kept within range while the coaches made adjustments to shut down Tech’s vaunted running game, the ninth-best attack in the country.

Fast forward to the fourth quarter, the game deadlocked at 17-all, with Virginia getting the ball at its own 30 with 7:29 to play. Eight plays later, the Cavaliers were in the end zone and ahead for good.

Peerman carried six times, including a jaw-dropping, 31-yard jaunt right through the gut of Georgia Tech’s defense and down to the 13-yard line.

Three plays later on 3rd-and-eight, he ran to the right and dove for the first down at the 3. On the very next snap, he Xeroxed the play, rushing to his right, diving toward the pylon, stretching out to score what proved to be the winning touchdown for the second straight week.

After the game, coach Al Groh, who could be working on his second consecutive ACC coach of the year award, couldn’t find the words to describe the blue-chip back.

“I’m almost uncomfortable talking about him because there’s nothing I can say about Cedric that would do him justice to anybody who saw it with their own eyes,” Groh said. “I can’t come up with anything new ... he’s the best.”

Ask Verica what it has meant to Virginia since Peerman fought off an injury to his right knee early in the season and returned to the team healthy.

“We’re a different team when he’s in the game,” the quarterback said. “He makes this offense go and everything revolves around him. At the end, he put the team on his back.”

At the end the past two weeks, that has been good enough to knock off two nationally-ranked football teams.

Virginia is hoping it’s good enough for the home stretch when the Cavaliers hope to find themselves in the ACC Championship game for the first time.

Do I hear an amen?