There has been a constant question chasing Michael Strauss since his early arrival at Virginia.
How does a quarterback that was once a commitment to Tulane and came from a stellar high school program in Miami end up at an ACC school outside of his city limits.
Strauss, who enrolled in January and will be a true freshman in 2010, knows the reasoning and those in his inner circle have an inkling why the Hurricanes never offered as well.
That, however, is water under the bridge.
“People know why I left,” he admitted after the spring game. “Virginia is great school, a great academic school and this is great football program.”
It is all about jockeying for a spot on a depth chart as a Cavalier now for the 6-foot-3 quarterback.
And based on his decision to ask and be allowed to enroll early at Virginia — typically a taboo thing for Virginia football players — Strauss is ahead of the game.
“Being a young guy and asking them to pick up a professional offense is a difficult thing to ask a young guy to do,” said starting quarterback Marc Verica. “Mike has done a great job and he is leaps and bounds ahead of where I was coming in as a rookie.
“This has been a great opportunity for him to get a look at what college football is all about.”
Strauss knows that he has to shine in practice to move up the pecking order, but is willing to bide his time and did not take it as a knock when he was the third signal caller to take a snap in the spring game.
“I try to do the best that I can when I get in there,” he said. “I just try to take it one play at a time and whoever plays is the guy that plays.
“That’s the coach’s decision.”
What Strauss learned during spring drills was as much about off-the-field issues as it was about live competition.
“It is a complete 360 from the first day with coach [Bill] Lazor,” said Strauss, referring to the first-year offensive coordinator.
“He taught me a lot of things about footwork and the film room. In high school you never study film like you up here. It has prepared me.
“All the game studying has helped me too. It is definitely a big difference from high school and I am a lot better than when I started.”
Facing Virginia’s defense in practice, one that shined at times last year in league games, has also delivered a rude welcome to the next level.
“Our defense is one of the best I feel,” he said. “We have got lock-down corners and the unit is one of the best in the ACC I think.
“Going against them in practice makes you that much better. The better competition that you play against the better that you get.”
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