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Three quarterbacks vie to be Virginia's starter Date published: 8/11/2008
BY TAFT COGHILL JR. CHARLOTTESVILLE-- When the University of Virginia coaching staff learned Southern Cal quarterback Mark Sanchez might miss the Cavaliers' season opener against the Trojans on Aug. 30 with a dislocated knee cap, there wasn't much hope for a drop-off in production.Sophomore transfer Mitch Mustain could start for supremely talented USC, and, like Sanchez, he was a heralded high school recruit. "It's the same thing that one of our coaches said about it," Cavaliers head coach Al Groh said. "They just replace one All-American with a potential All-American." The Cavaliers wish they could boast such a claim. Instead, they must choose between three inexperienced signal-callers in fifth-year senior Scott Deke, and sophomores Peter Lalich and Marc Verica. Groh said neither of the quarterbacks has emerged as a front-runner to claim the position, and a season-long starter might not be determined before or after they face the Trojans at Scott Stadium. "The most important thing is for the team to have the right quarterback in there," Groh said. "As I've said on a couple of different occasions, that's only proven with a quarterback when they play in the game. And we don't have any games to play. So it might take some games to find out who the one quarterback is or who the two are." That doesn't sound prom-ising to Virginia fans. And if they're looking for reassurance from the quarterbacks, they won't find it there, either. At yesterday's Meet The Team Day at Scott Stadium, Deke was the only quarterback to speak to the press. He made a statement saying that neither signal-caller has accomplished enough to speak to reporters and left immediately. While media members were miffed, Cavaliers offensive coordinator Mike Groh said it showed that the players are united. He said it was probably Al Groh's idea to have Deke, Lalich and Verica avoid questions about their progress. "I think it shows the maturity level of all three of them," Mike Groh said. "This could've been their opportunity to say, 'Hey, finally I got a microphone in my face, and I get a chance to answer questions.' But they're more focused on the team than they are themselves, and I think that says a lot about them."
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