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Gearing up for the season: Linebackers
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As far as Al Groh is concerned, this is the most exciting entry in this series. Last time out, the defensive line got a look; today, it's the linebackers. In Groh's 3-4 defense, this is a large group that can't escape the spotlight. All eyes will be on this unit as they try and replace three extremely accomplished seniors that played their last college season in 2008. Here are the players you can expect to see making the plays this year:
Aaron Clark: Last season, Clark was expected to split time on the outside with Denzel Burrell, but a torn ACL in the first game of the season changed that. Clark missed the whole season, which was to have been his first as a member of the regular rotation at linebacker. The injury might be thought of as fortuitous in a way for Clark - he now has a starting role all to himself.
Denzel Burrell: Thrust into the starter's role almost by default last season thanks to Clark's injury, Burrell was the youngest of a very experienced group of linebackers, and his role was to hold down the fort while his older counterparts made the plays. The opposite will be true this year. Burrell is now the elder statesman of the line, the man with the most playing experience. Instead of sharing a spot with Clark, he'll play on the opposite side and be expected to be a force in pass coverage and a steadying influence.
Darren Childs: Childs is a senior, but this will be his first year starting. He steps into Antonio Appleby's old spot on the inside. Though his experience is limited, Childs had a monster game in UVa's 16-13 win over North Carolina in 2008, recording 10 tackles while filling in for the injured Appleby.
Steve Greer: It's barely been a year and a half since Greer made his commitment to UVa just days before National Signing Day. Now a redshirt freshman, Greer has impressed the coaches with his hunger for learning the game and his aptitude for the inside linebacker position, and despite being slightly undersized, has been named a starter to begin the season. Greer is the only freshman starter on the defense, but despite that - or perhaps because of it - expectations are high as Greer aspires to match the accomplishments of his predecessor Jon Copper, who led th team in tackles for three years in a row.
Cam Johnson: At nearly 260 pounds, Johnson is beginning to outgrow the linebacker position. Nevertheless, he excited last year as a true freshman with his pass-rushing potential, and Johnson will step on the field in passing situations, often to line up with a hand on the ground on the line to provide a rush from the outside.
Top backups include Jared Detrick, a junior who has been part of the regular rotation during the past two seasons; Darnell Carter, who was on track to join the two-deep last year until academic issues derailed the season; and Billy Schautz, a redshirt freshman who like Greer has made an impression on the coaches.
The relative inexperience of this unit has been a cause for concern all offseason. It's natural to wonder if there will be a downturn in their play after losing so much talent and experience all at once. This will be a transition season at linebacker for UVa, with new blood stepping in and the coaches getting a chance to evaluate who will be the best contributors going forward. With Al Groh on the hot seat, it's a crucial year for him, and his future may well be decided by the group that he loves coaching best.
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