Questions remain for U.Va.

CHARLOTTESVILLE
Virginia coach Al Groh says repeated failures in basic fundamentals — and not the Cavaliers’ difficulty grasping their new offensive system — was to blame for their poor showing in a season-opening 26-14 loss to William & Mary.

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The Cavaliers committed seven turnovers that turned into 19 points for the Tribe on Saturday night, and their bumbling and stumbling went far beyond just giving the ball away.

“There are certain things that transcend any system you’re in,” Groh said Monday.

There were, for example, two dropped interceptions, including one that looked like a sure touchdown. There was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Jameel Sewell after his touchdown gave the Cavaliers a 14-7 lead, the resulting 15-yard penalty on the kickoff — and then poor kick coverage — allowing William & Mary to start it next drive at its own 43 yard-line.

There were two bad snaps in the shotgun formation, one that was fumbled away and the other never getting off the ground. And there were two blown coverages on long passes that Tribe quarterback R.J. Archer failed to capitalize on, each time overthrowing his target.

“Being able to snap the ball properly, carrying the ball high and tight so you don’t fumble it, catching punts properly. Those things are — doesn’t make any difference what your system is,” Groh said.

He also cited a play on which quarterback Marc Verica “had difficulty executing the throwing motion,” referring to a play when Verica was being pressured, but had a receiver in the open and lost his grip on the ball while pulling it back to make the throw.

In all, Groh was critical of all three players that played quarterback in the opener, highlighting an even larger question facing the Cavaliers with No. 17 TCU coming to town.

Who is the quarterback, or when will you pick one and go with him?

“Clearly when one of them shows that he is by far the best option,” he said.

The race appears to have been narrowed to two, with the mobility of Sewell and Vic Hall, who started against William & Mary, seeming to fit more into Virginia’s spread offense.

Verica, perhaps the best passer of the three, doesn’t have the same running ability.

The Horned Frogs, Groh said, will bring an example of how effective the system can be, especially with a quarterback in Andy Dalton that can run as well as he can throw.

Dalton threw for 2,242 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, and ran for 432 yards and eight TDs. TCU finished among the leaders nationally in time of possession and total offense.

Groh said the learning curve for Virginia players just being introduced to the spread offense is steeper than it would be for players who grew up in the system, and that he has reminded himself already that he will need to demonstrate patience and faith in the system.

But the team will also have to do better with basic fundamentals.

“It doesn’t take a lot of bad plays to lose a game,” he said.