Five Questions about University of Virginia football

The University of Virginia opens football practice today with a new quarterback, a new offensive coordinator and renewed questions about the program's direction.

Behind center will be Vic Hall, who has thrown one pass in college (it was incomplete). He'll run the spread offense under coordinator Gregg Brandon, who was brought in after U.Va. finished 105th nationally in yards per game last year (out of 119 teams).

Head coach Al Groh's ninth season at his alma mater could be one of his most pivotal. The Cavs have been to one bowl game the past three years, and after last year's 5-7 campaign, the school declined the option to add a year to his contract, which lasts through 2011. "It's not about me. It's about the team," Groh said last week.

Fair enough. So here's a look at the top 5 questions facing the team:

1. Can U.Va. establish who the quarterback will be and get that position settled?

Vic Hall (pictured) enters the preseason as Virginia's No. 1 quarterback, despite playing the position for exactly one game in his first four years (the 2008 finale in which he ran for two touchdowns and more than 100 yards in a 17-14 loss at Virginia Tech).

Hall's two rivals, Marc Verica and Jameel Sewell, have a combined 33 starts. The Cavs went to the Gator Bowl and finished 9-4 with Sewell as their starter in 2007, but academic issues caused him to miss the 2008 season and have made the coaches wary. Verica has a strong arm but also consistency issues.

2. Will Virginia be able to produce offensively?

The Cavaliers failed to crack the top 100 in total offense in any of Mike Groh's three seasons as coordinator. That resulted in his departure and the hiring of Brandon, previously the head coach at Bowling Green for six seasons.

The problem for Brandon is that he lacks three of the chief weapons from the 2009 team: All-ACC tight end John Phillips, current Baltimore Ravens running back Cedric Peerman and wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, who had a team-high 58 receptions.

Incoming freshman Tim Smith (pictured) from Chesapeake could make an impact early. At Oscar Smith, he amassed 73 receptions for 1,681 yards last season and 24 touchdowns and capped his high school career with a state playoff record four touchdown catches in the Tigers' 54-24 victory over Osbourn in the Group AAA title game.

3. Who's the kicker?

At the end of the 2008 season, true freshman Robert Randolph was kicking field goals and extra points and redshirt freshman Chris Hinkebein was handling kickoffs. Earlier in the year, ex-soccer standout Yannick Reyering served in both roles.

Reyering did not return for a fifth year, but the Cavaliers have added All-Tidewater kicker Drew Jarrett (pictured) from Virginia Beach's Cox High. South Hampton Roads' all-time leader in field goals (with 29) was not listed on the Cavaliers' initial preseason roster but will be on hand from the start of camp.

4. What about filling those key holes on defense?

Virginia seldom has entered a preseason with as much talent and depth as it has in the secondary, one of the reasons Hall could be moved to quarterback. Gone from the defense, however, are the top six tacklers (counting Hall).

Inside linebackers traditionally lead the team in tackles, and Jon Copper and Antonio Appleby (pictured) manned those positions for the past three years.

Now, it's up to seldom-used fifth-year senior Darren Childs and redshirt freshman Steve Greer, who spent most of his rookie year as Copper's shadow.

5. Is the spread offense the answer?

Virginia first incorporated elements of the spread into its offensive scheme following Mike Groh's visit to Texas Tech after the 2008 season. When the Cavaliers spread the field in 2008, it was mainly to create lanes for Verica (pictured), a drop-back passer.

However, Groh has noted that running teams also have made use of the spread. In fact, Brandon had teams that featured running and passing quarterbacks at Bowling Green. Hall attempted just one pass against the Hokies but threw for more than 8,500 yards at Gretna High School.