Cavs' New punter fares about same as the old one

CHARLOTTESVILLE

Walk-on Nathan Rathjen took over as Virginia's punter Saturday, replacing sophomore Jimmy Howell, who had done virtually all of U.Va.'s punting for the past two seasons.

"We could see that the performance in recent games left a lot to be desired," U.Va. coach Al Groh said.

Howell was averaging 40.2 yards per punt after the Cavaliers' first seven games, but rainy weather didn't agree with him in outings at Maryland and against Georgia Tech at home.

Howell averaged 32.8 yards for nine punts against Maryland and 38.0 yards on four punts against Georgia Tech.

A reduction in hang time was particularly noticeable against the Yellow Jackets.

Rathjen's average Saturday was the same, 40.2, as Howell's average for the season. Rathjen, a junior, had an early 50-yarder but also had another punt go 18 yards off the side of his foot.

Groh said there was "probably some degree of improvement. You would never know if we didn't try this."

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In vain

Duke quarterbacks had been sacked only 14 times in seven games before the Cavs got to Thaddeus Lewis five times in the first half and six overall. Junior DE John-Kevin Dolce had 2-1/2 of the Virginia sacks.

Senior Nate Collins had two sacks and sophomore defensive end Zane Parr had 1-1/2. Collins has 35 tackles, six for loss, and four sacks in the last three games.

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By the numbers

With 198 yards in total offense, Virginia failed to crack the 200-yard mark for the third time this season. The Cavaliers had 177 yards in a 30-14 loss to TCU and 198 yards in a 34-9 loss to Georgia Tech.... The crowd of 41,713 was the smallest at Scott Stadium since 40,100 turned out in 1999 for a Cavaliers game with Buffalo. The crowds for U.Va.'s last four home games have been the four smallest at Scott Stadium since 1999.... Duke's three-game winning streak is its first since 1994.

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Odds 'n' ends

Duke wide receivers Donovan Varner and Conner Vernon, both of whom had seven receptions for more than 100 yards, were teammates at Gulliver Prep in Miami.... Jameel Sewell had attempted 145 first passes without an interception before yielding a first-quarter pick by Leon Wright. Sewell's streak was the fifth-longest in Division I-A going into Saturday.