Hall's done it all, but beat the Hokies

By Doug Doughty

CHARLOTTESVILLE

Now that Vic Hall has thrown his first collegiate touchdown pass, what could be left on his Virginia football bucket list?

Maybe a victory over Virginia Tech. He hasn't had one.

Hall has rushed for a touchdown, caught a touchdown pass, returned an interception for a touchdown and thrown a touchdown pass.

He threw 104 touchdown passes in a celebrated career at Gretna High School but hadn't thrown one in college until he got the ball on an end-around last Saturday and spotted a wide-open Joe Torchia in the first half at Clemson.

By the second half, Hall was taking

direct snaps at quarterback in the "Wildcat" formation that U.Va. installed for tailback Mikell Simpson, who pulled a hamstring in the first half and was lost for the game.

Hall had been listed as questionable on the U.Va. injury report last Thursday. He went from 50-50 to taking 54 snaps - 48 on offense and six on special teams. He ran two plays out of the Wildcat, for gains of 3 and 2 yards, before the Cavaliers scrapped it.

Nobody could blame Hall or coach Al Groh for its lack of success.

"Vic was unable to practice all week long," Groh said.

In fact, Hall continues to be nagged by the same hip injury that caused him to miss two games earlier in the season. He was the Cavaliers' starting quarterback for the season opener but went to Groh before an Oct. 3 date with North Carolina and pushed for roommate Jameel Sewell to be the starter.

"Just being out there for (two) games, obviously, he got more comfortable, so I didn't see any need for me to come back and be a quarterback," Hall said.

He didn't catch his first pass until the Cavaliers' fourth game, but is now fourth on the team in receptions with 23. No other Virginia player has caught more passes since Hall joined the receiving corps.

"It's been a lot of fun," Hall said. "I kind of always wanted to play slot receiver. Being my last year and I got a chance to play it, it's been a worthwhile experience."

Hall, who is 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, has spent most of his career on defense, starting 23 straight games at cornerback before he was moved to quarterback on the eve of the 2008 season finale at Virginia Tech. He carried 16 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns in a 17-14 loss.

Hall had a 40-yard scoring run against Tech, and his 34-yard touchdown run in this season's opener against William and Mary matches the longest of the Cavaliers' season.

He completed three passes in his college career before completions on back-to-back plays against Clemson. He never really had a chance to show whether he could be an effective passer on the college level, but he's experienced everything else.

"I got a chance to play quarterback, defensive back, wide receiver and also line up in the Wildcat," said Hall, a co-captain for the second year in a row, "and I got to do all that in the same season. I take it as a great experience; not too many guys get to do that."

He forgets to mention that he returns punts and has served as the Cavaliers' holder on field goals and extra points. It's like a baseball player who's had a chance to play all nine positions.

"I always feel very inadequate in trying to properly profile Vic for people who don't know him," Groh said. "You have to be around him on a daily basis to know his goodness and values and everything that he's about."

No matter the production, Hall was always going to have a role.

"I've just always tried to be a dependable guy," he said. "I guess (Groh) appreciates that. I feel that he has a lot of belief in me."

Notes: Simpson was listed as questionable on U.Va.'s injury report, released Thursday night.... Fifth-year linebacker Darren Childs, a starter in U.Va.'s first 11 games and the Cavs' second-leading tackler, was listed as doubtful. He left the Clemson game with a left ankle injury.