Over the course of the season, a few different players have stepped up at key times to lead the Cavaliers to victory. Chris Gould, Staton Jobe, Andrew Pearman, Vic Hall, and other relative unknowns have all had their moments in the sun, making key kicks, catches, runs, or punt returns. But nobody - let me repeat, nobody - saw this absolutely heroic performance from Mikell Simpson coming.
Simpson, who began the year listed as the fourth-string running back, didn’t just step up in key moments; he carried the Cavaliers the whole game, pushing them to an 18-17 barn-burner win against rival Maryland. Owner of 90 career total yards entering the game, Simpson collected 92 total yards on the game-winning drive and 271 in all to will the Cavaliers to a huge win. He also tripled his career touchdown total, adding two on Saturday, including the game-winner with 16 seconds left. Simpson got the start only because of a foot injury to starter Cedric Peerman and nagging injuries to Andrew Pearman. He was so obscure, ESPN.com has him listed as a tight end.
But no one will mistake him now. The redshirt sophomore came from the bottom of the depth chart to record the sixth best offensive performance by a Cavalier football player in the history of the program. “He really stepped up and showed what he can do today,” Coach Al Groh said of Simpson after the game. “I really want to highlight Mikell for what he did for his team today.”
“I have been waiting for this opportunity ever since I left high school. I came to Virginia thinking I can do the same thing I did in high school,” said Simpson. “Tonight, the opportunity presented itself and I took full advantage of it.” I’ll say. Simpson ran 16 times for 119 yards, including those two scores, and caught 13 balls for 152 yards.
Every time the Cavs needed a big play, they looked to their most unlikely of heroes. Fourth and four with under a minute to go? The swing pass to #5 picked up the necessary yardage by the smallest of margins, barely holding up under official review. Second and goal, 20 seconds left? Simpson hopped over the offensive line to break the plane of the goal line by a few inches. No matter how you slice it, Simpson had the most crucial role in giving the Wahoos yet another stunning last-minute win.
But there were other heroes for the Cavaliers, too. Groh and Simpson were both quick to credit the offensive line for its dominating performance for much of the contest. Jameel Sewell threw for 243 yards and played nearly mistake-free. Jonathan Stupar and John Phillips picked up their production in place of the injured Tom Santi, especially on the blocking end. And on defense, who could forget the performance turned in by Chris Long? The All-America registered 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks (including a huge, momentum-shifting safety), and broke up two passes at the line of scrimmage. “Guys had to step up in and make plays,” Groh said, adding, “We needed a contribution from all three phases of our team today and we got a contribution from all three.”
Indeed, the Wahoos showed a lot of heart in recording perhaps their most impressive win of the year. Despite moving the ball effectively (the Cavs recorded a season-high 439 yards of total offense), the offense had difficulty converting their red zone opportunities and finishing off drives. Only on the final drive of the game, a 15 play, 90 yard march, did Virginia seem capable of making the big play when they needed it. True, they benefited from a pass interference call on third-and-fifteen and a generous spot on Simpson’s diving fourth down conversion, but their determination and confidence on the final drive was downright impressive.
“We believe that however the game presents itself, our job is to find a way to win. We have confidence in being able to do that,” Groh said. “We have the confidence that whatever we're presented with, we'll be able to cope.” The team’s confidence should be sky-high after this win, which pushes the winning streak to seven games and improves their record to 7-1. The Cavs are now 4-0 in the ACC and stand a half-game above Virginia Tech in the Coastal Division standings. They have climbed to No. 18 in the Coaches’ Poll, No. 21 in the AP, and No. 15 in the all important BCS standings.
Call it luck. Call it favorable officiating. But whatever you want to call it, the Cavaliers now stand at 7-1 and are bound for a return to the post-season. At the moment, it appears there is no game Virginia can’t win. As Mikell Simpson and the rest of his teammates proved on Saturday, anyone can step up and help the team pull out an improbable victory. Groh’s message of determination and unity has not been lost on his squad; you can see the togetherness on the field and on the sidelines. Though they have been less than dominant in doing it, Virginia now stands as the best team in its division. That’s something absolutely nobody saw coming.
|
