No late surprises as UVa signs stellar class

While Virginia wrapped up its football recruiting rather early this time around, coach Mike London was still a nervous wreck on the eve of National Signing Day.

After having taken the Cavaliers to a bowl game in only his second season on the job and winning ACC Coach of the Year accolades, London’s nerves were calmed when all 26 national letters of intent came trickling through the UVa football office’s fax machine all day long Wednesday. It wasn’t until the last one arrived that the coach managed to breathe easy.

“It’s never stress free,” London said of the annual signing day for college football. “You’re always worried about what you can’t control. We had our official visit weekend a couple of weeks ago and it was a love-fest then, so we felt pretty good. But you’re always worried about ‘did somebody get to your young men or was there anything unethical done.’ Some people change their minds, so you’re always worried.”

The Cavaliers’ coach was up until 2 a.m., well past the Jay Leno monologue and old Sally Jessy Raphael episodes into the night before he finally drifted off.

Turned out there was nothing to worry about, no surprises for the UVa coaching staff. Everybody who was expected, officially signed on the dotted line, giving the Cavaliers’ program solid back-to-back recruiting classes ranked among the top 30 in the nation by the national recruiting services (see related column).

Half of the class hailed from the state of Virginia, including 10 prospects from the fabled “757” recruiting-rich area of Tidewater.

The highest profile names in the class include a pair of pass-rushing defensive ends, a celebrated linebacker, a flashy wide receiver and a quarterback who has already enrolled in school.

Overall, London was excited about the class and what it will bring to his program, which finished 8-5 last season, including a loss to Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

“If you look at this roster, there’s some height, there’s some athleticism, there’s some guys that obviously Mother Nature will decide in the end what positions they’ll finally rest,” London said. “They’re long-bodied, long-armed, athletic type guys that can run and played multiple positions at their high schools. That is one of the things we wanted to address.”

Virginia made huge recruiting gains in a hurry over the summer when its coaches received commitments from 20 prospects from early May to early August, leaving little drama for signing day. London said that because some of those high profile commitments helped recruit other prospects, it made the job easier than expected.

One of those commitments was the highest-rated player of the class, defensive end Eli Harold of Virginia Beach’s Ocean Lakes High School. Harold, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound pass rusher, was rated as high as a five-star prospect by some recruiting analysts, and could have played for any school in the country.

“Being the No. 1 player in the state of Virginia and one of the best defensive ends in the country, and he’s in your back yard, having the opportunity to have him to commit early and basically become the cheerleader for the rest of the class, not just in-state but so many out of state guys, helped create bonds,” London spoke of Harold.

Harold, who started at defensive end in the U.S. Army All-American Game, had 16 quarterback sacks last season for Ocean Lakes.

London specifically mentioned the addition of wide receivers, skilled defensive backs and linemen, particularly defensive linemen, when describing the class.

“Defensive ends that can rush the passer, one of the things we wanted to address,” the coach said.

Along with Harold at the defensive end position is Mike Moore, a 6-4, 260-pound pass rusher out of DeMatha Catholic in Hyattesville, Md. Moore, the son of legendary UVa quarterback Shawn Moore, who coaches wide receivers on the current Cavaliers staff, is another high profile signee, along with linebacker Kwontie Moore, one of four players signed out of Norfolk Christian.

There’s also wide receiver Canaan Severin from Worcester Academy in Marlborough, Mass., and quarterback Greyson Lambert of Jessup, Ga., who chose the Cavaliers over Alabama, Georgia, and a host of other SEC powerhouses.

“Greyson has been in school for two weeks, getting acclimated, learning how to lift college weights,” London said of the early enrollee, one of two QBs, along with Matt Johns of Calfont, Pa., to sign with UVa.

London was pleased that he didn’t have any late decommits, something coaches always sweat over, and liked the balance of this class and how it addressed various needs on both sides of the ball.

“Our [recruiting] message was true and consistent and obviously it helped with the winning [season] and the opportunities for postseason play,” the coach said.

Including Severin, there are five wide receivers in the class and five other signees listed as athletes, who could end up playing on either side of the ball. There was also three cornerbacks signed and a host of linemen, but only one designated running back in Kye Morgan, a 5-11, 165-pounder from Somerset, N.J., who appears to be cut from the same cloth as present UVa back Perry Jones in that he can both run and catch the football.

“My anxiety and anticipation came from what’s to come because I look at this class and who’s in it, particularly with the defensive ends, and I look at guys who can make a significant impact in this program because of that height and athleticism,” London said.

The coach declined to name any players that might end up playing as true freshmen for the 2012 season because he didn’t want to put any pressure on prospects, but noted that he had conversations in several living rooms on recruiting visits that entailed the possibility of playing time if those players exhibited skills early.

Perhaps London can get some sleep now that this year’s hay is in the barn.