CHARLOTTESVILLE -- After spending five days in Wyoming at the invitation of a Virginia fan, Al Groh returned home to learn that he had been named the worst coach in college football.

"I was told about it today," Groh said Wednesday during a two-hour summer "sit-down" with media members who cover his team.

Groh became the third ACC coach in as many years to be named the worst coach in America by Stewart Mandel of sportsillustrated.com.

"Actually, I've never met him," said Groh, dismissing the notion that he might have had a run-in with Mandel when Groh coached the New York Jets in 2000.

Mandel had chosen Georgia Tech's Chan Gailey and North Carolina State's Chuck Amato the past two seasons.

"I don't have a lot of comment on it," Groh said. "I take my perspective from my players and my peers and my colleagues, whether it's in terms of a pat on the back or constructive criticism.

"The only way I can evaluate what's going on here is, 'Are we coaching this team as well as we can coach under the circumstances?' I'm in the profession and I can't tell you who's doing a good job or not because I don't know his circumstances."

Groh had taken the Cavaliers to four straight bowl games before they went 5-7 last year.

"I was affected by the result of the season," Groh said. "Talking to people I respect, they didn't really give me answers as much as they asked questions. One guy assessed the situation and said, 'After you've thought about your answers, call me back.'

"When I got finished, I felt that last year's team achieved the second-most of the six teams we've had here."

The team that achieved the most, in Groh's eyes, was the 2002 team that lost its first two games but finished 9-5, including a win against West Virginia in the Continental Tire Bowl.

"We had some reality situations last year that just had to be dealt with, one being the inexperience of the quarterback," Groh said, referring to Jameel Sewell, who was then a redshirt freshman.

"After four years of relative success and the anticipation of winning, we had a disappointing start and then a heartbreaking loss [to Maryland]. At that point, a lot of teams might have sacked their bats up.

"We aspired to a lot more than 5-7, but I think those kids might have turned a 3-9 into 5-7, given what they faced at the midseason mark and the way they responded to it."

Groh said the Cavaliers are further ahead offensively and defensively than they were at this point last year, but three players are expected to miss the upcoming season after reconstructive knee surgery: wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, defensive back Mike Brown and touted WR-DB recruit Chase Minnifield.

All three have the option of redshirting, and the Cavaliers should be able to deal with the loss of Brown because cornerback is one of their deepest positions.

Likely to start in Brown's absence is Vic Hall, the record-setting ex-Gretna High School quarterback.

Hall was the subject of rumors that he had been shot outside a Charlottesville nightclub earlier this summer.

The rumors weren't true, but Hall required stitches to close a cut on his forehead after the incident and Groh has tightened the off-field reins on his players.

"Vic was a fully innocent victim," Groh said.

"These guys came out of an establishment, there were some guys loitering on the street and their agenda was to create a disturbance. Vic was jumped from behind, sucker-punched and kicked when he was down. That's when the individuals ran off.

"There's been a pattern of these occurrences around town. Coaches and parents always say, 'Stay out of trouble.' We try to expand on that and say, 'Don't let trouble find you.' You've just got to keep your guard up at all times."

Notes

Players will report Aug. 5, with UVa's annual meet-the-team affair set for Aug. 12. ... Groh said that all 24 signees have qualified for freshman eligibility. ... Virginia's football-support facility, the McCue Center, has undergone a makeover. ... Groh said running back Keith Payne has "done what the deans have asked" as he approaches the end of UVa's second summer session. Payne has been suspended from team activities in order to concentrate on academics.