CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Al Groh said he wasn't trying to make a statement Saturday. The numbers would suggest otherwise.

During the 2007 football season, the Cavaliers completed 76 passes to wide receivers, fewer than six per game during a 13-game schedule.

On Saturday, UVa wide receivers caught 22 passes in the Cavaliers' final spring scrimmage.

The Cavaliers picked a bad day not to keep score as veteran quarterbacks Scott Deke and Marc Verica combined for three touchdown passes.

One year earlier, a Deke touchdown pass had accounted for the lone score as the Blue team defeated the White team 7-0.

Groh was able to form two separate teams in that game, but it was the offense against the defense Saturday because of injuries and unscheduled academic and disciplinary departures.

Some of the 5,000 might have wanted to size up new place-kicker Chris Hinkebein, whose consistency has been discussed in Groh teleconferences, but Groh said the Cavaliers devoted ample time to special teams in their first 14 practices.

Symbolically, the first play was a pass from Deke to wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, who sat out the 2007 season after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament on the third day of spring practice.

Ogletree had a team-high 52 receptions during the 2006 season, but no UVa wide receiver last year had more than Maurice Covington's 21.

"If you look at it, we've got some guys who deserve the ball out there," Ogletree said.

There were 86 plays in the scrimmage -- 70 pass attempts and 16 runs. Deke was 17-of-23 for 160 yards and two touchdowns; Verica was 17-of-25 for 110 yards.

Peter Lalich was the third quarterback to enter the game and was intercepted three times, although the first came on a deep ball that wideout Dontrelle Inman had in his grasp before it was wrestled away by safety Matt Leemhuis.

"I thought the ball was caught," Groh said. "And apparently the people in the stands did, too. It's great to see that play made on defense, but, in terms of offensive firepower, that was on the fringe of being a very exciting play.

"It was a positive day for the quarterbacks. This was practice [No.] 15 and we haven't had many where all three quarterbacks performed at the level they did today."

Sophomore Raynard Horne carried the ball four times for 12 yards. The two tailbacks who combined to rush for more than 1,200 yards last year, Cedric Peerman and Mikell Simpson, had one carry between them.

"Quite a few of our veteran players just made token appearances," Groh said.

UVa's top returning pass rusher, Clint Sintim, recently underwent surgery and was not in uniform. Peerman had foot surgery that caused him to miss the final seven games of the 2007 season but was held out as a precaution.

"That decision was made March 21," Groh said. "Ced had an excellent spring. He's ready to go."

Ogletree said he was on the field for 25-30 snaps Saturday and was eager for all the work he could get. He watched the 2007 spring game from crutches.

Notes

Tight end John Phillips (Bath County) was a double-winner. He was one of three recipients of the Rock Weir Award that goes to the most improved players during the spring and then was introduced as one of four co-captains, joining Peerman, Sintim and cornerback Vic Hall. Phillips also had a touchdown reception in limited action. ... Other Rock Weir Award recipients were tackle Landon Bradley and outside linebacker Denzel Burrell. ... Corey Lillard, a safety from Liberty High School in Fauquier County, committed to the Cavaliers. Lillard (5-11, 205) had offers from West Virginia, Wake Forest, North Carolina, N.C. State and Duke, according to rivals.com.