Sam Dean | The Roanoke Times

Virginia quarterbacks Jameel Sewell (left) and Vic Hall both saw significant time during the spring. Who will actually be UVa's starter has not been decided.

Sam Dean | The Roanoke Times

Virginia offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon will continue installing the offense in the fall.

Q: How do the players like the spread offense?

Quarterback Jameel Sewell: "It's [a lot of] fun. It's so fast. You get to abuse the defense even more. If they're not in condition, then they're out of luck. It gives us a big advantage over the defense as long as we run our plays precisely.

"I like to run the ball a lot. I just like having the ball in my hands because I feel I can contribute. It's like a play-action. If the quarterback is running, you've got to do something different because usually the defense is not set up to keep the quarterback from scrambling."

Q: Will the quarterbacks run?

Head coach Al Groh: "That's an integral part of the scheme. It's not essential to it. There are teams that do very well without the quarterback being a primary runner. But, it's as if the offense has 12 players out there when a quarterback can run. The defense can never multiply. The defense has always got 11.

"But, when you've got multiple players on the offense who can do other things -- runners who can catch, catchers who can run -- it just keeps adding up and the offense has more than 11 weapons. When the quarterback does that, it adds another dimension."

Q: What is the quarterback competition like?

Quarterback Marc Verica: "I think everyone is trying to find their niche right now. [Learning the offense] is important. We're really looking for a manager out there to know what everybody's assignment is and make sure that everybody is doing the right thing. Grasping the offense as quickly as you can certainly will play to your advantage."

Q: How is the offense progressing?

Groh: "We're one-third through the practices that are allowed to us. We're allowed 44 before the first game and we've had 15. If we make twice as much progress in the second [two-thirds] as we made in the first third, then that will give us a chance to be ready on Sept. 5, which we ought to be ready to do because the groundwork on the two new units -- the offense and special teams -- has been laid."

Q: How has Ron Prince changed?

Groh: "Ron and I have talked about it. I was the head coach [at Wake Forest], then I went for 13 years to being an assistant coach. Ron had a similar experience at Kansas State. He was trying at a certain point, as I was, to be the best position coach that we could be.

"But, having become a head coach and knowing what the head coach needs from each assistant coach, Ron's words were, 'I think I'll be a better assistant coach than I ever was before.' I certainly experienced that."

Q: Why the emphasis on special teams?

Groh: "It's significant that the teams that participated in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game the last two years each year were the top two teams who led the conference in non-offensive touchdowns. Points count no matter how you get them.

"Ron's team last year at Kansas State led the country in blocked kicks. One year out there, they led the country in punt returns. Another time in kickoff returns. There's a method here. It's not just a try-hard deal. There's proven results."

Q: Is Javaris Brown for real?

Groh: "What you saw today [on a flanker reverse] is something that shows once a day. Sometimes in practices, it's multiple times. He'll do something to make you think something exciting is going to follow. [He's] one of the bright young players in his class. [Rodney] McLeod, Torrey [Mack] and Javaris bring more speed to the field than what we've had in the past."

Q: What is an area of concern?

Groh: "Probably the biggest transition personnel-wise on our team comes at linebacker, having had three players who played virtually every play at their position for three years and a couple at a very high skill level.

"We're going to be pretty solid in the secondary, but that layer in between is designed for guys to make a lot of plays. It's been a positive spring for Darren Childs and Steven [Greer] in particular.

"Darren was a nice story for all of us last year, never having played in a game before he stepped in and was productive against North Carolina. He made a lot of tackles, but, quite frankly, didn't play that well. Ever since the first day of spring practice, he's been on key with his game."

Q: Who rushes the passer?

Groh: "Cameron Johnson has a chance to be a real standout player [at outside linebacker]. We'd like to have three or four of those on the team. He's a 6-4, 250-plus guy who can run. He was a free safety and wide receiver as recently as his junior year in high school.

"Now, he's just got to learn to play the position. [New assistant] Bobby Trott has done a nice job with those guys. He's been in [UVa's] system at three different places. Every time I go by his office, one of them is sitting in there."

Q: Who is the most improved?

Groh: "I don't think [offensive tackle] Lamar [Milstead] appeared in a game last year. Lamar is a great example of, every player progresses at a different rate. And, it's a great example to us on the coaching staff to just keep coaching kids.

"He's really applied himself and has moved his game light years from where it was. The players recognize that. When [Rock Weir Award winners Milstead and Dom Joseph] were announced, both of these players were roundly applauded by the rest of the team."