JASON O. WATSON

US Presswire Virginia cornerback Chase Minnifield (13) is tackled by Clemson Tigers cornerback Byron Maxwell (36) during a kickoff return.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia football coach Al Groh spoke for more than 30 minutes Monday before anybody mentioned special teams, usually one of the first topics of conversation when the Cavaliers are preparing to meet Virginia Tech.

The Hokies haven't been abusing teams this year with "Beamer Ball," an opportunistic style of play linked with head coach Frank Beamer, but UVa certainly is vulnerable.

Groh hired former Kansas State coach Ron Prince last winter as his special-teams coordinator because "this particular team needed some push in that area," he said.

"It hasn't changed the lights on the scoreboard the way that we had hoped."

Almost every momentum-changing play has been offset by special-teams snafus.

Sophomore Chase Minnifield set up Virginia's first touchdown Saturday at Clemson with a 34-yard kickoff return. He fumbled on two later kickoff returns, one resulting in the Cavaliers taking possession at their 8-yard line.

"It's been frustrating for everybody on the team," Groh said. "We certainly expected more. There's been an awful lot of energy and effort put into it -- more than ever.

"When you say, 'not everything's going to be perfect,' you're exactly right. But, we expect better than, say, what we had the other day. We had two mishandled kickoffs. That part of it's not that difficult."

One week earlier, a block in the back nullified a 62-yard Vic Hall punt return for a TD.

"Tracking a guy down to block him on the run, sometimes that's a little more difficult," said Groh, not condoning the illegal block in a 14-10 loss to visiting Boston College.

"But, one muff that didn't look like a big deal is something that can change the whole course of the game."

Close call

Clemson wide receiver and return specialist Jacoby Ford, who had a career-high 195 all-purpose yards in the Tigers' 34-21 victory over Virginia, said he once had UVa at the top of his list.

"Pretty much," said Ford, who spent the fall of 2005 at Fork Union. "They were definitely under heavy consideration. It was a tough decision between them and Clemson."

Ford, originally from Royal Palm Beach, Fla., committed to Clemson after his visit in December 2005 and was able to enroll for the spring semester in January.

"That was no issue [for the Cavaliers] at all," Ford said. "They were looking at me coming in in January if I was to choose their school. Virginia was definitely my second choice.

"I was up there all the time. Everything changed when I came to Clemson for my visit and fell in love with the place."

Still learning

UVa quarterback Jameel Sewell has been sacked 37 times this season despite missing one full game because of injury and requiring relief in 2-3 others. Sewell, who was sacked eight times in a loss to TCU, was sacked six times in the fourth quarter Saturday and seven times overall.

"I've got a few bruises," said Sewell, who handled most of the quarterbacking for a UVa team that yielded 33 sacks in 2007. "I've got to help myself by trying to get the ball out quicker."

Groh said that he has spoken repeatedly with Sewell about throwing the ball sooner and about keeping his eyes open for scrambling opportunities.

The job

At almost every media opportunity, Groh has been asked about his job status. He has two years remaining on a contract that pays him more than $2 million per year but three losing seasons in four years could mean that Saturday's game with the Hokies will be his last.

He said the thought has not crossed his mind.

"Um, no," he said Sunday . "I just try to be the same person that I talk to the team about being, that we get all our focus on the one game we have. I think that's part of the reason why we've always been able to have a lot of energy."