U.VA. FOOTBALL REPORT.(SPORTS) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

Byline: ED MILLER

Last year's top recruit eligible, will practice with team in spring

Spring football practice just became much more interesting at the University of Virginia.

Ahmad Brooks, the team's top recruit a year ago, has been accepted for admission and will participate in spring drills.

'Ahmad is very excited,' said Robert Prunty, Brooks' coach at Hargrave Military Academy. 'He's ready to get up there with his U.Va. teammates.'

Brooks, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker from Woodbridge, was the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year last season. He signed with Virginia last February but failed to qualify academically. He enrolled at Hargrave, where he raised his standardized test score enough to qualify under NCAA guidelines.

Brooks is expected to play inside linebacker in Virginia's 3-4 scheme.

'He ran a 4.4 the other day at the combine,' Prunty said. 'I think he's a clone of Lavar Arrington.'

Brooks could be joined on the inside by Kai Parham, who has begun practicing recently after missing most of the season with a back injury.

Parham, a freshman from Princess Anne High, was a Parade All-American last season. He redshirted this year and, like Brooks, will have four years of eligibility remaining.

Players get holiday break through this weekend

After practicing five times in four days, Virginia broke for the holidays Tuesday night. The Cavaliers will reconvene Saturday to continue preparations for the Continental Tire Bowl Dec. 28 in Charlotte.

The NCAA allows teams wide latitude in preparing for bowl games. Virginia coach Al Groh said it is 'one of the few times the NCAA allows common sense to rule.'

Some coaches abuse the privilege, using bowl practice as a mini-spring practice. Groh said he heard of one school that is practicing 17 times before its bowl.

Groh said the Cavaliers will practice no more than necessary to get ready for West Virginia.

'We're trying to structure it so we can get prepared for the opponent,' he said.

Two Charlotte natives sidelined for bowl game

In a cruel twist, U.Va.'s two best players from Charlotte - tailback Alvin Pearman and defensive end Chris Canty - won't be available to play.

Pearman suffered a season-ending knee injury against Georgia Tech. Canty is out with an elbow injury. Stan Norfleet, a linebacker who plays strictly on special teams, is the only other Cavalier from Charlotte.

Canty will be replaced by freshman Kwakou Robinson, who has missed the last three games with an illness. Justin Walker also will play defensive end.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Groh said guard Elton Brown should resume practicing when the team arrives in Charlotte on Saturday. Brown has been playing with a stress fracture in his foot.

'By the time we get to Charlotte, this'll give him three weeks to be feeling a little bit better,' Groh said.

Cavs land highly rated offensive lineman

After visiting Virginia four times in the past year, coveted offensive lineman Ian-Yates Cunningham announced Wednesday that he will sign a letter of intent with U.Va.

Cunningham, a 6-6, 300-pound offensive tackle from Plano, Texas, picked the Cavaliers over the other two schools he had visited, Georgia Tech and Nebraska.

Cunningham was born in North Carolina and his grandparents, Rudy and Becky Cunningham, live in his father's hometown of Petersburg. His second cousin is legendary tennis star Arthur Ashe.

Cunningham, rated the No. 6 offensive lineman in the country by SuperPrep before the season, said he based his decision on the relationship he had built with the U.Va. coaches and players and on academics. He has a 3.2 grade-point average and 1,000 on the SAT.

- ED MILLER

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