With logjam at QB, Smalls aims to come up big at receiver.(Sports) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

By Doug Doughty

The Roanake Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE

When you've been coaching for more than 40 years, every move has a precedent.

That's how Virginia football coach Al Groh was able to sell redshirt freshman quarterback Riko Smalls on a switch to wide receiver.

'When coach presented me with the idea, he also told me that Marques Hagans was a receiver until Matt Schaub left,' Smalls said. 'After that, Marques Hagans took over the quarterback job.

'If it's better for the team that I play receiver this year, then that's what I'm going to do.'

Smalls could do worse than have a Hagans-like career. After Hagans caught 28 passes as a sophomore in 2003, he moved to quarterback and passed for more than 2,000 yards in each of his final two seasons.

Like Hagans, Smalls (6 feet, 200 pounds) played quarterback almost exclusively before coming to Charlottesville. He was Virginia's No. 3 quarterback for much of the 2008 season, but the Cavaliers held him out of action and preserved his redshirt year.

The return of 2007 starter Jameel Sewell after a year's academic suspension only added to a logjam at quarterback that included Vic Hall and 2008 passing leader Marc Verica.

Sewell and Hall, a former cornerback who started at quarterback in the 2008 finale, are in their final seasons of eligibility. Verica is a fourth-year junior

'We have a lot of depth at quarterback this year and a lot of experience as well,' said Smalls, who passed for 2,985 yards and 33 touchdowns in 2007 as a senior at Plano (Texas) East High School. 'We're not as deep at receiver as we are at quarterback.'

Smalls, lining up in the slot Friday, showed sure hands as Virginia worked on its spread offense against a veteran secondary.

But the Cavaliers' defensive backs had the best of that match-up. Cornerback Chris Cook returned an interception for a touchdown, safety Corey Mosley picked up a fumble and returned it for a touchdown and safety Brandon Woods returned an interception to the 2-yard line.

On virtually every big play by the defensive backs, new secondary coach Anthony Poindexter gleefully ran after his players. Poindexter, a former All-America safety for the Cavaliers, coached the running backs until assignments were changed following the 2008 season.

Smalls never had played receiver in an organized setting until Groh floated the idea three weeks ago, but Smalls was comfortable with the routes from his spring work at quarterback.

'My dad played receiver when he was in school,' Smalls added. 'I've grown up always catching the ball and throwing the ball.'

Notes U.Va. released a revised 105-player roster that did not include 2009 signee, Cody Wallace, an offensive lineman from Moorestown, N.J. Wallace was enrolled in the first session of summer school but didn't return for the start of preseason workouts for what U.Va. described as 'personal reasons.' ... Another 2009 signee, Parade All-America offensive tackle Morgan Moses,, did not meet NCAA guidelines for initial eligibility and said Thursday he will enroll at either Fork Union Military Academy or Hargrave Military Academy.

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courtesy photo

Riko Smalls passed for 2,985 yards and 33 touchdowns as a high school senior in Texas in 2007. He was redshirted last year.