Ogletree’s return should inject life into stagnant UVA offense

By Chris Preston  |   Friday, August 15, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Virginia Cavaliers
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The return of wide receiver Kevin Ogletree from injury this season will give the Virginia offense a dimension it lacked a year ago. The 6-foot-2 redshirt junior missed all of 2007 with a knee injury, leaving an already undermanned Cavalier receiving crew even more depleted. Though it remains unclear as to who will be throwing him the ball, Ogletree is talented enough to get his fair share of catches regardless.

As a sophomore in 2006 Ogletree earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors, leading the UVA team with 582 receiving yards (seventh in the conference) on 52 catches (third best in the league). Like this season, that was for a Hoos team with uncertainty at quarterback and little help among his fellow receivers. Maurice Covington led all wideouts in Ogletree’s absence last season with just 269 receiving yards on 21 catches.

Granted, head coach Al Groh’s offense has always featured heavy doses of short passes to his tight ends and running backs, and this year will be no different with RB Mikell Simpson (team-high 43 catches for 402 yards in ’07) and TE John Phillips (17 grabs, 193 yards) returning. But coming off a year in which it finished 100th in the nation in total offense and 91st in points scored, Virginia is desperate for a deep threat to keep defenses honest.

Assuming his knee is fully recovered, Ogletree poses such a threat. Plus, most of last year’s receiving corps returns intact – theoretically meaning it should only get better – along with Phillips, the dynamic Simpson and his backfield mate Cedric Peerman.

If the Hoos can soon identify a starting quarterback who can at least be a consistent replacement for the talented, oft-erratic Jameel Sewell (dismissed from school for academics), the UVA offense should be much improved in ’08.
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