Mike London's third season in Charlottesville begins in a similar fashion to his second.
There will be another heated competition for the starting quarterback position. And once again Virginia was picked to finish in the bottom half of the Coastal Division.
"We're definitely not okay with just being 8-5. We know we're capable of doing a lot better," offensive tackle Oday Aboushi said during Friday's media day. "We had guys stay here for twelve weeks of training over the summer to prove that."
Virginia received nine votes in the preseason Coaches Poll. But none of those were from London, who says that is something his team has to earn.
"The mindset is, just can't be satisfied for what just happened," London said. "You got to hunger for more."
NCAA restrictions over the summer mean the coaches have yet to see Alabama transfer Phillip Sims in a practice setting. But in a press conference lasting more than twenty minutes almost every question for offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was about the quarterbacks.
Junior Michael Rocco started all thirteen games last season. But sophomore David Watford saw significant action in the first half of the season. And Sims will be added to the mix in 2012.
"I could see myself being in a situation where you want to play more than one," Lazor said. "It's not the most comfortable thing but when it's the right thing for your team you have to do it."
"I really believe it's my job to lose. And I'm not going to lose it," Rocco declared. "My teammates believe in me, my coaching staff believes in me. I really have the ultimate confidence that I'm the leader of this team and I'm the quarterback of this team."
Coaches and fans will get their first look at Sims when camp begins on Monday. Practice is free and open to the public. It begins at 4pm on the school's intramural fields, The Park.
