Tapping the pipeline

College football coaches looking for talent in Virginia historically tend to locate it near the beach or the big cities, and for years it was hard to find many players from Culpeper or the surrounding counties on the University of Virginia football roster.

But the Cavaliers’ increased recruiting effort along the U.S. 15 corridor suggests that’s starting to change.

Redshirt freshmen Terrence Fells-Danzer and Curt Orshoski from Culpeper are already on the Wahoos’ roster and Fauquier quarterback Kyle McCartin is joining the team next season as a walk-on. That doesn’t include Orange’s Quintin Hunter and Liberty’s Corey Lillard, who have both already committed to the Cavs from the class of 2009.

“There’s no question that, for whatever reason, the talent level in that area — Culpeper, Orange, Fredericksburg and Warrenton — has really improved lately,” Chris Wallace said. Wallace, the editor of CavsCorner.com, a Web site that covers U.Va. recruiting, expects Virginia to continue recruiting the area diligently.

“There have been quite a few good players, and quite a few that U.Va. missed on or didn’t recruit for various reasons,” he said. “It will be interesting to see if it’s a trend or just a couple of unique years. But there’s little doubt that Virginia will go hard after kids from that area that can play at the ACC level.”

A deepening talent pool
From 2002-2006 the Cavs signed just two players from Orange County, Culpeper County, Liberty and Fauquier High Schools — Orange’s Asa Chapman and Culpeper’s Stefan Orange. Chapman was never admitted to U.Va. and might follow Hornets teammate Bradley Starks to West Virginia. Orange transferred out of U.Va. before ever earning a varsity letter.

But so far the Virginia careers of Fells-Danzer, a highly-recruited linebacker, and Orshoski, a walk-on fullback, have been deemed a success, even though neither has played a game. Both players should have an opportunity to earn playing time this fall. U.Va. head coach Al Groh called CCHS coach Greg Martz just minutes after finding out he was named the 2007 ACC Coach of the Year to let Martz know how pleased he was with the Culpeper pair.

“When you look at our area they are seeing kids that have walked on and done well,” Martz said. “Coach Groh called me on my cell and was just praising Terrence and Curt and how they are doing on the field and in the classroom. That’s the kind of trophy where the tarnish never wears off.”

Since Fells-Danzer began impressing college coaches with his blend of size and speed, the football recruiting world has paid more attention to this area. Hunter and Lillard are each ranked among the top-30 recruits in the state and Fauquier linebacker Connor McCartin, Kyle’s brother, was scheduled to visit the U.Va. campus and meet with the coaches Friday.

Another rising senior from Liberty, Kory Gough, has scholarship offers from East Carolina, Ohio and James Madison and is attracting interest from U.Va. Martz said rising seniors Stevie Strother, a running back/defensive back, and offensive lineman John Ross Hawkins are also gaining the attention of the Cavs. Both players played for Martz at CCHS last year, but might play at the brand new Eastern View High this fall.

Fauquier’s Kevin Friend is another rising senior gaining the attention of the Cavaliers, but former Falcons’ coach Greg Hatfield said he’ll likely need to put on weight to earn a scholarship offer.

Beating them to the punch
With the number of Division I recruits in the area growing, Virginia has been the first major-conference school to show more interest. While players such as Quintin Hunter, Connor McCartin and Culpeper rising senior Roger Davis have attracted the attention of schools all over the country, U.Va. has spent time looking for potential walk-ons and players that might be diamonds in the rough. At least some area coaches have noticed

“I saw U.Va. a lot this spring and I thought they spent a lot more time here,” Hatfield, who will be the coach at Eastern View this fall, said. “I saw them more than Virginia Tech.”

Hatfield and other area high school coaches believe that part of the reason the Hokies haven’t focused on this area is due to the program’s success snatching players out of the Hampton Roads area. Both Virginia and Virginia Tech have also long made it a priority to recruit in the Richomond and northern Virginia areas, but in recent years Tech has been able to beat U.Va. both on the playing field and in many in-state recruiting wars.

The Cavaliers signed just four Virginians in their 2008 recruiting class and Groh and his staff took some heat from the Wahoo faithful for it. Hatfield thinks that could be a reason for Virginia to try and build pipelines to Charlottesville in this and other areas of the commonwealth.

“I think Virginia alums want to see Virginia players on their football team,” Hatfield said. “I think there was a little more pressure to beat your competitors to the punch in this area. It’s an easy drive and coaches have made an effort to spend time. It’s a recognition that there is good football in this area. In the Cedar Run District there’s some talented kids and we’re so close to U.Va., there’s a ton of alumni.”

Martz thinks that one high-profile recruit can help spark interest in other talented prospects from around Culpeper.

“Luckily for all of us, when they see my tapes they also see these other kids from the area,” Martz said. “And that’s good for all of us.”

Shane Mettlen can be reached at 825-0771, ext. 127 or