Simpson emerges

When Mikell Simpson was toiling in obscurity, buried down the U.Va. depth chart, he didn't get discouraged. He kept working. He knew his time would come.

"My confidence was always high, I just never got the opportunity to display it," he said.

Until Saturday, that is. With top running back Cedric Peerman sidelined, the Cavaliers were forced to shuffle some personnel.

Simpson, who had seen action, albeit sparingly, at wide receiver and running back during his first season and a half in Charlottesville, was back in the equation.

Against Maryland, Simpson looked like the star coach Al Groh thought he would be when Groh recruited him out of Harrisburg High School in Pennsylvania. He finished with 16 carries for 119 yards and 13 catches for 152 yards. He also scored two touchdowns, including the game winner with under a minute to play.

To put his night into perspective, consider Simpson had only touched the ball 31 times in his entire career before Saturday.
"That's crazy," said offensive guard Branden Albert when he heard Simpson's final stats.

For Simpson, the game was affirmation that his hard work was paying off. He'd come to U.Va. after a brilliant high school career as a running back and safety. He was rated among the top 20 running backs in the country by several media outlets his senior year, and was considered a top recruit for the Wahoos.

Last season, he played in six games. His best performance - five carries for 25 yards at Duke - wasn't anything to get excited about.

But instead of getting down on himself, or blaming the coaching staff, he went to work. He won the Rock Weir award this year, a team honor bestowed upon the most improved player in spring drills.

Despite limited playing time so far this season - he was on the field for one play Oct. 13 against Connecticut - he was patient.

His moment in the spotlight couldn't have come at a better time. The Wahoos came into the Maryland game with six wins and a perfect ACC record, but had won more close games than any team in the country - four by six points or fewer.

And the injuries have been piling up. Peerman, who had emerged as a top-tier running back, hasn't played since Oct. 6, when he injured his right foot in the first quarter at Middle Tennessee State. Tight end Tom Santi was injured on the first play Saturday night.

Quarterback Jameel Sewell writes the names of his injured teammates - "fallen soliders" he calls them - on athletic tape on his left wrist. He's running out of room.

So Simpson stepped up when his team needed him most.

Trailing late, the Cavaliers needed a spark, and the sophomore took the team on his shoulders. The team moved 90 yards on the final drive, including 78 by Simpson, before he dove over the pile for the 1-yard score. After two years of waiting, Simpson had arrived.

"It's kind of his birthday," defensive end Chris Long said. "He's born. He was born into college football (Saturday).

"Hopefully he'll continue to do that. I don't think it's a one time thing."

Jason Simcoe can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 166 or