Groh: Brooks still with Cavs for now
By Doug Doughty
981-3129
Virginia football coach Al Groh concedes that former All-ACC linebacker Ahmad Brooks has some issues to work through before he plays for the Cavaliers next fall.
"I think that's fair to say," Groh said. "That has been the case from the outset, whether it's eligibility issues or training issues or whatever the case may be."
Brooks, who played in six of 12 games in 2005 while dealing with three different injuries, did not apply for the NFL Draft by the Jan. 15 deadline and said he planned to return in 2006 for his final season of eligibility at UVa.
In response to Internet reports that had questioned Brooks' status, Groh confirmed this week that Brooks is enrolled in school and remains in the football program.
Brooks missed spring practice last year while rehabilitating a surgically repaired knee and he might miss spring practice again this year.
"I'm going to see," Groh said. "I'm going to see what his physical condition is. What I don't want is, 'He's in, he's out, he's in.' That just becomes distracting to everybody. This has been my approach since about this time last year, when we became aware that the surgery was necessary.
"There are other players on the roster whose availability for the spring will be assessed as we get closer to it. What the greater objective is that we make sure that we get everybody to training camp healthy and ready to go. I'm anxious to see what these midterm [grades] bring."
Groh said he has not spoken recently with safety Tony Franklin, left home from the Music City Bowl after his Dec. 4 arrest for misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Franklin's case continues to be listed as "pending" after a Feb. 21 hearing, in which he was placed on probation for one year.
Groh said Franklin also remains a member of the program.
