College Football: Lalich dismissed from UVa. football team

Story by Chris Graham
[email protected]

Peter Lalich is no longer the future of UVa. football.

“We have supported Peter, but believe today a point has been reached where it’s best for all concerned that he no longer participate on the team. This is my decision, and it has support of head football coach Al Groh. We wish Peter the best in the future,” UVa. athletics director Craig Littlepage said in a statement on Thursday, after Lalich, a sophomore who had been named the starting quarterback by Virginia coach Al Groh for the Cavs’ season opener against Southern Cal and also started the game with Richmond before being left off the travel squad for last week’s game at UConn., testified in court that he had violated the terms of his probation for an earlier arrest for underage possession of alcohol.

Lalich was not punished by the court for his violation, but the admission was enough to push University of Virginia officials to break ties with the beleaguered quarterback.

A source reported to me last weekend that the decision to keep Lalich off the travel squad was due to the appearance of photos on Lalich’s Facebook page that have since been taken down that showed Lalich consuming alcohol. The photos, I was told, came to light last Wednesday, the day that the decision to keep Lalich out of the game at UConn. was made public by Groh and Littlepage in a statement to the media.

Sources had been telling me since the spring that Lalich was on thin ice with the program due to a series of off-the-field activities that called his judgment into question.