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By Doug Doughty
The Roanoke Times
CHARLOTTESVILLE
As a youngster who grew up going to Virginia football games , Matt Snyder had a chance to admire such talented offensive players as Matt Schaub, Heath Miller and U.Va. career receiving leader Billy McMullen.
So, who was Snyder's favorite all-time Cavalier? That question was asked Monday on coach Mike London's weekly radio show.
Snyder's answer: Lenny Pritchard.
He could have selected Herman Moore, the All-American receiver who popularized the "jump ball" that Snyder has started to master. But, Snyder never saw Moore play.
Nor did he see Pritchard, an offensive lineman and teammate of Moore's in 1988, the only year Pritchard lettered. But Pritchard was Snyder's coach at Deep Run High School outside Richmond.
"Matt's father actually texted me to tell me about the radio show," said Pritchard, now the principal at Deep Run after giving up coaching following the 2006 season, "... It was kind of weird but very flattering, to say the least."
Pritchard already was aware of Snyder's performance Saturday at Georgia Tech, where he caught four passes for 96 yards, including receptions of 39 and 40 yards on Virginia's final drive in a 33-21 loss.
The fourth-year junior came into the season with one reception. He joined the program as a walk-on before getting a scholarship this summer.
"There was never a doubt in my mind that he could play college football, either at the I-A or I-AA level," Pritchard said. "He's not a speedster, but he runs great routes. "
Snyder is listed at 6 foot 4 and 205 pounds, but he says he's closer to 6-5. He won't get any arguments from the Georgia Tech defensive backs who may have thought they had him covered only to see him outfight them for the ball.
Snyder had 67 receptions as a senior for a Deep Run team that went 12-1 . In the Central Region final, Snyder had 14 catches for 117 yards in a victory over a Matoaca team that featured Snyder's future U.Va. teammate, Kris Burd.
Snyder was selected for the Virginia High School Coaches' Association all-star game. By then, he already had accepted an invitation to walk on at Virginia, but he suffered a broken collarbone that kept him out of preseason practice.
Former Virginia quarterback Shawn Moore is Snyder's third receivers coach in as many seasons. Moore threw more than a few alley-oop passes to Herman Moore, who was 6-5.
Shawn Moore said the Cavaliers don't practice alley-oop passes. However, Snyder practices everything else.
"He's got to take every rep in practice," Moore said. "You've got to tell him to kind of back off. It helps that he knows every position on the field. Matt could probably be our third quarterback."
Former head coach Al Groh always spoke favorably of Snyder, who started the first three games of 2009 but got most of his playing time on special teams. He entered this season as the Cavs' No. 4 receiver before sophomore Tim Smith was lost for the year with a foot injury.
"Timmy's one of my best friends at the university," Snyder said, "and it's terrible news that he's down, but with that comes a little bit of an opportunity for me."
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