CHARLOTTESVILLE—As much as U.Va. football fans—and his coaches—might wish otherwise, Chris Long will be out of eligibility after this season, and he’ll leave a huge void on the defensive line.

So who’ll take No. 91’s place at end in 2008?  The front-runner for the job figures to be Alex Field, a junior who’s the top reserve at that position this year. But Sean Gottschalk is likely to get significant playing time next season, too, even if he doesn’t win the starting job.

Gottschalk, a 6-4, 270-pound redshirt freshman, is a graduate of Deep Run High, where his coach was former U.Va. player Lenny Pritchard.  Gottschalk’s parents also have degrees from Virginia.

On the two-deep, Gottschalk is listed as Long’s backup, but he was primarily a spectator in the Cavaliers’ first three games.  That changed Saturday, when No. 99 was usually on the field when Georgia Tech was in obvious passing situations at Scott Stadium.

Coach Al Groh, on his Sunday night teleconference with reporters, complimented Gottschalk.

The Cavaliers have been “looking for a little more firepower at that spot” in their nickel and dime defenses, Groh said, and Gottschalk’s “game has come along nicely ... He earned time there, and he did a pretty nice job with it for the first time out.  He didn’t hit any home runs, but he did a nice job with it.”

At 6-7, 280 pounds, Field is a huge man whose game is based on strength.  Physically and athletically, Gottschalk is more like Jeffrey Fitzgerald (6-3, 280) and Long (6-4, 279), the quickest set of ends Groh has had in his seven years as coach at his alma mater.