By JEFF WHITE

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The news keeps getting worse for the University of Virginia football team.

U.Va. coach Al Groh, who may lose his defensive coordinator, Mike London, to the University of Richmond, has lost his starting quarterback, probably for the 2008 season.

Jameel Sewell, a Hermitage High graduate, is one of four football players who are not enrolled at U.Va. for the spring semester, the school announced in a two-paragraph release last night. Their absences are related to academics, sources confirmed.

The other players are cornerback Chris Cook, linebacker Darnell Carter and wide receiver Chris Dalton. Sewell, who has started Virginia's past 22 games, was a redshirt sophomore in 2007; Cook, who has not redshirted, was a junior. Carter and Dalton were redshirt freshmen.

The spring semester started Wednesday at U.Va.

The news about Cook is not a surprise. He was ruled academically ineligible to play in the Gator Bowl and didn't travel with the team to Jacksonville, Fla., last month.

It's not clear if any of the players might be able to return to U.Va. for the fall semester. The university's release said: "Privacy laws prohibit any additional comment or release of information regarding this matter." Typically, however, academic suspensions at U.Va. have been for two semesters.

Neither Sewell nor his mother could be reached for comment. Hermitage coach Patrick Kane said last night that he knew nothing about the situation.

Sewell has had other academic troubles at U.Va. In 2006, he needed a strong showing in summer school to remain eligible.

Cook, from Lynchburg, starred at Heritage High. Heritage football coach Chris Jones spoke yesterday with Cook.

"I'm really not sure what he's going to do," Jones said. "I don't think he's made his mind up."

Cook, who has started 19 games for Virginia, could enter the NFL's supplemental draft. Or he could take classes at a community college and try to return to U.Va.

Carter, a second-team inside linebacker, played primarily on special teams this past season. Dalton didn't appear in a game.

If Sewell isn't available next season, Virginia's starting quarterback figures to be Peter Lalich. As a redshirt freshman this past season, Lalich appeared in eight games. He completed 35 of 61 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.

Sewell was an inconsistent passer who struggled to complete longer throws, but he played a starring role in the fourth-quarter comebacks that became the Wahoos' trademark in 2007. For the season, he passed for 2,176 yards and 12 touchdowns. He ran for 279 yards and four TDs.

U.Va.'s No. 3 quarterback was Scott Deke, who's on schedule to graduate this year and is not expected to return next season. The other scholarship quarterback on the roster is Marc Verica, who as a redshirt freshman didn't play in 2007.Contact Jeff White at (804) 649-6838 or jwhite@timesdispatch.com.