It's been one of Mike London's mantras since taking over as football coach at Virginia.

Bigger. Faster. Stronger.

And according to several veteran Cavaliers, the team has gotten bigger, faster, and stronger than ever this summer.

"This has been my fifth summer here, including my first freshman year. I'd say this is the best led team, as well as the hardest-working team that I've been around the last five years," says senior defensive end Bill Schautz. "And that includes a lot of big names who have been here."

"It gets you extremely fired up," agreed senior offensive tackle Oday Aboushi, a preseason All-ACC selection. "From people having new maxes, to people with their new explosions coming out. They're faster, stronger; more physical. You could just see it. You can't wait to put on pads. I think a lot of people are really looking forward to camp this year, just to get it underway and see all their progress and their new maxes transition onto the field."

Since March, the Cavaliers have been working out in their newly-renovated weight room. The make-over took place over a week-long, and included all new equipment, and twice as many work stations.

Director of football training and player development Evan Marcus said the work done in the weight room provides a football team's foundation.

"We're always going to be a physical team," Marcus said. "We believe in the basics. We're going to be strong, we're going to be explosive and powerful. I think it's been an outstanding summer."

Marcus also pointed to the Cavaliers' 2011 season -- the team went 8-4 during the regular season, and reached a bowl game for the first time since the 2007 season -- as proof of what hard work in the weight room can lead to.

"It's hidden in the fact that we win games in the fourth quarter that we hadn't in the past," he said. "We win games in November, which is something that hadn't happened here in a while. All you offensive linemen started all 13 games. So it manifests itself in different ways."