Virginia Football Injury Report and Depth Chart - Pittsburgh
As the college football season reaches the month of November, the wear and tear of several weeks of physical football begins to take its toll and injuries naturally become more frequent. The injury bug took a big bite out of the Virginia football team last week with injuries to four starters on offense as well as a few other players. UVA head coach Tony Elliott provided updates on several injured Cavaliers in his weekly press conference on Tuesday ahead of Saturday's game against Pittsburgh.
Virginia's top three receivers - Keytaon Thompson, Dontayvion Wicks, and Lavel Davis. Jr. - all missed Saturday's game against North Carolina with various injuries suffered during practice last week. On Monday, all three receivers wore yellow jerseys signaling limited participation for that day's practice.
On Tuesday, Elliott categorized all three players' status as "day-to-day." Keytaon Thompson is the closest to making a return. He had a boot on his foot on the sideline during the UNC game.
Elliott had previously been using the term "situation" to refer to the status of Lavel Davis Jr., but on Tuesday, he clarified that Davis is actually in concussion protocol and will be day-to-day this week. Elliott added that he saw Davis earlier on Tuesday and the junior wideout seemed to be in good spirits with a "big smile on his face."
2021 First-Team All-ACC receiver Dontayvion Wicks is the furthest from returning out of the three as he has a bone bruise, but Elliott doesn't think his injury will be long-term either.
Fortunately, the Cavaliers had several new faces step up against UNC, proving that they are more than capable of getting the job done if the injuries to the starters persist. Freshman Sean Wilson made five receptions for 61 yards, while junior Demick Starling had a big play, hauling in a 40-yard catch in the 4th quarter. Tight end Sackett Wood Jr. had a big game as well, catching six passes for 94 yards.
Related story: New Faces Step Up for Virginia in Encouraging Showing Against UNC
UVA could also see the imminent return of sophomore receiver Malachi Fields, who has been out all summer after suffering a foot fracture over the summer. He was spotted warming up before the UNC game and Elliott said he has been "turned loose" in practice. Fields could possibly be active for Saturday's game against Pitt for "15-20 plays" according to Elliott, giving Brennan Armstrong another weapon at receiver. The 6'4" wideout had 11 catches for 172 yards as a true freshman in 2021.
At the running back position, Perris Jones has continued to be limited in practice with an ankle injury. Elliott says the senior tailback is "getting close." If Jones is cleared to play this week, Elliott says his role will likely be limited to special teams. That means most of the carries at running back will go to Mike Hollins as well as freshman Xavier Brown and fifth-year Ronnie Walker Jr., who are both listed on the depth chart this week for the first time this season.
The additions of Brown and Walker at running back are the only changes on the depth chart for the North Carolina game as compared to Virginia's depth chart from last week. Ronnie Walker Jr., who had been out for six months this year with a foot injury, got his first carries of the season on Saturday, rushing six times for 30 yards and scoring a touchdown.
Junior defensive tackle Ben Smiley III missed Saturday's game against North Carolina, his first time missing a game all season. Elliott says Smiley is in concussion protocol and is day-to-day with the hope that he will be available to return this week. Smiley has 13 total tackles and 1.5 sacks so far this season.
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