Virginia is holding its breath on Noah Josey, but the early signs are encouraging.
Head coach Tony Elliott said Tuesday the Cavaliers are “hopeful” their starting left guard can return for Saturday’s game against Delaware after Josey left last week’s 38-27 loss to West Virginia with an ankle injury.
“He was out at practice yesterday, moving around. He'll work back in today - so hopeful for this weekend,” said Elliott. “Don't believe it's as severe, but he wasn't able to to finish in the game.”
Josey exited in the second quarter against the Mountaineers and never came back, finishing with just 20 snaps. His departure forced Virginia to reshuffle the interior of its offensive line, a group that has depended on its experience through the first three games.
The Cavaliers actually got off to a strong start on the ground against West Virginia, scoring touchdowns on two of their first three possessions and jumping ahead 14-7. But once the game settled in, the offense lost that early rhythm.
“Through treatment, he's got mobility and he's moving around.”
Ben York stepped in as the main replacement at left guard after Josey went down, and Jon Adair also saw time up front. York played 55 snaps in the game.
Virginia did allow three sacks against West Virginia, and all three came after Josey had left the field. Even so, Elliott pushed back on the idea that the offensive issues were tied only to the left guard change, pointing out that the staff planned to rotate several players on the interior.
Josey has been one of the most seasoned pieces on Virginia’s offensive front. He started at left guard alongside McKale Boley, Drake Metcalf, Makilan Thomas and Monroe Mills against West Virginia.
For Metcalf, Josey’s presence matters beyond just the snaps he takes.
“Josey, obviously is an excellent guy to play next to, and losing him in there was tough, but obviously we have competitive depth in here,” said Metcalf. “Bringing in Ben to be able to compete at guard was great, and he did a great job.
It's really a next man up mentality. When you have one guy go down, you need to be able to trust and lean on those guys that are behind them to step up.
And Ben did a great job. But ultimately, obviously, being able to know that Josey is coming back is great.
He's another old presence in the room that is able to kind of call out things that maybe might slip behind me when I'm not completely lasered in on the left side, and then vice versa. I'm able to he's able to lean on me or Makilan on the right side.
“So it's one of those things where we kind of lean on each other and we're sounding boards for each other out there, and it's great to know that he's going to be able to come back.”
Virginia, now 2-1, will try to get back on track Saturday against Delaware, also 2-1, at Scott Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network.
In Other News...
Virginia Needs Noah Josey Back As O-Line Concern Grows
Virginias offensive line had a rougher night once left guard Noah Josey went out against West Virginia, and that has made his status worth watching as the Cavaliers get ready for Delaware. Josey left early with an ankle issue after 20 snaps, and coach Tony Elliott said the guard is expected to return to practice soon, a timely development for a group that looked less stable without him.
The bigger picture for Virginia is simple: the line needs to settle down before the schedule gets tougher, and getting Josey back healthy would help. The Cavaliers are hoping he can be available for a later matchup with Florida State, but first they need to see how his recovery goes over the next few days and whether the unit can regain its footing in practice. [Read more 🡒]
Virginias Rebound Game Comes With A Week Four Lineup Mess
Virginia had a rough reset after the West Virginia loss, a 38-27 setback in a game it was favored to win, and the attention now shifts quickly to Delaware with a rebound effort on deck. The Cavaliers are also sorting through the aftermath of that defeat, where injuries and lineup shuffling have started to complicate what looked like a straightforward path into the next week.
Noah Josey went down in the first half against the Mountaineers, and defensive tackle Jason Hammond is expected to be out for the foreseeable future, which only adds to the uncertainty on both sides of the ball. The week four depth chart did not fully match what Virginia has actually used on Saturdays, either, with John Rogers and Corey Costner already starting games even though they are listed as backups, so the Cavaliers are heading into the Delaware game with a few more moving parts than the official chart suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Must Fix One Worrying Problem Before Delaware Tests It
Virginia heads into Saturday evenings matchup with Delaware still sorting through the lessons of its first loss of the season to West Virginia. The Cavaliers want more from their running game and more bite up front on the defensive line, two areas that can help settle a team down after a setback and put a game on Virginias terms. Delaware has been competitive enough against other opponents to make this a real test, not just a routine tune-up.
The bigger concern, though, is in the defensive backfield, where Virginia needs a cleaner showing to avoid giving the Blue Hens easy answers through the air. If the Cavaliers do not tighten that area, Delaware quarterback Nick Minicucci could make them pay by finding the soft spots in coverage. For Virginia, the assignment is straightforward: play more physically, stay focused and make sure one shaky area does not turn a manageable game into a stubborn one. [Read more 🡒]