Virginia’s Week 2 depth chart came out Tuesday, and the biggest takeaway was simple: nothing changed from the previous one released for NC State week.
The more meaningful update came from Tony Elliott’s injury rundown. He said Kam Robinson and Corey Costner should be ready to play Friday against Norfolk State, and Virginia also expects Isaiah Robinson back for that game.
Rico Flores Jr. remains listed as a starter, but Elliott made it clear he won’t be available Friday. Virginia is hoping to have Flores back for the West Virginia game on Sept.
- Dillon Newton-Short is still further behind him in the recovery process.
For now, the Cavaliers are running with the same starting group and the same top reserves they had in place last week. Based on what happened against NC State and the latest injury news, the “next man up” group also stays the same on the depth chart.
There was one encouraging note from the Wolfpack game on Aug. 29: Virginia did not report any injuries from that night, a big plus as the Cavaliers try to keep everyone healthy heading into the matchup with West Virginia. That’s the game where they expect to finally have their projected No. 1 receiver on the field for his Virginia debut.
Newton-Short is also part of that wider plan for the receiving rotation, and Virginia still wants him back healthy as well. This week, though, the spotlight is on Kam Robinson. Friday will be his first game since he tore his ACL on Nov. 15 at Duke, and his workload could be managed if Virginia gets out to a big lead early.
In Other News...
Virginias Passing Plan Suddenly Has One Intriguing Early Clue
Virginias opener against NC State leaned hard on the run, with the Cavaliers using 57 rushing plays and just 11 passes as they settled into the game plan. Some of those quarterback runs were really scrambles on pass plays, which gives a clearer picture of how the offense was functioning, but it still left a noticeable first-game clue about how this group wants to balance things moving forward.
Des Kitchings said the approach against Norfolk State will stay flexible rather than locked into a fixed script through the air, which keeps the focus on game flow more than any target number. There were also a few encouraging signs beyond the ground game, including TyLyric Colemans involvement as Virginia looked for reliable answers when it did decide to throw. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Lands In A Wild Early CFP Picture Before Big Ten Play
Week 1 of playoff speculation is already taking shape, and On3s Andy Staples put out a bracket that offers an early snapshot of how chaotic the College Football Playoff race could become before conference play settles in. His top four seeds were LSU, Ohio State, Miami and Texas, while the broader field was built around early results, standout playmakers and a schedule slate that still has plenty of room to scramble the order.
For Virginia fans, the more interesting part is the company the Cavaliers were keeping in that seeded field, alongside Texas Tech, USC and Boise State. It is a reminder that the first few weeks can create surprising openings for teams outside the usual power-house path, especially with several of the teams in Staples projection still facing games that could change the picture quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Fans Will Be Watching One Defensive Return Very Closely
Kam Robinson is nearing a return that Virginia has been waiting on since last November, when the linebacker tore his ACL at Duke. After a long rehab, he is expected to get back into full contact football, giving the Cavaliers a chance to see one of their defensive pieces back in the mix as the season keeps moving.
Coach Elliott said Robinsons snap counts will be handled carefully, which makes sense for a player re-entering this kind of action for the first time since the injury. Virginia should also get help from Alex Payne and Corey Costner coming back, while Rico is not expected to be available this week and may be a possibility next week, leaving the Cavaliers to sort through a defense that is getting healthier but still not all the way settled. [Read more 🡒]