Virginia football coach Bronco Mendenhall continues to voice concerns over his team’s depth as the Cavaliers prepare for the season opener on Saturday, Sept. 2. Unfortunately, two positions that rank among the thinnest spots on the roster haven taken a depth hit before kickoff against William & Mary.
Mendenhall announced Monday that left tackle Jack English, a projected starter on the offensive line, has been suspended for the season opener against the Tribe. He also said that defensive lineman Jack Powers, who transferred in last season from Arizona State, has finished his career after a lingering wrist injury forced a season-ending call. Powers is expected to remain in graduate school at this time, but he’s no longer listed on the roster at VirginiaSports.com.
Neither player made a selection Friday during the program’s annual number draft and that raised questions about the veterans’ status after Monday’s practice.
”Jack Powers will medical this year. His wrist after trying to come back was not healed so he won’t be able to play this year,” Mendenhall said. ”Jack English, I’ve suspended for our first game against William & Mary. He’ll be back with us after that.”
English told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that his suspension for the opener has been known for at least a month due to a mistake on his part, but he is expected back after the W&M game. That takes one of the Hoos’ most experienced options off the depth chart against the Tribe. The 6’5”, 304-pound tackle played in 11 games or more in each of the last three seasons with 18 total starts the past two seasons.
Two other players had been nursing injuries this preseason, but they returned to at least some work this week according to Mendenhall. Jack McDonald, who appeared in at least 11 games each of the last three seasons with 13 combined starts over the past two, returned to individual drills, while John Montelus made it back to the field after missing significant time earlier in camp. Montelus joined the program as a graduate transfer out of Notre Dame.
That news leaves a somewhat murky depth chart for the opener. TheSabre.com projects the likely starters, going left to right on the line, as redshirt freshman Dillon Reinkensmeyer, Montelus, junior Jake Fieler at center, sophomore R.J. Proctor, and Oklahoma State grad transfer Brandon Pertile. When English returns, he likely will take over the left tackle starting spot. Other players that could factor into the depth chart include McDonald, junior Steven Moss, redshirt freshmen Ben Knutson and Osiris Crutchfield, and true freshmen Tyler Fannin and Ryan Nelson among others.
UVA offensive line coach Garett Tujague said the competition remains wide open at this point and that it could take up until next Thursday to really solidify the first game outlook much less the long-term plan. He did say that players with the versatility to play more than one spot have the opportunity to earn more snaps.
”I feel a lot better right now than I did at this time last year, no question,” Tujague said. ”Still, it’s one of those deals where you’ve got to earn it every day. Every day, there’s no free pass. The only free pass you get is the day off. Other than that, you’ve got to come in the classroom, on the field, through drills, and you’ve got to earn it.”
Powers’ absence on the defensive line left some depth questions there as well. Senior Andrew Brown and sophomore Juwan Moye are projected by TheSabre.com as the starting defensive ends with sophomore Eli Hanback starting at nose tackle. Mendenhall mentioned sophomores James Trucilla and Steven Wright as end options.
It appears that a true freshman could move into the back-up role behind Hanback at this point with Mandy Alonso and Tommy Christ the likely candidates there. Some of the aforementioned ends could slide inside for some downs as well – Moye played some nose last season, for example.
”Probably the biggest surprise of maybe the entire camp has been James Trucilla,” Mendenhall said. ”Prior to even Jack Powers being hurt, he had played his way into the top three or top four every day. So what we’re losing in Powers, we’re gaining in Trucilla. Different body types, but James’ play has really helped us in terms of depth and Steven Wright is one to consider.”
