99 Virginia Football Thoughts Before Kickoff

The Daily Progress reported Virginia football’s injury report ahead of fall camp, which begins August 3. Here is the rundown.

Questionable

– Germane Crowell, CB, Redshirt Freshman

– Myles Robinson, CB/S, Junior

Out for the Start of Fall Camp

– Hunter Pearson, PK, Freshman

– Trevor Storm, DL, Freshman

Out for the Entire Fall Camp

– Osiris Crutchfield, TE/OL/DL, Sophomore

– Tyler Fannin, OC, Redshirt Freshman

The “99 Thoughts” series continues with my take on the first injury report of the 2018 season.

99 Virginia Football Thoughts Before Kickoff: No. 37 – Preseason Injury Report Concerns

While Virginia football’s starting offensive line is yet to be determined, I think we have a good idea of who the primary competitors are prior to fall camp – senior grad transfer guard/tackle Marcus Applefield, senior jack-of-all-trades Jake Fieler, junior guard R.J. Proctor, sophomore tackle Chris Glaser, sophomore guard Ben Knutson, sophomore center/tackle Dillon Reinksenmeyer, redshirt freshman tackle Ryan Nelson, and redshirt freshman center Tyler Fannin. The latter player will be out for the entire fall camp, it appears. We don’t know how long Fannin will be sidelined.

While the Georgia native did not play last season, his loss could prove significant for a unit that needs to play much better in year three of the Mendenhall era. Fannin is a touted prospect who has a redshirt year under his belt as well as the potential to capture the starting center position. His emergence could free Reinkensmeyer up to move to tackle, Fieler to play guard, and Applefield (guard) and Glaser (tackle) likely rounding out the starting five. At the very least, he should be a valuable rotation piece, but now we’ll have to see if/when he’s able to get healthy this season.

Hopefully, Fannin will be able to make a speedy recovery and take the field soon. The offensive line needs all of its talented pieces in place, whether they are coming off the bench or in starting roles.

As for other injury report listings, cornerback Germane Crowell and defensive back Myles Robinson are both listed as questionable. Both players have been bit by the injury bug since arriving at UVA, with Crowell missing most of his true freshman campaign last year and Robinson missing most of his sophomore season in 2016.

Neither Crowell nor Robinson have played significant time in their time at UVA. However, they have shown the ability to make it on the field and are expected to give the Cavaliers talented players off the bench. Additionally, with Juan Thornhill, Tim Harris, and possibly Bryce Hall moving on after this season, this season is valuable for players like Crowell and Robinson to grow and gain experience, so if they miss significant time this season it impacts 2019. Let’s hope they can make it back soon.

Potential starting place-kicker Hunter Pearson being out is disappointing as well. Pearson, who Virginia brought in as a scholarship player in last year’s class, is expected to compete with sophomore A.J. Mejia and others for the starting place-kicker role. Place-kicking remains a question mark for Virginia, which will have to wait to see if Pearson can be the answer.

The good news, as mentioned in a “99 Thoughts” entry earlier this week, is that Joey Blount is healthy. The versatile Georgia native is primarily a safety but has shown the ability to fill in at cornerback when needed. More good news in the Daily Progress report is that two starters — outside linebacker Chris Peace and safety Brenton Nelson – are healthy after missing some time in the spring. As are redshirt freshmen Gerrik Vollmer and Ryan Swoboda, scholarship players who will compete for time on the offensive line, and defensive lineman Isaac Buell. Buell, a redshirt freshman, gives Virginia another player at its biggest need position.

The “99 Virginia Football Thoughts Before Kickoff” series has discussed much more. The previous articles are below. Click away.

• No. 99 – The Importance Of A Fast Start
• No. 98 – The Impact Of Early-Ending Careers
• No. 97 – Jordan Mack’s Role
• No. 96 – Welcome Back
• No. 95 – Han Solo Says
• No. 94 -Smart Addition
• No. 93 – The Center Spot
• No. 92 – Finding A Punt Returner
• No. 91 – Facing Running Quarterbacks
• No. 90 – Interceptions
• No. 89 – Kickoff Times
• No. 88 – QB Optimism Not Enough To Tilt Early Predictions Too Far
• No. 87 – It Starts With Jordan Ellis
• No. 86 – Virginia’s Most Dangerous Game
• No. 85 – The Tight End Swan Song?
• No. 84 – Teach A Man To Fish
• No. 83 – No Ordinary Joe
• No. 82 – Now Or Then
• No. 81 – How To Treat The Kickoff Rule Change
• No. 80 – Play, But Still Redshirt
• No. 79 – Which Red Zone Offense Is The Real One?
• No. 78 – Schedule For Success
• No. 77 – Who’s The Worst?
• No. 76 – ACC Coach Rankings
• No. 75 – Keep That Cold Weather Gear
• No. 74 – 1,000 Target For OZ
• No. 73 – Cross Out Cross-Training For Cross
• No. 72 – Punting Plans
• No. 71 – Redshirted … Ready?
• No. 70 – A June Jolt
• No. 69 – Who?
• No. 68 – Stops To Start Second Half
• No. 67 – Root, Root, Root For …
• No. 66 – Wildcard Extras
• No. 65 – Defense Showed Red Zone Improvement
• No. 64 – Welcome Back, Mr. Robinson
• No. 63 – The Florida Footprint
• No. 62 – True Freshmen Will Play, But Who Will Make The Most Impact?
• No. 61 – Four Fireworks-Worthy Moments In The Bronco Mendenhall Era
• No. 60 – Juan Thornhill Primed For An All-ACC Caliber Season
• No. 59 – Rebuilding The Offensive Line Is On Schedule
• No. 58 – Bouncing Back On The Defensive Line
• No. 57 – Underrated Hoos
• No. 56 – Lordy, Lordy, How ‘Bout 40?
• No. 55 – Peace Talk
• No. 54 – Hoos’ Handle On Social Media Bodes Well For Future Recruiting
• No. 53 – Filling The Void At Wide Receiver
• No. 52 – The Sixth-Year Seniors
• No. 51 – Borrowing A Burning Question
• No. 50 – Beat Tech!
• No. 49 – A Resolute Leader
• No. 48 – The Perkins Theorem
• No. 47 – Beat Pitt!
• No. 46 – A Look At Virginia Football’s 2018 Walk-On Class
• No. 45 – I Sense A Trend.
• No. 44 – The Need For (More) Speed
• No. 43 – Progress With Penalties
• No. 42 – Preseason All-ACC Musings
• No. 41 – Designing Sacks
• No. 40 – Go Long
• No. 39 – Please Stay Healthy!
• No. 38 – Sorting Out The Secondary