As the Virginia football team takes a break for the first of two open dates this season, it received some impactful news on the defensive line. Jason Hammond, who exited the Coastal Carolina win with an injury, shared on social media that he needed shoulder surgery and will miss the rest of the season.
having surgery on my shoulder and this was unfortunately the last game of my sophomore year. i’ll be back next year better than ever ❤️ pic.twitter.com/uAa7NmoJwp
— Jason Hammond II (@JasonHammondJR) September 24, 2024
After playing as a true freshman last fall with appearances in seven games, Hammond had started every game this season at defensive tackle alongside senior Jahmeer Carter. In four games, he posted 11 tackles. That ranked third on the D-Line behind Kam Butler’s 15 and Carter’s 12. Edge Bandit Chico Bennett Jr. also has 16 tackles. In the Pro Football Focus (PFF) data, Hammond had been credited with five stops ( tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense), tied for ninth on the team.
For a unit already somewhat thin in terms of depth, the loss of Hammond is significant. Of the team’s 286 snaps on defense this season, Hammond played on 141 of them per PFF. That’s 49.3% of the snaps. He also had been used against both the run and the pass with the snaps tilted toward passing downs.
This leaves just three players that have taken interior defensive line snaps this season. Carter anchors the group with senior Michael Diatta, who did not play against Coastal Carolina, and sophomore Anthony Britton rounding out the trio. That means the Hoos will be using the bye week to get a look at other options to add the rotation. The likely leaders among the choices are junior TT Jones, a tackle that had moved to end, and senior Bryce Carter, who made his season debut last week after rehabilitation of a preseason injury.
Virginia Guard Noah Josey Receives ACC Honor
Noah Josey, a senior guard, received the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honor this week. He became the first UVA lineman to be recognized since 2021.
The Cavaliers rolled past Coastal Carolina, 43-24, on Saturday on what turned out to be a strong day for the offense. Josey helped the Hoos pile up 384 rushing yards, the most since 1998, and 525 yards of total offense. That led to the most points scored in the Tony Elliott era as well as the largest margin of victory on the road during his tenure.
Josey posted a 86.2 pass blocking grade in the PFF data, good enough for No. 3 in the ACC and No. 13 nationally (tie) for the guard position. Only two of the top 14 guards also posted a 72+ in run blocking and Josey ranked second there at 72.9.
Kickoff Time Vs. Boston College Announced
The Hoos also learned the start time for their game on Saturday, Oct. 5. UVA’s Homecomings game against Boston College will kick off at noon and be televised on the ACC Network. With that news, Virginia athletics scheduled the annual Blue-White Basketball Scrimmages for 6 p.m. at the John Paul Jones Arena.
UVA enters the BC game with a 3-1 record overall and a 1-0 mark in the ACC. The Eagles currently hold a 3-1 record and 1-0 ACC record as well with a game against Western Kentucky up this weekend. Boston College opened its season with a 28-13 win at preseason ACC favorite Florida State and played top 10 Missouri closely in a 27-21 loss on the road.
The Eagles lead the all time series 7-1. Virginia got its only victory at home in 2020 with a 43-32 outcome. Boston College won last year’s meeting in Chestnut Hill, 27-24.
BC game suddenly becomes a must win game for Cavaliers! A win increases UVA’s chances for 6 win season, a bowl invite, likely boosts ticket sales, improves recruiting picture and lifts Wahoo spirits everywhere. Will Cavs protect their “House”???!
Great time for a weekend off for healing and extra preparation for a formidable opponent. Not a must-win game but a huge opportunity early in the season. To start 2-0 in the ACC would be a sweet momentum accelerant.