UVA Football: I’m not too confident about Kam Robinson being out there on Saturday

The depth chart released by the UVA Football media folks for the Week 0 season opener on Saturday has Kam Robinson listed as the starter at mike linebacker, but coach Tony Elliott conceded in his weekly pregame presser on Tuesday that Robinson is actually a “game-time decision.”

“Yeah, he’ll be a game-time decision, but he’s back in practice, moving around, pretty much doing everything. This will be a big week, though, as we progress when you look at where his situation is,” Elliott told reporters.

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ICYMI

• UVA Football: Depth chart for Week 0 season opener with NC State

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Robinson suffered a torn ACL in the 31-17 win at Duke in November, so, nine months ago?

I know Power 4 football players get Cadillac healthcare – the best surgeons and rehab specialists, the rest – but nine months is cutting it tight.

I’m probably overreacting – correction: I’m almost certainly overreacting – but the cautionary tale that comes to mind for me is the case of Jason Henderson, the two-time All-America linebacker at ODU, who tore an ACL in a game in November 2023, tried to play in the 2024 season opener at South Carolina, actually made it 36 snaps, then shut himself down for another year of rehab, then made another go at it in the 2025 season opener at Indiana, made it 55 snaps, then decided to medically retire.

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ICYMI

• ‘Forever grateful’ | ODU All-American LB Jason Henderson done with football

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Jason Henderson was a dude – led the nation in tackles two seasons.

His story is what has me thinking, gotta be careful with these things.

Robinson (2025: 416 snaps, 64 tackles, two INTs, one PBU, nine QB pressures, two sacks) is also a dude.

And the linebacker room behind him is actually quite thin – Elliott only listed four guys at the two positions in the 4-2-5 UVA defense for the opener with NC State, including Robinson, who we now know to be a game-time decision.

Back to Elliott, whose next sentence about Robinson has me thinking, Kam Robinson is not going to be out there on Saturday – and that this would be far from the worst thing, long term.

“He’s tracking ahead of schedule based off of what you tend to look at timing-wise with an injury like his. But, man, he’s excited. He’s moving around, but it’ll be closer to game time. We’ve got to get through this week. These next couple days are big days to evaluate because we’ll be back in contact.”