Because of an NCAA quirk, Virginia sophomore linebacker James Jackson is getting the start at weakside linebacker in the Cavaliers’ season opener Saturday against Richmond.
UVA coach Tony Elliott indicated in his weekly press conference on Tuesday that junior Josh Ahern would be getting the starting nod if he didn’t have to sit the first half because of a targeting penalty given to Ahern in the second half of the 2021 season-finale loss to Virginia Tech.
“We got verification from the ACC office that because he didn’t play the Fenway Bowl, he has to sit the first half of this game, so James got bumped up,” Elliott said.
Jackson only got 15 snaps in mop-up duty in three games in 2021. Elliott said the 6’3”, 228-pounder “probably has the best movement skills” of the players in the linebacker group.
“He’s a really, really good athlete. He loves football. It’s important to him. You can see that he’s been able to internalize the defense and process it,” Elliott said.
Ahern, a 6’3”, 234-pounder, was on the field for 241 snaps last season, recording 19 tackles and three QB hurries, and allowing five receptions on seven pass attempts for 54 yards and a TD in pass coverage.
Jackson, at least, pushed Ahern for the top spot on the depth chart at weakside ‘backer.
“He’s a guy that you could say ‘or’ if you wanted to with him because of the progress that he’s made, but it just comes down to the fact that he’s a linebacker through and through, he’s a physical guy, contact guy, really good instincts, movement skills, and you can see that he’s commanding the defense better than he did in the spring, when gives him a chance to play fast,” Elliott said.
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