Freshman quarterback Lindell Stone is no. 2 on the depth chart for UVA coach Bronco Mendenhall, but it sounds like Mendenhall would prefer Stone not see any time on the field this year, if that can be managed.
There was a clamor on social media at the end of each of the Cavs’ two most recent games, a 34-17 loss to Indiana in Week 2 and a 38-18 win over UConn on Saturday, to get Stone into the games to take snaps in relief of senior starter Kurt Benkert.
Mendenhall was asked Monday at his weekly press conference about whether he thought about putting Stone, a three-star recruit clearly being groomed to take the job next spring, in at the end of the UConn game.
“We have considered it, and we’ll still consider it. We really like Lindell, and I think he’s going to be a very good football player. Considering all we’re doing right now because he might be a strong enough contender where, if he didn’t take any snaps this year, then that might be helpful to the program going forward. So we’re still working on how he might do that, and that’s why you didn’t see him,” Mendenhall said.
In essence, the question is, do you prefer using a year of Stone’s eligibility to get him a few handoffs in garbage time, or assuming he develops into a solid contributor in his time on Grounds, a possible fifth year?
No doubt, you want Year 5.
Story by Chris Graham
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