UVA Football student-athletes whose eligibility was set to expire this year have been given an extra year to compete by the NCAA, according to a report in the Daily Progress on Wednesday.
Virginia AD Carla Williams confirmed that the school initiated the request as a response to the Nov. 13 shooting on Grounds that killed three members of the football program – Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry.
The program cancelled its final two games after the shootings as players, coaches and support staff mourned the deaths of Chandler, Davis and Perry, including attending en masse the funeral services for the three over what would have been the final two weeks of the 2022 regular season.
The extra year of eligibility will impact graduates and fifth- and sixth-year student-athletes whose eligibility would have been exhausted after this year.
Two players from that group – sixth-year cornerback Anthony Johnson and fifth-year wideout Billy Kemp IV – have already indicated their intentions to declare for the NFL Draft, so they’re out.
Keytaon Thompson, a sixth-year wideout, is almost certainly going to move in the direction of the NFL, but at the moment is still a possibility.
Others who could seek the additional year of eligibility include linebackers Jack Camper and Nick Jackson, safety Darrius Bratton, and defensive linemen Kam Butler and Devontae Davis.
This offer of an extra year of eligibility is no doubt going to be important to whatever student-athletes decide to take advantage of it – from the standpoint of getting an extra year toward a graduate degree, an extra year on the field.
It may not mean all that much on the football part of things, but still, yes, obviously, it’s a good thing all in all.
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Chris Graham
