Backup offensive tackle Ben York is indeed now listed as out for the Virginia-Wake Forest game on Saturday, but that’s not the one that has me worried.
Right guard Drake Metcalf was listed as questionable – which is defined as “uncertain to play; less than 50 percent chance” – on the report on file with the ACC as of Thursday night.
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Metcalf has been on the field for 599 snaps this season, second on the O line unit (left guard Noah Josey: 607 snaps).
The backup at right guard is Ethan Sipe, who has seen action in seven games this season, for a total of 100 snaps.
Sipe was on the field for eight snaps in last week’s win at Cal.
His season-high is 29 snaps, in the win over Washington State on Oct. 18.
It doesn’t help that guard Kevin Wigenton is also listed as out for this weekend. Wigenton has been on the field for 248 snaps, including 195 at right guard, this season.
With York and Wigenton out, and Metcalf questionable, the depth chart has sophomore Grant Ellinger (38 snaps) as the backup at guard, senior Noah Hartsoe (48 snaps) as the backup at center, and freshman Jon Adair (36 snaps) as the backup at tackle.
Metcalf is going to have to grind one out, and the other guys – Josey, center Brady Wilson, left tackle McKale Boley and right tackle Jack Witmer – are going to have to avoid getting banged up.
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Chris Graham
