Virginia Football: Updates on the walking wounded as camp comes to a close

A football team is like a mobile hospital, with the variety of guys in various stages of disrepair. Virginia is a bit more banged up going into its first game week than coach Tony Elliott would like.

Sophomore tailback Amaad Foston is out for the year with a torn ACL that required surgery, Elliott confirmed Monday.

That awful news was balanced by the good news that fifth-year senior tailback Ronnie Walker is “ahead of schedule,” according to Elliott, though that was as specific as the coach was on Walker.

Walker would add another name to the list of guys competing for time in the backfield along with senior Perris Jones, junior Mike Hollins and Miami sophomore transfer Cody Brown.

Sophomore wideout Malachi Fields broke his right foot and had surgery in July.

“We’ve still got a plan, he may not get back until late, if he gets back at all with his foot,” Elliott said.

Senior defensive back Coen King dinged his elbow in the Aug. 13 Scott Stadium scrimmage.

“We’ll get him back at some point,” Elliott said.

The O line has been the biggest issue health-wise. Sophomore Hugh Laughlin is expected to be a short-term injury issue, as is senior Jonathan Leech, who has a soft cast on his left arm.

“That doesn’t look like it’s going to be long-term,” Elliott said. “I’m hoping that it’s a couple of weeks. He may be ready game week, or towards the end of game week for Richmond. He may not be able to play, but we anticipate that we’ll get him back pretty soon. We thought that was going to be a long-term situation, but after they did all of the all the tests and MRIs and the scans, they felt like the best thing to do was put a pin in it. And hopefully, it’ll be a couple of weeks. I don’t think it’s going to linger all season.”