The name Wallace Unamba didn’t come up once during UVA Football coach Tony Elliott’s Tuesday presser, which stands out, given that, late Monday night, UVA Athletics announced that Unamba had been dismissed from the program “due to violation of team policy.”
I wasn’t there, so I’ll presume the question wasn’t asked because the media-relations person leading the press conference said beforehand, Coach won’t be making any statements on Wallace Unamba.
There was a question about Jack Witmer, who took over at right tackle after Unamba, the starter in Week 1, went down to injury.
Elliott talked at length about Witmer.
“Jack was kind of like the guy that started four games for us last year when (left tackle McKale) Boley was down, and got us through and we get off to a good start,” said Elliott, adding: “what he’s been is, he’s been dependable, he’s been available, and he’s getting better.”
Jack Witmer, a 6’7”, 306-pound grad senior, has gotten the bulk of the snaps at right tackle since Unamba was injured after 20 snaps in the Week 1 win over Coastal Carolina.
Witmer’s statline for 2025: 351 snaps, 13 pressures and no sacks allowed on 192 pass dropbacks, with a 56.8 Pro Football Focus grade.
The 13 pressures allowed is a team-high.
Witmer, a converted tight end, “was a guy that switched positions, knew that he needed some time to develop, got thrown in the fire, right? Then the guys come back, so he’s kind of not having as many reps, but he’s still trying to find a way to progress. And then when his number’s called again, like, he’s been available. He’s helped us do some really good things on offense.
“So, I’m super proud of him and very, very grateful to have him, and I’m excited to see him continue to get better and improve and develop these last six games,” Elliott said.
Unamba had transferred to Virginia from Kentucky, where he had spent the spring after playing in 2024 at New Mexico for former ‘Hoos coach Bronco Mendenhall.
Unamba, a 6’4”, 330-pounder, got a 64.0 PFF grade for his work in the 2024 season, in which he logged 699 snaps, most of them at right tackle, allowing a total of nine QB pressures, and notable, not allowing a sack, on 395 pass-blocking snaps.
The 2024 season at New Mexico was Unamba’s lone full season at the D1 level.
He had been expected to be available for coach Tony Elliott this weekend when the Cavaliers host Washington State.
Because there was nothing about Unamba in the presser today, we know nothing else about what it was that led to his dismissal.
I am used to hearing from folks behind the scenes on this kind of thing, but all I’m getting is crickets.
Boley, who left the Week 6 win over Louisville with a leg injury, is “fine.”
“He’s back, he’s back rolling, he’s back in practice, been doing well,” Elliott said.
As far as the other two O linemen that Elliott has been talking about being available after returning from injury, there’s nothing concrete on either Week 1 starting center Brady Wilson or David Wohlabaugh.
“Hopeful,” was the word from Elliott on both. “Brady’s working himself back into practice, so optimistic that he’ll be available here soon. Same thing with Wohlabaugh. Both of those have worked themselves back into practice.”