Home Will sophomore wideout Lavel Davis Jr. see the field for Virginia this season?
Football

Will sophomore wideout Lavel Davis Jr. see the field for Virginia this season?

Chris Graham
Lavel Davis Jr.
Lavel Davis Jr. Photo courtesy Atlantic Coast Conference.

Bad news for those who were hoping that last year’s breakthrough wideout, Lavel Davis Jr., would make it back to the field for Virginia this fall.

“I don’t think he’s close. I think this is, if I’m looking after him like I do and will as my own son, it just doesn’t make sense,” UVA coach Bronco Mendenhall said Monday.

Davis, who averaged 25.8 yards per catch as a freshman in 2020, suffered a torn ACL in the spring, and at the time, it was stressed in a release from Virginia Athletics that the recovery time for the injury could have him back in action in November.

It’s now November.

I’d been hearing behind the scenes for a few weeks that it was looking less and less likely that Davis, a 6’7” sophomore, would be available this season.

The recovery time for an ACL tear is, when you look at it conservatively, closer to a year, in terms of getting a guy back on a football field – not just training, but running, stopping, cutting, taking hits.

“Doesn’t mean he’s not willing and trying hard, et cetera. It’s just the possible gain, which would be significant when we talk about the next three, but contextually and for him and his future, yeah, I don’t see that happening,” Mendenhall said.

“So, yeah, I’m not putting this in writing and saying this is the declaration of, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me today,” Mendenhall said.

Story by Chris Graham

Featured Video

 




Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected]. Support AFP by signing up for our newsletter and/or powering our work with a one-time or monthly contribution.

Latest News

uva football uva strong entrance
Football, Go 'Hoos

UVA Football: News and notes from UVA Strong Day win over Delaware

uva football tony elliott uva strong
Football, Go 'Hoos

UVA Strong: ‘Hoos get win on a day honoring our 1-15-41 fallen heroes

The Virginia-Delaware game came to a brief halt at the first half two-minute timeout, for a special in-game moment for the families of Lavel Davis Jr., Devin Chandler and D’Sean Perry, the three UVA Football players who were killed in a mass shooting on Grounds in 2022.

Dr. Kelvin J. Washington
Local

Kelvin Washington wanted another story: Probably shouldn’t have asked

The local political activist whose since-deleted Facebook video led to the unraveling of a Waynesboro School Board campaign was back with another video that he posted on Saturday in which he absolved Kelvin Washington.

uva football kam courtney second td alt
Football, Go 'Hoos

UVA Football: ‘Hoos get back on track with 42-3 blowout of Delaware

jim wood facebook
Local

Jim Wood defends Pete Buttplug slur: ‘My best friend growing up is a lesbian in Atlanta’

Creative Works Farm
Local

Grants will help Creative Works Farm expand programs for people with disabilities

richmond map
Region/State

Virginia State Police: One dead in late-night hit-and-run in Richmond