Virginia RB Perris Jones Stretchered Off After Frightening Collision vs. Louisville

The Cavaliers ballcarrier was transferred to University Hospital after leaving the field in the third quarter.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Virginia running back Perris Jones suffered an apparent serious injury late in a third-quarter collision in the Cavaliers’ game against Louisville. Jones was put on a backboard, loaded on a stretcher and taken off the field by medical personnel. He was taken to University Hospital from the stadium.

Virginia later shared in a statement early Friday morning that Jones had regained movement in all of his extremities. The team said that he would remain in the hospital overnight.

Jones caught a pass and went down in a violent, helmet-to-helmet collision with Louisville defensive back Cam’Ron Kelly. Jones fumbled on the play and lay motionless on the field near the Cardinals’ sideline, and Louisville trainers rushed to him almost immediately. Virginia staff quickly joined them, and the game was delayed for a long time while Jones was attended to. L&N Stadium grew nearly silent while Jones’s teammates clustered on the field and the situation unfolded.

A sixth-year running back from Alexandria, Va., Jones came into the game as Virginia’s leading rusher with 386 yards. The 20-point underdog Cavaliers took a 21–14 lead in the game on the play in which Jones was injured, with receiver Malik Washington picking up Jones’s fumble and taking it 42 yards for a touchdown.

Louisville, which came into the game ranked No. 11 in the College Football Playoff rankings, rallied to win 31–24 to improve to 9–1 on the season.