Tony Elliott Gives Injury Update on Chico Bennett, Other Injured Cavaliers

Elliott provided a status update on Virginia defensive end Chico Bennett and a few other injured Cavaliers coming out of fall camp

One week after breaking the news that one of his best defensive players had suffered a serious knee injury, Virginia head coach Tony Elliott had some positive, albeit uncertain news to share on the subject. Graduate defensive end Chico Bennett, an All-ACC honorable mention in 2022, suffered a non-contact injury to his knee a little over a week ago and underwent a procedure to repair it last week. Following UVA's final practice of fall camp on Monday, Elliott reported that Bennett was now walking around without the assistance of crutches, a significant improvement from before the procedure when he was unable to bend his knee at all. 

"It was a crazy thing. There was some bone fragments that have broken off at some point throughout the course of his growth and they just got lodged in the perfect position to cause swelling and impinge the knee," Elliott said of Bennett's injury on Monday. "He couldn't even bend his knee prior to the surgery. Now he's out here walking around with no crutches."

Elliott said he couldn't give a timetable for Bennett's return, but said that they will be able to reevaluate Bennett after 10 days. 

"So I know he's got 10 days where he can't do anything and then it'll all progress as his knee stops swelling and he can get himself ready to play," Elliott said. "I don't have a timeline in particular, but I know after 10 days I'll be able to tell you better cause we'll be able to turn him loose and see where he's at."

Virginia will certainly be eager to have the services of Bennett, who led the Cavaliers with seven sacks last season and was twice named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week. It's unclear if Bennett will be cleared to play before UVA's season-opener against Tennessee on September 2nd in Nashville. 

Elliott also provided updates on some other injured Cavaliers, noting that sophomore running back Xavier Brown should be back "pretty soon", which is certainly positive news after Elliott previously reported just two weeks ago that Brown would have to miss 4-6 weeks with an elbow injury. Sophomore wide receiver Dakota Twitty will miss "a couple more weeks" with a hamstring injury and Penn State offensive line transfer Jimmy Christ is "about another week away" from returning to the field. Fifth-year safety Antonio Clary has missed the last several practices with a high-ankle sprain, but Elliott says he is "about ready" to return to practice. Sophomore tackle McKale Boley, who is currently out with an ankle sprain, is expected to be available soon as well. 

Elliott added that the rest of the injuries suffered during fall camp are "bumps and bruises" that shouldn't amount to any long-term issues. 

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