UVA Football: Injury Updates on Ronnie Walker Jr. and Cody Brown

Virginia head coach Tony Elliott provided an injury update on UVA running backs Ronnie Walker Jr. and Cody Brown

Virginia Athletics

Virginia head coach Tony Elliott met with the media on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the team's performance in the victory over Richmond and to preview UVA's game at Illinois this coming Saturday. During the press conference, Elliott provided an injury update on a pair of UVA's running backs who were not active for the Cavaliers' 34-17 win over Richmond on Saturday. 

Fifth-year running back Ronnie Walker Jr. has been out for nearly six months with an injury suffered at the beginning of spring camp. The former Indiana transfer missed the remainder of spring ball and all of fall camp, but has been ahead of schedule on his recovery. 

On Tuesday, Elliott reported that Walker has been "turned loose" this week in practice. "He is cleared for contact," Elliott said. "He's ready to go. Still wouldn't say he's 100%, but he's at a point now where structurally, he's good to go. Now, it's just a matter of pushing through the discomfort of the remaining healing that has to take place. We'll see how he goes the rest of the week."

Elliott said that whether Ronnie Walker Jr. will play in the game against Illinois will be a game-time decision. He added that Miami transfer Cody Brown will also be available this week after missing UVA's season-opener with an undisclosed injury he suffered towards the end of preseason. 

READ MORE: 8 Observations From UVA's Season-Opening Win

Brown and Walker will supply reinforcements to a running back room that saw three players get carries on Saturday: Perris Jones, Mike Hollins, and Xavier Brown. Jones became the first UVA running back to rush for 100 yards since Jordan Ellis in 2018, totaling 104 yards and two total touchdowns. Mike Hollins had eight rushing attempts for 24 yards and a touchdown, while true freshman Xavier Brown got into the game late in the fourth quarter, and racked up 25 yards on four carries, including a single 12-yard run. 

Jones solidified his position as Virginia's featured back in week one, but the return of Ronnie Walker Jr. and Cody Brown could complicate things in the depth chart behind Jones moving forward. At the very least, Walker and Brown being healthy will give the Cavaliers much better depth at the tailback position as the season progresses. 

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