The Virginia Cavaliers are set to add another depth piece to what has been a confusing pass-rush puzzle through two weeks.
On Tuesday morning, Tony Elliott announced junior defensive end Mekhi Buchanan is back practicing and should be available to play in the coming weeks.
Buchanan saw time in 2023 throughout the program’s second season under Tony Elliott, compiling 20 total tackles (10 solo) while appearing in nine of UVA’s 12 games.
He was set to be an important piece of UVA’s pass rush ahead of the 2024 season, with the coaching staff excited about his athleticism on the edge. But due to a hip injury he sustained before the start of fall camp, that never came to fruition.
This past offseason, the injury bug found the Georgia native again, this time in the form of a high ankle sprain during camp. But all signs now point toward a return to potentially kickstart a defensive line that has been slow to get the pass-rush humming through two games, accounting for only one sack thus far.
Elliott touched on other injuries across the team, including offensive linemen Wallace Unamba and David Wohlabaugh. Unamba looks doubtful for this week’s game against William & Mary but could return in the next couple of weeks, while Wohlabaugh looks to be on a multiple week timetable.
There was more good news on two of UVA’s veteran defenders. Kam Robinson is still on track to return for UVA’s night game against Stanford on September 20th, while Antonio Clary is making progress and could be back in the next couple of weeks.
