UVA injury report: Two Wahoos return, Kemp sidelined, update on Fields

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia is expecting to be without slot receiver Billy Kemp IV again this week, after he suffered an ankle injury early in last Saturday night’s loss at Duke.

“Billy’s more than likely not going to be able to go this week,” Coach Tony Elliott said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Elliott said Kemp’s problem is with his ankle, and nothing related to a kidney issue that kept him out of the Syracuse and Old Dominion games.

Moving up to Kemp’s spot on the depth chart is freshman Sean Wilson, a big target at 6-foot-4, 219 pounds.

Meanwhile, Elliott said he expects to get back cornerback Fentrell Cypress and defensive end Jonathan Horton.

Wilson, from Brooklyn, N.Y., has been playing on special teams, specifically kickoff returns, to get a taste of game action.

“So far he’s shown that’s not too big of a job for him,” Elliott said of Wilson. “He’s a big body that can run, that can catch. He showed that he’s got some toughness to him. Biggest thing is getting him to a point where he can function on his own so you can run the offese.”

The coach said Wilson has a great attitude and works hard.

“I think he’s a talent that’s got a ton of upside, that could be a really good player,” Elliott added. “Developing him, growing him, then giving him an opportunity.”

An update on Charlottesville native Malachi Fields, who suffered a foot injury in training camp, revealed that the sophomore receiver is making progress but there’s no timetable for his return.

“I’m hopeful, I’m encouraged seeing him walk around,” Elliott said. “He started to progress to the next phase of his rehab, doing a little bit of running. Would definitely love to get him back.

“In the spring, I was talking about him a lot. He was really making strides. That’s a big, 6-4, 220-pound guy that you can do a lot of things with. We won’t rush it, force it. We’re going to do what’s best for him in his recovery. If he gets to a point where the doctors say they’re going to turn him loose, we’re going to get him going.”

Elliott said he believes Fields is eager to return, but only when he gets a clearance from doctors will be he allowed to participate.

“We’re talking about a fracture in the foot of a 220-pound guy. You don’t want to rush that.”