Snyder, Fannin Out For Season

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia has lost backup inside linebacker Rob Snyder and backup center Tyler Fannin for the remainder of the season.

Bronco Mendenhall announced those injuries during his weekly press conference Monday.

“[Snyder] if I can remember the injury, foot or ankle,” Mendenhall said. “Anyway, so he is out for the rest of the year.”

Mendenhall said that Fannin suffered a turf-toe injury so severe it required surgery, and that he is also out for the rest of the year.

The coach also said that backup quarterback Brennan Armstrong is still recovering, but did not announce any timetable for his return. Also, backup cornerback Sean Smith also had surgery, but his status wasn’t clear.

Virginia’s newest depth chart has junior right tackle Dillon Reinkensmeyer listed as the backup at center behind Olusegun Oluwatimi. Reinkensmeyer has played at center for the Cavaliers in the past.

Snyder, who played behind Zane Zandier, has been replaced by freshman Josh Ahern, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound freshman from Burke’s Lake Braddock High School. Ahern has not appeared in a game this season.

Snyder was the 10th-leading tackler on the team with 13 tackles — three solos and 10 assists — including one tackle for loss and two pass breakups.

Coming out of a bye week, Virginia also has three other freshmen or redshirt freshmen on its new two-deep, including Fentrell Cypress II as Bryce Hall’s backup at one cornerback spot, and redshirt freshman Jaylon Baker listed behind Nick Grant at the other corner.

Also, Nick Jackson is backing up Jordan Mack at one inside linebacker position.

“I think I alluded to it or I predicted when asked early in the season how many of the first-years might play, and I think the number I said might have been 10,” Mendenhall said. “I think that could still happen. So just by the shear effect of attrition and Power Five football, and how with these young players that are capable, they just start emerging and showing up and that’s just kind of how it works.”

On the good-news front, UVA is getting back freshman wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks, who is back from a concussion.

“He is another first-year who was really doing a nice job before he got hurt as a special-teams player as well,” Mendenhall said.

With Armstrong out, starting quarterback Bryce Perkins is backed up by sophomore Lindell Stone and true freshman R.J. Harvey.