Tight end Wood Jr. has a big day in absence of UVA’s top receivers

By Kenneth Cross
JerryRatcliffe.com Correspondent

The Virginia Cavaliers have continued to show some improvement each week, but outside of a win over Georgia Tech, they haven’t been able to post any letters in the ‘W” column in ACC matchups.

While No. 17 North Carolina produced a 31-28 win at Scott Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the Cavaliers showed more progress in areas that will allow them to accrue wins.

The irony about their output centered around injuries forcing three starting wide receivers, Dontayvion Wicks, Lavel Davis Jr., and Keytaon Thompson out for the game. 

With that, Virginia had lots of solid play from tight end Sackett Wood Jr., who caught six passes for 94 yards. Freshman wide receiver Sean Wilson caught his first pass in a college football game and finished with five catches for 61 yards. 

“When we are missing our three biggest playmakers, we know we have to come together as a group,” commented Wood. “We know we hadn’t played well or scored very well, so it was good to see that by this group and once we get those guys back, hopefully, we can be even better.”

Wood showed his skills on his routes and his catches because of the precision with which he runs those routes in the middle of the field, a key for him being able to carve out numbers as he did on Saturday.

“We had a next-man-up mentality and kept it pretty simple today,” said Wood. “Everyone just did their job relatively well. The line blocked well and Brennan (Armstrong) was putting the ball on everybody. The wide receivers and tight ends were catching the ball.”

Wood caught a pass early in the third quarter and sprinted up the sidelines to score an apparent touchdown. However, the official ruled him out on the one-yard line. 

“To see Sackett come on and catch the ball and be consistent, and look to run for the score afterward, that’s what I liked to see today,” said Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott. 

As Wood made the catch a short distance away from the line of scrimmage, he had a plan on how to potentially get to the end zone for a score.

“I am trying to get up the field as quickly as possible and hopefully if I can get upfield and break a tackle just based on what I am seeing, maybe I can make a move and get as far as possible,” explained Wood.

Elliott said that all three of his receivers were injured during practice this week and that Wicks had a bone bruise. While he was trying to operate in Thompson’s best interest as he did not disclose his injury. Davis has a short-term injury as well.

“We knew we weren’t going to be at full strength, but they didn’t flinch,” said Elliott. “They came out with the mindset that they were going to play to win and in the first half, that’s what you saw.”

For the Cavaliers, receivers and backs came off the depth chart and played at a high level. 

Running back Ronnie Walker Jr. was assertive with six carries for 30 yards and he scored the touchdown after Wood’s 33-yard catch. Walker was injured in the late spring and worked his way back from a sixth-month absence. It was his first carries of the season for the former Indiana transfer.

“It’s been a slow process for Ronnie, so Ronnie in the spring before he was injured was doing very well,” said offensive coordinator Des Kitchings. “He came back and early in the season, he still had a little gimp in him.”

Elliott and his staff are working diligently on building that “next man up” attitude, which is a mentality that works well with solid players who are looking for their opportunities and are generally not atop the depth chart.

“As a competitor, when the opportunity comes, the approach is ‘next-man-up’ and you prepare that way,” said Kitchings. “Friday and this morning’s walk-through with those guys was the best preparation we have had this season. It showed out there on the field.”