UVA injury report: two key defenders to miss SMU game

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia will be without some key defensive personnel when it takes on one of the ACC’s top offenses this Saturday in a noon home kickoff against 13th-ranked SMU (ESPN2).

Tony Elliott announced at his weekly press conference Tuesday that starting linebacker James Jackson and starting strong safety Corey Thomas, both injured last weekend at Notre Dame, are out for the SMU contest.

Also out is running back/special teams Donte Hawthorne (head injury). Wide receiver Jayden Gibson (hamstring) is questionable, and another wide receiver, Trell Harris, who has played in only three games this season, has returned to practice but is a week away from returning to play.

Meanwhile, linebacker Kam Robinson is listed as probable, while three other players have returned to practice and should be good to go this weekend: Terrell Jones (bandit), Blake Steen (right offensive tackle) and Jahmeer Carter (defensive tackle).

“Jackson was nursing a foot and gave us everything he had and about 22 plays in, he couldn’t deal with the pain anymore,” Elliott said. “Robinson has been battling that shoulder all year. We knew that was going to be week-to-week. Thomas will be out (head injury).”