Virginia may have a big piece in the defense to replace this weekend after head coach Tony Elliott noted starting linebacker Kam Robinson is limited since suffering a knee sprain vs. Wake Forest.
"Positive returns on all of the scans and everything - now it's just more to a point to being able to deal with the pain tolerance," he said on Tuesday. "So you are hopeful for this week. He's out there moving around, involved in pretty much everything today, but still a little bit limited." Robinson was still listed as the starting MIKE linebacker in Virginia’s updated depth chart, though not always indicative of ultimate gameday status. Virginia also saw defensive back Corey Thomas leave Saturday’s game early though he was back at practice, while Elliott noted that sixth-year defensive lineman Kam Butler is “a little bit banged up right now.” Still, Robinson’s status marks a big question mark for Virginia’s defense.
Robinson, a former four-star prospect out of Virginia and one-time Maryland target, has been a big piece in the ‘Hoos defense after starting in ten of his first 14 games of his college career. After racking up 71 total tackles through his freshman season, Robinson sits sixth on the team in tackles while he’s one of two players to register a fumble recovery in 2024.
Meanwhile, Virginia is looking to pick up its first win against Maryland since 2011 and first win in Charlottesville since 2008. While Maryland will begin a four-year series with Virginia Tech in 2026, Elliott noted he’s open to extending the series between the former ACC rivals.
“It makes sense to me. It makes sense because we're recruiting against each other. We're battling for the same players. They're not far away. It's convenient for either fan base to travel to the game. I'm all for it, if it works out,” he added.
Maryland head coach Mike Locksley has been consistent about the interest in filling out the non-conference schedule with regional teams like “Virginia, West Virginia, [Virginia] Tech, old ACC foe.”
“Those are good for Maryland,” Locksley said on Tuesday. “They're good for our program. They create some excitement because of some of the past, obviously, UVA been a regional rivalry. We've got guys from their state. They've got guys from our state. Anytime we have a chance to keep some of these games alive, because, like I said, it's the longest game that we've played against an opponent over the years. I think it's good for us.”
Kickoff for Saturday’s game is set for 8 PM on ACC Network.
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