Virginia
Virginia Football Injury Report: Brian Stevens Returns, McKale Boley ‘Hopeful’
Slowly, but surely, the Virginia offensive line is getting healthy. After missing starters Brian Stevens and McKale Boley for more than a week, Tony Elliott was happy to report on Monday that Stevens has since returned to being a full participant in practice and is “hopeful” that Boley will be able to return sometime next week in advance of UVA’s season-opener against Richmond.
“[Brian] Stevens is back, rolling, and we’re hoping that sometime this week, before we get ready to really dive in to Richmond prep, that we’ll get [McKale] Boley back,” Elliott said. “But, Brian’s been back practicing. He started back last week and has looked good. Boley’s doing some stuff, in the underwater treadmill, in the AlterG, trying to get his conditioning up. He’ll be back on the land this week and then hopeful for next week. But again, you’re dealing with a high-ankle sprain. Those things are tricky.”
The return of Stevens to practice is paramount for the Cavaliers, as he took over as UVA’s starting center in week 3 last season and was exceptional in that spot, earning an All-ACC honorable mention after rating as the top run-blocking center in the ACC according to Pro Football Focus. This year, Stevens has been named to the preseason watch list for the Rimington Trophy, presented annually to the top center in college football. Boley, meanwhile developed significantly in his sophomore season, starting all 12 games at left tackle for the Cavaliers. His return will also be pivotal for protecting whichever quarterback Virginia ends up starting.
READ MORE: Tony Elliott Open to Playing Both Quarterbacks
Elliott didn’t offer any specific updates on other injured Cavaliers, but emphasized that Virginia’s roster is getting healthier as a whole as fall camp comes to a close this week.
“We’re getting a lot of guys back this week, so for the next week and a half, as we prime up for gametime, we should have some more continuity,” Elliott said.
Of course, there are still a few notable players out for Virginia in addition to Boley. Junior running back Xavier Brown and junior wide receiver JR Wilson are both unlikely to be available in time for the start of the season, which is less than two weeks away, but Elliott expects both players to return early in the season, if not by week 1. Senior linebacker James Jackson missed most of fall camp rehabbing from an offseason cleanup, but should be ready to go by the time the season begins.
Senior defensive end Bryce Carter and graduate offensive lineman Drake Metcalf suffered long-term injuries, though Elliott noted that Metcalf could return from the Achilles injury he suffered back in the spring by November or even October. Unfortunately, four Cavaliers have been lost for the season: junior linebacker Stevie Bracey, sophomore defensive end Mekhi Buchanan, junior offensive lineman Noah Hartsoe, and freshman wide receiver Triston Ward.
Virginia Football: Tony Elliott Open to Playing Both Quarterbacks
Virginia RB Kobe Pace Makes Big Strides in Preseason Camp
Tony Muskett or Anthony Colandrea? How Virginia is Deciding Its QB Battle
Virginia Football: Five Reasons for Optimism Going into This Season
Virginia Football Projected Depth Chart 3.0: Injuries Shake Up Starting Lineup
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — West Virginia has plenty of state symbols, be it the black bear as the state animal, the cardinal as the state bird or the rhododendron as the state flower, but did you know that the Mountain State also has its own official gun?
The Hall Flintlock Model 1819 was first manufactured in Harpers Ferry by John H. Hall in 1811 and was adopted by the United States Army in 1819, making it the first breech-loading rifle ever adopted by a country’s military.
-
Model 1819 Hall Breechloading Rifle presented by Congress to Gustavous A. Bird for his participation in the Battle of Plattsburgh 9/11/1814 by John C. Bird via the Smithsonian Institution -
Model 1819 Hall Breechloading Rifle presented by Congress to Gustavous A. Bird for his participation in the Battle of Plattsburgh 9/11/1814 by John C. Bird via the Smithsonian Institution
All of this information is listed in Senate Concurrent Resolution 7, which was introduced and passed during the 2013 West Virginia Legislative session, and officially recognizes the Model 1819 as the official firearm of the State of West Virginia.
On top of being created in West Virginia, the resolution also points out that the rifle saw use during the Civil War, an event that directly led to West Virginia’s statehood.
While having an officially recognized state firearm may seem far-fetched, West Virginia is not the only state that has one. As a matter of fact, a fifth of the states in the country have officially designated a state firearm, including West Virginia’s neighbors in Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In this world of college football, with the transfer portal and recruiting battles, bad blood is present more than ever before between head coaches.
That’s not the case between the Virginia Tech head coach and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, however. In fact, Franklin revealed at ACC Kickoff on Thursday that the two are actually close friends, dating back to their time at the Nike trip that various coaches take over the summer.
“Dabo’s my guy,” Franklin said on Thursday. “We go way back. We’ve been on the Nike trip for a long time. His wife and my wife are friends.”
The long-time Penn State head coach is making the move to the ACC after being fired from the Nittany Lions in October. 12 seasons of being with the program had Franklin hold a 44-21 record against top 10 opponents, an impressive record for a new conference foe of Swinney’s.
But when that trip comes around, there’s a camaraderie between Swinney and Franklin and both of their wives. In fact, the two hang out with each other instead of the other coaches at times. It simply comes to an “edgy” time in college athletics that raises tempers.
“I’m going to be honest, I wouldn’t say we’re necessarily like the type of people that love a lot of other coaches and a lot of other programs,” Franklin said. “It’s hard when you just compete year-round.”
On Swinney’s end, there are a few who could immediately come to mind among Clemson fans. Perhaps the most recent would be Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, who played the most significant role in the tampering of former linebacker Luke Ferrelli.
It’s a select list of coaches who make the good side of the Tigers’ head coach, and Franklin is certainly on that list. On the other hand, Hokies’ head coach has Swinney on his own shortlist.
“Obviously, tremendous respect for what he has built at Clemson and what he’s done at Clemson, and what he’s done for the ACC,” he said.
The two will see that close relationship face off at Memorial Stadium this upcoming season. Clemson will host the Hokies on Oct. 24 in what could be a potential title-eliminator for the ACC Championship.
Of course, the last game that we’ve seen the Tigers play in was against Franklin’s former team in Penn State at the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. That game ended in a 22-10 contest that saw a foundation of Franklin players end Clemson’s season in disappointment.
Swinney will see many of those players once again in October, including starting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, in that contest. The anticipated Hokie starter recorded 260 yards and two passing touchdowns on the Tigers in the Bronx that day.
Although friends become foes, another ACC coach has given Swinney his flowers for what he’s been able to do for the conference. In the upcoming moments, Franklin will look to prepare his team to prove itself on one of the biggest stages in the ACC, while Swinney looks to put his team back at the top of a conference he’s dominated for over 15 years.
Follow
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (WSET) — Extreme drought conditions in parts of Virginia have prompted an emergency drought warning for a wide swath of the region, including Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, Pittsylvania and Roanoke counties, along with the cities of Danville, Roanoke, Salem and Martinsville.
The governor has warned that if conditions worsen, she will activate mandatory nonessential water-use restrictions.
In Martinsville, city leaders have issued a voluntary water conservation notice and are urging residents and businesses to cut back where they can. The request comes as local businesses that rely heavily on water say the drought is already affecting day-to-day operations.
SEE ALSO: Botetourt County residents adjust daily routines as voluntary water restriction continues
John Hughes, owner of John’s Car Wash, said the dry conditions have hit his business hard in recent weeks. “For the last 3 weeks, it’s been hitting pretty hard. We done three yesterday and haven’t done anything today with the drought and hot weather. Yeah, I’m really concerned about it,” Hughes said.
Restaurants are also feeling the strain. David Kitzmiller, an owner of Be Wiched, said water is essential for routine tasks such as washing dishes and preparing some menu items.
“We use a lot of water for washing dishes and some of our recipes if they limit us in anyway defiently can’t produce and its a scary aspect,” Kitzmiller said.
Kitzmiller added that cutting back is not always realistic for businesses that must meet sanitation needs. “Not really feasible for a business that depends solely relies on water to wash their dishes, so that can’t definitely be an impact there,” he said.
City leaders emphasized that the conservation request is voluntary for now, but they are encouraging everyone to do their part by taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet when it is not in use, washing only full loads of laundry, and limiting outdoor watering whenever possible.
-
Idaho2 minutes agoChina Landslide
-
Illinois8 minutes agoHillsboro grad, Springfield golfer Alex Eickhoff 2nd at state amateur
-
Indiana14 minutes ago
Where to watch Seattle Storm vs Indiana Fever on July 17: TV channel, start time and streaming
-
Iowa20 minutes agoUS House Speaker campaigning in Iowa responds to President’s election fraud claims
-
Kentucky32 minutes agoJune unemployment rate shows slight increase in Kentucky Center for Statistics latest report
-
Louisiana38 minutes agoHow Louisiana football’s Lunch Winfield has embraced his QB1 role
-
Maryland50 minutes agoGreat nature trails for hiking, beachcombing on Maryland’s Lower Shore
-
Michigan56 minutes agoMichigan’s upcoming Aug. 4 primary: What’s on my ballot?
