Cavaliers Getting Closer to Full Strength

By Jeff White (jwhite@virginia.edu)
VirginiaSports.com

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Ten months after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Virginia’s win over Duke in Durham, N.C., linebacker Kam Robinson is set to make his 2026 debut.

At his weekly media availability at the Hardie Center, UVA head coach Tony Elliott said Tuesday that Robinson has been cleared to play Friday night against Norfolk State at Scott Stadium.

The No. 25 Cavaliers (1-0) host the Spartans (1-1), who compete in the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision, at 7 p.m.

“Kam will be ready to roll,” Elliott said, as will defensive back Corey Costner, wide receiver Isaiah Robinson and offensive tackle Alex Payne, all of whom also missed Virginia’s season-opening win over NC State.

“So we're actually, I think, closer to full strength for this one,” Elliott said.

I’m back.

-5#GoHoos 🔶⚔️🔷 pic.twitter.com/E0yzXI6v9R

— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball) September 8, 2026

Four other injured Cavaliers—offensive lineman Grant Ellinger, defensive end Ezekiel Larry and wide receivers Rico Flores Jr. and Dillon Newton-Short—are expected back soon, too, Elliott said.

Robinson, who wears jersey No. 5, ranks among the most dynamic defenders in college football. In 2025, he appeared in only eight games but became the first FBS player in the past 20 years to record a blocked punt, a fumble recovery and an interception return for a touchdown in the same season.

“With 5 on the field, everybody feels real calm,” UVA cornerback Jacobie Henderson said Tuesday.

“We’re going to turn him loose, but we'll also be smart,” Elliott said of Robinson, a third-team All-ACC selection in 2025. “This will be the first time that he'll be out there in full contact, because in all of our tackle-to-the-ground scrimmages, he was not available during fall camp.”

Costner, who’s listed at 6-foot-1, 213-pounds, impressed as a true freshman last season, intercepting two passes, breaking up three others, forcing a fumble and making 28 tackles.

“He adds more speed,” Elliott said of Costner. “He's a guy that can really, really run, and ... he's put on some good weight this offseason. So physically, he's going to be able to support from that nickel position, maybe different than we've been able to do in the past. And then in third-down situations, he can go out there and play man coverage.”

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— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball) September 7, 2026

Even without Robinson and Costner, the Wahoos’ defense dominated in the season opener, holding the Wolfpack to 168 yards of total offense. UVA defensive coordinator John Rudzinski was asked Tuesday how he planned to incorporate Robinson and Costner back into the defense.

“You turn them loose and you let them go attack and you play downhill and see how fast and how violent they can play,” Rudzinski said.

POSITION OF STRENGTH: Robinson’s return bolsters a deep, talented linebacking corps that also includes Maddox Marcellus, Landon Danley, Caleb Hardy and Myles Brown, who led Virginia with eight tackles (in only 19 plays) against NC State.

“I just think the biggest thing with that group is there's not a huge drop off when Kam's not in there, and that's what we've wanted to do,” Elliott said.

“Now, we know Kam's special and he's going to go make those freakish plays that only Kam can make.” But Elliott added that Robinson carried a heavy load in his first three seasons and occasionally played through injuries.

“Hopefully now with the depth that we have, the competitive depth, he doesn't have to be out there to make every single play,” Elliott said. “And some may say, ‘Well, that's what's best for the team.’ But a fresh Kam, fast Kam, I think, is more effective rushing the passer, I think he makes more plays, and then also it takes some of the exposure to injury away by having competitive depth.”

Rudzinski said the linebackers have “great energy. They play with great physicality, and there's some really good athletes in that room, too.”

The same is true in the Cavaliers’ secondary, and the addition of Costner figures to make a strong group stronger.

Against NC State, Elliott said, UVA’s defensive backs “did a really good job of being in position, didn't let too many guys get behind us, good communication, there weren't guys running free.

“I don't recall any major busted coverages. I thought they made plays on the ball.  I thought they fit the run. They were aggressive. I thought they played with some swagger. So all the things that we had seen on the practice field, it was good to see that translate into the game.”

Henderson, a transfer from Rutgers, said the secondary expects to play that way. “That’s kind of our goal every week: just dominate the opponent."

PHYSICAL SPECIMEN: The Athletic published its annual list of “freaks” in college football last month, and three of the 102 players named are from UVA. Offensive tackle McKale Boley was ranked No. 22, offensive guard Makilan Thomas No. 44, and quarterback Beau Pribula No. 90.

Thomas, who’s listed at 6-foot-3, 317 pounds, transferred from Arkansas State to Virginia in 2025 but missed last season with a broken foot. Healthy again, he started at right guard NC State. At right tackle was Monroe Mills, who transferred from Louisville to UVA in 2025 but, like Thomas, missed last season with an injury.

That made the NC State game especially memorable for Thomas and Mills.

“Monroe is a jokester, so as soon as we hit the locker room, he's joking about it,” Thomas said Tuesday. “It was really a cool experience, just us being out there.”

Thomas’ numbers in testing wowed The Athletic, which reported that he lifted “480 pounds on a close-grip bench press and back-squatted 600 pounds for three reps with every rep faster than 0.60 m/s. He vertical jumped 30 1/2 inches and broad jumped 9-2. His 4.38 shuttle time would’ve been the fastest by any O-lineman at the NFL combine in the past three years. His 7.59 3-cone is also quite good. In addition, he hit 18.43 mph on the GPS.”

Thomas praised the team’s strength and conditioning staff, which Adam Smotherman leads.

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— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball) September 8, 2026

GROUP EFFORT: In the Aug. 29 season opener, Virginia used five running backs. Jekail Middlebrook was the first to take a handoff against NC State, but Xavier Brown, Noah Vaughn, Xay Davis and Peyton Lewis also carried the ball.

In 2025, All-ACC selection J’Mari Taylor had by far the most carries of any UVA tailback.

Asked Tuesday about the rotation at that position, Elliott said it doesn’t matter to him who’s in the game. “Last we started by committee and then J’Mari separated. It may stay by committee. At the end of the day, we want to run the ball. We want to be effective. We want to protect the quarterback, and then we want to make plays out of the backfield in the passing game. So I think we’ve got five, six guys that can do it, and they'll figure it out.”

HEAD SPARTAN: Michael Vick is in his second year leading the Norfolk State program. Vick, who grew up in Newport News, starred at Virginia Tech and in the NFL. Among those marveled at Vick’s exploits on the field was Elliott.

“That’s a household name,” Elliott said. “All you got to say is Vick. You didn't have to say Mike, you just say Vick. And everybody knows who that guy was. I saw it up close and personal.”

During Elliott’s career as a Clemson wide receiver, the Tigers went 0-2 against Vick’s Hokies.

“He was special,” Elliott said. “He transformed the game. When you start talking about dual-threat quarterbacks, he's the prototype, right?”

Vick was an accomplished passer, and when he ran “there wasn't anybody better in [the NFL] with the ball in their hands,” Elliott said, “and he made those freakish, once-in-a-generation type of plays. And so that's who Michael Vick is to me, and I'm just excited to have a chance to meet him.”

In their first year under Vick, the Spartans finished 1-11. Norfolk State opened this season with a 56-0 win over Division II Winston-Salem State and then lost 31-10 to Old Dominion this past weekend.

Vick’s assistant coaches include two former UVA standouts: Tim Smith (wide receivers) and Elton Brown (offensive line).

The Spartans “play hard,” Elliott said. “They're very well coached. You can tell that they believe in the scheme, offense and defense and special teams. They got depth on the D-line. They can roll a lot of guys. They get after it. They can play multiple fronts, four-man fronts, three-man fronts. Their linebackers are athletic. They got some long dudes in the secondary. They got some transfers from the [Power-4] level that are going to be excited to play.

“And then offensively, schematically they challenge you ... So it's going to be a good challenge. We're going to find out a lot about our football team this weekend.”

MOMENTOUS DATE: Friday is the 25^th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that struck the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. Only two players on the Cavaliers' 2026 roster had been born then—Drake Metcalf and Ja’Maric Morris—but Rudzinski remembers the day well. He was in his first year at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“I think it's one of those important things in all of our history,” said Rudzinski, who later served in the Air Force, “and for a lot of us, it’s actually an education now for these young guys, because most of them weren't weren't born yet, which makes you feel old.”

At the team meeting Friday, Rudzinski said, he’ll “remind the guys as far as what happened, those years ago, and the sacrifice and service that we have to each other. And it was a neat opportunity to be able to serve in the Air Force, the opportunity to serve overseas with great men and women from not only the United States but from around the world. And if we'll fight for freedom and for the right stuff with that same integrity, service and excellence, we’ll find ways to have a better world.”

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