Virginia Football Returns After Tragic Shooting: Emotional Season Opener against Tennessee Vols
The University of Virginia football team will return to the field for the first time since the tragic shooting incident that took the lives of three teammates last November. The Cavaliers will face the Tennessee Vols in an emotional season opener in Nashville.
The deadly shooting occurred on November 13, 2022 when a group of UVA students returned to Charlottesville after a field trip to Washington, D.C. A student on the bus started firing a gun, resulting in the deaths of three football team members and the injury of two others. The victims were identified as D’Sean Perry, Lavel Davis Jr., and Devin Chandler. The alleged shooter fled the scene but was later apprehended.
Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a former member of the Virginia football roster, was charged with multiple counts related to the shooting. The incident deeply affected the university and the football community, leading to the cancellation of the team’s final two games as players and coaches attended the funerals of their fallen teammates.
Now, almost a year later, the Virginia Cavaliers will take the field again, honoring the memories of Perry, Davis Jr., and Chandler. The return will be especially emotional for running back Mike Hollins, who survived the shooting and will be playing on Saturday.
Virginia head coach Tony Elliott expressed how the team has learned to function while grieving: I think what we’re able to do a better job of now is function, while we grieve, he shared with USA TODAY Sports.
The Cavaliers’ matchup against the Tennessee Vols will be a poignant event. Both teams will honor the shooting victims during the game. Virginia players will wear a helmet decal to pay tribute to their fallen teammates, while the players wearing the jersey numbers of Davis Jr., Chandler, and Perry will wear legacy patches. The families of the three players will have input on who will wear the respective jersey numbers.
The Virginia team will also observe a moment of silence before the game at Nissan Stadium. Additionally, the Tennessee Vols will wear a helmet decal in solidarity with the shooting victims.
ESPN play-by-play announcer Joe Tessitore, who was present in Charlottesville during the tragic incident, will call Saturday’s game, providing a unique perspective as a parent to a UVA student athlete and a member of the community that experienced the tragedy firsthand.
The return of Virginia football marks a significant step in the healing process for the university and its football program. The loss of Perry, Davis Jr., and Chandler deeply impacted the team, but their memories will live on as the Cavaliers step onto the field once again. The emotions will run high, but the players and coaches are ready to honor their fallen teammates and compete in their honor. This game will serve as a testament to the resilience and unity of the Virginia football community and a reminder that together, they can overcome even the darkest of moments.
