Perry Jones, a seldom-used true freshman, was anointed with his first four carries of the season against Boston College in Simpson’s absence.

Heading into Saturday’s game against Boston College, the Cavaliers (3-6, 2-3 ACC) rank among the worst in the ACC in numerous categories.

Senior Mikell Simpson hopes to take over for the graduated Cedric Peerman.

Virginia’s recruiting struggles in the football talent-rich 757 area code have been well-documented in recent years, but perhaps the trend is changing.

On Monday, Perry Jones verbally committed to play football at Virginia, aware that he was most likely going to undergo a position switch, sliding from linebacker to safety. He became the ninth commitment for the Cavaliers in the Class of 2009 and the seventh from inside the state.