Senior workhorse injured after 4-touchdown afternoon
Just about the only negative from Virginia’s impressive win over Indiana on Saturday was the injury to running back Mikell Simpson, which harkened back memories of the one to former Cavalier safety Nate Lyles in 2005.
Simpson, after a routine running play in the third quarter, needed to be carried off the field on a spine board.
“We are sombered somewhat by Mikell’s situation,” said Virginia coach Al Groh. “We don’t have anything definitive on him, but we do feel positive…about his long-term situation.”
Groh would only say that Simpson’s injury was “from the shoulders up.” Simpson’s teammates seemed optimistic that he, like Lyles, would be OK.
According to a UVa release, Simpson was treated for a neck injury at University of Virginia Medical Center and was released.
Before leaving the game, Simpson was electric. The senior from Harrisburg, Pa., tore up the Hoosiers’ defense to the tune of 149 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.
It was Simpson’s first multi-rushing touchdown game since notching two scores against Virginia Tech in 2007. Simpson’s three rushing scores were the most by a UVa player in a game since Wali Lundy had four versus Temple in 2005.
“Mikell had a hell of a game,” said Virginia right tackle Will Barker. “Unfortunately, he went down, but it sounds like everything’s going to be OK with him.”
Simpson finished the game with a team-high 83 yards rushing on 15 carries, and four catches or 66 yards.
Simpson’s first score came on Virginia’s first possession, following an Indiana turnover. Simpson scampered into paydirt to give Virginia the early lead.
Midway through the second quarter, Simpson hooked up with quarterback Jameel Sewell through the air, taking a short pass from Sewell and rumbling 37 yards — the longest reception of his career — down to the Indiana 5-yard-line.
On the next play, Simpson had another 5-yard touchdown run to put Virginia up 20-0. Later, Simpson scored on a 3-yard run to propel UVa to a 27-0 lead.
Simpson’s final tally came on Virginia’s first possession of the second half when he scored from 1 yard out, just after he had hammered the ball six yards down to the Hoosiers’ goal line.
“He had a great game,” Barker said. “We know every time he goes out there, he’s going to try his [butt] off. He really came to compete today.”
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Hey BigAl, you make some great points about the backup players needing experience. I was just saying with the offense scheme being new, the players on that side of the ball need reps. We have had two games where the offense has been sucessful, so I am not ready to say we have it down yet. I do agree that the backup players need to be ready, and that will make the team better as the season rolls along.
“We need all the players to play a full game, regardless of the score. We aren’t good enough to be sitting players, just because the game is out of hand. The players need all the reps they can get at this point.“
I couldn’t disagree more. It’s not about “sitting” the starters as much as it is about giving the reserves some game experience. Not playing backups no matter what is the approach Groh has taken since he got here, and he’s been burned by it. Injuries DO happen, and if you don’t have people ready to come off of the bench and play at a high level immediately the other team is going to murder you.
That contributed directly to the chaotic, poor start in 2006. Hagans was gone, and there was nobody with any experience. Everybody thought Christian Olsen was going to be the guy (based solely on the fact that Notre Dame recruited him, I guess), and he turned out to be a tragic disaster.
That’s precisely how Virginia lost the Gator Bowl against Texas Tech a couple of years ago. Sewell got hurt, and Lalich went in and had that “deer in the headlights” look from the moment he walked onto the field. Texas Tech ate him alive, and he made crucial mistakes almost right away, and the game was lost. He was clearly and totally not up to the task.
You have to let your underclassmen get experience. Virginia doesn’t recruit well enough and isn’t deep enough to have backups who can jump right in without seasoning.
Yes! We need all the players to play a full game, regardless of the score. We aren’t good enough to be sitting players, just because the game is out of hand. The players need all the reps they can get at this point.
“We need him on the field on every offensive play.“
Really? Even when we’re up 37-0?
I guess we’ll know more about Simpson’s injury this week but let’s all hope it’s nothing serious. That guy is needed in their offense and if he’s sidelined for a couple of weeks, the Cavs are in trouble. Simpson has good backups but they don’t match his deftness of moves and footwork——at least not yet. We need him on the field on every offensive play.
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