The UVA football team opens fall camp Monday afternoon at The Park.
On defense, Virginia will have to replace a wealth of experience in the secondary, as the Cavaliers prepare for the season opener against Richmond September 1.
Gone are seniors Chase Minnifield, Rodney McLeod, Corey Mosley, and Dom Joseph, who started 88 games combined in their UVA careers.
Sophomore cornerback Demetrious Nicholson was one of 13 'Hoos to start all 13 games last season.
As a true freshman, Nicholson had two interceptions, eight pass breakups (tied with Chase Minnifield for the team lead), and finished fourth on the team in tackles with 60.
He must now lead a young secondary which features no seniors and only one junior in Rijo Walker.
"It's going to force me to be a leader," says Nicholson. "Guys are going to come to me sometimes if they have questions. I'm going to have to be there and be able to deliver an answer and be able to deliver on the field as well, so they can have somebody to follow after."
Head coach Mike London says, "We feel real good about Brandon Phelps, Drequan Hoskey, Anthony Harris. Those are all candidates, guys that played last year. They got a lot of special teams experience. They had some reps in games. Now those guys are going to be the guys that have to play the scrimmage plays."
"I know the guys we got back there, safety and corner spots, and we've got depth now, even the younger guys coming in," said Nicholson. "We're athletic. We're all on scholarship, like every other team, and we're confident. We're young, but we got here just like everybody else got here by working hard and being able to play."
"The have the skill and the talent-wise to do it," London said. "It's just, what's missing is the experience of playing defensive back in a game, and they'll get it early on, and that'll be something we'll be paying close attention to."
