Virginia paid tribute to three fallen teammates Saturday as the team returned to game action for the first time since the November shooting that rocked UVa's campus. The Cavaliers and No. 12 Tennessee took a moment of silence before kicking off the 2023 season at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, while also honoring the trio in other ways.
Cheerleaders from both teams laid flowers on the field in honor of the three players before the game. Also, the Cavaliers with jersey numbers 1, 15 and 41 wore special patches -- honoring Lavel Davis Jr., Devin Chandler and D'Sean Perry, respectivelty. The three were killed by former teammate Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. on UVa's campus after returning from a class trip. Tennessee players also wore helmet decals honoring the slain trio.
Running back Mike Hollins, who was shot in the back during the incident, returned to game action against the Volunteers. Hollins was placed on a ventilator after the shooting but was back on the field during spring practices. Amazingly, he was part of the team's running back rotation in the first quarter.
🧡💙#UVAStrong pic.twitter.com/ahteXNyynf
— Virginia Cavaliers (@VirginiaSports) September 2, 2023
"Every day is a triumph for us," second-year coach Tony Elliott said Tuesday. "I believe as a program, every day that we continue to wake up and come to work and put our best foot forward, that's the triumph in all of this. Now we have an opportunity on a national stage to show just how resilient the human spirit is. That's what I'm looking forward to, is just seeing the guys play in a way that inspires people."
