Virginia Football Loses Another Offensive Lineman|UV Hot Topics|Team BattleGround|College BattleGround

Virginia football coach Bronco Mendenhall made roster news on Thursday when he informed the media that offensive lineman transfer Jared Cohen had given up football. Cohen, who announced his decision to transfer from UNC to UVA in the spring, would have had three years of eligibility as a Cavalier.

Cohen is the fifth lineman who’s chosen not to play for the Cavaliers this off-season. Rising seniors Ryan Doull, Sadiq Olanrewaju, and Eric Tetlow “retired” due to injuries. Redshirt freshman Grant Polk left the program as a transfer.

Cohen’s decision leaves Virginia with only 12 offensive linemen on scholarship for the fall and only three true guards: senior Sean Karl, junior Jack McDonald, and sophomore Stephen Moss. Karl and McDonald would appear to have the inside track on the two starting guard spots, though the Virginia coaches could shift over a tackle like Jake Fieler or Ryan Bischoff.

The coaching staff has addressed the program’s lack of line depth in its recruiting for 2017. Virginia has received commitments from 3 offensive linemen and Mendenhall’s staff is actively looking for more.