Other than 30 minutes of stretching and special teams work of the opening practice last Friday morning, the first week of Virginia’s camp has taken place behind closed gates and closed to the media. Any attempt to gauge how the Hoos are progressing has been based on second-hand reports and by trying to analyze what the team chooses to share on social media.
But if those brief highlight clips on Twitter are any indication, sophomore receiver Dontayvion Wicks has been one of the standouts of the Wahoos’ first week.
There was the shot in the midst of the hype video produced after Friday’s practice, where it appeared Wicks had gotten open downfield behind the defense for a long gain. Or a pair of clips posted on Tuesday — one of quarterback Brennan Armstrong finding an outstretched Wicks for a jumping catch near the sideline and away from two defenders, and the other showing Wicks beat redshirt freshman defensive back Dave Herard one-on-one in the end zone for a touchdown catch.
They’re just three highlights cherry-picked from nearly a week’s worth of practice snaps. But they demonstrate the skills that Wicks believes he brings to the wide receiver spot for the Wahoos.
“Going up and getting the ball. Being a route runner,” said the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Wicks. “Being able to get open is just my game.”
“He competes, he’s physical and he loves to go get the ball,” said UVa wide receivers coach Marques Hagans. “He’s got a lot of talent. He’s just got to put it together every day, and that’s what we’re working on.”
The Wahoos enter the season without 6-foot-7 second-year receiver Lavel Davis Jr., who is out until at least November with a knee injury suffered during spring practices. Davis caught five touchdowns as a freshman last fall, and 13 of his 20 total receptions went for at least 20 yards, including five of 30-plus yards.
Wicks is among a group of pass-catchers that the Hoos are hoping can fill that void in production in the passing game. After three catches in limited playing time as a freshman in 2019, Wicks was out all of last season because of a foot injury suffered early in fall camp. He was back on the field for the Wahoos this past spring.
“So we basically traded,” UVa head coach Bronco Mendenhall said of Davis and Wicks following Friday morning’s first practice. “I’d rather have them both.”
Wicks has shown he can bring a similar big-play ability to the Wahoos. On his first career touchdown catch, coming late in a November rout of Liberty in 2019, Wicks jumped over two defenders then slipped away for a 44-yard score down the sideline. He had a a couple of long catches in the Wahoos’ spring game last May, including one for a touchdown. Mendenhall said the former three-star recruit from Louisiana had a few more in practice last Friday.
Hagans believes Wicks has potential to be one of the best pass-catchers in the conference. He has challenged the sophomore in camp to improve his fundamentals and consistency.
“I told him my biggest disappointment is if I don’t get him to maximize the ability that he has,” Hagans said. “If I don’t get him to see what I see in him then I’ve failed him as a coach.”
“So yes, I’m on his ass every day,” the Cavaliers’ wide receivers coach added. “Every single day.”
Since getting back on the field, Wicks has focused on rebuilding the chemistry he had developed with Armstrong as a freshman, when the quarterback was the Wahoos’ backup behind Bryce Perkins. Two of Wicks’ three career catches have come from Armstrong, including that 44-yard touchdown against the Flames.
Both Wicks and his quarterback believe that chemistry has reemerged through the work they’ve put in between spring camp and his summer, leading into their strong start this preseason.
“We’re seeing the same things, the same coverages. He’s adjusting his routes the same way I’m thinking he’s gonna adjust them,” Armstrong told reporters Wednesday morning. “It’s been enjoyable to watch. We’re making a lot of plays right now with him. So hopefully that keeps elevating. We’ll just stay consistent with that and you guys can see it in fall.”
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