UVA’s Jones has motion after being hauled off

Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior Citizen WriterNov 9, 2023, 10:33 PM ET

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• ACC press reporter.
• Signed up with ESPN.com in 2010.
• Graduate of the University of Florida.Virginia running back Perris Jones was moving all of his extremities after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit late in the 3rd quarter against Louisville on Thursday night.Jones was taken to the University of Louisville healthcare facility after the hit and

  school authorities stated he had restored motion in all of his extremities sometime after arriving there.Coach Tony Elliott said in an earlier postgame interview that he was getting”encouraging “news from the medical facility concerning Jones’condition. He included that Jones was getting an MRI at the medical facility but didn’t provide any specifics beyond that.Jones had taken a swing pass and started adding field when he was struck. Jones fumbled on the play and fell forward in a pile of numerous Louisville players. Since the play took place near the Louisville sideline, Louisville fitness instructors instantly ran out to offer assistance. Virginia receiver Malik Washington picked up the fumble and scored a touchdown, however the attention was currently on Jones, as authorities from both teams gathered around him.Virginia players, some in tears, took a knee as they viewed on in shocked silence. Jones is roomies with fellow running back Mike Hollins, who endured a shooting that eliminated 3 of their teammates last November. The one-year anniversary of the deaths of Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry is Monday.Jones was eventually placed on a cart, totally immobilized. Hollins was among the players to get closest to the cart before it drove off. On the white tape Hollins wears on the back of his arms was Perry’s number 41. Jones will remain in UofL Medical facility over night for observation, per the team.Earlier, ESPN’s Harry Lyles Jr. reported on the game broadcast that Virginia athletic director Carla Williams welcomed Jones near the arena tunnel and provided him a pat on the arm before he was loaded into the ambulance.”It’s an extremely, very tough

  truth of the sport that we play,”Elliott said.” Every play can end that way. You do not wish that for any person and I know one thing, PJ’s a hard boy. He lays it on the line each time he heads out there for this football group.

  Believing and praying he’s going to have a complete healing. I’m putting that in the Lord’s hands and I’m requesting that in advance, and thinking that’s going to be the case.”The fumble healing score on the play in which Jones was injured provided Virginia a 21-14 lead, but Louisville rallied in the fourth quarter to win 31-24– the 5th game this season the Cavaliers have actually lost by a touchdown or less. “Nobody wants to see it, and it is difficult to get back motivated,

  however I think the guys responded,”Elliott stated.”We just didn’t make a couple plays at completion that we required to make.”