With promising sophomore Mike Hollins opting out of the season and junior transfer Ronnie Walker Jr.’s waiver application for immediate eligibility denied (UVA is appealing), the University of Virginia football program will lean on returning starter Wayne Taulapapa and graduate transfer Shane Simpson at the running back position this season.

Heavy attrition and transfer Ronnie Walker Jr.'s waiver being denied mean the Virginia offense will rely heavily on junior Wayne Taulapapa and grad-transfer Shane Simpson at running back. Taulapapa started 11 games for the Hoos last season, scoring 12 touchdowns including three in a win over Florida State. ~ Photo credit: Jim Daves

Taulapapa, a junior, and Simpson are the only two eligible scholarship running backs on the Cavaliers’ roster. The Hoos have three walk-ons at the position as well, including senior Justin Zollar, sophomore Perris Jones, and true freshman Chris Barfield, but durability is a must as far as Taulapapa and Simpson are concerned.

“Now that we’re down on running backs, you have to be (durable),” Taulapapa said. “Every day is a work with rehab. Every day is a work with getting your body right. Every day is work with continuing to be smart, especially on the field and playing hard. At the end of the day the team depends on us as running backs and we have to step up.”

Home in Hawaii this spring and summer because of the coronavirus, the 5’9”, 210-pound Taulapapa says he returned to “basics” to keep fit.

“In Hawaii something I did as a kid was sand hills over at Kahuku Golf Course. If you talk to every kid from Kahuku, Laie or Hauula they know exactly what sand hills those are," said Taulapapa, who returned to those same hills while home.

After signing with the Hoos in the class of 2016, Taulapapa took a two-year LDS mission before enrolling on Grounds in the summer of 2018. He played seven games, all on special teams, his true freshman season but emerged as UVA’s primary starter at tailback as a sophomore in 2019. In 12 games (11 starts), Taulapapa led the Coastal Division champion Hoos with 12 rushing touchdowns last season and churned out 473 yards on 116 carries, an average of 4.1 yards per carry.

Footwork has been a priority this offseason of Taulapapa, who also enters 2020 more prepared from a mental standpoint thanks to last season’s experience.

“I think being more able to read better and understanding the blocking schemes of the O-line,” Taulapapa said of how he has improved from a year ago. “Last year, being a sophomore, it’s nerve-wracking being in that position. You have to grow from it, and so looking back in a year, just a lot of reviews on where the holes are going to be, how to work with the O-line, how to work with the QB, being a better blocker to give the QB more time. I think every part of my game has improved and we’re still going. There’s a lot of time left until the season, and so every day is a continuous movement to improve on running, catching, and blocking.”

The news on Hollins and Walker are the latest developments in what has been a volatile offseason at running back. We’ve known since early in the offseason that Lamont Atkins and P.K. Kier, who were significant rotational players the past few years, would not be playing at UVA this fall. Both had one season of eligibility remaining. Atkins gave up football to pursue another career and Kier entered the transfer portal.

UVA lost more than just Atkins and Kier, though, as speedy underclassman Seneca Milledge and upperclassman big back Jamari Peacock – Peacock’s primary role was as a blocker, but he had three years of experience, play in all 40 games - entered the transfer portal as well.

In the spring, Walker Jr. announced he was transferring from Indiana to Virginia. The Hopewell (VA) native was optimistic about his waiver being approved, but as of this writing he will have to redshirt this season due to NCAA FBS transfer rules. Fortunately for UVA, Simpson came on board as a graduate transfer in early August, and Taulapapa was one of the first to welcome him aboard.