Virginia football will turn to two seniors to replace Charles Snowden at linebacker

Snowden, Gahm and Brown were part of Coach Bronco Mendenhall’s transformative recruiting class four years ago that triggered a culture shift by promoting accountability throughout the roster, both on and off the field.

“It was hard to see a teammate, especially one I’ve been around so long, a good friend of mine, go down,” Gahm said Monday during a Zoom call with the media. “We were all very sad to see that, so after the game in the locker room, trying to comfort him as much as possible, praying for him.”

Gahm and Brown are both in line to take snaps at outside linebacker for the rest of the season as Snowden embarks on the arduous process of rehabilitation following surgery on his ankle. Virginia (4-4, 3-4 ACC) next faces Florida State (2-6, 1-6) Saturday night in Tallahassee

Last season Gahm started opposite Snowden in the Cavaliers’ 3-4 defense, collecting an interception and three tackles in a season-opening win against Pittsburgh, 30-14. But late in the fourth quarter at Heinz Field, Gahm got tangled with teammate Bryce Hall and hyperextended his right knee, partially tearing his medial collateral ligament.

Despite the injury, Gahm started three more times, although his mobility was limited while wearing a cumbersome brace for much of the season. He appeared in every game, pushing through what he called at times excruciating pain instead of sitting out to recover.

With Gahm limited, teammate Noah Taylor emerged as a disruptive force last year. Taylor, a junior from Silver Spring, the same hometown as Snowden, wound up starting 10 games in 2019 after Gahm had beaten him out for the starting spot coming out of training camp.

Taylor has started every game this season.

“Matt is completely equipped and prepared,” Mendenhall said of Gahm getting additional playing time. “He plays really hard. He has all the skills. He’s experienced, and he’s ready. The word seamless would be used just in terms of transfer from one to another.”

Gahm, along with Snowden and Brown, arrived in Charlottesville in 2017, becoming one of 17 non-redshirt freshmen to play that year. The Cavaliers finished 6-7, a four-game improvement from the previous season that was Mendenhall’s first at Virginia.

Gahm played in seven games during his freshman season, all on special teams, before becoming part of the regular rotation at linebacker the next year. One of the most impactful plays of his career came last year when he sacked Virginia Tech’s Hendon Hooker for a nine-yard loss late in the fourth quarter in a 39-30 win.

One play later, defensive end Mandy Alonso sacked Hooker in the end zone, forcing the ball loose, and defensive tackle Eli Hanback recovered with 1:01 to go, sealing a triumph that ended Virginia’s 15-game losing streak in the series.

“Just put my helmet on and work every day,” Gahm said. “I don’t care what the media says, what fans think. I care about fighting for my teammates next to me and the guys that I go to work with every day, so whatever this program needs me to do, I’m going to do, and I don’t care how much limelight I get, how much attention I get.”

Gahm finished with four tackles, including two for loss, in place of Snowden, during this Saturday’s 55-15 win against Abilene Christian that bumped the Cavaliers to .500 for the first time since Oct. 3.

Brown also played against the Wildcats, recording two tackles, one of which went for a loss.

“They’re different and distinct in style and role,” Mendenhall said, “but between Matt Gahm and Elliiott Brown, they have experience, they have maturity, they’re well-versed in our program. There is no replacing Charles Snowden, but I’m thankful that those two are available.”