University of Virginia running back Mike Hollins — a survivor of last year’s shooting at the school — rushed for two touchdowns against James Madison on Saturday at Scott Stadium. It was UVA’s first home game since the shooting.
Hollins scored a 4-yard rushing TD in the second quarter to cut the Cavaliers’ deficit to 17-14. He added a 9-yard touchdown on the ground in the third quarter to give Virginia the lead before the game was delayed for inclement weather with UVA up 35-24.
Hollins and a classmate, Marlee Morgan, were both shot in November allegedly by former teammate Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. They survived while teammates Lavel Davis Jr., D’Sean Perry and Devin Chandler were killed in the incident. The shooting occurred on a bus full of students returning from a field trip to see a play in Washington, D.C.
Henrico (Va.) Police arrested Jones, a fellow running back, who was previously a walk-on on the team. He was taken into custody after fleeing the scene.
At the time, Hollins’ father said the running back was expected to make a full recovery and could be 100 percent in “two to three months.” After being discharged from the hospital, he said he intended to return to the football team when he’s healthy.
“He’s going to play harder for his friends that died. He’s going to do it for them, not himself,” Mike Hollins Sr. said.
The younger Hollins also scored in the team’s spring game in April. He played in nine games in 2022, ranking third among Cavaliers in rushing yards (215) and rushing touchdowns (two).
Mike Hollins, one of the survivors of last year’s tragic shooting at UVA, rushes for a touchdown in Virginia’s first home game.
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— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) September 9, 2023
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(Photo: Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images)
