One of the best underdog stories in college football may have come to a premature end.
Matt Snyder, a Deep Run graduate who went from unrecruited high school player to a captain and starter for Virginia, broke a bone in his foot in practice Tuesday.
Snyder will undergo surgery today to insert a screw in his foot, but likely will miss the remainder of the regular season.
"I can't even begin to tell you how upset we are for the young man, that something like this could happen to him," Cavaliers coach Mike London said.
Snyder's hopes for getting back on the field may rest with his teammates. The Cavaliers are 4-2 entering Saturday's game against N.C. State, and if they reach six victories, would be eligible to participate in a bowl game.
Depending on how Snyder's rehab goes, he may be able to rejoin the Wahoos for that game.
The fifth-year senior receiver caught 19 passes this year totaling 220 yards, third best on the team. He developed a connection with quarterback Michael Rocco, and was leaned on heavily in a last-minute victory against Indiana.
His younger brother Jake is a starting defensive end for the Cavaliers.
Matt did not receive a Division I scholarship offer out of high school, with then-coach Al Groh offering him a spot as a walk-on at U.Va.
From there, he developed into a starter and one of the team's go-to players in his junior season.
London was asked if Snyder would be able to join the team for Saturday's game. The coach said Snyder would have to be "tough as nails" to be able to do that a day after surgery.
"But if you know Matt, I wouldn't be surprised if you saw him there," London added.
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