Maryland linebacker Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil – who worked his way up from Division II to a prominent role with the Terps – is out for the season with a pectoral injury, the team announced Monday.
Cudjoe-Virgil – who is known for making plays behind the line of scrimmage – was injured early in Saturday's 27-26 victory over Virginia. The severity of the injury was not known immediately, and Maryland coach Randy Edsall declined to speculate about injuries during a Sunday conference call.
Cudjoe-Virgil is the latest prominent player on Maryland's defense to be injured. Cornerback Dexter McDougle is out for the year. Cornerback Jeremiah Johnson and linebacker Matt Robinson are expected to return this season, although it's not certain when.
Cudjoe-Virgil, a 6-foot-2, 250-pound junior, was something of an inspiration to teammates.
Barely recruited out of Towson High, Cudjoe-Virgil wound up at Seton Hill, a Division II program near Pittsburgh, for his first two years of college. He transferred to Maryland after his sophomore year, joining the team as a walk-on. He paid his own way during his first semester, taking classes and working a campus security job over the summer to help pay for tuition, rent and food.
He had 18 tackles this season, include three sacks, and an interception.
Cudjoe-Virgil was playing as a backup to outside linebacker Marcus Whitfield. In his absence, freshman linebacker Yannick Ngakoue has moved up on the depth chart.