West Virginia down double-digit players after latest suspensions

The West Virginia Mountaineers will open their season shorthanded against Eastern Kentucky, with 11 players suspended for rule violations.

West Virginia is playing its first game of the season shorthanded on Saturday, with 11 players sitting out due to suspensions for violations of team rules. Per 247 Sports, the suspensions are not COVID-related, and three starters, including two along the offensive line, will not be playing.

While it remains unclear what exactly caused the suspensions, the Mountaineers do not appear to be suffering from the absences. West Virginia opened as the heavy favorite, and got off to an early, substantial lead.

However, it appears that the school is taking the rules seriously, even in the midst of a pandemic.

Each suspension is only one game, so the Mountaineers should be back near full strength next week when they play the fifteenth-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The suspensions mostly impact the offensive side of the ball, with just one defensive player being held out of the game. The suspended players include offensive linemen Junior Uzebu, Chase Behrndt, Tairiq Stewart, and Zach Davis, pass-catchers T.J. Simmons, Isaiah Esdale, Zack Dobson, Mike O’Laughlin, and T.J. Banks, and cornerback David Vincent-Okoli.

With a tough Big 12 slate ahead, the Mountaineers cannot afford to drop a non-conference game against an opponent like Eastern Kentucky, but the team is fortunate that its key contributors will be available for games against heavyweights like Texas and Oklahoma.

While West Virginia is not truly expected to compete in the Big 12, the team could play spoiler to some conference opponents if all goes well. But being at full strength will be crucial to their success. Further violations of team rules could be a cause for concern, and the situation may be something to monitor in the future.