Majority of West Virginia football senior class has options
In traditional fashion, West Virginia will recognize the senior class prior to taking the field against Texas but it might not be the last hooray for the majority of them.
That ‘might’ stems from the fact that due to the extra year afforded to players by the NCAA in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of the senior class will have the option to return next fall.
Out of the group only safety Alonzo Addae, safety Sean Mahone, punter Tyler Sumpter and kicker Evan Staley would be ineligible for another season due to already taking advantage of the rule last year.
That means that others such as defensive lineman Dante Stills, linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo, running back Leddie Brown, wide receiver Isaiah Esdale, linebacker Deshawn Stevens, linebacker VanDarius Cowan and quarterback Jarret Doege all have that option in the back pocket.
It’s no guarantee that any of them will take advantage of the extra year, but it is at least something to consider as the Mountaineers approach the off-season with only 69 total scholarship players. That means that hypothetically, West Virginia could welcome them all back without any number issues.
And just because a player elects to walk on senior night doesn’t guarantee that returning isn’t in the cards either as head coach Neal Brown doesn’t plan to approach the topic until after the season.
“I’m not pressing them to make final decisions whether they’re coming back or not just because I don’t think there’s any reason to put stress on them right here with two weeks left,” he said.
Out of that group, linebacker Chandler-Semedo has already indicated that this will be his final home game in a West Virginia uniform and admitted that he hadn’t given much thought to returning. The rest of the six players on that list have yet to declare their intentions.
Realistically, Stills and Brown both have NFL aspirations which could make the chances of a return difficult to see but it will still be there if they elect to follow that path.
The Mountaineers had a total of five players use the year last year, with defensive lineman Jeffery Pooler eventually electing to transfer, but several others simply wanted to move onto the next steps of their lives after graduating and even achieving a master’s degree in some instances.
That could very well be the case this season as well for some of the players on that list.
“You have discussions whether we say we’d like for you to come back and you have the NFL discussion which is similar to what you have with a junior,” Brown said. “You take the emotions out as a coach and you just present them information.”
It’s just another layer to the onion that has become roster management and given the depth and need at some spots it makes sense to welcome back several players on that list if they are up for it.
Still, final decisions aren’t expected until enrollment in the spring term has ended and those looking at futures in the NFL will have to receive their feedback and understand where they’re at on that front.
The seniors will be honored Saturday but whether they choose to walk or not, there are still a lot of decisions that must be made regarding their status for next fall.
“I don’t think there’s any rule that they can’t do it twice,” Brown said.
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