Four Injuries for WVU Entering Spring Ball — What it Means for Them & Those Positions

This Saturday, Rich Rodriguez and the West Virginia Mountaineers will open up spring practice, and for the most part, will enter day one pretty healthy.

There are four players, however, who won't be able to participate.

“There’s 101 players that will be participating in spring practice," Rodriguez told reporters on Tuesday. "Four guys are out with some injuries or surgeries — (LB) Ashton Woods had a shoulder that we had to fix from the season, (N/S) Emory Snyder had a hip surgery and got that fixed, (K) Peter Notaro has got a foot, not on his kicking foot, but he had a foot thing he had to get fixed, so he’ll be out for a few weeks, and then (LB) Antoine Sharp got a knee that we had to get fixed, so he’ll be out this spring.”

How will the injuries impact each player's chances to earn a big role this fall? How does it impact each position? Let's break it down.

Linebacker

Sharp is probably a long shot to see the field in year one, at least in terms of having a major role on defense. Bright future, but needs to fill out his frame and has several experienced bodies in front of him. I was unsure whether or not Woods would be able to go for spring ball, so this is less than ideal for him with a bunch of newcomers in the mix vying for playing time. In my latest defensive depth chart projection, I have Woods listed as the third option at the MIKE backer spot behind Tyler Stolsky and Isaiah Patterson.

Nickel/Sam

The Mountaineers only have five players listed at this position on the roster. JUCO pickup Tim Roberson will likely make it six, but he won't arrive until the summer. Geimere Latimer, Andrew Powdrell, and Maliek Hawkins will eat up the bulk of the playing time here, but there's an outside chance that Snyder could sneak his way onto the field, even if it's at the end of the year. He has the frame — 6'3", 200 lbs — and the speed to be able to hold his own as a true freshman.

Kicker

Notaro comes to West Virginia by way of Alabama and is expected to be a serious candidate for the kicking job. In the meantime, Fairmont native Nate Flower and Western Kentucky transfer Jack Cassidy will get their chance to shine.