WVU Will Have a Few Players 'Questionable' for Season Opener vs. Coastal Carolina

Rich Rodriguez gives the first injury report of the preseason.

WVU Athletics Communications

The Mountaineers are a little over two weeks away from the first game of the season, and while they are in good shape for the most part on the injury front, there are a few guys who may not be ready to go for Week 1 against Coastal Carolina.

Mississippi State tight end transfer Cam Ball is already considered questionable, freshman running back Lawrence Autry is banged up and expected to miss a couple of weeks, and freshman wide receiver Landon Drumm is bothered by a knee that will keep him on the sidelines for a couple of weeks as well. He also noted that veteran tight end Ryan Ward has been out with an injury, but should be back soon.

Rich Rod was not too happy about all the injuries, though he wasn't mad at the players for it.

"I get a little frustrated when we have some stuff tissue stuff- seven, eight guys with hamstring strains or whatever it is. It’s nothing anybody’s done wrong; it just kind of happens. Guys nowadays, if you don’t work them out, they’re not like in the old days where in the summer you were working out, or if you were playing ball every day you were working out, you’re playing basketball, you were active all the time. Our guys are here all summer, and all of a sudden they go full speed in practice, and it’s a little bit straining on them. That part’s frustrating, but I like the work ethic, and we’ve definitely gotten better every day.”

If Ball is sidelined for the Coastal game...

I have Ball projected as the No. 3 TE behind Ryan Ward and Josh Sapp. He is going to have a role in this offense, particularly in the red zone with his big 6'7" frame. Look for true freshman Kade Bush to move up the depth chart and take some of those reps if Ball ultimately becomes ruled out. He has shown a lot of good things and is someone they think could be a part of the rotation by Week 1, whether Ball is a go or not.

If Autry is sidelined...

This would be disappointing for the freshman, who could have played his way into some carries early in the year. He'll still have that opportunity when he returns, though. Without Autry, you're looking at Andre Devine and/or Darius Morant moving up, sitting behind Cam Cook, Amari Latimer, Chris Talley, and Martavious Boswell.