West Virginia will be without one of its key defenders Saturday when it faces Oklahoma in an important early-season Big 12 game.
The school announced Monday night that starting cornerback Daryl Worley has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. Worley (6-foot-1, 199 pounds), a sophomore, had started the first three games of the season after serving as a part-time starter last season as a true freshman.
Worley is the Mountaineers' best cover corner and has both of WVU's interceptions this season. Juniors Jaylon Myers or Ricky Rumph will take his spot in the starting lineup. Rumph (5-11, 184) has played in all three games this season. Myers (6-2, 195) is a former junior college transfer who redshirted last season and has played in two games this season.
WVU's pass defense has been shaky and Worley's absence is going to hurt against the Sooners (3-0). A quick glance at the stats shows that WVU (2-1) is allowing 204.7 passing yards per game, but that figure is skewed because FCS foe Towson threw for just 80 on the Mountaineers. In their other two games, WVU gave up 250 to Alabama and 284 to Maryland. One positive, though, is that WVU has allowed just two TD passes.
OU junior Sterling Shepard (5-10, 195) has emerged as one of the best wide receivers in the Big 12, and slowing him will be difficult for WVU without Worley.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
