MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — At the team hotel Friday night, WVU football coach Neal Brown walked up to true freshman Zach Frazier with a simple question, “You ready to go?”
Most true freshman, especially on the offensive line, would be a bundle a nerves heading into their first college game, and although Frazier may have had some butterflies in the pit of his stomach, he demeanor said otherwise.
“I walked up to him and he said, ‘Yes sir.’ No blink, no hesitation — he was ready,” Brown said after Saturday’s 56-10 win over Eastern Kentucky.
While it wasn’t announced until Saturday morning, Frazier, a Fairmont native, knew most of the week he was going to get his first-career start against the Colonels, following a one-game suspension for Chase Behrndt. Offensive lineman, especially at center, getting the starting nod as true freshman is a rare feat — Frazier is the first in over 40 years at WVU to earn that right.
A former state champion on the football field and wrestling mat in high school, there wasn’t much doubt Frazier could do it, but to happen so soon shows he has a bright future. While he clearly has the physical tools, Brown is most impressed with Frazier’s maturity and mentality.
“I think he’s a special kid,” Brown said. “He’s mature beyond his years. He’s strong with his preparation. We were confident — I think the kid is going to play a lot of football here.”
One reason for Frazier’s steady rise through fall camp was going head-to-head with fellow Fairmont Senior alum and preseason All-American Darius Stills during the OTA period.
“We had Fairmont-on-Fairmont every single day, and Darius, if we kept score, probably won, but Zach won his fair share,” Brown said. “Day after day of going against Darius, I think he got better and he gained some confidence.”
Nearly a dozen suspended
The biggest news of the day likely came about an hour and a half before kick when Brown announced the suspension of 11 players, including three starters — wide receiver T.J. Simmons, left tackle Junior Uzebu and Behrndt. The others were wide receiver Isaiah Esdale, receiver Zack Dobson, tight ends Mike O’Laughlin and T.J. Banks, offensive lineman Tairiq Stewart and Zach Davis, cornerback David Vincent-Okoli and long-snapper J.P. Hadley.
Brown did not specify why the suspensions were announced just before the game was set to begin, but it was a violation of team rules. All are expected to be back for the Mountaineers’ next game at Oklahoma State on Sept. 26.
“It is disappointing,” Brown said. “It’s hard because you spend so much time and you care about the young men, and with playing time … when you lose it, it hurts. Those are tough conversations you have. You look eyeball-to-eyeball and say, ‘Listen, you made a mistake and you have to pay for your mistake.’
“It wasn’t COVID related, I want to stress that they didn’t put their teammates at risk, but there were decisions that weren’t for the betterment. They paid the price, there’s not going to any double jeopardy on this. It’s over and we’ll move forward with them being full participants.”
In place of Uzebu, redshirt-freshman Brandon Yates got his first start, while true freshman Reese Smith got the start at slot receiver in place of Simmons. Smith had four catches for 32 yards.
Ex-Mohigans see game action
It’s been a long time coming for former Morgantown High lineman Kyle Poland, who earned his first start as a redshirt-senior at long-snapper. It was announced during fall camp Poland will be on scholarship in 2020 after initially being a preferred walk-on in 2016.
While it’s typically a good thing when you don’t know the name of a long-snapper, Poland made a great play following a punt by Tyler Sumpter, being the first down the field to down the ball at the EKU 1-yard line.
Another former Mohigan to get in was Nick Malone, playing toward the end of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter at left tackle. Malone was a preferred walk-on in 2019 after starring along the MHS offensive line from 2015-18. He was also a member of the 2016 Mohigans basketball team that won the state championship.
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