MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — WVU linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo had a front row seat for a play he believes 99% of people, especially 285-pound defensive linemen, would never be able to make.
Darius Stills was in the right place at the right time in the second quarter Saturday against Kansas as a ball batted away by safety Tykee Smith was falling toward the ground. Stills dove, gathered the ball to his chest and made the interception, the first pick by a WVU defensive lineman since Ezekiel Rose in 2018.
“Shoot, that was one of those plays where you just gotta tip your hat off to him,” Chandler-Semedo said. “That’s something you see on the playground. He laid out like a wide receiver for that one.”
Head coach Neal Brown said it was a play he will show during Monday’s team meeting as an example of what happens when you don’t give up on a play. He may have been in the right place at the right time, but Stills could have just as easily given up on the play after it left the hand of KU quarterback Miles Kendrick.
“That’s an effort play,” Brown said. “The only reason that play happened is because he’s chasing the ball. If he just sits there and stops … if he’s not chasing the ball, he never gets that interception, but because he’s doing what we’re asking him to do and playing as hard as he possibly can, he’s chasing the ball and good things happen.”
Fans are allowed at Milan Puskar Stadium
Three weeks ago, WVU announced 25% capacity for the Kansas game after not allowing fans for the first two home games. While the university allowed 15,000 fans, including 2,000 students, the announced attendance was 10,759, as fans were spread out and socially distanced throughout the entire stadium.
“It’s still not as loud as it would be on a normal Saturday afternoon, or what we used to think as normal with 60,000 people in here yelling and screaming, after a solid morning of tailgating,” Brown said. “Here’s the thing, I’m appreciative of those that came. I apologize that we didn’t play very well early to get them involved in the game. It looked like the crowd did a pretty good job of socially distancing — you could see it when I looked up there, they did a pretty good job of spreading out.”
Brown hopes what whatever number is allowed for the Kansas State game Oct. 31 that fans reach that number to create an intimidating atmosphere on Halloween.
Les Miles does not make trip
Almost two weeks ago, Kansas head coach Les Miles, 66, announced he tested positive for COVID-19 but felt healthy and only suffered mild symptoms.
Miles said Friday he was cleared to travel to WVU for Saturday’s game, but “after much consideration and several in-depth conversations with the medical team, our coaching staff, and Kansas Athletics administration,” he decided not to make the trip.
“There is too much still unknown about this virus for me to feel 100% confident that I won’t transmit it to someone who comes into close contact with me on the team charter, hotel or at the game Saturday,” Miles said in a statement.
Tight ends Joshua Eargle served as the interim head coach for the game against the Mountaineers.
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