Welcome to The Shotgun/Throwdown, your daily West Virginia sports roundup (that we didn’t already talk about in another article) with some sophomoric humor and daily distractions thrown in for good measure. And if there’s something we missed, be sure to talk about it in the comments.
MOVING THE GOAL POSTS
There was no ruling Tuesday in the NCAA eligibility case being heard in Wheeling, but the association’s lawyer did toss in a new wrinkle, claiming defensive end Jimmori Robinson is academically ineligible from his time at UTSA — something that never appeared in the NCAA’s own filing last week.
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If that’s true, Robinson’s college career is effectively over before he ever plays a down at WVU. It’s also the kind of eleventh-hour maneuver that has defined the NCAA for decades: stall, delay, and only reveal critical information when it’s most convenient. The timing feels less like due diligence and more like a tactic to undercut the players’ case.
Robinson isn’t the only one waiting. He and three teammates — Tye Edwards, Justin Harrington, and Jeffrey Weimer — all had waivers denied and are trying to win eligibility through the courts. Their lawyers argue the NCAA’s system is unfair, anticompetitive, and ultimately harmful to the athletes who have the most to lose. Judge John Preston Bailey is still weighing the injunction request, but until then, these players remain stuck in limbo as the season inches closer.
MOUNTAINEER ROUNDUP
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West Virginia gave up 19 pass plays of 40 yards or more last season, nine of them touchdowns, and ranked 118th nationally against the pass. Safety Jordan Walker, a Chattanooga transfer with 43 career starts, is part of the overhaul under new DC Zac Alley. Walker says Alley’s scheme is demanding but puts DBs in position to make plays, and he’s confident the secondary’s experience and depth will lead to better results this fall.
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West Virginia women’s basketball dropped its 2025–26 nonconference slate, highlighted by a Nov. 14 showdown with Duke at the Greenbrier and a Thanksgiving trip to the Bahamas for the Baha Mar Championship. The Mountaineers also host Purdue Fort Wayne, Kent State, Temple, Appalachian State (Education Day), Villanova, Mercyhurst, and Georgia Tech, with the lone true road game at Texas A&M on Dec. 14.
AROUND THE LEAGUE (AND BEYOND)
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The NCAA baseball committee will now seed the top 32 teams instead of just the top 16 when setting the 64-team tournament field. It won’t change the structure — 16 four-team regionals feeding into super regionals and then Omaha — and it won’t alter how teams are actually bracketed. Seeds 17–32 will still be placed based on geography and “other considerations,” which means the committee can keep shuffling teams however it likes.
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BYU will start true freshman Bear Bachmeier in its opener against Portland State, the first time in program history a freshman has opened at quarterback. Bachmeier transferred in from Stanford this spring and takes over after Jake Retzlaff’s departure. He’ll also be throwing to his brother Tiger, a wideout who transferred from Stanford as well.
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Kansas is set to hire Tony Bland as an assistant coach, per ESPN. Bland was one of the 10 men arrested in the 2017 FBI bribery probe that shook college basketball and later pleaded guilty to conspiracy after accepting a $4,100 bribe while at USC. He served probation and a three-year show cause before resurfacing at Washington last season.
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Cincinnati guard Jizzle James has been dismissed from the team, Wes Miller announced on Tuesday. James averaged 12.7 points last season and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention, highlighted by breakout performances against Houston, Iowa State, and Texas Tech. He was expected to be one of the league’s top returning guards, making his departure a major blow for the Bearcats. Miller said James has been “dealing with personal issues” and is no longer with the program.
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ESPN dropped its Top 100 players for 2025, and no Mountaineers made the list. The Big 12 is represented with Cincinnati DT Dontay Corleone (No. 49), Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson (No. 52), and Kansas State QB Avery Johnson (No. 79).
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VIDEO OF (DIS)INTEREST
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