MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Speculation about Andrew Buie’s transfer bubbled up from the moment West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen announced Tuesday the junior back would redshirt this season.
By Thursday, Buie had withdrawn from the university, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report, seemingly clearing his path to enroll at another school and become eligible for the 2014 season.
Holgorsen, however, said during Thursday night’s radio call-in show that Buie planned to re-enroll at WVU in January.
Buie led the Mountaineers with 851 yards rushing last season, moving into a starting role after Shawne Alston missed more than a month with a thigh bruise. He also led WVU’s running backs with 28 catches for 318 yards.
This week’s preseason depth chart showed Buie omitted from the top four running backs, having fallen behind senior transfer Charles Sims, freshman Wendell Smallwood, junior college signee Dreamius Smith and junior Dustin Garrison. And with Pitt transfer Rushel Shell becoming eligible next season, Buie’s path to playing time with the Mountaineers doesn’t appear any less crowded in 2014.
Efforts to reach Buie and sources in his hometown of Jacksonville, Fla., were unsuccessful Thursday.