PHOENIX — West Virginia junior cornerback Daryl Worley, in the midst of considering early entry into the NFL draft, was ruled academically ineligible for the Cactus Bowl and did not make the trip.
Senior defensive end Eric Kinsey and two freshmen—receiver Jovon Durante and safety Kevin Williams—also were left behind after failing to meet fall semester minimums.
An All-Big 12 coaches selection, Worley met at length with reporters last week in Morgantown and said his NFL decision would wait until after the bowl game because “all I’m thinking about is Arizona State.”
But sources told MetroNews Tuesday that Worley’s status became dubious, and that was confirmed when he wasn’t on the field at Chaparral High School for the Mountaineers’ late-afternoon practice.
“Daryl’s a good kid but he did a little too little too late,” said West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen. “It’s more of a timing issue. Daryl’s a good student and Daryl’s eligible, but because his classwork was late getting in he failed to meet the NCAA bowl-certification timeline.
“The academic deal is—obviously, for a whole bunch of reasons—out of everybody’s control. It’s up to professors and deans. He wasn’t certified so he wasn’t able to make the trip.”
Because the academic issue could be rectified next semester, it doesn’t necessarily mean Worley’s college career is finished. This month’s feedback from the NFL draft advisory board didn’t project him to be an early-round selection, and WVU assistants, like many staffs, typically lobby a player to return if he’s not viewed as a first- or second-rounder.
“The report came back that he should stay in school,” Holgorsen said. “I want Daryl on my team. He could be a team captain and defensive leader and finish what he started when he came here. The ball’s in his court—he knows how much we want him here and I hope that we get to coach him for another year.”
Long-armed at 6-foot-1, Worley looks the part of an NFL cornerback and made six interceptions, tying him with Oklahoma’s Zack Sanchez for the Big 12 lead. He couldn’t neutralize the league’s best receivers such as Baylor’s Corey Coleman or Oklahoma’s Sterling Shepard—but then, who could?
“Those were high-quality guys,” Worley said last week. “There’s such high-quality talent among the Big 12 receivers, you’re going to have some bad days, and you hope the good outweighs the bad.”
After sitting out 2015 spring practice following shoulder surgery, Worley attributed some of his struggles to overemphasizing upper-body rehab and “playing too top-heavy”—a scenario that hurt his speed coming out of turns.
He worked with cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell to correct that imbalance and Worley’s performance during the final five regular-season games was stellar.
Even before semester grades were finalized, Holgorsen predicted West Virginia’s juniors might not like the NFL feedback, though he respected the process.
“You want to hear it first-hand,” said Worley, who suggested the departures of seven senior defensive starters might influence his decision regarding next year. “At the end of the day I’m going to talk to coaches and family and weigh it all before I make a decision.”
Kinsey finished: The second-string defensive end from Miami made 18 tackles this season and appeared in 45 games.
“It’s sad for a senior to go out like that,” Holgorsen said.
Durante and Williams: With 24 catches, Durante’s five touchdown grabs ranked second on the team. Williams, meanwhile, turned heads as a backup at the Spur safety spot during fall camp, but wound up redshirting.
Holgorsen suggested both could be back next season by earning a combined 18 credit hours during spring and summer semesters.
“Due to the fact they’re freshmen, it’s a little easier to dig yourself out of that hole,” he said.