ICYMI: VanDarius Cowan Suspended Four Games

According to Mike Casazza of Eersports.com, West Virginia Mountaineers linebacker VanDarius Cowan has been suspended the first four games of the 2019 season. According to the source of the story, Cowan is struggling with academic eligibility issues and therefore will be not eligible to play until the Texas Longhorns game on October 5th.

Cowan, an Alabama Crimson Tide transfer, sat out last season in accordance with the NCAA transfer rules, was looked at to play a big role in new defensive coordinator Vic Koenning’s defense. Cowan, under former DC Tony Gibson was a middle linebacker, had been slated for the bandit position in the new defense, which emphasizes pass-rushing in the new scheme.

This is not the first time Cowan has dealt with eligibility issues. He was previously dismissed from the Crimson Tide by head coach Nick Saban. “Each of us has a responsibility to represent the University of Alabama in a first-class way, and failure to meet those standards can’t be tolerated. We wish VanDarius the very best in the future,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said in a statement in 2018 when Cowan was arrested for third-degree assault.

Quandarius Qualls has moved to the bandit position and has earned praise from coaches according to the report on Eersports.com.