WVU Football Without Key Players Again, Each Likely Out for Season

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU head coach Neal Brown was in good spirits on Monday despite having to deliver some bad news during his weekly press conference. Brown already knows that several key members of his team will be out this week and are unlikely to return at all this season.

Brown revealed that Aubrey Burks, Ayden Garnes and Jaden Bray will miss this week’s game against Baylor. He also added that it’s unlikely they play again in 2024, at least not the regular season. This news shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise since they have each been out for several weeks.

Burks, who was transitioning to a new SPEAR role this year, hasn’t played since collapsing in the middle of West Virginia’s comeback win over Kansas on Sept. 21. He has 13 total tackles on the season from the time he did play. The senior has 129 total tackles during his college career at WVU.

Garnes was just starting to make an impact for a struggling secondary before suffering an injury in the Iowa State game. He had 25 tackles before his injury after posting 50 with Duquesne in 2023.

As for Bray, he transferred to WVU from Oklahoma State with hopes of being even more of a focal point on offense, but he hasn’t been able to take the field since the Backyard Brawl in Pittsburgh on Sept. 14. Bray recorded one catch in each of WVU’s first tow games for 88 yards.

Bray has 50 receptions for 774 yards and four touchdowns in his career, which includes his three years with the Cowboys.

For a related story, WVU safety Anthony Wilson was named the Big 12’s co-defensive player of the week.