By: Jonathan K. Martin | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University football program finds itself at the center of yet another legal showdown with the NCAA, as four transfer players—Jimmori Robinson, Jeffrey Weimer, Tye Edwards, and Justin Harrington—have filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern District of West Virginia.
This case, the 30th of its kind this year, seeks to overturn NCAA eligibility restrictions, potentially reshaping the outlook for the Mountaineers’ upcoming fall season.
West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez has expressed his frustration over waiting for the NCAA to make a decision.
“We’re still on somebody else’s time,” Rodriguez said. “It can be frustrating, but at the same time, I seen someone the other day just got eligible. We got four guys we’re waiting on, and we’ll see where that goes.”
While the four players awaiting a decision can’t officially practice with the team, they’ve been around the program and working out on their own.
“They can come by the building. We don’t have to throw them out, but they’re truly on their own,” Rodriguez said. “We’re a week into camp, but the sooner we know something, the better. We don’t control that deal.”
Below is a brief rundown of the four players involved.
- Jimmori Robinson began at Dodge City Community College and later played at Monroe Community College, where his season was cancelled due to Covid. He then joined the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) for four seasons, including a redshirt year. He now attends WVU but has only competed in NCAA sports for three of the past four years, leading to a denied fourth-year waiver.
- Jeffrey Weimer attended Hartnell College and later played at City College of San Francisco, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Idaho State University, with medical and personal issues interrupting his career. He, too, seeks a third year at WVU after being denied a waiver.
- Tye Edwards transferred from Georgia Military College and Hutchinson Community College to the University of Texas at San Antonio and Northern Iowa before arriving at WVU, where he was denied a fourth-year waiver.
- Justin Harrington played at Bakersfield College and the University of Oklahoma before joining WVU, also facing a denied waiver for a fourth year.
For the Mountaineers, the stakes are high. The absence of these players could impact the team’s depth and performance. With the season approaching, a favorable ruling could see Robinson, Weimer, Edwards, and Harrington take the field, bolstering a squad that has already faced extreme roster turnover.
