 |
| The West Virginia offensive line will have to make do without center Joey Madsen against Syracuse (US Presswire) |
It wouldn't be bowl season without academic casualties, and West Virginia starting center Joey Madsen appears to be the latest victim, according to a report from the Charleston Daily Mail.
Madsen -- a second-team All-Big-12 selection -- was the only Mountaineer not to make the trip to New York to play Syracuse in Saturday's Pinstripe Bowl and a source told the Daily Mail that he would miss the game due to grades.
If the report is true, it will be the second bowl game of Madsen's career that he has missed due to academics, with the first being the 2010 Champs Sports Bowl (a WVU loss to North Carolina State). Otherwise, Madsen has been a rock in the middle of the West Virginia line for the better part of four years, with 50 starts to his credit.
Senior John Bassler is listed as Madsen's backup and could get the nod against the Orange, but right guard Jeff Braun is also available to play center.
Whoever starts will face a challenging task going up against Syracuse's blitz-happy defense that ranks 10th nationally in tackles for loss per game.
