The next chapter for Brenen Lorient and Javan Buchanan is still tied up in the courts, and for now the answer is simple: they’re not eligible.
That changed Friday morning when the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals granted the NCAA a stay of the Colorado ruling from Judge Charlotte Sweeney, the decision that had given the entire class of 2022 a fifth year of eligibility. For the moment, Lorient, Buchanan and everyone else in that same spot are out.
But the door is not closed on the two West Virginia veterans.
Both players filed suit against the NCAA earlier this month in U.S. District Court, Northern District of West Virginia. If they get a preliminary injunction and a temporary restraining order, they would be cleared to suit up for the Mountaineers in 2026-27.
So everything now points to the judge handling their case in West Virginia. The state has seen student-athletes find success in similar situations before, and Lorient and Buchanan’s case has a straightforward feel to it: both are seeking a true fifth year.
That matters. This is not a redshirt or injury case where someone is trying to stretch into a sixth or seventh season just to get to a fifth.
It is a clean five-for-five situation, the same opportunity every student-athlete in the 2023 class and beyond will have.
If Lorient gets that TRO and is available this season, West Virginia’s outlook changes in a big way. The Mountaineers could be in the mix for a spot in the top five or so of the Big 12 Conference. His value is obvious: experience, leadership and a versatile defender at the four who can guard one through five.
If he’s not there, things get a lot more complicated, especially if Buchanan also remains out. West Virginia would likely have to lean on someone out of position to complete the starting five.
In that scenario, Utah transfer Seydou Traore looks like the natural fit, since he played there for the Utes last season. Ideally, though, he would be the backup at the three behind Joson Sanon.
In Other News...
WVUs Opener Depth Chart Is Taking Shape Around Two Key Battles
West Virginias second preseason scrimmage gave the staff another chance to sort through a depth chart that is still coming into focus ahead of the opener against Coastal Carolina. The projection now paints a clearer picture of who is trending toward starting jobs and where the Mountaineers are leaning on camp competition and rotation work to settle things before Week 1.
The biggest takeaway is that the roster still has a few genuine battles shaping the final look, with injuries and performance in camp influencing how the two-deep is arranged. Even with some spots appearing more settled than others, the remaining question is how the staff will handle those key decisions when it comes time to trim uncertainty and lock in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Defense Faces One Big Test Before Fans Can Trust It
As fall camp moves deeper into August, the Mountaineers defense sounds like a group that is starting to settle in. Defensive coordinator Zac Alley said the players are gaining a better grasp of the system, looking more comfortable and making smarter plays, while Rich Rodriguez has pointed to the benefit of bringing back several experienced pieces even as the staff layers in more complex schemes this season.
The bigger question is whether all of that translates when the games turn physical. West Virginia still has concerns up front, especially about the defensive lines depth and size against run-heavy opponents, and that is the kind of issue that tends to show up quickly once the pads stay on and the opposition starts leaning on the front seven. [Read more 🡒]
WVU's NFL Pipeline Rebuild Suddenly Has A Few Real Names To Watch
West Virginias roster under Rich Rodriguez is starting to look like it could feed an NFL conversation again, and there are a few names worth tracking beyond the usual program-wide optimism. Running back Cam Cook has drawn attention as a junior, second-year linebacker Cam Torbor has put himself on the radar in the middle of the defense, and first-year offensive lineman Kevin Brown is already the kind of body and talent evaluators notice early when they study a depth chart.
For a program trying to rebuild its pipeline, the value is in having players at different stages of development who can plausibly become draftable pieces if they keep moving in the right direction. None of that guarantees anything yet, of course, but it gives WVU something it has been looking for: a short list of real prospects, not just a hope that someone emerges later. [Read more 🡒]