Published: June 14, 2009 01:20 am      

The first step

WVU’s Sanders cleared to work out with team

MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University football coach Bill Stewart has cleared junior Jock Sanders to return to working out with the team but says he has not yet lifted his suspension of the talented but sometimes troubled slot receiver.

Sanders was suspended indefinitely by Stewart in mid-February after he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.

Sanders was arrested after being stopped for speeding and crossing the center line in a black Dodge Charger. The arrest report stated he failed three of four field sobriety tests and had a blood alcohol level of .125. The legal limit in West Virginia is .08.

It was Sanders’ second brush with the law within a year, having been arrested with three other WVU players after a fight outside a downtown club the previous February, pleading no contest and receiving a fine and community service.

Before Stewart will allow Sanders to participate in camp or play in any games he must pass a DMV driving class and stand before the Student Judiciary Committee chaired by Melanie Cook.

“If he does all that, he probably still will be facing a suspension,” Stewart said.

But Stewart believes that Sanders has been moving in the right direction in straightening himself out.

“I told him that letting him work out is an act of good faith on our part,” Stewart said. “I did it with the backing of my athletic director and after talking to my seniors. But I also let him know that he must still pass the required DMV course and the Judiciary Committee.”

Sanders has been going through summer conditioning drills at Mountaineer Field for the past week and has been participating in 7-on-7 drills.

“He has to get some help, and our job is to help him mature and become a better citizen in society,” Stewart said. “I gave my word when I got this job that we would have good citizens playing for us.”

Sanders’ on-field presence would be a big help to what promises to be a pass-happy offense that Stewart is putting together.

Last year he was the team’s leading receiver with 53 catches for 462 yards and seven touchdowns.

No other West Virginia player caught more than 35 passes.

The Mountaineers also used him effectively on reverses, carrying 48 times and averaging 5.2 yards a carry and scoring two more touchdowns.

With Sanders suspended during the spring, Stewart experimented with 6-8 Wes Lyons running out of the slot, and he was nothing short of sensational in the role.

However, if Sanders is back, Lyons most likely will work out of the wide receiver spot with Alric Arnett and Bradley Starks.

Stewart might continue to use Lyons in the slot when Sanders is out of the game or even use Sanders at times at running back to spell Noel Devine or with Devine in the same backfield.

E-mail Bob Hertzel at bhertzel@hotmail.com or reach him through Facebook.