In a tough break for Neal Brown and the West Virginia Mountaineers, star defensive back Aubrey Burks was carted off the field after suffering a scary injury vs. Kansas.
According to in-game reports, Burks was taken directly to an ambulance on a stretcher and transferred to a local hospital.
The injury allegedly occurred off the field near the team’s bench in a non-contact situation. Sources say that Burks fell to the ground while the offense was on the field and was loaded onto a stretcher and transported to the nearest hospital.
Last season with the Mountaineers, Burks posted some impressive numbers as a junior. The Florida native recorded 48 total tackles, four pass breakups, one-and-a-half sacks, one forced fumble, and two interceptions.
An underrated gem in his recruiting class, Burks checked in as a three-star prospect on the 247Sports index. He was listed as the 755th-ranked player in his class, the 55th-ranked running back, and the 85th-ranked player in the state of Florida.
Burks is one of the best defenders in the West Virginia secondary, and his absence is a big deal in the Week 4 matchup. The position is already fairly depleted with injuries, and shortly after Burks’ departure, sophomore defensive back TJ Crandall went down with an injury during a punt return. Crandall was able to walk off the field unassisted.
While Burks will be missed in the secondary in the second half, West Virginia’s defense was able to close out the half with a lead. The group forced Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels to throw his seventh interception of the season and held Kansas to just seven points.
West Virginia leads Kansas at the half 14-7.
