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Arizona State senior linebacker Jay Jay Wilson will not play in Saturday’s season opener against Texas San Antonio, coach Herm Edwards said Monday.
Wilson has been indefinitely suspended since an incident that occurred during a closed practice Aug. 15 for what Edwards has described as a team rules violation.
Edwards said Wilson’s suspension will be day-to-day after the UTSA game. It’s not yet know if he will be allowed to play against Michigan State on Sept. 8.
Without Wilson and with Koron Crump likely limited coming back from a major knee injury, ASU will be inexperienced at linebacker.
Freshmen Merlin Robertson, Darien Butler and Stanley Lambert are among those expected to play at linebacker along with redshirt freshman Kyle Soelle, former running back Nick Ralston and former defensive linemen Tyler Johnson.
MORE: Herm Edwards not sure what to expect in opener
Juniors Malik Lawal and Khaylan Kearse-Thomas are the only returning linebackers with any FBS experience at the position.
“There’s a lot of communication that has to be made,” Edwards said. “If that doesn’t take place, you have errors. We’re a lot better than we were in the spring. Our defensive line doesn’t sit still, there’s a lot of movement. The linebackers have to be on the same page. If not you have a blown gap assignment and all of a sudden you get gashed for a run. Same with the communication in the back end of the secondary. If one guy is thinking one thing and another guy is thinking another thing, it’s the old saying we receive. That’s never a good feeling.”
ASU is playing UTSA for the second time in three years, winning away 32-28 in 2016. The Roadrunners were 6-5 in 2017 (their opener vs. Houston was cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey) but did not receive a bowl invitation.
“When you look at them defensively, they return six starters,” Edwards said. “They’ve got a powerful defensive front. It’ll be interesting to see how our offensive line handles these guys because they come off the ball. They don’t give up a lot of points (just 17 points per game in 2017). Coach (Frank) Wilson has done a nice job. Defensively, there is some concern.”
MORE: Breaking down ASU’s 2018 football schedule
Up next
ASU will practice at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday-Thursday at Kajikawa practice fields.
Saturday’s game
Texas San Antonio at Arizona State
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Sun Devil Stadium
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Streaming: pac-12.com or the pac-12 app
Radio: KTAR-AM 620
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