A team source tells me the starting left tackle is out of the season. He follows defensive lineman Jaleel Fields, who was injured in the summer, safety Dravon Askew-Henry and linebacker Brendan Ferns, who were both injured during preseason camp, in the unrealistically long line of Mountaineers with season-ending ACL tears.

Additionally, cornerback Jake Long is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Defensive end Xavier Pegues is out until at least November after offseason shoulder surgery. They need a shaman over at the Puskar Center. (Update: It’s official. Sheesh.)

It would appear Cajuste was hurt on this play, and judging by his reaction, it’s the sophomore’s right knee. Expect WVU to clear up which knee in a press release this evening. (Edit: Right knee, according to the school. That looks devastating, and yet…) Cajuste, from Florida’s WVU-friendly Miramar High, nevertheless finished this possession, playing second and third down and then holding the line on Mike Molina’s 19-yard field goal.

And that was it for Cajuste. Redshirt freshman Colton McKivitz took over and earned rave reviews.

Cajuste’s injury was confirmed earlier today, and the players learned about it at a meeting later in the day, but on the sideline during the game and then in the team’s headquarters afterward, it seemed the worst was suspected.

The new starting left tackle is quite likely McKivitz, who played the rest of the way until he came out late in the game. There is no way the Mountaineers will, can or want to put that much on McKivitz for the remainder of the regular season, so there just has to be a backup at offensive line coach Ron Crook’s disposal. Sylvester Townes, a junior college transfer who has only barely played for the Mountaineers and was up and down in camp, handled the final few snaps Saturday. In the past, Grant Lingafelter has played tackle, but he was the team’s third guard Saturday.

With left guard Adam Pankey returning from his suspension for the Youngstown State game, WVU will again have four guards — Pankey, starting right guard Kyle Bosch, Tony Matteo, who started for Pankey against Missouri, and Lingafelter. Matteo is ahead of Lingafelter in line, so it’s possible Lingafelter could play tackle.

If that happens, then Matteo, who for all we know could start against the Penguins, is the backup center and a utility guard while Lingafelter is a utility tackle and a utility guard.

The bigger deal is WVU is down to seven linemen it trusts enough to play, if only for the time being: McKivitz, Pankey, Lingafelter, Matteo, Bosch, center Tyler Orlosky and right tackle Marcell Lazard. That has to change, and the sooner the better for Skyler Howard and his running backs.