Noel Devine, a former running back for West Virginia who currently serves as an assistant coach, was taken into custody on Sunday, shortly after the Mountaineers secured a victory against Tennessee-Martin on Saturday.
State incarceration records indicate that Devine was registered at the North Central Regional Jail on Sunday under a charge of strangulation. According to various news outlets, his bail has been established at $40,000.
The 38-year-old Devine works as an offensive analyst and assistant running backs coach. He is currently in his second season with the program’s coaching staff, having come aboard following the return of veteran head coach Rich Rodriguez for his second tenure leading the team.
Rodriguez released a statement on Sunday night announcing that Devine has been suspended indefinitely from his duties.
Devine spent his 2007 freshman season playing under Rodriguez before the head coach departed for Michigan. Remaining in Morgantown to play under successor Bill Stewart, Devine established himself as one of the most productive ground-gainers in the history of the Mountaineers program.
Hailing from Florida, he surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in two separate seasons, finishing his collegiate career with a total of 4,315 yards on the ground and 29 touchdowns. During his 2009 junior campaign, he accumulated 1,465 rushing yards along with 13 touchdowns, posting an average of 113 yards per contest.
Devine holds West Virginia’s all-time record for career all-purpose yards and ranks third in program history for total rushing yardage, trailing only Avon Cobourne and Pat White. After going undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft, Devine spent three years playing professionally in the Canadian Football League.
