BLACKSBURG -- Redshirt freshman Ryan Williams will be Virginia Tech's starting tailback in Saturday's season opener against Alabama in Atlanta.

It was also announced that the Hokies will be without their starting fullback because of disciplinary reasons.

Tech head coach Frank Beamer, in concert with running backs coach Billy Hite, made the announcements in a school release issued Thursday.

The 5-foot-10, 206-pound Williams will be making his first college start.

Williams was the only tailback who participated in all three of the Hokies' preseason scrimmages. He sustained a mild left ankle sprain eight days ago in the final scrimmage, but has looked strong in this week's game-week workouts, Hite said Tuesday.

Hite also plans to use redshirt sophomore Josh Oglesby and freshman David Wilson in a three-man rotation. Hite said Oglesby and Wilson will play "early and often."

Meanwhile, Beamer announced that senior fullback Kenny Jefferson won't play in the game after being suspended Aug. 16 for a violation of team policy.

According to court documents, Jefferson, 22, was charged with DUI early on the morning of Aug. 16, after registering a reading of 0.16 percent on a breath alcohol test. The illegal limit for driving is 0.08 percent.

A sergeant with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office saw a southbound 2008 four-door Chevrolet with illegally tinted windows at 11:55 p.m. on Aug. 15 on South Main Street near Airport Road and pulled it over at the Kroger store, court documents show.

He identified the driver as Jefferson and noticed a strong odor of alcohol inside the vehicle, according to the officer's handwritten report, which is part of Jefferson's court file. Jefferson said "he had drank two earlier," according to the officer's report.

The sergeant asked him to get out of the vehicle to perform some field sobriety tests.

Outside the vehicle, Jefferson smelled of alcohol and was weaving slightly, the officer wrote.

He had Jefferson perform some tests and arrested him for driving under the influence, a Class 1 misdemeanor. Jefferson was also cited for having illegally tinted windows.

Jefferson was taken to a magistrate's office, where he consented to take a breath test and blew a 0.16, documents show.

He was held in the Montgomery County Jail overnight and released the next morning on $1,500 bail.

A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 14. Jefferson has retained attorney Jimmy Turk to represent him.

Junior Kenny Younger will take Jefferson's spot in the Tech offense, which primarily uses the fullbacks for blocking in short-yardage and goal-line situations.