The winless Plant Panthers will be without their head coach Friday night.

When Plant hosts undefeated Steinbrenner, Robert Weiner will be serving the first of a six-game FHSAA suspension. The infraction? Violating the bylaw pertaining to recruiting and impermissible benefits.

The sanctions are the minimum for the infraction because Plant self-reported the issue. Weiner plans on appealing, a process that won’t take place until next week.

The player in question has been enrolled at Plant and has not played a down of football this season, but Weiner said he sought help when the student-athlete’s living situation became unstable. He had his director of football operations reach out to the Plant community for help and that sparked the violation.

Spectrum Sports 360 reporter Katherine Smith broke the news last night and today, she sat down with the Panthers head coach.