Kevin Brown didn’t wait long to make an impression at West Virginia.
The former Penn State commit and Harrisburg High School standout started at left tackle in the Mountaineers’ 31-24 season-opening win over Coastal Carolina last Saturday in Morgantown, a rare move for any freshman and an even bigger one for a true freshman making his first career start.
At 6-6 and 294 pounds, Brown became the first West Virginia true freshman to open his career in the starting lineup since Zach Frazier did it in 2020.
West Virginia jumped out fast and controlled the game early, taking a 24-0 lead into halftime while piling up 413 yards of total offense.
After the game, head coach Rich Rodriguez was asked about Brown’s debut and pointed to just how unusual it is for a player at that spot to be out there so early.
“To start as a true freshman on the offensive line is really rare, like Kevin,” Rodriguez said.
“It looked like he played pretty well, but we had a whole lot more guys we did not play, particularly on offense, and that’s just because in the second half we were not playing good football.”
Brown arrived in Morgantown after flipping his commitment from Penn State to West Virginia following Penn State’s firing of James Franklin last October. A four-star recruit, he also has a family connection to the program: his father, Tim, played for Rodriguez at West Virginia and finished his career in 2004.
In Other News...
Temple Heads To Penn State With One Problem Fans Will Notice
Temples trip to Penn State comes with a little more uncertainty than a normal September road test, starting up front where the Owls are already shorthanded. KC Keeler confirmed that starting left tackle Giakoby Hills will be out for six weeks, a significant blow to an offensive line that has to deal with one of the bigger fronts on the schedule.
The injury picture does not stop there, either. Starting tackle Kevin Terry and left guard Eric King are both game-time decisions, which leaves Temple waiting to see how much of its protection plan will be available by kickoff. The quarterback situation is still unsettled as well, with the Owls choosing between Jaxon Smolik and Ajani Sheppard for the starting job, adding another layer of uncertainty to a matchup that already looks demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Just Put Its Recruiting Board On Notice
Matt Campbells first game at Penn State doubled as a recruiting showcase, with multiple prospects from the 2027 through 2029 classes on hand. The guest list included current commits and a handful of targets the staff is still trying to bring into the fold, a reminder that big-game Saturdays in State College are as much about the future as the present.
Among the names in attendance were 5-star cornerback Nasir Richardson from the 2028 class and 4-star edge rusher DJ Dockery from the 2029 class, both the kind of young blue-chippers Penn State wants to keep circling. The staff also added to the board by extending an offer to 3-star defensive lineman McCoy Richardson, a prospect viewed as a possible flip from Wake Forest, leaving the rest of that recruiting picture to keep developing after the visit. [Read more 🡒]
DAnton Lynn Just Raised A Big Penn State Defense Question
Penn States secondary is already looking a little different as the season settles in, and DAnton Lynn made it clear why true freshman Josiah Zayas is getting first crack at cornerback. Lynn pointed to Zayas mental strength and steady development, a notable endorsement for a young player stepping into a demanding spot on a defense that is still sorting itself out.
Lynn also signaled that the scheme itself is going to keep evolving, with the staff planning to add complexity gradually rather than overload the group early. With Temple next on the road, he emphasized communication and preparation as the big keys, which leaves an obvious question hanging over the defense: how quickly can a young corner and a growing playbook handle the next test? [Read more 🡒]