Fans will always gravitate toward the guys who score the touchdowns, but West Virginia’s roster has a different kind of appeal brewing this season. The players most likely to become favorites in Morgantown are not the flashiest names on the field. They’re the ones who hit, hustle, and leave a mark every Saturday.
Start with the fullback, because who doesn’t love a fullback? Not every one of them is Owen Schmitt, but this one might be the closest thing WVU has seen to that since the Runaway Beertruck wore Old Gold and Blue.
He’s tough, physical, likes to have a good time, enjoys hitting people, and can carry the rock every now and then if needed. West Virginia has more running backs available in 2026 than it did a year ago, but he could still get a few touches, especially in short-yardage situations and maybe in the “heavy” package.
Then there’s Kevin Brown, who feels like the obvious name on the list and maybe the easiest one for fans to latch onto. He is a freak of an athlete and may leave WVU as the most popular big fella to ever play in Morgantown.
He eats weights for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the scary thing is, he still has room to get bigger. The idea of him starting Week 1 is starting to look more and more real, and he’ll have a strong veteran group around him.
He also has Rick Trickett coaching him up. It won’t take long before fans start buying his jerseys, which is not something you usually say about an offensive lineman.
Zeke Durham-Campbell should draw attention too. The Coastal Carolina transfer is expected to be West Virginia’s top pass rusher this fall, and his first game as a Mountaineer will come against his former team.
Last season with the Chanticleers, he put up 38 pressures, 21 hurries, 12 QB hits, 5.5 sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles. That 38-pressure total would have led WVU’s defense by 14 a year ago, when Reid Carrico and Devin Grant shared the team lead with 24.
That kind of production is going to get noticed fast.
Powdrell is another player who could win over the fan base, even if the early read on him wasn’t especially loud. At first, the transfer portal addition looked like an okay pickup.
After a deeper look at the film, though, he came off as a versatile player who plays his tail off. That deeper dive mattered.
It showed why West Virginia wanted him in the first place. He’s likely to play more safety than nickel/sam, and he’s also one of the fastest players on the entire team.
And then there’s Matt Sieg, who sounds like the kind of freshman who arrives on campus and immediately makes people pay attention. Highly-rated recruits miss all the time, but if there’s such a thing as a safe bet, he looks like it.
Everyone who has been asked about him seems to come back with the same answer: “he’s a dude.” The instincts, the skill set, and the IQ are not what you usually get from a true freshman.
A story on the players with the most NFL potential on WVU’s roster is coming soon, and Sieg’s name is expected to be near the top of that list.
In Other News...
Several Former Mountaineers Just Reached Crucial NBA Crossroads
A cluster of former Mountaineers is reaching different NBA crossroads at the same time, which makes the summer feel especially busy for West Virginia fans tracking old names. Treysen Eaglestaff is heading into the next stage of his pro journey after going undrafted, and Summer League will give him a chance to show he belongs on an NBA floor while every possession carries extra weight for a player trying to turn opportunity into a contract.
Jevon Carter is also in motion after being waived by Chicago and landing with Orlando, while Miles McBride is another name to watch as front offices keep sorting out rosters and trade possibilities. For a program that has sent plenty of tough, adaptable guards into the league, this is the kind of stretch that can reshape a career fast, and the next few weeks should tell a lot about which of these familiar faces is headed for a stable role and which one is still waiting for the next break. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs 2027 Class Still Has One Problem Fans Know Too Well
West Virginias 2027 recruiting class is in the part of the calendar where optimism meets silence. The coaching staff has finished its official visits and has now entered a dead period with limited communication, which means the work done in June has to carry the class for a while. Eleven of the 23 commitments came in that month alone, and the staff is still sorting out where the next additions might come from as it evaluates needs across quarterback, running back, tight end, defensive line, edge rusher, cornerback and safety.
The bigger issue, as always, is keeping the class together long enough to see it through. Even with a strong early haul, some committed prospects are still going to draw attention from other schools, and West Virginia is also weighing whether the transfer portal can fill a few of the thinner spots. If the Mountaineers can hang onto the core and add at the right positions, this class still has a chance to look far better than the quiet stretch around it suggests. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Athletics Finally Has Fans Feeling Something They Havent In Years
West Virginia fans have spent plenty of recent seasons waiting for something to point to across the athletic department, and this one offered a little bit of everything. CBS Sports overall-sports ranking put WVU 32nd among 68 Power Four schools, a sign that the Mountaineers were competitive in more than one corner of the schedule. Mens and womens basketball, baseball and volleyball all gave the program some visible momentum, with athletic director Wren Baker and several coaches helping push the department into a more optimistic place.
The most encouraging part for the fan base is how broad the progress felt. Volleyball reached .500 for the first time in a few years, baseball made a deep postseason run, and the womens basketball team paired its Big 12 tournament title with a strong spring that had the program hosting an NCAA Tournament game. Even with football still trying to find steadier footing after Rich Rodriguezs first season back ended 4-8, the bigger picture around WVU athletics looks different than it has in years, and that alone has changed the mood around Morgantown. [Read more 🡒]