The NFL regular season is kicking off, and WVU has a solid footprint across the league to open the year. A look at the current depth charts shows several former Mountaineers already slotted into key roles, with others waiting their turn on practice squads or dealing with injuries.
At the top of the list are the players holding first-team spots. Geno Smith is listed as the starting quarterback for the New York Jets, while Zach Frazier has earned the first-team center job for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Colton McKivitz is working as the starting right tackle for the San Francisco 49ers, and Rasul Douglas is lined up as the left cornerback for the Washington Commanders.
WVU is also represented by specialists on the first team. Rex Sunahara is the long snapper for the Cleveland Browns, and Austin Brinkman holds the same role for the Houston Texans.
Dante Stills is on the second team at right defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals, while Wyatt Milum is on the third team at right guard for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A few former Mountaineers are currently on practice squads. Doug Nester is with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a right tackle, Garrett Greene is listed as a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Bucs, and Michael Coats is on the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad at right cornerback.
There are also three WVU players on injured lists. David Sills is a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Bucs, Tony Fields is a weakside linebacker for the Chicago Bears, and Beanie Bishop is a nickelback for the Chicago Bears.
In Other News...
West Virginia Just Lost A Young Piece Fans Were Counting On
Rich Rodriguez used the seasons second Coaches Show to revisit West Virginias loss to Coastal Carolina, and the list of concerns was familiar: discipline, defensive breakdowns and an offense that never quite settled in. He also touched on Cam Cooks workload and the play up front, two areas the staff has been trying to steady as the season moves along.
The bigger setback came with an update on Darius Wiley, whose severe leg injury will keep him out for the rest of the year. Wiley is scheduled for surgery, a tough blow for a young player fans had been hoping would become part of the solution as the Mountaineers try to sort out the details around them. [Read more 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Sent WVU A Message After That Sloppy Finish
West Virginias season opener looked encouraging for a half, then turned messy in the kind of second-half stretch that can change the tone of a whole week. The Mountaineers had control early, but Coastal Carolina chipped away after halftime and exposed the sort of lapses Rich Rodriguez has little patience for, especially this early in the season when habits are still being formed.
Rodriguez did not wait around to let the film speak for itself. He held an immediate staff meeting after the game to address discipline and performance issues, stressing that mistakes have to be corrected quickly and standards have to stay consistent from one snap to the next. For a program trying to establish an identity under a head coach who clearly wants sharper execution, the disappointing finish was a reminder that the fixes cant wait. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Suddenly Has A Defensive Front Problem It Cant Ignore
West Virginias defensive front took a hit it cant simply scheme around, with Darius Wiley now out for the season after suffering a severe lower-body injury, according to Rich Rodriguez. Its a tough blow because Wiley had already made his presence felt in the opener, giving the Mountaineers a useful interior piece at a spot where depth can disappear quickly.
Jeremiah Johnson and Tobi Haastrup are expected to see more snaps as WVU tries to absorb the loss and keep the rotation afloat. For a defense built to hold up against the run and stay sturdy up front, the challenge now is less about replacing one player than finding a reliable combination fast enough to keep the unit from feeling Wileys absence every week. [Read more 🡒]