As we gear up for the 2026 college football season, the West Virginia Mountaineers are once again a team in transition. With a slew of new faces on the roster, there's a sense of cautious optimism in Morgantown. The influx of talent and experience suggests a team that's poised to improve, especially on the defensive side of the ball, where questions abound but potential shines through.
Quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr. recently shared his insights on the Mountaineers' defense during an interview on "3 Guys Before the Game." When asked if any defenders stood out, Hawkins didn't hesitate.
"We got a corner, Chams (Diagne)," he said. "He’s a guy that’s very lengthy; he can cover really well.
He’s definitely a guy you look at. You have to have the right guy out there in one-on-one situations.
Geimere (Latimer) is pretty good. So those two guys are someone I look for."
Diagne's presence in the secondary is a breath of fresh air for WVU fans. Last season, the Mountaineers often found themselves in perfect position defensively, only to be outmatched by receivers due to a lack of length and reach.
Diagne, with his impressive wingspan, could be the solution to that problem. While he still needs to refine his tackling and run defense, there's confidence that under the guidance of defensive coordinator Zac Alley, Diagne's best football is yet to come.
If he can harness his abilities and understand his role, he might just become a cornerstone of the Mountaineer secondary.
Then there's Geimere Latimer, a name that's been buzzing around the WVU community. Originally pursued by Rich Rodriguez from Jacksonville State, Latimer is now a key piece of the Mountaineer puzzle.
His brother, Amir, is also in the mix as a top running back prospect, adding a family dynamic to the team. Latimer's playing style is reminiscent of Fred Perry but with a more disciplined edge.
He's a playmaker who knows when to deliver a hit and when to make the smart play. His ability to cover ground, force turnovers, and disrupt the run game is invaluable.
This season, expect Latimer to be more involved in pressuring the quarterback, blitzing from the nickel spot-a role he didn't often play at Wisconsin.
With these two dynamic players leading the charge, the Mountaineer defense has the potential to surprise many this season. If they can gel with the rest of the unit, WVU might just find themselves as a formidable force in the league.
In Other News...
The One West Virginia Transfer Who Could Define This Reset
West Virginias latest basketball reset has arrived with familiar urgency and very little room for error. After another coaching change, Ross Hodge steps in to lead a roster that looks almost entirely remade from a 21-win team that also brought home a postseason title, with only a handful of pieces carrying over and a wave of newcomers expected to shape what comes next.
Among the arrivals, one transfer stands out as the kind of player who could quietly set the tone for the whole season. The Mountaineers added help through the recruiting class and the portal, but the real swing piece may be the big man who brings a different level of frontcourt presence and a track record that suggests he can matter right away if he stays on the floor. For a team trying to establish an identity fast, that is the sort of addition that can define whether the rebuild feels like a quick turn or another long season of figuring things out. [Read more 🡒]
More WVU Freshmen Are Suddenly Pushing Rich Rod's Rotation
A cluster of true freshmen has suddenly moved into the conversation around West Virginias fall rotation, and that is exactly the kind of development Rich Rodriguez tends to encourage. Kevin Brown, Matt Sieg and Amari Latimer have already been identified as the headliners from the 2026 recruiting class, but the ripple effect runs deeper than those names alone. As the staff keeps sorting through depth and fit, a handful of younger players are starting to look less like future projects and more like legitimate options for snaps this season.
Among the next wave, Talley, Hamilton, Dwyer and a smaller defensive back each bring a different path to the field, which is why this feels more like a roster squeeze than a traditional redshirt watch. Talleys speed fits a run-heavy approach, Hamilton looks ready enough to matter if the tight end room opens up, and Dwyer could benefit from a linebacker group that is still sorting itself out. The defensive back may have the clearest early job description, but even that role could change as the schedule tightens and the staff figures out who is ready to hold up when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Must Face More Former Mountaineers Than Fans Might Expect
West Virginias upcoming slate will bring a familiar kind of intrigue, with several former Mountaineers set to line up across from their old team this fall. The number is bigger than most fans might expect, and it stretches beyond one league, with some of those reunions coming in Big 12 play and others arriving through nonconference matchups that still carry plenty of familiarity.
Among the most interesting cases is the group that landed at Coastal Carolina after navigating multiple coaching changes, while another former WVU defender is set for a return of his own after a move to Bowling Green. There is also the Kansas angle, where Lathan turned in a career year after leaving Morgantown, turning what once looked like a quiet transfer into one of the more notable developments on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]