West Virginia’s depth chart finally has a couple of meaningful new pieces on it, even if the official game notes still look like they were left untouched for weeks. Safety JaCorey Thomas and cornerback Jason Chambers are the additions worth watching, and both could matter right away for a defense that needed the help.
Chambers is now eligible after receiving a preliminary injunction. The NCAA is appealing the ruling, but he remains allowed to play. If that decision is later overturned, the NCAA cannot seek restitution from Chambers or the university.
The chart itself still has its quirks. There’s an OR between Mike Hawkins Jr. and Scotty Fox, Isaiah Patterson is listed as the third option at MIKE, and Prince Strachan is nowhere to be found. Darius Wiley has been removed after his season-ending injury, but beyond that, the document still doesn’t reflect much movement.
At edge, Zeke Durham-Campbell and Emerson Joy are listed first. The defensive tackle spots show Corey McIntyre Jr., K.J.
Henson and Yendor Mack, while the nose tackle group includes Nate Gabriel, Will LeBlanc and Taylor Brown. On the BAN line, Harper Holloman, David Afogho, Tobi Haastrup and Jeremiah Johnson are listed.
At linebacker, Ben Cutter is first at MIKE with Isaiah Patterson and Tyler Stolsky behind him, and Ashton Woods is joined by Cam Torbor at WILL.
The secondary is where the changes stand out most. Geimere Latimer II, Andrew Powdrell and Miles Khatri are listed at N/S.
Chams Diagne and Keyshawn Robinson are at one corner spot, while Nick Taylor, Jason Chambers and Jaire Rawlison are on the other. JaCorey Thomas is listed first at free safety alongside Matt Sieg, and Kamari Wilson, Da’Mare Williams and Kameron Reddic are at strong safety.
Powdrell’s listing at N/S may not last long. The expectation is that he moves back to nickel/sam after Thomas’ arrival, which is where the staff originally intended to use him.
He also hasn’t looked especially sharp at free safety. That shift would also help Latimer, who is averaging 62 defensive snaps per game and 68 snaps against Power Four teams.
Chambers gives West Virginia another real option at corner. Diagne and Taylor have handled heavy workloads through the first month, so Chambers could slide into the No. 2 role behind one of them, likely Taylor, and give the staff a dependable third choice at the position. Chambers, in fact, played more snaps than any WVU corner last season, including Michael Coats Jr.
Thomas looks like the likely starter at free safety, though that still isn’t fully locked in. There’s a chance Matt Sieg shares time there this week while Thomas gets settled in, but Thomas is the veteran here, and he has already missed four games. He wants to be on the field, and WVU needs him to be.
In Other News...
WVUs Defensive Collapse Is Raising Bigger Questions Than Fans Expected
West Virginias defensive struggles are no longer just a bad stretch, theyre becoming a real problem for a program trying to find stability in conference play. The Mountaineers have given up plenty of yardage and too many explosive plays in recent games against Iowa State and Oklahoma State, and the concern goes beyond one rough afternoon or one busted coverage. With the defense sitting last in total defense among Power Four teams, the numbers are starting to match what has looked obvious on the field.
Zac Alley and Rich Rodriguez are both under the microscope now, because the issues keep pointing in two directions at once: execution and roster talent. West Virginia has also had trouble against first-year head coaches this season, which only adds to the sense that opponents are finding answers faster than the Mountaineers are. The deeper question is whether this is simply a correction period for a young unit, or a more serious sign that the defensive foundation is not where it needs to be. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Defense Has A New Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Pro Football Focus latest grades gave West Virginia fans a familiar kind of snapshot, one that showed a defense still searching for answers after a recent game. The numbers pointed to a unit that had trouble finishing plays, with tackling angles and overall disruption becoming recurring issues, even as the offense had its own uneven day up front.
The bright spots on defense were limited to linebacker Isaiah Patterson and safety JaCorey Thomas, the only Mountaineers who really stood out in the grading. Elsewhere, West Virginia managed only eight pressures, and the offensive line also had its hands full despite a strong rushing total, leaving the bigger concern less about one bad sequence than about whether the front seven can start looking more consistent. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Just Showed How Dangerous This Team Can Be
West Virginias latest matchup with Iowa State offered another reminder that this team can beat you in more than one way. In the 13th meeting between the programs and the first since 2024, the Mountaineers leaned on a ground game that kept churning and a supporting cast that showed up everywhere else, from the trenches to the kicking game. Michael Hawkins Jr. and Cam Cook each went over 100 rushing yards, a sign that the offense has found a reliable physical edge.
The rest of the roster did its part too, with the defense stacking tackles and sacks while special teams helped tilt field position with solid punting. For a West Virginia team trying to prove its ceiling is higher than a one-dimensional attack, that kind of complete effort matters. When the run game is rolling and the other phases are holding up their end, the Mountaineers look dangerous in the way good teams are supposed to. [Read more 🡒]