West Virginia’s depth chart arrived Tuesday night, and the first thing that jumps out is how many freshmen and portal additions are already forcing their way into the conversation.
The biggest headline might be the simplest one: Matt Sieg is right there. The true freshman is listed in the mix at boundary safety with Andrew Powdrell, and he’s also in the “OR” column for both punt returner and kickoff returner.
That’s a lot of responsibility for a player this young, but it also tells you exactly how quickly the staff expects him to matter. He might even have a path into the slot before long.
The transfer class is showing up everywhere, and not just in the usual places. The two-deep includes a Canadian on the defensive line, an Irishman handling kickoffs and possibly field goals and extra points after debuting in college last season, an Englishman listed as an “OR” at backup bandit, and an Alaskan at one of the outside receiver spots.
If you’re going to recruit beyond the standard pipelines, the returns have to be real. Emerson Joy, Jack Cassidy, Tobi Haastrup and Landon Drumm all made the early evidence look pretty good.
Defensive lineman Will LeBlanc, a Division II transfer brought in early in the portal process, is part of that group too. Jonas Muya didn’t make the offensive line as a freshman, but on Sept.
2, WVU can feel pretty good about how that side of the board looks.
The youth movement is especially noticeable up front on defense. Last year’s freshman class included Taylor Brown, Amir Leonard-Jean Charles, Brandon Caesar, Romando Johnson and Wilnerson Telemaque.
Leonard-Jean Charles and Johnson were gone after spring practice, while Brown, Caesar and Telemaque redshirted and were mostly out of the picture. None of that kept them off the roster, and Brown is the only one who cracked this two-deep.
He’s third at defensive tackle, which makes this a big season for that group.
The junior college class also tells a story. WVU signed 11 JUCO transfers in December, with Tim Roberson added over the summer, and seven of them made the two-deep.
Notably missing were receiver Kedrick Triplett, defensive lineman Jaylen Thomas, cornerbacks Rayshawn Reynolds and Da’Mun Allen, and Roberson. In a stricter two-deep sense, the names that landed were defensive end Darius Wiley, defensive tackle KJ Henson and safety Da’Mare Williams.
Left tackle Deshawn Woods is third, receiver Keon Hutchins is third at one outside spot, running back Martavious Boswell is fourth and bandit Jeremiah Johnson is third. With only two cornerbacks and one safety spot listed among the backups, there may still be room for movement there.
Then there’s the freshman count, which is hard to miss: 11 of them are on the two-deep. Kevin Brown is first at left tackle.
LaMarcus Dillard is second at left guard. Aidan Woods is second at right tackle.
Amari Latimer is second at running back. Kade Bush is in an “OR” as the second tight end.
Sieg is Sieg. Yendor Mack is in an “OR” with Henson.
Miles Khatri, a name that comes out of nowhere for plenty of fans, is second at nickel/safety.
Even the cornerback picture carries a little surprise. The listed sizes are 6-3 and 5-11 on one side, and 6-1 and 5-9 on the other.
Chams Diagne and Nick Taylor had been the expected names at the top, and Keyshawn Robinson is not a shock. Jaire Rawlinson, though, stands out as the kind of story WVU may not have planned on, especially if the staff had been aiming for something different there.
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Pat Whites WVU Honor Only Happened After A Longstanding Barrier Fell
Pat White is finally getting the kind of recognition that has long felt overdue in Morgantown, with his No. 5 jersey set to be ceremonially retired Saturday before West Virginias season opener. The official retirement will come after the current season ends, once Jaden Bray finishes his eligibility, but the announcement alone marks a significant shift for a program that had long held firm on a rule that kept jerseys from being retired.
The key change came when the West Virginia Athletic Council revised that policy, opening the door for Whites place in school history to be honored in the most visible way possible. In a recent interview, White said he reflected on his career and expressed gratitude for the moment, a fitting response for one of the defining figures of the Mountaineers modern era, even as the final step in the process still waits out the season. [Read more 🡒]
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The quarterback picture, though, is the part that will keep drawing attention. Rodriguez named Scotty Fox and Michael Hawkins as possible starters, which only adds another layer to a room that still has to define itself while the rest of the offense takes shape around it. He also gave updates on Cam Cook, Amari Latimer, DJ Epps and Jaden Bray, all while making it clear the up-tempo approach remains the plan, so the pressure to identify the right pieces and get them moving together is already building. [Read more 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Is Bringing Back A WVU Feel Fans Will Debate
Rich Rodriguez is already putting his stamp back on the Mountaineers, and one of the first visible changes will be at the start of the game. On his radio show, Rodriguez said West Virginia will not revive the inflatable helmet entrance that became a calling card in the early 2000s. Instead, the team is headed back to a more familiar setup, entering through the tunnel with smoke and a tunnel camera feeding the big screen for fans.
It is a small detail, but in Morgantown these kinds of details matter because they help shape the feel of game day. Last years entrance from the weight room was a notable departure, and now the program is leaning back toward a look that feels more connected to its past. Whether fans embrace the change or argue for the old spectacle, Rodriguez has made clear the first impression at home will have a different flavor this time around. [Read more 🡒]