Breaking Down the Snaps: What West Virginia Football Is Really Losing Heading Into 2026
As the dust settles on the 2025 college football season, the West Virginia Mountaineers are staring down one of the most significant roster overhauls in recent memory. Names in the transfer portal and graduation lists are one thing-but if you really want to understand the impact, you’ve got to look at the numbers behind the names. Specifically, the snaps.
Snap counts don’t lie. They tell us who was trusted, who was relied on, and where the biggest holes will be next fall. So let’s go position by position and break down just how many snaps West Virginia is losing-and where the coaching staff will need to reload the most.
Quarterback - 868 Total Snaps
- Graduated Snaps: 0
- Transferred Snaps: 378
- % of 2025 Snaps Returning: 56.5%
The quarterback room took a hit when Nicco Marchiol entered the transfer portal. He logged 378 snaps before stepping away midseason, and while he reappeared on the sideline a few times, all signs point to him finding a new home in 2026.
That leaves over half the snaps still accounted for, but it’s clear the Mountaineers will need to solidify who’s leading this offense moving forward. Khalil Wilkins also entered the portal, further thinning the depth chart.
Running Back - 834 Total Snaps
- Graduated Snaps: 67
- Transferred Snaps: 553
- % of 2025 Snaps Returning: 25.7%
This backfield got absolutely gutted. Diore Hubbard, Tyler Jacklich, Jahiem White, and Clay Ash all hit the portal, and while no single back dominated the snap count-thanks to a season riddled with injuries-the collective loss is significant. With over 600 snaps gone, the Mountaineers will need to rebuild this group from the ground up.
Wide Receiver - 2,460 Total Snaps
- Graduated Snaps: 883
- Transferred Snaps: 743
- % of 2025 Snaps Returning: 33.9%
Jeff Weimer’s 519 snaps walk out the door with his graduation, and Cam Vaughn’s 650 transferred snaps sting just as much. Combined, that’s a huge chunk of the receiver production and experience. This is a group that’s going to need new faces to step in immediately, whether from the portal or an incoming class.
Tight End - 1,035 Total Snaps
- Graduated Snaps: 801
- Transferred Snaps: 0
- % of 2025 Snaps Returning: 22.6%
Grayson Barnes and Jacob Barrick were the go-to guys here, and both are now out of eligibility. Between them, they accounted for 770 of the 801 graduated snaps.
Ryan Ward (213 snaps) is the only tight end with real experience returning. Expect the staff to prioritize this position in the offseason.
Offensive Line - 4,420 Total Snaps
- Graduated Snaps: 2,105
- Transferred Snaps: 8
- % of 2025 Snaps Returning: 52.2%
This one’s a bit of a mixed bag. While the line struggled throughout the season, most of the departures came via graduation.
Crawford, Young Bear, and Makane’ole are all done, and while redshirt freshman Robbie Martin did enter the portal, his six snaps won’t be missed in the grand scheme. The good news?
Over half the snaps are still on the roster, giving the coaching staff a solid foundation to work with.
Defensive Line - 2,550 Total Snaps
- Graduated Snaps: 1,589
- Transferred Snaps: 55
- % of 2025 Snaps Returning: 35.5%
This group has been hit hard, especially by graduation. Eddie Kelly, Devin Grant, Edward Vesterinen, and Hammond Russell all played major roles and are now gone.
That’s why the staff went heavy on JUCO defensive linemen in the latest signing class. They’ll be on campus in the spring, and the competition for starting spots will be wide open.
Bandit - 1,098 Total Snaps
- Graduated Snaps: 697
- Transferred Snaps: 0
- % of 2025 Snaps Returning: 36.5%
Braden Siders and Jimmori Robinson are both out of eligibility, leaving a major void at the bandit position. But there’s optimism here-Curtis Jones (253 snaps) and MarShon Oxley (148) flashed potential in limited action. They’ll be counted on to step up in 2026.
Linebacker - 1,886 Total Snaps
- Graduated Snaps: 1,188
- Transferred Snaps: 3
- % of 2025 Snaps Returning: 36.9%
The linebacker corps took a big hit with the graduations of Chase Wilson and Reid Carrico, who combined for over 1,000 snaps. That’s a lot of leadership and production to replace. The portal hasn’t hit this group hard yet, but the depth chart is going to need reinforcements.
Cornerback - 1,918 Total Snaps
- Graduated Snaps: 1,695
- Transferred Snaps: 8
- % of 2025 Snaps Returning: 11.2%
This is one of the thinnest position groups heading into 2026. Nearly all the cornerback snaps came from seniors who’ve now graduated.
The staff leaned heavily on experienced transfers last cycle, and they’ll likely have to do it again. Otherwise, this secondary could be in trouble.
Nickel/Safety - 2,437 Total Snaps
- Graduated Snaps: 2,052
- Transferred Snaps: 278
- % of 2025 Snaps Returning: 4.4%
This group might be in the roughest shape of all. Fred Perry, Darrian Lewis, Kekoura Tarnue, and Derek Carter-four of the top safeties/nickels in terms of snaps-are all gone.
Add in Israel Boyce’s transfer, and you’re down to just two returning players with a combined 107 snaps. This is a red-alert position group.
Reinforcements are a must.
Special Teams
Snap counts aren’t as cut-and-dry here due to the nature of the six different units (punt, punt return, kickoff, kick return, field goal, and field goal block), but two key departures stand out: punter Oliver Straw and kicker Kade Hensley have both graduated. That leaves a big question mark in the kicking game heading into next season.
Final Thoughts
If you’re keeping score at home, here’s the big picture: West Virginia is losing a significant portion of its 2025 snap count across nearly every position group-especially on defense. Some of that’s due to graduation, some to the transfer portal, but the result is the same: the 2026 Mountaineers will look very different.
The good news? There’s time.
The transfer portal reopens in January, and the staff has already been aggressive in JUCO recruiting. But replacing over 60% of your snaps in multiple position groups isn’t a tweak-it’s a full-blown rebuild.
The next few months will be critical in shaping what kind of team takes the field next fall in Morgantown.