West Virginia already has one defensive piece thinking ahead to 2027.
Defensive back Andrew Powdrell has told the coaching staff he wants to come back for his fifth and final year of eligibility, giving the Mountaineers a potential veteran option to build around as roster retention becomes a major offseason priority.
“I feel like they’ve shown me a lot of love and support throughout this time, and I feel like they put their trust in me as far as moving me in different spots, seeing how I can help the team and just be the best player I can be," Powdrell said. "Coach Rich Rod pushes us; he’s not going to let us slack at any moment, and ultimately I think it’s going to bring out the best in me to be a great football player.”
Powdrell’s path this season has been anything but settled. West Virginia originally planned for him to back up Geimere Latimer at nickel/sam, but the staff quickly decided his speed was too valuable to keep off the field. That led to a move to free safety, where he opened the year.
He didn’t look fully comfortable there, so the Mountaineers shifted him again, this time down to corner, a spot he had already played at Montana State and UNLV. Since then, he’s looked much more at ease and has put together his best football of the season.
The numbers from Pro Football Focus back up that impression, though not every part of the defense has made life easy for him. His play has improved in recent weeks, even if the overall unit has had plenty of issues around him.
There’s still some flexibility in where Powdrell fits next year, depending on what West Virginia brings in through the transfer portal. But the ideal setup, at least on paper, is clear: a third corner who can be trusted for 25-plus snaps a game.
In Other News...
WVU Offense Is Earning Serious Buzz Ahead Of A Big Test
Kansas heads into Saturday evenings matchup with West Virginia still searching for traction, but the bigger conversation around this game has been the Mountaineers offense and the problems it can create. After a close loss to UCF left the Jayhawks at 3-6, Lance Leipold spent part of the buildup acknowledging just how difficult this trip could be, pointing to West Virginias quarterback and the other playmakers around him as the kind of group that can stress a defense in a hurry.
For West Virginia, the buzz is coming at a useful time, because this is the sort of test that can either validate the momentum or expose the gaps that still need cleaning up. Kansas will have to deal with the pace, the versatility and the overall explosiveness that has made the Mountaineers a tougher opponent to prepare for, and ESPNU will have a good one to follow when the teams kick off Saturday night. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Faces A Brutal Test With Bowl Hopes On The Line
The stakes are clear when Kansas heads to Milan Puskar Stadium on Nov. 14, 2026, with bowl eligibility still hanging in the balance. The Jayhawks are 3-6 overall and 1-5 in Big 12 play, which means they need to win out to reach a postseason berth, while West Virginia enters at 5-4 and needs one more victory to lock up its own bowl spot.
That setup gives this one a late-season edge that should make it feel bigger than a mid-November conference game. West Virginia has the more comfortable path, but not by much, and Kansas is walking into Morgantown with no margin left for error. ESPNU will carry the game, with kickoff set for 4:30 p.m. CT, and both teams know exactly what is at stake. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginias Hot Start Just Set Up A Huge Reality Check
West Virginias early run has given the program a real boost, and the bracket buzz is starting to follow. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi currently projects the Mountaineers as a No. 10 seed in the Midwest Region, a sign that the strong start has already put them on the national radar and given fans reason to think bigger about March.
The next stretch should tell a lot more about where this team actually stands. A tougher tournament in Las Vegas is coming up, along with a neutral-court meeting with North Carolina, and those games will offer a far sharper read on whether West Virginias opening success is the start of something lasting or just a fast start before the schedule tightens up. [Read more 🡒]