West Virginia’s secondary is getting another piece back, and this one comes with a little extra weight behind it.
Cornerback Jason Chambers has been granted a preliminary injunction in the lawsuit tied to an additional year of eligibility, putting him in line to return for the Mountaineers. Chambers was among the WVU student-athletes involved in the case with basketball players Brenen Lorient and Javan Buchanan and baseball pitcher Ben McDougal, and the court ruled in their favor.
The U.S. District Court, Northern District of West Virginia said, "The NCAA will be ENJOINED from enforcing the Five for Five Rule as it applies to Brenen Lorient, Javan Buchanan, Jason Chambers, and Benjamin McDougal.
Brenen Lorient, Javan Buchanan, Jason Chambers, and Benjamin McDougal are permitted to compete for available roster positions at West Virginia University, or another NCAA Division I member institution as applicable, during the 2026-27 academic year without the NCAA treating the participation as a violation of its eligibility rules. No security will be required.”
That gives West Virginia another experienced body in a cornerback room that hasn’t been heavily mined early in the season. Through four games, defensive coordinator Zac Alley has leaned mainly on Chams Diagne and Nick Taylor, while Keyshawn Robinson has seen some rotation work. Beyond that, the snaps have been limited: Jaire Rawlison has played 24, and ChaMarryus Bomar has logged 16, the fourth- and fifth-most in the group.
Chambers doesn’t have the biggest frame at 5-foot-11 and 189 pounds, but he has shown a knack for being in the right place at the right time. A year ago, he was one of the steadiest defenders on the roster, and his familiarity with the system should make the transition smoother if WVU decides to get him on the field.
The expectation is that Chambers won’t bump either starter from their spot, but he does give the Mountaineers a reliable option behind Diagne and Taylor. That kind of depth matters, especially if West Virginia wants to keep those two fresh without sacrificing much production.
In 12 games last season, Chambers finished with 34 tackles, four passes defended, three tackles for loss and one interception.
West Virginia and Iowa State are set for a 12 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday.
In Other News...
WVUs Tennessee Game Carries A Charlotte Edge Fans Know Well
West Virginias 2028 trip to Charlotte just moved up a week, with the Mountaineers and Tennessee now set to meet on Aug. 26 as part of the Dukes Mayo Classic. The change from the original Sept. 2 date follows the broader shift in the college football calendar beginning next season, and it keeps one of the more notable neutral-site matchups on the books at a venue that has become familiar territory for the program.
Charlotte carries a bit of extra meaning for West Virginia, too, and athletic director Wren Baker pointed to the citys value as a neutral site for the Mountaineers. For fans, it is the kind of schedule tweak that does not change the opponent or the stage, but does sharpen the anticipation around a game already carrying plenty of early-season intrigue. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Faces A Bigger Problem Than Just Bouncing Back
West Virginia and Iowa State both enter Saturday in Ames carrying the sting of recent home losses, which gives this matchup a little more edge than a typical Big 12 meeting. Rich Rodriguez has already had to sort through what went wrong for the Mountaineers, while Jimmy Rogers is doing the same on the other sideline, with both coaches acknowledging the challenges that come with getting a team reset in a hurry.
The ground game could end up shaping the tone, with Cam Cook giving West Virginia a dangerous option and Aiden Flora bringing the same kind of punch for the Cyclones. If Iowa State is going to put its recent disappointment behind it, it will have to do so against a West Virginia group that knows it can make life difficult in a hurry, and that makes the response in Ames feel like more than just a routine bounce-back spot. [Read more 🡒]
Zac Alley Sees One Urgent Fix For WVUs Defensive Collapse
West Virginias defensive problems were front and center after the loss to Oklahoma State, and Zac Alley did not try to dress them up. The defensive coordinator said the unit has work to do in both preparation and execution, a blunt assessment for a group that has spent too much time chasing plays instead of setting the tone. His message pointed less to one bad quarter than to a larger issue with how the defense is being put in position to succeed.
Alley said the fix starts with cleaner technique, a simpler scheme and more rotation so players can keep their legs under them as the season moves forward. He also touched on individual development, noting that some guys are still being evaluated on readiness for the next stretch of games. For West Virginia, the challenge now is turning that self-scouting into something tangible before the defensive slide becomes a bigger problem. [Read more 🡒]