West Virginia’s opener gave Rich Rodriguez a chance to find out who his staff trusts when the game gets messy, and the snap counts told the story pretty clearly. The Mountaineers jumped ahead 24-0 in the first half, but they couldn’t keep control of the game, which meant Rodriguez had to leave his starters on the field the entire afternoon instead of getting deeper into the rotation.
That left the coaching staff without the chance to get backup quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. some work, or to dip further into the backfield and offensive line groups behind the starters. In all, 21 players saw action on offense, and the starting offensive line stayed intact for every snap.
The first unit up front handled the load from start to finish: LT Kevin Brown, LG Nick Krahe, C Wes King, RG Amare Grayson and RT Carsten Casady each played 76 snaps. Behind them, only Malik Agbo and Josh Aisosa logged offensive line snaps, and both had just three.
At receiver, Jaden Bray led the way with 59 snaps, followed by John Neider at 56 and DJ Epps at 49. Armoni Weaver-Bomar and Cyrus Traugh each played 13, Taron Francis had 12 and Keon Hutchins saw six. At tight end, Ryan Ward was on the field for 30 snaps, Josh Sapp for 27, Cam Ball for 15 and Kayden Luke at fullback for 13.
A few offensive players never got in: RB Chris Talley, RB Martavious Boswell, WR Kedrick Triplett, OL Cam Griffin and OL Devin Vass.
Rick Trickett and Rich Rod both said they were comfortable going with double-digit linemen, and that still may be true. But with this group having so little time together, every rep matters. In a tighter game, the message from Saturday was simple: this is the group they trust.
Defensively, Zac Alley used 30 players in the opener, spread across the line, edge, linebacker, nickel/sam, corner and safety spots. The most striking number came at corner, where Chams Diagne and Nick Taylor looked like the clear top two and backed that up with their usage. Diagne played 60 snaps and Taylor 53, while Keyshawn Robinson was the only other corner to see the field, and he played 23.
That cornerback usage stands out because Alley rotated heavily everywhere else. At defensive line, Nate Gabriel led with 50 snaps, just ahead of Zeke Durham-Campbell’s 49. Corey McIntyre Jr. played 32, Darius Wiley 26, KJ Henson and Taylor Brown 19 apiece, Emerson Joy five, Yendor Mack three and Will LeBlanc two.
At EDGE, Harper Holloman logged 40 snaps, Jeremiah Johnson had 15, David Afogho 13 and Tobi Haastrup three. Linebacker snaps went to Ashton Woods (42), Ben Cutter (27), Cam Torbor (24), Isaiah Patterson (23), Jason Hall Jr. (14) and Tyler Stolsky (11).
Nickel/sam was a much smaller group, with Gemiere Latimer playing 61 snaps, Maliek Hawkins three and Miles Khatri one. In the secondary, Kamari Wilson led the safeties with 54 snaps, followed by Andrew Powdrell at 48, Matt Sieg at 23, Da’Mare Williams at 12 and Kameron Reddic at four.
A handful of defenders did not record snaps at all: DL Jaylen Thomas, CB ChaMarryus Bomar, CB Da'Mun Allen, CB Rayshawn Reynolds Jr., CB Vincent Smith and S Jacob Bradford.
The cornerback rotation is the part that jumps off the page. With so much movement everywhere else, Alley mostly stayed with Diagne, Taylor and Robinson on the outside.
And after what happened to Darius Wiley on the defensive line, it’s hard not to wonder how the front will look next. The source of the injury isn’t something to guess about, but the takeaway is obvious: Wiley won’t be back soon, and that’s a loss after how well he played.
The question now is whether that opens the door for Wilnerson Telemaque or Brandon Caesar, both of whom did not play, or whether Emerson Joy gets more run and the staff shifts around the players who were already active. The read here is that the latter is the more likely path.
In Other News...
WVU Passing Game Takes An Early Hit Before The Opener
West Virginias passing game will open the season without one of its key pieces, as wide receiver Prince Strachan is set to miss the opener against Coastal Carolina because of a shoulder injury. Rich Rodriguez said Strachan is expected to be sidelined for a couple of weeks, which forces the Mountaineers to make an early adjustment at a position group that was already worth watching heading into Week 1.
Jaden Bray has been moved into the X role, while John Neider will start at Z, giving the staff a different look right out of the gate. For a WVU offense trying to find rhythm early, the setback is a reminder that the first depth-chart decisions of the season can change fast, and the opener may offer a first glimpse at how the receivers respond to the shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Suddenly Has A Big Darius Wiley Concern
West Virginias season opener against Coastal Carolina brought an early defensive concern when Darius Wiley left the field injured and had to be carted off. The extent of the issue was not immediately clear afterward, and the Mountaineers still had not offered an official diagnosis by the end of the game.
Wiley entered the 2026 season as a notable addition to West Virginias defense, which makes the uncertainty around his status especially important for a unit that was counting on him to help set the tone up front. For now, the Mountaineers are left waiting for more clarity on a player who was supposed to be part of their defensive answer this fall. [Read more 🡒]
Pat White Is About To Get A West Virginia Honor Fans Love
West Virginia is set to add another name to its wall of honors before the 2026 season opener against Coastal Carolina, with Pat Whites jersey number being retired in a ceremony that figures to hit home for a fan base that still remembers his days as the face of the program. White will become the seventh Mountaineer football player to have his number retired, a fitting marker for a quarterback whose college career included plenty of the kind of big-game moments that made him one of the most beloved players in school history.
There is also a modern wrinkle attached to the tribute, with senior wide receiver Jaden Bray wearing No. 5 this season with Whites permission. It gives the number a current presence while the school prepares to formally honor one of its most iconic players, and it adds a little extra intrigue to a fall that already has a ceremonial feel around Morgantown. [Read more 🡒]