West Virginia’s defensive numbers tell the same story the Mountaineers have been living on Saturdays: a few bright spots, a lot of strain, and too many cracks showing in the back end.
After looking through the grades and snap counts, the top of the chart is thin. Cornerback Nick Taylor sits at 73.0, N/S Geimere Latimer II is right behind him at 72.9, and defensive lineman Corey McIntyre Jr. checks in at 72.1.
Those are the only regulars above 70. Linebacker Isaiah Patterson is close at 69.5, and if he keeps playing the way he did against TCU, he’ll probably push past that mark by the end of the season.
The workload on this defense is no joke, and Latimer is carrying a massive one. His 472 snaps are the most on the unit and enough to place him among the 26 most-used defensive players in the FBS.
Chams Diagne is the next closest Mountaineer at 459 snaps, followed by Nate Gabriel at 428. Those are the only West Virginia defenders north of 400.
Latimer has been everywhere. He’s been productive, versatile, and constantly near the ball, which helps explain why he’s grading out so well despite the volume.
The defensive backfield, though, is where the concern really jumps off the page. West Virginia has leaned heavily on four safeties, and the grades there are rough: Kameron Reddic at 57.5, Andrew Powdrell at 54.5 after moving to cornerback two weeks ago, Matt Sieg at 44.3, and Kamari Wilson at 44.2.
That group has been a major factor in the explosives showing up in the passing game. Sometimes the issue has been pressure up front, but a lot of the time it’s been busted communication or poor pursuit angles.
There has also been a steady rotation at safety and around the secondary, with a few other names getting chances along the way. JaCorey Thomas, who is still being worked into the defense, has logged 69 snaps and posted a 72.9 grade. Da’Mare Williams sits at 60.5 on 72 snaps, Jacob Bradford at 58.9 on 83, Tim Roberson at 55.6 on just six, and others have mixed in as well.
The takeaway from the numbers is pretty clear: this defense has a small group of players pulling real weight, and too many others are still searching for steadier football. For Zac Alley, the hope has to be that more of those pieces start holding up their end down the stretch.
In Other News...
West Virginias Rotation Is Taking Shape But A Key Battle Isnt Over
West Virginias preseason exhibitions have given Ross Hodge a clearer look at how his first Mountaineers rotation might settle in, and the early signs suggest a compact core is already separating itself from the pack. Hodge has leaned on a group he trusts, using the exhibitions to sort through a roster that looks deeper and more versatile than the average preseason group, while also getting a better read on which players can help in meaningful minutes once the games start counting.
Still, the picture is not fully set, because there are players on the edge of the rotation who have at least made the decision more complicated. The Mountaineers have enough pieces to mix and match, and that kind of flexibility can be a strength, but it also means the final pecking order is still being fought over behind the scenes. For a team trying to build identity early, the most interesting question may be less about who starts and more about who earns a lasting role once the roster trims down to its true eight or nine. [Read more 🡒]
Ross Hodge Sent An Early Message To West Virginias Young Frontcourt
The first real teaching moment of the Ross Hodge era arrived quickly for West Virginias young frontcourt. In an exhibition against Wheeling, freshman Aliou Dioum was whistled for a technical foul after hanging on the rim following a dunk, and Hodge made sure the message was delivered immediately on the floor. It was the kind of correction that can get lost in a preseason tuneup, but for a staff trying to establish standards early, it clearly mattered.
Dioum stayed in the game and still made his presence felt, finishing with seven points, two rebounds and two blocks in seven minutes. Even in a non-competitive setting, Hodge treated the sequence as a reminder that habits count, especially for a group of young bigs learning how to operate within the details. For West Virginia, it was a small moment with a larger purpose, the sort of baseline expectation that can define how the frontcourt develops from here. [Read more 🡒]
Zach Frazier Is Giving West Virginia Fans A New NFL Bragging Right
Zach Frazier is quickly turning his rookie season into a point of pride for West Virginia fans, and not just because he landed in Pittsburgh. The former Mountaineers center, who started 46 games in Morgantown before the Steelers took him 51st overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, stepped right into the starting job and has looked every bit like a long-term answer in the middle of the line.
His early rise has only sharpened the spotlight on what comes next. Pro Football Focus has graded Frazier as the top center in the NFL through seven weeks, and with head coach Mike McCarthy offering high praise, he is already in position to become one of the leagues more interesting young offensive linemen. The timing matters, too, because Frazier is eligible for a contract extension this offseason. [Read more 🡒]