4. West Virginia Mountaineers College Football Preview 2021: Defense
– The defense was a killer. It finished fourth in the nation and first in the Big 12 allowing just 291 yards and 21 points per game. It led the nation against the pass allowing 160 yards per game and wasn’t bad against the run, but the pass rush need to be a bit stronger, the penalties have to stop, and there have to be more third down stops.
Six starters are expected to be back with the most experience in that secondary that held down just about everyone. However …
– Safety Tykee Smith left for Georgia. He only came up with two picks – tying for the team lead – and he’s not alone. CB Dreshun Miller is gone to Auburn, and few other corner options are leaving, too.
However, safety Alonzo Addae is back for his super-senior season after finishing second on the team with 66 stops on the way to All-Big 12 honors, and 2019 leading tackler Sean Mahone is back at the team’s hybrid CAT position. There are more options to work with at corner, but Nicktroy Fortune will lock down one job.
– Star nose tackle Darius Stills left for the NFL, but brother Dante is back. The latter led the team with 10.5 tackles for loss and came up with 35 tackles in an all-star season, and he’ll get help from fellow All-Big 12 talent Akheem Mesidor, an active 6-2, 279-pound factor who’ll likely take the Darius Stills spot on the nose.
Leading tackler Tony Fields is gone from the linebacking corps, but Exree Loe is an athletic veteran who made 45 stops on the weakside. Third-leading tackler Josh Chandler-Semedo will be the main in the middle in place of Fields – be shocked if he doesn’t lead the team in tackles.
– What You Need To Know: Offense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– West Virginia Schedule Analysis