MORGANTOWN — The optimistic side of Tony Gibson reels off the talking points behind why his defense, disregarded by many, might actually be good enough to make West Virginia a Big 12 contender.
There’s TFL machine David Long. Two plug-and-play grad transfers on the defensive front. Dravon Askew-Henry spearheading a secondary that’s poised for a bounce-back from 2017. And the arrival of man-child Dante Stills.
Gibson also carries an intangible reason for hope.
“In my six years being back here, this is the closest group I’ve seen of guys that like each other and are doing the same things to get better,” he said.
“We don’t have a bunch of loafing guys or a bunch that feels sorry for themselves. That was our goal coming in. We don’t want selfish guys. So I really like this group of players.”
The Mountaineers’ defensive coordinator isn’t delusional about the narrow margins that could determine his unit’s fate. The corners are long and fast but unproven. Askew-Henry, who still must prove he’s all the way back from the ACL injury, inherits the defense’s most demanding position at Spur. And don’t even ask Gibson about those second-string linebackers.
Indeed, there’s a fine line between fearless and feeble when those Big 12 offenses start humming.
Yet having good chemistry is a start.
“They’re bonding, and that’s so important in football,” Gibson said. “They trust each other. That’s a big hurdle. Last year, there were times where there may have been guys on the field that other guys didn’t trust.”
Senior defensive end Ezekiel Rose doesn’t possess the length of departed transfer Adam Shuler, but neither does he have the proclivity for staying in the coaches’ doghouse. That’s why Rose emerged as a three-game starter late in 2017 and has carried over the momentum through the offseason.
“I see more accountability,” Rose said. “People are taking responsibilities for their actions.”
Does that portend a turnaround for the defense that yielded 204 yards rushing per game (103rd in the FBS), some 445 yards overall (106th) and 72-percent success to opponents on fourth downs (125th)?
“Of course it’s easy right now because we haven’t played a game,” Gibson said. “But hopefully they’ll stick together through the good and bad and find a way to get it done.”
