MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — WVU sophomore safety Tykee Smith plays one of the most versatile positions in all of college football, and head coach Neal Brown thinks he may be one of the best in the nation at it.
The “Spear” safety spot is three positions wrapped in one — an outside linebacker, safety and nickel corner — and Smith plays all three at a high level, apparent by his nine tackles, interception and pass-breakup in the Mountaineers’ 24-6 win Saturday against TCU.
“Tykee Smith is a guy I don’t think is getting talked about enough,” Brown said. “I think he could potentially be as good at his position as anybody in our league.”
Of Smith’s nine tackles, four were on TCU’s first drive of the game. The Horned Frogs were driving on WVU’s (5-3, 4-3 Big 12) defense, but Smith made several big hits to knock TCU off its game, eventually forcing a punt. The Mountaineers did not allow a touchdown in the game.
“I think Tykee is a heck of a player,” Brown said. “He can play anywhere and I think he’s special at that position.”
Leddie Brown makes impact after injury
Heading into the game, star running back Leddie Brown was questionable after injuring himself on the first offensive play of the game last week against Texas.
Neal Brown said Leddie still wasn’t 100% against the Horned Frogs, but the numbers said otherwise. He finished with 156 yards on 24 carries, good for a 6.5-per-carry average.
“When we came here Sunday, I saw Leddie in the training room, and he said, ‘Coach, I want to play,’ and I told him I’ll only let him play if he’s close to 100%,” Neal Brown said. “We told him we’ll take care of him, but he had to do his end of the bargain, which is invest in the time to get himself in position to play, and he did.”
On Wednesday, Leddie Brown was able to do football moves — cut and move side-to-side — and Thursday and Friday, he got reps with the first team. During pregame warmups, he was still able to perform well, so he got the start.
TCU’s special teams woes in Morgantown
TCU’s critical muffed punt in the fourth quarter, which eventually led to T.J. Simmons’ 38-yard touchdown two plays later, was one of many special teams miscues for the Horned Frogs at Milan Puskar Stadium.
Since 2014 — four games — TCU lost five fumbles on kickoff and punt returns. The first was in 2014, followed by two in 2016 and one in 2018, all on kickoffs. Saturday’s fumble by TCU’s Trevon Moehrig was the first on a punt return, and it was a costly one, helping the Mountaineers make it a three-possession game three minutes into the fourth quarter.
No touchdowns allowed for the Mountaineers
Smith’s interception late in the fourth quarter at the WVU 1-yard line prevented the Horned Frogs from reaching the end zone, the first time the Mountaineers have done that since a 35-6 win on Sept. 22, 2018, against Kansas State at Milan Puskar Stadium.
WVU allowed 295 yards to TCU, about 25 yards above its season average, but was successful in bending and not breaking.
“We all push each other,” said linebacker Tony Fields, who finished with a team-high 14 tackles. “Everybody pushes each other every day to get better. It’s not like anybody is getting complacent. Everybody is trying to get better every day. Every single tackle we had, I was excited. I was ready to go out there and make the next play, so that’s what we do, feed off each other.
“That’s what makes our defense so good.”
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