MORGANTOWN — The biggest weakness of West Virginia’s defense in 2022 was its pass defense. Big 12 opponents feasted on an inexperienced and ill-equipped WVU secondary that failed to contain opposing quarterbacks or make impact plays.
The Mountaineers were second-last in the Big 12 last season in pass defense (262.3 yards per game) and last in yards per reception (8.2) and interceptions (four). Much of that can be tracked back to WVU’s safeties, a position that lacked a true leader for most of the year.
“In the back end, there wasn’t really a veteran guy,” junior Aubrey Burks. “Charles (Woods) was a veteran guy, but he got hurt. When he got hurt, right then and there, that kind of killed us having a veteran guy.”
Without Woods, the unit struggled with communication. Playing as a sophomore, Burks was not yet ready to be the leader of the group, but he is taking steps to fill that role in 2023.
“The chemistry wasn’t really there,” Burks continued. “I can say as a secondary, we didn’t fully commit ourselves to try and be the best secondary. Just having that one year together and carrying on to now, our chemistry is way better.”
Burks finished 2022 as WVU’s second-leading tackler, making 66 total stops and snagging one of the team’s few interceptions. He will start at free safety opposite redshirt-senior Marcis Floyd at cat safety.
Like Burks, Floyd is a returning starter. He is entering his second season with the Mountaineers after transferring from Murray State. He was third on the team with 63 total tackles and was credited with four pass breakups without an interception.
“It was a clean slate and you had to teach them everything,” safeties coach Dontae Wright said of last year’s inexperience. “They had growing pains, true growing pains and that was expected. That’s why I’m excited because once you got halfway through the year, you knew they’re starting to come on.”
To supplement that returning duo, WVU brought in a pair of veteran transfers to try and avoid a repeat of last season’s inexperience. The Mountaineers first brought in senior Keyshawn Cobb from Buffalo and then redshirt-junior Anthony Wilson from Georgia Southern.
WVU is Cobb’s fourth school after playing at two community colleges and then Buffalo last season. Cobb seems to be used to transferring as he has fit in nicely with the Mountaineers so far.
“You would think he’s been here for three years,” Wright said. “Not just in terms of the playbook, but being around the guys. That young man has come in, opened his heart and dove into this program and understands that it’s not just about him. He came here for a reason, but he’s got to buy in to what our culture is and he’s done that.”
In his one season with the Bulls, Cobb racked up 66 tackles, six for a loss with eight pass deflections and a pick-six.
Wilson was a three-year starter with the Eagles, playing in 36 total games in his career. His best season came in 2022 when he totaled 101 tackles with five deflections and an interception.
Providing depth on the back end will be redshirt-sophomore Avery Wilcox, redshirt-freshman Christian Stokes and true freshman Aden Tagaloa-Nelson.
Projected Depth Chart
Free Safety
Aubrey Burks, Jr.
Keyshawn Cobb, Sr. (Buffalo)
Avery Wilcox, R-So.
Cat Safety
Marcis Floyd, R-Sr.
Anthony Wilson, R-Jr. (Georgia Southern)
Christian Stokes, R-Fr.
Aden Tagaloa-Nelson, Fr.
This is the final installment of The Dominion Post’s position-by-position preview of the 2023 West Virginia football team.
