A Pleasant Surprise: Zac Alley Notes One Young DB Who is Set to Make 'Major Impact' in 2025

Changes are coming to the West Virginia football roster as teams all across the country prepare to trim their rosters down to 105 for the first time ever. A large contingent of WVU's roster is unsure if they'll be playing football in Morgantown this fall, but one guy who appears to be in a pretty good spot is sophomore safety Israel Boyce.

“I think he’s had an amazing spring, maybe the best of anyone in the secondary," WVU defensive coordinator Zac Alley said on Saturday following the Gold and Blue Spring Showcase. "He’s really athletic. He can move, he can cover. He gets downhill, he tackles. He’s not afraid of contact. He’ll knock guys backward; he takes good angles. He’s a really smart football player to be a young kid. He understands the game, and he’s going to make a major impact for us back there this year.”

The Douglasville, Georgia native appeared in eight games last season as a true freshman and recorded 11 tackles, six of which came in the regular season finale against Texas Tech. Former head coach Neal Brown and the previous coaching staff constantly brought Boyce's name up throughout the year as a young guy to keep an eye on.

The Mountaineers' secondary is heavy on upperclassmen, particularly seniors, but Boyce can still play his way onto the field, especially if he carries his spring play over into fall camp.

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