Exclusive: Hutch Coach Breaks Down Four Key WVU Transfers in Detail

West Virginia has a bunch of new faces populating the roster this season, and as I was combing through this year's group, I noticed a handful of players had spent time at Hutchinson Community College — a dominant program at the junior college level, led by Drew Dallas.

In his time as the head man at Hutch, Dallas has compiled a record of 48-5, winning two national championships along the way (2020, 2024). The players that come through his program are coached well and have a clear understanding of what it takes to win on and off the field.

Recently, I was able to chat with Coach Dallas over the phone to get some insight on the four players he coached, who are now all together in Morgantown.

*Note, only Oran Singleton and Jordan Scruggs played at Hutch at the same time.*

RB Tye Edwards

West Virginia University running back Tye Edwards | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

The scout

“Number one, how big he is just eye-catching right off the bat. But I think what he does at the size is really impressive. He’s not going to be limited to one aspect of the game, by any means. He can do it all. I think his versatility really expands what he’s capable of bringing to that program. He catches it really well out of the backfield. He’s good in the screen game, out in the flats. He’s a super powerful runner, but he’s also fast. You mix that speed and that power together — he’s got some tools to him. He’s a big-time back."

Can he play in an uptempo offense at his size?

“Without question. He’s in good shape. He’s tough to tackle in space, and I think the best thing with their offense and how it’s been in the past is if they’re able to spread the field and create light numbers in the box, that’s going to be tough for guys to make a one-on-one tackle against him. I think you can play him with tempo. We played him with tempo here, and when we needed him to be the workhorse, he was definitely the workhorse. He was the MVP of our national championship game against a really good Snow (College) defense. He broke out for a 75-yard run at one point. He can take a lot of carries and a lot of banging because of his size.”

WR Oran Singleton Jr.

West Virginia University receiver Oran Singleton Jr. | Christopher Hall – West Virginia on SI

The scout

“He’s just a route runner and he’s good with the ball in his hands. I mean, even during his time here at Hutch, we’d find ways to try and isolate him one-on-one and let him work guys on the edge in those one-on-one matchups. He’s just explosive. He’s short in stature, but he’s not a small kid. There’s a difference between being small and on the shorter side, but he’s a thick kid — he can take it. He’s real twitchy. I used to call him DudeDude instead of ManMan because he could just really do some things with the ball in his hands. Route running was always really crisp and just had a great feel for the game, especially when he got those man matchups. It was easy for him to go be creative within a route and win a one-on-one."

How is he as a blocker?

“Definitely not timid. He’ll stick his nose in there. He’s got really good feet. He plays with good hands, so he can get in position and run his feet. You’re not asking him to go dig out a d-end or crack the MIKE backer all the time, but he’s definitely going to be able to be in the right spot, and he’s willing. He understands that part of the game is important.”

Bandit Marshon Oxley

The scout

“I think the first thing you’re going to notice is just his get-off and effort that he plays with. I mean, he’s an elite pass rusher without question, and I think those things always stick out. Whether it’s in a down-and-distance or a personnel-oriented package, he’s going to be able to get after the quarterback just with his speed rush and get off. But he’s good against the run, too. He’s not scared. He’s probably one of the hardest-playing kids that we’ve had come through here, just with straight effort and energy throughout the course of the rep. I think for him, with that energy comes a lot of emotion, so it’s just being able to contain that emotion in a way that he can move onto the next play and do it down after down after down. I think that’s the biggest thing from an improvement standpoint. But he’s unbelievably gifted when it comes to the love of the game of football, playing fast, effort, pursuit — he’s going to be all over the field.”

When did you know he could play at the next level?

“Really, when we got to fall camp last year and strapped on the pads. We had him through spring ball, and you could see there’s a lot of tools there, but needed to put on some weight. He had a really good summer for us last year, put on a bunch of weight, and once we got to fall camp, we realized this guy is really good against the run now as well. We always knew he was capable of getting after the quarterback and those kinds of things. That’s when we noticed this guy’s going to be pretty darn special when it’s all said and done.”

CB Jordan Scruggs

The scout

“He’s just twitchy. You could see that relatively quick on the field. Guy’s got good footspeed, the balance, quick in and out of breaks, explosive. And with him, he’s not a 6’2”, 6’3” corner that’s going to flash there, but he’s got decent size, he’s got decent length, and he’s got great coverage skills. When you mix that with a lot of drive and that chip on his shoulder because of the humble beginnings, I think that’s when we really started seeing him improve and be able to do it at the next level. He’s had to earn his way up every step of the ladder, and he just continues to prove people that he’s a good football player and he’s resilient.”

Can he play nickel?

“We played him a lot of field corner. I’m trying to think back a couple of years ago if we played him any at nickel. He would certainly be a prototypical nickel with what we’re doing schematically now, which is more true nickel stuff. At the time when he was here, we were playing more of an outside backer out there to the field. He would be a prototypical nickel just because of the man coverage skills, and he’s got physicality to him. He’s not afraid to come up and strike, and he’s got good endurance and stuff like that. I think that’s a great comparison to what he can do skillset-wise. He played a lot of man-to-man coverage on the vertical game and quick game, driving on slant routes, so we just kind of cut him free.”

RB Tye Edwards

The scout

Can he play in an uptempo offense at his size?

WR Oran Singleton Jr.

The scout

How is he as a blocker?

Bandit Marshon Oxley

The scout

When did you know he could play at the next level?

CB Jordan Scruggs

The scout

Can he play nickel?

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