In the Gun Podcast: Breaking Down the 2025 West Virginia Defense

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This week on In the Gun...
It's time we spin the bottle and look at the defensive side of the football for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Arguably the biggest pickup this offseason wasn't a player out of the transfer portal or a recruit out of high school, it was the hiring of rising star defensive coordinator Zac Alley.
Alley spent time with Rich Rodriguez at UL-Monroe and then followed him to Jacksonville State before taking a bigger opportunity at Oklahoma last year, reuniting with Brent Venables, whom he spent several years under at Clemson.
Instead of rambling through the billions of new names, Jed, Wes, and Owen take a much different approach in previewing the defensive unit by looking at Alley's tendencies, stats, and things that make him so difficult to prepare for.
As you've heard many times by now, Alley's defense is extremely multiple. They'll throw a ton of different looks at teams every week and will never have the same game plan. Jed shares a couple of interesting stories that he heard from a friend of his who coached with Alley in the past, which goes to show how detail-oriented he is and how much he tries to perfect his craft.
At the end of the episode, the Signal Caller does briefly mention a handful or so of names that he believes are worth jotting down and paying some attention to as the season is set to begin.
Here it is, your 2025 West Virginia football defensive preview.
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Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.
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