WVU is a Soft Landing for Transfer CBs
It's no secret the West Virginia coaching staff has patch-worked a cornerback room together. Historically, it's been a position rented frequently by transfers, and 2022 is no different.
Excluding Illinois State transfer Charles Woods' 11 games in 2021, defensive backs coach ShaDon Brown's room is essentially untested in Big 12 action, despite being filled with capable bodies. Three true freshmen, a redshirt freshman, and three veterans allude to an even dispersal of reps during Fall Camp, but the trio of seniors aren't green to the trials and tribulations of Division I football.
West Virginia cornerback Charles Woods.
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Between super seniors Woods (37) and Rashad Ajayi (37), and redshirt senior Wesley McCormick (49), the veteran cornerbacks come chalk-full of game experience. Ajayi's impact through four seasons at Colorado State was felt in a huge way; he started 11 of 12 games last season and recorded 28 tackles (21 solo) and 2.5 TFLs; of 37 games played, Ajayi started 34 in the green and gold.
McCormick's five seasons at James Madison went similarly. He saw action in 49 games, collecting 69 tackles (50 solo), six pass breakups, a trio of TFLs and interceptions, and a forced fumble.
"We got guys with experience by design," Brown said. "We got two graduate transfer guys that played a lot of football at their respective schools. We're able to pay dividends when we go up the road to Pitt and play those guys in front of 70,000 people. Rashad and Wes, they won't be nervous.
"Those guys have come into a new program, indoctrinated themselves, and if you guys are around them, you would've thought they had been here for four years," Brown said of Ajayi and McCormick's immediate leadership. "That's the right transfer to bring in."
West Virginia cornerback Rashad Ajayi.
Julia Mellett - Sports Illustrated: FanNation - Mountaineers Now
Both Ajayi and McCormick are poised to make a big splash come September. The eyes of the defense are on them, and the duo are more than prepared.
"Both transfer corners are going to be factors," head coach Neal Brown said. "They'll push to be starters and play a lot."
"One of the things that coach [Neal] Brown is big on is character and the right fit," ShaDon Brown added. "We vet guys as much as we can and call and do our homework. We want to bring the right type of people. One of those key elements that I look for is a guy who's hungry. Does he have a chip on his shoulder? Is he coming here with a purpose?"
For Ajayi and McCormick, that purpose is to fine-tune their approaches. The transition from FCS to FBS action isn't an easy one. It takes a gritty player who is ready to put in the work. ShaDon Brown says that his new pair has grit locked down.
"I think the DNA of West Virginia is blue-collar, guys that are underdog mentalities, and guys that are coming up a level have that," he said. "That chip on their shoulder. They're coming from the FCS, and they have a lot to prove. Those guys fit our DNA probably as well as anyone from the transfer market because of the DNA of the state of West Virginia and this program."
ShaDon Brown said he's not worried about his transfers adapting to the heightened intensity and style. Between OTAs and Fall Camp, his room will be prepared.
"I think the hardest thing for a transfer to have to do is the acclimatization of how we do things," Brown said. "All the little nuances you don't think about for a new player that they're getting accustomed to. Once they get more comfortable and more confident, we'll allow them to play fast... Those guys are coming along. They're getting better day by day.
"I always look at players and how their feet move out on the field during plays. I can tell panicked feet means confusion. Smooth feet, smooth movements, means confidence. When you have confidence, it means you know what you're doing, and you can play fast."
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