DB Addae travels long road to get to West Virginia football

Alonzo Addae has traveled a long path to get to West Virginia.

His grandparents, originally from Ghana moved to the United States before eventually relocating to Canada around the time his father was 16-years old. Because of his age, he accompanied them and Addae grew up playing Canadian league rules in Toronto.

“I feel like it helped me a lot especially playing defensive back with the motions in Canada and running at you full speed before the snap,” he said.

As he matured Addae was able to play on certain travel teams and came to the states for camps so he wasn’t unfamiliar with how the game was played in the states. He then spent a season at prep school in New Jersey which drew the attention of several college programs. He would sign with New Hampshire.

Addae spent three seasons with the Wildcats, one redshirting, playing in 24 games but he then elected to leave the program and explore what else was out there. That brought him to West Virginia, where his cousin Jahmile Addae, served as the defensive backs coach.

Last season, Addae was forced to sit out due to transfer rules and spent the season on the scout team. It also gave him a chance to fully immerse himself in many of the things he didn’t do the first time around when he was sitting out at New Hampshire. That meant a commitment in the weight room, while taking the opportunity to compete against the first team offensive unit in practice.

“I really just tried to lock into my game. They put me into the developmental program over here so heavy into the weights, heavy into positional skill drills so it definitely played a role,” he said.

That was easier for him because he had gotten used to being away from home so there was no issue with homesickness that most people in a new surrounding would face. That year helped him blossom on the field and he put himself in position to earn a starting role the next season.

Addae has started all five games and has recorded 35 tackles and a pair of interceptions in the process. The adjustment to power five football has been seen the most in the overall game speed which makes the margin of error so much smaller than at the FCS level.

“At that level you’re kind of able to make up for stuff with your athleticism where at this level everybody is just as athletic as you if not more,” he said.

He’s been a revelation for West Virginia in the backend of the defense and is making the most of his opportunities that he’s waited and traveled a long path to obtain.

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