12/24/2021 football Edit

LB Townsel excited for opportunity at West Virignia

Townsel is excited to begin his next chapter with the West Virginia Mountaineers football program.

Keenan Cummings • WVSports

Managing Editor

Sometimes in recruiting when you know, you just know and that was certainly the case for Chester (Va.) Life Christian Academy linebacker Gene Townsel and West Virginia.

Townsel, 5-foot-11, 207-pounds, had been committed to Campbell since the fall but had collected an impressive number of offers from Maryland, East Carolina, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Liberty, Buffalo, Air Force and Liberty just to name a few.

Still, it was a late opportunity to suit up for West Virginia that caught his attention.

“I liked West Virginia the best. They treat you like family. They may not know me, but they still treat me as if I was one of theirs,” he said. “Even the fan base and that played a huge part.”

Townsel, a 2022 prospect, took a visit to Morgantown with a teammate prior to the start of the dead period and was able to discuss how he would fit into the program as well as get a detailed tour. It wasn’t his first-time visiting West Virginia, but this was his most extensive to date.

“Sometimes you just get that feeling and I just liked the experience there,” he said.

Defensive line coach AJ Jackson has been the primary point of contact for Townsel and he’s built a solid connection with him throughout the course of the process. The Mountaineers see Townsel as either a linebacker or safety at the next level depending on how he continues to develop.

Coaches have been impressed with his film and believes that he can run well enough and is explosive enough off the ball to possibly end up at multiple places. His on the field play warranted him the MVP honors for the LB position at the Game Day Recruits 4th Quarter Camp over the weekend.

“I play sideline-to-sideline and I’m quick,” he said.

Townsel is expected to arrive at West Virginia in June and is excited to see what lies ahead. He was impressed with the campus as well as the support system in place for student athletes.

It’s been a fun ride for Townsel, but he is excited to have found his college home.

“I know I can change the game at West Virginia,” he said.

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