Sometimes things are just going your way.

For redshirt senior cornerback Rasul Douglas that has been the case this year as he has developed into a constant at a position that has been in flux throughout. Arriving after the end of fall camp a year ago, Douglas has taken great strides in year two in the West Virginia defense.

“Last year wasn’t me,” Douglas said of last season.

He has five interceptions on the season through eight games and it’s exactly what defensive coordinator Tony Gibson imagined when he signed the former junior college all-American.

“We were counting on him last year. He prepares his butt off every week and he’s very physical,” Gibson said. “He’s a guy that just keeps getting better and better.”

How good are things going for Douglas on the field?

Against Kansas, the cornerback was signaled to play one coverage on a third and three in the first quarter but didn’t get the right call and instead executed another. While those type of mistakes can often lead to big chunks of yards, if not touchdowns, this time was different.

The ball was delivered by Jayhawks quarterback Montell Cozart almost directly into the arms of Douglas for an interception. Sometimes it’s said that it's better to be lucky than good.

But Douglas is both.

“If he would have kept running it would have been my fault,” Douglas said. “As soon as I got to the sideline (Gibson) asked me what I was playing.”

It’s been that type of season for Douglas who has established himself as one of the standout cornerbacks not only on the West Virginia roster but in the Big 12 Conference.

“He’s playing at a high level, playing with a lot of confidence,” Gibson said.

That was the first of two interceptions, with the second being an impressive read on a double move which Douglas was able to snare from the air in the end zone halting a late scoring opportunity.

The work that Douglas put in started as early as winter workouts as his teammates took notice of the effort he put into making improvements. Redshirt junior linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton is a native of New Jersey, like Douglas, and the two have known each other since their sophomore seasons.

While the talent has always been there for Douglas, it’s the intangibles that are making the difference such as his dedication in the film room and buying into what Gibson wants. As well as taking to the coaching style of new cornerbacks coach Blue Adams.

“He has more confidence. The crazy thing about Rasul is he’s always had those physical gifts. He’s been big, he’s been lanky and he can cover guys but now he’s realizing he can really do it,” Benton said.

And that’s exactly what both parties wanted.

“This is definitely what I envisioned,” Douglas said.