Ayden Garnes didn’t need to wonder what it would be like to play at West Virginia.
That’s because the redshirt junior experienced it first-hand when he was with the Duquesne football program a season ago. While the Dukes fell 56-17, Garnes made his impact felt during that contest by recording a total of 4 tackles and a pass breakup without allowing a reception in his coverage.
“That was a stepping stone. I knew it wasn’t the best game for us but personally I felt like I did what I had to do to solidify myself in the league I was in and the country,” Garnes said.
It was the first time that Garnes had played in Morgantown and he was impressed with the fan turnout despite the weather. The Philadelphia native especially remembers the jump scare he received when he first heard the patented musket firing after a West Virginia touchdown.
“That low-key scared me a little bit. At the end of the game, I just soaked it in because this is a beautiful place,” Garnes said.
After a season where Garnes earned first-team All-NEC honors at the cornerback and nickel spot, he felt that he was ready to try his hand at a higher level so he decided mid-season to enter the transfer portal and see what was out there for him.
Turns out, the West Virginia coaches also were paying attention to what he did on the field.
“As soon as I got in the portal they hopped on me hard,” Garnes recalled.
Garnes recalled the atmosphere in Morgantown and how he felt as a visitor in the stadium but had other schools first in pursuit. He would take an official visit to Cincinnati upon entering the transfer portal in December but his second stop at West Virginia would be all that was needed.
“It just felt like home. I watched practice and they brought me in like I was part of the family,” he said.
After the official visit wrapped up, Garnes canceled trips to Liberty and Indiana because he had his mind made up and where he wanted to make his next stop.
The game last season with Garnes on the opposite sideline was unique in the sense that he came into it thinking Devin Carter would be the primary focus but he was held out due to injury. It turned out that Hudson Clement would make a name for himself with 5 catches for 177 yards and 3 touchdowns.
But none of those were in Garnes' coverage who spent a lot of time inside. And now, he gets to square off against Clement and the other wide receivers in practice daily to fine-tune his skills.
Garnes can play multiple positions and is equipped to handle both the inside and outside, although he is likely set to play the latter for the Mountaineers. On the inside Garnes has to know where the help is at and the leverage, while the outside is focused more on locking in and technique.
And that’s where those battles with Clement and the others come into play because it’s allowed him to lock in and sharpen his abilities when he doesn’t have any help.
“We go against each other every day and it’s a blessing,” he said.
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