West Virginia is going to be younger on defense in 2022 but that isn’t necessarily the worst thing.

While the Mountaineers will be losing seniors at various spots on the defense including the two starting safety spots and at MIKE linebacker, as well as some transfer departures, there is room for optimism.

That’s because what the unit will lack in experience, they’ll make up for it in other departments.

“This is the most athletic group we’ve had defensively and I think sometimes coaches are the worst about getting really hung up on experience because experience makes you comfortable,” head coach Neal Brown said. “Well, they’ve been out there, they’ve done this. I’ll take talent over experience.”

This is especially going to be true in the backend where the Mountaineers will have a combination of young players with upside battling for the jobs at spear, cat and free safety. The combination of players include Saint McLeod, Davis Mallinger, Aubrey Burks, Caleb Coleman and Hershey McLaurin.

All of those have spent only a season in the program at most, while McLaurin enrolled at the mid-term and combined for a total of 220 snaps overall. Out of that group, only McLeod saw enough snaps to avoid a redshirt which leaves a lot of room for growth.

“We have the most speed we’ve had, we have the most athleticism that we’ve had and we’ve got guys that are versatile,” Brown said. “And when you’re versatile you can mix up where guys play and give the quarterback a different look. We can do that.”

Coordinator Jordan Lesley doesn’t anticipate changing the structure of the defense but does believe that the versatility is going to allow the unit to do some different things. And given the experience and size up front, the Mountaineers will be able to do some things to combat bigger sets.

The versatility aspect might be the biggest benefit and while experience comes with playing time you can’t simply get more athletic. That allows players to cover up mistakes.

“What you need is guys that can play the right way and the athletic ability to erase a mistake,” Lesley said. “We’ve had some pieces but this group as a whole can be able to do that.”

West Virginia wanted to try to get into more versatile looks last season, but due to injuries and other personnel issues that wasn’t on the table. This is the plan this year as Lesley hopes to dual-train players at multiple positions and move them around to get the best overall athletes on the field.

“Which is something I’m excited about,” he said.

On top of the way that the coaches can move players around to fill holes, Lesley also has been impressed with the mentality of his unit. The defense as a whole has been more aggressive and there has been a buy in across the board.

There’s a learning curve on tape for a young defense in the backend, but West Virginia is excited for what this group could eventually be.

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