West Virginia had been active targeting linebackers in the transfer market this spring and landed an experienced piece to the roster build in Southern Illinois linebacker Ben Bogle.
Bogle, 6-foot-2, 225-pounds, entered the transfer portal April 17 and the Mountaineers didn’t waste much time jumping into the mix with a scholarship offer that same day. Others including Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Wake Forest and South Florida also were among those that offered.
The Florida native then scheduled an official visit to Morgantown April 23 and committed to the program per multiple reports.
Bogle spent three seasons with the Salukis and is coming off a highly productive season in 2024 where he started the final ten games of the year with 87 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and 2 interceptions earning him second-team all-Missouri Valley and honorable mention all-American honors by some publications. He played a total of 725 snaps on the defensive side last season.
Prior to that Bogle appeared in four games as a freshman and redshirt before seeing his playing time increase to 13 games with one start during his redshirt year. During that season, Bogle recorded 32 tackles, 2.0 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.
Bogle has two seasons of eligibility remaining in his career.
WVSports.com breaks down the transfer of Bogle and what it means to the West Virginia Mountaineers football program both now and in the future.
The data:
Bogle has played 935 snaps over his three years with the Salukis where he saw his playing time increase significantly in each of those years from 6 defensive snaps as a true freshman to 725 as a redshirt sophomore. When given an opportunity, Bogle proved to be highly productive on the field by making an impact all over the field with 87 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and 2 interceptions.
Bogle played primarily in the box at linebacker with a total of 668 of his snaps coming there moving to each of the three positions there. A physical linebacker, Bogle, is likely going to be asked to fill that role with the Mountaineers given the skill set he brings to the table.
Bogle generated 37 stops last season according to Pro Football Focus, which is a tackle that constitutes as a loss for the offense, while he also generated 15 pressures.
In coverage, Bogle permitted 22 of 27 catches for 213 yards and a touchdown but also had a pair of interceptions and a pass breakup to end up with an 81.0 NFL passer rating against.
Fitting the program:
It’s no secret that West Virginia was active targeting a linebacker in the transfer portal and Bogle is an experienced option that has two seasons of eligibility remaining. That is important as it would allow Bogle not only to compete for a major role in year one but perhaps provide an experienced linebacker for a second year as well, which isn’t always common with transfer additions that have production on the field.
The Mountaineers have several inside linebacker options such as Chase Wilson, Reid Carrico, Ben Cutter, Ashton Woods and Caden Biser but this is another capable option in that room. Bogle is going to have a real chance to make a dent in the depth chart and gives the program more options there.
The Florida native is coming off his most productive year and now will look to see if that translates to his new home in Morgantown at the power four level.
Recruiting the position:
West Virginia has been highly active in the market for a transfer linebacker hosting multiple options at this stage. Adding Bogle clearly fills a need, but the biggest question now becomes whether the Mountaineers coaching staff will add another in order to further increase the talent level and competition in the room.
There are certainly options to sort through as potential fits but with only a handful of remaining roster spots and needs at multiple positions it remains to be seen the route the coaches will take.
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