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West Virginia didn’t end the season in the fashion it had hoped.

But there is reason to believe that things aren’t as dim as they seem on the surface when it comes to what is returning on the defensive side of the ball heading into 2019.

Yes, there are certainly some spots that needed addressed either on the recruiting trail or through transfers with players exiting the program but there’s plenty of reason for optimism too with some of the younger players on the roster that will be elevated into larger roles.

And a big chunk of that is on the defensive line even with a new coaching staff in place.

One of those is Dante Stills, who just wrapped up his true freshman season, and popped up all over the field from his spot on the defensive line against Syracuse. That was something that was by design as the previous coaching staff wanted to place a focus on getting snaps for Stills and building him up over the course of the available practices.

He took advantage of that opportunity and made the most of it in the game.

The practices leading up to the bowl also allowed for some valuable reps for a number of other true freshmen up front that redshirted this season such as scout team defensive player of the year Tavis Lee as well as James Gmiter and Tyrese Allen.

The Mountaineers have already signed a pair of defensive linemen in the 2019 class in junior college edge rusher Taijh Alston and legacy prospect Jalen Thornton there is still work to be done. The focus has narrowed on finding a defensive lineman that will fit a certain mold.

That mold being a defensive end type that could slide inside if need be or play outside although that could change now that the scheme will adjust under new coordinator Vic Koenning. But he has already stressed the importance of those up front.

West Virginia has had success of late with graduate transfers especially on the defensive line after plucking Kenny Bigelow and Jabril Robinson from USC and Clemson this past year. Perhaps that could be the move this coming spring as well, but for now the needle is moving up.

That’s a good place to be in the trenches.

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