MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Ƶ The safeties are the most inexperienced unit on the Mountaineer defense, but assistant coach Dontae Wright likes his group so much that his perspective on adding more pieces is evolving.
ƵItƵs not a need,Ƶ said Wright when asked if he was still looking for a transfer safety or two to add before the start of the 2022 season. ƵPractice one, it was a need. Practice 14, I donƵt know if itƵs a need right now. WeƵll see.
ƵWould I take it? Yes. Am I going out searching for it? No,Ƶ the safeties coach continued. ƵIf I could find an older guy to put a veteran in that group, maybe.Ƶ
Ƶ West VirginiaƵs spring practice draws to a close, Wright has developed much more confidence in his safeties than he had when drills began in March.
ƵIƵm extremely excited about the group,Ƶ said Wright, who is in his third season at ƵU. ƵObviously, there is very, very, very little experience. (Sophomore) Aubrey Burks has played a little bit. Marcis Floyd (a junior transfer from Murray State) has played a bunch but not at this level. (Redshirt freshman) Davis Mallinger played sparingly but just on special teams last year. Those are the guys with our first group. TheyƵre not starters Ƶ IƵm not saying that Ƶ but theyƵre with our first group right now. But IƵm really excited about them, because theyƵre long, theyƵre athletic, they can run and theyƵre eager to learn.Ƶ
In ƵUƵs hybrid defense, it normally uses at least three safeties Ƶ a spear (Mallinger), a free (Burks) and a cat (Floyd). West Virginia had veterans at those positions last year, but all have departed, as Sean Mahone, Alonzo Addae and Scottie Young each graduated, and Jackie Matthews, who split his time between cornerback and safety, transferred to Mississippi State.
The departures of those four leave the Mountaineers incredibly inexperienced in the back end.
The 6-foot, 188-pound Floyd did play in 30 games in his four seasons at Murray State, but that came at a different level (FCS) and a different position (cornerback).
ƵItƵs been surprisingly smooth,Ƶ said Wright of FloydƵs transition to safety. ƵHe gets himself in trouble a little bit of the time when weƵre playing cover two, and heƵs going back into his corner world to where the corner plays laterally but the safety has to play square and over the top of everything. He gets in a little trouble with that, but for the most part, his transition has been really smooth. HeƵs very intelligent. I have to get him to be a little louder and control things a little better, but itƵs been a shockingly smooth transition.Ƶ
The 5-foot-11, 194-pound Burks saw action in six of ƵUƵs first seven games as a true freshman last season before an injury sidelined him for the rest of the year. He finished with two tackles in Ƶ21, as most of his time came on special teams.
ƵHeƵs had a good spring. He has the combination of what you want in terms of athleticism and intelligence,Ƶ said Wright of the second-year sophomore from Oakridge, Florida.
Mallinger (6-1, 190 lbs.) played in four games last season, allowing him to retain his redshirt.
HeƵs still learning the safety position after spending most of his career at Cocoa (Fla.) High School as a receiver, but heƵs drawn high reviews from ƵUƵs coaches for defensive play this spring.
ƵDavis has a high ceiling,Ƶ noted Wright. ƵHow high I donƵt know. He can go really, really far if he buys in and if he truly becomes a defensive player.
ƵHeƵs just now learning how to play defense. He started off last year learning to play cat safety and now heƵs playing spear.
ƵHeƵs not going to get run by, because heƵs a 10.6, 10.7 100 guy, and heƵs physical, not scared of contact,Ƶ added Wright. ƵNow I have to teach him how to play defense. If you put on (the video of) practice one to practice 14, heƵs not even close to the same player. Does he still make mistakes? Yeah, all of them do, but heƵs made unbelievable strides and has a tremendous ceiling.Ƶ
Hershey McLaurin (6-1, 204 lbs., Soph.), Caleb Coleman (6-2, 180 lbs., RFr.) and Naim Muhammad (5-11, 200 lbs., Jr.) are the safeties typically working behind the first group.
ƵI think they are doing great,Ƶ Wright said of the trio. ƵThey have to get better, but they all have unbelievable talent. They really, really do. All three of those guys in that backup role, IƵm really excited about them.
ƵCaleb Coleman is GOING to be a great player; heƵs not right now, because heƵs 180 pounds and is just not strong enough to do all the things that are asked of him. Can he help us? YouƵre dang gone right he can. But is he the guy who is going to go out there and play 50 or 60 snaps? ThatƵs not what we need him to do right now. He needs to keep working in the weightroom so he can be that person.
ƵHershey comes in with our sub-package and plays that lurk rover, and thatƵs what his role is probably going to be at this point, because at that position he can just roam and play ball. ThatƵs whatƵs natural right now, because thatƵs what he did in junior college Ƶ you float and go make plays. He excites me because he adds some length and some athleticism.
ƵNaim has also had a really good spring, and weƵll continue to develop him.Ƶ
ƵU has a couple other safeties waiting in the wings who havenƵt been able to participate in spring drills.
Saint McLeod (5-11, 205 lbs., Soph.) is recovering after being stabbed during an altercation in early March outside a downtown Morgantown club.
Christion Stokes (6-2, 182 lbs., Fr.) enrolled at ƵU in January, but heƵs not been involved in the contact portion of practice this spring, as he rehabs from a knee injury he suffered midway through his senior season at Harper Woods (Mich.) High School.
ƵThe meeting room is unbelievable. They ask great questions, because theyƵve never seen most of the stuff before,Ƶ Wright stated. ƵIƵm excited about it. They have a bunch of talent, and now itƵs my job to rein them in and get them where theyƵre supposed to go. But when theyƵre where theyƵre supposed to be and know what theyƵre supposed to do, theyƵre a pretty salty group to mess with.
ƵI feel confident with them being able to run with most anyone we have to face, being able to be physical and tackle in open space and do all those good things. ItƵs a really exciting group.Ƶ