MORGANTOWN, W.Va. òòò½ÊÓƵ” Perhaps influenced by his brother, Darius, being passed over in last yearòòò½ÊÓƵ™s NFL draft; perhaps influenced by feeling he had more improvement to make before entering the draft; perhaps influenced by feeling West Virginia may be closer to putting together a winner than anyone thinks, as coach Neal Brown proclaimed following a loss to Minnesota in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, defensive tackle Dante Stills announced on Sunday that he will return to West Virginia University for a fifth season.
This, added to the decision to also return announced by leading tackler Josh Chandler-Semedo, puts a bandage on the wound that had had been bleeding players through the transfer portal for the last year and guarantees that òòò½ÊÓƵU will return one of the strongest defensive units in the Big 12.
While for most of the season it was thought to be a given that Stills, who already has his degree, would leave school following this season and not take advantage of the extra year granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 virusòòò½ÊÓƵ™ effect on the 2020 season, Stills hinted before the bowl game that he was considering returning.
òòò½ÊÓƵœIòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve still got to figure that out,òòò½ÊÓƵ he said. òòò½ÊÓƵœIòòò½ÊÓƵ™m still thinking. Itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s going to be personal because I know in my four years Iòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve done some damage. But if it wasnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t good enough then I got to step it up. Itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s going to be very personal if I have to come back.
òòò½ÊÓƵœI wouldnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t care (to come back). Thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s just an extra offseason to be in the weight room to get stronger, faster. Iòòò½ÊÓƵ™m taking it day by day and Iòòò½ÊÓƵ™ll weigh it all out after this game.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Make no doubt that Chandler Semedoòòò½ÊÓƵ™s decision to return influenced Stills.
Stillsòòò½ÊÓƵ™ announcement was a terser òòò½ÊÓƵœIòòò½ÊÓƵ™m Back!òòò½ÊÓƵ after posting three hours earlier that he had made a decision and it would be upcoming.
Those decisions came after the surprising announcement that leading receiver and kick returner Winston Wright Jr. was entering the transfer portal, as was quarterback Jarret Doege, whose decision was not surprising as he had been a lightning rod for criticism of the offense for two years.
The recent doings have completely altered the outlook for the Mountaineers next year. There will be a new quarterback and the competition figures to be intense between Garrett Greene, Goose Crowder and 4-star freshman Nicco Marchiol from Arizona.
The Mountaineers are still awaiting to see if Sean Ryan, who made great improvement last year, will return and are expecting a big jump from Kaden Prather into a key role, along with Bryce Ford-Wheaton and Sam James. Prather did not play in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl despite being dressed for the contest.
Chandler-Semedo became a force in the middle last year, leading òòò½ÊÓƵU with 110 tackles. Sixty-eight of them were solo stops and he also intercepted two passes in the regular season finale at Kansas.
Chandler-Semedo has now played in 44 games at òòò½ÊÓƵU and accrued 260 career tackles.
Stills, an All-Big 12 choice, allows òòò½ÊÓƵU to do a lot of different things with Akheem Mesidor and gives them two candidates for Defensive Player of the Year in the Big 12 for next season.
A powerful pass rusher, Stills this year recorded 29 tackles, 15 for a loss, including seven7 sacks.
* * * * * *
Prior to that, defensive back Jackie Matthews announced on Twitter that he is leaving West Virginia to enter the transfer portal.
Matthews played in all 13 games for West Virginia this season, recording 35 tackles and one interception.
