Is WVU's Confidence Shaken? Jordan Lesley Reveals His Message to Players

West Virginia defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley is only looking at what's ahead.

Schuyler Callihan | Sep 19, 2024

Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

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West Virginia Mountaineers

West Virginia defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley has been under fire from the fanbase over the last few weeks after a poor second half against Penn State, a not-so-perfect product against UAlbany, and then the fourth quarter collapse in last week's Backyard Brawl.

The Mountaineers will rotate in a number of corners in Saturday's game against Kansas, including Jacolby Spells, who is returning from injury, and Colorado State transfer TJ Crandall. Regulars Garnett Hollis Jr., Ayden Garnes, and Dontez Fagan will continue to get reps but will certainly see a dip in their overall snap count as Lesley searches for answers in the back end of the defense.

After three extremely poor outings, is the confidence of West Virginia's secondary shaken?

“Nah, I mean it’s…it’s just go to practice and get better," Lesley said. "If the confidence level is shaken, you got to get over it and move on to what’s next. I think a secondary that is confident will always play better and you want them to be that way. I mean, second drive of the game we’re up 7-0, we have a 98-yard pick-six in the hands and I know that gives you confidence. And those are going to come again. At some point, those opportunities are going to come again, and when we make them that’ll definitely help. Yeah, we got to play better, but the results are not tied to how I feel about the guys and what I’ve seen. I know they can do it. We just got to get better and go do it."

Lesley also revealed the message to his defense earlier this week toward the end of his press conference

“We could all sit around here and pout and complain, feel sorry for ourselves. I don’t feel sorry for me, nobody else should. I know they’re not going to and that’s okay. I’m a big boy. I can sit around and dwell on that or I can very simply move on to what’s next and what’s next is getting our players ready for another opportunity which is to go 1-0.”

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