Neal Brown Details Impact of Each Transfer

West Virginia head coach Neal Brown breaks down what the Mountaineers gained through the transfer portal.

A lot can be made about the key defensive pieces that West Virginia lost in the transfer portal this offseason but those the Mountaineers added via the portal could have a big impact as early as this season. Head coach Neal Brown talked a little about each transfer on Friday afternoon and what to expect from them. 

Virginia Tech OL transfer Doug Nester

"Doug is a lot more confident in this practice than he was at any point during the spring. I just think that he wanted to make sure that he earned his spot and he was a little unsure of what we were trying to get him to do. We bounced him around a lot in the spring at different positions. I thought he was a lot more confident today and I look forward to him having a good fall camp. We need him to play."

Penn State LB transfer Lance Dixon

"Lance Dixon at Will linebacker, athletically, he is what you want. He can run, he's just got to learn the scheme. He got here in May and we worked him to get in condition because he wasn't at a place of strength so I think that's a work in progress."

Maine LB transfer Deshawn Stevens

"Deshawn Stevens is a proven player. We need him. I think he's got a bevy of skills that fit kind of what we do. At Maine, they used him very similar to how we're going to use him. They blitzed him quite a bit on the interior, on the exterior and he stood up and played in the box. He's a big, physical guy. You'll notice that when you see him tomorrow.

Illinois State CB transfer Charles Woods

"He's a guy that had a really good career at Illinois State. I like him because he's a quick learner, he likes football, he just goes to work every day. He's had a great workman-like attitude since he's been here."

Tennessee DL transfer Darel Middleton

"Middleton has only been here for a couple of weeks. You'll notice him, he'll immediately stick out to you tomorrow. He's a big guy and credit to him, he's a lot leaner than he played last year at Tennessee. We need him to be a player. I think it's going to take him a little bit. I don't think it's fair to have expectations in the first month of the season that he's going to be a big factor for us. I think he's going to have to play into shape and it's going to take him a little bit of time. I just think interior body-wise, whether you're playing 5-technique, three, or nose, it takes a little time in our scheme because we move so much. But he will be a factor for us as we move through the season.

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