Safety Kekoura Tarnue is Returning to West Virginia in 2025

One piece of the Mountaineers' 2024 defense is staying put.

West Virginia University safety Kekoura Tarnue. / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Much of West Virginia's defense from the 2024 season will be playing elsewhere in 2025. There are a few pieces, however, that will remain in Morgantown, including veteran defensive back Kekoura Tarnue.

On Tuesday, the senior safety announced that he will be back for one more season, thanks to the NCAA's recent ruling, which allows players who played at the junior college level extra eligibility. Tarnue spent the first two years of his career at Rochester Community and Technical College in Minnesota before transferring to Jacksonville State in 2023, where he played for Rich Rodriguez and new WVU defensive coordinator Zac Alley.

In his lone season with the Gamecocks, Tarnue totaled 53 tackles, four passes defended, three interceptions, two tackles for loss, and a sack. This season at West Virginia, he notched 35 tackles, three tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup.

It'll be interesting to see how Tarnue is deployed next fall, considering he played corner, nickel, and safety at Jax State. Despite WVU's struggles at corner, the previous coaching staff never moved him to the outside or the slot. With his versatility, he'll likely move around more in 2025 and be a more productive player on the back end.

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