Three Returning Players Who Could Become Stars in Zac Alley's Defense at West Virginia

Taking a look at a few players who will benefit greatly from the hire of Zac Alley.

West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez officially announced the hire of defensive coordinator Zac Alley on Sunday, snatching him away from the Oklahoma Sooners.

While very few players return on the defensive side of the ball for the Mountaineers, there are a few who I believe have the potential to become stars under Alley.

DL Corey McIntyre Jr.

At this point, McIntyre is a hidden gem. He's battled injuries early on in his career at West Virginia, which has limited him to just four games in two years. If healthy, a breakout season is in store. There's no question that he would have been a part of the defensive line rotation in 2024, and potentially could have been one of their top performers.

LB Rickey Williams

This is my going out on a limb pick. Williams was also a little banged up this year but was likely going to be a redshirt guy anyway, with a deep linebacker room that featured Josiah Trotter, Trey Lathan, Ben Cutter, Reid Carrico, and Caden Biser. I loved what I saw in his high school film a year ago, especially as a blitzer. He lived in the quarterback's grill and got there in a hurry. But more importantly, he fits the run game exceptionally well and plugs up running lanes, allowing his teammates to make a play when he can't. The potential here is sky-high.

DB Zae Jennings

As a true freshman, Jennings saw limited action on defense, but he was talented enough to play special teams regularly. Come 2025, Jennings could find himself in a starting role, depending on who comes in through the transfer portal. He has tremendous speed, but the thing that really pops out is his physicality. He showcased that a couple of times this past season on kickoffs, and that attacking nature is something that thrives in Zac Alley's defenses.

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Publisher of Mountaineers Now on FanNation/Sports Illustrated. Lead recruiting expert and co-host of Between the Eers, Walk Thru GameDay Show, Mountaineers Now Postgame Show, and In the Gun Podcast.