MAILBAG: Questions on Jordan Lesley, Secondary Issues, WRs + More

Answering this week's questions from WVU fans.

Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

West Virginia is 1-1 heading into the Backyard Brawl and Mountaineer fans have great concerns about the defense, and rightfully so. This week's mailbag is full of questions about that side of the football. If you want to submit a question for next week's mailbag, message me on X @Callihan_.

From @wvufan2023:

Q: Why does the secondary look this bad? I get we added a bunch of transfers but I figured it’d be a lot better than this.

A: Anytime you have a bunch of guys coming from different systems who were all taught different things, it takes time. Yes, even against an FCS opponent it can look rough. I'm not sounding the alarm yet, but I do agree that it is a legitimate concern at this point. Garnett Hollis has played good football before and he will here at WVU. Ayden Garnes and the others making the jump up a level will only improve with more experience. Some of this is due to the lack of a pass rush too. The secondary can only cover for so long.

From @Mountiealum97:

Q: Obviously, Beanie Bishop was our best DB now gone. Who is going to step up? Transfers not looking good. Our Achilles heel under Brown has been the secondary. Coaching? Player personnel?

A: I don't think it's a lack of talent. Those guys can play, believe it or not. And no, I don't believe it's coaching either which might be considered a hot take by some. It's familiarity with the defense and with those you're playing with on the field. You can gain chemistry through fall camp, but there's nothing you can do that simulates an actual game where you're unsure of what the offense is throwing at you. He had a downright awful game this past Saturday, but I do believe Garnett Hollis Jr. will end up being that guy who steps up and is the No. 1 corner.

From @HalGoldberg4:

Q: Our secondary and front-line defense looked weak against Albany. Are we really this bad, or is it just early-season mistakes? Others, even ranked teams have struggled this week against inferior competition, so does that mean anything?

A: The one thing I've learned from FCS games over the years is to not overreact. The only time you should be concerned is if you lose the game or barely come out with a win. This was a comfortable win although it took longer than most would like for it to look that way. That said, you can't throw everything out the window. There are some areas of the defense as you mentioned that are concerning. I don't want to speak for the players, but there could have been a bit of a drop in focus after going up 21-0 so quickly.

From @timmyoff27:

Q: What’s the plan if Eddie V is going to miss some time? Who will have to step up?

A: TJ Jackson will get more snaps, but that's not directly tied to Vesterinen's injury. Asani Redwood will likely slide into the starting spot at defensive tackle and should do just fine. I'm a firm believer that Redwood will be a solid player here and while he may not be as polished as Eddie V, his upside is much greater. Tough to lose a key cog up front, but Redwood is a solid replacement.

From @isaiahbelcher95:

Q: If the defense struggles all year, do they get rid of Lesley?

A: This is a tricky question. I'd need your definition of struggle to answer this accurately. If they finish 90th or worse in the country in total defense? Sure, it would certainly spark a conversation. But the overreaction to playing a top-10 Penn State team and then a game where they got a little too comfy versus an FCS foe shouldn't warrant that discussion. At least not yet. It's week 3. If you remember, folks were stirring up this talk all year long last season, but WVU finished with the fifth-best defense in the league. If they replicate that in 2024, he's not going anywhere. I'm not stating what I think they should do, though. Just providing an answer to what would happen in that scenario.

From @AndrewDollman:

Q: Lesley has to be held accountable. TJ Jackson is our best d-lineman. Carrico should be the first LB sub, open tryouts at corner. All that said, I still see the same issues at WR with a lack of separation, do you agree?

A: Jordan Lesley, Neal Brown, the players, and everyone on the defensive staff knows what they've put on tape through the first two weeks isn't good enough. But their issues, in large part, are fixable. As for the receivers, I don't think they've had issues with getting separation. There may have been a few plays where they got locked up or jammed at the line, but I haven't seen anything on tape that concerns me with getting open.

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