Quick Facts

P L A Y E R P R O F I L E SWEST VIRGINIA FOOTBALL QUICK FACTS

General

Name of School: West Virginia University City: Morgantown, W.Va. Founded: 1867 Enrollment: 28,000 + Nickname: Mountaineers School Colors: Gold (PMS 124) and Blue (PMS 295) Stadium: Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar

Stadium (1980) Capacity: 60,000 Surface: FieldTurf Affiliation: Football Bowl Subdivision Conference: Big 12 President: Dr. E. Gordon Gee (Utah, ’68) Director of Athletics: Shane Lyons (West Virginia, ’87) Official Web Site: WVUsports.com

History

First Year of Football: 1891 Seasons Played: 129 All-Time Record: 767-515-45 (.595) All-Time Bowl Record: 16-23 (.410) Last Postseason Appearance: 2021 Guaranteed

Rate Bowl; lost 18-6 against Minnesota

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Neal Brown (Massachusetts, ’02) Record at School: 17-18 (3 years) Career Record: 52-34 (7 years) Best Time/Day to Reach Coach: Contact Director of

Football Communications Administrative Associate: Lori Rice Football Office Phone: (304) 293-4194

Assistant Coaches

Matt Moore (Valdosta State, ’96) – Assistant Head

Coach/OL Graham Harrell (Texas Tech, ‘07) - Offensive

Coordinator/QB Jordan Lesley (Troy, ‘05) – Defensive Coordinator/OLB ShaDon Brown (Campbellsville, ’03) – Co-Defensive

Coordinator/DB Chad Scott (North Carolina, ’04) – Run Game

Coordinator/RB Jeff Koonz (Auburn, ‘04) – Special Teams Coordinator/ILB Andrew Jackson (LIU Post, ’11) – Defensive Line Sean Reagan (North Georgia, ‘08) – Tight Ends Tony Washington (Appalachian State, ‘13) - Receivers Dontae Wright (Miami, Ohio, ’07) – Safeties

Football Staff

Matt Jansen (Texas Tech, ’11) – Director of Personnel and Scouting Jeff Casteel (California, Pa., ’84) – Defensive Analyst/

Director of High School Relations Ryan Nehlen (West Virginia, ’12) – Offensive Analyst Tony Thompson (Stony Brook, ’97) – Special Teams

Analyst Randy Wilkins (Florida State, ‘00) – Defensive Analyst Shawn Walker (Akron, ‘14) - Director of Video Alex Leveille (Central Michigan, ‘17) - Assistant

Director of Coaches Video Kirk Barron (Purdue, ‘18) – Offensive Graduate

Assistant Stanton Keane (Texas Tech, ’17) – Offensive Graduate

Assistant Dom Young (Purdue, ‘17) – Offensive Graduate

Assistant Ashton Derico (West Alabama, ‘17) – Defensive

Graduate Assistant Nick Porecca (Eastern Michigan, ’21) – Defensive

Graduate Assistant Ray Watkins (Minot State, ‘18) – Defensive Graduate

Assistant Tucker Donati West Virginia, ’21) – Special Teams

Graduate Assistant

Administrative Staff

Keli Zinn (West Virginia, ’05) – Chief Operating

Officer/Deputy Director of Athletics/Football

Administrator Coleman Barnes (Kentucky, ’02) – Senior Associate

Athletics Director/Chief of Staff for Football Patrick Johnston (Troy, ‘17) – Assistant Athletics

Director/Football Operations/Internal Affairs David Faulkner (Troy, ’96) – Special Assistant to the

Head Coach Osman Kamara (West Virginia, ’20) – Associate

Director of Student-Athlete Enhancement/Director of the 5th Quarter Program Trey Neyer (Alabama, ’17) – Associate Director of

Recruiting Taylor West (Iowa, ’19) – Director of On-Campus

Recruiting/Assistant Director of Football Operations Sierra Sabin (North Carolina, ‘22) – On-Campus

Recruiting Graduate Assistant Drew Casa (West Virginia, ’21) – Recruiting Assistant Clay Bollinger (Kentucky ’17) – Assistant Athletics

Director/Creative and Digital Media Jake Herron (California Univ. of Pa., ’21) – Associate

Director of Creative Design Jeff Guckert (Utah, ’22) – Assistant Director of

Creative Video Dan Nehlen (West Virginia, ’85) – Equipment Manager Austin Blake (West Virginia, ‘21) – Assistant

Equipment Graduate Manager Jake Prady (West Virginia, ‘21) - Equipment Graduate

Assistant Conor McNamara (West Virginia, ‘13) - Athletics

Equipment Manager

Academic Staff

Brittney O’Dell (Florida State, ’08) – Associate

Athletics Director/Student-Athlete Development Adrian Ferrera (La Verne, ‘06) - Director of Clinical and Sports Psychology Zach Seger (West Virginia ‘14) – Associate Director/

Student-Athlete Development Lucy Mariani (TCU, ‘19) - Academic Counselor Blake Barnes (Colorado-Colorado Springs, ’17) –

Learning Specialist Victoria Hehli (UCF, ‘20) - Assistant Learning Specialist Zach Fincher (Slippery Rock, ‘21) - Student-

Development Graduate Assistant Hunter Gorrell (West Virginia, ‘21) - Student-

Development Graduate Assistant

Strength and Conditioning Staff

Mike Joseph (Fairmont State, ’99) – Assistant Athletics

Director/Head Coach for Football Strength and

Conditioning Chris Allen (West Virginia, ’00) – Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning/Director of Speed

Development Alex Mitchell (Ohio, ’12) – Assistant Strength and

Conditioning Coach Nolan Harvath (Southern Indiana, ’13) – Assistant

Strength and Conditioning Coach Nick Meadows (West Virginia, ’17) – Assistant

Strength and Conditioning Coach

Nutrition Staff

Haley Bishop (Samford, ’16) – Director of Sports

Nutrition Tori Brown (Boston U., ‘18) – Sports Dietitician

Sports Medicine Staff

Dr. A.J. Monseau (West Virginia, ’07) – Medical

Director/Head Team Physician Vince Blankenship (Georgia, ’09) – Assistant Athletic

Director/Head Athletic Trainer Zach Foster (Alabama, ’14) – Associate Director of

Sports Medicine Ian Chennell (Dayton, ‘18) – Assistant Director of

Sports Medicine Lanse Robbins (Alabama ’22) – Sports Medicine

Graduate Assistant

Team Information

2021 Record: 6-7 Big 12 Record/Finish: 4-5/5th Basic Offense: Spread Basic Defense: 4-2-5 Lettermen Returning: 33 (16O/13D/4ST) Lettermen Lost: 18 (8O/8D/2ST) Starters Returning: 17 (7O/5D/5ST) Starters Lost: 12 (4O/6D/2ST)

Lettermen Returning (34) Offense (16)

Bryce Ford-Wheaton (WR), Zach Frazier (OL), James Gmiter (OL), Garrett Greene (QB), Sam James (WR), Justin Johnson Jr. (RB), Graeson Malashevich (WR), Nick Malone (OL), Tony Mathis Jr. (RB), Wyatt Milum (OL), Doug Nester (OL), Mike O’Laughlin (TE), Kaden Prather (WR), Reese Smith (WR), Jordan White (OL), Brandon Yates (OL)

Defense (13)

Taijh Alston (DL), Jared Bartlett (DL), Lanell Carr (BAN), Lance Dixon (LB), Jordan Jefferson (DL), Exree Loe (LB), Sean Martin (DL), Malachi Ruffin (DB), Taurus Simmons (DL), Dante Stills (DL), Jalen Thornton (DL), Edward Vesterinen (DL), Charles Woods (DB)

Specialists (5)

Austin Brinkman (LS), Casey Legg (K/KO), Graeson Malashevich (H/PR/KR)

Lettermen Lost (21) Offense (7)

T.J. Banks (TE), Leddie Brown (RB), Jarret Doege (QB), Isaiah Esdale (WR), Parker Moorer (OL), Sean Ryan (WR), Winston Wright Jr. (WR)

Defense (11)

Alonzo Addae (DB), Josh Chandler-Semedo (LB), VanDarius Cowan (BAN), Nicktroy Fortune (DB), Sean Mahone (DB), Jackie Matthews (DB), Akheem Mesidor (DL), Saint McLeod (DB), Daryl Porter Jr. (DB), DeShawn Stevens (LB), Scottie Young Jr. (DB)

Specialists (3) Evan Staley (K), Tyler Sumpter (P), Winston Wright Jr. (KOR)

Starting Experience Returning Offense

Bryce Ford-Wheaton (WR/20), Zach Frazier (OL/22), James Gmiter (OL/25), Sam James (WR/20), Nick Malone (OL/1), Tony Mathis Jr. (RB/1), Wyatt Milum (OL/8), Doug Nester (OL/13), Mike O’Laughlin (TE/16), Kaden Prather (WR/4), Reese Smith (WR/3), Brandon Yates (OL/21)

Defense Taijh Alston (DL/12), Jared Bartlett (BAN/5), Lanell Carr (BAN/2), Lance Dixon (LB/4), Jordan Jefferson (DL/5), Exree Loe (LB/11), Dante Stills (DL/25), Edward Vesterinen (DL/1), Charles Woods (DB/4) Specialists (68)

Austin Brinkman (LS/13), Graeson Malashevich (H/23), Kolton McGhee (P/6), Casey Legg (K-KO/25)

Starting Experience Lost Offense

Leddie Brown (RB/25), Sam Brown (WR/1), Jarret Doege (QB/26), Isaiah Esdale (WR/3), Charles Finley (TE/1), John Hughes (OL/7), Sean Ryan (WR/22), Winston Wright Jr., (WR/16)

Defense

Alonzo Addae (S/23), Josh Chandler-Semedo (LB/31), VanDarius Cowan (BAN/3), Nicktroy Fortune (CB/19), Saint McLeod (DB/2), Sean Mahone (S/35), Jackie Matthews (DB/9), Akheem Mesidor (DL/14), Daryl Porter Jr. (DB/13), Scottie Young Jr. (S/8)

Specialists

Evan Staley (K-KO/53), Tyler Sumpter (P-K/20), Winston Wright Jr. (KOR/32)

ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS

For more information on West Virginia football, contact Assistant Athletics Director/Football

Communications Mike Montoro or Senior Associate

Athletics Director/Communications Michael Fragale. Office Phone: 304-293-2821 Press Box Phone: 304-293-3799 Fax: 304-293-4105 Official Web Site: WVUsports.com Assistant Athletics Director/Football Communications (Primary Contact): Mike Montoro E-Mail: mike.montoro@mail.wvu.edu Cell Phone: 304-276-2605 Senior Associate AD/Communications: Michael Fragale E-Mail: michael.fragale@mail.wvu.edu Cell: 304-216-3834

Mailing Address:

Athletics Communications Office West Virginia University PO Box 877 Morgantown, WV 26507-0877

Overnight Mailing Address:

Athletics Communications Office West Virginia University 217 Coliseum 3450 Monongahela Blvd. Morgantown, WV 26505