WVU defense will need a lot of rebuilding after this season.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia’s defense is headed for major turnover after this season.

Fifteen of the 24 defensive players listed on WVU’s latest depth chart are seniors. A few, such as cornerbacks Jordan Scruggs and Michael Coates, might have an extra year of eligibility, but either way, the Mountaineers will still face significant roster gaps in 2026. There’s also the looming possibility that additional defenders could leave via the transfer portal.

It creates a potentially hectic offseason, though defensive coordinator Zac Alley is anything but unprepared. He says he’s locked in on the present while still planning ahead.

“I’m definitely focused on beating our next opponent. That’s always the top priority,” Alley said. “But the recruiting grind never ends. I’ll make 15 recruiting calls even on Christmas Day. That’s what it takes to be successful.

“You have to balance preparing for the next game with building for next season. That hasn’t really changed, even with the transfer portal. In fact, it’s a little easier now since the portal doesn’t open until January, so you don’t have to deal with it during December like before.”

For now, WVU is pushing hard to recruit high school prospects and secure a strong signing class.

The Mountaineers do have several defenders with remaining eligibility whom Alley hopes can anchor the 2026 unit. Up front, juniors Asani Redwood and Elijah Simmons, and underclassmen Corey McIntyre, Nate Gabriel, Adam Tomczyk, Wilnerson Telemaque, and Taylor Brown have all seen time this season. At linebacker, Curtis Jones, MarShon Oxley, Ben Cutter, Ben Bogle, Ashton Woods, Mike Hastie, and Cam Torbor can all return. In the secondary, Keyshawn Robinson, ChaMarryus Bomar, Dawayne Galloway, Nick Taylor, Zae Jennings, Chris Fileppo, Jacob Boyce, Jason Cross, Kaleb Gray, and Julien Horton are also eligible to come back.

Alley hopes this young core can form the backbone of the 2026 defense.

“I’ve pushed the younger guys who will be here next year to step up and finish strong so we can head into the offseason with momentum,” he said. “I want to see them grow.”