West Virginia’s defense shined in their victory over Oklahoma State, delivering a standout performance that included two interceptions more than they had totaled in the first four games of the season.
This defensive surge came after what safety Jaheem Joseph described as “one of the best practices of the year.”
Following the tough loss to Pitt in the Backyard Brawl, the defense held a players-only meeting after the Monday practice.
“We knew we weren’t playing up to our standards, so we had to come together,” Joseph said.
The meeting’s message was clear. Joseph emphasized the need for consistency.
“What we are doing in practice is just not good enough. If we want to do what we want to do, we have to pick up the intensity in practice,” Joseph said of the message of the meeting. “We got to be consistent and keep that high standard no matter what it is.”
The meeting served as a turning point, as the defense responded by raising their performance and intensity, offering renewed optimism for the rest of the season.
The Mountaineers defense looks to keep creating giveaways against the No.11 ranked team in the nation on Saturday when they take on Iowa State. Iowa State’s offense is averaging a little less than two interceptions a game (1.8),a bottom-five mark in the country, which WVU may hope to capitalize on.
