Former Gardner-Webb and current Mountaineer Linebacker Ty French talked about transitioning from FCS to FBS competition while raising a one-year-old daughter.
French, who holds the FCS sack record with 34.5, talked about how difficult it was to transition from a smaller FCS school like Gardner-Webb to a power four school like WVU.
“Coming here, it was different, going against the o-line we got, it’s not that easy; at the FCS level, I was running around the tackles; at this level, you need to work moves,” French said when asked about his experience transferring from Gardner-Webb to West Virginia.
He also talked about what led him to choose the Mountaineers after being one of the more sought-after FCS transfer linebackers/edge rushers.
“Me and my brother, we always used to watch Tavon Austin highlights, I was like, I think I need to come here and
the community, the fans, and the coaches, I love that about here,” French said when asked about what led him to choose the Mountaineers after being one of the more sought-after transfer portal linebacker/edge rushers.
Through his first six games with West Virginia French has recorded 15 total tackles and eight solo tackles.
While French has been managing the trials and tribulations of transferring to a power-four FBS program like WVU, he has also been providing for his one-year-old daughter.
“Me having a kid and stuff, they told me I needed to get paid and take care of my family,” French said when talking about what it was like to tell his coaches and teammates he would be entering his name into the transfer portal.
The Mountaineers are 3-3 on the season and will play a ranked opponent, No. 17 Kansas State, at home on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 pm EST. The game will be televised on FOX.
