West Virginia football has just completed its spring showcase, marking the end of the short spring season. It was the coaching staff’s first chance to evaluate their team before the summer workouts begin.
Defensive Coordinator Zac Alley seemed happy about the spring, specifically how the players changed from the beginning to the end. Having coached under head coach Rich Rodriguez from 2021 to 2023, Alley knows the mindset needed in this system.
“We got better from practice one to today. I saw the culture, mindset, and shift that we were looking for. We have a lot of guys bought into what that looks like, and I am proud of that,” said Alley.
Head coach Rich Rodriguez emphasizes culture a lot to the media and to his team. He hires coaches and recruits players who he believes will follow that same mindset, and Alley is one of the guys. He wants his guys to go out there and give 100% every single snap.
“I think the number one thing we were trying to do was see who would play hard and play physical for the entirety of the game, trying to create that toughness and that mindset. We saw some of it was good and some guys it wasn’t,” Alley said. “I am a firm believer that you don’t get to game day and suddenly everything is better. Practice is a representation of the game, and the guys who make plays in practice make plays in the game,” he added.
With the complete roster turnover that WVU has undergone, it is not surprising that some guys are not fitting the mold that Zac Alley and the rest of the coaching staff are trying to create. With another transfer portal period still to come on Apr. 16, many players will be cut, and many will choose to leave the Mountaineers for a better opportunity.
As Rich Rodriguez and Zac Alley set the culture, West Virginia will begin to find more players that fit the mold they are looking for. Expect a tough and physical Mountaineer team when the season begins.
