The West Virginia Mountaineers are entering the second season under Rich Rodriguez, who replaced former head coach Neal Brown after six seasons at the helm following the 2024 season. West Virginia fan dissatisfaction with the Brown erahit it's peak fervor, and the lack of results of the field dictated it was time to hand Brown a pink slip.
One of the most glaring issues with Brown's team's during his last couple of seasons was it's pass defense, and the secondary group was notably lacking for the Mountaineers during that time. One attempt to improve that group during his final season was the acquisition of FCS transfer Ayden Garnes, who ended up having a very average season plagued by an injury before transferring again.
Ayden Garnes makes NFL roster following breakout season at Arizona
Garnes was not necessarily a loss that fans of the Mountaineers mourned heavily after he hit the portal and transferred to Arizona following Rodriguez's hiring. But he then had a strong season for a Wildcats team that finished 9-4, signalling he may have been a solid retention if West Virginia had held onto him.
He went undrafted during the 2026 NFL Draft, but did manage to find his way onto the roster in Tampa Bay alongside former West Virginia teammate Garrett Greene. And while Greenewas waivedby the franchise on Sunday for the second consecutive season beforebeing added to the practice squadon Monday, Garnesmanaged to secure his spoton the final 53-man roster.
Undrafted rookie corner Ayden Garnes has been told he's made the Bucs' initial 53-man roster. Consistent standout in camp and preseason.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman)August 30, 2026
It's clear that Neal Brown's staff overseeing the secondary, led by then-assistant coach ShaDon Brown, might not have been up to the task at hand with the secondary – despite his previous Power 5 coaching experience.
After all, how else does a player like Garnes go from average role player to breakout star to making a 53-man roster in the NFL over two years, with no other changes than switching schools between his junior and senior season?
West Virginia fans will get to put that theory to the test in Week 3, however, as Brown is now the cornerbacks coach for the Virginia Cavaliers. It will be an interesting showdown between West Virginia's prized quarterback transfer Michael Hawkins Jr. and their former secondary coach.
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