As spring training progresses, West Virginia football inches closer to the highly anticipated spring game scheduled for April 27th. Recently this past Friday's spring practice session, Mountaineer linebacker Trey Lathan stepped up to the plate to share his insights on the team's preparations and his outlook for the upcoming season.
Hailing from the football-rich grounds of Gulliver Prep High School in Goulds, Florida, Lathan, a redshirt sophomore, brings a wealth of talent to the defense. He also holds lofty expectations for the team's performance this year on that side of the ball.
"This year, our defense is more hungry." Lathan told the press with a smile. "It's the best defense we've had since I've been here. Everyone's running to the ball, and the mentality is different."
"We just try to go out there and we try to beat our offense every day because that's the team that we're going against. So we try to beat our offense. We're very competitive and I think that's what's really got us going."
Lathan also gave an update how that most recent practice went -- and he felt there is still room for improvement among the group.
"I felt like as a defense, we played good, but we could have played better," he said. "We obviously left some plays out there on the field and just got to come back on Monday and fix those corrections."
With the additions Reid Carrico from Ohio State and a pair of 3-star Class of 2024 commits in Rickey Williams and Curtis Jones, the linebacker room is looking to be much deeper than last year. West Virginia currently has 9 linebackers on the roster, but it's a younger group too -- the oldest member of the position group is a redshirt junior.
We got a lot of more guys, that's going to help us this year," Lathan said.
Lathan unfortunately saw his season end early last year with an injury, and is looking to bounce back this year.
"I fractured my tibia and my fibula, basically snapped in half," he said. "So, they had went and repaired it, put a rod and four screws...I was doing good, I felt like I was getting better each and every week. A lot of things were starting to come clear once I started playing more and getting more snaps."
Even moments after the injury, it did not stop Lathan from wanting to be with the team.
"My mom, because my mom was crying so much, but I'm trying to ask Patrick, 'What's the score of the game? What's going on in the game?," he said. "And then he just gave me his phone and I'm watching the game, as I'm on the way to the hospital."
And his reaction after the Mountaineers earned the win over TCU following Lathan leaving the field in an ambulance?
"I was happy," he said. "I was happy the whole time. I honestly forgot I was even hurt. I was just, it felt like I was out there with my team."
Lathan looked to the positive side when he was challenged in a way he's never experienced before.
"Yeah, I've been hurt before. Not to that extent though," Lathan said. "Football is gonna be over for me one day and I understand that, and then just being there for my teammates, just trying to figure out a bigger role than the other, obviously I can't play. Just trying to be there supporting them in every way I can."
Regardless of the adversity Lathan has encountered in the last few months he has shown that it will not phase him to being the best player he can be. Lathan's resilience shines through as he looks forward to making a strong comeback. His unwavering support for his teammates and his perspective on the transient nature of football underscore a maturity beyond his years, signaling not just a player, but a leader in the making. With Lathan's determination and the team's unified drive, the Mountaineers are poised for an impactful season ahead, poised to overcome challenges and reach new heights together.