WVU Football CB Coach Rod West Looks To Instill "Violence" In His Players

WVU cornerback Jason Chambers runs with the ball during the 2025 Gold-Blue Spring Showcase.
WVU cornerback Jason Chambers runs with the ball during the 2025 Gold-Blue Spring Showcase. | Joe Sargent/GettyImages

Usually, if someone tells you that they'd like to see a bit more violence in their life, you'll give them a side-eye glance and wonder if they're safe to be around. However, context is everything.

It was all about the context when WVU football cornerbacks coach Rod West spoke with the media on Friday following the team's third day of camp – because one of the few places folks might consider choosing violence as an acceptable approach is on the gridiron. And that's exactly what West advocated his cornerbacks should do.

The previous day, WVU defensive coordinator Zac Alley mentioned that he sets a standard for the defense to force at least three turnovers per practice, and that they had hit that number on the first two days of camp. When asked what he preaches to cornerbacks to get them to force those turnovers, his didn't mince words.

"Violence. Just Violence," West responded.

West followed up his opening comments by elaborating on just what he meant by wanting to see more violence out of his players, and why he views it as critical to his cornerbacks coming up with takeaways.

"A lot of times at the DB position, we're going to be tight in coverage, being combative through the end of the play. A lot of times we'll get deflections from what part of the receiver we're trying to attack. So if he's just standing to catch the ball, being violent through his arms, maybe that leads to a deflection," he said.

"We're always preaching that if I'm the sacking man, I'm trying to punch, rake the ball out. So number one, it's going to get pursuit and great effort to get to the ball...number two, just violence at the point of contact."


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