WVU football is looking at taking quite the risky gamble in the transfer portal, but if they can close a deal and decide to pull the trigger, it could prove to offer quite the reward for the Mountaineers.
WVU football is in pursuit of EDGE rusher Liam Danitz, who present a unique profile. He comes from Hope College (Mich.), which plays at the NCAA Division 3 level. That is quite the jump to the Power 4, and it's not usually a level of the sport you'll see programs at the level of WVU looking at. But WVU is far from the only school at this level pursuing Danitz has already been offered by not just the Mountaineers, but Cal, UCLA, and Utah as well. There is also reported interest from Michigan as well, and this ll comes just five days a
What makes Danitz special is a combination of his athleticism and his skill set. Danitz is a 6-foot-5, 230-pound EDGE rusher with explosive speed. How explosive? Well, he is also a track star at Hope College, and runs a 10.55 in the 100-meter dash and 20.92 in the 200-meter dash. That speed has helped him twice earn NCAA All-American honors in track and field. But he is also a football All-American now, earning the honor alongside All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) honors for a 2025 season that saw him finish with 46 tackles, a jaw-dropping 21 of them tackles for loss, and a whopping 15 sacks.
The risk comes two-fold, though, just like his potential. One, bringing a transfer from the Division 3 level to the Power 4 level is a mighty large jump in competition, and we've seen jumps to the Big 12 from higher levles of college football fail plenty of times, even when just looking at WVU.
Of course, small school players sometimes hit bigger than you could ever hope, such as Trinidad Chambliss going from Division 2 Ferris State in 2024 to one of the best FBS quarterbacks in the country, and also starting for a College Football Playoff semifinalist. It's just that cases like Chambliss than the busts.
The other risk? Well, Danitz isn't exactly eligible for one more season yet. His eligibility was exhausted and he is currently awaiting an NCAA waiver to be able to play next season, and if it is denied, this could all come crashing down quickly. Now, we assume multiple schools wouldn't be making offers if thwaiverwasn;t expected to come through, but WVU fans are likely already having nightmares of Danitz signing and then becoming the D3 Jimmori Robinson.
However, the Mountaineers have added some serious talent in the transfer portal on offense but still clearly need to add at most positions on defense, in some cases with multiple players at a position. Time and money is running out, and Danitz could come at a decent price coming from a smaller level if a deal is done quickly and WVU is ahead of the curve – though the market this offseason is reportedly inflated for EDGE rushers and that will play a role. And exactly how many more players that bring his athleticism and potential are in the portal at a much-needed position to fill for the Mounatineers is hard to tell. So keep a close eye on this one.