WVU Alumni

Former Mountaineer Noel Devine Lashes Out at WVU Over His Son’s Recruitment

Published

4 months ago

December 22, 2023

Kelsie LeRose/WVSN

Even though December’s National Signing Day is over, the WVU football program could still potentially add more players to their 2024 class. And one former Mountaineer great hopes they do.

Noel Devine, who WVU fans know as one of the highest rated recruits in school history, is speaking out publicly about why his son is not a future Mountaineer. He’s clearly not too happy that his son Andre, a 2024 prospect who attends his father’s high school alma mater in Fort Meyers, Florida, was not signed by West Virginia, and in fact, is still searching for a solid college home.

“Looking to find my son a home. It’s sad to see what college football has become with this transfer portal. These coaches leave high school kids left behind to get a kid that’s already developed from the transfer portal. Disappointed in WVU football,” said Noel Devine on X (Twitter) Friday morning.

Looking to find my son @239Dre a home. It’s sad to see what college football has become with this transfer portal these coaches leave high school kids left behind to get a kid that’s already developed from the transfer portal. Disappointed in @WVUfootball https://t.co/r2R6eZITgl
— Noel Devine (@noel_devine7) December 22, 2023

According to what Devine also said as a reply to fan, his son was offered by West Virginia at one point, but was then ignored when he told the coaching staff he was ready to commit and join his father as a Mountaineer legacy. Andre did take multiple recruiting visits to WVU throughout the past year.

There’s no way to know what the truth of the situation actually is since no WVU coach is going to admit to ignoring the son of a former player, but it’s still unsettling to see someone who had success as a Mountaineer so upset at the program.

I look good in gold & blue?👀🤷🏽‍♂️@noel_devine7 @CoachChadScott @___Dwil @WVUFBRecruiting @NFMHS_Football pic.twitter.com/ae1HuhNpTN
— Andre Devine (@239Dre) April 25, 2023

But to be fair and offer context, West Virginia did sign multiple running backs, both carrying better ratings than Andre Devine. Traevon Dunbar and Diore Hubbard signed their national letters of intent with WVU on Wednesday. They are rated as consensus three-star running backs and among the top 50 prospects in their states. Devine only holds a three-star rating from two major recruiting outlets (On3 and 247 Sports) and they rate him as the number 209 and 234 player, respectively.

Andre does hold offers from FAU, USF and even another West Virginia based school in Marshall. Noel did not specify why his son did not end up signing with any of the other programs to offer him. It’s possible he is still holding out hope of playing home games at Milan Puskar Stadium like his dad did over a decade ago.

Inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2021, regardless what’s true and what ends up materializing when it comes to Andre’s future, his father’s time as a Mountaineer is in stone. Noel Devine ran for 4,315 yards and scored 29 touchdowns at WVU from 2007-2010, which include being part of WVU’s 2008 Fiesta Bowl winning team to cap off the 2007 season. Devine averaged 5.9 yards per carry throughout his college career and even excelled as a kickoff returner.

Unfortunately, Devine was never able to transition his success in high school and college to the pros, only experiencing a brief stay on the Eagles’ practice squad after not being drafted and then bouncing around between other professional leagues like the CFL and the UFL.