West Virginia Coaches Increasing Expectations for Safety Anthony Wilson

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – With each passing day, the WVU coaching staff raves about Anthony Wilson more and more. The expectations for the second-year Mountaineer continue to rise ahead of the 2024 season.

Kicking off the Wilson praise was co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach ShaDon Brown. “I think he’s improved a ton throughout the winter and the spring playing off coverage. That was an area where he needed to improve his game. We’ve worked really hard on body position and I think he’s twitchier than he was last season,” said Brown about where Wilson stands entering his second season with the program.

Brown also revealed that Wilson made a big play on tight end Kole Taylor during practice, and that was something that impressed him. Picking up where his position coach left off, head coach Neal Brown highlighted a difficult tackle Wilson made on running back Jahiem White.

Upon arriving in Morgantown last summer, the 5-foot-9, 191-pound Wilson made it known he wants to follow in the footsteps of former Mountaineer Karl Joseph. While those are big shoes to fill, Wilson is coming off a productive 2023 season and feels even more comfortable at WVU as he starts year two.

After needing time to learn his new surroundings last fall, Wilson now feels so comfortable that he believes he can be an even better leader for the defense.

Kelsie LeRose / WVSN

“Just being even a better leader, and help guys that may not understand certain things in our scheme, and allowing guys to play faster,” Wilson explained in April.

Wilson even touched on what was the most important aspect of joining a new team for him last year.

“Just gelling with the locker room, cause I feel that’s the most important thing with the team. The stronger the locker room, the stronger the bonds are in the locker room, the better your team.”

Wilson may not be able to do exactly what Karl Joseph did in the old gold and blue – the rules of today won’t allow it – but he’s already had an impact as a Mountaineer. The Columbia, S.C. native recorded 80 total tackles and an interception during the 2023 season. He enters his fifth season of college football hungry for more, just like he was when he decided to transfer from Georgia Southern.

“I’ve done everything I had to do at GSU over the past 4 years and I learned a lot. I’m just ready to come in and make an immediate impact. I’m more hungry than ever!,” Wilson said to WV Sports Now during his recruitment. In January, Wilson signed a new NIL deal with Country Roads Trust to cap off his college career with another season as a Mountaineer.

Something former WVU safeties coach Dontae Wright, who left to become defensive coordinator at Troy after the bowl game, said still rings true today and speaks to what Wilson brings to the table.

“Every day he walks in this building he’s got a chip on his shoulder,” said Wright about Wilson. “When he steps on them lines, it ain’t about friends, it’s about getting better and making sure we’re all on the same page,” he added.

For a related story, Anthony Wilson gained strength and perspective by training with soldiers.