theintermountain
MORGANTOWN — During his weekly press conference on Tuesday, West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez revealed that contract talks with key football players about returning for the 2027 season are still in progress. While no agreements have been finalized, some players have already committed to coming back.
Defensive back Andrew Powdrell made his intentions clear just 20 minutes after Rodriguez spoke with the media. Powdrell stated he will use his final year of eligibility and plans to return to the Mountaineers.
"I feel like they've shown me a lot of love and support through this time," Powdrell said. "They put their trust in me as far as moving to different spots, seeing how I can help the team, and just be the best player I could be."
Powdrell is a new addition this offseason, transferring after playing 14 games for Dan Mullen at UNLV. There, he recorded 63 tackles, including 41 solo stops, and helped the team reach the Mountain West Championship game.
Since joining WVU, Powdrell has been an impact player and one of the few bright spots on a struggling defense. He has appeared in all nine games, tallying 41 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and two pass breakups.
His greatest asset has been his versatility. Powdrell has played every position in the secondary. At UNLV, he played corner, but at WVU, he started as a nickel. The transition from corner to nickel was challenging, as Powdrell explained: "When you're playing corner, you're on an island with the offensive player. At nickel, there's a learning curve because you're helping in the run game and have more to think about. There's also a lot more space to cover."
"There was definitely an adjustment, but at the end of the day, football is football," Powdrell said. "I'm a defensive back, so to be able to show I can play multiple positions, the more the better."
Since Big 12 play began, WVU's defense has been heavily exposed. It ranks worst in the Big 12, second-to-last in all of college football, and is the worst among Power Four teams. Defensive coordinator Zac Alley said they needed to shake things up, noting that doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. Part of that shakeup involved changing personnel.
With corner Nick Taylor banged up, Powdrell moved back to corner, his natural position from UNLV. He has recorded two pass breakups since the position change. According to Powdrell, the move back from safety to corner was much smoother because he had played that spot for most of his career.
"Transitioning, the main thing was what the play call was and what the corners are doing in their play call," Powdrell said. "That was really it. But other than just playing football and playing corner, it was second nature to me."
Powdrell also played free safety before switching back to corner. Having now played every position in the secondary, he has a better understanding of where everyone is supposed to be.
There aren't many positive takeaways from the Mountaineers' defense this fall, but Powdrell has shown flashes and is still in Year 1 of the system. If Alley is retained, Powdrell will be one of the leaders on defense and should only improve with a year under his belt. His ability to play any position in the secondary also makes him an easy piece to build around.
It's a good sign that, despite the defense's struggles, Powdrell is happy to be in Morgantown. "Coach Rich pushes us," Powdrell said. "He is not going to let us slack at any moment. I think ultimately, it's going to bring out the best in me to be a great football player."
Key Analysis
Powdrell's decision to return provides a rare positive for a WVU defense that has been among the nation's worst. His versatility—having played corner, nickel, and safety—gives the coaching staff flexibility and a foundational piece to build around. With another year in Zac Alley's system, Powdrell could emerge as a leader and a key contributor in 2027.
Originally reported by theintermountain.