Fortune changing playing style to take more chances ahead of junior season

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Nicktroy Fortune wouldn’t classify himself as much of a risk-taker over his first two seasons at West Virginia.

The junior cornerback, who has become a mainstay in the Mountaineers’ secondary, believes that will change in the upcoming season.

“My thing was play with technique and play smart,” Fortune said. “I was kind of tentative and timid just a little bit, but going through spring with more practices and reps, naturally coming into my own.”

In fact, WVU head coach Neal Brown has harped to his team’s most experienced cornerback throughout spring football the need for Fortune to play on the fly and think less.

“Nicktroy runs really well, he’s athletic as anybody we got,” Brown said. “I want him to take more chances. He needs to play more free and play with that confidence.”

Fortune established himself as a key piece of West Virginia’s secondary when he logged over 400 snaps, including 327 on defense as a true freshman in 2019. A year ago, Fortune started all 10 games and had 35 tackles, one interception and a pair of pass breakups.

All the while, the Roswell, Georgia native utilized a playing style designed more for solid results, but perhaps not spectacular play.

Earlier this spring, Brown approached Fortune regarding his style of play.

“(Coach Brown) told me he just wants me to go out there and play aggressive and even if I mess up, go out there and play,” Fortune recalled. “I took that into consideration and put that in my mind. Ever since then, i’ve just been going out there and playing ball. I’ve given up some and I’ve made plays, so that definitely helped me out. It gave me more of a confidence boost and lately i’ve just been going there being assertive.”

West Virginia’s Nicktroy Fortune (11) talks to Alonzo Addae during spring practice. Photo by Greg Carey/WVMetroNews.com

With the transfer of Dreshun Miller to Auburn earlier this offseason, the 6-foot, 195-pound Fortune will enter his junior campaign with more of a burden on his shoulders.

West Virginia recently added Illinois State cornerback Charles Woods, who will likely compete with senior Jackie Matthews and sophomore Daryl Porter Jr. for playing time opposite Fortune.

Fortune has more experience playing major college football than any player in the aforementioned trio, and with that he’s passing on wisdom of what life is like for a corner in the Big 12 Conference.

“As a corner, you have to make sure you have that next play mentality and it’s difficult sometimes if you give up a deep ball to try to let that go,” Fortune said. “Mental is definitely the hardest thing about playing defensive back. When you have that body or technique, it’s really not a problem — you just have to execute. But mentally, you have to learn to let a bad play go and go on to the next.”

With a surplus of experience over his first two seasons in college, Fortune has learned to have a quick memory.

“I most definitely can forget,” he said. “I know the type of person and player I am and when I’m in my zone, I have to remind myself that Nicktroy is a different person.”

While Fortune is working to improve ahead of an important junior season, he’s doing so while learning under a new defensive backs coach.

Sha’Don Brown was brought in to coach West Virginia’s defensive backs in February and thus far, Fortune believes it’s been a smooth transition.

“That’s my guy,” Fortune said. “At first, I was a bit unsure. I didn’t really know him, he didn’t really know me. With time, I realized how cool of a guy he was. He’s funny, never really serious unless he’s coaching us on something we messed up. We’re always joking and it’s always positive in the room, nothing negative.”

“I look forward to the season with him and it’s going to be a good time knowing the type of guy he is,” Fortune continued. “He has a lot of humor and he’s a real good dude. Family man, too, so I have a good relationship with him.”





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