(Neal Brown’s comments on Akheem Mesidor’s transfer)
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia head coach Neal Brown wasn’t scheduled to meet with the media Thursday.
But sure enough, Brown chose to do just that to reveal a surprising announcement that defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor approached him late Tuesday to inform Brown he was entering the NCAA Transfer Portal.
“Most of the time you really sense them coming — there’s a change in behavior, but not this one,” Brown said. “Akheem is a great kid and a great player. He was excelling in the classroom and on the football field, performing at a high rate academically. I love Akheem Mesidor. I love the kid. I’m not angry about it. I’m not upset.
“The best emotion that I would use and these are probably words that football coaches aren’t supposed to use, would be hurt or maybe just sad. Personally, I hurt because of the investment and more just the relationship. Really close to him. You talk about a year recruiting, two years in the program. And I hurt for [defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley] and [defensive line coach Andrew Jackson] as well.”
Mesidor was a prominent piece of West Virginia’s defensive line each of the last two seasons. In 2020, he was named an ESPN freshman All-American after recording 32 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.
In 2021, Mesidor made 38 stops and had one sack while transitioning from playing defensive end and defensive tackle to nose tackle.
“Not upset, not angry,” Brown said. “I sit here more resolute and more confident and more committed in my beliefs on how to run a program than I’ve ever been,” Brown said. “I believe into pouring into the student athletes, going all in, building an infrastructure and surrounding them with support, staff that pours into them, serves and develops them and creates a culture of accountability.
“There’s going to be some days that are tough, like the last day and a half that you lose some guys you’re really invested in. But I believe if you do it that way, there is going to be a lot more success stories than there are ones that go away. I believe that with every ounce of my being.”