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Less sleep for Jackson equals more depth along Mountaineers’ defensive line

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia’s second-year defensive line coach Andrew Jackson has had trouble sleeping recently.

Normally, that’s a conundrum he would want no part of.

In this instance, it’s a good problem for Jackson to have as it’s a direct result of what he believes is increased depth along the defensive line, making it more challenging to settle on lineups.

“I’ve been losing sleep over it,” Jackson said. “If I had to put a lineup out there, it’d be tough to pick right now.”

Jackson’s uncertainty has more to do with who will play directly behind the starting group, which will almost certainly feature seniors Dante Stills and Taijh Alston.

After the surprise departure of standout nose tackle Akheem Mesidor during the offseason, there’s a void to be filled starting alongside a pair of veterans.

It remains to be seen who wins that job, though there’s no shortage of players Jackson expects to contribute.

“Nine to ten,” Jackson answered when asked how many defensive linemen he’d be comfortable playing. “It is [deeper than last year]. It’s a testament to the way these guys have been working. They’re not afraid to be coached and that’s the biggest thing. They’ve been able to relax under pressure so far.”

Jordan Jefferson played in all 13 games last season and started six at nose tackle, making him a logical choice to become a full-time starter after Mesidor went to Miami.

The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Jefferson is regarded as perhaps the strongest player on West Virginia’s roster.

“He’s coming along great. He’s really strong as you guys know,” Jackson said. “He’s becoming a complete player, so he’s providing some stuff in the pass rush game. We know he’s a good run stopper and good in the middle, but he’s doing some different things at different positions and providing some pass-rushing.”

WVU defensive lineman Jalen Thornton at the Gold-Blue Game. (Photo by Ben Queen/www.BenQueenPhotography.com)

Redshirt sophomore Jalen Thornton, the son of ex-WVU legend John Thornton, is also a player Jackson believes is ready to take a step forward.

Thornton has played 153 defensive snaps over the last two seasons.

“He is the most confident I’ve ever seen him and he’s able to come off a mistake or bad play better than he had been,” Jackson said. “He knows when we have conversations that’s what’s been holding him back.”

Sean Martin, a Bluefield native entering his third year in Morgantown, will also factor into the rotation. Martin played 212 defensive snaps last season and Jackson believes the 6-5, 280-pounder has increased his versatility ahead of his sophomore campaign.

“I could put him anywhere we need a blow really depending on the matchups, game week or where we’re at with injuries,” Jackson said. “Sean can play all over the place.”

The addition of Georgia Tech transfer Mike Lockhart, a 317-pound redshirt sophomore with three years of experience with the Yellow Jackets, further adds to the defensive line depth.

So, too, does Zeiqui Lawton, a redshirt freshman from South Charleston who transferred to WVU after spending his first collegiate campaign at Cincinnati.

Factor in several other potential candidates to crack the two and three-deep depth chart such as Taurus Simmons, Hammond Russell IV, Edward Vesterinen and true freshman Asani Redwood, and Jackson is hoping the defensive line has the makeup of a hockey team.

“It’s keeping me up at night, because I have to figure out how to get all these guys in the game,” he said. “Hopefully it’s like hockey subs where you see three and four guys rolling in at a time.”

Jackson has an idea of about how he’d like to split the snaps among defensive linemen, with the hope that if the opposition were to run 100 plays in a game, the top unit would be in for 60 and the next two groups 20 apiece.

Yet with the September 1 season opener at Pittsburgh three weeks away, Jackson’s hope is for the unit to reach a level where the Mountaineers’ defensive linemen are comfortable playing, regardless of who they’re lined up beside.

“There’s a multitude of guys and really it’s more so mixing them in with each other,” Jackson said. “Whether it’s Dante and Jordan, Asani or Jalen, Sean and whoever. Being able to mix them in at different times so it doesn’t have to be this line, this line, this line. All of them playing together would be a beautiful thing.”





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