MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Braden Siders has known the east coast for nearly seven months since announcing his intention to transfer from Wyoming to West Virginia — a decision that followed Siders’ commitment to Arizona, which he’d go back on shortly after.
“When I committed to University of Arizona, their [defensive coordinator] had told me they’d just let go of their [defensive] line coach,” Siders said. “I kind of knew they were having staff changes, and luckily, the Casteels had reached back out, so it just kind of worked out well.”
Five years with the Cowboys was enough for Siders, a bandit who hails from Thornton, Colo.
“I just kind of needed a reset. I kind of needed a change,” said Siders, who did not see game action in 2020 and 2021, led the Cowboys with 13.5 tackles for loss in 2022 and finished with 91 tackles, 14 sacks and 23.5 TFLs over three seasons and 33 games.
Siders played in 12 contests in 2023 and most recently eight, battling injury both seasons.
“I had a concussion, and in 2023, I had a hamstring that I just could not kick,” Siders said. “Almost every game, it would re-pop and we just didn’t really have the depth, so I just had to fight through it in ’23.”
Though he is entirely new this part of the country and WVU this year, Siders has plenty of familiarity with a teammate who’s also a newcomer to the Mountaineer program. Linebacker Chase Wilson, a Colorado State transfer, is a past teammate of Siders’ from their time together at Ralston Valley High School.
Both were productive in the Mountain West Conference before opting to finish their college careers in Morgantown.
“I was committed to [Arizona] for a little bit and he was here, so I couldn’t believe it,” Siders said. “I really wanted to come here, but there’s kind of almost like a dead period where I wasn’t hearing much from West Virginia. Mid-visit for him, I started hearing more from West Virginia, which I was very happy about.”
Siders’ role with the Mountaineers remains uncertain, but the 6-foot-2, 238-pound redshirt senior is hopeful he can be a fit playing for bandits coach Jeff Casteel in coordinator Zac Alley’s scheme.
A past defensive coordinator at WVU (2003-11), Arizona (2012-16) and Nevada (2017-20) before returning to the Mountaineers, Casteel remained on staff with a different role after Rich Rodriguez was named head coach.
“He’s what you want. Old school is the way to be sometimes. I love it,” Siders said. “He has it where he puts his arm around you and there’s times he’s screaming and there’s spit going everywhere. It’s the best of both worlds for sure.”
Casteel desires more production from bandits than what the Mountaineers have gotten in recent seasons and believes it’s imperative the position do two things above all else
“Their job is to set the edge and hit the quarterback by and large,” Casteel said. “We’ve talked to our guys about needing to be more productive than what we’ve been the last three or four years in terms of affecting the quarterback. It’d be nice if the guys all get 10 sacks apiece, but it’s just affecting the quarterback. If we can affect the quarterback and turn the ball in when we’re supposed to turn the ball in, that’s what our guys have to do.”
Siders simplified his role even more.
“Jeff’s been amazing. He wants us to get off the rock and run to the ball,” he said. “That’s what it comes down to.”
Siders arrived in Morgantown in time to be a participant in spring football, which along with experience and production from his past, can only be beneficial.
“Braden’s done a good job really since he’s got here,” Casteel said. “He’s a tough, strong, really physical player.”