2023-09-28 16:16:28
After missing the first two games due to injury, West Virginia welcomed safety Marcis Floyd back onto the field.
Just this past weekend, the Mountaineers saw Floyd make a huge impression, finishing the game with one sack, three quarterback hurries, three tackles, one sack, and three pass breakups.
“Marcis is an aggressive player,” said WVU defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley.
“He thrives closer to the ball and whether that’s by alignment or what you’re asking him to do coverage wise. That’s really where the thought of playing him in that position comes from, quite honestly I had no idea that he was as good a blitzer as he was Saturday. We get to the third quarterback hit following the sack and I’m like man watching him he has a natural knack.”
For Floyd, this is just his second year with the Mountaineers, having been at Murray State from 2018-2021. For Lesley, this is the year he expected Floyd to find his footing as he continues to get more comfortable in the system and understand things at a higher level.
“You know last year was okay and has a pretty decent spring and early in the fall was a guy that things weren’t really going the way that he wanted them to go at his position and its his perseverance and what he’s able to fight through and now that he’s able to contribute at all three positions. Again I go back to transfers and no matter what level they come from, it still takes time at different places and you know, in their second year is when they really get comfortable so I think you’re starting to see that a little bit with Marcus.”
In the eyes of head coach Neal Brown, Floyd earned himself defensive player of the week for the Mountaineers.
“Defensive player of the week, which I thought this guy played huge,” said Neal Brown. “He played 60 snaps, played 16 a week ago, we played him at three different positions, he had three tackles, a sack, three quarterback hurries, and three [pass breakups]. Marcis Floyd, I thought he played really well. Made a couple huge plays on that last series there that Texas Tech had.”
Brown also spoke highly of Floyd’s ability to be versatile on defense which allows them to do different things scheme wise than they would with him off the field.
“He gives us the ability to play man and zone there in some passing situations,” Brown said.
Photo by Dale Sparks, All Sports Photography, WVU Athletics
1695918480
#Marcis #Floyd #big #ingredient #West #Virginia #turning #pressure #defense
