Monday was a day of change when it came to West Virginia’s roster.
In January, it was reported that Brenon Thrift would be transferring from Penn State. Four months later, his name is now listed on WVU’s official online roster, although the football program has yet to publicly address the 6-3, 290-pound defensive tackle’s addition.
Thrift, who took a redshirt his first season at Penn State, actually began his collegiate career at Temple in 2014 before spending the 2015 season at a junior college. He didn’t play at all for the Nittany Lions in 2016, and will not play for the Mountaineers in 2017 because of NCAA transfer rules.
The 2018 season will be the lineman’s final season of eligibility.
Another name added to WVU’s roster is William Crest. That’s noteworthy because, back in January, he decided to transfer from WVU. No reason was given for the about-face.
A redshirt junior, Crest is listed as a wide receiver but has also seen time at quarterback and running back. During his time at WVU, Crest has caught four passes for 29 yards; ran 29 times for 144 yards and a pair of touchdowns; and completed 14 of his 29 pass attempts for 131 yards and an interception. His only stats last year were four carries for 10 yards, with a long run of nine.
And finally, Mike Casazza of the Charleston Gazette-Mail reported that offensive lineman Dontae Angus and Steven Smother are no longer with the team. Neither of those players appeared in any games for the Mountaineers.