MORGANTOWN (WVDN)- West Virginia enters the 2026 season with plenty of new faces at linebacker, but the Mountaineers also have a group of experienced players who could make the position one of the more intriguing areas on the defensive side of the ball.
The projected starting combination has Tyler Stolsky at MIKE and Cam Torbor at WILL, according to recent preseason projections. Stolsky, a transfer from Florida Atlantic, brings significant experience to the middle of the defense after starting all 12 games for the Owls in 2025. He finished second on the team with 90 tackles, including 42 solo stops, two tackles for loss and one sack. Stolsky also had five games with at least 12 tackles.
Torbor is the sleeper pick by the staff and several close to the program as the breakout star. The 6-foot-4 inch, 239-pound redshirt freshman possess the athleticism to chase ball carriers from sideline to sideline, and it also allows him to be adequate in pass coverage. While it may take a game or two to get accustomed to the bright lights, Torbor could be a household name by the time WVU takes on Virginia in Charlotte on September 19.
Behind the projected starters, Malachi Hood, Ben Cutter, Ashton Woods, Isaiah Patterson, and Jason Hall will be on the field as well and give defensive coordinator Zac Alley several options.
Hood arrives from Illinois after playing in 13 games with eight starts last season. He recorded 44 tackles, including 28 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack, while also forcing a fumble and recovering another. His experience in a Power Four defense gives WVU another veteran presence at the position. He had a nice game against Ohio State last season.
Cutter should see significant playing time after his productive 2025 season where he had 38 tackles and 3.5 TFLs. A true Mountaineer, Cutter said this offseason he has never once thought about transferring or leaving WVU ever. Patterson is another player to watch after an encouraging offseason, while Woods brings experience in WVU’s system after appearing in six games last season before a season-ending shoulder injury. Woods recorded 10 tackles in limited action and is a transfer from North Carolina where he was a 4-star recruit out of high school. His return could be particularly important. The 6-foot-3, 228-pound junior has the versatility to play multiple linebacker spots and was expected to have a larger role before his injury.
Overall, the linebacker position is one of the bigger question marks for the Mountaineers entering 2026, but it also has plenty of potential. WVU has added experienced players through the transfer portal while retaining several young players with upside. If Stolsky and Torbor can provide stability at the top of the depth chart and players such as Cutter, Hood, and Woods develop into reliable contributors, the Mountaineers could have considerably more depth and athleticism at linebacker as the season progresses.
The position may take some time to settle, but there are enough experienced pieces and promising young players to make it a group worth watching throughout the season.
