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MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia football coach Dana Holgorsen took time away from preparing the Camping World Bowl to announce the Mountaineers' newest crop of recruits Wednesday at the Puskar Center.
"I heard something about (Wednesday) being Signing Day," Holgorsen said with a laugh. "Looks like we got some good recruits. We had two here already."
The latest group of athletes to call Morgantown home for the next several years included a trio of junior college transfers, a transfer from the University of Alabama and 14 high school players looking to prove that they have what it, takes to play football at the Division I level and in the Big 12 Conference.
Palm Beach, Fla., native VanDarius Cowen joins former Tide teammate T.J. Simmons on the Mountaineers' roster for the upcoming season.
Cowen, a 6-foot-4, 233-pound linebacker, transferred to West Virginia in August after playing as a freshman for Nick Saban in 2017. He saw action in seven games as an outside linebacker -- earning his first career action against Tennessee.
The third team Florida Class 8A all-state selection totaled two career tackles and one quarterback hurry in his time at Alabama and joins a linebacking corps that appears to be solid -- especially if junior All-American David Long Jr. elects to return to Morgantown for his senior season.
From the junior college ranks, Holgorsen and his staff acquired the services of wide receiver Isaiah Esdale (Eastern Arizona CC), defensive back Dreshun Miller (Eastern Arizona CC) and defensive lineman Taijh Alston (Copiah-Lincoln CC).
Miller looks to be the biggest prize among the three. Named to the All-WSFL all-league and all-region teams while at EACC, Miller was supposed to be an LSU signee until the Kennesaw, Ga., native elected to bring his talents to Morgantown. He registered 44 tackles, including three TFLs, 12 pass breakups and a fumble recovery and an interception for Coach John O'Meara's team.
Playing on that same team was Esdale, a 6-1, 203-pound wideout. He finished with 10 catches for 319 yards and three touchdowns as the Monsters finished with an 8-4 mark.
Rounding out this year's junior college additions is the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Alston. He earned All-Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) first team honors after recording 78 tackles, including seven sacks, 15 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries as Copiah-Lincoln finished 6-4.
The class is divided almost equally with the offense receiving eight new recruits, the defense nine and special teams will get the services of Altoona, Pa., native Kolton McGhee, who is expected to come in and challenge for the starting punting job with the graduation of Billy Kenney.
"We have four coming in at the mid-term," Holgorsen said. "Dreshun (Miller) is a big gift for us. Overall, I'm just very excited about the class."
That class, however, still has room for growth and could add as many as seven more members to it with two days remaining in the early signing period and then the tradition National Letter of Intent Signing Day still slated for the first Wednesday in February.
"We'll be back on the road in January," Holgorsen said. "We are always looking for the best player we can find. Quarterback is out there. We've got two on scholarships. Obviously, we'd like to bring in someone before the summer."
The class is made up of two defensive linemen, three offensive linemen, two linebackers, four wide receivers, three cornerbacks, one running back, two safeties and one kicker/punter.
In bowl news:
∫ Senior wide receiver Gary Jennings Jr. will not play in the Mountaineers' contest against Syracuse in the Camping World Bowl, electing to rest a high ankle sprain he suffered with six weeks remaining in the regular season.
"I might as well let you guys know that Gary has decided not to play," Holgorsen said. "I respect his decision. He played the last six games of the season with a high ankle sprain. I'm surprised he was even able to play.
"He has decided it is in his best interests to rest and prepare to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl game."