West Virginia’s season-opening win over Coastal Carolina exposed one weakness that was almost impossible to ignore. The Mountaineers allowed quarterback Deuce Bailey to throw for 373 yards and three touchdowns despite holding the Chanticleers to only 52 rushing yards, creating an obvious concern in a secondary that already entered 2026 with questions.
Two days later, Rich Rodriguez added an intriguing potential answer.
CBS Sports college football insider Chris Hummer reported Sunday that West Virginia landed a transfer commitment from former Georgia safety JaCorey Thomas. Thomas spent four seasons with the Bulldogs, started eight games during the 2025 season and recorded 45 tackles before participating in Carolina Panthers rookie minicamp this offseason.
The timing is difficult to ignore.
There is no public indication West Virginia pursued Thomas specifically because of what happened against Coastal Carolina. Still, the profile of the player Rodriguez is adding directly addresses the position group that produced the biggest concern from Week 1.
Rich Rodriguez Adds Experience After WVU’s Passing Problems
As Heavy previously detailed, Coastal Carolina became almost entirely dependent on its passing game against West Virginia. The Chanticleers managed only 52 yards on 27 rushing attempts, yet Bailey still completed 21 of 37 passes for 373 yards as Coastal turned a 24-0 halftime deficit into a one-score game.
That should make Thomas particularly interesting for Mountaineers fans.
West Virginia did not simply need another body in the secondary. It needed experience, and Thomas brings the type of résumé that is difficult to find once the season has already started.
Thomas played in all 14 games for Georgia last season and made eight starts, finishing with 45 tackles, including 26 solo stops. He also recorded his first career tackle for loss and sack against Alabama in the SEC championship game.
That experience becomes even more valuable considering West Virginia’s secondary problems did not begin Saturday. WVU’s own preseason assessment noted that the Mountaineers allowed 251.2 passing yards per game in 2025, the worst mark in the Big 12 and 128th among 136 FBS teams.
Rodriguez and defensive coordinator Zac Alley already spent the offseason trying to correct that weakness. Bailey’s performance showed the work was nowhere near finished, and Thomas now gives Alley another veteran option who has played meaningful snaps against SEC competition.
If Thomas can absorb the system quickly enough to get on the field, his arrival could become much more than a depth addition.
JaCorey Thomas Brings Unusual Late-Season Experience to WVU
Thomas’ path to Morgantown is also unusual.
After exhausting his original college eligibility, Thomas went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and received an invitation to Carolina Panthers rookie minicamp. He did not sign an NFL contract, however, and later received a temporary restraining order allowing him an opportunity to pursue a fifth college season.
That distinction matters considering the recent debate over players attempting to return to college after participating professionally. Thomas attended an NFL rookie camp, but he never signed onto an NFL roster, making his situation different from players who actually entered into professional contracts.
For West Virginia, the more relevant question is how quickly he can contribute.
Thomas spent four years inside Georgia’s program, appeared in 47 career games and played on a national championship team as a freshman in 2022. He also happens to be a cousin of NFL veterans Khalil Mack and Ledarius Mack, according to Georgia’s official biography.
None of that guarantees Thomas immediately fixes West Virginia’s secondary. He still has to learn Alley’s terminology, understand his responsibilities and prove he can translate his SEC experience into a new defense after joining the program once the season has already begun.
But the philosophy behind the move fits Rodriguez perfectly.
If something is broken, fix it quickly. Rodriguez has already shown an aggressive willingness to reshape West Virginia’s roster rather than wait patiently for problems to correct themselves, and adding Thomas two days after allowing 373 passing yards certainly fits that mindset.
West Virginia did not need another name on the depth chart. The Mountaineers needed someone with experience who might be capable of helping a vulnerable secondary stabilize before stronger opponents begin arriving.
Thomas now gets the opportunity to become exactly that.
Rich Rodriguez Adds Former Georgia Starter to West Virginia With Khalil Mack Connection