West Virginia Football: 5 players who earned Blitz Stickers vs. Kansas State
By Phil Poling
Often glossed over when looking at West Virginia’s defense, linebacker Dylan Tonkery is starting to look more comfortable on the field — and his impact is evident in the boxscore.
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The Bridgeport, West Virginia-native tallied five tackles against the Wildcats, 2.5 of which were tackles-for-loss. This means a couple things are happening. First, the defensive lineman are either absorbing blocks or getting penetration. And second, Tonkery is filling gaps well and making plays in the backfield.
His brother, Wes, played linebacker for West Virginia from 2011-14, but didn’t get the early opportunity Dylan has been awarded as a sophomore. Don’t think the position was simply handed to him, though — he’s earned it. And performances like Saturday only reinforce the decision.
Tony Gibson will continue to count on Tonkery as the season moves forward, but reinforcements should be on the way at some point in Brendan Ferns and Quondarius Qualls. Both are rehabbing injuries and will be immediately available upon being medically cleared.