West Virginia suffered a concerning injury during Saturday’s game against Coastal Carolina, as defensive lineman Darius Wiley was carted off the field.
Wiley went down during the Mountaineers’ season opener and required the cart to leave the field. The extent of the injury was not immediately known. The injury took place on a play where WVU had forced a fumble vs. Coastal Carolina.
The injury is particularly concerning for West Virginia considering Wiley entered the 2026 season as one of the more intriguing additions to the Mountaineers’ defensive front.
The 6-foot-6, 268-pound redshirt sophomore arrived in Morgantown after a standout season at Hutchinson Community College. Wiley earned First-Team NJCAA Division I All-American honors in 2025 and was named the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Wiley was a dominant presence for Hutchinson, leading the nation with 20 tackles for loss while adding nine sacks and 57 total tackles. He helped the Blue Dragons finish 11-1 and reach the NJCAA national championship game while playing for one of the country’s top junior college defenses.
West Virginia brought Wiley in as part of Rich Rodriguez’s efforts to bolster the Mountaineers’ defense heading into his second season back in Morgantown.
Now, the immediate concern is Wiley’s health.
There was no official diagnosis available immediately following the injury. West Virginia will likely provide additional information on Wiley’s status following Saturday’s game against Coastal Carolina.
Heartland College Sports will provide an update when more information becomes available.
