Jahmile Addae is NOT the Problem at West Virginia

Morgantown, West Virginia – When former West Virginia star defensive back Tykee Smith left West Virginia and entered the transfer portal, many thought that Smith went to Georgia to follow former West Virginia co-defensive coordinator Jahmile Addae.

When Smith left, West Virginia’s head coach, Neal Brown, said the following: “We’ve had guys that have left here that have been tampered with, and I know it but I can’t prove it.”

Brown seemed to play implying that Addae, a four year starter at West Virginia at defensive back, a two-time captain of the Mountaineers and two-time All Big East selection, was guilty of tampering.

To be clear, Jahmile Addae is not the problem with West Virginia. He’s an outstanding former player, a terrific former West Virginia assistant and he’s doing his job in Miami quite well.

The notion of tampering or poaching players is utterly ridiculous.

Tykee Smith followed Addae to Georgia last season. Georgia is one of the finest programs in the country and Smith and Addae had a great relationship from their time together at West Virginia.

Remember, Tykee Smith didn’t play in the Liberty Bowl in 2020 against Army because he was already ready to enter the transfer portal before Addae had even left for Georgia.

Consider Tykee Smith’s position. He no longer wanted to be a part of the West Virginia football program. His position coach who he had a great relationship with left the team for a job at one of the finest football programs in the country. Smith made the obvious, reasonable decision to go play for Georgia.

Another player that West Virginia fans have falsely accused Addae of poaching from West Virginia is cornerback Daryl Porter, Jr. Porter recently transferred to Miami, but again, he had a previous relationship with Addae and Porter is from Fort Lauderdale in the Miami area. In other words, he was going home.

Obviously it didn’t hurt that Addae is an assistant for the Hurricanes, but to claim that Addae “poached” or “tampered” without knowing all of the facts is reckless and unfair, particularly when it involves someone who has done so much for the state of West Virginia.

Ahkeem Mesidor is the third and final player who followed Addae to his new stop. Again, he is familiar with Addae and wanted to play for him again. There’s nothing illegal or unjust about that.

Did West Virginia fans cry and whine when five star quarterback JT Daniels followed his former offensive coordinator Graham Harrell to play for the Mountaineers?

Of course not! 

Jahmile Addae is a true Mountaineer. A former player, a West Virginia graduate, a coach who led the Mountaineers to one of the best defenses in the nation, and it’s extremely disappointing and sad that so many people in the state have been misled.

He’s owed an apology from a lot of people in the state of West Virginia.