Mountaineers Announce Defensive Addition
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – (January 9, 2024) - West Virginia University football coach Neal Brown has announced that Ty French, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior outside linebacker from Moutrie, Georgia, has signed a grant-in-aid and will transfer to WVU from Gardner-Webb. He will have two years to complete his one year of eligibility remaining.
Ty French, OLB, Sr., 6-3, 230, Moultrie, Ga./Colquitt County HS/Garner-Webb
2023 (Jr.)
Played for coach Tre Lamb at Gardner-Webb
Four-time All-Big South Conference First-Team honoree
Finished with the school record in career sacks (34 1/2) and career tackles for loss (61)
Played in 41 career games, had 239 tackles, including 125 solo stops
Registered 68 tackles, including 9 1/2 sacks and 22 1/2 tackles for loss
His 22 1/2 tackles-for-loss tied for the eighth-most in a single season and were No. 10 nationally
Also had five pass breakups and forced three fumbles this season, the seventh most in the FCS
Buck Buchanan Award Finalist
Helped lead Gardner-Webb to a 7-5 record, the Big South Conference Championship and the first round of the FCS playoffs
2022 (So.)
Finalist for the Stats Perform FCS Buck Buchanan National Defensive Player of the Year Award, Ted Hendricks Award and the first Runnin’ Bulldog to be voted Big South Defensive Player of the Year since 2008
Played in 14 games registering 12 1/2 sacks, including finishing the regular-season as the Big South leader in sacks (11 1/2), which set the league single-season record
Tallied 75 total tackles, 16 tackles-for-loss, one interception and one forced fumble
Ranked No. 9 nationally in sacks per game (0.88) and No. 44 in TFL per contest (1.2)
Collected 4 1/2 sacks in three games vs. FBS opponents and held a streak of three-straight games with two sacks
During the five-game Big South season, he was No. 1 in sacks (5 1/2), No. 6 with 6 1/2 TFL and amassed 23 tackles
Posted a tackle for loss in 10 of 13 appearances, as well as a sack in nine games
2021 (Fr.)
Named All-Big South Conference First Team at defensive end for the second season in a row
Earned 2021 Hero Sports Sophomore All-America Team accolades
Finished with 61 tackles, including 8 1/2 sacks and 14 1/2 tackles for loss
Added 14 quarterback hurries to lead the Big South for the second season in a row
Recovered two fumbles, including one for a touchdown and forced two fumbles, both on sacks
Recorded seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss in the final four games
Named FCS National Defensive Player of the Week vs. Robert Morris, finishing with nine stops, including six solo, three sacks, five tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and four quarterback hurries
Recovered one of those fumbles for a touchdown
Had seven solo stops and two sacks at Hampton
Had at least one sack in four consecutive games to end the season
Made nine tackles vs. Georgia Southern and North Carolina A&T
Had five stops and three hurries vs. Campbell
Spring 2021 (COVID)
Started all four games and was named 2021 Big South Defensive Freshman of the Year
Earned Freshman All-America First-Team selection by Hero Sports
Led team with 35 total tackles, which also ranked third in the Big South Conference
Led the Big South with four sacks, eight tackles for loss, both ranking No. 9 nationally
Led the nation with 10 quarterback pressures in four games
Also broke up a pass, blocked a kick, forced one fumble and recovered one fumble
Named FCS National Freshman of the Week after posting 12 hits and four tackles for loss in a win over No. 24 Elon
Had five quarterback pressures to go with 1 1/2 sacks vs. Presbyterian
High School
Played for coach Justin Rogers at Colquitt County High
Earned Class 7A All-State First-team honors from RecruitGeorgia.com
Named Class 7A All-State Honorable Mention selection by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Two-time All-Region 1-AAAAAAA selection
Posted 116 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss and three quarterback sacks and broke up five passes, helping Colquitt County to a 9-3 record as a senior
Finished junior season with 45 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks and 16 quarterback pressures
Helped Colquitt County to a 14-1 record and state runner-up finish and No. 14 nationally as a junior
Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com
Personal
Son of Tenita French
One of three children (1 brother, 1 sister)
Majoring in integrated studies
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – (January 9, 2024) - West Virginia University football coach Neal Brown has announced that Ty French, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior outside linebacker from Moutrie, Georgia, has signed a grant-in-aid and will transfer to WVU from Gardner-Webb. He will have two years to complete his one year of eligibility remaining.
Ty French, OLB, Sr., 6-3, 230, Moultrie, Ga./Colquitt County HS/Garner-Webb
2023 (Jr.)
Played for coach Tre Lamb at Gardner-Webb
Four-time All-Big South Conference First-Team honoree
Finished with the school record in career sacks (34 1/2) and career tackles for loss (61)
Played in 41 career games, had 239 tackles, including 125 solo stops
Registered 68 tackles, including 9 1/2 sacks and 22 1/2 tackles for loss
His 22 1/2 tackles-for-loss tied for the eighth-most in a single season and were No. 10 nationally
Also had five pass breakups and forced three fumbles this season, the seventh most in the FCS
Buck Buchanan Award Finalist
Helped lead Gardner-Webb to a 7-5 record, the Big South Conference Championship and the first round of the FCS playoffs
2022 (So.)
Finalist for the Stats Perform FCS Buck Buchanan National Defensive Player of the Year Award, Ted Hendricks Award and the first Runnin’ Bulldog to be voted Big South Defensive Player of the Year since 2008
Played in 14 games registering 12 1/2 sacks, including finishing the regular-season as the Big South leader in sacks (11 1/2), which set the league single-season record
Tallied 75 total tackles, 16 tackles-for-loss, one interception and one forced fumble
Ranked No. 9 nationally in sacks per game (0.88) and No. 44 in TFL per contest (1.2)
Collected 4 1/2 sacks in three games vs. FBS opponents and held a streak of three-straight games with two sacks
During the five-game Big South season, he was No. 1 in sacks (5 1/2), No. 6 with 6 1/2 TFL and amassed 23 tackles
Posted a tackle for loss in 10 of 13 appearances, as well as a sack in nine games
2021 (Fr.)
Named All-Big South Conference First Team at defensive end for the second season in a row
Earned 2021 Hero Sports Sophomore All-America Team accolades
Finished with 61 tackles, including 8 1/2 sacks and 14 1/2 tackles for loss
Added 14 quarterback hurries to lead the Big South for the second season in a row
Recovered two fumbles, including one for a touchdown and forced two fumbles, both on sacks
Recorded seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss in the final four games
Named FCS National Defensive Player of the Week vs. Robert Morris, finishing with nine stops, including six solo, three sacks, five tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and four quarterback hurries
Recovered one of those fumbles for a touchdown
Had seven solo stops and two sacks at Hampton
Had at least one sack in four consecutive games to end the season
Made nine tackles vs. Georgia Southern and North Carolina A&T
Had five stops and three hurries vs. Campbell
Spring 2021 (COVID)
Started all four games and was named 2021 Big South Defensive Freshman of the Year
Earned Freshman All-America First-Team selection by Hero Sports
Led team with 35 total tackles, which also ranked third in the Big South Conference
Led the Big South with four sacks, eight tackles for loss, both ranking No. 9 nationally
Led the nation with 10 quarterback pressures in four games
Also broke up a pass, blocked a kick, forced one fumble and recovered one fumble
Named FCS National Freshman of the Week after posting 12 hits and four tackles for loss in a win over No. 24 Elon
Had five quarterback pressures to go with 1 1/2 sacks vs. Presbyterian
High School
Played for coach Justin Rogers at Colquitt County High
Earned Class 7A All-State First-team honors from RecruitGeorgia.com
Named Class 7A All-State Honorable Mention selection by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Two-time All-Region 1-AAAAAAA selection
Posted 116 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss and three quarterback sacks and broke up five passes, helping Colquitt County to a 9-3 record as a senior
Finished junior season with 45 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks and 16 quarterback pressures
Helped Colquitt County to a 14-1 record and state runner-up finish and No. 14 nationally as a junior
Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com
Personal
Son of Tenita French
One of three children (1 brother, 1 sister)
Majoring in integrated studies
