WVU football true freshman Matt Sieg still learning halfway through 1st season
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MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia football's offense just scored to start the fourth quarter, making it a touchdown game. Arizona moved the ball past midfield, and it was time to test the Mountaineers' defensive discipline.
True freshman Matt Sieg stood in the secondary. Quarterback Noah Fifita snapped the ball, he handed it off on a sweep, which was handed off again and pitched back to Fifita. The movement and trickery messed with the defense and Sieg, who was chasing his man running down the sideline. Fifita hit Brandon Phelps for a 42-yard touchdown.
Sieg is still learning.
"He's been solid, but he's a true freshman," Rich Rodriguez said. "There were a couple times we put him in a spot that was really, really difficult that we probably shouldn’t put him in."
Sieg was a 4-star out of high school and was highly recruited because of his ability to play both ways. Sieg was the first player in WPIAL history to register 5,000 yards rushing and 3,000 yards passing for his career. On defense in 2025, Sieg had 45 tackles, four interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.
Rodriguez said to start, he'll just be focusing on playing defense and in the secondary. Offense will come down the road.
Right now, Sieg is a ball carrier when he rotates in as WVU's punt and kickoff returner. Through six games, Sieg has returned six kicks for an average of 21 yards per kickoff and 11.2 yards per punt. He hasn't really been tested on special teams.
On defense, like against Arizona, Sieg has felt the effects of jumping from high school right to college, playing in the Power Four. Defensive coordinator Zac Alley and Rodriguez have a lot of trust in him, and he's made two starts this season. Sieg is adjusting to college football in real time, getting experience instantly.
"For a true freshman playing in the secondary, there’s a lot going on there,” Rodriguez said. “I think Matt’s done pretty well. He’s going to have a great career, really. Football’s important to him. He’s a really good athlete."
Sieg is part of Alley's plan to soft reset the defense. The Mountaineers had three straight bad defensive performances, allowing over 400 yards and 40-plus points in that span. Alley said safety is a position where personnel could shift because they still don't know who "they can win with."
Sieg is an option.
"Matt’s obviously got a lot of talent," Alley said. "Trying to put some more range, speed, things in different positions, trying to give us a chance. I think he’s a guy that can help us in a lot of ways."
In six games, Sieg has 20 tackles, 14 solo stops, a tackle for loss and recovered a fumble in Week 1 against Coastal Carolina. Sieg has made an impact defensively amidst the poor performance from the team as a whole.
The Mountaineers coaching staff needs to continue to put him in a place to succeed.
"There are different things that we can do to help Matt have success too," Rodriguez said. "But I’ve been proud the way he’s played as a true freshman."
Sieg is on pace to play in all 12 games this season. There are no more redshirts, so Sieg will have four more years to gain even more experience. If the Fort Cherry, Pennsylvania, native stays in Morgantown, there's no question he'll be one of the best players on the team in a couple of years.
Maybe even playing offense.
"He’s still learning, still growing in the position, but overall, I think he’s got a lot of potential," Alley said. "We’re trying to help raise him up and continue to get him ready to play every week to be the best he can be, because he’s got some special traits that not everybody has."