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While the West Virginia Mountaineers got a lot of good news this weekend, between the commitment of 4-star offensive lineman Chris Mayo and 3-star in-state offensive lineman Zach Frazier, they did lose a player they had coveted and thought they secured. Defensive End Aaron Lewis, who committed to the Mountaineers two months ago, went to Twitter to announce he was no longer committed to the Mountaineers and would now join Jim Habaugh in Michigan.
Please respect my decision. I am Happy to say I am now committed to the University of Michigan. #godbless pic.twitter.com/4lwm9jjZQL
— aaron.lewis84 (@aaron_lewis71) June 23, 2019
Neal Brown and staff worked hard on Lewis and knew that this was a possibility as Lewis was recruited by a host of blue-blood schools including the Big 3 in the Big Ten: Michigan Wolverines, Penn State Nittany Lions and Ohio State Buckeyes.
The move hurts the Mountaineers as Lewis projected well as an edge rusher and would have given defensive coordinator Vic Koening a player who could disrupt both the run and the pass off the edge, something the Mountaineers have lacked since the departure of Bruce Irvin. For now, the coaching staff will continue to try and make headway in recruiting grounds but this is a blow to the staff.