West Virginia University Athletics

• Started all 25 games at linebacker for WVU
• Has played in 56 career games, including 22 at Syracuse and 25 at WVU
• Has started all 25 career games for the Mountaineers
• Has seven 10-plus tackle games in his career

2023 (Sr.)

• All-Big 12 Conference Third Team (Phil Steele)
• Led the Mountaineers with 97 tackles, including 47 solo tackles, three sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and eight quarterback hurries
• Led the WVU defense in tackles six times during season
• Big performance in the Duke's Mayo Bowl against UNC included 12 tackles and a TFL
• Finished with four stops at Baylor
• Posted 10 tackles and a sack against Cincinnati
• Assisted four stops at Oklahoma
• Led the defense with eight tackles against BYU; also added 1.5 TFLs against the Cougars
• Tallied eight stops, a sack and a key fumble at the end of the third quarter at UCF
• Added five stops and assisted a TFL against Oklahoma State
• Finished with six tackles at Houston
• WVU Defensive Champion (TCU)
• Paced the defense with 11 tackles, including eight solo stops at TCU; also added his first sack and pass breakup of the season
• Posted seven tackles for the second straight game against Texas Tech
• Tallied seven tackles in the Pitt game, including three solos
• Added a pair of solo tackles against Duquesne
• Led the defense with 13 tackles - including seven solos - in the season opener at Penn State
• Also added 1.5 TFLs at PSU

2022 (Jr.)

• 2022 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
• Started all 12 games in his first season at WVU
• Ranked No. 8 in the Big 12 in total tackles (7.7)
• Had three 10-plus tackle games in 2022
• Led the team with 92 tackles, including 44 solo stops, 3.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, six quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery
• WVU Defensive Champion: Oklahoma State
• Registered 13 tackles for the second consecutive game at Oklahoma State, including 2.0 tackles for loss (1.5 sacks)
• Tallied 13 tackles (seven solos) against Kansas State
• Finished with eight tackles against Oklahoma
• Made four stops at Iowa State
• Led the team with seven tackles against TCU
• Posted nine tackles and assisted on a tackle for loss at Texas Tech
• Registered seven tackles, including six solo stops and a sack against Baylor
• Finished with seven tackles, including his first career sack at Texas
• Led the team with six tackles, including his first career tackle for loss at Virginia Tech
• Tallied a six-tackle effort against Kansas
• Made his Mountaineer debut and started at Pitt
• Led the team with a career-high 10 tackles and a fumble recovery against the Panthers

2021 (So.) - East Mississippi CC

• Played linebacker for coach Buddy Stephens at East Mississippi CC in Scooba, Mississippi
• 2021 NJCAA All-Region 23
• All-Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference First Team
• All-MJCCC North Division First Team
• Helped the Lions finish 9-1 overall and No. 7 ranking in the nation
• EMCC led NJCAA Division I teams in scoring defense (12.8 ppg) and No. 4 in total defense (230.5 yds/gm) as well as having limited seven of 10 opponents to single-digit scoring totals in 2021
• Led the Lions with 84 tackles, including 34 solo tackles, two sacks, 5½ tackles for loss, an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup
• Had 10 or more tackles in three games and seven or more tackles in eight games
• Recorded a season-high 13 tackles and assisted on a tackle for loss against Northwest Mississippi CC
• Had 12 tackles, including two tackles for loss against Northeast Mississippi CC

2020 (COVID) - Syracuse

• Played linebacker for coach Dino Babers at Syracuse
• Appeared in 11 games as a backup linebacker
• Finished with 43 tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack
• Had a career-high eight tackles at Notre Dame
• Made six tackles against Boston College
• Had four tackles and a tackle for loss vs. Wake Forest
• Posted six tackles and his first collegiate sack against Liberty
• Made five tackles against Georgia Tech
• Had three tackles in the season opener against North Carolina

2019 (Fr.) – Syracuse

• Played in 11 games
• Saw time as a member of the kickoff return, kickoff coverage and punt return teams
• Logged his first collegiate tackle against Western Michigan on kickoff coverage
• Made his collegiate debut on special teams against Liberty

High School

• Two-way starter at outside linebacker and running back for coach Martin Samek at Parkland High
• 2018 North Carolina Defensive Player of the Year
• 2018 American Family Insurance All-USA North Carolina First Team honoree
• PrepStar All-Atlantic Region performer
• Selected to play in the 2018 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, an all-star game between the top senior football players from North Carolina and South Carolina
• As a senior captain, he recorded 89 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and four forced fumbles to help Parkland to an 11-2 record and an appearance in the NCHSAA Class 3-AA playoffs
• Also rushed for more than 600 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior for the Mustangs
• As a junior in 2017, he earned Central Piedmont 4-A All-Conference honors and was selected to the North Carolina Preps 3-A All-State team
• Tallied 86 tackles and 21 sacks as a sophomore
• Parkland team MVP
• Four-star rating by Rivals and three-star by 247Sports
• ESPNJC Top 50
• Rated as the No. 2 junior college linebacker recruit nationally and No. 7 prospect in North Carolina by 247Sports
• Native of Ghana, West Africa

Personal

• Son of Samuel and Irene Kpogba
• One of two children (1 sister)
• Graduated with his bachelor’s degree in integrated studies in May 2023
• Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
• Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll