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Fred Perry injury update: West Virginia DB carted off sideline vs. Texas Tech

Barkley-Truaxby: Barkley Truax11/29/25BarkleyTruax

West Virginia leading tackler Fred Perry was carted off the sideline during the first quarter against Texas Tech on Saturday. Perry was helped off the field before the cart came out, but he was unable to walk off on his own power.

He was visibly emotional as the cart took him back to the locker room. Perry will not return to the game.

“He was unable to put any weight on it, spent a few minutes in the medical tent before a cart ultimately came and got him,” ESPN sideline reporter Taylor Davis said. “… Super disappointing. A guy that goes all the way back to Jacksonville State with Rich Rodriguez. They rave about the effort, the want-to of this guy. Disappointing to see it end that way for him here at home.”

Perry finished the game with one tackle, as he wasn’t in the game long before the injury occurred. It’s a big loss for the Mountaineers defense, as he’s the team’s leading tackler heading into the final week of the regular season.

Because he will not return, he’ll finish the season 78 total tackles, including 52 solo and 26 assisted. He has two sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two recoveries.

Earlier this month, Perry was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week during West Virginia’s 45-35 road win over No. 22 Houston. He led the Mountaineer defense with 13 tackles, nine solo, along with two tackles for loss and one sack. The defense as a whole recorded four sacks, two interceptions while forcing three total turnovers during the effort.

Perry came to West Virginia alongside Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez after he spent the last three seasons with Jacksonville State. He was a freshman All-American in 2022 and later an All-Conference USA First-Team safety in 2024. Perry earned Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team (Phil Steele) honors ahead of his first season at the power conference level.

Regardless of the game’s outcome, WVU entered Week 14 with a 4-7 record. That means the Mountaineers can’t make the postseason no matter what.