MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia linebacker Josh Chandler-Semedo is leaving WVU football.

A team source confirmed to Gold and Blue Nation on Friday that Chandler-Semedo will enter the transfer portal ahead of the 2022 season.

The player also confirmed his exit via Twitter Friday afternoon, tweeting that he had “officially entered the transfer portal.”

This is an apparent change of plans for the native of Canton, Ohio, who announced in January that he intended to return to WVU for a fifth season.

Chandler-Semedo played four seasons with the Mountaineers, and became a leader on WVU’s defense in his last two years. He topped West Virginia in tackles in 2021 with 110 stops and ended his career with 260 total stops.

This move by the linebacker is the second hit to the Mountaineer defense in recent weeks. Cornerback Darryl Porter Jr. also departed the program on Feb. 16.