(Photo Credit: Frank Jansky Photo)
Key Players Returning:
QB Jarret Doege, RB Leddie Brown, WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR Sam James, WR Winston Wright, OG James Gmiter, OT Parker Moorer, DE Dante Stills, NT Akheem Mesidor, LB Josh Chandler-Semedo, LB Exree Low, CB Nicktroy Fortune, FS Alonzo Addae, SS Sean Mahone, KR Winston Wright, and, and PT Tyler Sumpter.
Key Players Departing:
WR T.J. Simmons, OC Chase Behrndt, OG Mike Brown, OT Junior Uzebu, DE Jeffery Pooler, DT Darius Stills, LB Tony Fields, LB Dylan Tonkery, CB Dreshun Miller, and CB Tykee Smith.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OT Wyatt Milum (Huntington, West Virginia), WR Kaden Prather (Germantown, Maryland), OT Doug Nester (Virginia Tech transfer), and RB Jaylen Anderson (Massillon, Ohio).
3 Star Recruits: RB Justin Johnson (Edwardsville, Illinois), WR Andrew Wilson-Lamp (Massillon, Ohio), LB Lance Dixon (Penn State transfer), QB Will Crowder (Gardendale, Alabama), LB Ja’Corey Hammett (Miami, Florida), and S Aubrey Burks (Auburndale, Florida).
2020 Results:
G01 EASTERN KENTUCKY W 56-10
G02 at #15 Oklahoma State L 13-27
G03 BAYLOR W | 2OT 27-21
G04 KANSAS W 38-17
G05 at Texas Tech L 27-34
G06 #16 KANSAS STATE W 37-10
G07 at #22 Texas L 13-17
G08 TCU W 24-6
G09 at #9 Iowa State L 6-42
BOWL vs. Army W 24-21
Team Info:
2020 Overall: 6-4 (6th in Big XII)
Home: 5-0
Away: 0-4
Neutral: 1-0
B12: 4-4
Non-B12: 2-0
Head Coach: Neal Brown
West Virginia: 11-11
Career: 46-27
Bowls: 4-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Jarret Doege (239-374, 2587 yards, 63.9%, 6.9 avg., 14 TD, 4 INT)
Rushing: Leddie Brown (199 car., 1010 yards, 5.1 avg., 9 TD)
Receiving: Winston Wright (47 rec., 553 yards, 11.8 avg., 2 TD)
TD’s Scored: Leddie Brown (11)
Sacks: Akheem Mesidor (5)
Tackles: Alonzo Addae (66)
Tackles For Loss: Dante Stills (9.5)
Interceptions: Alonzo Addae (2)
Pass Deflections: Alonzo Addae (5)
Forced Fumbles: 6 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Winston Wright (20 ret., 425 yards, 21.3 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Graeson Malashevich (1 ret.,5 yard, 5.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Evan Staley (6-9 fg/fga., 67%, 19-19 xp/xpa., 37 pts.)
Punting: Tyler Sumpter (37 punts, 1499 yards, 40.5 avg., 16 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 2 Jarret Doege (RS SR/TR)
RB: 4 Leddie Brown (SR)
WR: 00 Bryce Ford-Wheaton (RS JR)
WR: 10 Sean Ryan (SR/TR)
WR: 1 Winston Wright (JR)
WR: 13 Sam James (RS JR)
LT: 50 Brandon Yates (RS SO)
LG: 74 James Gmiter (RS JR)
OC: 54 Zach Frazier (SO)
RG: 72 Doug Nester (JR/TR)
RT: 52 Parker Moorer (RS SO)
KR: 1 Winston Wright (JR)
PK: 30 Evan Staley (RS SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 12 Tajih Alston (RS SR/TR)
NT: 90 Akheem Mesidor (SO)
DE: 55 Dante Stills (SR)
LB: 8 VanDarius Cowan (RS SR/TR)
LB: 7 Josh Chander-Semedo (SR)
LB: 6 Exree Loe (RS SR)
NB: 19 Scottie Young (GR/TR)
CB: 11 Nicktroy Fortune (JR)
CB: 3 Jackie Matthews (RS SR/TR)
FS: 4 Alonzo Addae (RS SR/TR)
CS: 29 Sean Mahone (RS SR)
PR: 89 Graeson Malashevich (RS SO)
PT: 35 Tyler Stumpter (GR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/04 at Maryland Terrapins | West Virginia leads the series 28-22-2. The Mountaineers are 4-1 since 2011, and they won (45-6) the last meeting between schools in 2015.
09/11 LONG ISLAND SHARKS | First meeting between schools.
09/18 VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES | West Virginia leads the series 28-23-1. The Mountaineers lost (24-31) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
09/25 at Oklahoma Sooners | West Virginia trails the series 2-10. The Mountaineers are 0-8 since renewing the series in 2012, and they lost (14-52) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/02 TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS | West Virginia leads the series 6-4. The Mountaineers are 5-4 since renewing the series in 2012, and their last series win (42-34) was in 2018.
10/09 at Baylor Bears | West Virginia leads the series 6-3. The Mountaineers won (27-21 OT) last season’s meeting between teams, and their last series loss (14-17) was in 2019.
10/23 at TCU Horned Frogs | West Virginia leads the series 6-4. The Mountaineers are 5-4 since renewing the series in 2012, and their last series loss (24-31) was in 2017.
10/30 IOWA STATE CYCLONES | West Virginia leads the series 5-4. The Mountaineers lost (6-42) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (20-16) was in 2017.
11/06 OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS | West Virginia trails the series 4-8. The Mountaineers are 2-7 since renewing the series in 2012, and their last series win (34-10) was in 2014.
11/13 at Kansas State Wildcats | West Virginia leads the series 6-5. The Mountaineers are 5-4 since renewing the series in 2012, and their last series loss (23-24) was in 2015.
11/20 TEXAS LONGHORNS | The series is tied 5-5. The Mountaineers are 4-5 since renewing the series in 2012, and their last series win (42-41) was in 2018.
11/27 at Kansas Jayhawks | West Virginia leads the series 9-1. The Mountaineers are 8-1 since renewing the series in 2012, and their last series win (19-31) was in 2013.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 4-5
Non-B12: 3-0
Overall: 7-5 (5th in Big XII)
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