(Photo Credit: WVU Athletics)
Key Players Returning:
RB CJ Donaldson, OC Zach Frazier, OT Doug Nester, OT Wyatt Milum, DE Jared Bartlett, DE Sean Martin, DT Edward Vesterinen, NT Mike Lockhart, LB Lee Kpogba, CB Marcis Floyd, CB Malachi Ruffin, NB Lance Dixon, NB Hershey McLaurin, FS Aubrey Burks and PT Oliver Straw.
Key Players Departing:
QB JT Daniels, RB Tony Mathis, WR Sam James, WR Davis Mallinger, WR Kaden Prather, WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton, OG James Gmiter, OG Jordan White, DE Jordan Jefferson, DE Dante Stills, LB Lanell Carr, LB Jasir Cox, LB Exree Low, CB Rashad Ajayi and PK Casey Legg.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: WR Devin Carter (NC State transfer), CB Montre Miller (Kent State transfer), WR Rodney Gallagher (Uniontown, Pennsylvania) and WR Traylon Ray (Tallahassee, Florida).
3 Star Recruits: LB Josiah Trotter (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), CB Josiah Jackson (Fairfield, Ohio), LB James Heard (Camden, New Jersey), WR Ja’Shaun Poke (Kent State transfer), DL Davoan Hawkins (LSU Transfer) and DS Keyshawn Cobb (Buffalo transfer).
2022 Results:
G01 @ #17 Pittsburgh L 31-38
G02 KANSAS L | OT 42-55
G03 TOWSON W 65-7
G04 @ Virginia Tech W 33-10
G05 @ Texas L 20-38
G06 BAYLOR W 43-40
G07 @ Texas Tech L 10-48
G08 #7 TCU L 31-41
G09 @ Iowa State L 14-31
G10 OKLAHOMA W 23-20
G11 #15 KANSAS STATE L 31-48
G12 @ Oklahoma State W 24-19
Team Info:
2022 Overall: 5-7 (9th in Big XII)
Home: 3-3
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 3-6
Non-B12: 2-1
Head Coach: Neal Brown
West Virginia: 22-25
Career: 57-41
Bowls: 4-1
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Garrett Greene (43-78, 493 yards, 55.1%, 6.3 avg., 5 TD, 3 INT)
Rushing: Tony Mathis Jr. (135 car., 562 yards 4.2 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Cortez Braham (14 rec., 147 yards, 10.5 avg., 0 TD)
TD’s Scored: CJ Donaldson Jr. (8)
Sacks: Sean Martin (4)
Tackles: Lee Kpogba (92)
Tackles For Loss: Sean Martin (8)
Interceptions: Malachi Ruffin (2)
Pass Deflections: Malachi Ruffin (5)
Forced Fumbles: Aubrey Burks/Marcis Floyd/Sean Martin (1)
Kick Returns: Jeremiah Aaron (12 ret., 218 yards, 18.2 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Preston Fox (7 ret., 51 yards, 7.3 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Oliver Straw (47 punts, 1986 yards, 42.3 avg., 18 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 6 Garrett Greene (JR)
RB: 12 CJ Donaldson Jr. (SO)
WR: 11 Cortez Braham (SR/TR)
WR: 5 Devin Carter (RS SR/TR)
WR: 1 Jeremiah Aaron (JR/TR)
WR: 19 Graeson Malashevich (RS JR)
LT: 74 Wyatt Milum (JR)
LG: 55 Tomas Rimac (RS SO)
OC: 54 Zach Frazier (JR)
RG: 50 Brandon Yates (RS JR)
RT: 72 Doug Nester (SR/TR)
KR: 3 Ja’Shaun Poke (SR/TR)
PK: 39 Danny King (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 91 Sean Martin (JR)
NT: 93 Mike Lockhart (RS JR/TR)
DT: 96 Edward Vesterinen (JR)
DE: 10 Jared Bartlett (RS JR)
LB: 33 Jairo Faverus (RS SO)
LB: 8 Lee Kpogba (SR/TR)
NB: 5 Lance Dixon (RS JR/TR)
CB: 7 Andrew Wilson-Lamp (RS SO)
CB: 14 Malachi Ruffin (RS SR)
FS: 2 Aubrey Burks (JR)
CS: 24 Marcis Floyd (RS SR/TR)
PR: 29 Preston Fox (RS SO)
PT: 41 Oliver Straw (SO)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/02 @ Penn State Nittany Lions | West Virginia trails the series 9-48-2. The Mountaineers lost (26-40) the last meeting between schools in 1992, .
09/09 DUQUESNE DUKES | West Virginia leads the series 4-3-1. The Mountaineers lost (0-19) the last meeting between schools in 1935.
09/16 PITTSBURGH PANTHERS | West Virginia trials the series 40-62-3. The Mountaineers lost (31-38) last season’s meeting between schools and their last series win (21-20) was in 2011.
09/23 TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS | The series is tied 6-6. The Mountaineers are 5-5 since 2013 and their last series win (42-34) was in 2018.
09/30 TCU HORNED FROGS | West Virginia leads the series 7-5. The Mountaineers are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series win (29-17) was in 2021.
10/12 @ Houston Cougars | First meeting between schools.
10/21 OKLAHMA STATE COWBOYS | West Virginia trails the series 5-9. The Mountaineers are 3-7 since 2013 and their last series loss (3-24) was in 2021.
10/28 @ UCF Knights | West Virginia leads the series 2-2. The Mountaineers won (45-20) the last meeting between schools in 2004.
11/04 BYU COUGARS | West Virginia won (35-32) the only prior meeting between schools in 2016.
11/11 @ Oklahoma Sooners | West Virginia trails the series 3-11. The Mountaineers are 1-8 since 2013 and their last series loss (13-16) was in 2021.
11/18 CINCINNATI BEARCATS | West Virginia leads the series 16-3-1. The Mountaineers won (24-21) the last meeting between schools in 2011.
11/25 @ Baylor Bears | West Virginia leads the series 7-4. The Mountaineers are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (20-45) was in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 5-2
Away: 1-4
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 5-4
Non-B12: 1-2
Overall: 6-6 (8th in Big XII)
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