(QB Garrett Greene – Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Garrett Greene, RB CJ Donaldson Jr., RB Jahiem White, WR Hudson Clement, WR/RS Preston Fox, WR Traylon Ray, TE Kole Taylor, OC Brandon Yates, OG Tomas Rimac, OT Wyatt Milum, DE Sean Martin, DT Edward Vesterinen, NT Fatorma Mulbah, LB Tyrin Bradley Jr., LB Ben Cutter, NB Aubrey Burks, FS Anthony Wilson Jr., PK Michael Hayes II, and PT Oliver Straw.
Key Players Departing:
WR Devin Carter, OC Zach Frazier (Steelers R2), OT Doug Nester, DE Tomiwa Durojaiye (FSU transfer), DE Jalen Thornton, NT Mike Lockhart (SMU transfer), LB Jared Bartlett (Cincinnati transfer), LB Lee Kpogba, CB Beanie Bishop Jr., CB Malachi Ruffin, NB Hershey McLaurin (Houston transfer), and SS Marcis Floyd.
(WR Ric’Darious Farmer – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OT Kyle Altuner (Olney, Mayland), and WR Ric’Darious Farmer (Melbourne, Florida).
3 Star Recruits: DL TJ Jackson (Troy Transfer), OT Lucas Austin (Sterling, Illinois), EDGE Ty French (Fresno State transfer), CB TJ Crandall (Colorado State transfer), CB Ayden Garnes (Duquesne transfer), EDGE Obinna Onwuka (Upper Marlboro, Maryland), DS Jason Cross (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), and RB Traevon Dunbar (Greenville, North Carolina).
2023 Results:
G01 @ #7 Penn State L 15-38
G02 DUQUESNE W 56-17
G03 PITT W 17-6
G04 TEXAS TECH W 20-13
G05 @ TCU W 24-21
G06 @ Houston L 39-41
G07 OKLAHOMA STATE L 34-48
G08 @ UCF W 41-28
G09 BYU W 37-7
G10 @ #17 Oklahoma L 20-59
G11 CINCINNATI W 42-21
G12 @ Baylor W 34-31
BOWL vs. North Carolina W 30-10
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 9-4 (6th in Big XII)
Home: 5-1
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 1-0
B12: 6-3
Non-B12: 3-1
Head Coach: Neal Brown
West Virginia: 31-29
Career: 66-45
Bowls: 5-1
(RB Jahiem White – USA Today Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Garrett Greene (147-277, 2406 yards, 53.1%, 8.7 avg., 16 TD, 4 INT)
Rushing: Jahiem White (109 car., 842 yards, 7.7 avg., 4 TD)
Receiving: Kole Taylor (35 rec., 444 yards, 12.7 avg., 4 TD)
TD’s Scored: Garrett Greene (13)
Sacks: Edward Vesterinen (3)
Tackles: Anthony Wilson (80)
Tackles For Loss: Ben Cutter (6)
Interceptions: Aubrey Burks (2)
Pass Deflections: Marcis Floyd (7)
Forced Fumbles: Aubrey Burks/Trey Lathan (1)
Kick Returns: Preston Fox (8 ret., 172 yards, 21.5 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Preston Fox (18 ret., 145 yards, 8.1 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Michael Hayes (17-21 fg/fga., 81%, 46-46 xp/xpa., 97 pts.)
Punting: Oliver Straw (43 punts, 1851 yards, 43.0 avg., 19 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 6 Garrett Greene (SR)
RB: 22 Jahiem White (SO)
WR: 84 Hudson Clement (RS SO)
WR: 29 Preston Fox (RS JR)
WR: 5 Jaden Bray (RS JR/TR)
TE: 87 Kole Taylor (SR/TR)
LT: 74 Wyatt Milum (SR)
LG: 55 Tomas Rimac (RS JR)
OC: 50 Brandon Yates (RS SR)
RG: 66 Ja’Quay Hubbard (RS SR/TR)
RT: 58 Nick Malone (RS SR)
KR: 29 Preston Fox (RS JR)
PK: 22 Michael Hayes II (RS SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 91 Sean Martin (SR)
NT: 54 Fatorma Mulbah (RS SR/TR)
DE: 96 Edward Vesterinen (SR)
LB: 8 Tyrin Bradley Jr. (SR/TR)
LB: 40 Josiah Trotter (RS FR)
LB: 19 Trey Lathan (RS SO)
NB: 2 Aubrey Burks (SR)
CB: 0 Ayden Garnes (RS JR/TR)
CB: 1 Garnett Hollis Jr. (RS SR/TR)
CS: 22 Josiah Jackson (RS FR)
FS: 12 Anthony Wilson Jr. (RS SR/TR)
PR: 29 Preston Fox (RS JR)
PT: 41 Oliver Straw (JR)
(WR Kobe Taylor – USA Today Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: A
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/31 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS | West Virginia trails the series 9-49-2. Last season’s 15-38 loss was the first meeting between schools since 1992.
09/07 UALBANY GREAT DANES | First meeting between schools.
09/14 @ Pittsburgh Panthers | West Virginia trails the series 41-62-3. The Mountaineers won (17-6) last season’s meeting between schools, and they lost (31-38) the prior meeting in 2022.
09/21 KANSAS JAYHAWKS | West Virginia leads the series 10-2. The Mountaineers are 8-1 since 2014, and they lost (42-55) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/05 @ Oklahoma State Cowboys | West Virginia trails the series 5-10. The Mountaineers are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series win (24-19) was in 2022.
10/12 IOWA STATE CYCLONES | West Virginia leads the series 6-5. The Mountaineers are 5-4 since 2014, and their lost (14-31) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/19 KANSAS STATE WILDCATS | West Virginia trails the series 6-7. The Mountaineers are 5-4 since 2014, and they lost (31-48) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/26 @ Arizona Wildcats | First meeting between schools.
11/09 @ Cincinnati Bearcats | West Virginia leads the series 17-3-1. Last season’s 42-21 win was the first meeting between schools since 2011.
11/16 BAYLOR BEARS | West Virginia leads the series 8-4. The Mountaineers are 7-3 since 2014, and their last series loss (20-45) was in 2021.
11/23 UCF KNIGHTS | West Virginia leads the series 3-0. Last season’s 41-28 win was the first meeting between schools since 2004.
11/25 @ Texas Tech Red Raiders | West Virginia leads the series 7-6. The Mountaineers are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series loss (10-48) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 6-3
Non-B12: 3-0
Overall: 9-3 (7th in Big XII)
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