(Photo Credit: USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
RB Jahiem White, OT Nick Krahe, DT Asani Redwood, NT Hammond Russell IV, LB Reid Carrico, LB Ben Cutter, KR/PR Preston Fox, and PT Oliver Straw.
Key Players Departing:
QB Garrett Greene, RB CJ Donaldson Jr., WR Hudson Clement, WR Traylon Ray, TE Kole Taylor, OC Brandon Yates, OG Ja’Quay Hubbard, OT Nick Malone, OT Wyatt Milum, DE Ty French, DE TJ Jackson II, DE Sean Martin, NT Fatorma Mulbah, LB Tyrin Bradley Jr., LB Treu Lathan, LB Joshiah Trotter, CB Dontez Fagan, CB Garnett Hollis Jr., FS Anthony Wilson, SS Jaheem Joseph, SS Kekoura Tarnue, and PK Michael Hayes II.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: DE Taylor Brown (Upper Marlboro, Maryland), EDGE Jimmori Robinson )UTSA transfer), and CB Dawayne Galloway (Columbus, Ohio).
3 Star Recruits: DL Eddie Kelly Jr. (Missouri transfer), OL Amir Leonard-Jean Charles (Nashville, Tennessee), OL Carson Lee (Mississippi State transfer), CB Michael Coats Jr. (Nevada transfer), OL Walter Young Bear (Tulsa transfer), DE Brandon Caeser (Cleveland, Ohio), and ATH Chamarryus Bomar (Anderson, South Carolina).
2024 Results:
G01 #8 PENN STATE L 12-34
G02 UALBANY W 49-14
G03 @ Pittsburgh L 34-38
G04 KANSAS W 32-28
G05 @ Oklahoma State W 38-14
G06 #11 IOWA STATE L 16-28
G07 #17 Kansas State L 16-45
G08 @ Arizona W 31-26
G09 @ Cincinnati W 31-24
G10 BAYLOR L 35-49
G11 UCF W 31-21
G12 @ Texas Tech L 15-52
BOWL vs. #25 Memphis L 37-42
Team Info:
2024 Overall: 6-7 (9th in Big XII)
Home: 3-4
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 0-1
B12: 5-4
Non-B12: 1-3
Head Coach: Neal Brown
West Virginia: 37-36
Bowls: 5-2
Career: 72-52
(Photo Credit: Lions247/USA Today Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Nicco Marchiol (37-56, 2406 yards, 53.1%, 8.7 avg., 16 TD, 4 INT)
Rushing: Jahiem White (148 car., 844 yards, 5.7 avg., 7 TD)
Receiving: Rodney Gallagher III (26 rec., 288 yards, 11.1 avg., 3 TD)
TD’s Scored: Jahiem White (8)
Sacks: Hammond Russel IV (3)
Tackles: Reid Carrico (54)
Tackles For Loss: Hammond Russell IV (4)
Interceptions: None
Pass Deflections: Asani Redwood (2)
Forced Fumbles: Reid Carrico (1)
Kick Returns: Preston Fox (11 ret., 304 yards, 27.6 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Preston Fox (13 ret., 105 yards, 8.1 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Oliver Straw (35 punts, 1530 yards, 43.7 avg., 15 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 8 Nicco Marchiol (RS JR)
RB: 1 Jahiem White (JR)
WR: 4 Cam Vaughn (RS SO/TR)
WR: 5 Jaden Bray (RS SR/TR)
WR: 24 Rodney Gallagher III (JR)
TE: 81 Jacob Barrick (SR/TR)
LT: 78 Xavier Bausley (RS JR/TR)
LG: 54 Walter Young Bear (RS SR/TR)
OC: 67 Landen Livingston (RS JR)
RG: 56 Kimo Makane’ole (RS SR/TR)
RT: 74 Ty’Kleast Crawford (RS SR/TR)
KR: 29 Preston Fox (RS SR)
PK: 99 Ethan Head (SO/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 0 Jimmori Robinson (RS SR/TR)
NT: 99 Hammond Russell IV (RS SR)
DT: 96 Edward Vesterinen (GR)
DE: 41 Curtis Jones Jr. (SO)
LB: 35 Reid Carrico (RS SR/TR)
LB: 30 Chase Wilson (RS SR/TR)
NB: 5 Fred Perry (SR/TR)
CB: 3 Michael Coats Jr. (RS SR/TR)
CB: 13 Derek Carter Jr. (RS SR/TR)
FS: 14 Kekoura Tarnue (SR/TR)
SS: 8 Justin Harrington (RS SR/TR)
PR: 29 Preston Fox (RS JR)
PT: 41 Oliver Straw (SR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/30 ROBERT MORRIS COLONIALS | First meeting.
09/06 @ Ohio Bobcats | West Virginia leads the series 13-4. The Mountaineers won (20-3) the last meeting in 2001, and they won (23-3) the prior meeting in 1987.
09/13 PITTSBURGH PANTHERS | West Virginia trails the series 41-63-3. The Mountaineers lost (34-38) last season’s meeting, and they won (17-6) the prior meeting in 2023.
09/20 @ Kansas Jayhawks | West Virginia leads the series 11-2. The Mountaineers are 8-1 since 2015, and their last series loss (42-55) was in 2022.
09/27 UTAH UTES | West Virginia trails the series 0-2. The Mountaineers lost (14-30) the last meeting in 2017, and they lost (6-32) the inaugural meeting in 1964.
10/03 @ BYU Cougars | West Virginia leads the series 2-0. The Mountaineers won (37-7) the last meeting in 2023, and they won (35-32) the inaugural meeting in 2016.
10/18 @ UCF Knights | West Virginia leads the series 4-0. The Mountaineers won (31-21) last season’s meeting, and they won (41-28) the prior meeting in 2023.
10/25 TCU HORNED FROGS | West Virginia leads the series 8-5. The Mountaineers are 6-3 since 2015, and they won (24-21) the last meeting in 2023.
11/01 @ Houston Cougars | West Virginia lost (39-41) the only prior meeting in 2023.
11/08 COLORADO BUFFALOES | The series is tied 1-1. The Mountaineers won (35-24) the last meeting in 2009, and they lost (14-17) the inaugural meeting in 2008.
11/15 @ Arizona State Sun Devils | The series is tied 1-1. The Mountaineers won (43-42) the last meeting in 2015, and they lost (7-42) the inaugural meeting in 1979.
11/29 TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS | The series is tied 7-7. The Mountaineers are 5-5 since 2015, and their last series win (20-13) was in 2023.
Predictions:
Home: 5-1
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 6-3
Non-B12: 2-1
Overall: 8-4 (5th in Big XII – Bowl Eligible)
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