Now entering their 3rd season in the Big 12 Conference, the West Virginia Mountaineers are looking to right the ship which steered them to a 4-8 record in 2013 (2-7 in Big 12 play). While there are many unknowns relative to the current WVU team which kicks off the 2014 season against Alabama on August 30th, head Coach Dana Holgorsen understands the WVU fan base expects progress this season.
After tallying a 6-12 record in conference play and an 11-13 overall record in 2 seasons in the Big 12, West Virginia needs to prove it can compete consistently in the conference. Holgorsen needs his players, experienced and inexperienced, to be ready to play hard on Saturdays. “One of the challenges that we knew going into Big 12 play several years ago is you better have depth, you better have depth that can compete at a high level†said Holgorsen.
Despite 3 rushing touchdowns by Mountaineer running back Charles Sims, the Longhorns escaped Morgantown with a 47-40 overtime win last season. After losing to Texas, the following week the ‘Eers lost to Kansas, a team that last won a conference game in 2010 when they defeated Colorado. WVU went on to lose the final game of the 2013 season to Iowa State in triple overtime, culminating an 8-loss 2013 campaign.
The Mountaineers return 31 players with starting experience on both sides of the ball, and starting QB Clint Trickett appears to be healthy after having arm surgery during the spring. To say 2014 is a pivotal season for the Mountaineers, and more importantly for head coach Dana Holgorsen, would be an understatement. Former WVU coach Bill Stewart was fired after a 9-win season in 2010 and it is highly unlikely mediocrity will be tolerated in Morgantown much longer. Point blank, for Holgorsen’s sake, it is imperative that the Mountaineers have a successful season.
Jeremey Simon, publisher of BlueGoldSports.com provided input to HornSports regarding the expectations of the Mountaineer football team this season.
Offense
![West Virginia finished last season with the 5th best offense in the Big 12, averaging 410 yards per game. Injuries and inexperience affected a WVU offense that had the potential to be incredibly dynamic. As a whole, the West Virginia team has been healthy this spring and fall. This has not been the case in years past and provides optimism for a team that is hungry to show fans they can win football games. According to Simon, the necessary depth Holgorsen referred to appears to be taking shape for his team. “The Mountaineers are deep at every position for the first time under Holgorsen. (Clint) Trickett is healthy and has a strong grasp of the offense and is considered by all to be the team leader. WVU has a lot to be excited about at the QB position moving forward. True freshman William Crest, a highly regarded recruit from Maryland, will see playing time this year. Crest, a dual-threat quarterback that can work well outside the pocket, will most likely play in certain packages.†An experienced Mountaineer offensive line will be led by senior lineman Quinton Spain. “Spain is the most NFL-ready player on the team. His experience and skillset will be extremely valuable to WVU’s offense this season†said Simon. Senior WR Kevin White will lead a receiving corps with plenty of talent, and a trio of running backs including Dreamius Smith, Rushel Shell and Wendell Smallwood could be one of the strongest in the Big 12. Key losses: Curtis Feigt (OT); Pat Eger ©; Charles Sims (RB) Newcomers: William Crest Jr. (QB) Defense The Mountaineers have had four defensive coordinators in four years. During the off-season, Keith Patterson left WVU for Arizona State, opening up the position for ‘Eers secondary coach Tony Gibson. Gibson knows the defensive schemes well and will almost certainly raise the unit’s level of play immediately. “This Mountaineer defense will be the best the program has put on the field since joining the Big 12†said Simon. “They will be led by a strong and deep secondary, which includes junior safety Karl Joseph and cornerback Daryl Worley.†An improved defensive front will be anchored by transfer Shaquille Riddick who was an FCS All-American last season at Gardner Webb University. The Mountaineers will rely on Riddick’s speed to attack the quarterback and force turnovers. Key losses: Darwin Cook (S); Shaq Rowell (DL); Will Clarke (DE) Newcomers: Shaq Riddick (DE); Dravon Henry (CB) Team will have a successful season if…‘” n”.self::process_list_items(“‘.str_replace(‘ ‘, ”, ‘ [*]Clint Tricket stays healthy and emerges as a team leader. [*]The West Virginia defense wins the turnover battle and avoids giving up big plays. [*]They avoid the injury bug. [*]Dana Holgorsen takes risks. Conservative play-calling will not benefit this team. ‘).'”).”n “‘ The key to the Texas game will be… The Mountaineers will need to stop the 1-2 punch of Texas tailbacks Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray. With Charlie Strong and Shawn Watson committed to what looks to be a run-first offense, West Virginia must limit yards on the ground by the Texas horses in order to have a chance at winning consecutive games in Austin. While the Mountaineer secondary lost strong safety Darwin Cook to graduation, the unit as a whole has noticeable speed and could prove challenging for Texas quarterbacks A seasoned Longhorn defensive front should have the advantage over a West Virginia offensive line that has struggled in Big 12 play for the last couple of years. West Virginia’s hinge player is QB Clint Trickett. If Trickett plays composed, limits mistakes and manages to stay healthy by the time Texas and WVU meet in November, the Mountaineers could make things interesting.](<___base_url___>/uploads/gallery/category_2/gallery_2605_2_44198.jpg” target=”_blank”><img decoding=){kind=link}