WVU's Projected Offensive 2-Deep

Is it football season yet?

Believe it or not, it's right around the corner. It seems like this off-season has flown by and we're now only a few weeks away from the unveiling of the new WVU football program. A lot has happened since we last saw the Gold and Blue warriors take to the gridiron. But, luckily, relatively few things have changed on the offensive side of the ball.

Since the season is so close it’s a good time to take a look at the potential two-deep roster for the upcoming season.

Projected offensive 2-deep:

QB - P White; J Brown

RB- N Devine; T Kerns (M Rodgers/Z Hulce)

WR - B Starks; T Gonzales; W Lyons

WR- A Arnett; D Jalloh; D Lyons

WR - J Sanders; M Rodgers (Hogan?)

FB- M Anderson; T Merrow

TE- W Johnson; S Morrone/T Rader

T- R Stanchek; J Bradshaw/D Barclay

G- G Isdaner; G Gradkowski

C- M Dent; E Jobe

G- J Figner; J Bradshaw/C Snodgrass

T- S Capers; S Maw/J Walko

(Note that I have 12 positions listed; obviously the NCAA didn’t sneak another rules change into the game allowing WVU to play with 12 men, but knowing that we play multiple sets I wanted to give the two-deep at each possible position.

The offense was pretty easy to put together. Primarily because WVU lost only a few players on that side of the ball (granted they were big losses – Slaton, Schmitt and Reynaud). Additionally, the starters who are returning this year have largely solidified their positions with past performances. As a result, it doesn’t appear that we will see many newcomers have much of an impact on offense this year, other than at running back and perhaps in the receiver corps.)

It's probably impossible to overstate how important it was that Terence Kerns qualified academically; we really needed some depth at the running back position. At 6'1", 230lbs, Kerns is probably going to be a little more rugged than (5'8") Noel Devine. However, while they're both blazingly fast, the primary difference between the two is in how they run. While Devine's strength is his incredible agility and cutback ability, Kerns, more of a north/south runner, relies a little more on strength and power. I'm not completely sold on Hulce, the 5'10" all-purpose back from Glendale Community College, and even though Rodgers is an intriguing prospect, I'm not sure he is a guy who can carry the ball twenty or more times in a game.

It should be very interesting to see what Will Johnson can do this year. The spring experiment of moving him from wide receiver to tight end appears to have worked out well. With Coach Stew's increased emphasis on passing to the tight end, the 6'2", 210lbs freshman is probably going to have a golden opportunity to step up and make an impact. This is one to keep an eye on as the season gets underway.

Another question this season will be whether or not the Lyons brothers can produce results at the wide receiver position. 6'8" Wes has been somewhat of a disappointment up to this point, although with our limited passing attack he hasn’t exactly had an opportunity to shine. At 6'2", brother Devon is a little faster and appears to have gained immediate eligibility after transferring from OSU. He didn't do much while in Buckeye country, but that could be attributed to his moves from offense to defense and back. Alric Arnett was slated to be a starter last year, but an injury put him on the shelf for the season. With 6'3" height and 4.4 speed, he could play a big role this year.

The biggest contribution at the wide receiver position may come from 6'4" back-up quarterback Brad Starks. Another spring experiment, Starks shined on the practice field when moved into the receiver corps. With his speed and QB-style understanding of the passing game, Mountaineer fans are hoping that he can provide the deep threat that has been missing for several years.

Who else can we expect to step up at receiver? Possibly veterans Tito Gonzales or Dorrell Jalloh; they've both accumulated big game experience. However, my money is on the two little guys at slot: Jock Sanders and Mark Rodgers. Sanders played as a true freshmen last season and showed flashes of much needed athleticism at receiver.

Rodgers steps in for Hogan who was moved to the defensive side of the ball to get a look at cornerback. Sanders didn't put up huge numbers last year; but this could simply be because he played behind Reynaud and rarely had the opportunity to perform, given the "run first" nature of the offense. Rodgers is the wild card here.

Ranked #1 in the country by Athlon magazine, the offensive line should once again be the foundation of the offense. All 5 starters return as well as several guys who have played quite a bit. The only concern here is that 3 of the starters sat out spring drills due to various injuries/surgeries. Is everyone completely healthy and ready to go? If not, we'll find out just how well the WVU staff has recruited the OL positions as some redshirt freshmen may be thrust into action. Look for Eric Jobe, John Bradshaw & Jon Walko to play multiple positions as we try to avoid playing too many young guys. Former University of Georgia Assistant Head Coach and Tight Ends coach Dave Johnson takes over as the WVU O-line coach and I believe he will do a great job.

I wouldn't be a Mountaineer fan if I didn't talk about the veterans of the backfield.

Pat White returns at quarterback after grabbing his 2nd straight Big East Offensive Player of the Year Award. He tacked on his 2nd straight bowl game MVP after he helped WVU smash Big 12 Champion Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. The next piece of hardware he places on his mantle could very well be the Heisman Trophy. For the first time ever in the history of the school, WVU is promoting one of its players for the vaunted award.

What can you say about Pat White that hasn't already been said? Nicknamed "the Chief", the Playboy All-American is a proven leader and will probably go down as the best football player in the history of West Virginia football. The only negative thing that can be said about Pat White is that he is a senior and will be gone after this year. One thing to watch for this season will be his passing accuracy. Bill Stewart and new offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen have promised to open up the passing game a little more, so White's passing numbers will definitely be a stat to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

Also returning to the Mountaineer backfield is the aforementioned Noel Devine. The super quick Devine had his breakout game last year against Maryland where he finished with 136 yards on only 5 carries. He made the Terrapin tacklers look ridiculous at times during the game. Can Devine carry the load at tailback? Can he carry the ball twenty or more times per game without getting injured? Can he punch it in on 3rd & goal from the 1? These questions will ultimately be answered during the season, but I think he can handle each situation. He is so elusive that he rarely takes a direct hit, so the wear and tear of the weekly grind might not weigh as heavily on him as it would some other running backs. I do think it will be important to find some depth here and that is where it will be a key for Kerns to show up at camp in shape and ready to go. Kerns would be the feature back in most offenses... not at WVU, not with Devine on the roster.

So there you have it – our projected offensive 2-deep for the 2008 football season. Now, obviously, these aren't official and they could certainly change as the summer practices wind down and we approach the first game. However, one thing is certain: WVU will once again have plenty of weapons and play-makers on the offensive side of the ball.

Stay tuned for our look at the defensive 2-deep, coming soon!