West Virginia Football: Five Keys to Watch for This Spring

The time is now for West Virginia football. The team is preparing for the move to the Big 12, and on April 21, the Mountaineers will have their spring game.

As a senior here at the university, I haven't seen this much hype surrounding the program since Pat White and Steve Slaton were rocking the blue and gold.

Now, Geno Smith and Tavon Austin have their chance to make moves, and they had outstanding junior years.

Entering the Big 12, the team will likely be a top-10 team, and consistency will now have to be a more common occurrence. The team simply can't afford to come out and lay a dud similar to last year's disaster at Syracuse.

As the spring game nears, there are many aspects of the team that need to be addressed prior to September. 

Let's take a look at keys to success for the Mountaineers this season.

Can the Players Adapt to the New Defensive Scheme?

With the departure of Jeff Casteel, the Mountaineers are switching from a 3-3-5 stack to a 3-4 scheme defensively.

I, for one, couldn't be happier about this transition.

Many WVU fans believe that the team ran that formation because of its lack of talent on the defensive line. While I don't think the team necessarily lacked the talent, it was just a very odd scheme to run. 

There was a huge transition period once players got on campus, and learning the scheme took a lot of time.

Do you see the 3-3-5 run in the SEC?

There is a reason why this isn't a common scheme; for one, players probably didn't play in that formation in high school.

Now with a 3-4, players that are talented but don't have very much experience can still get the opportunity to play, because this is a scheme they are more likely to be familiar with.

However, it remains to be seen how quickly the team will adjust to the defensive switch.

Another concern for the Mountaineers will be at the corner position, particularly with the announcement that CB Pat Miller has a broken foot and will be out for the spring.

Can the Offense Pick Up Where It Left Off?

WVU had the best bowl game in the history of college football when it destroyed the Clemson Tigers in the Orange Bowl.

Now, it will be interesting to see how the offense looks in the second year of this high-powered offense employed by Dana Holgorsen.

Geno Smith has been very impressive thus far in practice, and he is a player to watch for a run at the Heisman Trophy.

Hey, at this point last year, who was talking about Robert Griffin III?

Aside from Geno, Tavon Austin is obviously the other standout on the offensive side of the ball. If these two can continue their production heading into the Big 12, WVU's potential is sky high.

And let's not forget about Steady B.

Stedman Bailey is a beast, and he dominated last year. Bailey was the biggest beneficiary from Holgorsen's offense, in my opinion, and I think he will have a monster senior season.

Who Will Provide the Pass Rush?

Bruce Irvin and Julian Miller will both move on to the NFL. Insert...?

The pass rush for the Mountaineers will be a huge question mark entering this season, and the fate of the defense along with the scheme switch will likely depend on whether WVU can pressure the QB.

One player to watch for with the scheme switch is former JUCO standout Josh Francis.

He a heralded player coming into the program, but he had a tough time adjusting to the 3-3-5. 

As I alluded to, that formation is a very difficult scheme to run, and he will have way more opportunities to thrive in the scheme switch. I wouldn't be surprised if his numbers were off the charts this season. 

At least, I hope so, because in a pass-happy league like the Big 12, WVU will need a defensive pass rush to be successful.

Can Josh Jenkins Make an Immediate Impact?

If there is one thing that I despise in sports, it's seeing a player get injured. Regardless of position, I hate to see it.

One Mountaineer who is looking to bounce back from injury is senior offensive lineman Josh Jenkins. This guy is a flat-out beast and will make an immediate impact upon his return. 

He has looked good thus far in the spring, according to West Virginia Illustrated, and is seeing action for the first time since suffering an ACL injury a year ago.

Adding Jenkins to an already solid offensive line will make the WVU attack that much more potent. If Jenkins can stay healthy along with guys like Jeff Braun and Joe Madsen, look out.

Who Will Be the Star in the Backfield?

Dustin Garrison was a flat-out baller last year for the Mountaineers.

I follow recruiting religiously, even to a fault at times, and this guy was someone who I did not anticipate to have an impact on the program like he did.

He surprised us all and had an outstanding freshman season prior to injuring his knee in the practices leading up to the Orange Bowl.

With Garrison recovering from his knee injury, it will be interesting to see who steps up in the spring. Watch for guys like sophomore Andrew Buie and Shawne Alston as well.

One player the coaching staff has mentioned in recent weeks is Ryan Clarke, a veteran for the Mountaineers.

I'm sure WVU fans are anxious to get Garrison back in the fold, but the above-mentioned players are talented, and the Mountaineers are just fine at this position.