West Virginia Football: The Top 10 Players for the 2012 Season

West Virginia had a very interesting season last year that has many optimistic about how it will do in the Big 12 conference in 2012. With the Mountaineers returning 14 starters, including eight on the offensive side of the ball, many are predicting that they could win the conference their first season in it.

But with other talented teams in the Big 12, it won't be a cakewalk, and there will need to be several players that step up and contribute in a big way. With a new defensive scheme and many players on that side of the ball either leaving for the NFL or graduating, there are questions that this team must answer before we hand them the Big 12 title.

With the 2012 college football season right around the corner, here are the top 10 West Virginia Mountaineers.

10. Safety: Darwin Cook

You may know Darwin Cook for his 99-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the BCS Orange Bowl. It was the play that quickly turned the momentum of the game and led to a historic blowout. But Cook was productive all season, finishing second on the team with 85 tackles, two interceptions and four broken up passes.

Cook is one of the more experienced players on defense for West Virginia and will be a key on that side of the ball heading into a conference that is extremely pass-happy.

9. Cornerback: Pat Miller

Pat Miller missed the spring due to a broken foot, but he'll be ready by the time September rolls around. He has the talent to become one of the better cornerbacks in the league and showed that in his first full season as a starter last year. He finished fifth on the team with 55 tackles and intercepted two passes.

Now that Miller will be entering his senior season, he will be expected to emerge as a leader and step up quickly, as this is a unit that will be tested early and often.

8. Wide Receiver: Ivan McCartney

With two speedster wide receivers in Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, it's important to have that big receiver as well. That is where Ivan McCartney comes in at 6'3", 178 pounds. He caught 49 passes last season for 585 yards and three touchdowns.

While he may not be the fastest, he has the size and great hands to give this offense another reliable option at wide receiver. This is a scary unit heading into the 2012 season.

7. Running Back: Shawne Alston

Nobody is quite sure when Dustin Garrison will be back from his injury that he suffered before the BCS Orange Bowl. That means that Shawne Alston will have to help carry the load until Garrison is healthy enough to get back on the field. Alston has never been a full-time starter throughout his three-year career, but he's done well in limited action, racking up 12 touchdowns last season.

The Mountaineers kick off the schedule with a few cupcakes before getting into the heart of the Big 12 teams. Alston must quickly prove that he can handle a heavier workload and keep this high-flying offense as balanced as possible.

6. Wide Receiver: Stedman Bailey

Stedman Bailey is not a big receiver at 5'10", 190 pounds, but he gets the job done thanks to his great hands and excellent route-running skills. Last season, he made a huge jump in his career, racking up 72 receptions and setting a West Virginia single-season record with 1,279 receiving yards. He was one of the more consistent receivers, hauling in at least 80 receiving yards in 10 games his sophomore season.

The Mountaineers are loaded on the offensive side of the ball, and it is Bailey who is leading the way at wide receiver.

5. Defensive End: Will Clarke

Football in the Big 12 is a lot different than in the Big East. The main difference that you notice right away is the size of the offensive and defensive lines. West Virginia must generate a pass rush if this team is going to have any success on the defensive side of the ball. The top returning defensive lineman is defensive end Will Clarke.

He has the incredible size at 6'6", 265 pounds to help get in the quarterback's face and make plays in the backfield. Look for him to take a huge step forward his junior season and improve greatly on the 2.5 sacks he had last season.

4. Wide Receiver: Tavon Austin

In a conference that isn't particularly known for defense, wide receiver Tavon Austin could have a field day in 2012. The speedy wide receiver finished last season with 101 receptions for 1,186 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. And those numbers don't even include what he has done when running the ball and on kickoff and punt returns.

Austin isn't the biggest receiver in the world at 5'9", but there aren't too many players who can keep up with him. He finished last season with seven games where he went over 100 total yards, and entering his senior season, he should have his best year yet.

3. Safety: Terence Garvin

Terence Garvin has been a consistent defensive player for the Mountaineers the last couple of seasons, picking up at least 70 tackles the last two seasons. This season, he will move into more of a hybrid role that allows him to play safety and linebacker for West Virginia. It will also allow him to make more plays than he already has for this defense.

Garvin is currently recovering from a knee injury, but he's expected to be ready by the time the regular season kicks off. He will be one of the leaders on this defense and a key piece to making this new defense work. 

2. Center: Joe Madsen

Heading into the Big 12, where most of the defenses are big and physical, you need to have a reliable offensive line that you can count on. There are a couple of concerns with a few players leaving, but center Joe Madsen is about as safe a lineman as you can get. He has started in 38 games throughout his career and has been named to the Rimington Trophy watch list of 2012.

There are areas of concern with this unit, but having a dominant center once again is something this team can build around.

1. Quarterback: Geno Smith

There may be questions with this team heading into the Big 12, but with quarterback Geno Smith leading the way, the Mountaineers have arguably the best quarterback in the conference. Smith really grew up last season, throwing for over 4,300 yards and 31 touchdowns, while completing nearly 66 percent of his passes. That includes a 407-yard, seven-touchdown performance in the bowl victory over the Clemson Tigers.

With all of those playmakers around Smith, this offense is extremely dangerous heading into the 2012 college football season.