West Virginia Football 2011 Preview: Mountaineers Are the Best in the Big East

Does West Virginia have what it takes to win the Big East Conference in 2011?

It’s a question that many Mountaineer fans want answered after the program's tumultuous offseason, which included a coaching change, the loss of a key starter to injury, a player charged with a felony and an NCAA-mandated probation.

New head coach Dana Holgorsen will take control of the team a year earlier than expected after his predecessor, Bill Stewart, was found to be the leader of a smear campaign that was intended to discredit his incumbent.

Holgorsen certainly has a lot to deal with as he tries to navigate his way through his rookie season as the leader of the gold and blue.

Camp hasn’t even started, yet many onlookers are already expecting the Big East title to return to Morgantown this year.

Junior QB Geno Smith will be the face of a team that should have one of the most explosive offenses in all of college football.

While the Mountaineers should light up more than a few scoreboards this season, it remains to be seen if a defense, which was ranked as one of the Top 10 in the nation in 2010, will survive losing seven starters, including four NFL draft picks (CB Brandon Hogan, S Robert Sands, DT Chris Neild and LB J.T. Thomas).

Averaging 44 points per game, like Holgorsen’s offense at Oklahoma State did last year, might be asking a little too much, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the strong-armed Smith throw for over 4,000 yards in Holgorsen’s high-powered passing attack.

The hope is that the offense will have enough juice to put up some big scores each game, while the defense stays in bend-not-break mode and at least slows down the opposing offense from keeping pace with Smith and crew.

That formula just might work, but remember, there’s a lot of parity in the Big East right now and teams like Pittsburgh, South Florida, Cincinnati and Syracuse are all capable of causing a stir.

So does West Virginia have what it takes to win the Big East this year?

Well, to find out, let’s do a full breakdown and preview of the upcoming 2011 season. 

The Schedule

Sept. 4: Marshall Thundering Herd

Sept. 10: Norfolk State Spartans

Sept. 17: @Maryland Terrapins

Sept. 24: LSU Tigers

Oct. 1: Bowling Green Falcons

Oct. 8: Connecticut Huskies

Oct. 21: @Syracuse Orange

Oct. 29: @Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Nov. 5: Louisville Cardinals

Nov. 12: @Cincinnati Bearcats

Nov. 25: Pittsburgh Panthers

Dec. 1: @South Florida Bulls 

Quality of Opponent Ratings

Five Strongest Opponents

1. LSU Tigers
2. South Florida Bulls
3. Pittsburgh Panthers
4. Syracuse Orange
5. Maryland Terrapins

Three Weakest Opponents

1. Norfolk State Spartans
2. Bowling Green Falcons
3. Marshall Thundering Herd

Biggest Non-Conference Game: Vs. LSU, Sept. 24

This one’s it.

This is the statement game.

After putting up a marginally tough fight down at Tiger Stadium last year, the Mountaineers will now welcome the Top Five ranked LSU Tigers to Morgantown for a late-September showdown
that promises to offer up a ton of drama—unlike last year’s 20-14 let down.

The LSU offense should be greatly improved under the guidance of new coordinator Steve Kragthorpe. QB Jordan Jefferson has had a season to mature, so he should be prepared to handle big showcases such as this one.

QB Geno Smith and the rest of the West Virginia offense will have had three games to get adapted to Holgorsen’s Air-Raid attack, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the unit will be prepared enough to go toe-to-toe with one of the nation’s toughest defenses.

Throwing the ball on Morris Claiborne and Tyrann Mathieu—one of the best cornerback duos in the country—won’t exactly be easy, so the Mountaineers had better hope that a running back has emerged by this point in the season because running the ball and controlling the clock will be paramount.

LSU should be favored by at least a touchdown for this one, but I’ve personally witnessed what kind of craziness can commence when the lights go on at Mountaineer Field, so there’s no
reason to think West Virginia doesn’t have a shot in this one.

There’s no doubt that the Tigers have the bigger, stronger and much faster roster, but Jordan Jefferson still hasn’t convinced me that he can handle a big spot like this, and coach Les Miles is due to have some of his crazy calls backfire on him in a big game. 

Most Crucial Big East Game: @South Florida, Dec. 1

West Virginia’s showdown with South Florida down in Tampa on Dec. 1 could serve as this year’s unofficial Big East championship game.                             

In recent years, Raymond James Stadium has proven to be a black hole of sorts for West Virginia.

The last two times that the Mountaineers have gone down to Tampa with a Top 20 ranking, they’ve left defeated on both occasions.

The Bulls had an up-and-down campaign in coach Skip Holtz’s first year as head coach, finishing with an 8-5 record. And they look to be the league’s hardest team to forecast this year.

South Florida only returns 11 starters, but the team has talent all over the field.

It all starts with QB B.J. Daniels, a valuable dual-threat weapon that can be a nightmare to try to prepare for and then ultimately contain when it comes to crunch time.

The defense loses some key cogs like DT Terrell McClain, LB Jacquian Williams and S Mistral Raymond, who were all picked in this year’s NFL draft. But the unit returns an abundance of emerging playmakers, including linebackers DeDe Lattimore and Sam Barrington, DE Ryne Giddins and S Jon Lejiste.

Add that to the fact that RB Darrell Scott could make the biggest impact out of all the incoming newcomers to the Big East this season and you can see why the last thing that West Virginia will want to do is take a trip down to Tampa to finish off a long season.

A Closer Look at the Offense

Top Returning Passer: Geno Smith—2,763 yards and 24 TDs

Top Returning Rusher: Ryan Clarke—291 yards and 8 TDs

Top Returning Receiver: Tavon Austin—787 yards and 8 TDs

Most Experienced Offensive Lineman: Don Barclay—27 starts

Returning Starters: 7

• QB Geno Smith
• WR Tavon Austin
• WR Stedman Bailey
• WR Bradley Starks
• C Joe Madsen
• RT Jeff Braun
• LT Don Barclay

Most Important Returning Starter: QB Geno Smith

Starters Lost: 4

• RB Noel Devine
• WR Jock Sanders
• RG Eric Jobe
• LG Josh Jenkins (injured)

Biggest Loss: RB Noel Devine

Key 2010 Statistics

Total Offense: 372 YPG
Conference Rank: 2nd
National Rank: 67th

Scoring Offense: 25 PPG
Conference Rank: 5th
National Rank: 78th

Passing Offense: 213 YPG
Conference Rank: 2nd
National Rank: 67th

Rushing Offense: 159 YPG
Conference Rank: 4th
National Rank: 50th

Total First Downs: 260 (20 per game)
Conference Rank: 2nd
National Rank: 56th

3rd Down Conversions: 44%
Conference Rank: 2nd
National Rank: 31st

Sacks Allowed: 27
Conference Rank: 4th
National Rank: 73rd

Total Turnovers: 28 (20 fumbles, 8 interceptions)
Conference Rank: 7th
National Rank: 102nd 

Quarterbacks

In Geno Smith’s first year as a starting quarterback, we finally got to witness the fruition of the potential that we had been hearing about since Smith originally signed with West Virginia back in 2009 as a highly coveted recruit out of Florida’s Miramar High School.

Smith’s vaunted arm strength and passing skills were put on display for all to see, and the results were certainly impressive.

The 6’3’’, 215-pound junior quickly adapted to his new role as leader of the Mountaineers offense and he ended up turning in an All-Big East performance, completing nearly 65 percent of his passes for over 2,700 yards and tossing 24 scoring strikes.

And remember, he managed to do all that with inept coordinator Jeff Mullen calling the shots.

Just imagine what Smith could be capable of as the catalyst of Dana Holgorsen’s Air-Raid attack.

Holgorsen has made ultra-productive stars out of almost every quarterback pupil he’s worked with, and Smith appears to be the most talented lump of clay that he’s ever had the chance to mold.

The new head coach’s pass-happy system has been the talk of Morgantown since his arrival back in December, and with Smith at the helm, the offense has a chance to sizzle.

Smith should have every opportunity to shine this season and he’ll have a great shot to join former West Virginia quarterbacks Rasheed Marshall and Pat White as the latest Big East Offensive Player of the Year.

Don’t underestimate the fact that the junior signal-caller had an entire spring to work on his game and learn the offense. Remember, that’s something he didn’t have the benefit of last year because of an unfortunate foot injury that severely limited his participation in spring drills.

Smith will enter the 2011 season with more experience, more maturity and more confidence in his capabilities.

The Geno-Smith-for-Heisman campaign hasn’t picked up much steam just yet, but that will change if Smith puts up the type of big numbers that are expected of him and if he can lead the boys in blue and gold to an upset of the highly ranked LSU Tigers in late-September.

In the end, West Virginia will go as far as Geno Smith can take them this season. 

Running Backs

Life after Noel Devine will be strange, but the switch to Holgorsen’s Air-Raid attack should help ease the loss of the school’s third all-time leading rusher.

There will now be less emphasis on the running game than what we’ve been accustomed to seeing from West Virginia for the past decade or so.

Going into camp, true freshman Vernard Roberts, who enrolled early and took part in spring practices, sits atop the depth chart, but it’s far from a guarantee that he’ll be there once September rolls around.

Since West Virginia lacks a go-to option to take over at running back, it appears that the duty of replacing Devine won’t fall squarely on just one player’s shoulders.

Everything we heard from the coaching staff in the spring indicated that a running-back-by-committee approach is the most likely method for at least this season.

It makes sense, considering there are a number of intriguing backs with different skill-sets but no proven standout among the bunch.

The two most experienced rushers going into the season are juniors Ryan Clarke and Shawne Alston.

Clarke has made his living as the bigger change-of-pace back these past two seasons, rushing for a combined 541 yards and 16 scores on only 140 carries.

The 6’0’’, 230-pound junior is the leader amongst the returning rushers, but he’s found a spot in the dog house due to his recurring fumbling problems.

Alston, who possesses similar size at 5’11’’, 220 pounds, hasn’t received the same amount of touches as Clarke, but he’s shown flashes of his potential the few times he's been given the chance to run the ball.

The problem for Clarke and Alston is that neither of them was overly impressive this spring, and judging from the most recent public depth chart, Holgorsen must have taken notice.

True freshman Vernard Roberts, a 3-star recruit out of Dunbar High School in Washington D.C., worked his way into the starting A-Back position after arriving at school early and wowing the coaching staff with his consistency in the spring.

At the B-Back position, unlikely underdog Matt Lindamood, a junior who only carried the ball 15 times in 2010, muscled his way to the top of the depth chart, but it remains to be seen if that’s where he’ll stay when the season starts in September.

Roberts and Lindamood both enjoyed great spring sessions and they were rewarded for their performances by being placed atop the depth chart heading into the summer. But the competition for carries is really only just beginning.

Two almost-forgotten-about sophomores, Daquan Hargrett and Trey Johnson, are each capable of contributing, even though neither has the production to back it up.

Hargrett, who is only 5’6’’, didn’t get many opportunities as a freshman, but he had a rare quickness and appeared to be a perfect fit for West Virginia’s old zone-read attack, so it should be interesting to see how well he can adapt to the new offensive system.

As if those six weren’t enough, West Virginia will also welcome two talented running back recruits to the mix once camp opens up in August.

The name everyone seems to be talking about is Andrew Buie.

The 5’9’’, 190-pound freshman-to-be was rated as one of the top running backs in the South and had scholarship offers from the likes of Auburn, Michigan and Tennessee.

Buie’s ability to catch the ball out of the backfield should endear him to Holgorsen—and it very well could be the reason he sees the field early.

The other freshman running back that could make an impact is Dustin Garrison out of Pearland High School in Texas.

Although he hasn’t received the same type of publicity or fanfare as Buie, Garrison definitely has some valuable qualities that the coaching staff should like.

Garrison’s lack of size will hurt him, but if he does a good job packing on a few pounds this summer, he should, at the very least, be able to contend for a few carries this year.

Oh, and while we’re at it, let’s not forget about Tavon Austin.

Austin, the offense’s most dynamic player, was expected to be Devine’s heir apparent at running back, but that was before he started flourishing at wide receiver.

After two seasons, the junior star-in-the-making certainly looks comfortable at his new position.

Still, it wouldn't be shocking to see him get a touch or two out of the backfield every now and then.

Last year, Austin averaged 10.6 yards on 15 carries.

Needless to say, it’s going to be a crowded backfield this season.

The depth is there, that’s obvious. However, we’ll have to wait and see if any of the many candidates can step up and separate from the pack to become "the guy," like Noel Devine was.

We know that there’s room for talented running backs to come up big in Holgorsen’s scheme. All you have to do is look at Kendall Hunter’s 1,594 rushing yards at Oklahoma State last year to see that.

Personally, my favorite back on the team is Daquan Hargrett, but the fact is that he just isn’t big enough to handle being the main ball carrier.

There are plenty of bodies to put in the backfield, but only time will tell if any of them can be the true difference maker that this offense needs. 

Receivers

The title of best receiver in the Big East now lies vacant after the departure of Pittsburgh’s Jonathan Baldwin, a first-round pick in the 2011 NFL draft.

Guys like Mohamed Sanu of Rutgers, D.J. Woods of Cincinnati and Devin Street of Pittsburgh will all be vying for the honor, but the one receiver who has the best opportunity to set himself apart from the rest of the conference crowd is West Virginia’s Tavon Austin.

Austin is one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in college football, and now that he’ll be the featured passing target in Dana Holgorsen’s new offense, there’s no telling what type of numbers he’s capable of putting up this season.

The 5’9’’, 175-pound junior has the speed and agility to tear up any defensive back that tries to cover him.

Austin found his way into the end zone on nine separate occasions in 2010, accounting for more touchdowns than any other player on the Mountaineer offense, with the exception of QB Geno Smith.

Austin won’t be the only receiver who will benefit from the new pass-happy offense, however.

Stedman Bailey is ready to be Austin’s partner-in-crime after making a big performance as a redshirt freshman, hauling in 24 passes for 317 yards and four TDs.

Bailey is the perfect fit for the Air Raid and he could end up being the offensive player who has the biggest breakout campaign in 2011.

Austin and Bailey should each catch at least 60 balls this season.

Guys like Bradley Starks, Ivan McCartney and J.D. Woods will all fit into the mix as rotating secondary options, but converted TE Tyler Urban is the real player to watch.

Urban was never a big part of the passing game in his first three seasons, playing in the not-very-tight-end-friendly spread offense.

The 6’5’’, 250-pound senior has just 17 catches and three TDs in his career.

That will change now that the new coaching staff has gained confidence in Urban after they saw his consistent production during the spring.

When it comes down to it, Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey are the two rising stars of this receiving crew, but there will be a lot of bodies rotating in and out, so expect the number of contributors to run much deeper than just those two big names.

Offensive Line

The season-ending knee injury that knocked LG Josh Jenkins out of action for 2011 is a tough blow for the West Virginia offensive line. Jenkins, a one time highly-touted in-state recruit, has been getting better with each passing season and he really appeared ready for a dominant final year.

As it stands now, the Mountaineers will have to figure out how to replace both guards from last season—Jenkins and Eric Jobe—but luckily, tackles Don Barclay and Jeff Braun and center Joe Madsen all return to lead the effort in the trenches.

Barclay, Braun and Jobe are three of the most talented and experienced linemen in the Big East, so the Mountaineers should be in good shape up front. However, they’re going to need some young guys to step up.

Braun is expected to shift from his right-tackle spot, where he started every game last season, and slide in for Jenkins at left guard.

Redshirt freshman Quinton Spain is expected to compete for playing time at right tackle if Braun does indeed make the move. But he’ll have to fight off sophomore Pat Eger.

Senior Tyler Rader is finally hoping to break into the starting lineup as Jobe’s replacement at right guard, but the former walk-on will have to prove to the coaches that he’s a better option than up-and-coming sophomore Cole Bowers, who started three games in 2010.

Barclay may be the offensive line’s biggest name, but Madsen and Braun will be equally critical pieces this season.

If Spain can play up to his potential at right tackle, and if Barclay, Braun and Madsen can take responsibility and become true leaders, this line has a chance to be one of the best in not just the Big East, but the entire country. 

A Closer Look at the Defense

Returning Tackle Leader: Terence Garvin, 76 Tackles

Returning Sack Leader: Bruce Irvin, 14 sacks

Returning Interceptions Leader: Keith Tandy, 6 interceptions

Returning Starters: 4

• DT Julian Miller (Sr.)
• LB Najee Goode (Sr.)
• CB Keith Tandy (Sr.)
• S Terence Garvin (Jr.)

Most Important Returning Starter: CB Keith Tandy

Starters Lost: 7

• DT Scooter Berry
• DT Chris Neild
• LB JT Thomas
• LB Anthony Leonard
• CB Brandon Hogan
• S Sidney Glover
• S Robert Sands

Biggest Loss: DT Chris Neild

Key 2010 Statistics

Total Defense: 261 YPG
Conference Rank: 1st
National Rank: 3rd

Scoring Defense: 13 PPG
Conference Rank: 1st
National Rank: 3rd

Passing Defense: 174 YPG
Conference Rank: 3rd
National Rank: 11th

Rushing Defense: 86 YPG
Conference Rank: 1st
National Rank: 2nd

Total First Downs: 178 (13.7 per game)
Conference Rank: 1st
National Rank: 2nd

3rd Down Conversions: 26%
Conference Rank: 1st
National Rank: 2nd

Sacks Allowed: 45
Conference Rank: 1st
National Rank: 3rd

Total Turnovers: 23 (11 fumble recoveries, 12 interceptions)
Conference Rank: 2nd
National Rank: 49th

Defensive Line

So much for a learning curve.

Last season, Bruce Irvin stepped into the West Virginia defensive lineup, fresh out of Mount San Antonio Junior College, and immediately proved that he was a special type of pass-rushing prodigy.

Even though he played limited snaps and was only primarily used in passing situations, Irvin still managed to lead the conference with a whopping 14 sacks.

The 6’3’’, 235-pound senior may not have the prototypical size you desire in a true defensive end, but Irvin certainly hasn’t let that stop him from finding his way into the opponent’s backfield on a consistent basis.

Irvin’s tremendous speed off the edge is what sets him apart and makes him a nightmare match-up for opposing offensive tackles.

Now that he’s been given an expanded role as the starting defensive end, Irvin will have plenty of opportunities to continue terrorizing Big East quarterbacks.

Joining Irvin up front will be Julian Miller, who will now man the defensive tackle spot after playing defensive end for the last three seasons.

Miller, who entered the program as a 220-pound recruit, has taken it upon himself to bulk up and get stronger over the last few years; the results are evident.

The 6’4’’, 260-pound senior now looks more like a basketball forward than a defensive end.

Miller, who has NFL potential, has accumulated 17 sacks over the last two seasons, and he's proven to be one of the best pass rushers in the Big East.

The Miller-Irvin combination is sure to wear out offensive linemen in 2011.

It’s not certain who will fit in between those two at nose tackle, but there are a few intriguing options.

If suspended senior Jorge Wright can work out his problems and get back in the good graces of coach Holgorsen, he'd be a leading candidate to take over. But don’t count out junior college transfer Shaq Rowell, who arrives in Morgantown with a ton of hype and expectations.

No matter who gets thrown in at nose tackle, whether it be Rowell, Wright or even Josh Taylor, the real keys to success for the three-man defensive line will undoubtedly be Irvin and Miller, two of the top linemen in the Big East. 

Linebackers

J.T. Thomas and Anthony Leonard, who combined for 143 tackles last season, leave two big holes to fill on the outside of the West Virginia linebacking unit.

In the middle, Najee Goode returns to lead a young and inexperienced group.

Goode, a 6’1’’, 240-pound senior, finished with 43 tackles and three sacks in 2010 and he’ll have to take on an increased responsibility this year.

Flanking Goode should be emerging 'backers Doug Rigg and Josh Francis.

Rigg, a 6’1’’, 230-pound junior, only had 14 tackles a year ago, but he could be in store for a breakout season in 2011.

The dismissal of middle man Branko Busick, who was expected to be a valuable contributor before he was charged with two robberies, hurts the unit’s depth, but if Rigg and Francis can handle their new starting roles, the Mountaineers should be in decent shape.

The linebacker to keep an eye on in camp is true freshman Shaq Petteway, who has the type of stand out ability that should have the coaches taking notice.

Secondary

CB Brandon Hogan and S Robert Sands, two NFL draft picks, are both gone, as is S Sidney Glover, which means there’s going to be some serious turnover in the West Virginia secondary this season.

The one player who will have to continue to progress in the back end is Keith Tandy, one of the top senior cornerbacks in the country .

Tandy, an All-Big East performer in 2010, really stepped his game up as a junior last year and ended up leading the conference with six interceptions.

The 5’10’’, 195-pound senior has gone from coverage liability to premier player in the span of one season, and he’ll now have to handle the burden of being the leader of the secondary along with returning strong safety Terence Garvin.

Garvin, who led the team with 76 tackles last season, is a big, physical safety who has no problem with playing the run.

The 6’3’’, 215-pound junior will likely be joined by senior Eain Smith at free safety and sophomore Darwin Cook at the Bandit position.

Taking over for Hogan at the cornerback spot opposite Tandy will either be junior Pat Miller or sophomore Broderick Jenkins.

Both Miller and Jenkins should see considerable playing time this season, so whoever ends up starting will probably just be a formality.

Outside of Tandy, this is a secondary that lacks a lot of star power; however, there are a few sound pieces in place for this to be a solid and effective defensive backfield this season.  

Special Teams

Kicker

Tyler Bitancurt will be looking for a rebound season in 2011 after last year’s letdown campaign.

As a freshman, Bitancurt wowed fans by connecting on 13 of his 15 attempts—one of them being a last second game winner against archrival Pittsburgh.

The junior struggled in 2010, though, hitting just 10 of his 17 tries.

Bitancurt has the leg strength and accuracy to be the best kicker in the Big East, but he has to keep his focus and not let the pressure get to him.
 

Punter

The problem for West Virginia is that the Mountaineers don't have a punter on their roster who has ever actually tried a punt in a collegiate game.

Corey Smith, a former Alabama transfer who handled the kickoff duties last year, will take over for Gregg Pugnetti this season.

Smith tallied eight touchbacks as a kickoff specialist in 2010, but it remains to be seen how well he’ll fare in his new role.   

Return Men

The team’s top two punt returners—Brandon Hogan and Jock Sanders—are both gone, so the Mountaineers will have to find somebody new to fill the role.

WR J.D. Woods and S Travis Bell are the only players on the roster who have experience returning punts.

The main kick returner duty is a little more clear as Tavon Austin, who averaged 19 yards on 12 returns in 2010, is likely to hold down the job once again.  

Five Impact Freshman

1. RB Vernard Roberts

Vernard Roberts arrived in the spring and made an instant impact, wowing the offensive coaching staff with his vision and toughness.

Coming out of Dunbar High School in Washington D.C., the 5’9’’, 175-pound Roberts wasn’t as highly rated as his twin brother Vance, who is set to play cornerback for West Virginia this fall, but he managed to quickly make a name for himself once he arrived in Morgantown.

If he wants to keep the starting A-Back job, Roberts will have to fend off fellow freshman Andrew Buie, as well as a few returning veterans, but whether he ends up starting or not, the young back has earned enough respect to at least get a couple of carries in 2011. 

2. OL Quinton Spain

Quinton Spain was one of the jewels of West Virginia’s 2010 recruiting class, but Spain had to find out the hard way that the college game takes a little more dedication than the high school game; you can't show up overweight and out of shape.

After redshirting in 2010, Spain is now in better condition and ready to challenge for the starting right-tackle job.

The 6’5’’, 340-pound Spain has what it takes to be a force in the running game; he has enough athleticism to hold his own in pass protection as well.  

3. RB Andrew Buie

Vernard Roberts’ main competition at the A-Back position figures to be freshman Andrew Buie, a 4-star recruit out of Trinity Christian High School in Jacksonville, Florida.

Buie was one of the most highly touted running back prospects in the entire country and he has the type of skills to come in and make his presence felt immediately.

The 5’9’’, 185-pound Buie has a physical makeup and running style that strongly resembles former Oklahoma State RB Kendall Hunter—who had great success in Holgorsen’s offense last season.  

4. LB Shaq Petteway

After the losses of J.T.  Thomas, Anthony Leonard and Pat Lazear, the West Virginia linebacker corps looks a little thin going into the season.

MLB Najee Goode is the only sure starter out of the current group.

The Mountaineers will need playmaking tacklers on the outside, and I wouldn’t be surprised if freshman 'backer Shaq Petteway ended up seeing a few meaningful snaps this year.

Petteway, a 3-star recruit out of Ohio’s Stuebenville High School, has the speed to be a difference maker in West Virginia’s 3-3-5 stack system.

The 6’1’’, 190-pound freshman won’t break into the starting lineup in his first year, but if he shows enough in camp, defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel will figure out a way to utilize his speed.

5. CB Terrell Chestnut

The Mountaineers lose three starters from last year’s secondary and the depth chart isn’t exactly overflowing with reinforcements.

One player who could throw his name into the mix is cornerback/safety tweener Terrell Chestnut.

Chestnut, a 4-star recruit out of Pennsylvania’s Pottsgrove High School, has the size (6’0’’, 180 pounds) to play safety and the athleticism to handle the cornerback position.

The versatile freshman could actually be a perfect fit for the vacated Bandit position.


 

Ranking The 10 Most Important Players

1. QB Geno Smith (Jr.)

2. WR Tavon Austin (Jr.)

3. DE Bruce Irvin (Sr.)

4. CB Keith Tandy (Sr.)

5. WR Stedman Bailey (R-Soph.)

6. DT Julian Miller (Sr.)

7. C Joe Madsen (Jr.)

8. LB Najee Goode (Sr.)

9. LT Don Barclay (Sr.)

10. S Terence Garvin (Jr.)

So, do the Mountaineers have what it takes?

In Holgorsen we trust.

West Virginia has all the necessary firepower to run through the Big East this season.

As long as the defense doesn’t completely implode, and as long as the ball carriers can keep last year’s fumbling problem to a minimum, this offense should be potent enough to take down any opponent on this year’s slate.

The Mountaineers only have five true road games this year, and four of them are against teams they toppled in 2010.

QB Geno Smith is ready to lead this team to great things, now we just have to see if Holgorsen can handle all the pressures and responsibilities of actually leading a major college football program.

The talent is there and the system is in place to get the most out of it, now it’s time to execute and play with more of an edge than what we saw during the "Aw, shucks!" Bill Stewart era.

West Virginia won’t go undefeated this season, but the Mountaineers may come pretty close.

I’m calling for West Virginia to win the Big East this year and earn a trip down to Miami to represent the conference in the Orange Bowl.