Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Holgorsen: Simmons to Start at Inside Receiver on Friday
December 24, 2018 06:00 PM | Football
ORLANDO – We know Jack Allison and Trey Lowe III are going to handle the quarterbacking duties for West Virginia in the 2018 Camping World Bowl this Friday night against 17th-ranked Syracuse.
And junior Kelby Wickline is going to slip in at left tackle in place of Yodny Cajuste. The other remaining question for the Mountaineer offense is the player filling in for Gary Jennings Jr. at inside receiver.
Dana Holgorsen said Monday afternoon that junior T.J. Simmons will be that guy.
Simmons caught a 59-yard touchdown in the season opener against Tennessee and had a season-high six catches for 53 yards in the Kansas win. The former Alabama transfer has caught 22 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown so far this season.
"With Gary not being here we've had the opportunity to move (Simmons) in and he's got two, three weeks of work and I think that will benefit him next year," Holgorsen said before a small gathering of reporters this afternoon in Orlando. "He looks good in there. That's his natural position and that's where he feels the most comfortable."
West Virginia's offense benefitted from having one of the most productive wide receiver tandems in the country this year in David Sills V and Jennings. The two combined to catch 115 passes for 1,813 yards and 28 touchdowns in 11 regular season games.
With Jennings not available, that means Syracuse will likely double cover Sills and try and limit his touches. If the Orange are successful, then somebody else is going to have to step up on the other side of the field and make plays in case that happens Friday night.
It could be Simmons, or, it could be junior Marcus Simms, who has returned to good health after seeing his production decline late in the season due to some minor nagging injuries.
Simms had eight catches for 119 yards in the Youngstown State win and had a career-high nine catches for 138 yards and a touchdown a couple weeks later at Texas Tech. At one point early in the season, Simms was actually leading the Mountaineers in receiving yardage.
"He was arguably our best receiver for 33 percent of the season - his numbers were the best," Holgorsen noted. "He got injured and that's part of the game. I don't think he handled the injury as well as he could have. Marcus needs to have a good week of practice and we'll see if he can pick up some of the slack."
If not Simms or Simmons, there are others Holgorsen can look to as well.
"Obviously (Trevon) Wesco and (Jovani) Haskins … and Tevin Bush is another guy who fills that role as an inside receiver," he said. "Then (freshmen) Sam James and Bryce Wheaton are getting the majority of the reps the last couple of weeks. Those guys are looking better and better."
Interestingly, James, Wheaton, Bush, Haskins and Dominique Maiden are the guys Allison has been throwing to on a regular basis during practice this season when the twos are on the field, so his timing with them should be outstanding when they get into the game.
"He was always in there with the backups and those backups are Sam, Bryce, Dom Maiden, Tevin and Jovani," Holgorsen pointed out. "He's been throwing to Jovanni for three years now."
Allison's ability to get on the same page with those other receivers is going to be important factor for the Mountaineers on Friday night because Holgorsen is expecting lots of pressure from the Orange.
Syracuse has 38 sacks and 85 tackles for losses in 12 regular season games this year, putting it near the top in the ACC in those two categories.
The Orange have had two or more sacks in nine out of 12 games this year, including a season-high six against Connecticut and Louisville. Syracuse also got to Clemson quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Chase Brice four times back on Sept. 29.
"They do pressure people and they take chances with how they play defensively pretty much like we do," Holgorsen concluded. "We've studied a lot of their blitzes and they like to put a lot of people in the box and pressure you."
Camping World Bowl Bits:
* The Mountaineers arrived in Orlando earlier today in time for a late afternoon practice at Boone High in Orlando. The team will enjoy a Christmas breakfast Tuesday morning before having another heavy work later in the afternoon. The Mountaineers will begin tapering off on Wednesday to get ready for Friday's game.
Holgorsen said unseasonably warm temperatures in Morgantown allowed his team to get in four good days of work before breaking for Orlando.
"We're happy to be here. Everybody got here safe and sound and we're excited to be back here in Orlando," he said.
* Holgorsen reiterated Monday afternoon that true freshman Trey Lowe will get some snaps on Friday night against the Orange.
"I'm anxious to see how he does," he said. "I asked him if he was going to be nervous going into it and he said no. He said 'it's just football coach' and that's a great attitude."
Holgorsen said he likes what he's seen from Allison in practices so far, too.
"I think Jack has been outstanding when it comes to being a backup quarterback and for the time that he's been able to come in and play I think he's played pretty good. Guys change when they get out of the backup mentality," he said. "I've been excited and encouraged with the practice reps he's gotten over the last couple of weeks. He's attacked it the right way."
* Syracuse is basically averaging the same amount of yardage as last year, but the Orange are scoring considerably more points averaging nearly 41 per game this year.
Why? Holgorsen said it's a combination of them averaging nearly 83 plays per game and their defense getting them the football back frequently with turnovers.
"They give up some plays and some yards but they're getting off the field on third down," he mentioned.
As for Syracuse's fast-paced offense, that's what the Mountaineers see on a weekly basis in the Big 12.
"We're accustomed to that. It's not necessarily how I like to do it but we understand it's a long game and no matter what happens you've got to keep playing," Holgorsen said.
* Tonight the players will enjoy some time at Universal Studios and the City Walk. Tomorrow's activities include an athletic department function at Pointe Orlando following the Mountaineers' Christmas Day workout.
Monday Sound
And junior Kelby Wickline is going to slip in at left tackle in place of Yodny Cajuste. The other remaining question for the Mountaineer offense is the player filling in for Gary Jennings Jr. at inside receiver.
Dana Holgorsen said Monday afternoon that junior T.J. Simmons will be that guy.
Simmons caught a 59-yard touchdown in the season opener against Tennessee and had a season-high six catches for 53 yards in the Kansas win. The former Alabama transfer has caught 22 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown so far this season."With Gary not being here we've had the opportunity to move (Simmons) in and he's got two, three weeks of work and I think that will benefit him next year," Holgorsen said before a small gathering of reporters this afternoon in Orlando. "He looks good in there. That's his natural position and that's where he feels the most comfortable."
West Virginia's offense benefitted from having one of the most productive wide receiver tandems in the country this year in David Sills V and Jennings. The two combined to catch 115 passes for 1,813 yards and 28 touchdowns in 11 regular season games.
With Jennings not available, that means Syracuse will likely double cover Sills and try and limit his touches. If the Orange are successful, then somebody else is going to have to step up on the other side of the field and make plays in case that happens Friday night.
It could be Simmons, or, it could be junior Marcus Simms, who has returned to good health after seeing his production decline late in the season due to some minor nagging injuries.
Simms had eight catches for 119 yards in the Youngstown State win and had a career-high nine catches for 138 yards and a touchdown a couple weeks later at Texas Tech. At one point early in the season, Simms was actually leading the Mountaineers in receiving yardage.
"He was arguably our best receiver for 33 percent of the season - his numbers were the best," Holgorsen noted. "He got injured and that's part of the game. I don't think he handled the injury as well as he could have. Marcus needs to have a good week of practice and we'll see if he can pick up some of the slack."
If not Simms or Simmons, there are others Holgorsen can look to as well.
"Obviously (Trevon) Wesco and (Jovani) Haskins … and Tevin Bush is another guy who fills that role as an inside receiver," he said. "Then (freshmen) Sam James and Bryce Wheaton are getting the majority of the reps the last couple of weeks. Those guys are looking better and better."
Interestingly, James, Wheaton, Bush, Haskins and Dominique Maiden are the guys Allison has been throwing to on a regular basis during practice this season when the twos are on the field, so his timing with them should be outstanding when they get into the game.
"He was always in there with the backups and those backups are Sam, Bryce, Dom Maiden, Tevin and Jovani," Holgorsen pointed out. "He's been throwing to Jovanni for three years now."
Allison's ability to get on the same page with those other receivers is going to be important factor for the Mountaineers on Friday night because Holgorsen is expecting lots of pressure from the Orange.
Syracuse has 38 sacks and 85 tackles for losses in 12 regular season games this year, putting it near the top in the ACC in those two categories.
The Orange have had two or more sacks in nine out of 12 games this year, including a season-high six against Connecticut and Louisville. Syracuse also got to Clemson quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Chase Brice four times back on Sept. 29.
"They do pressure people and they take chances with how they play defensively pretty much like we do," Holgorsen concluded. "We've studied a lot of their blitzes and they like to put a lot of people in the box and pressure you."
Camping World Bowl Bits:
* The Mountaineers arrived in Orlando earlier today in time for a late afternoon practice at Boone High in Orlando. The team will enjoy a Christmas breakfast Tuesday morning before having another heavy work later in the afternoon. The Mountaineers will begin tapering off on Wednesday to get ready for Friday's game.
Holgorsen said unseasonably warm temperatures in Morgantown allowed his team to get in four good days of work before breaking for Orlando.
"We're happy to be here. Everybody got here safe and sound and we're excited to be back here in Orlando," he said.
* Holgorsen reiterated Monday afternoon that true freshman Trey Lowe will get some snaps on Friday night against the Orange."I'm anxious to see how he does," he said. "I asked him if he was going to be nervous going into it and he said no. He said 'it's just football coach' and that's a great attitude."
Holgorsen said he likes what he's seen from Allison in practices so far, too.
"I think Jack has been outstanding when it comes to being a backup quarterback and for the time that he's been able to come in and play I think he's played pretty good. Guys change when they get out of the backup mentality," he said. "I've been excited and encouraged with the practice reps he's gotten over the last couple of weeks. He's attacked it the right way."
* Syracuse is basically averaging the same amount of yardage as last year, but the Orange are scoring considerably more points averaging nearly 41 per game this year.
Why? Holgorsen said it's a combination of them averaging nearly 83 plays per game and their defense getting them the football back frequently with turnovers.
"They give up some plays and some yards but they're getting off the field on third down," he mentioned.
As for Syracuse's fast-paced offense, that's what the Mountaineers see on a weekly basis in the Big 12.
"We're accustomed to that. It's not necessarily how I like to do it but we understand it's a long game and no matter what happens you've got to keep playing," Holgorsen said.
* Tonight the players will enjoy some time at Universal Studios and the City Walk. Tomorrow's activities include an athletic department function at Pointe Orlando following the Mountaineers' Christmas Day workout.
Monday Sound
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