2018 Football Preview

Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks

August 05, 2018 11:25 AM | Football

By: Mike Montoro

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - A veteran offense returns with heavy expectations; a retooled defense is ready to prove it is more than capable of making its own statement, and a special teams unit is poised to handle its responsibilities as the Mountaineers enter the 2018 season.

Eighth-year coach Dana Holgorsen believes this squad not only has talent but the passion, the experienced leadership and work ethic to challenge for the Big 12 crown and make noise on the national stage.

The process begins this evening after Holgorsen meets with the media and the team gets down to the heavy work in preparation for the 2018 season opener against Tennessee at Bank America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, Sept. 1.

West Virginia heads into the season with a plethora of weapons - 38 returning lettermen, including 20 starters (seven on offense, six on defense and most of its specialists) from a year ago.

A quality recruiting class completes the roster with plenty of talent, providing needed depth to face a long and grueling season in one of the nation's top conferences.

Here is an in-depth look at Holgorsen's 2018 Mountaineer team:

Offense
The veteran coach's best recruiting job of his WVU tenure probably took place last December when he secured the services of three seniors returning for their final season: quarterback Will Grier, a Heisman Trophy Award candidate, receiver David Sills V, an All-American and Biletnikoff Award finalist and offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste, All-Big 12 pick. Add to them All-Conference senior wide receiver Gary Jennings Jr., three other starters on the offensive line and a stable of running backs and offensive coordinator Jake Spavital has the ingredients for a possible record-setting offense that should not be short on yards or points this season.

Last year, the offense finished No. 13 nationally in passing offense, No. 20 in total offense, No. 22 in scoring offense and No. 25 in first-down offense and passing yards per completion.

Grier is back for his second year as the starter behind center as arguably the top returning quarterback in the Big 12 and the nation. He started in 11 games as a junior before a hand injury ended his season during the first quarter of the Texas game. He ended the season completing 250-of-388 passes for 3,490 yards and 34 touchdowns.

He was ranked in the Top 20 nationally in 11 categories and threw for 300 or more yards in nine games, including the first straight. He threw multiple touchdowns in 10 games and set a school record with back-to-back five touchdown games.

The receiving duo of Sills V and Jennings Jr. can stretch the field and find the end zone. Sills V finished with 60 catches for 980 yards and tied for the top touchdown mark in the nation with 18, and Jennings Jr. had 97 catches for 1,096 and a touchdown. Junior Marcus Simms added 35 catches for 663 yards and five touchdowns. Redshirt sophomore T.J. Simmons, senior Dominique Maiden, redshirt senior tight end Trevon Wesco and redshirt sophomore tight end Jovani Haskins are all weapons who could add to the receiving mix.

The offensive line finished No. 8 in fewest tackles for loss allowed and No. 25 in fewest sacks allowed in 2017. Tackles Cajuste and redshirt junior Colton McKivitz will anchor the unit. Redshirt junior tackle Kelby Wickline will be part of the tackle rotation. Guard Josh Sills returns as the starter at guard, and senior Isaiah Hardy looks to fill the second guard spot. Redshirt sophomore Jacob Buccigrossi and redshirt junior Matt Jones will compete at center.

In the backfield, juniors Kennedy McKoy and Martell Pettaway and redshirt freshman Alec Sinkfield will share the carries. McKoy finished with 596 yards and seven touchdowns, and Pettaway had 149 yards and two touchdowns a season ago.

Defense
Led by All-American redshirt junior linebacker David Long Jr., redshirt senior safety Dravon Askew-Henry and senior defensive lineman Ezekiel Rose, the defense returns 18 lettermen, including six starters.

Under fifth-year coordinator Tony Gibson, the Mountaineer defense has the talent and depth to make people take notice and return to its status as one of the nation's top units.

Last year, the defense ranked No. 16 nationally in most three defensive three and outs per game and No. 24 in best third-down defense.

Long Jr. played in nine games after coming back from a preseason knee injury and is the top returning tackler with 76 stops, including 56 solo, second-most sacks on the team (4), a team-high 16.5 tackles for loss and tied for third most pass breakups (6). He finished with a team-high 18 tackles, including a school record seven tackles for loss against Oklahoma State. He had 12 tackles, including a sack, two tackles for loss at Kansas State and had 10 tackles, including one for loss against Texas.

Askew-Henry has started every game in his career (39) and was the fourth-leading tackler last year (57), including 42 unassisted tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception and four pass breakups. Rose played in all 13 games in his first year at WVU and started three. He led the Mountaineer defense with 4.5 sacks, had two pass breakups, an interception and posted 23 tackles.

Reese Donahue started all 13 games on the defensive line, finished with 40 tackles, including 1.5 sacks and six tackles for loss. Sophomore Darius Stills played in nine games as a true freshman and has moved into the starting role at nose tackle. Graduate transfers Kenny Bigelow (USC) and Jabril Robinson (Clemson), along with freshman Dante Stills, add talent on the line.

Along with Long Jr., Dylan Tonkery and newcomer Charlie Benton aim to secure the linebacker spots. Long will be at Will linebacker and Benton at Sam. Tonkery can play all three positions but will be used at the Mike. He finished with 43 tackles, including 33 solo stops, three sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss.

Redshirt junior Hakeem Bailey returns at one of the cornerback positions. He played in 11 games and started three games. He finished with 35 tackles, including 32 solo stops, two tackles for loss and six pass breakups. Sophomore Derrek Pitts Jr. moved from safety to cornerback during the spring and will battle for the other starting spot. Also fighting for a spot in the rotation will be junior college transfer Keith Washington and redshirt sophomores Jake Long and Sean Mahone.

Askew-Henry will start at the spur safety, Kenny Robinson at free safety and Toyous Avery at the bandit position. Robinson began last season at cornerback but was moved to safety during the season due to injuries. He played in all 13 games, started eight and will start at free safety. He finished with 46 tackles and had three interceptions, including two he returned for touchdowns. Avery returns for his final season at bandit safety after playing eight games last year, including five starts. Injuries hampered him, and he finished with 20 tackles and four pass breakups. Also in the mix are junior college transfer Josh Norwood, junior JoVanni Stewart and redshirt junior Deamonte Lindsay.

Special Teams
Redshirt senior punter Billy Kinney and redshirt sophomore kicker Evan Staley return. Redshirt junior Rex Sunahara is looking to nail down the starting snapping position. Simms, an All-Big 12 Conference performer, is back to return kicks and punts.

Staley handled the team's kickoffs for the entire season and picked up the field goal and extra point duties for the final six games. He connected on 6-of-7 field goal attempts and hit all 16 extra point tries. He averaged 58.9 yards on his kickoff attempts and finished with 27 touchbacks.

Kinney averaged 40.9 yards per punt, had nine boots of 50 yards or more and placed 22 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

Concluding Thoughts
Heading into his eighth year, Holgorsen believes the program is ahead of last year entering the season. His younger players are now older and are going to be better, and the staff also added older players to the roster, which should translate to a better Mountaineer team.

The non-conference schedule is one of the program's tougher slates, as WVU opens its season at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte against Tennessee, then home against FCS-power Youngstown State in week two before heading to Raleigh to face NC State.

In league play, WVU travels to Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech and faces Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor on Thursday night, TCU and Oklahoma on Friday night after Thanksgiving to close the regular season.