Brown Reveals Two-Deep For Saturday’s Season Opener

Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks

August 26, 2019 03:32 PM | Football

By: John Antonik

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Some takeaways from the first depth chart released by Neal Brown earlier today:

* Right guard is still not settled with Chase Behrndt and junior college transfer John Hughes battling it out this week.

"We're going to carry it into practice this week and see how it goes through the week to determine who is going to be the starter," Brown said Monday morning during his weekly Big 12 coaches' teleconference. Both will play on Saturday against James Madison, according to the coach.

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* Temple transfer Sean Ryan is listed No. 1 at X receiver, a status he has maintained all fall despite not being granted immediate eligibility until last Friday. Brown admitted that it was a little bit of a risk having him getting so much work with the ones, but they felt pretty confident he had a compelling case for immediate eligibility.

"We would have been in a little bit of a bind if he was ruled ineligible," Brown said. "He's a guy that has good length. He played well down the stretch at Temple last year so this won't be his first meaningful college action. He's added some weight and some strength and he's been really productive for us in fall camp, and he's a guy that will definitely factor into our game plan."

Speaking of height, three players listed on the wide receiver two-deep are currently 6-foot-3 or taller – Ryan, Florida State transfer George Campbell and redshirt freshman Bryce Wheaton, the grandson of legendary Mountaineer running back Garrett Ford Sr.

And perhaps the most explosive player of the entire group, redshirt freshman Sam James, also possesses decent size standing 6-feet tall.

* Redshirt freshman Mike O'Laughlin, a converted high school wide receiver, will begin the season as West Virginia's No. 1 tight end. O'Laughlin has added more than 40 pounds to his 6-foot-5 frame since his arrival.

"He keeps getting better," Brown noted. "He's been really solid, and I know exactly what to expect out of him. He's been a better blocker in camp than I probably anticipated because I hadn't seen him play in that position. He's extremely intelligent. He's picked up what we're going."

Former Miami transfer Jovani Haskins is listed as the No. 2 tight end along with redshirt freshman T.J. Banks. Brown said Haskins, who has been battling some minor injuries this fall, will be available to play on Saturday.

* One guy ruled out for the opener is junior corner Dreshun Miller from Eastern Arizona College. The two backups listed at corner behind starters Hakeem Bailey and Keith Washington Jr. are true freshmen Nicktroy Fortune and Tae Mayo.

* The backup center position is still up for grabs between redshirt freshman Briason Mays and Martinsburg High sophomore Adam Stilley. Mays is also listed as a backup at right guard.

The top eight on the offensive line right now probably consists of Colton McKivitz, Kelby Wickline, Josh Sills, Michael Brown, with Hughes, Behrndt, Stilley and Mays making up the next four. The two backup tackles listed this week are unproven players – redshirt freshman Junior Uzebu and redshirt sophomore Tyler Thurmond.

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* Senior Reese Donahue is penciled in at the No. 1 at defensive tackle ahead of sophomore Dante Stills, but Stills is expected to see lots of action this year. Informed observers tell me Stills has really come on the last couple weeks of camp and gives the Mountaineers some much-needed athleticism at the defensive tackle position.

Right now, the starting front consists of Donahue, nose tackle Darius Stills and junior defensive end Jeffrey Pooler Jr., but there are nine guys listed on the defensive line two-deep, including Michigan transfer Reuben Jones, which makes it one of the deepest positions on the defense.

Another guy working his way into the D-line rotation is senior Stone Wolfley, who has really paid his dues in the Mountaineer program.

* Running back depth is another impressive aspect of Brown's first WVU team with Kennedy McKoy poised to have an outstanding senior season. McKoy just looks like a guy who has played 37 career college games running around out there.

"We've got experience there," Brown conceded. "Three guys have in-game experience in Kennedy McKoy, Martell Pettaway and Leddie Brown. Those guys almost had an even number of carries last year so the most experience by far on offense is in that room.

"And you can add (Alec) Sinkfield to that mix, too. Those guys have the ability to run inside and outside; they can protect you in the pass game and they have good hands. They are versatile and they're experienced so that's something that we don't have a whole lot on offense."

* Linebacker appears to be more athletic this year with Quondarius Qualls taking over the bandit position and teaming with weakside linebacker Josh Chandler and middle linebacker Dylan Tonkery, who is not very big at 6-feet, 228 pounds.

Their backups are Zach Sandwisch at bandit, Exree Loe at weak and Jake Abbott or Shea Campbell at middle. Jared Bartlett and Deamonte Lindsay are also pushing for playing time.

Behind them, senior Josh Norwood has edged out emerging freshman Kerry Martin Jr. at free safety while junior Sean Mahone gets the nod over another promising freshman in Tykee Smith.

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JoVanni Stewart, Kwantel Raines and Dante Bonamico are the team's top three spear linebackers, the hybrid position in Vic Koenning's defense.

Overall, Brown said he is not sure where the talent level is heading into his first season at West Virginia. He was asked earlier today if it is to his liking.

"I will be able to tell you after the game," he said. "I don't know if you will find any coach that says they are happy with their talent level or that they want to hold steady. We're always trying to get better and that's the name of recruiting.

He added, "I tell the kids that we're always trying to find somebody better than who is on our roster. That's not a knock on our guys, I just think that's the mentality you have to have in recruiting. I like the way our guys work. It's hard to evaluate players when you go against your own guys all the time so you need to play an opponent to find out where you're at."

Facing James Madison with all of the experience it has returning from last year's 9-4 team that is picked by some to win the FCS national championship this season, is certainly a good place to start.

We'll have more from Brown tomorrow afternoon following his first weekly news conference at the Milan Puskar Center.