West Virginia Football 2022 Season Preview

Returning Strengths.  Anchored by 2nd Team Walter Camp All-American 6’3” 306 pounder Zach Frazier at Center, the OL returns all five of last year’s starters.  Frazier will team with All-American tackle 6’6” 273 pounder Wyatt Milum; at 6’7” and 320 pound  Doug Nester; and 6’3” 310 pounds out of Bethel Park, PA James Gmiter at guard slots;  and 6’4” weighing in at 308 Brandon Yates at the other tackle. 

Complacency should not set in with talented and promising youngsters poised on the depth chart.  On the other side of the ball is a trio of solid defensive linemen back for another year:  47 career game veteran at 6’4” and 285 pounds Dante Stills; Canadian native and All Big 12 Honorable Mention at 6’2” and 272 lbs Akheem Mesidor; and 6’4” 255 pounds of Taijh Alston, who ranked 2nd on the 2021 team in Tackles for Loss, are eager and ready to suit up.  Brown and Staff will not state it explicitly, but fine Spring Drill play among each of their linemen open the possibility that line of scrimmage play will stamp the 2022 Mountaineers.     

Moving the Ball, Scoring the Points.  Advancing from scrimmage and ultimately crossing opponent goal lines will initially be the responsibility of:

• Junior Quarterback and transfer JT Daniels from Irvine, CA.  In previous stints with both USC and Georgia Daniels connected on 64% of his attempts, good for an excellent 8 yards per throw.  His touchdown/interception ratio of two times could be improved upon.  Waiting in the wings should Daniels falter will be Sophomore Garrett Greene out of Tallahassee, FL;
• transfers claimed a quartet of former Mountaineer receivers, but a promising group prepares to make the catches.  Sophomores CJ Cole and Preston Fox will team up with a pair of Seniors:   Bryce Ford-Wheaton and Sam James.  In combination they have hauled in 262 tosses good for 3,143 yards and 18 touchdowns.   Additional hopes are pinned on the maturation of Freshmen Nick Maher and Todd Simons;
• no offense is complete without an infantry attack, and WVU’s newly hired Offensive Coordinator Graham Harrell’s Air Raid system is slated to feature red shirt Sophomore Tony Mathis, Jr.  Promise was on full display in last year’s season finale at Kansas when Mathis rushed for 118 yards, 70 coming in the Fourth Quarter.  Immediately behind on the depth chart will be Justin Johnson, Jr. and Jaylen Anderson.  More questions than answers are stacked here, including a new OC and his newly installed system.  The opener at Pitt should offer needed clarification;
• Senior place kicker Casey Legg out of Charleston, WV is an inspirational story.  Never having played organized football but long a standout in soccer, he was given a 2019 walk-on invite.  He has connected on 26 of 34 field goal attempts --- 15 of 16 from inside the 40 yard line --- and is flawless in 51 extra point chances.  Special teams in general rated among the program strengths as Spring Drills concluded.

Coaching.  As noted above, Neal Brown’s three seasons as WVU’s sideline helmsman have yielded essentially break-even results.  Yet a history of excellence supports his incumbency.  His final three Seasons at Troy University in Alabama generated an overall 31-8 record, including 22 wins over the final 26 kickoffs.  A Sun Belt Conference championship blended with a Dollar General Bowl triumph and Neal’s 2017 receipt of Coach of the Year honors.  He was one of only six FBS coaches to rack up 10 or more wins in three consecutive seasons ending 2018.  As the Mountaineers compete in a stiffer conference it remains to be seen if Neal can recapture the magic.  Improvement is rightfully expected heading into 2022.