The West Virginia Mountaineers had a bad stretch towards the end of last season, going 1-3 in their final four games. That includes their loss to Texas A&M in the Liberty Bowl. They also went 1-3 against ranked opponents in 2014. With major changes in the roster—particularly on offense—will the Mountaineers see improvement this coming season?
Read on for an overview of West Virginia’s key player this coming season along with the team’s key game, best and worst scenarios and a complete list of the Mountaineers’ 2015-2016 schedule.
For more about college football, click here for a preview of Oregon’s season and here for the early Heisman Trophy candidates.
[sc:NCAAFArticles ]2015-2016 West Virginia College Football Preview
Overview
[sc:NCAA240banner ]West Virginia had a high-flying offense last season. The Mountaineers ranked ninth in the nation in passing yards (317.0 per game), 45th in rushing yards (182.8), and 36th in scoring (33.5). Those numbers, however, were to be expected from a team handled by head coach Dana Holgorsen, who is an offense-first type of guy.
What about this coming season, though? With a new starting quarterback in Skyler Howard entering the picture and without last year’s top two receivers in Kevin White and Mario Alford, Holgorsen is facing quite a challenge on offense this year.
Maybe the Mountaineers will elect to run the ball more with the duo of Rushel Shell and Wendell Smallwood while the passing game remains unproven. In 2014, Rushel led the team on the ground with 788 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, while Smallwood was right behind him with 722 rushing yards and a couple of scores. More questions, though, will be asked of the Mountaineers’ defense that has nothing to be proud of after finishing 68th in the nation in total defense (399.4 yards allowed per game).
Fixing the D is all on defensive coordinator Tony Gibson, who has to find a way to improve the play of his pass rushers (95th in sacks with 20 in 2014) to complement an otherwise decent secondary (55th in picks with 12) that returns three starters from last season.
Key Player – Skyler Howard
The Mountaineers are definitely hoping that Skyler Howard manifests the poise, control, and mobility Holgorsen has always looked for in a quarterback. The junior signal-caller flashed some of those qualities last season, when Holgorsen threw him into the fire in November following then starter Clint Trickett’s absence due to concussion.
Throughout the 2 ½ games he played as the starter, Howard managed to throw for 829 yards and eight touchdowns without an interception. Howard will have to carry that form into the new season if West Virginia’s offense is to remain as among the best in Big 12.
Key Game – @ Oklahoma (Oct. 3)
October will be a brutal month for the Mountaineers, who are +30,000 to win the national title. It features games against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, and TCU.
Obviously, that stretch will be the definitive litmus test for the Mountaineers. The game against the Sooners will be big for West Virginia, as a win in that matchup will set a positive tone and earn the Mountaineers’ much-needed confidence before taking on the rest of the teams in their October sked.
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Best/Worst Case Scenario for the Season
Best Case Scenario
Holgorsen nurtures Howard into one of the best quarterbacks in the conference, while the backfield blossoms with Shell and Smallwood proving to be the perfect complement for the team’s fluid passing offense. The defense, meanwhile, plays better thanks in large part to experience in the secondary. The Mountaineers will not be in the running for the national title, but plays in a bowl game nonetheless. West Virginia ends up with an 8-5 overall record (5-4 in Big 12).
Worst Case Scenario
For all of the promise Howard showed late last season, he will be unable to carry this team with Jordan Thompson and Daikiel Shorts as his top options downfield. The void left by White and Alford is simply too big for Thompson and Shorts to fill; their talent and skills are galaxies apart from that of last season’s tandem. With the offense in disarray, the Mountaineers take a step back and finish the season with a 6-7 overall record and a 4-5 conference slate.
Complete Schedule
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Sept 5 | vs Ga Southern | 7:30 PM ET |
| Saturday, Sept 12 | vs Liberty | 3:00 PM ET |
| Saturday, Sept 26 | vs Maryland | TBD |
| Saturday, Oct 3 | @Oklahoma | TBD |
| Saturday, Oct 10 | vs Oklahoma State | TBD |
| Saturday, Oct 17 | @Baylor | TBD |
| Thu, Oct 29 | @TCU | 7:30 PM ET |
| Saturday, Nov 7 | vs Texas Tech | TBD |
| Saturday, Nov 14 | vs Texas | TBD |
| Saturday, Nov 21 | @Kansas | TBD |
| Saturday, Nov 28 | vs Iowa State | TBD |
| Saturday, Dec 5 | @Kansas State | TBD |
Writer’s Prediction
The Mountaineers finishes the regular season with a 6-7 record (4-5 in Big 12).
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