The tumultuous resignation of Rich Rodriguez last December marked the end of an era in Morgantown, but did it mark the end of the good times?
New head coach Bill Stewart is determined to make sure the fun keeps on rolling by keeping things the same and by putting together a killer coaching staff, but he has to prove he can consistently produce the same magic that Rodriguez was able to come up with.
Initially, Stewart (WVU's associate head coach in 2007) wasn't even on AD Ed Pastilong's short list of replacements for Rodriguez, but then the players starting speaking up and the Mountaineers rolled over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl with Stewart acting as interim head coach. And voila, a head coach was born at the age of 55.
While Stewart has done well in the early going, assembling a nice staff of coaches and keeping most of the recruiting class intact, he can't allow the bowl win to be a one-game phenomenon.
Despite all of the changes that have taken place, West Virginia remains hopeful for one main reason: QB Pat White still has a year of eligibility left.
While the Mountaineers have endured severe losses at the skill positions and on the defensive line, White is so electrifying he can transcend many of the problems that the program will face. Sure, he'll get help from jackrabbit RBs Noel Devine and Jock Sanders, but now more than ever, he'll be carrying the school on his pads. Prone to getting nicked up, it's imperative that White play in all 13 games. Jarrett Brown is a more than capable backup in case that doesn't happen.
On defense, the Mounties will have a hard time matching last season's sterling results, largely because of the departures of their two best linemen, Keilen Dykes and Johnny Dingle.
Even with the issues and concerns, West Virginia remains the class of the Big East. But that's no longer enough for a program that has been on the fringe of national-title contention the past couple of years.
Stewart and his assistants need to keep the Mountaineers in the national discussion, or else the comparisons to Rodriguez, as despised as the Michigan man might be, will be inevitable. It won't be easy, considering the inexperience of the head coach and the top producers that must be replaced.
What to watch for on offense: A bit lighter of a workload on White ... at least in theory. As good as Brown might be, White's health could be the difference between a Big East title and a spot in the national championship game — at least it was last year. While there are major replacements to be made on offense, the idea will be to let more players see the ball after White and Slaton accounted for 408 of the 2007 team's 628 carries. This won't just mean more work for the running backs; the receivers will get in on the carries, too.
What to watch for on defense: The defense is not going to finish seventh in the nation in yards allowed and eighth in scoring defense, but it's hardly going to fall off the map thanks to a slew of terrific athletes brought in over the last few years. Experience is the issue, not talent. The linebacking corps was more than fine this spring, thanks to Mortty Ivy and Reed Williams, and the secondary will be fine with a little bit of time. The line might not be a weakness if JUCO transfer Tevita Finau is ready to rock and roll on the end from day one.
The team will be far better if: Devine is able to handle the load as an every-down back. Although Slaton will certainly be missed, his production tailed off last season, and injuries always seemed to be an issue. West Virginia believes it might do better with Devine taking carries, provided he can withstand the punishment that comes with 20 or 25 rushes per game. A game-changer when he gets in space, he's only 5-8 and 170 pounds — a big concern if he becomes the go-to guy out of the backfield.
Schedule: The schedule looks harder than it actually should be. The Big East slate isn't bad early and gets tough late with road trips to Louisville and Pitt in the span of six days, but remember, those two didn't go to a bowl last season. South Florida comes to Morgantown on Dec. 6 — a perfect time to catch the warm-weather team. After a warm-up against Villanova to kick things off, the non-conference schedule gets nasty the rest of the way with trips to East Carolina and Colorado along with the midseason showdown against Auburn. Win those three and a national title shot will likely be there for the taking.
Best offensive player: White. No matter what happens in '08, he will go down as one of the greatest to ever wear the old gold and blue. Virtually unstoppable when he gets outside the tackles, he's an open-field blur who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons. More impressive, he continues to grow as a passer, finishing a crisp 29th in the country in passing efficiency, while throwing for a career-high 14 touchdowns and 1,724 yards in '07.
Best defensive player: Senior LB Mortty Ivy, who came out of nowhere as a junior to become a perfect fit in Jeff Casteel's fast, attacking defense. As a first-time regular on the outside, he had 89 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and six sacks. At 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, he's instinctive, accelerates quickly to the ball and explodes on impact. A bit of an unknown outside of the Big East, Ivy is poised for substantially more recognition in his final season.
Key players to a successful season: The defensive linemen. The offense eventually will be fine. The defense, on the other hand, is a work in progress. West Virginia's defensive success a season ago was attributable to the pressure created by DE Johnny Dingle and DT Keilen Dykes. Both are headed to the NFL, leaving big holes that must be filled by unproven players, such as Zac Cooper, Larry Ford and Chris Neild. If this group can't get penetration, a suspect secondary will be exposed.
The season will be a success if: West Virginia doesn't regress from a season ago. Basically, what that means is an outright Big East championship and another BCS bowl victory. The Mountaineers can't give up any ground in their first campaign without Rich Rodriguez, especially since this is their final season with White under center.
OFFENSE
Even after delivering the best season of a brilliant career, West Virginia might need more production from White. Without playmakers Slaton, Owen Schmitt and Darius Reynaud, who caught 12 touchdown passes, the Mountaineers are searching for complements to its dynamic two-way quarterback. The most likely candidate to step up is Devine, who erupted for 627 yards and six touchdowns on only 73 carries as a rookie. The line, always a constant in Morgantown, returns five starters and will be among the toughest units in the country, led by all-star tackle Ryan Stanchek. Although new coordinator Jeff Mullen will stick with the spread offense, he does plan to add a few new wrinkles to the playbook, particularly in the passing game.
Quarterbacks: White, the two-time Big East Offensive Player of the Year, keeps getting better as the Mountaineers' do-everything catalyst. As a junior, the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder ran for a career-high 1,335 yards, threw for a career-high 1,724 yards and accounted for 28 touchdowns. If disaster strikes and White gets injured, the staff has faith in Brown, a steady backup who has proven to be more than just a mop-up guy.
Running Backs: Devine is one of the nation's most electrifying players, but can he take any sort of a pounding? As the featured back without much help on the roster, he needs to show maturity and durability to handle the expanded role. The early favorite at fullback is 6-foot-1, 240-pound junior Maxwell Anderson. A former walk-on with a try-hard mindset, he knows his job is to open holes for Devine. True freshman Terence Kerns and junior Michael Poitier need to be factors right away to keep Devine fresh.
Receivers: Everyone can block, but can this group catch? Reynaud sorely will be missed unless Brandon Hogan and Jock Sanders make quantum leaps from their freshman seasons. Senior Dorrell Jalloh has to be the new go-to target at the outside "X" position, while Tito Gonzalez has to be more than serviceable on the inside.
Offensive Line: Everything is lining up for this to be the next in a growing line of really nasty Mountaineers front walls. While not loaded with national star power, the unit is seasoned, deep and an ideal match for the offense. Led by OT Ryan Stanchek, this is a physical, tough group that should be among the nation's most effective.
DEFENSE
Coordinator Jeff Casteel was retained by Stewart, which was great news considering how well the Mountaineers performed in '07. The defense was air-tight in all facets, allowing just 300 yards and 18 points per game, while finishing ninth nationally in turnover margin. Maintaining that level of play, however, is about to get much tougher. Even without Marc Magro, the linebackers will be fine, but the defensive line must be rebuilt and there's a serious depth issue in the secondary. While Casteel will continue to lean on undersized athletes that fly to the ball out of the 3-3-5 stack, he's going to need help from a bunch of newcomers and underclassmen.
Defensive Line: Things aren't nearly as bad as they look on paper. Chris Neild and Scooter Berry have bright futures on the inside, and there are enough touted ends to piece together a feisty pass rush. Zac Cooper has the early edge to start at one DE spot, but he'll need to hold off an impressive collection of newcomers led by Finau. There's little to no experience but plenty of upside.
Linebackers: Whatever the line misses, the linebackers will be prepared to clean up. Williams and Ivy form one of the Big East's best LB tandems. If J.T. Thomas plays like he did this March, WVU could have one of the dozen or so most productive units in the country.
Secondary: The veteran unit improved dramatically in '07 thanks to an amazing pass rush, but that might not be there this season. Now there's plenty of retooling to be done with little CB experience. However, the safeties, led by Quinton Andrews, the only returning starter in the secondary, should be fine.
SPECIAL TEAMS
As all-around kicker Pat McAfee goes, so go the special teams. The Mountaineers led the Big East in punt coverage and did a solid job on kickoffs, preventing big plays and lengthening the field for opposing offenses. The return game isn't nearly as strong as it should be, but Devine and Sanders will look to change that.
