Big 12 team preview: Can West Virginia build on last year’s 9-win season?

Editor’s note: This story is the 13th in a series previewing each football team in the Big 12 in 2024.

Last season, coach Neal Brown led West Virginia to its first nine-win season since 2016, capping it off with a win over North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

After taking over the program in 2019, Brown had four five-or-six-win seasons before breaking through with the 2023 group. Led by a two-pronged rushing attack featuring Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson, who combined for 1,640 rushing yards, the Mountaineers had the third-best rushing offense in the FBS.

Quarterback Garrett Greene proved to be a dual threat, passing for 2,406 yards and 16 touchdowns with just four interceptions and rushing for 772 yards and three touchdowns.

The defense also improved, allowing 26.2 points per game, down from 32.9 points per game in 2022.

Can the Mountaineers continue their climb to the top of the Big 12 hill in 2024?

West Virginia football in 2024

Greene returns for his senior season, bolstering the quarterback position, and will enjoy returning experience at wide receiver.

West Virginia loses its leading receiver from last season, Devin Carter (501 yards), but returns Hudson Clement, who had a breakout redshirt freshman season (480 yards) and Preston Fox (368 yards). TE1 Kole Taylor (444 yards) is back, and Oklahoma State transfer receiver Jaden Bray (382 yards) should start.

With one of the best offensive lines in the conference, led by All-Big 12 selection Wyatt Milum, and the return of White and Donaldson, the run-heavy Mountaineers are set up for offensive success.

“We have Jahiem White coming back who I think is dynamic. He finished the year off really strong, and he’s only going to be a sophomore. So I think he’s ready to take the next step (and) be a premier player,” Brown said.

He added, “CJ Donaldson was kind of beat up last year. He’s a big, powerful running back. I think he’ll go back and show, remind our fan base and college football fans across the country what he showed as a freshman and the type of potential he has. And then Garrett Greene is an elite runner.”

The defensive line is the strength for the Mountaineers on the other side of the ball, led by returning starters Edward Vesterinen and Sean Martin, plus Hammond Russell, who played 112 snaps last year and looks to take the next step. West Virginia had 33 sacks last year, and hopes to build off that.

“Defensively, we returned most of our defensive line that was highly productive in sacks and TFLs and playing the run,” Brown said.

The linebacker group should also be improved, with Trey Lathan, who started the first five games before suffering a season-ending injury, and Josiah Trotter returning from injuries, in addition to Ty French, who arrives in Morgantown from Gardner-Webb, where he was a four-time All-Big South Conference first team member.

The question mark for West Virginia, Brown says, is the secondary.

Brown attacked that need in the transfer portal, bringing in Northwestern’s Garnett Hollis, Duquesne cornerback Ayden Garnes and Northwestern safety Jaheem Joseph. They’ll join returning starter Anthony Wilson (safety).

Last year’s starting safety, Aubrey Burks, is back, but he’s now in the “spear” position, a hybrid between box safety and cornerback.

“Secondary is kind of the question mark for us. We went out and addressed that in the portal. And so looking forward to getting that group complete and working with them in fall camp,” Brown said.

West Virginia was selected seventh in the Big 12 preseason media poll, and aside from skipping Utah, has a tough schedule.

They open the season at home against Penn State, and also play at Pittsburgh in nonconference play. They’ll face five of the projected top six in Big 12 play — Kansas State, at Oklahoma State, Kansas, at Arizona and Iowa State.

Texas Tech 2024 preview

2023 record: 9-4 (6-3 Big 12)

Utah ties:

• Quarterback Ryder Burton (Springville High)

2024 schedule

Aug. 31: Penn State

Sept. 7: Albany

Sept. 14: at Pitt

Sept. 21: Kansas

Sept. 28: Bye

Oct. 5: at Oklahoma State

Oct. 12: Iowa State

Oct. 19: Kansas State

Oct. 26: at Arizona

Nov. 2: Bye

Nov. 8: at Cincinnati

Nov. 16: Baylor

Nov. 23: UCF

Nov. 30: at Texas Tech