By Jay Berry
The West Virginia Mountaineers have the most challenging Big 12 conference schedule and also play Penn State in the non-conference.
Challenging Schedule: The schedule includes games against Penn State, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Kansas, and Arizona.
They'll be led out on the field by a coach many didn't think would last this long. Neal Brown , who's resurged after being on the hot seat for the last few years. During his first four years in Morgantown, Brown had two five-win seasons and two six-win seasons.
The 2023 season performance earned Coach Brown a one-year extension through the 2027 season. They finished 8-4 in the regular season and added a ninth win against UNC in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.
Brown spent four years at Troy from 2015 to 2018 before getting hired at West Virginia. At Troy, he won four games his first year, then 10, 11, and 10.
Is West Virginia Football the Sleeper in the Big 12 for 2024?
Here are some key points to consider:
The Mountaineers return most of their production from 2023 and could be in position as a potential dark horse Big 12 contender in 2024
Starting quarterback Garrett Greene and top rushers CJ Donaldson Jr . and Jahiem White are in the backfield again. The trio combined for 2,412 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground last season. According to WVU Sports , the Mountaineers totaled 3,174 rushing yards last season, the best out of all Power 5 teams.
Running Back
West Virginia has one of the best running back duos in the Big 12 and two top-10 running backs in the conference with Donaldson and White. South Caroling High School star Tra'evon Dunbar , redshirt freshman Judah Price , and junior Jaylen Anderson join them.
Josh Neighbors of The Big 12 Watch said West Virginia has multiple running backs on the top 10 list for the Big 12 Conference heading into the 2024 College Football season.
Additionally, PFF college football analyst Max Chadwick also ranked the West Virginia running back room as the 10th-best in college football.
Offensive Line
They have experience on the offensive line, with three returning starting offensive linemen and two rotational linemen who will start this season. However, they did lose Zach Frazier and Doug Nester to the NFL.
The Mountaineers' offensive line was the team's strength last season. It paved the way for the top Power 5 rushing attack, averaging 228.9 yards per game. The line was also among the top three in the country in terms of sacks allowed, allowing less than one sack per game.
Questions for the 2024 season: How is the passing game, and can the secondary keep up?
West Virginia has the potential to be better than last year's nine-win team, but due to their schedule, they may win fewer games unless they improve in the passing game on both sides of the ball.
Offensive coordinator : West Virginia's offense will be directed by a first-time offensive coordinator in 2023 as running backs coach Chad Scott takes over for Graham Harrell, who left for the same position at Purdue.
Returning Starters: West Virginia has many returning starters, providing a solid foundation for the team.
Experienced Offense: The Mountaineers have an experienced offense led by quarterback Garrett Greene, who could have a big season in 2024, and a strong O-Line.
They added offensive help from the Transfer Portal with Oklahoma State WR Jaden Bray . Bray has the potential to be a downfield threat. He has a big frame and explosive quickness. If he puts it all together and avoids injury, he could be a tremendous addition.
Improved Defense
The team's defense has improved, with a focus on pass rush and defensive backs.
West Virginia added secondary help with the transfer portal. They added Jaheem Joseph and Garnett Hollis from Northwestern, Colorado State cornerback T.J. Crandell , and Duquesne cornerback Ayden Garnes .
They also brought in pass rush help through the portal. Troy's T.J. Jackson and OLB Ty French from Gardner Webb were added.
While West Virginia faces challenges, their experienced offense, strong running game, and improved defense make them a team to watch in the Big 12 for the 2024 season.
Underdogs
FanDuel Sportsbook has the West Virginia Mountaineers at +1900 odds to win the 2024 Big 12 football championship game, putting them ninth in the conference with the same odds as TCU.
If their passing game can be more efficient and their secondary improves from last year, the Mountaineers will have a chance to improve upon last season's 8-win regular season.
Let's see if they make it through their 2024 schedule.
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