WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS
2012 College Football Early Preview
OFFENSE - 8
------RETURNING STARTERS------
DEFENSE - 7
KEY LOSSES
OFFENSE: Tyler Urban-WR, Devon Brown-WR, Don Barclay-OT, Tyler Rader-OG
DEFENSE: Bruce Irvin-DE, Julian Miller-DT, Najee Goode-WLB, CaseyVance-WLB, Keith Tandy-CB, Eain Smith-FS
WR Tavon Austin
Quarterback / Receiver

Give Coach Holgorsen a gifted passer behind center and a handful of quality receivers and the wins will follow. He's got em. Geno Smith, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey and Ivan McCartney...get used to hearing those names called.

Defensive Line / Linebacker

The only fulltime starter that made a difference at linebacker, Najee Goode, will move on. For the second season in a row this unit has tons of unanswered questions. Departing seniors Irvin and Miller were the MVPs up front. Coordinator Jeff Casteel will have his hands full this spring building a better defense.

DB Terence Garvin
* DEPTH CHARTS were only designed as a simplistic gauge for listing players that departed and players that received the most playing experience (consistent starters). NationalChamps.net recognizes the importance of missing personnel data not listed such as redshirts, transfers, injuries, incoming recruits, back ups and alternates. Their coverage will begin with our full 2012 Preseason Preview due out this coming spring.
WEST VIRGINIA 2012 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key Players
OFFENSE
QB Geno Smith-Sr Paul Millard-So
FB Shawne Alston-Sr Ryan Clarke-Sr
RB Dustin Garrison-So Vernard Roberts-So / Andrew Buie-So
WR Stedman Bailey-Jr J.D. Woods-Sr
WR Tavon Austin-Sr ..
WR Ivan McCartney-Jr Ryan Nehlen-Sr
OT .. ..
OG Jeff Braun-Sr ..
C Joe Madsen-Sr ..
OG .. ..
OT Pat Eger-Jr ..
K Tyler Bitancurt-Sr ..
 
WEST VIRGINIA 2012 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key Players
DEFENSE
DE Will Clarke-Jr ..
NT Jorge Wright-Sr ..
DT J.B. Lageman-Sr Shaq Rowell-Sr
SLB Doug Rigg-Jr Tyler Anderson-Jr
MLB Jewone Snow-So Jared Barber-So
WLB .. ..
CB Ishmael Banks-So Josh Francis-Sr
CB Pat Miller-Sr Brodrick Jenkins-Jr
SS Terence Garvin-Sr Wes Tonkery-So
FS Travis Bell-Jr Cecil Level-Sr
BS Darwin Cook-Jr Shaq Petteway-So
P Mike Molinari-So Corey Smith-Sr
QUICK TAKES
  • The irony of switching conferences is that West Virginia is a perfect fit for the Big 12 from a schematics standpoint. They throw the ball all over the field and score oodles of points while the defense has trouble preventing oodles of points.
  • Whether or not WVU is permitted to join the Big 12 in 2012, Geno Smith will lead the nation in passing. The others right there with him will be Seth Doege of Texas Tech and Landry Jones of Oklahoma.
  • Geno Smith, the most prolific passer in Mountaineers history, broke nearly all of Marc Bulger's school single-season passing records, and he should own all of the career records when he finishes his career next year.
  • Baltimore Connection: The Mountaineers have recently been making a living pulling some of the best talent out of Maryland's King City. Tavon Austin (Dunbar) and Terence Garvin (Loyola) are two of the better players on offense and defense respectively.
  • The top five players on the defensive side this past season were seniors. The defense won't be a rebuilding project, but it will be a much-needed search for top-level talent.

 

WEST VIRGINIA 2012 SCHEDULE
non-conference opponents

09/01 - Marshall
09/08 - at Florida State
09/15 - James Madison @Landover, MD
TBA - Maryland