Could WVU be lucky number seven?

Seventh?

Yes, seventh in a ten team league is where the annual pre-season Big 12 Conference Poll has slotted Dana Holgorsen’s West Virginia football team before actual play begins.

But seventh?

Yes, indeed. It’s easy to see West Virginia not being first, second or even third entering the year, but seventh? It’s an interesting look at where the media across the conference landscape views the program entering the year.

And that is behind Oklahoma, TCU, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas and even Texas Tech.

For comparision sake since entering the Big 12 Conference West Virginia has been selected second in 2012, eighth in 2013, eighth in 2014 and sixth in 2015. Those seasons the Mountaineers actually finished eighth in 2012, eighth in 2013, sixth in 2014 and fifth last year.

My first thought looking at the poll was that the media could be short selling the potential of the Mountaineers this upcoming fall considering the talent and experience that returns on the offensive side of the ball. Senior quarterback Skyler Howard will be entering his second full season as the starter and was one of 30 signal callers nationwide to be named to the Davey O’Brien watch list.

Around Howard is a bevy of experience including five starting offensive lineman if you consider that right tackle Marcell Lazard was inserted into the lineup after the injury to Yodny Cajuste. Redshirt senior Tyler Orlosky returns at center to anchor a unit that should be as good as any during the Holgorsen era.

Wide receiver is one of the deepest units on the team with the Mountaineers returning basically their entire lineup from last season with the exception of Jordan Thompson. That means Shelton Gibson, Daikiel Shorts, Jovon Durante, Ka’Raun White, Gary Jennings and more all return. True freshmen Marcus Sims and Steven Smothers also will be thrown in the mix to add to the firepower at that spot.

Out of the 3,145 yards that Howard threw for last season, West Virginia returns over 2,000 of that as well as 22 of the 26 touchdowns that were caught by the team. That’s a lot of fire power with another year of seasoning in the Big 12 Conference under their belt.

Senior running back Rushel Shell returns for his final season and looks much leaner and ready to make the most of his last opportunity in Morgantown. Shell accounted for 708 yards and eight touchdowns last season serving as the number two man behind Wendell Smallwood. However, a year earlier it was Shell that held the starting running back position before injuring his ankle against Baylor.

Behind Shell there isn’t a lot of experience but for what the group lacks in that it more than makes up for it in ability. Kennedy McKoy enrolled mid-year and the freshman was one of the standouts this past spring and the Mountaineers also added more firepower to the group with junior college offensive player of the year Justin Crawford and true freshman Martell Pettaway.

Redshirt junior Elijah Wellman also returns to handle his role as the blocking back while key components on special teams also are back in the saddle for the Mountaineers.

A lot of talent but the unit will have to show it can consistently score and score in bunches. That was one of the biggest problems with the unit a season ago as consistency constantly eluded the group. However, with another year this appears to be a unit primed for success.

But with all the returning talent on the offensive side, it’s easy to see how seventh was the slot when considering what the Mountaineers lost on the defensive side of the football. A total of eight starters are gone from the West Virginia defense and some key reserves as well.

There is no question that it will be the biggest task for defensive coordinator Tony Gibson since he returned to West Virginia. Gibson must replace the nose guard position, all three of his linebackers, two of the three safety spots and both cornerbacks and while there is talent there that doesn’t make up for the experience that the Mountaineers will lose.

Defensive line will be okay with Darrien Howard stepping into the nose, but depth will be the primary concern there and young players will have to step up. Linebacker has options with Al-Rasheed Benton entrenched in the middle and a pair of veterans battling younger players on both sides of him.

The SPUR safety will be a three-way battle that will rage into camp while bandit could end up going to senior safety Jeremy Tyler. Cornerback is the biggest concern and while the Mountaineers have four seniors, each of them are inexperienced (at least at West Virginia). Rasul Douglas, Antonio Crawford, Maurice Fleming and Nana Kyeremeh are all battling it out for not only the right to start but a backup role as well with the positon so wide open.

That enough could warrant a spot lower on the list but looking at the majority of the Big 12 teams there are questions up and down the board. How will Baylor respond to the firing of coach Art Briles? Will Texas ever figure out its offense, ditto for Texas Tech and the defensive side of the ball.

A pre-season poll is just that. A list made up by the media. How much does it mean? Just ask the West Virginia basketball team which finished second this past season after being picked sixth in the poll.

The truth is the games will play out on the field so worrying too much about where the team is slotted isn’t worth the time. But there is no doubt that this can provide a little extra motivation for Holgorsen’s team as fall camp rapidly approaches.

This is an important season for the football program, there is no doubt about that.

But seventh?