One week after facing off against a backup quarterback, West Virginia will go head-to-head with one of the Big 12’s most experienced signal callers.

Facing off against experience is not something that has been a threat for the Mountaineers this season as they have taken on a handful of backup quarterbacks through the first half of the season, including a true freshman in Oklahoma State’s Shane Illingworth. West Virginia has built one of the nation’s top defenses in part because of the struggles of that, but Saturday’s game against Texas throws a new wrench into game preparation.

When the Mountaineers travel to Austin, they’ll take on Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger — one of the conference’s longest-tenured starters. He is in his fourth season as the starter for the Longhorns, having started in 39 career games entering this week.

In his senior season, Ehlinger has consistently ranked among the top quarterbacks in the conference and across the country. Entering Saturday, he ranks first in the conference in total offense, second in pass efficiency and third in average passing yards per game.

According to Pro Football Focus, Ehlinger has a 70.1 passing grade through six games. Texas is currently tied for second in the conference with a 4-2 record.

“Watching him, especially over the last two years, I think he’s probably the best competitor in our league,” WVU defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley said. “[The] talent, I think, speaks for itself, but a lot of plays he makes it’s almost like he kind of wills them, and that’s competitiveness. [I’ve] got a lot of respect for that kid. He plays hard, he makes them go. He’s a huge challenge.”

Ehlinger is a 6-foot-3, 225 pound passer who also plays a role in the Longhorn’s run game. He is the team’s leading rusher, averaging 3.6 yards per carry and totaling seven touchdowns so far.

Due to his long stint under center, Texas has been able to develop the offense around Ehlinger’s strengths and weaknesses — a process that allows him and the Longhorns to excel.

“If I had to put three freshman d-linemen out there, I can’t do the same things that I was trying to do with three juniors or seniors,” Lesley said. “I think it’s probably a little bit of a simplification that goes on with an inexperienced or a younger guy, and sometimes that’s good for them. It allows them to play fast and know what to do, and the execution is probably a little better sometimes when you do that.

“With Ehlinger, his record and playmaking ability — it speaks for itself. They don’t ask him to do anything outside of their scheme, which allows them to play fast and execute that scheme and he’s really good at it and he’s done it for a long time. Is there a difference in preparation? I mean, you still gotta prepare for the scheme as well as the player. He fits their scheme perfectly and it makes it a challenge.”

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