Game Preview: West Virginia football vs. Texas

West Virginia (4-6) is looking to get back in the win column in the final home game of the season against Texas (4-6). WVSports.com offers a look at some key elements of the match up to get you ready for kick off.

In this game preview, we dive into numbers and notes, a depth chart, our video preview of the game as well as where to can watch the contest.

Series: Tied 5-5

Last meeting: 2020 WVU 17 UT 13

Television: 12 p.m. ESPN2. Anish Shroff (PBP), Mike Golic Jr. (analyst), Taylor McGregor (sideline)

NUMBERS AND NOTES:

--Neal Brown is in his third season atop the West Virginia football program with a record of 15-17. Overall, Brown has a 50-33 record as a head coach.

--West Virginia is 15th all-time in wins.

--The Mountaineers are 10-3 in games played on Nov. 20, including 8-1 at home. The last time WVU played on that date was in 2014 (Kansas State/L 26-20).

--West Virginia is 1-3 all-time against Texas in Morgantown.

--West Virginia is now 151-140-1 in nationally televised games.

--Coaching staff assignments: Matt Moore (AHC-OL/Field); Gerad Parker (OC-WR/Press Box); Chad Scott (Co-OC-RB/Field); Jordan Lesley (DC-OLB/Field); ShaDon Brown (Co-DC-DBs/Field); Jeff Koonz (ST Coordinator-ILB/Field); Andrew Jackson (DL/Field); Sean Reagan (QB/Press Box); Travis Trickett (TE-IR/Field); Dontae Wright (S/Press Box).

--West Virginia is is 93-14 since 2002 when winning the turnover battle.

--The Mountaineers have gone to a bowl game in 17 of the last 19 years. West Virginia is one of 15 power five schools to accomplish that feat along with Georgia (19), Oklahoma (19), Wisconsin (19), Clemson (18), Florida (18), Florida State (18), LSU (18), Ohio State (18), Oklahoma State (18), Virginia Tech (18), Alabama (17), Auburn (17), Iowa (17) and Oregon (17).

--Since 1980, West Virginia is 204-22-1 when scoring 30 or more points in a game. Since 2000, the Mountaineers are 65-6 when hitting the 40-point plateau, and WVU is 195-6 all-time when scoring at least 40 or more points in a game.

--The Mountaineer defense ranks No. 20 nationally in first-down defense (176), No. 28 in red zone defense (.763), No. 33 in third-down defense (.355) and rushing defense (126.2).

--The WVU defense has registered 72 tackles for loss, averaging 7.2 tackles for loss per game.The defense is ranked No. 2 in the Big 12 and No. 10 nationally in the category. The Mountaineer defense also has tallied 22 sacks this season, averaging 2.2 per game. That number is No. 5 in the Big 12

--Over the last seven years, West Virginia has produced 135 takeaways, ranking No. 39 nationally and No. 22 among Power Five schools.

--The 2021 roster currently consists of 108 players from 20 different states, Washington D.C. (1) and four foreign countries: Canada (3), Finland (1), Sweden (1) and The Netherlands (1).

--Breaking down the West Virginia offensive numbers for the 2021 season shows that the Mountaineers have run 682 plays, 332 on the ground and 350 through the air.

--The rushing game has totaled 1,119 yards, an average of 3.4 yards per carry and 16 touch-downs. The passing attack has totaled 2,607 yards, 13 touchdowns and an average of 11.5 yards per completion. Combine the two and the Mountaineers have turned in 3,726 yards of total offense, 29 touchdowns, an average of 5.5 yards per play and an average of 25.7 points per game

--Deeper analysis shows that the Mountaineer offense has gained 77 first downs by the run and 118 via the pass. On average, West Virginia has totaled 111.9 yards per game on the ground, 260.7 yards per game passing and 372.6 yards per game of total offense.

--On first down, the Mountaineers have run 300 plays and have gained 1,685 yards for a 5.6 average. On second down, the Mountaineers have run 222 plays for 1,229 yards and a 5.5 average. On third down, the Mountaineers have run 139 plays for 691 yards and a 5.0 average gain. West Virginia has run 21 plays on fourth down for 121 yards and a 5.8 average

--WVU’s touchdowns have come 13 times on first down (8 rush/5 pass), seven times on second down (3 rush/4 pass), seven times on third down (5 rush/2 pass) and two touchdowns on fourth down (0 rush/2 pass)

--Sixteen true freshmen have played for the Mountaineers in 2021: Caden Biser (LB), Aubrey Burks (S), Will Crowder (QB), Treylan Davis (TE), Brayden Dudley (DL), Justin Johnson Jr. (RB), Davis Mallinger (S), Saint McLeod (S), Wyatt Milum (OL), Kaden Prather (WR), Cam Rice (DL), Tomas Rimac (OL), Hammond Russell IV (DL), Edward Vesterinen (DL), Victor Wikstrom (TE) and Andrew Wilson-Lamp (CB).

DEPTH CHART:
OFFENSE:
QB: 2 Jarret Doege, 6-2, 208, r-Sr.
6 Garrett Greene, 5-11, 193, r-Fr.

RB: 4 Leddie Brown, 6-0, 206, Sr.
24 Tony Mathis, 5-11, 205, r-So.
26 Justin Johnson, 5-11, 196, Fr.

TE: 85 T. J. Banks, 6-5, 245, r-Jr.
80 Charles Finley, 6-4, 220, r-Fr.

WR (X): 0 Bryce Wheaton, 6-3, 220, r-Jr.
3 Kaden Prather, 6-4, 210, Fr.

WR (H): 13 Sam James, 6-0, 183, r-Jr.
89 Graeson Malashevich, 5-9, 180, r-So.

SLOT: 16 Winston Wright, 5-10, 180, Jr.
15 Reese Smith, 5-10, 186, r-Fr.

WR (Z): 9 Isaiah Esdale, 6-0, 202, r-Sr. -or-
10 Sean Ryan, 6-3, 198, Jr.

LT: 50 Brandon Yates, 6-4, 295, r-So.
66 Ja’Quay Hubbard, 6-5, 310, r-So.

LG: 74 James Gmiter, 6-3, 298, r-Jr.
58 Nick Malone, 6-5, 290, r-So.

C: 54 Zach Frazier, 6-2, 308, Fr.
53 Jordan White, 6-2, 298, r-Fr.

RG: 72 Doug Nester, 6-7, 321, Jr.
53 Jordan White, 6-2, 298, r-Fr.

RT: 64 Wyatt Milum, 6-6, 291, Fr.
55 Parker Moorer, 6-5, 308, r-So.

DEFENSE:
DT: 90 Akheem Mesidor, 6-2, 272, So.
52 Jalen Thornton, 6-2, 273, r-So.

DT: 55 Dante Stills, 6-4, 280, Sr.
95 Jordan Jefferson, 6-3, 298, r-So.

DE: 12 Taijh Alston, 6-4, 245, r-Jr.
91 Sean Martin, 6-5, 280, r-Fr.

45 Taurus Simmons, 6-2, 250, r-Fr.

BANDIT: 10 Jared Bartlett, 602, 225, r-So.
8 VanDarius Cowan, 6-4, 242, r-Sr. -or-
44 Lanell Carr, 6-2, 248, r-Fr.

WLB: 6 Exree Loe, 6-0, 218, r-Sr.
5 Lance Dixon, 6-2, 210, r-So.

MLB: 7 Josh Chandler-Semedo, 5-11, 226, Sr.
47 Deshawn Stevens, 6-2, 255, r-Sr.

SPEAR: 3 Jackie Matthews, 5-10, 190, r-Jr.
19 Scottie Young, 5-11, 207, r-Sr.

CS: 29 Sean Mahone, 6-0, 200, r-Sr.
27 Davis Mallinger, 6-1, 188, Fr.

FS: 4 Alonzo Addae, 5-11, 190, r-Sr.
25 Aubrey Burks, 5-11, 201, Fr.

LCB: 23 Charles Woods, 5-11, 193, r-Jr.
14 Malachi Ruffin, 5-10, 185, r-Jr.

RCB: 2 Daryl Porter, 5-11, 185, r-Fr.
23 Charles Woods, 5-11, 193, r-Jr.

SPECIAL TEAMS:
K: 48 Casey Legg, 6-4, 213, r-Jr.
35 Tyler Sumpter, 5-10, 219, r-Sr.

H: 89 Graeson Malashevich, 5-9, 180, r-So.

P: 35 Tyler Sumpter, 5-10, 219, r-Sr.

KO: 30 Evan Staley, 6-1, 202, r-Sr.

LS: 43 Austin Brinkman, 6-3, 215, r-Fr.
47 JP Hadley, 6-2, 242, r-Jr.

KOR: 16 Winston Wright, 5-10, 180, Jr.
89 Graeson Malashevich, 5-9, 180, r-So.

PR: 9 Isaiah Esdale, 6-0, 202, r-Sr.
89 Graeson Malashevich, 5-9, 180, r-So.

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