Game Preview: West Virginia football vs. Texas Tech
West Virginia (2-1) will look to open Big 12 Conference play on the right note when Texas Tech (1-2) comes to town. The Red Raiders have won the last four matchups in this series between the two and 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 6-6
Last meeting: 2022 WVU 10 TTU 48
Television: 3:30 p.m., ESPN+, Drew Carter (PBP), Dustin Fox (analyst) Tori Petry (sideline)
COACHES:
Neal Brown:
WEST VIRGINIA RECORD: 24-26, 5th Year
OVERALL RECORD: 59-42, 9th Year
VS. TEXAS TECH: 0-4
Joey McGuire
TEXAS TECH RECORD: 9-7, 2nd Year
OVERALL RECORD: 9-7, 2nd Year
VS. WEST VIRGINIA: 1-0
NOTES:
--West Virginia head coach Neal Brown is in his fifth season atop the Mountaineers football program and has gone 24-26 in Morgantown during that time. Overall, Brown is 59-42 as a head coach in his ninth season in that role.
--The Mountaineers are the 15th winningest program of all time.
--WVU is 7-5-1 in games played on Sept. 23, including 3-1 at Milan Puskar Stadium. The last time WVU played on that date was in 2017 at Kansas (W 56-34).
--The Mountaineers are 97-15 since 2002 when winning the turnover battle.
--WVU is ranked No. 21 nationally in fewest penalties per game, averaging 4.33 penalties per game
--Since 1980, West Virginia is 209-27-1 when scoring 30 or more points in a game. Since 2000, the Mountaineers are 68-7 when hitting the 40-point plateau. WVU is 198-7 all-time when scoring 50 or more points in a game.
--The Big 12 Now on ESPN+ broadcast of the Texas Tech game marks the 315th network television game for WVU. All-time, the Mountaineers are 163-150-1 in nationally televised games.
--West Virginia has gone to a bowl game in 18 of the last 21 years.
--In the Neal Brown era, the Mountaineers are 20-5 when rushing for at least 100 yards.
--Over the last nine years, West Virginia’s defense is No. 22 nationally in interceptions (100) among FBS schools and is No. 13 among Power 5 schools.
--On first down, the Mountaineers have run 89 plays and have gained 472 yards for a 5.3 average. On second down, the Mountaineers have run 68 plays for 412 yards and a 6.0 average. On third down, the Mountaineers have run 39 plays for 237 yards and a 6.0 average gain. West Virginia has run 14 plays on fourth down for 17 yards and a 1.2 average. WVU’s touchdowns have come six times on first down (3 rush/3 pass), four times on second down (2 rush/2 pass), one time on third down (1 rush/0 pass) and one time on fourth down (1 rush/0 pass).
--Breaking down the West Virginia offensive numbers for the 2023 season shows that the Mountaineers have run 210 plays, 140 on the ground and 70 through the air.
--The rushing game has totaled 601 yards, an average of 4.3 yards per carry and seven touchdowns. The passing attack has totaled 537 yards, 5 touchdowns and an average of 13.8 yards per completion. Combine the two and the Mountaineers have turned in 1,138 yards of total offense, 12 touchdowns, an average of 5.4 yards per play and an average of 29.3 points per game.
--Deeper analysis shows that the Mountaineer offense has gained 36 first downs by the run and 22 via the pass. On average, West Virginia has totaled 200.3 yards per game on the ground, 179.0 yards per game passing and 379.3 yards per game of total offense.
--West Virginia is 75-58 all-time against current members of the Big 12 Conference. WVU is 7-4 vs. Baylor; 1-0 against BYU; 16-3-1 vs. Cincinnati; 6-5 against Iowa State; 10-2 vs. Kansas; 6-7 against Kansas State; 3-11 vs. Oklahoma; 5-9 against Oklahoma State; 7-5 vs. TCU; 6-6 against Texas; 6-6 vs. Texas Tech and 2-0 against UCF.
--Fifteen true freshmen have played for the Mountaineers in 2023: DJ Cotton (DL), Ben Cutter (LB), Oreyend Fisher (DL), Rodney Gallagher III (WR), James Heard Jr. (BAN), Jordan Jackson (CB), Josiah Jackson (CB), Nick Krahe (OL), Corey McIntyre Jr. (DL), DJ Oliver (RB), Aden Tagaloa-Nelson (S), Traylon Ray (WR), Jahiem White (RB), Johnny Williams IV (OL) and Cooper Young (OL).
--Coaching assignments: AHC-OL Matt Moore (Field), OC-RB Chad Scott (Field), DC-OLB Jordan Lesley (Field), Co-DC-DBs ShaDon Brown (Press Box), ST Coordinator-ILB Jeff Koonz (Press Box), PGC-QB Sean Reagan (Press Box), DL Andrew Jackson (Field), WR Bilal Marshall (Field), TE Blaine Stewart (Field) and S Dontae Wright (Field).
--The 2023 roster currently consists of 117 players from 25 different states and four foreign countries: Australia (1), Finland (1), Sweden (1) and The Netherlands (1). Leading the way is West Virginia (20), Florida (13), Pennsylvania (13), Ohio (12), Georgia (8), Kentucky (6), Maryland (6), North Carolina (5), South Carolina (4), New Jersey (3), New York (3), Virginia (3), Alabama (2), Delaware (2), Michigan (2), Texas (2), Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri and Washington.
DEPTH CHART:
No depth chart has been released for this contest but this was the depth chart from the flip card prior to the start of the Pittsburgh game.
OFFENSE:
QB: 6 Garrett Greene, 5-11, 198, Jr.
8 Nicco Marchiol, 6-1, 226, r-Fr.
RB: 4 CJ Donaldson, 6-1, 238, So.
26 Justin Johnson, 5-11, 202, Jr.
WR (Z): 5 Devin Carter, 6-3, 215, r-Sr.
7 Traylon Ray, 6-3, 190, Fr.
WR (X): 84 Hudson Clement, 6-1, 197, r-Fr.
11 Cortez Braham, 6-2, 199, Sr.
WR (H): 2 Rodney Gallagher, 5-10, 167, Fr.
29 Preston Fox, 5-10, 184, r-So.
SLOT: 10 Jarel Williams, 6-2, 206, r-Fr.
1 Jeremiah Aaron, 5-10, 188, Jr.
TE: 81 Treylan Davis, 6-3, 255, r-So. -or-
87 Kole Taylor, 6-7, 246, Jr.
LT: 74 Wyatt Milum, 6-6, 310, Jr.5
8 Nick Malone, 6-5, 298, r-Jr.
LG: 55 Tomas Rimac, 6-6, 318, r-So.
63 Bryce Biggs, 6-4, 310, r-So.
C: 54 Zach Frazier, 6-3, 311, Jr.
67 Landen Livingston, 6-4, 294, r-Fr.
RG: 50 Brandon Yates, 6-4, 315, r-Jr.
66 Ja'Quay Hubbard, 6-5, 326, r-Jr.
RT: 72 Doug Nester, 6-7, 320, Sr.
60 Johnny Williams, 6-7, 308, Fr.
DEFENSE:
DE: 91 Sean Martin, 6-5, 291, Jr.
3 Tomiwa Durojaiye, 6-4, 278, r-Fr.
NT: 93 Mike Lockhart, 6-3, 309, r-Jr.
54 Fatorma Mulbah, 6-3, 306, r-Jr.
DT: 96 Edward Vesterinen, 6-3, 283, Jr.
97 Jalen Thornton, 6-2, 277 r-Jr.
BANDIT: 10 Jared Bartlett, 6-2, 236, r-Jr.
8 Tyrin Bradley, 6-1, 251, Jr.
MIKE: 1 Lee Kpogba, 6-1, 234, r-Sr.
36 Caden Biser, 6-0, 230, r-So.
WILL: 19 Trey Lathan, 6-1, 222, r-Fr.
33 Jairo Faverus, 6-0, 217, r-So.
SPEAR: 13 Hershey McLaurin, 6-1, 212, Jr.
5 Lance Dixon, 6-2, 221, r-Jr.
FS: 2 Aubrey Burks, 5-11, 188, Jr.
23 Keyshawn Cobb, 5-10, 208, Sr.
CAT: 12 Anthony Wilson, 5-9, 190, r-Jr.
24 Marcis Floyd, 6-0, 197, r-Sr.
CB: 14 4 Malachi Ruffin, 5-10, 193, r-Jr.
7 Andrew Wilson-Lamp, 6-2, 175, r-So.
CB: 11 Beanie Bishop, 5-10, 181, r-Sr.
6 Jacolby Spells, 5-11, 184, So.
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