Game Preview: WVU vs. Tennessee

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Series: First Meeting

Last meeting: None

Television: 3:30 p.m. CBS, Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst), Jamie Erdahl (sideline)

No. 17/20 West Virginia will open the season against a marquee first-time opponent when the Mountaineers square off against Tennessee in Charlotte.

The Mountaineers are one of only seven teams that Tennessee has yet to face on the gridiron and the only within 480 miles but that all ends Saturday in the Belk Kickoff Classic.

The game is the second neutral site match up in as many years to open the schedule for West Virginia after falling 31-24 to Virginia Tech at Fed-Ex Field last season.

West Virginia is led by eighth year head coach Dana Holgorsen who is 5-2 in season openers with both losses coming coincidentally in neutral site games against Virginia Tech and Alabama. The Mountaineers are ranked inside both major national polls and return a bulk of the players from last season’s 7-6 team.

Fifth-year senior quarterback Will Grier returns to head the offense after throwing for 3,490 yards and 34 touchdowns in just over ten games last season before breaking his finger. Now back with a clean bill of health, Grier was named the Big 12 Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year as well as being one of the pre-season favorites for Heisman consideration.

Along with Grier the offense returns a sizeable chunk of the production from a unit that finished right around top 20 in both total yards and scoring in 2017. It also will be the second year in play caller and offensive coordinator Jake Spavital’s system, which should lead to more efficiency.

Senior David Sills was tied for the nation’s lead in touchdown catches with 18 and is back along with senior Gary Jennings who led the Mountaineers in both catches and yards a season ago. Key pieces in both the backfield as well as the offensive line also factor into those returning.

On the defensive side, coordinator Tony Gibson will look to rebound after a season where the Mountaineers struggled allowing 31.5 points and 445 yards per contest, ranking the unit in the bottom third of college football. But this off-season the program had some turnover which led to the coaching staff bringing in some experienced options on the defensive line via the graduate transfer route.

This will be the first game for Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt in that role after establishing himself as an elite defensive coordinator with stops at most recently Alabama as well as Georgia and Florida State. In five seasons in that role Pruitt led defenses finished No. 1 in scoring defense three times.

Named the 26th head football coach for the Volunteers Dec. 7, Pruitt brings even more intrigue to the season opener in the fact that there is even more mystery behind a first year head man. However, as an assistant he was part of teams that amassed a 96-13 record.

This is not only the first meeting between West Virginia and Tennessee, but only the second time that the storied Volunteers football program has squared off in a neutral site contest against a member of the Big 12 Conference with the first coming against Colorado in 1990.

There are questions as to how the Tennessee offense will look under new first-year offensive coordinator Tyson Helton who comes over from USC as the quarterback’s coach and passing game coordinator. Before that he served as the offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky.

The Volunteers have a pair of quarterbacks battling for the starting job with returning redshirt sophomore Jarrett Guarantano and Stanford graduate transfer Keller Chryst. No known starter has been named but there is a chance that both players could see time against the Mountaineers.

Guarantano is the leading returning passer for Tennessee tossing for 997 yards and four touchdowns in nine games including six starts, while Chryst held an 11-2 record in his starts at Stanford and appearing in 23 total games throwing 19 touchdowns against six interceptions.

The backfield is a four-headed monster with sophomore Ty Chandler the leading returning rusher with 305 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Again the Volunteers used the graduate transfer market to scoop up former Michigan State running back Madre London.

Making things easier will be a deep offensive line group that is anchored by its left tackle in sophomore Trey Smith, one of the premier players in the nation at his position. The interior is still seeing some shuffling but the program has a number of options to choose from up front.

Regardless who is throwing the football, the Volunteers have a talented wide receiver group that will be catching the passes led by junior Marquez Callaway and junior Brandon Johnson.

The Volunteers defense is especially strong up front with a mixture of experienced returning talent and some exciting young options across the board. The group has both size and speed and are expected to use both an odd and even look against the Mountaineers up front.

The backend has some inexperience at cornerback but talented safeties led by junior safety Nigel Warrior who is one of the most active players in the backend.

The game will be played inside Bank of America Stadium, home of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be televised by CBS.

West Virginia Depth Chart:

OFFENSE:

QB: 7 Will Grier, (r-Sr.), 17 Jack Allison, (r-So.), 10 Trey Lowe, (Fr.)

RB: 4 Kennedy McKoy (Jr.) or 32 Martell Pettaway (Jr.) or 20 Alec Sinkfield (r-Fr) or 4 Leddie Brown (Fr.)

FB: 42 Logan Thimons, (r-So.), 41 Elijah Drummond, (r-So.)

TE/H: 88 Trevon Wesco, (r-Sr.), 84 Jovani Haskins, (r-So.)

X WR: 8 Marcus Simms, (Jr.), 82 Dominique Maiden, (Sr.)

Y WR: 12 Gary Jennings, Jr., (Sr.), 16 William Crest, (r-Sr.)

Z WR: 13 David Sills V, (Sr.), 1 T.J. Simmons, (r-So.)

LT: 55 Yodny Cajuste, (r-Sr.), 72 Kelby Wickline, (r-Jr.)

LG: 73 Josh Sills, (r-So.), 57 Michael Brown, (r-Jr.)

C: 79 Matt Jones, (r-Jr.) or 78 Jacob Buccigrossi, (r-So.)

RG: 58 Joe Brown, (r-Jr.) or 65 Isaiah Hardy, (Sr.)

RT: 53 Colton McKivitz, (r-Jr.), 76 Chase Behrndt, (r-So.)

DEFENSE:

DE: 5 Ezekiel Rose, (Sr.) or 46 Reese Donahue, (Jr.)

NT: 40 Kenny Bigelow, (Sr.), 56 Darius Stills, (So.)

DE: 12 Jabril Robinson, (r-Sr.), 55 Dante Stills, (Fr.)

SAM LB: 18 Charlie Benton, (r-So.), 34 Shea Campbell (r-Jr.)

MIKE LB: 10 Dylan Tonkery, (r-So.), 45 Adam Hensley, (Jr.)

WILL LB: 11 David Long, Jr. (r-Jr.), 35 Josh Chandler, (Fr.)

SPUR: 6 Dravon Askew-Henry, (r-Sr.), 26 Deamonte Lindsay, (r-Jr.)

BS: 16 Toyous Avery, (r-Sr.), 9 JoVanni Stewart, (Jr.)

FS: 2 Kenny Robinson, (So.), 29 Sean Mahone, (r-So.)

LCB: 24 Hakeem Bailey, (r-Jr.), 28 Keith Washington, (r-Jr.)

RCB: 1 Derrek Pitts, (So.) or 4 Josh Norwood, (Jr.)

SPECIAL TEAMS:

K: 30 Evan Staley (r-So.), 43 Luke Hogan, (r-So.)

P: 15 Billy Kinney, (r-Sr.), 30 Evan Staley, (r-So.)

LS: 64 Rex Sunahara, (r-Jr.), 51 Kyle Poland, (r-So.)

H: 15 Billy Kinney, (r-Sr.), 43 Luke Hogan, (r-So.)

KO: 30 Evan Staley, (r-So.), 43 Luke Hogan, (r-So.)

PR: 8 Marcus Simms (Jr.), 13 David Sills, V, (Sr.)

KOR: 8 Marcus Simms (Jr.) 12 Gary Jennings, Jr., (Sr.)

NOTES:

--This year marks the 127th year of West Virginia football with the Mountaineers currently sitting in 14th place all-time in wins in college football.

--WVU 53-37 under head coach Dana Holgorsen and is 20-5 in September. West Virginia is 29-23 in stadiums that also house a professional football team and 5-4 under Holgorsen. The program is 4-6 in neutral site games under Holgorsen. West Virginia has won 13 of the last 16 season openers while Holgorsen is 5-2 during his seven-year career atop the program.

--West Virginia is 25-25-2 all-time against the Southeastern Conference.

--Since 2000, West Virginia is 112-16 when scoring more than 30 points and 57-4 when scoring more than 40 points in a game.

--The Mountaineers are 83-11 since 2002 when winning the turnover battle.

--In the Holgorsen era, WVU has produced 83 games with 300 or more yards, 63 games with 400 or more yards, 34 games with more than 500 yards and 17 with more than 600 yards.

--Under Holgorsen West Virginia has scored 30 or more points in 58 games, 40 or more points in 29 games, 50 or more points in 10 games and 60 or more points three times.

--The 2018 roster consists of 122 players from 22 different states.

--Coaching staff assignments: AHC/DC/LB Tony Gibson (field), OC/QB Jake Spavital (field), CB Doug Belk (press box), WR Tyron Carrier (field), S Matt Caponi (field), TE/FB Dan Gerberry (press box), RB Marquel Blackwell (field), LB/ST Mark Scott (press box), DL Bruce Tall (press box), OL Joe Wickline (field)

Injuries/Suspensions: Senior linebacker Quondarius Qualls and redshirt sophomore linebacker Brendan Ferns are out for some time with ACL injuries sustained in the spring but are expected to return this season. Redshirt sophomore cornerback Jake Long will be out for an unspecified amount of time with a broken wrist but also is expected to return. Two true freshmen in tight end Mike O’Laughlin (ACL) and Dillon Spalding (ankle) will miss the entire 2018 season after undergoing surgery.

POINTS TO CLICK:

--Be efficient all the time. The West Virginia offense was hovering right around the top 20 nationally last season in both scoring and total yards but the unit was one of the worst in the nation in coverting third downs and staying on the field. Those three things simply don't typically go together but the Mountaineers offense was almost a big play or bust group at times in 2017. This season that has to change as the Mountaineers must be more efficient with the football and sustain drives not only to possess the ball but to avoid putting their defense in difficult situations at all times. Tennessee is going to attempt to control the ball and West Virginia is going to have to win those battles and move the sticks. That means getting in the right plays and executing in critical situations. This is especially true in the red zone where the Mountaineers must settle for six not three. Yards don't matter much when you can't score the ball to match it.

--Protect the passer. This one goes almost without saying but once Will Grier was injured a season ago the West Virginia offense was never the same. That puts a priority on keeping the fifth year senior from taking hits and allowing him the time to scan what should be a vulnerable Volunteers secondary. Pruitt is known for his ability to put defenses together and this one should be no different but it's hard to make up for experience in the back end and if the offensive line can allow Grier enough time and keep his jersey clean there will be opportunities for the program to get some chunks of yards.

--Adjust. There are always adjustments in the first game but this one could be even more interesting because of how little is known on how Tennessee is going to attack the Mountaineers, especially with their offense. That means you could likely see West Virginia come out in a base look at first and then make some quick adjustments after a series or two once the program is able to feel out how the Volunteers plan to attack. That's going to put a lot of pressure on the coaching staff to be able to coordinate that on the fly.

--Stop the run, tackle. Tackling is always the biggest concern for any coach in the first game of the season and this one will be no different. West Virginia has to be able to wrap up and win at the line of scrimmage against a Volunteers team that is likely going to attempt to control the ball and shorten the game.. The Mountaineers defense is not only going to have to tackle they need to be able to prevent Tennessee from picking up third downs and moving the football on the ground with a stable of talented backs.

--Special teams be special. Last year in the season opener special teams certainly wasn't special as issues there cost the program in several areas. Redshirt sophomore Evan Staley has kicked well throughout the fall and will need to continue that on both field goal attempts and kickoff situations. And the mistakes must be limited here or the game could flip.

--Turnovers. West Virginia is 83-11 since 2002 when winning the turnover battle or basically as long as the Mountaineers take care of the football and take advantage of other team's mistakes they win a whole lot more than they lose. That is going to be the case here as well especially in an opener where things tend to be a little more sloppy.

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