Holgorsen has WVU where it wants to be with expectations

SUBSCRIBE today to stay up on the latest in Mountaineer sports and recruiting.

Head coach Dana Holgorsen understands that there are high expectations for his football team.

When speaking at the Quail Hollow Club in advance of the Sept. 1 Belk Kickoff Game against Tennessee in Charlotte, Holgorsen was asked about those expectations.

“You know my administrators are right there right? So you don’t have to get the expectations any higher than they already are. My job is to kind of downplay this stuff a little bit,” he joked.

But in all reality, the Mountaineers are right where every college football program wants to be with a high volume of returning talent especially at the most important position on the field in senior quarterback Will Grier.

Coincidentally, Grier will open his final year of college where it all began in his hometown of Charlotte providing another interesting storyline to follow.

“West Virginia is fortunate to have some star power coming back,” he said.

The game will be the first meeting all-time between West Virginia and Tennessee and provides the Mountaineers another regional contest to help off-set the travel schedule that they undergo during the course of the Big 12 Conference schedule.

While it doesn’t affect the team considering they make trips by plane, for fans it is an opportunity to come out and see the Mountaineers in a marquee matchup.

In a way the game will somewhat have the feel of a bowl game for fans.

“We wanted to get some regional games to have some of those old school rivalries,” Holgorsen said.

From a team perspective, Holgorsen believes that this type of match up likely does increase the work ethic in summer as well as fall camp a little bit but regardless players are ready for the opener.

“Everybody is excited about game one. I don’t care who you play,” he said.

In preparation for the game, Holgorsen said he has already watched some of the Tennessee Orange and White spring game while they also plan to review some of the tape at Alabama where first year Volunteers coach Jeremy Pruitt served as the defensive coordinator.

Holgorsen also added to the mystery of going against a first year coaching staff by joking that the Mountaineers had switched up all of their tendencies and play calling as well before pivoting to a serious discussion on how difficult it is to surprise teams because of the overlap.

“There’s not a whole lot of secrets in college football,” he said.

Expectations are high for the Mountaineers with many expecting the program to at least make an appearance in the Big 12 title game.

But while that story has yet to be written, Holgorsen understands the importance of meeting those challenges even in a difficult setting.

“Expectation wise who knows. College football is so incredibly competitive, it’s hard to win,” he said.