West Virginia will be without some key players for parts or the entire duration of spring ball this season, but that also should open the door for opportunities for others.

The biggest name that won’t be available during the course of spring practice is none other than junior defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor. The versatile lineman is recovering from an upper body injury that he sustained after the bowl game and won’t suit up although he will be fine to return for the summer.

The absence of Mesidor, who played 608 snaps a season ago between multiple spots, will provide a window for others to showcase what they bring to the table. One of those will be Sean Martin who has put together an impressive off-season and has added significant strength. He will split time between the three and five techniques, which is similar to what Mesidor was doing at the end of last season.

A big reason Mesidor was able to move from the nose was the play of Jordan Jefferson there and he again will be called upon to continue that moving forward.

Because the plan is going to be not to have senior Dante Stills go through contact as much like what was done to preserve Leddie Brown last season, it’s also going to allow for more chances for players such as redshirt freshman Hammond Russell, redshirt sophomore Taurus Simmons and redshirt sophomore Jalen Thornton to take strides. New transfer and redshirt freshman Zeiqui Lawton is also going to get an extended look after coming over from Cincinnati at the end of the year.

“He’s strong and a really smart football player,” head coach Neal Brown said.

The Mountaineers also are going to be without the services of sophomore defensive lineman Edward Vesterinen who missed the bowl game with an injury. He too is expected back for fall camp.

Linebacker is dealing with an injury and a departure as sixth-year senior Exree Loe will be missing all of spring as he recovers from the injury he sustained at Kansas State. The plan is for him to be running at full speed in the summer, which is encouraging news. But in his place, it will be redshirt junior Lance Dixon who has all-league opportunity from a talent perspective according to Brown getting those reps.

Senior Josh Chandler-Semedo elected to enter the transfer portal after recording 110 tackles last season, but the Mountaineers are hoping Lee Kpogba continues his impressive run since arriving on campus when it comes to filling those slot.

“He’s come in and really established himself from the first week he was here,” Brown said.

Cornerback has to replace some losses as well with redshirt sophomore Daryl Porter entering the transfer portal and redshirt junior Nicktroy Fortune still working his way back from an injury that cost him the final six games a season ago. Fortune is expected to start practicing this spring but he will have to build up over time which means more responsibility will be thrown on Charles Woods, Andrew Wilson-Lamp and Murray State transfer Marcis Floyd.

“I think he’ll translate and be a really good player for us at corner,” Brown said.

On the offensive side of the ball, redshirt junior tight end Mike O’Laughlin who missed a bulk of last season with a knee injury won’t be participating at all during the spring. While he is currently on track to be back with the team in the fall, the most seasoned option at the position will not be ready just yet.

That opens the door for some of the younger players on the roster such as Treylan Davis or Victor Wikstrom to go along with redshirt senior transfer Brian Polendey. The former Miami and Colorado State product has exceled as a blocker during his time at the college level and will bring a physical element to that room that is already seasoned at this level.

Next man up is the only approach that coaches can use this time of the year and the good news is that none of these injuries should prevent the team from entering fall camp with a clean bill of health.

Still, opportunities are there and now it’s up for players to take advantage of them.

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