Is two better than one at LB?

It’s often said that if you have two starting quarterbacks you don't have one.

Platoon systems have their ups and downs but in the case of the outside linebacker spots in the West Virginia defense the coaching staff is hoping that two can be better than one.

While redshirt junior Al-Rasheed Benton is cemented in the middle, flanking him is a pair of position battles that will be ongoing all the way until the opener. At the SAM linebacker West Virginia is repping redshirt senior Justin Arndt and junior Xavier Preston while the WILL linebacker features a battle between redshirt senior Sean Walters and redshirt freshman David Long.

Experience in the program versus upside but it’s a battle that could result in both sets of linebackers seeing significant action this fall. It’s not anything new for defensive coordinator Tony Gibson after he effectively used a platoon situation with Shaq Petteway and Edward Muldrow two years ago.

At SAM, Arndt has been working with the first team but Preston has put together his strongest camp to date forcing Gibson into a situation where both will see the field. Although that won't occur until after the opener given the fact that Preston will be suspended against Missouri.

“I don’t know who’s going to be out there for the first snap but I know both of those guys are going to play a lot of snaps,” Gibson said. “They’re going to rotate in and out.”

Arndt, a former walk-on and in-state native, said he is looking at the battle as trying to make himself better but the ultimate goal is for the team to succeed no matter how each player is utilized. And given the up-tempo nature of the Big 12, having more depth is key to success on the defensive side of the ball.

“People get tired. Teams tempo you and push the pace,” he said.

On the opposite side, Walters has seen action in 30 games, mostly on special teams and as a reserve, but has an opportunity for his biggest role to date. First he has to tend off Long, who continues to make plays all over the field and almost avoided a redshirt last season before Gibson decided against it.

“Both of those guys will play a bunch,” Gibson said. “David and Sean will rotate a bunch.”

Walters believes that the competition has made him a better player, especially because Long brings his best to the practice field every day and in every rep.

“It’s exciting to go out and battle each other,” Walters said.

Gibson has made it clear that he will go with the “hot-hand,” depending on how each games goes but there is leeway for each player to take a step forward compered to his competition.

For now, the defensive coordinator is keeping each of those four players at their respective positions and getting them to the point where they are comfortable playing with the different combinations.

And while there is still a little time left for these situations to resolve themselves before the opener, it’s starting to look like two might actually be better than one for the outside linebacker spots.