The West Virginia offensive line is going to be leaned on by the coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball and for good reason.

The Mountaineers return all five-starters up front, although former right tackle Wyatt Milum has shifted over to his more natural position on the left side. So along with Milum, the rest of what is expected to be the first team unit includes left guard James Gmiter, center Zach Frazier and right guard Doug Nester.

That is a combined 3,221 snaps from last season alone between those four. Frazier and Nester finished as the two highest graded players on the entire offense according to PFF and between the group the program allowed 9 sacks over the course of the season.

That's a lot of experience and production.

The expectation is that the Mountaineers offensive line is primed to take a major step forward and find the overall consistency that’s escaped it over the last three years if one question can be answered.

Who will rise to the occasion at right tackle?

“We’ve got to be better. That’s a fair assessment and the expectation is that we will be,” head coach Neal Brown said of the position.

Redshirt junior Brandon Yates and redshirt junior Ja’Quay Hubbard are the main competitors at that spot and who emerges from the ongoing battle will go a long way toward the offensive line taking that next step as a unit. Yates played 880 snaps last season at left tackle, but the move to right should benefit him as he played his first two years likely ahead of schedule.

He had moments of strong play last season, but that must be much more consistent.

“Some areas there he has to be better at. I think he knows that,” Brown said.

His main competition is Hubbard who has completely transformed his body dropping weight and adding strength to his 6-foot-5 frame. He played only 60 snaps at left tackle last season, but is now much more confident in what he can do and how he can move up front.

“He understands what we’re trying to do in the run game much better now,” Brown said.

It’s been a transition for Hubbard as he was used primarily on the interior when he was heavier, but he has developed more into a true offensive tackle with the ability to play either side. He’s far from a finished product as Hubbard sometimes gets himself in bad body position and still has room to grow on the field but there are certainly some positive signs in his action in practice.

Finding consistency there whether it’s one or perhaps both players seeing time will be critical and this spring has been used to start that process.

The offensive line is only as strong as its weakest link and those at right tackle are working this spring to ensure that phrase won’t be used to describe them.

The group, and offense as a whole, has to improve and like most things in the game of football it starts up front.

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