What Might Have Been: A Formerly Gold-Blue Game - And Now Offseason Primer
We were going to bring you an extensive look at what to watch in WVU's now-cancelled Gold-Blue game. A mended quarterback, the newfound emphasis on the tight end position and a promising front five that still faces questions highlighted some of the questions. It's still worth a look at those issues, so here's a position-by-position take at how the Mountaineers match-up on that side of the ball following spring drills, with a defensive primer to follow.
Quarterback
Will Grier's odyssey from late November through January included being flown to Charlotte for surgery, a brief rehabilitation period and then a throwing regiment, where the senior was put on a pitch count of sorts until both his hand and shoulder were deemed strong and stable enough.
Grier showed no sign of issues during the brief periods media were able to view spring practices, and indeed was rifling the ball to all segments of the field. With the quarterback obviously in a no-contact jersey, Grier didn't face the kind of pressure he does in games. But it's worth noting that his grip and how he handled the snaps, and his delivery, held the same accuracy and velocity that he did prior to the injury against Texas.
In his last Gold-Blue game, Grier's first six completions went to David Sills. The two clearly had a repertoire, and it was a foreshadowing into what would be in the 2017 season, the pair hooking up for 18 touchdowns to push both into consideration for conference and national awards. It'll be interesting to see through summer if Grier has developed a comfort with any new targets, such as T.J. Simmons, Marcus Simms or Reggie Roberson, or if he continues to rely largely on Sills and Gary Jennings.
Jack Allison and Trey Lowe should also get significant snaps this coming year, though Lowe isn't likely to see time this season barring another jarring injury. Allison is the second man up, and as such beared a good look this spring. His delivery was solid in the time we could view him, and his movement through drills was fluid, with accurate passes and a crisp delivery. At 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, Allison is the first in a new breed of larger signal caller being recruited by the Mountaineers, and it'll be interesting to check out his timing and how he handles the offensive calls and progressions.
Running Back
West Virginia lost another 1,000-yard rusher in Justin Crawford, but returns a do-everything back in Kennedy McKoy and a sturdy, downhill threat in Martell Pettaway. McKoy's skill set is a given, though Pettaway and rising redshirt freshman Alec Sinkfield again impressed in the 14 spring practices.
Pettaway was a largely forgotten commodity a season ago, managing just 43 carries for 149 yards (McKoy had 125 for 596, much of it against OU out of the Wildcat). His power and 5-foot-9, 209-pound build perfect suit WVU's desire to be able to grind the ball in short yardage situations. Pettaway said he has been working on his "second-level" stuff, meaning his approach to getting into and past linebackers at the second level of a defense.
If that's where he's taking first contact, that's a great sign for West Virginia's line - or a bad sign for the defensive front on the flipside. Pettaway has been effective during the spring, and should carry that into an offfseason where he could get chances to show the newfound emphasis on the ground game behind bulked up, now-bulked up FB/TE Trevon Wesco (6-4, 270).
As for Sinkfield, the Delray Beach, Fla. native was impressive enough in fall camp last season that coordinator Jake Spavital was tempted to pull the redshirt. That didn't happen, and now the quick twitch talent who rushed for 2,231 yards and 26 scores at the prep level will seems primed for significant time. His ability to get vertical immediately, then utilize his shiftiness and body control to pick lanes for extra yardage stands out. Sinkfield's athleticism is obvious, and this could be a home run hitter for WVU at times this season.
Tight End/Fullback
Arguably the position of most interest to those who like Xs and Os more than Johnnies and Joes, how Spavital chooses to use these positions is of major interest. West Virginia, of course, stayed basic and tipped no hands as to truly pertinent information during the viewable practices. But how much they trust Jovanni Haskins in the passing game, the comfort of Grier or Allison to deliver him the ball and exactly how the Mountaineers use the position - attached to the line, flared out as a slot, motioning Wesco from the backfield to the line or vice versa - is intriguing.
The idea behind this is to make the offense as versatile as possible, and attempt to do it without having to switch personnel when running tempo. Of now, Wesco has the size and strength to be a road grader of sorts, and he's still honing his receiving skills after two seasons in which he caught two passes. (Though he would be the answer to a trivia question regarding who the last person to catch a scoring pass was for WVU.)
Haskins, who Holgorsen said would have played last season had he been eligible after transferring from Miami, is a more gifted wideout, but is still trying to better his blocking ability. At 6-4, 238 pounds, the New Jersey native has the perfect size to be a major target, and his ability to get up the seams or make play across the face of the defense looms large for an offense focusing more on efficiency and consistency rather than relying on the big play this season.
How WVU lines the pair up, if they are ever on the field together, and how committed the offense seems to actually using these weapons are questions whose answers prove if the team is serious about the move, or that it was more lip service. The fact the coaching staff has spent multiple scholarships on the position and has incoming recruits like TJ Banks and Mike O'Laughlin lends credence to the idea that this is a legit move.
Receiver
This is an interesting one from a per-player perspective. There's clear talent, and a solid dose of experience with David Sills and Gary Jennings. The former was Mr. Productive over the first half of the season until over-the-top safety help and some bracketing in coverage began to limit his catches down the stretch. Jennings became the new Daikiel Shorts as Mr. Reliable, snaring a team-best 97 receptions for 1,096 yards. Those 97 catches were a whopping 36 more than the second-place finisher in Ka'Raun White, at 61, while Sills had 60.
The chemistry between Grier and Sills was obvious, and Grier's tendency to use Jennings as a safet blanket obvious. That figures to only elevate in terms of on-field ability. But what about the secondary targets? Who emerges from the pile of T.J. Simmons, Marcus Simms, Reggie Roberson and even running back-turned-wideout Tevin Bush? Have any developed that relational feel with Grier or Allison?
Simmons seems the most likely to break out. The Alabama transfer got on the field as a true freshman for the Tide, albeit mostly on special teams. Terms like professional, prepared and focused have been bandied about the Puskar Center regarding Simmons, as well as raves about his energy level, enthusiasm and tendency to be vocal. Said Holgorsen of Simmons during one practice session at the Caperton Indoor Practice Facility: "Can you hear him? He’s the one running around on that other side. He does bring a lot of energy. He’s made some plays, too.
"He’s a sophomore; the kid has three years of eligibility. He looks like a pro, and he acts like one, too. I hope he plays like that."
That approach will take the 6-2, 198-pounder far, and if he can both stretch the field and work the intermediate routes, West Virginia could have a big-time player on its hands. There's been very little to see of Simmons thus far with the limited availability, so the anticipation of fans and media alike is high. Can he work off press coverage? How does he get in and out of routes? Does he catch the ball away from the body and secure it quickly? How's the timing? Is the Z position the best fit? There are a myriad of things to sort there entering fall.
Same thing for Roberson and Simms and even Druw Bowen, Dominique Maiden and Will Crest. Has their game elevated from where it was a season ago, and can they make considerable contributions? What's the fair expectation of their role in the offense, with special concern for players like Simms and Roberson, which need to offer some playmaking ability.
Then there's Bush. This cat is fun to watch - if one can find him at 5-6, 163 pounds. Bush could get lost (and that was a good thing) behind the line at times, but the move to the slot frees him from initial traffic and puts the athlete in space. He can better use his cut-and-go skills there, and it allows him to give a hip and take it away without worrying as much about initial contact. Bush isn't going to be a yards-after-contact player, so the more open area the better for the New Orleans native.
Now entering his second season in the program, Bush should be able to contribute far more. Is his No. 14 called on wideout screens, on quick slants, on trying to get a match-up with a linebacker forced to play man on a drag route across the defense? Expect a lot of long "handoffs" on throws down the line to maximize Bush's quickness and vertical burst. This is a unique player, one who amassed more than 2,500 all-purpose yards and 29 TDs at powerhouse Landry-Walker High in New Orleans via a Reggie Bush-like approach; here's hoping West Virginia can find ways to implement that skill set.
Offensive Line
Gone are Kyle Bosch and Grant Lingafelter, but West Virginia returns six lettermen, including center Matt Jones and tackles Yodney Cajuste on the blindside and Colton McKivitz. Add in the steady play of Josh Sills at left guard, and Joe Wickline has the makings of a solid front five. Isaiah Hardy appears primed to take Bosch's right guard slot after appearing in 12 games last year with no starts, and at 6-6, 335 pounds is the largest of WVU's linemen.
There's also a dash of depth with Jacob Buccigrossi, Kelby Wickline and Chase Behrndt, though how this all irons out into the fall is an unknown. Wickline has mixed and matched through spring, and he will continue to do so in an effort to find the best five, then who can mix in as the next three to four. The questions are clear: Wickline was hired to create a better pocket for the quarterback, among other aspects. That appeared to happen at times, and then quite often Grier was simply scrambling behind the line and making plays on the fly. Off a middling year in which there were struggles to create the push in short yardage - and a bowl game in which the front was dominated by Utah - can the Mountaineers generate enough traction to protect Grier while also getting the blocking and surge needed to grind out yardage when it's tough sledding?
There are positives from last season. WVU had a 1,000-yard rusher for a third straight time, and it paved the way for an offense that averaged 34.5 points per game, the 22nd-best nationally. The Mountaineers also racked up 459.6 yards per game, ranking 20th, while the line ranted No. 8 nationally in fewest tackles for loss allowed and No. 25 in fewest sacks allowed.
That's some concrete work. And we can scout the fluidity, the communication, how the relationship between Jones and Grier has progressed and what Hardy, Sills and others can offer. But there's a bottom line with the line, and it's that this group must work better together and develop a physical attitude with the execution to match if West Virginia is going to become the consistent, efficient and effective offense desired. If that doesn't happen, all the skill set talent won't be nearly enough to push this program into Big 12 title contention.
This was our end-of-spring Offensive Review. Check back soon for our Defensive Review, where we take a look at the dilapidated defensive line - and how that could change in the fall - the injury to linebacker Brenden Ferns and how West Virginia's back end shuffle could play out at corner and the three safety slots.
