West Virginia Football: 5 bold predictions for 2017
4. Will Grier finished with the sixth best QBR in the conference
This prediction is a combination of two things. First off, the 2017 Big 12 quarterback ranks are distinctly top-heavy. In some order Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma) and Mason Rudolph (Oklahoma State) are far and away the best two passers in the conference. After those two there is a noticeable drop off until you get to the next tier.
Secondly, the rest of the conference is filled with decent to mediocre quarterbacks that haven’t made the jump to elite status yet. That second tier would include guys like Shane Buechele (Texas), Jesse Ertz (Kansas State), Zach Smith (Baylor) and Will Grier. It’s not out of the question for guys Like Kenny Hill (TCU) or Jacob Park (Iowa State) to force that way into the conversation either. Either way, the point is this: it’s the Oklahoma guys and the rest.
Grier is going into a quarterback friendly offense and put up decent statistics while he was at Florida. In 2015 he had a 65.8 completion percentage, through 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. However, here is the list of opponents that he registered those numbers against: New Mexico State, East Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Missouri. Not exactly world-class competition.
Grier had a four touchdown game against Ole Miss but was kept out of the endzone against Kentucky (!). There are high expectations, but he’s not going to meet them. Grier will be just okay, which isn’t what West Virginia fans want to hear.