West Virginia Football 2017: Sooners blow past Mountaineers

2. The combination of David Sills and Will Grier is sorely missed

The high-powered Oklahoma offense knocked West Virginia out of the game so fast that it might not have mattered who drew the start at quarterback for the Mountaineers. It was going to take a shootout to knock off the Sooners and that made the important of Grier loom even larger.

Chris Chugunov started in place of injured quarterback Will Grier. He was fine, completing 10 of 20 passes for 137 yards. It was clear that head coach Dana Holgorsen did not want to place the burden entirely on his sophomore quarterback who had appeared in just four games prior to Saturday. That much was evident in the run:pass distribution employed by West Virginia despite falling behind by such a great margin so early in the game.

David Sills, a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s best receiver, was limited on Saturday. His connection with Grier had already produced 18 touchdowns receptions this year. He caught a 51-yard pass from Chugunov in the first half, showcasing his explosiveness even without Grier in the lineup.

West Virginia fans can only hope that both juniors decide to come back for one more season next year.