West Virginia football: 5 breakout players to watch in 2018
By Phil Poling
No. 4 on our breakout players list is junior wide receiver Marcus Simms. He’s a player who flashed brilliance last season and with an improved role should really flourish in 2018.
The Mountaineers will lose Ka’Raun White’s 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns, but Simms has displayed an ability to get it done. He managed 600 yards as a sophomore on only 35 receptions, but was still third on the team with 5 receiving touchdowns. With a greater volume in 2018, expect those numbers to spike.
Top targets David Sills V and Gary Jennings return to WVU, but Simms will slide right into White’s vacant position and the ‘Eers offense shouldn’t miss a beat. Sills has a case for the best wide receiver in football, while Jennings is an excellent chain-mover between the 20s. Simms’ big-play ability should make the West Virginia offense one of the most lethal in the country.
His lone catch against East Carolina last year went for 52 yards and resulted in a touchdown. The very next week against Delaware State? Two more scores for 91 yards on only four catches. With a larger role, defenses will be more focused on Simms, but quarterback Will Grier has quite the arsenal at his disposal if Simms is covered.
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Simms is an excellent special team’s player for the Mountaineers too, returning both punts and kickoffs last season. He failed to score any touchdowns on special teams, but he routinely succeeded in catching punts in the air. Seems minor, but for example — catching the ball at the 17-yard line is better than clearing out, letting it bounce and putting your offense inside their own five. Field position matters, and Simms does a good job controlling what he can.