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West Virginia Football: 2018 Hype train is out of control

By Justin Dottavio

FORT WORTH, TX - OCTOBER 07: Head coach Dana Holgorsen of the West Virginia Mountaineers reacts to a play against the TCU Horned Frogs in the fourth quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX - OCTOBER 07: Head coach Dana Holgorsen of the West Virginia Mountaineers reacts to a play against the TCU Horned Frogs in the fourth quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /

Offense

Nothing should be able to slow down Will Grier and the Mountaineers offense. West Virginia finished 2017 with the S&P+’s 26th ranked offense and 36th in points per play. They return seven starters from last year’s squad including Heisman Trophy watch-list quarterback Will Grier. Grier threw for 3,490 yards and 34 touchdowns with 12 interceptions a year ago. The Florida transfer will be tasked with leading his unit through high expectations as they return four starting offensive linemen and two elite receivers.

Grier injured a finger against Texas last year and is healthy heading into 2018. He’s backed up by Miami transfer Jack Allison. There’s also three-star dual threat quarterback Woodrow Lowe III who couldn’t have a cooler name to become a future college football star.

Supporting Cast

Running back Justin Crawford has graduated and departs after back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons. His backup was Kennedy McKoy who ran for 596 yards and seven touchdowns in 2017 and enters his junior season with NFL size. However, the run game isn’t probably the focus of Mountaineers fans attention.

The wide receiver corps lost Ka’Raun White who caught 61 balls for 1,004 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 16.5 yards per catch. That’s a ton of production to lose but only Dana Holgorsen can somehow keep his offense rolling without it.

Grier has Gary Jennings and David Sills, both seniors, out wide ready to make big plays. Jennings caught 97 passes for 1,096 yards and only one touchdown. Then there’s All-American David Sills. Sills is a 6-foot-3 stud who logged 980 receiving yards, 18 touchdowns, and averaged 16.3 yards per catch last season.

The offensive line looks ready to dominate in 2018. Left tackle Yondy Cajuste returned for his senior season when he could’ve easily departed for the NFL. He’ll anchor the line with three other returning starters and a senior Isaiah Hardy as the new guy in the mix. Right tackle Colton McKivitz also has NFL potential along the line.

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