West Virginia Football: 5 reasons Will Grier will win the Heisman

3. Big 12 defense (or lack thereof)

Along with the stereotype of the Big 12 spread offenses and willingness to throw the football 60 times a game, the other stereotype is the Big 12 doesn’t play defense whatsoever. While statistically, this is somewhat false as TCU, Texas and Iowa State all finished in the Top 35 in total defense, the majority conference does play porous defense. The remaining 7 teams (including West Virginia) all rank below 50th in the nation with Kansas State being 50th and Oklahoma a distant second at 68th

If West Virginia wants to have an immensely successful season like many think they will, their own defense has to improve. Along with the Big 12’s defense, West Virginia faces Tennessee, North Carolina State, and FCS Youngstown State in the non-conference slate. Tennessee finished 83rd in the total defense, North Carolina State fared better at 51st and Youngstown State finished tied for 20th in FCS, which there is a large talent gap between those two schools.

Granted the defense Grier will be playing against are a majority bad, he will still have challenges such as Iowa State’s defense, which held the Mountaineers to 20 points last year, and TCU, who historically produces tremendous defense under Gary Patterson. The rest of Grier’s schedule, however, sets up for him to roast opposing defenses.