West Virginia football: Neal Brown proving he’s perfect man for job

How will West Virginia football fare in 2020?

West Virginia will go into the 2020 season with a more determined and focused mindset on the both sides of the ball. The Mountaineers would have benefitted from the spring practices to help their roster full of potential to get more experience on and off the field.

With the season schedule in question, they will play a Big 12-only schedule as the conference was the last of the Power Five to join the movement.

Here is the breakdown of the schedule for the Mountaineers in 2020:

• Game 1: Kansas State (W) – West Virginia starts their conference season with a tough win at home against the Wildcats.
• Game 2: at Texas Tech (W) – The Mountaineers look for revenge as they prepare for one of the worst defenses in the Big 12 in the Red Raiders.
• Game 3: TCU (L) – West Virginia will face off against a more dynamic offense with their dual-threat RPO.
• Game 4: at Texas (L) – The Longhorns’ passing offense will be too much for the Mountaineers pass defense still looking to find some balance.
• Game 5: Kansas (W) – The Mountaineers are back on track against a Jayhawks team still years away from consistently winning.
• Game 6: Oklahoma (L) – While the Mountaineers are on the right path to rebuilding, they are expecting to account for an upset.
• Game 7: at Oklahoma State (L) – The Cowboys’ top rushing offense will be much too much for the Mountaineers defense to stop.
• Game 8: Baylor (L) – Despite a huge coaching turnover from the Bears, their experienced players will keep them in contention for the Big 12.
• Game 9: at Iowa State (L) – The Mountaineers will close out the season against the Cyclones, whose offense and defense could make a serious run for the conference championship.

Prediction: 3-6, 3-6 Big 12

West Virginia looks to create some momentum for the future of the program. If head coach Neal Brown is the coach to lead them back into the hunt for the Big 12 title, he’ll need to create some spark or signs of improvement this season. It doesn’t help them with the time they lost in the spring and summer due to the pandemic of COVID-19.

The Mountaineers got the wrong answer at the starting quarterback with Austin Kendall at the beginning of last season. This season, they’re hoping that they made the right decision with Jarrett Doege. They will need more impact from the rushing game and the wide receivers to contribute to a more productive offense. Having Matt Moore back focusing on the offensive line will help the blocking in the passing and run games.

On the defensive side of the ball, they look to continue some trend of an aggressive unit. Their defensive line looks to be one of the more productive in the conference. The defensive line and linebacking corps are one of the most experienced units on the team. They will be the proven leaders on defense.

The success of the secondary will be crucial for the Mountaineers to contend against high-powered Big 12 offenses, especially against the pass.