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MYERS: WVU ready in 2022

Summer is winding down and another college football season is upon us. That also means it is time for your Monday Morning Quarterback to make an appearance for the 35th year.

The West Virginia Mountaineers enter the 2022 season with little notoriety and modest expectations. Nearly every publication or analysis one can find pegs WVU at 8th or 9th in the Big 12. The over/under in Vegas is 5 ¢ wins.

During the two years preceding the hiring of Neal Brown West Virginia averaged 37 points and 486 yards of total offense per game. During Brown’s three year tenure the Mountaineers have struggled offensively, averaging just 24 points and 368 yards. Noting the contrast isn’t intended to be a reflection of the quality of the respective head coaches, but instead can be attributed to a glaring dropoff in the quality of play at quarterback. Prior to Brown being hired Will Grier, one of the best quarterbacks in college football at the time, was at the helm. In comparison, for the last 2 ¢ seasons the starting quarterback for West Virginia couldn’t even win the starting job at Western Kentucky this year after entering the transfer portal. Enough said.

Quarterback play this fall will be substantially improved with the transfer of J.T.Daniels to Morgantown and the hiring of a new offensive coordinator in Graham Harrell. Daniels was a former five star recruit who spent two years at USC with Harrell, and was 7-0 as a starter over two seasons at Georgia, losing his starting job for the eventual national champion only due to an injury. Although his injury history is a concern, if he can stay healthy Mountaineer fans will be pleased with what they see.

Winning football also requires controlling the line of scrimmage, and another reason for optimism is that the entire starting offensive line returns. WVU will be solid on the defensive front as well. The back seven on defense will have a new look, as West Virginia lost starting defensive backs to the transfer portal, but also brought in four other defenders who had extensive starting experience at other schools.

The 2022 schedule is challenging, with non-conference road games at Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech along with the nine game Big 12 conference slate. West Virginia is one of only 3 schools (Stanford and Colorado the others) which plays 11 games against Power Five opponents. Thus even a .500 season would exceed most expectations, but I will go out on a limb and project the Mountaineers to achieve a 7-5 winning season

THIS THURSDAY: After a hiatus of 11 years, the backyard brawl with the Pitt Panthers returns to the WVU schedule.

The game will be played at Acrisure Stadium (formerly Heinz Field), which on paper is a home game for the Panthers but will be essentially be a neutral field environment with half the fans supporting the Mountaineers.

Pittsburgh is coming off an ACC championship and is ranked in the preseason Top 25. They are a touchdown favorite and few pundits foresee a Mountaineer victory. I’ll stick with the few who do. WEST VIRGINIA 31 PITTSBURGH 27.

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