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blurb on wvu from big 12 media days ...
Posted on: July 19, 2016 at 14:36:45 CT
tmcats KSU
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West Virginia — Can the defense stay solid?
Dana Holgorsen is largely known for his offenses, but West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson quietly had one of the league’s best groups a year ago, ranking second in the Big 12 in both scoring defense and total defense. How well Gibson can patch together a group returning three starters from a year ago will determine this year’s success. The pieces that return are good ones — a deep defensive line brings back two starters in Noble Nwachukwu, who led the team in sacks a year ago, and Christian Brown — and Dravon Askew-Henry has been a starter since Day One and a special talent. Filling in the second level of that defense, and particularly replacing Nick Kwiatkoski, will be the big challenge. Offensively, the Mountaineers look poised to challenge Texas Tech (and potentially Baylor, though it’s a bit unclear how things will look in Waco) for the title of league’s best offense. Returning a quarterback who had more than 3,600 yards and 32 touchdowns as a runner and thrower will do that, as will bringing back four of the five starters on the offensive line and all three starting receivers. And that doesn’t count Rushel Shell, who looks poised for a big year after ranking second on the team with 708 rushing yards behind Wendell Smallwood a year ago. The offense found something late — after getting held below 30 points in three of West Virginia’s first four Big 12 games, they scored at least 30 in five of their last six. Another year’s improvement should make that group scary. And if the defense isn’t scary in the opposite way, West Virginia could push into the top half of the league.
http://kansasstate.247sports.com/Article/Big-12-Media-Days-Day-Two-Preview-46309279
Dana Holgorsen is largely known for his offenses, but West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson quietly had one of the league’s best groups a year ago, ranking second in the Big 12 in both scoring defense and total defense. How well Gibson can patch together a group returning three starters from a year ago will determine this year’s success. The pieces that return are good ones — a deep defensive line brings back two starters in Noble Nwachukwu, who led the team in sacks a year ago, and Christian Brown — and Dravon Askew-Henry has been a starter since Day One and a special talent. Filling in the second level of that defense, and particularly replacing Nick Kwiatkoski, will be the big challenge. Offensively, the Mountaineers look poised to challenge Texas Tech (and potentially Baylor, though it’s a bit unclear how things will look in Waco) for the title of league’s best offense. Returning a quarterback who had more than 3,600 yards and 32 touchdowns as a runner and thrower will do that, as will bringing back four of the five starters on the offensive line and all three starting receivers. And that doesn’t count Rushel Shell, who looks poised for a big year after ranking second on the team with 708 rushing yards behind Wendell Smallwood a year ago. The offense found something late — after getting held below 30 points in three of West Virginia’s first four Big 12 games, they scored at least 30 in five of their last six. Another year’s improvement should make that group scary. And if the defense isn’t scary in the opposite way, West Virginia could push into the top half of the league.
http://kansasstate.247sports.com/Article/Big-12-Media-Days-Day-Two-Preview-46309279
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blurb on wvu from big 12 media days ... - tmcats KSU - 7/19 14:36:45