Big 12 Conference Releases Preseason Rankings

The West Virginia Mountaineers sit 8th in the Big 12 Conference media preseason rankings that were released Thursday afternoon.

West Virginia is coming off 5-7 year, but played their best football in the last three weeks of the season finishing 2-1 in the final three games. Both wins came on the road including beating nationally ranked Kansas State. However, the following week, the Mountaineers could not overcome early mistakes in a home loss against Oklahoma State knocking them out of bowl eligibility.

Nonetheless, West Virginia played for pride, and wanting to send their seniors out with a win, dashed the bowl hopes of TCU in a 20-17 win, giving optimism around Morgantown for the 2020 season.

West Virginia returns most of their offensive and defensive production from a year ago, but offensively, there’s a lot of work to be done and not having a spring practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic, essentially put this group is behind in development. However, West Virginia head coach Neal Brown has expressed that he wants the program to be a player-led and feels his team has done that during these unprecedented times.

Offensively, West Virginia head coach Neal Brown is eager to get a good look at his quarterbacks, Austin Kendall and Jarrett Doege. Brown praised his quarterbacks for how they have handled the virtual period of the offseason, especially with their leadership also adding that both are more than capable of leading the offense.

No doubt the key a successful offense starts up front with the offensive line. The Mountaineers were 129th in rushing last season and must replace both starting tackles, including the leader of the group, Colton McKivitz. The young interior of the line should be much improved under offensive line coach Matt Moore.

There is plenty of talent in the running back room but have yet to show consistency. Leddie Brown is expected to lead the way, with Alec Sinkfield and Tony Mathis Jr.

Defensive linemen Dante and Darius Stills were tied for second in the Big 12 in sacks with seven a piece and Tykee Smith highlights the secondary. A big piece of the puzzle that needs to be solved for the Mountaineer defense will be replacing corners Keith Washington and Hakeem Bailey. Youth may lead the way with Nicktroy Fortune accompanied by Dreshaun Miller and Arizona transfer Scottie Young Jr.

Big 12 Conference Preseason Rankings

1. Oklahoma

2. Oklahoma State

3. Texas

4. Iowa State

5. Baylor

6. TCU

7. Kansas State

8. West Virginia

9. Texas Tech

10. Kansas

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