Expect Some Shakeup at Receiver vs. Kansas
The West Virginia Mountaineer receivers are not entirely living up to what head coach Neal Brown envisioned at the start of spring practice. Brown proclaimed the receivers would be the most improved position group of the 2020 season. He maintained that same sentiment despite missing the spring period due to the pandemic and the COVID-19 safety protocols during fall camp that limited the opportunity for team chemistry and development.
It's only been three games, and the numbers aren’t bad, but they don’t exactly jump off the page at you either. They rank fourth in the Big 12 Conference in pass yards per game (263.7) but are sixth in conference play (248.0) and had their lowest output of the season against Baylor with 211 yards.
Dropped passes last season plagued the group, and although the receivers have slightly improved in that area, it continues to be a thorn in the side of the Mountaineer offense. Add in the lack of explosive plays, and Brown is deciding to shake things up.
“We haven’t played good enough at wideout, and so, I’ll think you’ll see more people play at those spots. I think the reps will look a little bit different. It depends on who produces this week in practice, who will start the game, but we do plan on playing more, and then reps will probably be a little bit more evenly distributed than they were maybe the last two games.”
West Virginia doesn’t lack options at receiver. Ali Jennings had a solid freshman season bringing in 19 receptions for 192 yards and a touchdown last year. Offensive coordinator and receivers coach Gerad Parker said: “Ali’s coming back from a pretty significant hamstring that he’s had to manage so, he’s working himself back into it.”
Sean Ryan was starting on the outside at the “X” last season and grabbed five balls for 72 yards against Texas before sustaining a shoulder injury in the game that sidelined him for four games. He finished the final game of the season with three receptions for 34 yards. Bryce Ford-Wheaton won the job during fall camp.
“Sean’s been inconsistent, and really as he develops consistency to him and learns how to practice the right way every day, which we’ve talked at length about, I think he can play at a high level for us,” said Parker.
Isaiah Esdale came on in the latter part of the 2019 season registering 13 of his 15 receptions in the final five games of the season for 165 yards and a touchdown.
“Isaiah is the same thing just developing consistent practice habits to find a way to find reps on the field to help us on game day,” said Parker.
All three of them are still grinding, battling, and fighting a good room that we’ve got to develop a full consistency in, continued Parker. “So, those reps are going to trade out, and it’s going to be a good chance for everybody to get on the field and play at a high level.”
Then, there are true freshmen Reese Smith, who’s had a good showing through the first three games (5 rec., 41 yards, and Sam Brown had a nice start in the season opener against Eastern Kentucky with four catches for 43 yards but hasn’t appeared in a game since.
"He’s just learning how to be a good football player,” said Parker. "He’s growing like every freshman has to. He’s learning how to practice the right way. He’s learning how to be at lifts at 6 a.m. on time and ready to work and embracing what it really means to be a college football player on a consistent basis.” Later adding that Sam Brown, in the last two weeks, “is embracing learning what that means and understanding we have his best interest at heart.”
Neal Brown said the “receivers practiced much better last week,” and his expectation is, they’ll “be much improved at that spot… I think we will play better.”
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