How Are the Former Mountaineers Doing at Houston?

As we've mentioned a time or two this week, Dana Holgorsen isn't the only Houston Cougar who has been looking forward to this matchup with the West Virginia Mountaineers. There are quite a few.

Dana Holgorsen Isn't the Only One Who Has WVU Circled on the Schedule

On Holgorsen's staff alone, there are nine people who either coached, played, or were a part of the football department at West Virginia. Quarterbacks coach Michael Burchett was a walk-on QB at WVU and spent three years on Dana's staff (2015-17) as a Grad Assistant and Offensive Analyst.

Strength coach Darl Bauer, GM Ryan Dorchester, and Director of Player Personnel Casey Smithson, all spent nearly a decade in Morgantown with Holgorsen. Defensive coordinator Doug Belk, Special Teams coordinator Mark Scott, Wide Receivers coach Daikiel Shorts Jr., and Grad Assistant T.J. Simmons should all be familiar names to you too. Finally, Assistant Strength Coach Nate Majnaric was also a former walk-on at WVU before earning a scholarship as a senior.

But how about the guys that will be actually playing in the game?

Well, there's four of them. Technically, three since safety Noah Guzman is out with an injury. Running back Tony Mathis and tight end Mike O'Laughlin had both committed to Holgorsen's staff at West Virginia in the recruiting class of 2019 but chose to stick it out with Neal Brown for four years.

Mathis has rushed for 111 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries while also hauling in three receptions for 22 yards. He could be viewed as RB3 behind freshman Parker Jenkins and Stacy Sneed, but they all rotate into the game.

Wide receiver Sam Brown was part of Neal Brown's first recruiting class at WVU and showed flashes in four games but needed a change of scenery. It appears that change is working out well for Brown as he leads the Big 12 Conference in receptions (34) and receiving yards (518).

Former WVU defensive line commit Justin Benton is in his true freshman season at Houston and has not recorded any stats.

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