MAILBAG: Four Portal QB Options, Expectations for Hoops in Big 12 Play, Baseball + More

Good afternoon, Mountaineer fans! It's time to crack open this week's West Virginia On SI mailbag.

From @Dalandow212:

Q: What should we realistically expect from WVU's baseball team this year? Similar success as last season or a decline?

A: I like where things are headed and believe Coach Sabins did a really good job of constructing the roster this offseason with the arms he added via the transfer portal and a handful of the signees in the freshman class who should make an immediate impact, such as infielder Zahir Barjam. I would fully expect them to be contending for the Big 12 crown again.

From @wvlawgeek:

Q: Why not Rocco? (I am asking that with understanding that he will be more expensive than your proposed budget would allow.)

A: You're on the right track. Is it worth the big investment for someone who has just one year of eligibility left? It's not like this team is a quarterback away from being a contender in the league. There are a whole bunch of needs the staff has to take care of, and the money would be better spent patching those holes. When you're somewhat limited, you have to know when the time to strike is. That's not 2026 for WVU.

From @coalcountrywvu:

Q: Not to be a downer, but if we see a replication of this year's results in year 2, is it an overreaction to say we would want to move on from Rod after only 2 years? (Not what I'm predicting, just throwing it out there)

A: It depends on who you are asking about. I'm sure the fans will be ready to cut ties; heck, some of them already are, believe it or not. If you're asking about Wren Baker and the administration, no. I'm not suggesting that we will see similar results next fall, but I think there's an understanding that there is still going to be some growing pains, considering how young this team will be, bringing in a massive freshman class. Year three is where things should 100% be turning around, as I laid out in my contender timeline story I posted earlier this week.

From @Coach10Phillips:

Q: Football what are the top three positions that are needed in the portal? Basketball - what needs to change to get a few quality wins?

A: For football, it starts in the trenches. The offensive line is a must, of course. There's no way around it. They have to find two experienced guards who can start right away. The defensive line needs to get bigger and more athletic as well. The next place I would go would be the secondary, considering how many seniors made up the back end this past season.

As for basketball, it all comes down to being elite at what their identity is supposed to be. Ross Hodge-led teams are typically among the best defensive teams in the country. We haven't really seen that yet for a full forty minutes against a quality opponent, hence the second half collapses to Clemson, Wake Forest, and Ohio State. We can talk offense all day and how no one else beyond Honor Huff is making shots, but for this team, it all starts with their performance on the defensive end.

From @BrianMcGuinnWV:

Q: Will WVU Men’s basketball finish in the upper half of the league this year?

A: I highly doubt it, unfortunately. A lot of things would need to go their way, including others underperforming. The offense is too stagnant, there's no interior presence, and the defense isn't anywhere where it needs to be. I projected them to finish 11th in the preseason and still believe that to be true.

From @EverlyDave:

Q: What is the best way/site to follow all of the portal activity?

A: You're already on it, my friend. Here is the link to our transfer portal tracker. Here, you have a full positional breakdown of those who have announced, players WVU is after (once the portal opens), and who is committed. You'll also be updated when someone from WVU officially picks a new school or withdraws and returns to the program. We update this within seconds of the news happening.

From @Jeremia62776484:

Q: If the price tag on a starting QB in the portal (ODUs QB) is $1.5mil, do you think WVU will or should spend that kind of money this year for a top-tier QB?

A: I haven't heard any of the offers to Joseph, but that seems to be in the right ballpark. Personally, I don't think you can go higher than that. Not this year, at least. I get some folks may think that's not having a competitive mindset, when in reality, it's playing your cards smartly. You can't overspend on a quarterback when your team is far away from being in a position to contend, at least on paper. Build it up first and then go make a splash at QB (if you need to). I think WVU would be better off spending much of its money in the trenches and playing a cheaper option at QB who can still play winning football.

From @bobmadigan_wvu:

Q: I don't normally pay attention to the portal, but it seems like there were a lot of departures. Is this a normal #, or simply a transition year for the team?

A: It seems like a lot, but it's really not. Last year was much worse, of course. Most of this year's departures are guys who either never saw the field or saw a handful of snaps. Nicco Marchiol, Jahiem White, and Diore Hubbard are really the only true losses thus far.

From @MountainManWvu:

Q: What do you think about Kenny Minchey and Ja'Juan Johnson in the transfer portal?

A: For those of you who may not know the players in question, Minchey is a transfer from Notre Dame and Johnson from LSU. I'm not exactly sure what WVU's level of interest is in either player at the moment, but if it were my call, I'd go with Minchey over Johnson. Both are unfinished products, but Minchey is more of a true dual-threat with his ability to really sling it. Johnson has a ton of room to grow in that department. If he does, he can turn out to be a really solid player, though.

To participate in next week's mailbag, send me a DM on X (@Callihan_) reply to my tweet asking for submissions on Saturday, or place your question in the comments section under my poston Facebook.