MAILBAG: QB Situation, Spring Ball Standouts, Hoops Portal Targets + More

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

From @WVUBagMan:

Q: Do you think WVU needs to get away from the festival concept & host a true spring game?

A: I don't think so. Really would like for them to selfishly so we can see more, but it's not something they need to do. They have plenty of live periods and scrimmages throughout the spring to get the answers they are looking for. Wouldn't be surprised if spring ball looks even more different a couple of years from now. Maybe they push it into the summer.

From @coalcountrywvu:

Q: What is 1 position group you were concerned about that outperformed your expectations, and vice versa, what is 1 position group you were confident in that seemed to underperform in the spring game?

A: Wasn't on hand for the spring game, so I'm not going to judge it based on that. Plus, I think putting too much stock in the game can provide an inaccurate evaluation. But for the entire spring, I've heard so many good things about this group of receivers. I think there are eight guys who have a chance to see the field. Prince Strachan is legit. As far as an underperforming group, I don't really know that there is one, to be honest, at least to a glaring degree. That said, the two spots I have some concerns with are edge rusher and corner.

From @Dalandow212:

Q: After the spring game, was their anyone player on the team that impressed/surprised you and that maybe you didn't anticipate?

A: I wouldn't say surprised because I've heard a lot of good things about him this spring, but it was good to see freshman QB Jyron Hughley make some plays. He's a heck of an athlete and has been a sponge in that QB room.

From @jon_helman:

Q: As always, you are my go-to guy for anything WVU!
What is your best and worst-case scenario for this team after seeing a glimpse of what was offered at the spring game?

A: Appreciate the kind words, Jon! The best-case is a top-four finish in the league. The offense, from what I hear, is going to be there. If they can field a middle-of-the-road Big 12 defense, then they are going to be playing meaningful games in November. Worst-case? Somewhere in the ballpark of seven wins. I'd be shocked if they go 6-6 or worse.

From @Trey_Ebc11:

Q: Do you think we saw Mike Hawkins full potential during the spring game, because to me, he kind of disappointed, and Scotty was the clear-cut best QB, even with only 1 drive played.

A: Wasn't there to know, but I wouldn't put too much weight on what happened Saturday. Hawkins has been tearing it up all spring long, including the closed scrimmages. One source told me that Fox is still having some of those young moments, forcing things, leading to interceptions. Hawkins hasn't been turning the ball over.

From @wvufan2023:

Q: Hypothetically speaking, who would you want to see the staff go after to finish off the basketball roster, and what’s your reasoning for them?

A: Load up the Brinks truck and tell AJ Dybantsa to hit the portal and come to WVU for a year, haha. Okay, honestly? I have no idea. I'd love to give you some names, but there are so many out there, and this portal cycle has been challenging because of how slow-moving it has been for everybody. It's hard to know who is a realistic target and who isn't.

From @MrEd315:

Q: What’s the men’s basketball budget (school pay plus NIL cash) compared to the women’s team? Could it be 5:1 or more?

A: I'm unsure of the exact numbers, but I don't believe it's quite that big of a difference. They do a pretty good job of finding deals for players. Obviously, it could be better, but they are in a competitive segment of the Big 12.

From @WVU_Sports_Fan:

Q: How do you feel about the QB situation? Could do an entire article breaking down this topic.

A: I did something on Scotty a week ago that goes into my thoughts about the room, and I did one on Hawkins exactly a month ago today. I encourage you to check those two pieces out, and you'll get a good idea of where I see things going.

From @cam_samuel33:

Q: Think we will get Frank Mitchell or Jason Edwards?

A: I believe they have a great chance to land Mitchell. Edwards would make a lot of sense. It's someone who knows Hodge's system and would be a steady backup to Miles Sadler. He'll need to get an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA, so I'm not sure about him.

From @TML25302:

Q: After the spring game, are you feeling more or less confident about the football team?

A: More, for sure. Anytime you have that big of a turnover of the roster, you worry that things are going to take too long to figure out. This group gets it. The difference between last year's team and this group is that they come to WVU with experience and production. Two of the starting o-linemen last year were a former walk-on at Tulsa and a guy who played defensive line in his final year at LSU before transferring to WVU. Much different ceiling for this team.

From @DezCaughtDatB88:

Q: What are the chances of Samier and or Joson with the Ali connections? We still have multiple starting spots to fill; those are glaring connections.

A: Not sure who the first guy is, but Joson is certainly a possibility. I haven't heard anything concrete on him one way or the other at this point, though. If you're talking about Amadou Seini, I like their chances a lot.

From @bstud82:

Q: Why wasn't the spring game on TV?

A: Would love to know the answer to that question as well. My guess is cost to have the people running the broadcast isn't worth it, especially when they have a baseball game the same day. Could also have nothing to do with that whatsoever. It may just be their way of trying to get more people to come out to the game, too.

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.

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