In Upset Bid, Mountaineers Ground Game Re-Emerges

West Virginia's Ground Game Took Steps Forward in Saturday's Win

If you're a West Virginia fan, there's not much more you could have asked for from Saturday's performance in front of a packed house in Manhattan, KS. 

The Wildcats, who were sporting a no. 24 ranking and looking to dismantle a hobbled Mountaineers squad, instead encountered an inspired white-clad crew lead by newly-installed quarterback Jarret Doege.  

The Mountaineers made big plays time and time again, yielded primarily on the strength of Doege stretching plays and finding multiple receivers downfield. While the Mountaineers looked uncharacteristically fast and loose through the air, the ground game also looked (even if only slightly) more like its old self on Saturday. 

Senior Kennedy McKoy immediately got to work first and completed back-to-back rushes on inside and outside zones that netted him over 20 yards. Those runs, not surprisingly, helped open up the middle of the field and fuel what would eventually be a scoring drive to match Kansas State at seven a piece. 

McKoy would eventually finish out the day with 12 carries for 41 yards. He flashed, at times, the burst and shiftiness that made him so dangerous the last few years in Morgantown. Ultimately, it would be sophomore Leddie Brown who really emerged in the run game. In a 13 carry, 62-yard effort, the bruiser from Philadelphia looked downright bullish at several points, including a 19-yard stampede in the second half that set West Virginia up to once again put points on the board. Were it not for Doege getting pulled down for a couple huge losses behind the line of scrimmage, West Virginia would have crested 100 yards rushing on the day, a huge improvement on its 76.7 average in 2019. 

Was it a dominant return to form performance that echoed the era of Pat White and Steve Slaton? Not even a little bit. There's still much and more to be desired from West Virginia as it pertains to moving the ball on the ground. However, the progress was evident. 

With Doege under center and the offensive line creating lanes wide enough for Brown and McKoy to rip off several chain-moving runs, West Virginia's offense looked like it finally rubbed the sleep from out its eyes and was playing with some urgency. Additional credit should be awarded to the Mountaineers when you consider that, entering Saturday's bout in the little apple, Kansas State ranked 33rd nationally in team defense. 

How does West Virginia build off of this with only two games left in the season? That's a question for Neal Brown and the other professionals under his roof. The Mountaineers, however, have a shot at winning out and achieving bowl eligibility to close out the season. It's clear that Jarret Doege gives the offense an extra dimension and - I dare say - an extra edge. 

The run game now has an opportunity in the 11th hour to stop being a liability and turn the corner. Several big plays in a winning effort over a ranked conference opponent, especially in the context of the type of year West Virginia has had, is more than just a shot in the arm- it's an entire system overhaul. 

Now's the time for McKoy, Brown and West Virginia's offensive line to start playing with some swagger. It could be the difference between conceding and ending the year with a meager four wins or shocking a solid Big 12 conference and playing an extra game in December. Whatever talent West Virginia has been trying to awaken in its backfield might just now starting to rouse from cryosleep.

It's about time.