Neal Brown Breaks Down Each Position Group Heading Into Spring

Initial thoughts on 2022 team

"I'm really excited about this staff and team. I know some of the outside noise doesn't reflect that but I'll tell you that within these walls right here, this group is really excited. This is the hungriest team that we've had, the most competitive team that we've had. It's a group that's doing what it's supposed to be, being where it's supposed to be. This is by far the best group that we've had. Competitiveness is at an all-time high here. This group is embracing the hard work. It's the lowest amount of complaining that we've had over three years."

Scholarships

"We need to transform our roster. Roster management is so key now. It's not just about on the field, it's in the locker room as well. We just weren't in a good place after the bowl game. Right now, we've got 62 guys on scholarship. The hope is we'll add one, maybe two over the next week or so, but we've got 12 guys that are signed so that's 74. Then, we've got seven open spots that we will fill hopefully before summer but definitely before we open up fall camp. That gets us to 81, you can have 85. We'll have some attrition and not all attrition is bad attrition between now and the end of spring. That's kind of the way it goes."

Quarterback situation

"We've got three guys that are going to get the reps in the spring. They're going to go through the 15 practices and we're going to get a really good evaluation in the spring. I've had a lot of questions even out in public about why didn't we go get a transfer quarterback? Well, I think there's a couple reasons. If we went out and got a transfer quarterback, I don't know how we would get a really good evaluation on the young guys. It's not just about this fall, but it's about the future. We've got three guys here in Garrett Greene, Will Crowder, and Nicco Marchiol that deserve the opportunity to show what they have. So, we're going to go through the spring and the belief is that one of them will take reigns of the job or narrow it down to two and if that's not the case, then we'll go find a guy. There will be guys available."

Running backs

"I'm excited about that room. We've added some pieces. Really looking forward to seeing what Lyn-J Dixon can do in this offense. Seeing the improvements that Justin Johnson has made. I thought he was one of the few bright spots in the bowl game. And then, Jaylen Anderson is a guy that if you go back and watch his high school film and then what he's done here to get himself in position to be able to compete in the spring, I'm really excited to see what he's going to do.

Tight ends

"We've got some guys that are going to get some work. We've got Brian Polendey coming in from Colorado State. He's been primarily used as a blocker and he's been really good at what he's been asked to do. We really brought him in to add a physical component there. We've got some young guys in Treylan Davis and Victor Wikstrom that are going to get a lot of quality reps and they need to take another step."

Tackles switching spots

"We're going to exchange Wyatt Milum and Brandon Yates. Milum is going to go over and play the left side for us. He's left-handed, it's a more natural fit for him, Brandon Yates is going to slide over to the right side."

Wide receivers

"We've got fewer numbers. It used to be in the wide receiver world you would want 10-12 guys and kind of have a three-deep at each of those positions. What has become abundantly clear to us over the last two years is you can't keep that many guys happy anymore. The roster numbers inside that room have thinned out, but we've got quality players and I'm excited for Tony [Washington] and Graham [Harrell] to get their hands on these guys and teach them. I think Sam James and Bryce Ford-Wheaton have made positive strides. I think there is another significant step they can make. Kaden Prather has a chance to be special. And then Reese Smith is a guy that I think I underutilized him last year. I think he can be a significant piece for us offensively."

Players that will be out

"Really the only guy that will be out for the entire spring is Mike O'Laughlin. He's progressing well from his knee injury. He's on track to be back in the fall and be a full go. Akheem Mesidor will be out for the spring. He had an upper body injury after the bowl game. He'll be fine, he'll be full go for the summer but he'll miss the spring. Exree Loe will miss the spring from the injury that he sustained at Kansas State but he's on track to be full speed and be running this summer. Eddy V [Edward Vesterinen] will miss the spring. He'll be out with the same injury he missed the bowl game with."

Initial thoughts on defense

"We're going to be younger on defense, but this is the most athletic group that we've had defensively. Coaches are always really hung up on worrying about experience. Experience makes you comfortable. Well, really, I'll take talent over experience. Like I've told our coaches, yeah we lack experience especially in the back end but we've got the most speed that we've had and we've got the most athleticism that we've had, and we've got guys that are versatile."

Defensive line

"The guys that I think this is a huge spring for are Sean Martin and he's one of the guys that's had a great offseason for us. We're going to bounce him back and forth between three and five-technique. Then, the other guys I think is ready to make significant moves are Jordan Jefferson. He quietly had a really good end of the season at that nose guard spot and allowed us some flexibility. I think Hammond Russell is a guy that we redshirted last year and I think it's going to pay off for us down the road. He's progressing. I think Taurus Simmons and Jalen Thornton both have had really good offseasons and I'm excited to see what Zeiqui Lawton can do. He's strong and really a smart football player."

Bandits

"Lanell Carr and Jared Bartlett are in a battle. It's time for both those guys to make the next step. Jared Bartlett has had as good of an offseason as anybody in our program."

Linebackers

"Lance Dixon returns at WILL. He played really well in the bowl game, he was injured toward the end of last season. He's a guy that's got all-league opportunity. Lee Kpogba, junior college transfer at MIKE linebacker, he's come and really established himself really from the first week he was here. He's one of our hardest workers and he's extremely appreciative, has a lot of gratitude and is one of our best teammates. Ja'Corey Hammett is going to play MIKE linebacker this spring too. That's an area that we'll address with one of those seven open spots there at linebacker."

Cornerbacks

"Charles Woods, I think, is as good as any returning corner in our league. This is the first time he's been through an entire offseason here and I fully expect him to kind of take a leadership role. Marcis Floyd, very similar in style to Charles Woods. I think he'll translate and be a really good football player for us. Nicktroy Fortune is kind of getting back into the flow. He'll be limited in the spring and the hope is he'll get back to full speed after missing the last six games. [Andrew] Wilson-Lamp who we redshirted last year, we've got a lot of hope for him. He's long, he'll be the longest guy in that room and he can run."

Safety

"Aubrey Burks returns. He'll be able to go through spring. He and Hershey McLaurin will be at our free safety spot. Over at CAT safety, Davis Mallinger who showed some flashes last year in the games he played, he may be as fast as anybody that we have on our football team. He and Caleb Coleman and Malachi Ruffin will compete at CAT safety.

You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us Twitter:

Facebook - @WVUonSI

Twitter - @SI_WVU and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.