Position Battles to Watch in WVU's Spring Game

There will be some interesting competition taking place this Saturday.

West Virginia's 2022 Gold-Blue game is set to get underway at 1 p.m. EST at Mountaineer Field on Saturday afternoon. With this being the final audition for players to prove themselves heading into summer, this is a critical game for a number of guys. 

Just to highlight a few spots, I broke down two position battles on each side of the ball.

Quarterback

The future of WVU football will be on full display during Saturday's spring game. Yes, JT Daniels will more than likely be the team's starter in 2022 and possibly 2023, but beyond that, it's unknown. 

Garrett Greene, Will Crowder, and true freshman Nicco Marchiol will have one final opportunity to show what they can do before Daniels enters the mix in August. This is why I feel that despite Daniels transferring in, I doubt we see any of these three hit the transfer portal anytime soon. Winning the backup job is going to be crucial given Daniels' injury history. Then again, even after Daniels departs, all three of these quarterbacks will have an opportunity to be the starter for multiple years. 

Right Tackle

Brandon Yates is making the switch from left tackle to right tackle and is having to go through that transition in an offseason in which he has been plagued with numerous injuries. He has missed quite a bit of time during winter workouts and in the spring and that alone could stunt his growth at the position. Flipping over from one side to the other isn't as easy as one would think. Virtually every move you make is opposite. Drop back step, hand strikes, and even the play itself is flipped. This spring game will be huge for Yates as Ja'Quay Hubbard continues to impress the coaching staff.

Since last year, Hubbard has underwent a massive transformation of his body and is without a doubt in the best shape he's been in since he entered college. Hubbard showed glimpses of what he could do last season while on the scout team and now has a chance to vie for a starting spot, especially if Yates has trouble staying healthy. 

Cornerback

The Mountaineers feel pretty good with Charles Woods as their No. 1 corner, but beyond him there are some question marks. After losing Daryl Porter Jr. and Nicktroy Fortune to the transfer portal, the depth in that room became increasingly thin. Help is on the way with 2022 signees and possible additions through the portal/JUCO level, but this game is an opportunity that those additions won't have. 

So, who's in the mix?

Redshirt freshman Andrew Wilson-Lamp has tremendous length and speed which could allow him to see a lot of playing time this fall. True freshman Mumu Bin-Wahad has had a few bright moments during the spring period as well, but once again, probably isn't ready for a starting spot. The one surprise of spring practice has been former walk-on Malachi Ruffin. Head coach Neal Brown mentions his name just about every week and entering his fifth year of college ball, he has something over the other guys - experience. 

Bandit

Lanell Carr is the team's best pass rusher, according to Neal Brown. However, there is still room for growth and that's where the experience of Jared Bartlett will help give WVU a lethal one, two punch at the position. Bartlett has seen a lot of playing time over the past two seasons, racking up 49 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. 

Do either Carr or Bartlett separate themselves? Or do we see both splitting reps for much of the 2022 season? 

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