The Three WVU Players Under the Most Pressure in Week 1

The season is finally here, and around this time tomorrow afternoon, we're going to have a pretty good idea as to what this West Virginia football team is capable of.

The roster is largely new, so everyone will be facing some level of pressure heading into the season opener against Carolina, but I wanted to highlight a few guys who may have more weight on their shoulders than others.

And no, these players aren't guys who are in a position battle or in danger of losing their jobs. It's mostly about living up to preseason expectations and being the type of players the coaching staff needs them to be in order to have a successful 2026 campaign.

QB Mike Hawkins Jr.

Let’s face it: pressure exists for everyone, but not everyone feels it, and not everyone succumbs to it. I think that's the case here for the Mountaineers' QB1.

While he hasn't been the full-time starter at the collegiate level yet and is in a brand-new system with a bunch of new faces around him, he isn't the type to allow circumstances to become excuses. Nor is he going to be overwhelmed by being in the spotlight. He has been prepared for this moment his entire life and is no stranger to playing in big-time games, dating back to his high school days in Texas and getting his feet wet in the SEC as a true freshman.

You're not human if you don't have a little bit of nerves before taking the field for the first time at a new place or for the first time in a new season. There may be a few jitters that he has to work through, but it won't take him long to settle in. He's a pretty calm and relaxed person by nature.

I fully believe he will perform well and gain a bunch of fans on Saturday, but yeah, there is definitely going to be pressure on a guy who is the guy for the first time in his career.

LT Kevin Brown

I am of the belief that the former four-star recruit is going to have himself a strong showing as a true freshman. I don't know that I would go as far as saying he will be an All-Big 12 selection this season, but that's the type of expectation the fans have for him.

It's very easy to talk yourself into believing Brown is the next Brian Jozwiak, and it can be easy for a young, talented freshman to allow the hype to become a distraction. Like Hawkins, Brown can handle it. I have zero doubts about that. But going out there and protecting your quarterback's blindside against an FBS team right out of the gate is a tough challenge.

You want to make a strong first impression, not so much for the fans' peace of mind, but more so for Rick Trickett and Rich Rodriguez.

DE Zeke Durham-Campbell

At the end of the year, I think there's a very good chance that we will call Zeke Durham-Campbell one of the top producers on the Mountaineer defense. He can really get after the passer, but he's not just a one-trick pony. He has played the run well too.

I don't believe the two players are similar whatsoever, but the one thing Durham-Campbell and former pass rusher Jimmori Robinson share is expectations that are through the roof. Obviously, Robinson did not pan out as everyone had hoped, and there are many reasons for that, including getting a late start, as he had to miss the first three games of the season.

Durham-Campbell has to supply the Mountaineers with the type of production that the staff thought it would get from Robinson last year. The defensive line is extremely young and not very deep, so they have to be able to rely on a guy who's played a bunch of football and has done so at a high level, albeit at a lower level.

On top of trying to make that strong first impression, Durham-Campbell will be going up against his former school on Saturday. Yes, many of the players from last year's team are now gone; it's a different staff, and it was his decision to leave, but you'd have to imagine he's pumped to the gills about playing the Chanticleers.

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