2008 West Virginia Mountaineers
Written by Jason Lowry
We are getting closer and closer to the start of another football season, and Jason Lowry is ready to make his 2008 West Virginia Mountaineers season predictions. The Mountaineers were ever so close to playing for a National Championship last season, as all they had to do was beat Pittsburgh at home in the final game of the regular season, but as you know they failed to do so and wound up playing Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, where they won 48-28 over the Sooners. This year the Mountaineers return 12 starters this season and it will be up to new head coach Bill Stewart to lead this team to another Big East Championship. Lets take a look at what the Mountaineers will be lining up on both sides of the ball in 2008.
Offense:
The offense returns the majority of the starters with 8 guys coming back for their senior or junior seasons, and none will be bigger than senior Pat White at quarterback, who not only threw for 1,724 yards and 14 touchdowns, he was the leading rusher with 1,335 and 14 touchdowns. The team did lose star running back Steve Slaton, but they got a solid talent to take over in sophomore Noel Devine. The team brings back both starting receivers in seniors Dorrell Jalloh and Tito Gonzalez, but will have a new face at tight end in senior Sam Morrone. What is going to make this unit click again this season, is the fact that they have all 5 starters back on the offensive line, including the very talented OG Greg Isdane, C Mike Dent, and OT Ryan Stanchek.
Defense:
If this team is going to struggle it will likely come on this side of the ball, as they only return 4 starters from last season, but they do have some older veteran players to fill some of the holes. The defensive line brings back just one starter in sophomore Scooter Berry, but they got solid talents in sophomore nose tackle Chris Neild and junior defensive end Zac Cooper. The team brings back 2 of its 3 starting linebackers, in seniors Reed Williams and Morty Ivy, who are two of the best in the Big East. It looks like sophomore JT Thomas will take over the open weak side starting spot. Running the 3-3-5 means that the secondary has to help out with the run just as much as it is responsible for the pass. The team brings back just one starter in senior Quenton Andrews, but they do need to replace the other 4 spots. Senior corner Ellis Lankster and safety Charles Pugh both seen action last season, but they will need to help ease in junior Kent Richardson at the other corner spot, and fellow junior Frachot Allen at the free safety spot.
Prediction: 2nd in Big East
The Mountaineers are still going to be a very good team, and the fact that they have players ready to step in at many of the open spots, has us thinking that they will be right near the top of the Big East again in 2008. We like this team to go right around 9-4 and finish right behind USF in the conference standings.
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