Ranking the Top 100 College Football Teams for 2018: No. 23 West Virginia

In the 100 days leading up to the kickoff of the college football season on Saturday, Aug. 25, HERO Sports is ranking the top 100 teams in the FBS. Each day, starting May 17 and ending Aug. 24, a new team is revealed in the HERO Sports Top 100. 

No. 23 West Virginia

West Virginia has the offense to win the Big 12 and compete for a playoff berth. The defense, however, is more questionable than a Busch Light that's been baking in your trunk for three years. 

The Mountaineers have won more than eight games only twice in the last six years. Dana Holgorsen called this the best team he's had in eight years as head coach.

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2017 Record: 7-6 (5-4, Big 12)

For the fifth time in years as a Big 12 member, West Virginia failed to win at least six conference games or finish higher than fourth in the conference standings. They posted their lowest win total since 2014, had a three-game losing, weren't ranked in the final AP Top 25 for the fifth time in the last six years and lost four games by double digits.

It wasn't a nightmare season for the Mountaineers, but it wasn't the one they were hoping for. 

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Head Coach: Dana Holgorsen (8th Year, 53-37)

Suddenly, Dana Holgorsen is tied with Rocky Long and David Shaw as the 19th-longest-tenured head coach in the FBS. 

“The expectations are to win around here,” Holgorsen said this summer. “We are the 12th-winningest program of all time, so our fan base and our administration expects us to compete."

What's the expectation in 2018? It must be at least nine wins, right? 

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Player Losses

RB Justin Crawford, WR Ka'Raun White, DE Adam Shuler, NT Lamonte McDougle, LB Al'Rasheed Benton, CB Mike Daniels, CB Elijah Battle, S Kyzir White

Of West Virginia's six All-Big 12 First- and Second-Team selections, only two are gone, though those two were huge pieces last season.

Justin Crawford didn't rip as many field-flipping runs in 2017 as he did in 2016, his first season as a JUCO transfer, but he still averaged 5.5 yards per carry and departed Morgantown as one of the most productive runners in prorgam history. Safety Kyzir White, another JUCO transfer, registered seven tackles for loss in his each of his two seasons and tied for the team lead with three interceptions last year. 

Senior linebacker Al'Rasheed Benton had 110 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, yet no one seemed to notice. It was a sensational season that largely went unnoticed outside of Morgantown.

Adam Shuler (Florida) and Lamonte McDougle (Washington State) both transferred.

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Returning Offensive Players

QB Will Grier, RB Kennedy McKoy, WR David Sills V, WR Gary Jennings Jr., WR Marcus Simms, OT Yodny Cajuste, OT Colton McKivitz, G Josh Sills, C Matt Jones

This might be the best offense in West Virginia history. They're loaded at nearly every position, led by studs at quarterback in Will Grier, receiver in David Sills and Gary Jennings, and tackle in Yodny Cajuste. They'll average around 0.5 points per play, keep their sack rate at roughly four percent, and average more than 14 yards per completion.

"He’s got that playmaking gene in him where he wants to extend plays like Johnny Manziel where he could easily just make the routine play,” offensive coordinator Jake Spavital said of Grier. “You don’t want to handcuff him too much because he can make spectacular plays. But we’re challenging him to know when to make the routine one.”

Sills led the nation in receiving touchdowns last year but Jennings caught 37 more passes and should be Grier's favorite target again. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder averaged fewer than 12 yards per reception but is capable of big plays.

“Conversations were had,” Jennings said of NFL decisions for himself, Grier and others. “We figured that if everyone came back, it could be very special. Now we’re putting in a lot of extra hard work. We’re fine-tuning things in order to be that much better. That’s our goal.”

For as good as the Mountaineers offense can be, there must improve in a few areas to take the next step. They whiffed on 16 percent of their red-zone opportunities, averaged 4.1 yards per carry (5.2 in 2016) and committed 1.9 turnovers per game. 

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Returning Defensive Players

DE Reese Donahue, DT Ezekiel Rose, LB David Long, CB Hakeem Bailey, S Dravon Askew-Henry, S Kenny Robinson, 

West Virginia is a top-10 team with a good defense. Questions on this side of the ball push them down to No. 23.

Fifth-year coordinator Tony Gibson is piecing together a unit that had a nightmare offseason. In addition to the departures of seniors and two key transfers (others transferred, too, including reserve tackle Jalen Harvey), linebackers Quondarius Qualls and Brendan Ferns went down with torn ACLs.

“I am probably more excited about this year coming up than any year that I have been a coordinator just for the fact that we have so many pieces back,” a Gibson said confidently in May. “I know a lot of people worry about who is not here or who is hurt, but we’re going to be fine.”

Last year's group was good on third downs (34.6 percent) but allowed 0.43 points per play, 6.1 yards per play, five yards per rush attempt and 13.4 yards per completion. They struggled to force turnovers (1.3 per game) and had a mediocre pass rush (5.1 percent sack rate).

Weak-side linebacker David Long and "Spur" safety Dravon Askew-Henry are the headliners. Long (below) is unstoppable near the line of scrimmage, leading the team with 15.5 tackles for loss, while Askew-Henry continued his hard-hitting ways and will now occupy the spot vacated by White.

“The offense is getting a lot of the hype and that’s cool. I’m glad they are. They have a lot of weapons over there. They should be," said Long, who missed spring practice while recovering from shoulder surgery but will be 100 percent in fall camp. "So we’ll stay under the radar. We know what we’ve got. We know what we can go out there and do.”

Kenny Robinson is back at free safety after flashing some promise as a freshman, and Reese Donahue and Ezekiel Rose lead the defensive line. Gibson and other coaches have spoken glowingly of Rose all offseason and are predicting a big final year from the 6-foot-2, 276-pound end.

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Player Additions

RB Alec Sinkfield, WR T.J. Simmons, DE Dante Stills

West Virginia landed one of the highest-rated recruits in program history when Dante Stills — a 2018 four-star defensive end and the younger brother of sophomore nose tackle Darius Stills — picked the Mountaineers over Florida, Oklahoma and others.

"I honestly think there is something special going on at West Virginia," Stills said last year. "The athletes that are committed there right now are the real deal. People talk about stars but I think these guys are the real deal. I’ll be able to handle business with my brothers. We can do so much in the Big 12. I know the environment and the atmosphere so well and I’m up there all the time to see my brother."

Stills won't start immediately, but the 6-foot-4, 289-pounder is more than ready to make an instant impact.

Elsewhere, redshirt freshman running back Alec Sinkfield played well in spring practice and gives the offense yet another playmaker, as does sophomore receiver T.J. Simmons, an Alabama transfer who sat out last season. 

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Schedule

For the first time since 2014, West Virginia plays two Power Five in non-conference, vs. Tennessee in Charlotte in Week 1 and at North Carolina State in Week 3. It will be their first-ever meeting with the Vols. 

They have two non-Saturday games, don't play back-to-back road games and have one of the most difficult November schedules in the country.