In its sixth year under Dana Holgorsen, the West Virginia Mountaineers appears to have arrived at a crossroads. The Mountaineers continue to seek a Big 12 breakthrough, having won no more than eight games in any of the four years after joining the league on the heels of seven consecutive seasons with at least nine wins.
Is this the year? With a senior quarterback, perhaps the Big 12’s best offensive line, a solid defensive system and a tough -- but manageable -- schedule, opportunity awaits.
Our preseason look at West Virginia:
Key losses: RB Wendell Smallwood, WR Jordan Thompson, OT Marquis Lucas, NT Kyle Rose, LB Nick Kwiatkoski, LB Shaq Petteway, LB Jared Barber, S KJ Dillon, S Karl Joseph, CB Terrell Chestnut, CB Daryl Worley
Preseason storyline: Can the defense reload?