MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Xavier Preston spent two seasons backing up an NFL linebacker, and then was surpassed in Year 3 by a former walk-on.
Now begins his senior season at West Virginia, where there’s a vivid understanding about playing time being a precious commodity.
“Nothing is given,” Preston said after a weekend practice.
At 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, he stands out physically among the Mountaineers linebackers, and offensive teammates label him and Kyzir White as the team’s fiercest hitters. Yet Preston has never started a college game, something he hopes to change on Sept.