There is the Austin American-Statesman’s preseason college football top 25, posted yesterday, which ranks West Virginia No. 19.
Late last month, The Sporting News had the Mountaineers ranked No. 20 in its preseason football poll. Earlier, top 25 polls issued by ESPN.com, Dr. Saturday from Yahoo! Sports also included West Virginia.
Of course, having a quarterback with Will Grier’s reputation running the offense gets people’s attention, as does having a returning 1,000-yard rusher with a 7.3 yards-per-carry average such as Justin Crawford.
Yet, what is going to ultimately determine where West Virginia finishes its 2017 season will not only rest on the shoulders of those two outstanding players, but also on their supporting cast in all three phases of play.