When you last saw the West Virginia University offense, they were hanging 70 points on Clemson in the Orange Bowl…and it could have been much, much worse. People forget that WVU had 63 points with 9:18 remaining in the third quarter before calling off the dogs. West Virginia enters the Big XII in 2012 with this game in the fronts of the minds of the conference – and the nation. Prognosticators are nearly unanimous in assuming that the 2012 offense, which returns nearly every starter of consquence AND returns LG Josh Jenkins, who missed the 2011 season with an injury, will be among the nation’s elite in 2012.
But will it be that simple? Ensconsed in the anonymity of the Big East in 2011, most on the national scene aren’t aware that the same offensive juggernaut they saw in the Orange Bowl, and the offense that hung 533 yards on LSU’s vaunted defense, also scuffled against mediocrities like Syracuse and Pitt and were maddeningly inconsistent all season. So which WVU offense will we see in 2012?
Preseason Big XII Offensive Player of the Year Geno Smith
QUARTERBACKS
Geno Smith enters the 2012 season as the preseason Big XII Offensive Player of the Year, no small accomplishment in a league that returns Landry Jones. Smith threw for 4,385 yards and 31 TD’s in 2011 while throwing only 7 interceptions and shot up draft boards. In many ways, Smith is a carbon copy of former WVU QB Marc Bulger, possessing a strong arm with uncanny accuracy. If all goes by design, sophomore Paul Millard will back up Smith while freshman Ford Childress redshirts, but Millard was less than impressive in limited time last season and should Smith go down for any significant period of time, Childress’ redshirt will get burned like a couch on Sunnyside.
RUNNING BACKS
A position with depth but no standout, WVU figures to spread carries among a number of tailbacks in 2012. Dustin Garrison, last year’s leading rusher as a true freshman, returns after missing the Orange Bowl with a knee injury. Garrison had 742 yards and 6 TD’s in 2011, but 291 and 2 of those were in one game against Bowling Green. Garrison will share the position with fellow sophomore Andrew Buie and senior Shawne Alston. The fullback position will be manned by senior Ryan Clarke, who didn’t touch the ball in 2011 after scoring 16 TD’s during his first two seasons. Converted LB Donovan Miles backs up Clarke.
Tavon Austin leads an explosive WR corps.
RECEIVERS
The Mountaineers possess two returning WR’s that posted over 1,00o yards in 2011. Tavon Austin will get the majority of the publicity after posting 1,186 yards receiving and 8 TD’s in 2011, capped by his 4 TD performance in the Orange Bowl that ended Kevin Steele’s career as Clemson Defensive Coordinator. Austin is simply the most exciting player you’ll watch play college football in 2012. Stedman Bailey, however, actually led not only WVU in catches and receving yards in 2011, he led the entire Big East Conference in both categories (yet didn’t make First Team All-Big East). Bailey, Smith’s high school teammate at Miramar High School in Florida, posted 1,279 yards and 12 TD’s last season. J.D. Woods and true freshman Jordan Thompson are the likely starters at the other two WR positions, although they will be pushed by Ivan McCartney (the 3rd member of the Mirmar connection) if he gets his grades and head in order. Ryan Nehlen returns to provide depth, as do redshirt freshmen Dante Campbell and K.J. Myers.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The weak link of the offense in 2011, this unit on paper should be much improved in 2012. The team will have 3 5th-year seniors on the interior of the OL in Josh Jenkins at LG, Joe Madsen at C, and Jeff Braun at RG, and the trio has 86 starts amongst them. The return of Jenkins, who missed 2011 after undergoing knee surgery, will be a huge addition to a veteran line. Quinton Spain, whose play improved as the year wore on, will replace Donny Barclay as the LT. Pat Eger will be the RT. There is little veteran depth behind the starting unit with only OT Curtis Feight having started a game at the collegiate level, although T Nick Kindler and C John Bassler have seen playing time.
KICKER
Senior Tyler Bitancurt returns after an improved-but-still-only-ok 2011 season in which he made 16 of 22 FGA, although only 3 were from more than 40 yards.
The pieces are all in place for an explosive, prolific offense in 2012. WVU has a legitimate Heisman candidate in Geno Smith, two elite WR’s in Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, an experienced offensive line, and good depth (if not elite talent) at running back. Dana Holgorsen’s offenses have been prolific wherever he has been, and the move to the Big XII will be a homecoming for him and the rest of the offensive staff. Barring an injury to Smith or Austin, it’s hard to envision this offense being anything other than elite in 2012.
Discussion about this post