College football: 10 teams that could be the next Georgia

Though the Mountaineers finished 7-6 last season, expectations are very high in Morgantown. The biggest source of optimism is the passing attack. Quarterback Will Grier opted to return to West Virginia for his senior season, and he’ll have two 1,000-yard receivers (including David Sills V, who tied for the FBS lead with 18 touchdown receptions), as well as four starters on the offensive line. Also, should Grier suffer another injury like the one that cost him the majority of the Texas game, the regular season finale against Oklahoma and the Heart of Dallas Bowl (all losses), backup Chris Chugunov earned some valuable experience.

Defensively, West Virginia must replace its top two tacklers from last season, but David Long, Jr., Dravon Askew-Henry and Kenny Robinson form a solid foundation of returning talent that also includes all three starters on the defensive line.

Though the Mountaineers don’t consistently bring in Top 25 recruiting classes, head coach Dana Holgorsen has often gone into the junior college ranks to plug up holes and build depth. The 2018 recruiting class features three JUCO defensive backs who have already enrolled and will go through spring practice. The WVU coaching staff also brought in several intriguing high school athletes that could contribute at running back and defensive line in 2018.

The stars also aligned for West Virginia on the schedule. Non-conference games against Tennessee and N.C. State look good on paper, though both teams are rebuilding. The Big 12 schedule is backloaded, which should help the Mountaineers build great momentum through October. It wouldn’t be a shock to see an 8-0 West Virginia squad travel to Texas Nov. 3, and from that point, confidence should be high enough for the Mountaineers to believe they can beat the Longhorns. The final three weeks of the season includes a trip to Oklahoma State sandwiched between home dates with TCU and Oklahoma.