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College Football 2018: Biggest question facing every Top 25 team in spring practice

By Nicholas Ian Allen

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Jalen Hurts (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Jalen Hurts (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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MORGANTOWN, WV – NOVEMBER 04: Ezekiel Rose #91 of the West Virginia Mountaineers celebrates after sacking Kyle Kempt #17 of the Iowa State Cyclones at Mountaineer Field on November 04, 2017 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV – NOVEMBER 04: Ezekiel Rose #91 of the West Virginia Mountaineers celebrates after sacking Kyle Kempt #17 of the Iowa State Cyclones at Mountaineer Field on November 04, 2017 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Is West Virginia’s reworked defense good enough to win the Big 12?

The Big 12 Conference has a well-earned reputation as an explosive offensive league. West Virginia certainly fits, and with Will Grier, David Sills V and Gary Jennings back for the 2018 season, the Mountaineers could have one of the most explosive offenses in the country next season.

Because of the high-flying nature, Big 12 teams don’t necessarily need a shutdown defense to compete for the league title. After all, Oklahoma won its third straight crown last year and nearly made it to the national title game despite fielding a defense that allowed 394.9 yards of offense per game and surrendered 5.84 yards per play, which ranked 67th and 82nd in the country, respectively. Despite some shaky numbers, the Sooners defense was usually good enough. The unit stepped up to hold Ohio State to 350 yards, TCU to 370.5 yards on average in two wins and held West Virginia to 388 yards. Thanks to the No. 1 offense in the country, OU was never outgained in total yardage in 2017.

Can West Virginia field a similarly good-enough defense in 2018? The Mountaineers struggled more in raw terms, surrendering 6.14 yards per play and 445.5 yards of offense per contest last season. Also, WVU must replace some of its best defenders, including leading tacklers Al-Rasheed Benton and Kyzir White. The Mountaineers must also completely rebuild their cornerback depth chart and lost multiple defensive linemen to transfers.

Grier and Sills are legitimate Heisman candidates, and West Virginia has arguably the best mix of talent and experience in the league. In an effort to complement the unit, head coach Dana Holgorsen and his staff have shifted several defensive players into new positions, including replacing White with veteran Dravon Askew-Henry, moving Dylan Tonkery to middle linebacker and shifting Derrek Pitts to cornerback. Holgorsen also went back to the JUCO ranks for reinforcements. Time will tell if it’s good enough.

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