MORGANTOWN — Someone check the WVU rowing team’s equipment facility because it seems the football program took all of their “ORs.”
The Mountaineers released their preseason depth chart Wednesday as part of the opening of Big 12 Media Days in Arlington, Texas, and it’s no secret most head coaches despise releasing any sort of depth chart, but are required to through media relations.
WVU head coach Neal Brown is no different, and it’s clear his way around the problem of putting out starters before fall camp even starts is to load the depth chart up with “OR” throughout.
Look no further than the top of the list at quarterback — “Garrett Greene OR Will Crowder OR Nicco Marchiol OR JT Daniels.”
Head down to right tackle, “Brandon Yates OR Ja’Quay Hubbard,” then on defense and Bandit linebacker, “Jared Bartlett OR Lanell Carr,” ending with punter, “Oliver Straw OR Kolton McGhee,” and kick-off specialist, “Parker Grothaus OR Danny King.”
Of course, the quarterback battle will be the main headline throughout camp. The same battle took place in the spring with Greene, Crowder and Marchiol, all three with limited-to-no experience.
Add JT Daniels who enrolled in June, and he brings an immediate proven commodity after his time at USC and Georgia.
The five “OR” positions will be the ones to watch during camp as the battles heat up.
Brown’s take on conference realignment
One of the most-important topics to kick off Big 12 Media Days was conference realignment, which is at the forefront again after UCLA and USC left the Pac-12 for the Big Ten.
Head coach Neal Brown told ESPN he believes this is just the beginning, but later said it’s not up to him to decide the future of the Big 12.
“The good thing about it is I’ve got a lot of worries and a lot of concerns, but conference realignment is way down the list for me,” Brown said. “Those decisions are getting made at a much higher level. I’m really excited about the direction of the Big 12 Conference. I think some things over the last few weeks have created a great opportunity for our league. From a West Virginia perspective, we’re a little bit different than maybe some of the other schools whose uniforms are up here. We’ve played in multiple leagues over the last 50 to 75 years. We’ve even been independent. The one constant is that West Virginia football has always been successful and has always figured out a way to make it work.”
Return of the Brawl
For the first time in 11 years, the Backyard Brawl against Pitt will be played seven weeks from today on Sept. 1.
“The Backyard Brawl will be my first opportunity to be a part of it,” Brown said. “Our fanbase is extremely passionate about that game so it’s a game that I would be in favor of playing each year. I think it’s a great kickoff for college football. We’re not playing on so-called week zero, but we are the premier Power Five game versus Power Five opponent on Thursday night, and our guys are excited. It’s been a great carrot for our guys as we’ve gone through winter, through spring ball, now through summer workouts to know that, man, we’ve got not only a game to look forward to but it’s a rivalry game that’s going to be on primetime.
Preseason Big 12 poll
The Mountaineers were picked to finish 8th in the Big 12, voted on by media members who cover respective teams in the conference. In nine of the 11 seasons WVU has been in the conference, it’s been voted in the bottom half of the league during the preseason.
Baylor, coming off a Big 12 title in 2021, is picked to win the Big 12 again, receiving 17 first-place votes. Oklahoma, which is replacing head coach Lincoln Riley as well as a host of transfers, is picked second, with 12 first-place votes.
Oklahoma State (9), Texas (2) and Iowa State (1) also received first-place votes.
1. Baylor (17)
2. Oklahoma (12)
3. Oklahoma State (9)
4. Texas (2)
5. Kansas State
6. Iowa State (1)
7. TCU
8. West Virginia
9. Texas Tech
10. Kansas
*parentheses indicate first-place votes
Preseason All-Big 12 team
Despite being voted near the bottom of the conference, the Mountaineers did have four players on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team — center Zach Frazier, defensive lineman Dante Stills, kicker Casey Legg and cornerback Charles Woods.
Offensive Player of the Year: Bijan Robinson, Texas, RB, 6-0, 221, Jr., Tucson, Ariz.
Defensive Player of the Year: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State, DL, 6-4, 255, Jr., Kansas City, Mo.
Newcomer of the Year: Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma, QB, 6-0, 205, R-Jr., Mililani, Hawai’i
Offense
QB Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State
RB Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State
RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
FB Jared Rus, Iowa State
WR Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State
WR Quentin Johnston, TCU
WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
TE Ben Sims, Baylor
OL Connor Galvin, Baylor
OL Jacob Gall, Baylor
OL Trevor Downing, Iowa State
OL Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
OL Zach Frazier, West Virginia
PK Casey Legg, West Virginia
KR/PR Malik Knowles, Kansas State
Defense
DL Siaki Ika, Baylor
DL Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
DL Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
DL Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
DL Dante Stills, West Virginia
LB Dillon Doyle, Baylor
LB Daniel Green, Kansas State
LB DeMarvion Overshown, Texas
DB Kenny Logan Jr., Kansas
DB Julius Brents, Kansas State
DB Jason Taylor II, Oklahoma State
DB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU
DB Charles Woods, West Virginia
P Michael Turk, Oklahoma
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