Today we will preview the WVU Mountaineers. Coming off an upset in the Fiesta Bowl of Oklahoma you would think this team might be ranked even higher. New Coach Bill Stewart got off to a great start leading them in there upset. But this years team loses their best RB and several key seniors. Leading them this year will be four year starter QB Pat White.

Offensively this year they will still be very explosive. White will break all the QB rushing records in NCAA football this year. They do lose Steve Slaton to the NFL but Noel Devine is very explosive. Devine in many coaches eyes will be an upgrad to Slaton. Look for these two to lead the Mounatineers rushing attack but do not forget about there WR's. They have no back with any experience off last years team so they plan to use WR by committee. This should not be a problem since the spread offense will use White and Devine mostly anyways. What will make the offense dominating is the offensive line. Tackle Ryan Stanchek and guard Greg Isdaner are all-conference quality players and in all nine offensive linemen have started at least one game during their careers.

The 2007 WVU defense was good in spurts and dominating the rest of the time. However, with only four starters returning, there is a lot of rebuilding to do in Morgantown. Up front, Scooter Berry is the lone returning starter in West Virginia’s 3-3-5 defense. The freshman All-American had a solid debut season, but he will need to anchor a young and inexperienced line. Reed Williams and Mortty Ivy return to man a couple of the linebacker spots. And with J.T. Thomas, Pat Lazear and Anthony Leonard, the linebackers will be the strength of the defense. Safety Quinton Andrews has been inconsistent over the last two years, but as the only returning starter in the secondary he is expected to grow up quickly and be the leader of the group. Look for this group to maybe take a little beating early but to drastically improve by the end of the season.

The team will look the same on the field under Coach Stewart, but there is the lingering doubt among many onlookers that the results may be different. Even without Slaton the offense will still be dangerous, but all the holes in the defense need to be addressed, most notably on the line. WVU averaged three sacks per game last year and it will be very important to pressure the opposing quarterback if the Mountaineers want to find their way to another BCS Bowl. The offense, provided the increased passing attack doesn't produce more trouble and fewer touchdowns, should be able to outscore most teams on its schedule and give West Virginia a shot at a fourth consecutive 11-victory season. Most likely will win the big east again and BCS berth. Probally will be one or two losses along the way!!

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