2007 West Virginia Mountaineers Football Preditions & Preview

June 6, 2008 | Posted By Larry Cook

Quarterback Pat White and tailback Steve Slaton are back for a third season. That means the Mountaineers can likely count on 500 yards and 40 points per game in 2007. The Mountaineers ran up 461.4 yards and 38.8 points per game a year ago, and simply the return to the old clock rules, yielding more plays, should make up the difference. Not much is going to stop West Virginia, which scored at least 27 points in all but one game last season. White rushed for 1,219 yards and 18 touchdowns and dramatically improved as a passer, hitting on nearly 66 percent of his passes.

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Steve Slaton slithered through defenses for 1,744 yards and 16 touchdowns. He even caught 27 passes for 360 yards despite nagging injuries. This top rated backfield in the country will carry the team, but they don’t necessarily have to. Explosive receiver Darius Reynaud became a go-to guy with 39 catches. Fullback Owen Schmitt provides crushing lead blocks for Slaton and serves as a viable option in the running game. Schmitt rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns in the Gator Bowl against Georgia Tech. The line is solid as usual. Three starters return, including Freshman All-American guard Greg Isdaner.

The Mountaineers allowed just 93.3 rush yards per game last season. One would think that the defense is among the best in the nation with those numbers. But WVU permitted 243.3 passing yards per game and allowed 17 touchdowns through the air. The Mountaineers are likely to improve against the pass. They return every starter in their five-man secondary, including two-year veteran Eric Wicks. Wicks led the team with 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He also notched 73 tackles and broke up seven passes.

Free safety Quinton Andrews is back after a team-high 80 stops and five interceptions. Senior quarterback Antonio Lewis had eight breakups, the most on the squad. Senior tackle Keilen Dykes has started 31 games. Dykes showed flashes of big-play potential a year ago. The linebacking corps is stocked with returning starter Bobby Hathaway. Home town product Marc Magro and Reed Williams will round out this group.

Pat White and Steve Slaton will light up scoreboards at will. White’s improvement as a passer adds another dimension to an already unstoppable offense. The defense must make the next step from average to at least good, and perhaps excellent. If that happens, the Mountaineers could be headed for a National Championship trip to New Orleans in January. Any loss this season would be a letdown with a very generous schedule.

Odds to Win BCS:
Sportsbook: 8-1
Bodog: 9-1
BetUS: +1000

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