2008 West Virginia Football


August 2, 2008 | Posted By Larry Cook

Bill Stewart takes over the Mountaineers football program this year after leading West Virginia to a dominant 48-28 victory over Oklahoma in the BCS Fiesta Bowl last year.  He’s a guy that will have to repair the wounds left by Rich Rodriquez when their former coach decided to leave for Michigan before the ‘07 season was over.  Stewart has solid returning talent to work with as the Mountaineers are once again picked to finish first in the Big East.  Let’s see what the team at Info Plays thinks of this squad as they give their 2008 West Virginia Mountaineers football predictions below.

Offense:

The only change new head coach Bill Stewart plans for the offense is to lessen Pat White’s running workload.  White’s 197 carries from last year were far too much.  This was indicated when both of WVU’s losses last season to South Florida and Pittsburgh came when White left early with injuries.  The Mountaineers will stay with the spread offense Rodriquez built.  White accounted for 3,059 total yards last year and improved as a passer.  This season might see White’s first 2,000-yard passing campaign of his career if Stewart’s plans work out.  Running back Steve Slaton is gone, but that opens the door for electrifying sophomore Noel Devine, who averaged 8.6 yards on 73 carries last season.

The Mountaineers’ leading receiver from last year in Darius Raynaud is gone, but WVU flaunts reliable starters to take his place.  Dorrell Jalloh had 24 catches last year.  Wes Lyons will be a nice red zone target because of his 6-8 height.  Tito Gonzales is a playmaker, as shown by his 79-yard catch in the Fiesta Bowl.  The most important factor of the offensive is that the line returns intact.  Ryan Stancheck, Greg Isdaner, Mike Dent, Jake Figner and Selvish Capers are all at least 6-3 in height.  This huge linemen are still mobile enough to do the things a lineman must in a spread attack. 

Get the Bleacher Report’s opinion on West Virginia’s expected wins/toss-ups for 2008 here.

Defense:

Seven starters are gone from last year’s squad, including both interior linemen.  Linebackers Reed Williams and Mortty Ivy, the top two tackles in ‘07, are each back to give the defense a big lift.  Williams finished with 107 stops and forced three fumbles.  Ivy recorded 89 tackles, 11 for a loss, to go along with six sacks.  That duo must be at least as productive as last season, but they’ll need valuable replacements for the graduated Johnny Dingle and Keilen Dykes to win the point of attack to allow Ivy and Williams to roam free.

Sophomore Scooter Berry and freshman Chris Neild top the depth chart at the tackle positions.  Zac Cooper is the #1 defensive end on the team.  Four of five starters are gone in the secondary.  The one returnee is bandit safety Quinton Andrews, who matured from a mistake-prone performer into one of the Big East’s hardest hitters.  New cornerbacks Kent Richardson and Ellis Lankster must prove worthy of defending the conference’s dangerous passing games.

West Virginia Football Predictions at Info Plays:  1st in the Big East

Stewart was precisely what this program needed for last year’s Fiesta Bowl.  He’s trying to repair the wounds left by Rodriquez and so far it appears he’s doing a damn good job.  Some say Stewart could be overmatched over the long haul, but this year promises to be more of the same in Morgantown.  Led by White, the offense will compile video game numbers.  The holes on defense are a concern, but in the end West Virginia has the goods to win its fifth Big East title in six years.

Big East Wins Expected in ‘08:  RUTGERS, SYRACUSE, at Connecticut, CINCINNATI, at Louisville, SOUTH FLORIDA

Potential Scares/Losses:  at Pittsburgh

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