MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia’s offense struggled during an abbreviated two-minute drill at the close of Thursday’s media viewing session.
It was an admittedly brief sample size, with the first and second units hurrying through two possessions each. Further complicating matters, a couple of presumed offensive starters were limited or missing completely.
Wide receiver Shelton Gibson sat out the first three series before working with the second unit. Right guard Tony Matteo wasn’t in uniform, leaving Grant Lingafelter to take the first-team snaps.
The lineup tinkering had true freshman Gary Jennings at wideout instead of Gibson, and senior KJ Myers working in the nearby slot receiver. On the opposite side, running back Wendell Smallwood was in the slot with Ka’Raun White split wide.
In that four-wide set, Rushel Shell was the lone back, while the other offensive line regulars were intact: Marquis Lucas at right tackle, Tyler Orlosky at center, Adam Pankey at left guard and redshirt freshman Yodny Cajuste manning left tackle.
Skyler Howard’s overthrow of Smallwood resulted in a 30-yards deep interception by safety Dravon Askew-Henry.
Backup William Crest was sacked once and pressured into a wobbly incompletion playing behind the second-unit line of right tackle Marcell Lazard, right guard Kyle Bosch, center Stone Underwood, left guard Amanii Brown and left tackle Sylvester Townes.
The second-team defensive line featured Larry Jefferson and Eric Kinsey at defensive ends and Darien Howard at nose guard. Isaiah Bruce was back with the second-team linebackers, joining camp standout Xavier Preston. Rick Rumph and Nana Kyeremeh were cornerbacks with Morgantown High product Shane Commodore working in with the safeties.
Shorts back in the slot: After moving Daikiel Shorts to wideout in the spring—a position depleted by the loss of Kevin White and Mario Alford—the offensive coaches remain open to returning him to slot receiver.
Such was the case during Thursday’s two-minute drill.
Shorts has 69 career catches for 841 yards and four touchdowns, all at inside receiver.
“He can do whatever we ask him to do. He’s the most versatile guy that we have,” Holgorsen said. “He is a great kid. He’s a hard worker, and he understands the game.
“Physically, he can do any of it. Where he ends up is probably going to depend on where we need him.“
Sills versatile: With David Sills possessing excellent mobility and sitting at least fourth on the quarterback depth chart, Holgorsen acknowledged the true freshman could swap positions … eventually.
“He’s athletic enough, but he is focused at quarterback right now. He’s athletic enough to do it. He’s got a redshirt year and four years, so who knows what will happen.
“These (backup quarterbacks) are still in the developmental mode. I view them the same as the five O-linemen, the three D-linemen and a lot of these other freshmen that we fortunately don’t need right now.”
Chuggs and Bosch return: True freshman quarterback Chris Chugunov participated in passing drills after sitting out two days with shoulder soreness. “He has a very sore shoulder because he is not used to doing what we are asking him to do in the course of 10 days, so I rested him the last couple of days.”
Guard Kyle Bosch, recovered from a mild concussion, was working with the second-team offensive line during the live session.