MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Even as the hype around transfer quarterback Will Grier builds to incalculable levels, West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen contends the strength of the offense will be its ground game.
“Everyone knows we’re going to run the ball,” he said.
The No. 22 Mountaineers feature a loaded backfield entering Sunday night’s opener against No. 21 Virginia Tech, where defensive coordinator Bud Foster has been on the Hokies staff since Holgorsen was 16 years old.
“It’s his 30th year,” Holgorsen deadpanned, “so we have a lot of video to watch going back that long.”
Foster’s defense — rich with returnees from a unit that ranked 18th in yards allowed and No. 3 in third-down stops — should test the attack developed by Holgorsen and new offensive coordinator Jake Spavital.
No doubt it will feature a hearty dose of Justin Crawford, the Big 12’s top returning rusher after piling up 1,184 yards last season, much of which came in five games.
West Virginia has multiple designs for sophomores Kennedy McKoy and Martell Pettaway, each of whom enjoyed 100-yard performances during 2016, as well as plans to use true freshmen Alec Sinkfield and Tevin Bush.
Favoring the run game wouldn’t represent a paradigm shift: West Virginia averaged 44 running plays to 31 passes per game last season, and in 2015, the margin was 47 to 34.
Top 25 hype
West Virginia surfaced in the AP top 25 after its 4-0 start last season and hasn’t left, the program’s longest stretch being ranked since 2011.
“I like our team and where we’re at. I think there’s a pretty high level of optimism right now. If there’s no optimism going into Game 1, then you’re not in a very good place,” Holgorsen said.
“I think there’s a pretty high level of optimism here and I know it exists down in Blacksburg as well. It’s a good start, but that’s all it is – a start. The top 20 stuff is good for the program, no question it is, but it’s all preseason stuff. You have to line up and play and you have to earn it.”
Pegues on deck
With Xavier Pegues winning the nose tackle job, his shift inside from defensive end has paid off.
Now the fifth-year senior has finally earned the chance to experience his first game action after two seasons of relative inactivity due to 2015’s redshirt and 2016’s shoulder injury.
“Xavier has been around for a while,” said West Virginia defensive line coach Bruce Tall. “I know what he’s done against our guys, but it will be interesting to see how he handles himself when he’s playing in a real game.”
At 6-foot-2 and 292 pounds, Pegues essentially has grown into his natural position as a three-technique. It’s a transition some defensive ends can’t make because they feel claustrophobic.
“It’s close quarters, and there’s a lot more hitting you from different points,” Tall said. “Some guys can’t do it, because they feel trapped in there.”
Rivalry renewed
After an 11-year hiatus, the Black Diamond rivalry should create a nuclear atmosphere at FedEx Field.
Fans will eat that up, while the players — many of whom possess scant knowledge about how the heated days of yesteryear — are revving up for a top-25 opponent.
“The rivalry matters mostly after the game, because people say certain stuff, but once you’re out there, you’re just trying to get a win,” said Mountaineers linebacker Xavier Preston. “It’s just going to be a clash of heads.”
Hearts with Houston
Amid Hurricane Harvey’s historic floods, Houston natives Tyron Carrier and his wife Alysha have been keeping long-distance tabs on family.
“It’s tough,” he said. “We’ve sat through Category 5’s before and we were good. But my grandfather told me this morning that in 70 years he has never seen that much rain drop that fast.
“We have family members that had to get rescued. We have a couple of them in hotels. It is just crazy. I have friends sleeping on the top of roofs. They are in my prayers, a couple of sleepless nights for me.”
WVU’s athletics department plans to ship football shoes and equipment to the University of Houston, where Holgorsen coached during 2008 and 2009.
In the margins
— Receiver Ka’Raun White says he’ll get his dreadlocks clipped “a couple inches” this week in order to give Virginia Tech tacklers less to grab.
— Special teams coach Mark Scott said redshirt freshman Evan Staley from Romney won the kickoff job during the past 10 days, proving to be the most consistent on directional kicking and hang time.
— Holgorsen said the chance to gain Sunday night exposure for WVU’s opening game eclipsed the week-after consequences: “When Shane (Lyons) came to me about six months ago and asked if I wanted to do it, I wasn’t very thrilled with what’s going to have to happen next week with a short week in getting ready to play East Carolina. But with that said, it made sense just with the neutral site game, the Sunday night game, the national TV, only game on, no NFL.”