(Note: A story on Virginia Tech commit and University lineman Luke Braham will be published this weekend)
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Look up and down the roster for the University Hawks and it is easy to see why expectations are elevated on Baker’s Ridge entering Eric Snyder’s third season as head coach. UHS returns an all-state quarterback and an all-state wideout along with a Division I offensive lineman. After winning four games in 2024, the Hawks went 9-4 last fall. University went on the road to defeat No. 2 seed Huntington in the Class AAAA quarterfinal round.
“You try not to become complacent whatsoever,” Snyder said. “You know that can happen to just about anyone. There might be another University High School out there this year that could be building up and trying to knock us off. We don’t want to have that kind of complacency to be able to allow that to happen and to achieve our goals.”
Second team All-State signal caller Harrison Helbig returns to engineer a UHS offense that averaged 38 points per game last season. Helbig passed for 3,110 yards and 30 touchdowns as a junior.
“Harrison Helbig has definitely added on about 20 to 25 pounds. He has kept his strength up. And actually, he has gotten a lot stronger with this offseason program that we’re in. He has definitely shown that ability in the 7-on-7’s that we were able to compete in.”
“Me and Harrison have a great connection,” said University senior WE/DB Hayden George. “We have been playing since sophomore year on varsity. We just keep growing that connection.”
Helbig’s top two receiving targets return. First team All-State pick Hayden George caught 94 passes for 1,306 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall. KK Lewis added 39 catches for 610 yards and seven scores.
“KK has gained about 15 pounds this year. He has weighed in at about 215, 220,” Snyder said. “He has put on more muscle throughout this offseason that he has been able to have, the offseason that kid gets having three different sports and a three-star athlete as he is. Hayden George has put on some solid weight to be able to show how dynamic he can be throughout the whole state.”
A pair of running backs look to share the bulk of the carries with Jayden Katchur and Brody Kehler.
“Brody Kehler coming back from his shoulder injury, that’s just one thing when you look back from a year ago and wondering what if he was able to stay healthy,” Snyder said. “The injury bug hits just about everyone. I think our response to it was magnificent. With Brody coming back and Jayden Katchur being able to be in the fold, we’ve got some good, dynamic running backs.”
University’s offensive line will be led by Virginia Tech commit Luke Braham. The rising senior picked up a number of Division I offers in the offseason.
“You can tell they have been putting in the work,” Braham said of his offensive line teammates. “They are getting their kicks right and just balancing and getting off the ball. It is definitely getting a lot better.”
“He has put on some solid weight,” Snyder said. “Just today, he weighed in at about 265. He’s got a goal to be at 275. He finished the season last year at 220. And it is all solid weight.”
Coming off their deepest postseason run since 2009, Snyder is hoping that a constant quest for improvement can lead the Hawks through the Class AAAA bracket once again.
“We’re just not letting expectations get too much of us,” George said. “Last year, we weren’t really expected to go as far. This year, we are. We can’t let that get our pride. We’ve just got to keep working, keep putting our head down and keep playing with a chip on our shoulder.”