UCF
Chris Boyle
Daytona Beach News-Journal
0:32
0:31
Neal Brown entered the 2023 season on the hot seat and finished it with a celebratory bucket of mayonnaise dumped upon his head.
West Virginia, picked to finish last in the Big 12 in the preseason media poll, shattered expectations with a nine-win campaign — its most in a single season since 2016, capped with a comfortable victory over North Carolina in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.
"This is going to be a catapult for us," Brown, the Mountaineers' head coach, said during the postgame press conference. "As we go into the '24 season, I think we're a team that will be ranked in the preseason top-25. We return a lot, and I'm excited about that."
UCF opponent previews:Kenny Dillingham continues Arizona State rebuild in Big 12
Brown's premonition was not entirely accurate. His team was not among the Big 12's five squads among the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. But with the aforementioned returning cast in place, the challenge ahead for the Mountaineers is to continue climbing toward the conference's upper echelon.
Voters were far kinder to the Mountaineers this time around, placing them among the group of dark horses in seventh — one spot ahead of UCF, its opponent for the Nov. 23 home finale. West Virginia forced four turnovers, controlled the ball for more than 36 minutes and rushed for 286 yards and five touchdowns to spoil the Knights' homecoming, 41-28, last October.
West Virginia sports a 3-0 all-time record against the Knights, who will make their first trek across the country roads and into Morgantown since 2003.
Coached at Kentucky by Air Raid gurus Hal Mumme and Mike Leach, Brown's style is a little bit different than that. His Mountaineers have adopted a reputation as a physical, relentless power running team. West Virginia finished with the No. 3 rushing offense in the Football Bowl Subdivision last year, tops among Power Four programs at 228.9 yards per game, and scored 32 of its 51 touchdowns on the ground.
Wren Baker, the school's athletic director, rewarded Brown with a contract extension for an additional season, taking his current deal through 2027. Brown took a modest pay cut, set to earn $4 million in 2024 and '25 and $4.3 million in '26, so West Virginia could invest more in his coaching staff.
Brown, 44, has guided the Mountaineers to a 31-29 record and three bowl games in his five years in charge. Prior to that, he led Troy to three consecutive seasons of double-digit victories, earning Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors in 2017.
Top Offensive Returners: WR Hudson Clement, RB CJ Donaldson Jr., TE Treylan Davis, WR Preston Fox, WR Rodney Gallagher III, QB Garrett Greene, OL Ja'Quay Hubbard, OL Nick Malone, OL Wyatt Milum, TE Kole Taylor, WR Traylon Ray, OL Tomas Rimac, RB Jahiem White, OL Brandon Yates
Top Defensive Returners: EDGE Tyrin Bradley Jr., DB Aubrey Burks, LB Ben Cutter, LB Trey Lathan, DL Sean Martin, DL Fatorma Mulbah, DL Edward Vesterinen, DB Anthony Wilson Jr.
Eighteen offensive players suited up for West Virginia and logged at least 200 snaps last season. Fifteen are back, including the three rushing leaders: sophomore Jahiem White (842 yards, four TDs), junior CJ Donaldson Jr. (798 yards, 11 TDs) and senior quarterback Garrett Greene (772 yards, 13 TDs).
Greene added 2,406 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and just four picks, completing 53.1% of his attempts. Kole Taylor secured a team-high 35 receptions at tight end.
Wyatt Milum, a three-year starter at left tackle, is regarded as one of the top offensive linemen in the nation. He was one of four tackles in college football with top-20 grades in pass blocking and run blocking, per Pro Football Focus.
West Virginia led the Big 12 with 33 sacks last season, yet, according to PFF, it managed just a 29% pass-rush win rate. The Mountaineers also finished in the top half of the league in scoring defense (26.2 ppg) and total defense (380.8 ypg).
Sean Martin generated a team-high 28 pressures off the edge, and Aubrey Burks shined in coverage with four pass breakups and two interceptions.
Transfer Portal Additions: OL Xavier Bausley (Jacksonville State), WR Jaden Bray (Oklahoma State), QB Ryder Burton (BYU), LB Reid Carrico (Ohio State), DB T.J. Crandall (Colorado State), DB Dontez Fagan (Charlotte), EDGE Ty French (Gardner-Webb), DB Ayden Garnes (Duquesne), DB Garnett Hollis Jr. (Northwestern), DL T.J. Jackson (Troy), DB Jaheem Joseph (Northwestern), WR Justin Robinson (Mississippi State), DB Kekoura Tarnue (Jacksonville State)
Transfer Portal Losses: WR Jeremiah Aaron (North Texas), LB Tirek Austin-Cave (New Mexico), LB Jared Bartlett (Cincinnati), QB Sean Boyle, WR Cortez Braham (Nevada), DB Keyshawn Cobb (Nevada), LB Lance Dixon (Toledo), DL Tomiwa Durojaiye (Florida State), TE Theo Grabill (Garden City C.C.), LB James Heard (Syracuse), WR EJ Horton (Florida Atlantic), RB Justin Johnson, OL Charlie Katarincic (Carnegie Mellon), K Danny King (Southern Utah), DL Mike Lockhart (SMU), WR Davis Mallinger (Nevada), DB Hershey McLaurin (Houston), DB Montre Miller (Mississippi State), WR Ja'Shaun Poke (San Diego State), DB Christion Stokes (Findlay), DB Andrew Wilson-Lamp (East Carolina)
West Virginia brought in 13 transfers from the portal, patching a handful of holes in its secondary with immediate help.
Ayden Garnes and Garnett Hollis Jr. were listed as the starting cornerback tandem on the team's first depth chart. They combined for 14 pass breakups and three picks at their previous schools in 2023. T.J. Crandall and Dontez Fagan are also expected to be in the rotation, and Kekoura Tarnue is pushing for a starting safety role in the secondary.
Jaden Bray gives the receiving group a boost after hauling in 30 passes for 382 yards for Oklahoma State.
As for the departures, Tomiwa Durojaiye stands out as perhaps the most significant. Set to make his Florida State debut this weekend against Georgia Tech in Ireland, the 6-foot-4, 280-pound defensive lineman played in all 13 games as a redshirt freshman, collecting 23 tackles, 6 TFLs and 3½ sacks.
The front-seven was weakened further with the losses of Jared Bartlett (49 tackles, six TFLs, 4½ sacks), who stayed within the Big 12 by transferring to Cincinnati, and Mike Lockhart (21 tackles, nine TFLs, 2½ sacks) to SMU.
Top Incoming Freshmen: OL Kyle Altuner (Olney, Md.), RB Traevon Dunbar (Graniteville, S.C.), WR Ric'Darious Farmer (Melbourne, Fla.), EDGE Obinna Onwuka (Upper Marlboro, Md.), WR Brandon Rehmann (Philadelphia, Pa.)
West Virginia signed 22 high school recruits in its 2024 class, none more intriguing for Knights fans than Melbourne Central Catholic wide receiver Ric'Darious Farmer.
Nicknamed DayDay, Farmer flipped his commitment away from UCF and in the Mountaineers' favor on the opening day of the December signing period. The consensus four-star recruit (5-11, 160) had 497 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns in nine games during his senior season.
Farmer entered fall camp competing for the starting role at slot receiver, drawing high praise from Brown.
"He's got twitch, he's got some explosiveness and he's a lot stronger than maybe his body type looks, which is going to give him the ability to play and not just be a guy that goes in when we're going to give him the ball or be a decoy," Brown told reporters earlier this month. "He can block on the perimeter."
West Virginia landed as many signees from Florida (three) as it did within its home state. Auburndale defensive lineman Nate Gabriel and Dunnellon cornerback Chris Henry — no relation to the former Mountaineers and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver of the same name — joined the team in January and June, respectively.
UCF opponent previews: West Virginia bounces back in Big 12 behind strong run game
Chris BoyleDaytona Beach News-Journal
0:32
0:31
- Nickname: Mountaineers
- Location: Morgantown, W.Va.
- Enrollment: 26,791
- Home field: Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium (Capacity: 60,000)
- Conference: Big 12
- 2022 record: 9-4, 6-3 Big 12
- All-time series record vs. UCF: 3-0
- Last meeting: Oct. 28, 2023 (West Virginia won 41-28)
Neal Brown entered the 2023 season on the hot seat and finished it with a celebratory bucket of mayonnaise dumped upon his head.
West Virginia, picked to finish last in the Big 12 in the preseason media poll, shattered expectations with a nine-win campaign — its most in a single season since 2016, capped with a comfortable victory over North Carolina in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.
"This is going to be a catapult for us," Brown, the Mountaineers' head coach, said during the postgame press conference. "As we go into the '24 season, I think we're a team that will be ranked in the preseason top-25. We return a lot, and I'm excited about that."
UCF opponent previews:Kenny Dillingham continues Arizona State rebuild in Big 12
Brown's premonition was not entirely accurate. His team was not among the Big 12's five squads among the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. But with the aforementioned returning cast in place, the challenge ahead for the Mountaineers is to continue climbing toward the conference's upper echelon.
Voters were far kinder to the Mountaineers this time around, placing them among the group of dark horses in seventh — one spot ahead of UCF, its opponent for the Nov. 23 home finale. West Virginia forced four turnovers, controlled the ball for more than 36 minutes and rushed for 286 yards and five touchdowns to spoil the Knights' homecoming, 41-28, last October.
West Virginia sports a 3-0 all-time record against the Knights, who will make their first trek across the country roads and into Morgantown since 2003.
Neal Brown transforms West Virginia into ground-and-pound machine
Coached at Kentucky by Air Raid gurus Hal Mumme and Mike Leach, Brown's style is a little bit different than that. His Mountaineers have adopted a reputation as a physical, relentless power running team. West Virginia finished with the No. 3 rushing offense in the Football Bowl Subdivision last year, tops among Power Four programs at 228.9 yards per game, and scored 32 of its 51 touchdowns on the ground.
Wren Baker, the school's athletic director, rewarded Brown with a contract extension for an additional season, taking his current deal through 2027. Brown took a modest pay cut, set to earn $4 million in 2024 and '25 and $4.3 million in '26, so West Virginia could invest more in his coaching staff.
Brown, 44, has guided the Mountaineers to a 31-29 record and three bowl games in his five years in charge. Prior to that, he led Troy to three consecutive seasons of double-digit victories, earning Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors in 2017.
Garrett Greene, backfield duo, Wyatt Milum anchor run game
Top Offensive Returners: WR Hudson Clement, RB CJ Donaldson Jr., TE Treylan Davis, WR Preston Fox, WR Rodney Gallagher III, QB Garrett Greene, OL Ja'Quay Hubbard, OL Nick Malone, OL Wyatt Milum, TE Kole Taylor, WR Traylon Ray, OL Tomas Rimac, RB Jahiem White, OL Brandon Yates
Top Defensive Returners: EDGE Tyrin Bradley Jr., DB Aubrey Burks, LB Ben Cutter, LB Trey Lathan, DL Sean Martin, DL Fatorma Mulbah, DL Edward Vesterinen, DB Anthony Wilson Jr.
Eighteen offensive players suited up for West Virginia and logged at least 200 snaps last season. Fifteen are back, including the three rushing leaders: sophomore Jahiem White (842 yards, four TDs), junior CJ Donaldson Jr. (798 yards, 11 TDs) and senior quarterback Garrett Greene (772 yards, 13 TDs).
Greene added 2,406 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and just four picks, completing 53.1% of his attempts. Kole Taylor secured a team-high 35 receptions at tight end.
Wyatt Milum, a three-year starter at left tackle, is regarded as one of the top offensive linemen in the nation. He was one of four tackles in college football with top-20 grades in pass blocking and run blocking, per Pro Football Focus.
West Virginia led the Big 12 with 33 sacks last season, yet, according to PFF, it managed just a 29% pass-rush win rate. The Mountaineers also finished in the top half of the league in scoring defense (26.2 ppg) and total defense (380.8 ypg).
Sean Martin generated a team-high 28 pressures off the edge, and Aubrey Burks shined in coverage with four pass breakups and two interceptions.
Tomiwa Durojaiye heads to FSU, but secondary help arrives from portal
Transfer Portal Additions: OL Xavier Bausley (Jacksonville State), WR Jaden Bray (Oklahoma State), QB Ryder Burton (BYU), LB Reid Carrico (Ohio State), DB T.J. Crandall (Colorado State), DB Dontez Fagan (Charlotte), EDGE Ty French (Gardner-Webb), DB Ayden Garnes (Duquesne), DB Garnett Hollis Jr. (Northwestern), DL T.J. Jackson (Troy), DB Jaheem Joseph (Northwestern), WR Justin Robinson (Mississippi State), DB Kekoura Tarnue (Jacksonville State)
Transfer Portal Losses: WR Jeremiah Aaron (North Texas), LB Tirek Austin-Cave (New Mexico), LB Jared Bartlett (Cincinnati), QB Sean Boyle, WR Cortez Braham (Nevada), DB Keyshawn Cobb (Nevada), LB Lance Dixon (Toledo), DL Tomiwa Durojaiye (Florida State), TE Theo Grabill (Garden City C.C.), LB James Heard (Syracuse), WR EJ Horton (Florida Atlantic), RB Justin Johnson, OL Charlie Katarincic (Carnegie Mellon), K Danny King (Southern Utah), DL Mike Lockhart (SMU), WR Davis Mallinger (Nevada), DB Hershey McLaurin (Houston), DB Montre Miller (Mississippi State), WR Ja'Shaun Poke (San Diego State), DB Christion Stokes (Findlay), DB Andrew Wilson-Lamp (East Carolina)
West Virginia brought in 13 transfers from the portal, patching a handful of holes in its secondary with immediate help.
Ayden Garnes and Garnett Hollis Jr. were listed as the starting cornerback tandem on the team's first depth chart. They combined for 14 pass breakups and three picks at their previous schools in 2023. T.J. Crandall and Dontez Fagan are also expected to be in the rotation, and Kekoura Tarnue is pushing for a starting safety role in the secondary.
Jaden Bray gives the receiving group a boost after hauling in 30 passes for 382 yards for Oklahoma State.
As for the departures, Tomiwa Durojaiye stands out as perhaps the most significant. Set to make his Florida State debut this weekend against Georgia Tech in Ireland, the 6-foot-4, 280-pound defensive lineman played in all 13 games as a redshirt freshman, collecting 23 tackles, 6 TFLs and 3½ sacks.
The front-seven was weakened further with the losses of Jared Bartlett (49 tackles, six TFLs, 4½ sacks), who stayed within the Big 12 by transferring to Cincinnati, and Mike Lockhart (21 tackles, nine TFLs, 2½ sacks) to SMU.
Ric'Darious Farmer, flipped from UCF, competing to start at slot receiver
Top Incoming Freshmen: OL Kyle Altuner (Olney, Md.), RB Traevon Dunbar (Graniteville, S.C.), WR Ric'Darious Farmer (Melbourne, Fla.), EDGE Obinna Onwuka (Upper Marlboro, Md.), WR Brandon Rehmann (Philadelphia, Pa.)
West Virginia signed 22 high school recruits in its 2024 class, none more intriguing for Knights fans than Melbourne Central Catholic wide receiver Ric'Darious Farmer.
Nicknamed DayDay, Farmer flipped his commitment away from UCF and in the Mountaineers' favor on the opening day of the December signing period. The consensus four-star recruit (5-11, 160) had 497 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns in nine games during his senior season.
Farmer entered fall camp competing for the starting role at slot receiver, drawing high praise from Brown.
"He's got twitch, he's got some explosiveness and he's a lot stronger than maybe his body type looks, which is going to give him the ability to play and not just be a guy that goes in when we're going to give him the ball or be a decoy," Brown told reporters earlier this month. "He can block on the perimeter."
West Virginia landed as many signees from Florida (three) as it did within its home state. Auburndale defensive lineman Nate Gabriel and Dunnellon cornerback Chris Henry — no relation to the former Mountaineers and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver of the same name — joined the team in January and June, respectively.
