5 Storylines To Watch For the 2017 WVU Football Team
By Phil Poling
Player Departures
Football teams have a lot of turnover, whether it’s players, coaches, or on the field. The Mountaineers that played their last game will be missed, and we want to thank them for their dedication and hard work. A big congratulations to these players who graduated in December. Let’s Go!
- Justin Arndt
- Kyle Bosch
- Christian Brown
- Hodari Christian II
- Antonio Crawford
- Shelton Gibson
- Grant Lingafelter
- Devonte Mathis
- Noble Nwachukwu
- Adam Pankey
- Rushel Shell III
- Stone Underwood
The above players are simply those who got degrees in December, but a handful of others won’t be returning to the program. If you noticed, junior Shelton Gibson is listed. He announced via Instagram he’s decided to forego his senior season and prepare for the NFL Draft. A loss for the football team in the immediate future, but Gibson is just one name on a long list of wide receivers to go pro from West Virginia – earning the moniker Wide Receiver University, or simply WRU, for the school. Redshirt junior William Crest also announced he’ll be transferring from WVU to pursue his academic and athletic careers at another institution. Crest was a high school quarterback but never found a true position in Holgorsen’s offense, playing sparingly at both quarterback and wide receiver.
Other departures include Maurice Fleming, Jarrod Harper, Skyler Howard, Nana Kyremeh, Tony Matteo, Tyler Orlosky, Khari Sharif, Daikiel Shorts, Jr., Sylvester Townes, Jeremy Tyler and Sean Walters. That’s 24 players for Dana Holgorsen and his staff to replace. Last summer was similar, having 20 seniors graduate and a few others leave early for the draft. Incoming recruits – junior college and high school alike – will be expected to contribute right away, or the team could face a tough road in early 2017.
Coach Holgorsen’s staff saw a number of first-year players contribute last season, including JuCo running back Justin Crawford and true freshman Kennedy McKoy. Crawford was a late commit to WVU after Wendell Smallwood left for the NFL, leaving a position in the backfield up for grabs. Crawford, the 2015 NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year, totaled just over 1,100 rushing yards his first season with the ‘Eers and surpassed 100 yards on the ground five times, twice reaching 200! McKoy was forced into action after both Shell and Crawford went down with injuries, but outsiders wouldn’t have noticed just by looking at the team stats. In his first game with double digit carries, McKoy ran for 83 yards against one of the Big 12’s toughest teams in Oklahoma State. The following two games saw him tote the rock at least 18 times and total exactly 200 yards and two scores. Both Shell and Skyler Howard are gone, though – two players that ran for a combined 977 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Like we said though, turnover is expected. Luckily, Holgorsen and his staff understand how to keep talent flowing through not only the exit in Morgantown – but the entrance as well.