The West Virginia Mountaineers are set to get their season underway next week, with fall camp set to begin on August 5.
Fans everywhere are certainly excited to see the program get back onto the field, as they hope to get things back on track in Rich Rodriguez's second season back with the program. But the Mountaineers are coming off a four-win season last year, so there is certainly some significant work to do this year to get there. So let's take a look at some of the biggest questions facing WVU football is fall.
1. Who will be the starting quarterback?
The Mountaineers are entering the coming season with a good old-fashioned quarterback battle ongoing for the second season, though there are fewer competitors in the race this year.
Michael Hawkins Jr. was a highly-touted four-star recruit who transfers in from Oklahoma, while Scotty Fox Jr. managed to take the job as a true freshman last year and make history. The quarterback is the most important position on the field and the Mountaineers struggled there last year until Fox stepped up. Getting the right player in place will be key.
2. Who steps up on defense?
The Mountaineers don't return much from last season at all, but there is a bit more experience on the offensive side of the ball than defense – and the consensus was that the Mountaineers made more of a splash offensively than on defense.
There are a lot of freshman, JUCO, and Group of 6 talent on the defensive side of the ball. Several of them will need to step up to make this group more competitive this year. That will need to start during camp.
3. How much has the offensive line improved?
The weakest part of the team last year was the offensive line, and the Mountaineers put a lot of effort into fixing that problem this offseason.
They added one of the top offensive tackle prospects in the Class of 2026 with Kevin Brown, and loaded up with five talented transfers, including one former Big 12 starter and multiple all-conference players. They also bring back long-time Rodriguez assistant Rick Trickett. It was an area of the team that needed a lot of focus, and whether it pays off wil be crucial in determining how successful they will be.
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