A pair of Morgantown natives are expected to earn the starting nod on offense for West Virginia football as they host No. 8 Penn State on Saturday.
Wide receiver Preston Fox and offensive tackle Nick Malone both earned significant playing time last season, with Fox playing in moderate role in the Mountaineers passing attack over the course of the year. Fox earned five starts, saw action in all 12 regular season games, and hauled in over 300 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Malone saw action in 13 games, started four, and played over 500 snaps combined on offense and special teams.
Now, Malone is set to slide into a full-time starting role, and was acknowledged by head coach Neal Brown as the starter headed into the game.
Meanwhile, Fox hasn't been named the outright starter, but he and Jaden Bray are projected to be the main go-to Z receivers, and Fox got most of the first-team reps during camp. If he doesn't earn the official start, he's sure to be an integral part of the offense.
Both athletes played for coach Matt Lacy at Morgantown High School, with Malone graduating in 2018 and Fox in 2019.