The View From Morgantown: Scouting the West Virginia Mountaineers
Penn State coach James Franklin is quite familiar with the West Virginia roster that will visit Beaver Stadium on Saturday night. That's because he tried to recruit some of it.
At his pregame press conference this week, Franklin referred to the list of Mountaineers he recruited, many of whom will play key roles in the season opener. The group includes receiver Devin Bartlett (who committed to the Lions after the Rose Bowl, then flipped to West Virginia), linebacker Jared Bartlett and several offensive linemen.
Franklin's scouting report: He likes the run game, led by that line and running back C.J. Donaldson, expects Garrett Greene to start at quarterback and anticipates coach Neal Brown to take some swings on fourth down. To scout West Virginia further, we turned to Schuyler Callihan, publisher of FanNation's Mountaineers Now site, for a sideline view of Penn State's first opponent.
Here's our Q&A with Callihan, whom you can follow on X/Twitter to learn more about West Virginia.
Question: What were the top stories of West Virginia's preseason, and how does the team look ahead of the opener?
Schuyler Callihan: Neal Brown retaking control of the offense was a heavily discussed subject this offseason. However, it’s not a big surprise considering he’s entering a crucial year. He has to win now, and when you’re in a situation like this, the one person you know you can trust is yourself. Calling plays is what got him to this point in his career and it’s what ultimately could save his job. As far as the team is concerned, this is a much better group than it is getting credit for. It’s not a bottom feeder in the Big 12. In fact, they’re far from it. On paper, this is the best talent and most depth they’ve had since Neal Brown has been in Morgantown. But it all comes down to the win-loss column.
Question: Who's the quarterback?
Callihan: It’s the worst-kept secret in all of college football. It’s going to be Garrett Greene. Redshirt freshman Nicco Marchiol may have the higher ceiling, but he is too up and down right now. His highs are really high and his lows are really low. Once that consistency forms, he’ll become the best option at QB. But that’s not a knock on Greene, who has quite the potential as well. He helped lead WVU past Oklahoma, played well against Kansas State, and flashed in the few packages he had each week before taking over the starting job at the end of the year.
Question: Who are the players most essential for West Virginia to win at Penn State?
Callihan: Offensively, it’s Cortez Braham and Devin Carter. We all know how talented and deep WVU’s running back room is and how the strength of the team is the offensive line. But for WVU to have a true shot at pulling off a miracle, they’re going to need those two at receiver to step up and make some big-time plays. Receiver play under Neal Brown has been below average with drops being a big issue. This is the deepest they’ve been at the position, but they lack a true No. 1, or No. 2 for that matter. Defensively, it starts up front with Sean Martin. He has to apply pressure on the QB and make his presence felt. They lost all three starters from that defensive line, and he's got the most NFL potential of what's left. For the run game, it's MIKE linebacker Lee Kpogba. He's a tough, physical downhill backer who plays with an attitude and swagger, and his energy needs to be felt from the first snap.
Question: What is Neal Brown's shelf life in Morgantown?
Callihan: I get the sense that the administration is willing to be patient with Brown as long as it’s not a colossal mess this season. Brown has been at a competitive disadvantage since he arrived, dealing with a gutted roster when he took over to COVID in 2020, which also impacted recruiting for 2021, and has lost several key players to the portal. New AD Wren Baker was brought in for a reason. The man knows how to raise money, and since his arrival, they’ve been able to retain much of their talent. He’s also been careful about not setting a benchmark for wins. Injuries happen, and even a 7-8 win season could end on a bad note.
Question: What's the mood around the team about returning to Penn State for the first time in more than 30 years?
Callihan: The players don’t seem to really think of it as anything else than another game. Since none of these kids was around the last time the two played, they don’t have a great understanding of the series’ history. They do, however, view it as a great opportunity to shock the world on national TV and are excited to play in front of a massive crowd at Beaver Stadium.
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
