Darian DeVries Shows Very Little Interest in Preseason Big 12 Rankings

West Virginia isn't getting much love this preseason, but they're blocking out the noise.

West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries spoke to the media on Thursday before the Big 12 Conference released its annual preseason poll, but his response to a question during his press conference showed how much he cares about it.

"The preseason rankings are harder now than they ever have been with the portal. I don’t put a lot of stock in it. I think a lot of times the preseason rankings are really more of a credit to last year’s team and who you have coming back because that’s what people have to go off of now.

"I think for us, we’re a team nobody’s seen. I don’t think you can give us a ranking and there’s a lot of teams in that situation. Until you start playing games, then you start to figure out who’s got what, and for us, that’s all that matters."

DeVries is spot on here with the new-look roster, that being said, it's not all that surprising to see this team picked to finish 13th in the league. Anytime you have that much turnover, especially with a new coach coming in, it's going to be incredibly difficult to find success in this league on a nightly basis.

There is talent on this roster, but it's going to take some time for them to learn how to play with one another and get acclimated to the toughness of the league schedule.

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Publisher of Mountaineers Now on FanNation/Sports Illustrated. Lead recruiting expert and co-host of Between the Eers, Walk Thru GameDay Show, Mountaineers Now Postgame Show, and In the Gun Podcast.