Biggest Winners from WVU's Spring Game

Taking a look at which players stood out during Saturday's spring game.

A lot of good came from West Virginia's spring game on Saturday. After an offseason that saw a ton of movement with the transfer portal, there was quite a scar on the football program. The addition of Georgia QB JT Daniels and the impressive showing on Saturday seemed to have reignite the fanbase. 

Which players helped their case for an increased role in the fall? Here are a few that come to mind. 

QB Goose Crowder

This was a big moment for Crowder. He needed to show the coaching staff that he has elevated his game to the next level and he did just that. With the talented Nicco Marchiol being viewed by many as the face of the future and JT Daniels coming in the summer, this was a critical opportunity for Goose. Based solely off of what he put on display on Saturday, Crowder could be the top option behind Daniels. Greene has more experience but still isn't quite there as a passer.

WR Preston Fox

Boy, oh boy, did Preston Fox have a day. He made some incredible catches that really caught the attention of the fans in attendance wondering who No. 29 was. His one-handed catch deep down the field along the sideline even checked in at No. 2 on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays on Sunday morning. To cap off the day, Fox was awarded a scholarship by the coaching staff.

OL Nick Malone

Malone came into the program at a lean 260 pounds but has since packed on 40 pounds and has worked his way into the offensive line rotation. Head coach Neal Brown said that he feels completely comfortable with the walk-on if needed to fill in on offense. All of his hard work and dedication paid off as he was named the winner of the 2022 Tommy Nikolich Memorial Award, honoring a walk-on team member who has distinguished himself through his attitude and work ethic.

LB Lee Kpogba

Kpogba flew all over the field recording three tackles on the day. Although it doesn't seem like much, he probably would have had several more had they allowed them to completely play through the play. Coach Brown stated in his postgame press conference that they needed guys like him to play well and he did. His time in Morgantown has been brief thus far but he's going to be an immediate impact player that could be one of the league's best linebackers this fall. 

CB Andrew Wilson-Lamp & S Aubrey Burks

I'm grouping these two together considering how important their development is. The Mountaineers are extremely thin on numbers in the back end of the defense and to make matters worse, are very young. Seeing Aubrey Burks come down with an interception and Wilson-Lamp making a couple of really nice plays on the ball in man to man coverage were signs of growth.

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