WVU Ranked 3rd Best Football Program Without National Championship

In a recent ranking released by Bleacher Report, the West Virginia Mountaineer Football program was rated the 3rd best program to have never won a National Championship. Out of the teams ranked, the Mountaineers have the most all-time wins. Among the other teams ranked were Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, and Oregon. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9fFodfFwWn/?igshid=1brlf9id429mx

3 Areas the Mountaineers Must Improve in This Spring

With spring practice comes the opportunity for improvement. The Mountaineers ended 2019 on a high-note, but left it with much to be desired. Over the next seven weeks, it will be interesting to watch for improvements in these 3 specific areas. Here are the areas for the Mountaineers where improvement is a must: Avoiding Negative 1st Down Plays: Constantly throughout the 2019 season, the Mountaineers would gain momentum on offense just for it to be taken away with negative yardage on first down. This was primarily due to poor offensive line play hindering the running game. For West Virginia to improve on offense, better play as well as better play-calling on early downs is a must. Keep an eye out for changes that Neal Brown could possibly have made when it comes to the sequence of play-calling on early downs. Field Goal Accuracy: While it was by no means a terrible year for Evan Staley, his previous career field goal percentage of 81.4% took a significant hit. The Romney, West Virginia native finished his junior season hitting 11 of 17 field goals, a made percentage of 64.7%. There are undoubtedly worse kicking situations around the country, but this is a stat that could help the Mountaineers prevail in tight games if improved. Look for Staley to clean up his sloppy kicking efforts in 2019 with a strong spring session. Red Zone Defense: West Virginia’s red zone defense was among the worst in the conference in 2019. When teams would make it inside the 20 against the Mountaineers, points were almost a guarantee. Teams scored on 42 of 47 red zone trips against WVU, a miserable 89.3% for Koenning’s unit. With 30 of those 42 scores being touchdowns, it was simply a season that side of the ball wants to forget. If this area is to be cleaned up, West Virginia will make huge strides on the defensive side of the ball. Look for this to be an area of attention with the great minds of Neal Brown and Vic Koenning working together.

West Virginia 2026 Home Season Opener is Going to Be WILD

Morgantown, West Virginia - In four years, the West Virginia Mountaineers will open the season at home against the Alabama Crimson Tide, the most dominant program in college football today. Alabama's legendary head coach, Nick Saban, a Fairmont, West Virginia native, will be 74 years old at the time. Today, Saban signed an extension that will run through 2030 and pay him an average of $11.7 million per year.  This deal now makes Saban the highest paid coach in college football, surpassing Georgia coach Kirby Smart, who makes $11.2 million a year. Although it's been rumored that Saban's incredible career could soon be coming to an end, but this raise and extension show that he still has a hunger to remain in the game. Alabama is coming off an SEC championship title, Saban's 10th, and a national championship berth, where they lost to Georgia. If Saban is still coaching in 2026, this could potentially be one of the most important, wildest games ever at West Virginia! Saban returning to his home state with likely one of the top teams in the country will definitely make Mountaineers football history.

West Virginia Coaching Hotboard, 3.0

Morgantown, West Virginia - Every close source to the West Virginia football program that I've spoken to has said the very same thing: "Neal Brown is done at West Virginia at the end of the season, if not before then." Apparently, Shane Lyons has made his decision to move on, pay at least part of the contract buyout and look to the future of the program. In our previous West Virginia Coaching Hot Board (2.0) http://voiceofmotown.com/west-virginia-coaching-hotboard-2-0/, Hugh Freeze was at the top of the list of candidates. However, that was before he signed a massive 8 year contract extension worth approximately $5 million a year at Liberty. Although Freeze has language written into his contract that would make going to a Power 5 Conference team possible, he is reportedly very happy where he's at right now and would likely only leave if an SEC team came knocking. What's clear is that West Virginia wants a proven, successful head coach who can step in day one and bring back the winning culture in Morgantown. With that said, here's a look at realistic options for the Mountaineers moving forward. Favorite(s) 1A - Matt Rhule, former Head Coach for the Carolina Panthers and Baylor Bears Why Matt Rhule? The former Big 12 Coach of the Year (2019), Rhule showed that he was very capable of turning around a college program when he took a really bad Baylor team and turned them into an 11-3 team in his last year as a college coach. Although Rhule struggled as a head coach in the NFL (11-27 with the Carolina Panthers), he is just the type of proven head coach that West Virginia is looking for. Why Not Matt Rhule? He'll have several big schools (Nebraska, Wisconsin, others) competing for his services and he will likely demand a very big contract because of that. In addition, if he's successful at West Virginia, he would likely see it as a stepping stone school for larger, more attractive programs. 1B - Dan Mullen, former Head Coach at University of Florida  Why Dan Mullen? Mullen, 50, was hugely successful in the SEC at Mississippi State and Florida, where he compiled an overall 103-61 record. At Florida, the Gators went 10-3, 11-2 and 8-4 under Mullen. He's from Pennsylvania and is young enough to bring energy and enthusiasm to Morgantown. Why not Dan Mullen? No obvious reasons to not hire him. 1C - Tom Herman, former Head Coach at Texas Why Tom Herman? Herman, 47, is not currently coaching anywhere and would certainly consider an incredible opportunity at West Virginia University. In his six seasons as a head coach, Herman was nothing short of spectacular. His first head coaching position was at Houston, where he finished 22-4 overall in two seasons. He was then hired at Texas in 2017 and went 7-6, 10-4, 8-5 and 7-3 in his four seasons with the Longhorns. Also, he is 5-0 in his career in bowl games. Why not Tom Herman? Herman has been known to have an abrasive personality and has rubbed fans and boosters the wrong way in the past. Could use West Virginia as a stepping stone. 2A - Curt Cignetti, James Madison Head Coach Why Curt Cignetti? He has been ultra-successful as a head coach (38-7 at James Madison, 105-33 overall), was a former assistant under Nick Saban at Alabama and played quarterback at West Virginia University from 1979-1982. Why not Curt Cignetti? He has never been a head coach at a Power 5 Conference school. 2B - Shawn Clark, Appalachian State Head Coach Why Shawn Clark? Clark, 47, is a relatively young, up-and-coming head coach who has been successful at Appalachian State and has proven that he can upset the big boys. Oh, and he's originally from Charleston, West Virginia. Why Not Shawn Clark? He's too much like Neal Brown. He's had success, but it's been in the Sun Belt Conference. 2C - Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina  Why Jamey Chadwell? Chadwell, 45, was the 2020 AP College Football Coach of the Year. Over the past 3 seasons, Chadwell's Coastal Carolina team has gone 24-3. Why Not Jamey Chadwell? No Power 5 Conference experience. Swing For the Fences Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M Head Coach Why Jimbo Fisher? He won a national championship with Florida State, he's 120-42 overall and 8-2 in bowl games during his career, and he loves his home state of West Virginia. His experience combined with success and love for the state makes him a home run hire if West Virginia could somehow pull it off. Why Not Jimbo Fisher? He has struggled recently at Texas A&M and is considered highly overpaid for the results that he has produced there. He has an astronomical buyout and it's very unlikely that A&M would be willing to pay it to fire him. Deion Sanders, Jackson State Head Coach Why Deion Sanders? Potential program-changer who would give the university immediate attention from around the country. Sanders is an incredible recruiter who would bring major talent to Morgantown. In his 3rd season at Jackson State, Sanders is 21-5 overall, and Power 5 Conference athletic directors who have spoken to him were very impressed with his knowledge and preparation. Why not Deion Sanders? Sanders, 55, could turn the football program into a circus. In addition, while he wants to coach at a Power 5 Conference school, he would likely view West Virginia as a stepping stone for larger, more high-profile positions. Known Commodities  Tony Gibson, Defensive Coordinator, NC State Why Tony Gibson? West Virginia native who has been an outstanding recruiter and assistant during his long coaching career. He understands the importance of West Virginia football in the state and this would be his dream job. Why Not Tony Gibson? No collegiate head coaching experience. Rich Rodriguez, Jacksonville State Head Coach Why Rich Rodriguez? In his final three seasons in Morgantown, the Mountaineers were 32-5 and reached unprecedented heights. He's 6-2 at Jacksonville State and at 59 years old, he has a lot of coaching time left in his career. Why Not Rich Rodriguez? Far too divisive. While many would celebrate his return, a huge portion of West Virginia fans would be completely against it. He has a ton of baggage and hasn't been particularly successful since leaving West Virginia Jahmile Addae, Secondary Coach,...

SOURCE: West Virginia Has Named Starting Quarterback For Pitt

Morgantown, West Virginia - Four days before the Mountaineers open the season against the Pitt Panthers in the Backyard Brawl, West Virginia is one of the last remaining teams in the country that have yet to officially name their starting quarterback for the season. Last week, head coach Neal Brown was resolute, saying that he was not yet ready to name a starter. “We feel really good about our present and future. We’re not to that point to name a starter. I’ll announce the starter before the Pitt game," Brown said. “There’s not been a final decision.” However, a source close to the program has informed The Voice of Morgantown that the starting quarterback has in fact been decided and has been known within the program for many days now. Not surprisingly, redshirt junior transfer JT Daniels will be under center when the Mountaineers line up on Thursday against their hated rivals, Pitt. Daniels, who was informed during his recruitment to West Virginia that he would have to win the starting position and would not simply be given the job, has shined during preparation for the season opener. "He's mature, he's older. I would say weathered and I mean that in a positive way," said Neal Brown. "He's been through some real highs and he's been through some real lows. His approach is that of a veteran. He's really intelligent. What I've really been encouraged by and this is something that we've kind of challenged him with early and he's really answered, is he's been great in the meeting room. Especially he and Nicco (Marchiol). They've gotten really close which I think has been a huge positive for Nicco. He's knowledgeable. He understands defenses. He understands what we're trying to do within the system." According to the source within the program, Brown is expected to officially announce the starter on his upcoming radio show, "The Neal Brown Show", which will premiere on Tuesday evening. In addition, Brown has apparently informed his other three quarterbacks - Garrett Greene, Will "Goose" Crowder and Nicco Marchiol - that he will not name a backup to Daniels and that the competition between the three will continue into the season. According to the source, Brown has said that any of the three can be used in situational moments during games and that all three should be ready to play at a moment's notice. West Virginia is currently a 7.5 point underdog against the #17 ranked Pitt Panthers. The game will begin Thursday, September 1st at 7:00PM and will be televised live on ESPN.

Leddie Brown Makes Decision On Future

(Photo by WVU Athletics) Leddie Brown, WVU’s breakout star for the 2020 season, announced via Twitter that he will be returning in 2021. Along with a highlight video, Brown used the caption “run it back,” indicating his intentions to suit up for WVU once again. The Philadelphia native rushed for 1,010 yards on 199 carries and added 12 total touchdowns. https://twitter.com/___lb4/status/1351972258735149066?s=21  

Former West Virginia Star Doesn’t Regret Leaving Mountaineers

Morgantown, West Virginia - Former West Virginia Mountaineers All-American defensive back Tykee Smith left West Virginia prior to last season to transfer to play for the Georgia Bulldogs. Smith, who had 114 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 4 interceptions in 22 games played with the Mountaineers, sat out last season due to injury. However, Smith will be back to play for the Bulldogs this season and he said today (exactly one year after leaving the Mountaineers) that he doesn't regret his decision to leave West Virginia one bit. Smith said the following today on social media: “Made the beat decision of my life a year ago!” https://twitter.com/tyksmith/status/1510971513016659978?s=21&t=vOOVaB3myrrlqU8gc8MyCA

Former WVU Quarterback Has Found a New Home

Morgantown, West Virginia - Former West Virginia quarterback Trent Jackson has found a new home! Jackson entered the transfer portal back in December after not seeing the field for the Mountaineers in three seasons with the team. Now, Jackson will have an opportunity to shine at Wheeling University! Jackson, originally from Stevensville, Maryland, is a gifted quarterback who led the Class 2A state in passing yards with 2,174 in high school. Best of luck at your new home, Trent! https://twitter.com/_trentjackson/status/1385579496603062272?s=21

Packers Trade Rasul Douglas

Former WVU Cornerback Rasul Douglas has been traded from the Green Bay Packers.   Morgantown, WV - According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Green Bay Packers have traded Rasul Douglas to the Buffalo Bills. https://Twitter.com/rapsheet/status/1719437146308616672?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Douglas, who has been a member of the Packers since 2021, was a 3rd round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft for the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished his WVU career with 77 tackles and 9 interceptions. (Photo by WVU Athletics)   

Florida is Now Allowing Full Capacity at Stadiums

The battle against the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, but some are rushing to get back to normal quicker than others.   According to multiple sources, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has given teams around his state the greenlight to have their stadiums at full capacity. These teams include the Dolphins, Jaguars, Gators, Seminoles, and many others.   This is all due to the state continuing in their Phase 3 of reopening.   Despite this, the Miami Dolphins have stated they plan to continue at 13,000 fans being maximum capacity, per sources.   Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates.

Texas and Oklahoma Leaving Big 12 Early

Morgantown, West Virginia - Next season will be the final year that the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners will play in the Big 12 Conference. According to Ross Dellenger, "The Longhorns and Sooners have finalized an agreement with the Big 12, as well as its television partners, to exit the league one year earlier than scheduled. Under the agreement, the schools would join the SEC in July 2024, in time to participate in the ’24 football season. As part of the exit agreement, the Longhorns and Sooners will owe a combined $100 million to the conference, much of which will be distributed to the eight Big 12 legacy universities to offset an expected decrease in their 2024 conference revenue." This means that West Virginia, as well as the other seven "legacy universities" in the Big 12, will receive approximately $12.5 million in revenue. Although Texas and Oklahoma leaving the Big 12 is a major hit for the conference, the four universities joining - Houston, UCF, Cincinnati and BYU - are quality programs who will making the new Big 12 an exciting, profitable conference. https://twitter.com/RossDellenger/status/1623842617145303040?s=20&t=lew1BF56V-1en6CuVigtLg

Scottie Young Loves the Underdog Role for WVU’s Secondary

With so many West Virginia defensive backs entering the transfer portal, fans are beginning to become concerned about the Mountaineers' secondary in 2021. However, it does not appear that the team itself is concerned about it at all, especially safety Scottie Young.   https://twitter.com/_scottieoo/status/1392876401037094912?s=20 Yesterday, Young took to Twitter to embrace the recent underdog role WVU's secondary has taken on. "People really think we hurtin, it's ok tho I luv the underdog role." The Arizona transfer loves the challenge and wants to embrace being written off. Young is the kind of leader you need in times like this when a position groups seems depleted.   Don't worry, folks, the "Climb" is still on, and the Mountaineer defense is ready to prove doubters wrong.

Catching up on WVU Transfers

The NCAA Transfer Portal has become common platitude for college football fans in the 2+ years since it’s formation, and West Virginia fans know it well. Although transfers have always been a thing in collegiate athletics, the Transfer Portal has seemingly turned into a new recruiting source for coaches across the country. WVU has benefited from it with the additions of Tony Fields, Sean Ryan, Alonzo Addae, George Campbell and Scottie Young, to name a few. But the portal has also taken away quality talent as well, with Josh Sills, JoVanni Stewart, and Derek Pitts leaving to join other programs. It has been stated ad nauseum, but over the past year, WVU leads the NCAA in transfers. That’s extremely frustrating for fans. However, not all players leave because they’ve had bad experiences with coaches; much of the time it’s based on playing time (or lack thereof) or their talent level not being high enough to compete at a Power 5 university. Of the 20+ players that have transferred from WVU since the beginning of 2021, 9 have found homes at another FBS school. Below is an update on these former Mountaineers to see how they’ve adapted to their new situations: Jeffrey Pooler (Defensive End – Northwestern University): During his time at WVU, Pooler was a rotational defensive lineman, and a quality one at that. In 2019 and 2020, Pooler played in a combined 17 games, racking up 12 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks. He unexpectedly decided to transfer to Northwestern University as a graduate transfer in April 2021. Pooler’s decision looks like the right one as he ended up playing the 2nd most snaps of Northwestern’s group of defensive ends. However, Pooler stats remained similar to his production in 2019 and 2020, finishing the regular season with 25 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, and 3.5 sacks. Dreshun Miller (Cornerback – Auburn University): Dreshun’s journey is an interesting case of when the transfer portal goes wrong. Miller came to WVU after being ranked as the #3 overall corner and 10th best overall in the JUCO ranks. That talent translated to the field as he started 9 games for the Mountaineers and received a very solid overall rank of 73.0 from PFF. Many speculated that had Miller returned to WVU and built off his 2020 season, it was likely that he would have heard his name called in the NFL draft after the 2021 season. However, that seems unlikely now; Miller has only seen 5 total snaps during his first season at Auburn. Tykee Smith (Defensive Back – Georgia University): Tykee was dominant in his two years at WVU. He had over 110 tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss, 4 interceptions, and 9 pass deflections over his Freshman and Sophomore years. Additionally, he was named freshman All-American, All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, All-America First Team, 2nd team All-American, and All-Big 12 First Team during his short time in Morgantown. It was a big loss to the WVU secondary when Tykee announced his transfer to Georgia, presumably following his former defensive backs coach at WVU, Jahmille Addae. However, his career as a Bulldog was derailed by an injury that caused him to miss the first 5 games of the season. Then after getting healthy, he tore his ACL, which ended his inaugural season with Georgia. All in all, Smith recorded just 7 defensive snaps, and he will be redshirting for his Junior year. I would not be surprised to see Tykee return to form next season with one of the top defenses in all of college football.   Alec Sinkfield (Running Back – Boston College): Sinkfield had a tough situation at WVU, joining the program in the same class as Leddie Brown. He saw playing time as a change of pace back in 20 games his Sophomore and Junior seasons before deciding to try his luck elsewhere. He ultimately decided to join the Boston College Eagles for his Senior year. He did see his snap rate increase, but his stats remained similar to his Junior year with the Mountaineers, finishing with 350 yards rushing (25 more than his Junior year at WVU), 2 TDs (one less), and 6 yards receiving (49 yards less). Briason Mays (Center – Southern Mississippi): Another player stuck behind an elite starter. Mays joined WVU in 2018, and redshirted his Freshman year. His redshirt Freshman year, he started 7 games at center and showed promise as a long term fixture, finishing 3 games without a missed assignment. However, the next year Zach Frazier arrived, took the starting center job and never looked back. Mays ultimately decided to transfer to Southern Mississippi, reuniting with former WVU backup quarterback Trey Lowe. Mays ended up starting all 13 games for the Golden Eagles, primarily excelling in the run game with a PFF grade of 59.0. Ali Jennings (Wide Reciever – Old Dominion): A former Holgorsen recruit, big things were expected of Jennings coming out of high school. He seemed like one of the under the radar recruits that could thrive and develop into at least a good wide receiver in Holgorsen’s air raid system. However, he would never play a snap under Holgorsen. Jennings only was able to grab 26 receptions for 240 yards in his 2 seasons as a Mountaineers, losing snaps to a deep and talented core of receivers. It seems like Jennings has found a place to call home in Old Dominion. This season, he put up 914 yards and 5 touchdowns, which is more than any other receiver on WVU put up this season. That’s not to say he would have a similar season against Big 12 competition, but with Isaiah Esdale and Sam Brown transferring, Jennings would definitely have a role in this offense somewhere had he stayed at WVU. Bryce Brand (Linebacker – Bowling Green): Bryce Brand was technically a Mountaineer despite not seeing much playing time during his brief time at WVU. Brand started his career at Maryland, playing 3 seasons there before deciding to transfer to WVU. However, after less...

BREAKING: Two West Virginia Starters OUT For the Season

Morgantown, West Virginia - Moments ago, during Neal Brown's weekly press conference, West Virginia head coach confirmed that starters Nicktroy Fortune and Mike O'Laughlin are out for the remainder of the season. Nicktroy Fortune, a starter at defensive back, is out with a leg injury.  Fortune, a junior, is listed out with a leg injury.  Fortune has played in seven games this season and has accounted for 16 tackles. In addition, starting tight end Mike O'Laughlin is out for the season as well.  O'Laughlin has struggled with a leg injury all season.  O'Laughlin has played in six games this season and has 11 receptions for 65 yards.

JT Daniels and Jarret Doege Are More Similar Than You May Think

(Photo by WVU Athletics)    When news broke that former Georgia quarterback J.T. Daniels was transferring to WVU, fans were ecstatic. Though his career hadn’t turned out quite the way that he had planned, he would still have a chance to catch fire in the Old Gold and Blue. Well, folks, we are eight games into his stint in Morgantown. He has been far from bad, but his stats aren’t necessarily jumping off the page, either. Actually, when you take a look at his stats, they are eerily similar to one former Mountaineer’s stats through eight games. Who could that be? The answer may surprise you. Jarret Doege. In 2021, Doege connected on 169 of 255 passes (66%) for 2,071 yards and 11 touchdowns to 7 interceptions through eight games. He had also helped his squad accumulate a 4-4 record which included a 38-31 victory over a nationally ranked Iowa State squad. As for Daniels, he has connected on 185 of 293 passes (63%) for 1,961 yards and 12 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. His squad has a record of 3-5, and no victories over a ranked foe. While Daniels may have the better touchdown-interception ration, Doege had a better completion percentage, more yards, and a better record. Granted Doege did have a MUCH better defense to work with, but stats are stats. Doege simply had more success through eight game last season than Daniels has had this season. But let’s also take a look at something else that had helped this outcome - Doege had more to work with. He had 1,000 yard rusher Leddie Brown in the backfield, and more seasoned targets at receiver. Daniels, on the other hand, is working with a lot of youth all around. Minus the experienced offensive line, many of his receivers and running backs are relatively youthful. This does play huge dividends on the signal-caller’s performance. If you are shocked by these stats, that’s no surprise. I am, too, and so will many others. Is J.T. Daniels better than Doege? In my opinion, yes. However, Doege does have something to argue here. So we have to ask the question - how much of an improvement over Doege was Daniels? We will have to wait until season’s conclusion to truly know.