Football

MORGANTOWN, WV - Moments ago, the Big 12 Conference officially revealed their football schedule for the 2024 season. The West Virginia Mountaineers, coming off of a 9-4 season, were will play five home games, and four away games in conference play. The following is the official 2024 schedule for WVU Football: August 31st: PENN STATE September 7th: ALBANY September 14th: at PITT September 21st: KANSAS October 5th: at OKLAHOMA STATE October 12th: IOWA STATE October 19th: KANSAS STATE October 26th: at ARIZONA November 7/8th: at CINCINNATI November 16th: BAYLOR November 23rd: UCF November 30th: at TEXAS TECH What is your prediction for the upcoming season? (Photo by WVU Athletics) https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1752361824643645708?s=20

MORGANTOWN, WV - Hudson Clement had quite the freshman season in Morgantown. After receiving praise all through fall camp, the redshirt freshman splashed onto the scene with a big three touchdown effort against Duquesne. He finished the 2023 season with 22 catches for 480 yards and four touchdowns. Earlier today, Clement saw his name included among the best freshman receivers in all of college football. According to Pro Football Focus, Clement finished with a 78.3 grade as a freshman, good enough for 5th-best in the nation. https://twitter.com/pff_college/status/1752001020010418681?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw The former Martinsburg Bulldog also finished with the impressive feat of being the highest graded freshman receiver against press coverage. https://twitter.com/pff_college/status/1752068346038653090?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Clement has quickly become a household name for the Mountaineers, and will have the opportunity to build on his resume as a key contributor in 2024. (Photo by WVU Athletics) 

Morgantown, WV - According to Matt Zenitz and Brandon Marcello of 247Sports, the West Virginia Mountaineers are expected to name Tyler Allen as their new quarterbacks coach. https://twitter.com/mzenitz/status/1751655240502276533?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Allen spent the 2023 season as an offensive analyst and special assistant to the head coach for the Mountaineers. He has previously served as the quarterbacks coach at Jacksonville State. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates.

MORGANTOWN, WV - Last night, it was reported by 247Sports that WVU Quarterbacks Coach Sean Reagan had been hired by Troy as their new offensive coordinator. The news came as a shock to everyone, but considering that Troy just hired Gerad Parker as head coach, it made perfect sense for Reagan to make the move. Now, Head Coach Neal Brown is left scrambling to find a replacement for a quarterback room that is loaded with young talent. Brown has been on record stating that the program plans to recruit only mobile quarterbacks moving forward. Given his current stance on the quarterback position, there is a logical choice to replace Reagan in Morgantown. That man is WVU great Pat White. White played for the Mountaineers from 2005 to 2008, and left as arguably the most decorated quarterback in program history. He made his name using his incredible scrambling ability, and understands what it takes to make a difference with a particular skill set. Since the conclusion of his playing career, White has also found his way into the coaching scene. He spent the last two seasons as an offensive analyst for the Los Angeles Chargers, and has coached quarterbacks previously at Alabama State and Alcorn State. The Chargers recently made a coaching change that will likely leave White without an immediate home for the 2024 season. With some years under his belt, a return to Morgantown should ultimately be in the cards for the Alabama native. White would be the perfect coach to bring in a new era of mobile quarterbacks in Morgantown. The three primary quarterbacks on WVU’s roster heading in 2024, Garrett Greene, Nicco Marchiol, and Khalil Wilkins, all have the ability to make defense pay with their legs. Under the guidance of one of the best to ever do it, this quarterback room could quickly become a force to be reckoned with. Only time will tell if Brown will even consider White. But if he does, this could be the perfect marriage for the program moving forward.

MORGANTOWN, WV - After losing Dontae Wright to Troy, another WVU staff member has officially taken a job with the Trojans. According to Brandon Marcello and Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, Sean Reagan has been hired as Troy’s offensive coordinator. https://twitter.com/mzenitz/status/1751442591583809884?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Reagan has been on WVU’s coaching staff since 2019. He spent his time with the Mountaineers primarily as the quarterbacks coach, but also coached tight ends in 2022. This marks his third stint with Troy. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates. (Photo via WVU Football on YouTube) 

MORGANTOWN, WV - We may only be one month removed from the 2023 WVU Football season, but this has not kept fans from looking ahead for what’s to come. For the first time in what seems like forever, there is some serious buzz surrounding the program. Neal Brown, who was on the hot seat going into 2023, did arguably the best job of defying odds in the nation. The Mountaineers, projected to finish dead-last in the Big 12 in 2023, finished in the top four of the conference with a 9-4 record. Most of the team’s production will once again be suiting up in 2024, and expectations are officially through the roof. Nobody has a crystal ball to truly tell the future, but that is what we are going to try to do today. Here are VOM’s 5 Way-Too-Early Predictions for WVU Football’s 2024 Season: Jahiem White wins Big 12 rushing title - To say that the Mountaineers struck gold with Jahiem White would be an understatement. The Pennsylvania native splashed onto the scene late in the 2023 season, finishing as the team’s leading rusher. Returning on an offense that led the Big 12 in rushing yards, it isn’t too far fetched to believe that White could win the conference’s rushing title. That’s exactly what we believe will happen. Look for a massive sophomore season from White. Garrett Greene vs Jalon Daniels is the game of the year - If Daniels and Greene can stay healthy next season, their scheduled matchup in Morgantown will be a memorable one. Both will be among the best quarterbacks in the Big 12, and will provide fireworks in the Mountain State. It may not reach the levels of WVU’s 70-63 win over Baylor in 2012, but it will certainly be featured among the top games on Sportscenter that night. WVU will be playing for a conference championship game spot in the season finale - We may not have the official schedule yet, but it’s easy to predict that the Mountaineers will be in the mix for the Big 12 title late in the game. Neal Brown has always said he wants to play meaningful football in November - this will be his first chance to do so on the sidelines of Milan Puskar Stadium. A close loss to Penn State does not keep WVU out of CFP discussions - The College Football Playoff officially moves to 12 teams in 2024. This will give more teams the opportunity to play for the ultimate title as the nation’s best. The Mountaineers will have their first slugfest with a potential College Football Playoff participant with Penn State on August 31st. While we expect WVU to lose a closely contested battle in their season opener, this will not keep them out of discussions for the extended playoffs late in the season. If WVU can take care of business in-league play, there’s no reason to believe they can’t be a dark-horse. Neal Brown receives contract extension - Love him or hate him, Neal Brown has quickly turned around WVU’s projection. It took him only one year to take his team as the presumed worst team in the Big 12 to a contender. With the success we expect him to have in 2024, we predict that Wren Baker will want to lock him down for the foreseeable future. Brace yourself for the impact of the news, haters. The Mountaineers have their guy in Brown. (Photo by WVU Athletics) 

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- According to 247 Sports' Matt Zenitz, the West Virginia Mountaineers have hired a new defensive assistant coach! Zenitz posted the following message on social media moments ago: "West Virginia is expected to hire Appalachian State's Victor Cabral as outside linebackers coach. Aided by Cabral, App State improved this year to fourth in the Sun Belt in sacks and sixth in tackles for loss after ranking seventh and 12th in those categories in 2022." Cabral, 42, has experience coaching at Georgia Southern, Georgia Military, Samford and Applachian State. He also played college football at Georgia Southern and professionally for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. Here's Cabral's full coaching experience as posted on the Applachian State Football's official website. Coaching Experience 2005-06: Georgia Southern (Video/Quality control) 2007-09: Georgia Military (Defensive line/Special teams) 2010-13: Georgia Southern (Defensive line) 2014: Georgia Southern (Director of player personnel) 2015-17: Samford (Defensive line) 2018: Georgia Southern (Defensive line) 2019-21: Georgia Southern (Defensive line/Recruiting coordinator) 2023: App State (Defensive line) Playing Experience 2000-04: Georgia Southern (DL) 2005: Montreal Alouettes (DL) Alma Mater: Georgia Southern, 2006 Hometown: Naples, Fla. Birthdate: Dec. 31, 1982 in Toronto, Canada Wife: Erin Son: Zac Daughter: Lucy Twitter: @Coach_Cab https://twitter.com/mzenitz/status/1750573090734592235?s=20

MORGANTOWN, WV - Tavon Austin is a living legend in West Virginia. That is no secret. Millions across the nation remember him for his incredible senior highlight tape that was produced by DougityDog all the way back in 2013. To this day, fans still watch and consider it one of the best highlights of all time. Earlier today, a video was shared of Austin sharing this highlight tape with someone very special to him - his daughter. https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1748386948522397930?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw In the link above, Austin’s daughter is seen watching her father’s highlights with pure joy, quickly recognizing him. Austin has played for four different teams throughout his NFL career. He has tallied 244 receptions for 2,239 yards and 16 touchdowns. His production also carried over to the ground and return game with 1,361 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, and 3 punt return touchdowns.  

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- The West Virginia Mountaineers are coming off a 9-4 record with a huge bowl game win, but if they want to take another step forward in 2024, the coaching staff needs to add available elite talent from the transfer portal. While Neal Brown and his staff have collected commitments from several under-the-radar prospects during the offseason, they must be willing to pursue big-time talent when it becomes available. One such player entered the transfer portal today and West Virginia should do everything in their power to make him a Mountaineer as soon as possible. Kadyn Proctor, a 6'7 360 pound offensive tackle from Des Moines, Iowa, was the starting left tackle for the Alabama Crimson Tide last season. Following the announcement that Nick Saban would retire, Proctor entered the transfer portal and will be one of the hottest, most talented players available. Proctor, who was a Freshman All-American and 1st Team Freshman All-SEC, initially committed to his hometown Iowa Hawkeyes out of high school, but decommitted and decided to play at Alabama under Saban. Iowa will certainly be in the running for Proctor again, but if West Virginia is serious about making a run at the College Football Playoffs in 2024, they need to acquire the most elite players available in the portal. That's how college athletics works now, and West Virginia needs to make an outrageous offer for a player that could potentially push the Mountaineers into the Playoffs like Proctor. “He’s getting better,” Saban said in November. “He’s playing better. He has more confidence. I think he knows what to do, and because of that confidence, he — he was apprehensive sometimes about doing what he was supposed to do even when he knew what he was supposed to do. All of that comes with confidence.” When Proctor gains the confidence he needs, he has the potential to be the very best offensive lineman in the entire nation. Imagine Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson running behind an already-talented offensive line with the additions of Kadyn Proctor! If West Virginia is serious about competing for national championships, they need to be serious about adding the very best talent out there. Kadyn Proctor is a perfect first step. https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1747687155000861137?s=20

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- After a winning season and a dominant victory in its bowl game, the West Virginia Mountaineers football program will have extremely high expectations heading into the 2024 season. The Mountaineers were 9-4 overall in 2023 and beat the North Carolina Tarheels 30-10 in the Duke's Mayo Bowl, and they have a huge portion of their team returning. According to NCAAF Nation, a very popular social media account, the Mountaineers will compete for a spot in the newly-expanded 12 team playoffs. "The Big 12 will be a fun league next season," NCAAF Nation said in their "Way Too Early Top 32" rankings posted today on social media. "WVU (13th), Kansas (15th), Kansas State (18th), Utah (19th), Oklahoma State (22nd) and Arizona (25th) all have potential to win the league." After the bowl win, West Virginia head coach Neal Brown had the following to say about whether the Mountaineers belong in the Top 25 or not: "One of the great things about college football games is that you can win your last game. I think bowl games are meaningful and means a lot to us. I think we should be in the Top 25. I think we deserve that. I have a vote and I'll vote us in. And I think next season we should be a Top 25 preseason team." It will be interesting to see whether the Mountaineers can live up to high expectations for the first time under Neal Brown, or whether they'll fold under the pressure. With starting quarterback Garrett Greeen back in 2024, it's hard to imagine this team not being one of the top teams in the new Big 12 Conference next season. https://twitter.com/NCAAFNation247/status/1747626261587849462?s=20

MORGANTOWN, WV - Earlier this morning, the Mountaineers suffered another loss to the hands of the NCAA Transfer Portal. Luke Hamilton, a former Towson turned WVU fullback, has officially entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. https://twitter.com/rivalsportal/status/1747624345357218039?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Hamilton appeared in 12 games for the Mountaineers in 2023. He accumulated no offensive stats. He will be considered a graduate transfer.

MORGANTOWN, WV - WVU Head Coach Neal Brown has made it a point to retain in-state talent since he arrived in Morgantown. Players like Hudson Clement, Preston Fox, and Zach Frazier have proven that Brown has easily mastered this trait with the Mountaineers. Earlier this evening, Brown landed yet another homegrown talent. Independence High School (Coal City, WV) Athlete Trey Bowers III committed to West Virginia via X. https://twitter.com/tr3ybowers/status/1747359338191089843?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Bowers joins the 2024 class as a preferred walk-on. For his career, he tallied 7,020 career yards, 65 total touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and 1 defensive touchdown. (Photo by WVU Recruiting) 

MORGANTOWN, WV - It seems like a decade ago since Kerry Martin Jr. took the field for the Mountaineers. Following his departure from Morgantown, the West Virginia native landed on his feet with the Akron Zips. Now, following two season with the Zips, Martin is on the move once again. Earlier this morning, Martin announced his intentions of entering the NCAA Transfer Portal to exhaust his final year of eligibility. https://twitter.com/_thekerrymartin/status/1747244927078072321?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw In just under two seasons with the Mountaineers, Martin tallied 53 tackles, and 5 pass deflections. With the Zips, he improved his play with 98 tackles, 7 pass deflections, and 3 interceptions. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for more recruiting updates. (Photo by WVU Athletics) 

MORGANTOWN, WV - Neal Brown and the Mountaineers continue to add to an already impressive 2024 recruiting class. Moments ago, Quintin Goins, a defensive end prospect out of Jefferson High School in West Virginia, committed to WVU. https://twitter.com/quintin_goins/status/1746980028254921206?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Goins, despite not possessing a star rating from any major recruiting outlet, impressed West Virginia. He left camp WVU’s camp last summer with the Most Valuable Player award for the program. During his senior season with Jefferson, he tallied 67 tackles and 8 sacks. Goins has been offered by Sacred Heart University at the FCS level, and West Liberty, Fairmont State, and Frostburg State of the Division II level. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for more recruiting updates.

MORGANTOWN, WV - Moments ago, former WVU Safety/Wide Receiver Davis Mallinger officially announced his commitment to the Nevada Wolfpack. https://twitter.com/davismallinger1/status/1746932535022461289?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Mallinger, a member of the 2021 recruiting class, appeared in 14 career games. He spent his time primarily at safety, but moved to wide receiver during the 2023 offseason. Though he did not tally any statistics as a receiver, the Florida native racked up 28 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks as a defender. Mallinger entered the transfer portal prior to WVU’s regular season finale against Baylor.