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The Big 12 will be implementing anti-racism and social justice ads during games this season, Dave Wilson, a writer for ESPN, reports. There are currently two ads that will run during Big 12 Conference games, starting this weekend. Teams will also be wearing a social justice patch on their jerseys, and a black Big 12 unity sticker on the back of their helmets. Wilson would continue that Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby also spoke of the possibility of allowing players on the field during the National Anthem. Bowlsby stayed that systemic racism is a “problem,” and that he hopes the conference can “make progress” for the issue.

(Photo by WVU Athletics)  It seems like yesterday that Will Grier was lighting up the scoreboards in Morgantown. The Florida transfer came to West Virginia with a lot of promise and left with his name all over the record books for the Mountaineers. Now that nearly five years have passed since he last suited up for the Old Gold & Blue, fans have had the time to process his career as a whole and assess where he stands in the history of Mountaineer Football. Including myself. It’s no secret that I absolutely HATED Grier’s decision to sit out the 2018 Camping World Bowl. If you would have asked me what I thought of Grier at the time of the news, I probably would have said that he didn’t even deserve to be considered a Mountaineer. I was THAT infuriated. However, as time has went on, I have simmered down on the topic. It took me a little while, but I finally realized just how insignificant the bowl game against Syracuse was. Grier had his eyes set on the NFL and wanted to protect his future for his family. That was a respectable decision and my reaction was purely out of fan emotion. With that being said, I figured it was time for me to give my two cents on Will Grier’s time at West Virginia University. Looking at it from a distance, Grier’s stats would obviously rank him among the best in Mountaineer Football history. Here is where the North Carolina native ranks against other signal-callers in the major statistical categories for the Mountaineers: Career passing yards (7,354) - 3rd Career passing touchdowns (71) - 2nd 300-yard passing games (19) - 1st Completions (516) - 5th  Longest pass (82 yards) - 7th  *Stats per WVUStats.com* Those are numbers that virtually any quarterback would love to put up in college. Matched with Offensive Coordinator Jake Spavital, Grier lit up opposing defenses seemingly every weekend, and even found himself finishing 4th in the 2018 Heisman Trophy voting. With so many accolades, why is Grier still such a hot topic of conversation with fans? Shouldn’t he be a shoo-in as one of the best quarterbacks in Mountaineer Football history? Well, not exactly. Though Grier had the stats, he simply didn’t have the big moments that his counterparts did. You can argue his two-point conversion against Texas, sure. That will be a moment that will live in the memory of Mountaineer fans forever, but outside of being what was obviously an exciting play, it really wasn’t all that significant in the grand scheme of things. The Mountaineers did not win the Big 12 in 2018 nor did they even secure a spot in the title game. Had they at least competed for the crown, this would have been a moment of significance for the team. The lack of accomplishments will be what ultimately hinder Grier’s time with the Mountaineers. That feat is not entirely his fault, but unfortunately a team’s success will fall back on the quarterback almost every time. WVU’s record with Will Grier at starting quarterback: Overall: 15-7  Big 12 play: 11-6  Bowl games: 0-0 Rivals: 0-1 (Virginia Tech, 2017)  Highest Big 12 finish: 4th  Despite the video game-like numbers, Will Grier’s career in Morgantown was sadly not one that will ever be seen by me as an “all-time great.” It was fun and flashy, but the substance to be considered legendary simply isn’t there. Grier will ultimately remembered as a “what could have been” rather than a “what was.” As for where he ranks in company of quarterbacks at WVU? I’m not sure. That’s another article for another time. However, should I ever decide to write that article, you can expect there to be quite a few names above his.

(Photo by WVU Athletics) Heading into his fifth season in Morgantown, it’s no secret that Neal Brown’s seat is scorching hot. The former Troy head coach has accumulated a record of 22-25 during his time with the Mountaineers. Fans all across the Mountain State have been calling for his job, and rightfully so. Though things have quickly come undone, he will have the opportunity to turn things around. If Brown would like to get this thing started off on the right track, he must begin to swing the narrative now as the Mountaineers approach spring camp. One characteristic of Brown that has become apparent is his optimism. Even last season when the team was in the midst of a near collapse, he still remained as positive as he could be. During the offseason, his “coach’s talk” will either have you ready to run through a wall or roll your eyes. Once he steps up to the podium this April, it would be a shock if he  portrays brute honesty about the 2023 team. However, if Brown wants to keep the small amount of fans still in his corner there, that may just be the approach he has to take. This does not mean he has to be negative, but if there is an area that the team is clearly lacking in then let the fans know. Don’t spend the majority of your time telling fans things are fine when they clearly aren’t. Should Brown continue to exaggerate the skill of the Mountaineers, what credibility he has has left in West Virginia will be gone. Fans, alumni, donors, and even casual spectators will likely at that point be ready to move on - if they haven’t reached that point already. No, coming out and saying that the team isn’t in a stable place to compete will not save his job. Nothing but a winning season will do that. Being straightforward will instead set the expectations of the fans going into 2023. It will alleviate some disappointment and lessen the blow of what could possibly be the worst season in over two decades. Mountaineer Nation, who is one of the most loyal fanbases in collegiate sports, deserves that much. West Virginia begins spring camp on Tuesday. The five week camp will conclude on April 22nd with the Gold-Blue Spring Game. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m., and fans can purchase their tickets on WVUGame.com. https://twitter.com/wvufootball/status/1623700232365125633?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw  

Shortly ago, the Mountaineers landed a new defensive player in the form of Caleb Coleman from the junior college ranks.   https://twitter.com/calebctwenty20/status/1397004138043645953?s=21 Coleman plays safety and cornerback, which are positions of need for WVU. He is a member of the 2021 class, coming in at a time that Jordan Lesley and his unit needed him most. He played his junior college ball at Hutchinson C.C., and also held FBS offers from Washington State and Western Kentucky, per 247Sports. Coleman stands at 6’2” and weighs 180-pounds - the ideal size for a Big 12 defensive back.

Colleges all across the nation are reopening their doors to students this month, and are doing so with proper COVID-19 protocols in place. However, these protocols don’t necessarily always guarantee success. Today, the University of North Carolina became the first major university to have to change its course due to COVID-19. https://twitter.com/dailytarheel/status/1295440468801736706?s=21 According to multiple sources, UNC reported 135 new cases of COVID-19 on campus, prompting the university to switch to fully remote classes for the fall semester. This brings the total number of cases on campus to 324, but the troubling bit of news is that there are only four quarantine dorms remaining for students. Many sports analysts across the nation immediately jumped on this story, pleading doom and gloom for college sports — football in particular — this fall. However, the Tar Heel Athletic Department has since released a statement, and are still on track to compete this fall. https://twitter.com/goheels/status/1295483162768756736?s=21 According to the statement, UNC athletes will continue to take online classes and will remain at their residence, whether it be on or off campus. They will continue to follow protocols put into place by the university and health officials. While this may be a relief to many, instances like this will only continue to pop-up across the nation. Though UNC has reacted in a rational manner, many poorly led universities may struggle to have any sort of competence in a situation like this. It is sad to say, but this may be pegged later on as the beginning of the end of fall sports in 2020. It can be controlled, and the number of cases is small percentage-wise as compared to the entire campus — but as we have seen with the Big Ten and Pac-12, never rule out the possibility of a knee-jerk reaction. Hopefully College Football can continue to press forward, but there may be too many people who care nothing about the sport in decision-making positions.

(Photo by WVU Athletics) Sports and video game fans everywhere are ecstatic for the return of the beloved NCAA Football game in 2024. Following a decade hiatus, NIL now gives players the opportunity to profit off of their own likeness, paving the way for the franchise's return. Many have wondered if the players we see on the field will be exactly who are featured in the game. Past versions of NCAA Football used the player's likeness, but were not able to use their exact names due to NCAA rules. According to a report from Michael Rothstein of ESPN, every FBS player will now be eligible to appear in the game in light of a new deal struck with EA Sports. https://twitter.com/mikerothstein/status/1658813777922367496?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Players who wish to have their likeness in the game will receive a compensation check for doing so. Those who choose not to opt-in will receive a random name and likeness in their places on the rosters. EA Sports College Football has yet to receive an official release date, but will arrive sometime during the summer of 2024. The game is expected to be available on "next-gen" consoles only.

(Photo by WVU Athletics)    The recognition is continuing to pile in for the best that the Mountaineers had to offer during the 2020 season. https://twitter.com/philsteele042/status/1347242474209746944?s=21 Phil Steele, a highly respected sports writer that covers College Football, released his Postseason All American and All Conference teams this afternoon. Throughout his four teams, several Mountaineers received recognition, with four in particular being named to his first team for the Big 12. Steele named running back Leddie Brown, defensive linemen Darius and Dante Stills, and safety Tykee Smith all to his All-Big 12 first team. However, the names affiliated with the Old Gold and Blue didn’t stop there. Several Mountaineers were listed throughout his four teams in the Big 12. They are as listed below:   2nd team: WR Winson Wright, OL Michael Brown, LB Tony Fields 3rd team: DL Akheem Mesidor, CB Alonzo Addae 4th team: QB Jarret Doege, OL Chase Behrndt, CB Dreshun Miller   The future is bright in Morgantown, and it is because tremendous players like these gentlemen are leading the program. Let’s Go Mountaineers!   

Today was a huge day for Jordan Lesley and the Mountaineer defense. Earlier this afternoon, WVU made an addition through the transfer portal in the form of Tomiwa Durojaiye out of Kentucky.   https://twitter.com/TomiwaDurojaiye/status/1656694724185538568?s=20   Durojaiye is a defensive lineman who was a part of Kentucky's 2022 signing class. Despite appearing in three games for the season, the Delaware native accumulated no statistics for the campaign. He was a three-star prospect, per 247Sports, and held offers from Michigan, Maryland, and Iowa among many others coming out of high school. He is a monster addition for a defense that is lacking at the lineman position. Standing at 6'4" and weighing 255 pounds, he will be a lot for opposing offensive lines to handle in 2023.

(Photo via WVU)  It has been over two decades since former WVU Tight End Anthony Becht suited up for the Old Gold & Blue. The Pennsylvania native spent the entirety of his collegiate career (1996-1999) in Morgantown, tallying 83 catches for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns. This would propel him to his opportunity at the NFL where he would play for five different teams over twelve years. After his retirement, Becht spent some time in the broadcast booth with ESPN before trying his hand at coaching. His first chance to be a head coach came in 2019 with the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football (AAF). This wouldn’t last long, however, as the league went under before their first season in-operation was even complete. It would take him four years, but Becht has once again landed a head coaching gig - this time in the XFL. In the league now owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Becht was selected as the Head Coach of the St. Louis BattleHawks. The organization participated in their first game of the 2023 spring season yesterday, and to say it was one for the ages would be an understatement. Trailing 15-3 with less than two minutes to play, Becht and the BattleHawks used the league’s progressive rules to their advantage en route to a come-from-behind 18-15 victory over the San Antonio Brahmas. https://twitter.com/espn/status/1627443076644888580?s=46&t=-NGiFXRmWt9v_E3K7W7q2w The game was widely regarded as the best of opening weekend for the league. With many praising the team’s fight and unwillingness to go down, it’s easy to assume that Becht will be a rising star in the coaching ranks before we know it. Becht and the BattleHawks (1-0) travel to take on the Seattle Sea Dragons (0-1) this Thursday. The game is set for a 9 p.m. kickoff and will be televised on FX.

Last season, WVU failed to have a single player rush for over 100 yards in a game - they have had three such performances in two games in 2020. In the season opening win over Eastern Kentucky, Leddie Brown and Alec Sinkfield each ran for 123 yards and two scores. Yesterday against Oklahoma State, Sinkfield would be held in check, but Brown would once again be dominant in the running game.   After finishing with his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game - 26 carries for 104 yards - it is clear who the leader of the Mountaineer offense is. In just a year’s time after fielding what was the worst rushing offense in school history, WVU has life from the running back position. If the Mountaineers want to find any life at all in Big 12 play, the offense has to run through Leddie Brown. He runs hard, he runs angry, and he appears to have finally arrived. Brown has proven to be a hard man to bring down, and consistently breaks runs to the second level. The key to offensive success is to feed him on early downs. Neal Brown came to the Mountaineers with an air raid background, but moving forward he may have to take the air out of the ball. When you have a player like Leddie in the backfield who has the potential that he does, you have to change your mindset altogether.   Mimicking the 2015 Mountaineer team may be WVU’s best bet in 2020. The found success through their own “number four” in the backfield in Wendell Smallwood, and rode him all the way to an 8-5 record and a bowl win. Leddie Brown has the same ability that Smallwood had to take over a ball game, and wear down a defense. Allowing him to carry the team from here on out is the Mountaineers’ best shot at bowl eligibility this season.   JUST FEED LEDDIE 

MORGANTOWN, WV - Former WVU Linebacker Lee Kpogba has his eyes set on the future. Moments ago, the talented linebacker officially declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, via social media. In two seasons with the Mountaineers, the North Carolina native tallied 189 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 1 pass deflection, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. Kpogba transferred to WVU prior to the 2022 season after spending two seasons with Syracuse and one with East Mississippi Community College. He finished his collegiate career with an overall PFF grade of A. (Photo by WVU Athletics) 

The Mountaineers continue to receive votes in the latest AP Poll. Morgantown, WV - Moments ago, the Associated Press released their latest Top 25 Poll for week seven. The Mountaineers, who are coming off of a bye week, climbed up the polls with more votes in their favor. Despite not cracking the Top 25, West Virginia gained 21 votes this week finishing with 26 - good enough to place them 31st in the nation. https://Twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1711078750186610958?s=20 WVU has not made the Top 25 under Neal Brown, but will have the opportunity to do so with a Thursday night road game against Houston this week. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on FS1. (Photo by WVU Athletics) 

(Photo by WVU Athletics)    If a recent report from ESPN stands true, Neal Brown will be returning to WVU’s sidelines in 2023. The new athletic director will be giving Brown one season to prove his worth before making the decision to go in a different direction. One of Brown’s biggest faults in Morgantown has been his unwillingness to make changes. However, now that his job will literally be on the line, he will have to make the hard decisions. Here are FIVE things that Neal Brown MUST do in order to be successful in 2023: Hit the Transfer Portal Hard  The Mountaineers are lacking at several key positions, especially on defense. The youth and inexperience of the secondary cost West Virginia dearly in 2022. Brown must reach out to players in the portal, and bring in some experience to help his team out. The Mountaineers need veterans, and they need them now. 2. Part Ways with Assistant Coaches  Neal Brown is big on loyalty, and that is absolutely crippling him. Coaches like ShaDon Brown and Matt Moore have absolutely no business being coaches at the Power Five level. Graham Harrell and Jordan Lesley can stay, but he must upgrade those he has in charge of the positions. 3. Garrett Greene or Nicco Marchiol Must Start We have seen all we needed to see of J.T. Daniels. He was good at times, but he just isn’t what the Mountaineers need in order to be successful. West Virginia needs a quarterback that has some speed to them - someone who can get out of the pocket when things get tough. Garrett Greene or Nicco Marchiol will give WVU the best chance to win in 2023. Don’t sleep on Will Crowder, either. 4. Forget Analytics/Be Less Conservative  Analytics can be helpful in coaching, but basing every decision off of them will ultimately bite you. Take the Pitt game for example. If Neal Brown goes for it on 4th & 1, the Mountaineers get the first down and win the game. Just like that, the entire season is different. You can’t win big games unless you take big chances. Quit being conservative. 5. Open Up the Damn Playbook I can’t tell you how many times this season I would be in the stands calling the next play. “Here comes a bubble screen!” ”Shocker! Zone read with a quarterback who can’t run!” Brown needs to trust his players more. He is doing the team no favors letting things be so conservative. Let the leash loose. Unleash hell on the opponent. Throw things at them they won’t see coming.   It is not set in stone that Brown will be back in 2023. But with ESPN reporting it…I find it hard to doubt. This program is on the brink of absolute collapse. I would give Brown the first three games to get things right. 9/2: at Penn State 9/9: Duquesne  9/16: Pitt    If WVU comes out of this stretch 1-2, and still making dumb mistakes, I would pull the plug on Brown immediately. Give an interim coach like Graham Harrell prove whether or not he’d be worthy of the job. If not; then move on entirely. It will be a very interesting next ten months in Morgantown.    

Musician Charles Wesley Godwin visited WVU’s latest fall camp practice on Monday. Morgantown, WV - The West Virginia University Mountaineers are no stranger to being the underdog. Heading into the 2023 season, they are projected to be the worst team in the Big 12 Conference - selected 14th in the preseason polls. As if that wasn’t enough motivation for them, the inspirational speech that they received at their latest fall camp session will likely have them ready to run through a wall. Head Coach Neal Brown welcomed renowned musician Charles Wesley Godwin to the practice field today. Godwin gave a brief message to the team, and it was certainly one that will leave an impact moving forward. The Morgantown native knows what it’s like to be doubted. As evident in his speech, Godwin used “2:20” as motivation for his music career. While performing in Kentucky, him and his band were given that time slot, and not given the same amount of respect that those who played after him garnered. Godwin made the connection between his “2:20” motivation, and WVU’s potential to use “14th” in the same capacity moving forward - referencing their selection at 14th in the Big 12 Preseason Poll. Watch the incredible speech in the post listed below. https://twitter.com/wvufootball/status/1688628304360747008?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw   (Photo by WVU Athletics) 

Arizona State Athletic Director Ray Anderson has apologized for his comments on WVU earlier in the week. Tempe, AZ - Earlier this week, Arizona State Athletic Director Ray Anderson made some comments about Morgantown and WVU that were questionable to say the least. When discussing his university’s move to the Big 12, he listed Morgantown by name and proclaimed that he had no interest in making the trip when WVU and the Sun Devils meet in athletics. “I’m not going to Morgantown.” While many did not appreciate the comment, Anderson made it clear that he meant nothing by it, and that he has also called Wren Baker to apologize. In an interview on the Bickley & Marotta podcast through Arizona Sports, Anderson spoke about the comments and his apology to Baker and the Mountaineers. https://twitter.com/azsports/status/1689302303197855744?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw   “Although those comments were said in jest and taken out of context, they were clumsy comments from me that I sincerely regret…” ”So I called Wren on Monday and we had a chance to talk and I explained the context. He graciously accepted my apology and certainly said he’d pass it on to their President Gordon Gee…” Arizona Sports has a full report on this situation on their website. https://twitter.com/azsports/status/1689310664547086336?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw (Photo by WVU Athletics)