West Virginia is set to kickoff their 2022 season on Thursday and on Monday, they released their first depth chart for the 2022 season. There are still a few question marks that will play out for the remainder of the week, but overall, the starters have been announced for the Backyard Brawl.
The biggest storyline opening the season for the Mountaineers is who will be the starting quarterback. The Mountaineers brought two new guys into the quarterback room in transfer JT Daniels and true freshman Nicco Marchiol. Daniels was picked as the starter, while Marchiol along with returners Garrett Greene and Will Crowder are all still fighting for the backup spot.
As far as the rest of the offense goes, the only question marks remain on the offensive line and at the tight end position. West Virginia head coach Neal Brown said the Mountaineers are going to play seven offensive lineman and three tight ends.
On the offensive line, at the right tackle position, the starter has not been decided as both Ja’Quay Hubbard and Brandon Yates are still fighting for the starting spot. While at the tight end spot, Brown lists Brian Polendey and Mike O’Laughlin, with O’Laughlin coming back from a season-ending lower-body injury a year ago.
“I expect to play seven up front,” Brown said of his offensive line. “There’s three running backs that are going to play. There’s three tight ends that are going to play.”
On defense, it is more of the same from the Mountaineers. Most positions have been decided, but with the plan according to Brown to use a lot of bodies, the name of the player who starts will not matter at most positions.
“Sometimes who starts doesn’t matter as much as who finishes,” Brown said. “We’re going to play a large number of bodies in the opener.”
That rotation piece can be seen on defense with Jared Bartlett and Lanell Carr still battling for the starting BANDIT spot, while Davis Mallinger and Jasir Cox are both listed for the SPEAR position. Then at one of the corner spots there is still a battle between Rashad Ajayi and Wesley McCormick, but still expect both to play.
On special teams, all has been decided but punter. The Mountaineers will have Kolten McGhee or Oliver Straw on punt duties, and then on punt returner, expect a trio of wide receivers to get work in Sam James, Reese Smith, and Preston Fox.
FULL DEPTH CHART
Offense
WR (X): Bryce Ford-Wheaton
Cortez Braham
LT: Wyatt Milum
Nick Malone
LG: James Gmiter
Tomas Rimac
C: Zach Frazier
Jordan White
RG: Doug Nester
Jordan White
RT: Brandon Yates OR Ja’Quay Hubbard
TE (H): Brian Polendey OR Mike O’Laughlin
WR (Y): Sam James
Preston Fox
WR (H) Reese Smith
Graeson Malashevich
WR (Z): Kaden Prather
Jeremiah Aaron
QB: JT Daniels
Nicco Marchiol OR Will Crowder OR Garrett Greene
RB: Tony Mathis
Justin Johnson
Defense
DT: Dante Stills
Edward Vesterinen
Jalen Thorton
Zeiqui Lawton
NG: Jordan Jefferson
Mike Lockhart
DE: Taijh Alston
Sean Martin
BANDIT: Jared Bartlett OR Lanell Carr
WLB: Lance Dixon
Exree Loe
MLB: Lee Kpogba
Tirek Austin-Cave
Caden Biser
SPEAR: Davis Mallinger OR Jasir Cox
LCB: Rashad Ajayi OR Wesley McCormick
RS: Aubrey Burks
Hershey McLaurin
CS: Marcis Floyd
Malachi Ruffin
RCB: Charles Woods
Andrew Wilson-Lamp
Special Teams
K: Casey Legg
Parker Grothaus
H: Graeson Malashevich
P: Kolten McGhee OR Oliver Straw
KO: Parker Grothaus
Danny King
LS: Austin Brinkman
KOR: Sam James
Davis Mallinger
PR: Sam James OR Reese Smith OR Preston Fox
