West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene has a lot of weight on his shoulders this fall, and the pressure will start at its peak in the Mountaineers’ week one Big Noon Kickoff against Penn State.
The game will mark the second straight season opener between the two teams, as the Mountaineers fell to the Nittany Lions 38-15 in State College, Pa. last September. Greene was held to 16/27 passing for 162 yards compared to Penn State junior Drew Allar’s 21/29 passing for 325 yards and three touchdowns.
Greene was more productive in the run game than Allar last year, rushing 15 times for 71 yards and a touchdown while Allar had just four carries for a one-yard gain. Overall, though, Penn State’s quarterback seemed like the favorable option in 2023, but when previewing the rematch on Monday, Greene’s nerves were at an all-time low.
“I think anxiety only comes when you’re not prepared, and I think we’ve done a good job this whole week of preparing well,” Greene said.
Greene and the Mountaineers still recognize the importance of this game to the fans and the pressure that comes with that. At the end of the day, though, Greene says playing football is the same as it has been since high school for him, only at a higher level for himself, his teammates, and his opponents.
Regardless, WVU and its fans will be shooting for revenge in week one. With last season’s matchup being Greene’s first week as WVU’s primary starter, Penn State caught him at a time he was still feeling out the roster.
“I didn’t trust the guys in front of me,” Greene said.
With a successful 9-4 season in the books, though, Greene is now very familiar with just about all of his targets, with an offense consisting of 83.8% returners. Unlike last season, Greene feels comfortable and prepared for week one.
Greene’s teammates share that sentiment, and with so many returning players, the team is unified in a way that Greene says will give them an edge over any opponent.
“The guys in the locker room are really really close,” Greene said. “They truly do care about each other… I’m looking forward to playing with those guys and getting this thing kicked off on Saturday.”
As for what Penn State brings to the table, Greene knows where the defensive threats will be coming from and is ready for the challenge.
“Their defense really starts with their two edge rushers. I think (Abdul Carter) and (Dani Dennis-Sutton) are really really good players. They’re super talented, they’re long, they get off the ball fast,” Greene said.
Greene also shouted out senior Jaylen Reed as a potential threat after moving to nickelback from safety.
“They have talent everywhere, but for us it’s just about executing.”
Garrett Greene will look to lead the West Virginia Mountaineers to their first win of a meaningful season at noon on Saturday in Morgantown. Gates will open at Milan Puskar Stadium’s Mountaineer Field at 10:30 a.m.
Photo by Aaron Parker, Blue Gold Sports
