A review of the 2022 WVU football team | West Virginia University Sports

— West Virginia would beat the groups anticipated to be 1-2-3 in the convention: Baylor Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.

— Former 5-star quarterback recruit JT Daniels would switch in from Georgia and take over the QB position.

— WVU would uncover a star working again in JT Daniels and have extra depth at the place than it has had since the Rich Rodriguez/Bill Stewart days.

— WVU’s offensive line would mature right into a strong unit with a famous person at heart Zach Frazier.

— That All-American defensive sort out Dante Stills would unexpectedly return to play out his eligibility and break the college profession document in tackles for losses.

What did not occur in 2022 was WVU’s football fortunes being revitalized and, as a substitute, the Mountaineers had their third sub-.500 document in 4 years below Neal Brown as its failures threw the complete athletic division into turmoil.

Fans spent a lot of the 12 months calling for Coach Neal Brown’s dismissal, which did not occur as a result of it was financially unfeasible on account of a $20 million buyout clause in his contract.

Instead, the man who was fired was the man who gave him that buyout, athletic director Shane Lyons.

Facing one of the hardest schedules in the nation that included not solely 9 Big 12 video games however two Power 5 rivalry encounters with Pitt and Virginia Tech, ravaged by transfers and accidents, Brown couldn’t subject a profitable team in a 12 months the place that appeared to be a necessity.

He’d been given the instruments with amenities by no means earlier than imagined, been given a brand new offensive coordinator in Graham Harrell, who was purported to take the offensive game-calling pressures off of him, however by some means it by no means match collectively.

The most beautiful of the many transfers was that of defensive sort out Akheem Mesidor, who was being counted upon to affix Dante Stills to make up one of the nation’s most feared defensive traces and go rushes.

The warmth was on Brown from the begin as expectations had been excessive with the renewal of the Backyard Brawl. Pitt had gained the ACC final 12 months however the Mountaineers actually believed with the addition of Harrell as offensive coordinator and Daniels at quarterback they may win the recreation.

It was extra of an occasion than a football recreation, the largest crowd ever to see a sporting occasion in Pittsburgh (70,622) crammed Acrisure Stadium and had been supplied with a thriller which the Panthers gained, 38-31.

The recreation ended with WVU’s Reese Smith seemingly making a fourth-down diving catch at the Panther 1, solely to have replay accurately overturn the name on the subject, permitting the Panthers to take two knees and run out the clock.

It was a recreation WVU gave away as the profitable landing got here when Bryce Ford-Wheaton, who had 9 catches on the day and a landing, let a go slip by means of his palms and into the palms of cornerback M.J. Devonshire, who ran it again 56 yards for the rating with 2:58 left.

But WVU followers had been even madder a few fourth and three teaching determination to punt at midfield with a 31-24 lead. The conservative method appeared to work as they gave Pitt the ball at it is personal 8 and the Panthers went down the subject for the tying rating.

There was one true ray of sunshine by means of this recreation as JC Donaldson, a good finish turned working again, had an incredible debut, speeding for a 44-yard acquire on his first Mountaineer carry, ending with 125 floor yards along with blocking a Panther punt at the Pitt 19.

The pot now was boiling and when the dwelling opener, performed in the rain, became a 55-42 extra time loss to a much-improved Kansas team, the warmth now was turned up on Brown.

WVU’s protection may cease nothing as Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels handed for 3 touchdowns and accounted for 304 yards of complete offense whereas throwing for touchdowns.

Spirits soared after pounding Towson State and overwhelming Virginia Tech, 33-10, to maintain the Black Diamond Trophy.

WVU could not construct on these two wins, nevertheless, as Texas scored on 4 of its first 5 possessions in constructing a 28-7 halftime lead, burying the Mountaineer floor recreation. The Longhorns had been helped by two third-down and one fourth-down drops by WVU receivers.

“It was a disappointing first half for us. They took control and I felt like they won the game within the first 15 minutes,” Brown stated.

WVU got here dwelling for its third Thursday night time recreation of the nonetheless younger season and scored a tense, 43-40 victory over Baylor, the pre-season favourite to win the league championship.

There was no protection performed in the recreation, the two combining for 1,090 yards, Placekicker Casey Legg would win it with a 22-yard subject with 33 seconds left.

The recreation would have a scary second as Donaldson’s day was lower brief when he suffered a concussion and laid immobile on the subject for quarter-hour as gamers kneeled round him silently earlier than he was carted off to the locker room.

WVU’s momentum from the victory didn’t carry over as the Mountaineers did not present up at Texas Tech, dropping to the Red Raiders for the fourth straight time, 48-10.

“I am as disappointed as I have ever been as a football coach in my entire career,” Brown admitted.

Homecoming was subsequent, and unbeaten TCU was the opponent. WVU put issues collectively for this one and fought a gallant battle earlier than dropping, 41-31.

“Our kids competed,” Brown stated. “People can be upset with me, that’s fine, but those kids battled today.”

Donaldson rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns, the freshman’s fourth 100-yard recreation of the 12 months, however it might be his remaining recreation as he suffered a damaged ankle on a 1-yard acquire.

With Donaldson out and JT Daniels struggling towards Iowa State’s Big 12-leading defensive, passing for simply 81 yards, he was relieved by Garrett Greene, WVU misplaced, 31-14, to the Cyclones.

WVU now moved on to Oklahoma, the convention’s long-time powerhouse now struggling by means of a troublesome season after coach Lincoln Riley moved on to USC.

The Mountaineers had nearly defeated the Sooners the earlier season however gave up an extended, clock-consuming drive at the finish to lose.

This time they figured a method to finish their 10-game dropping streak to the Sooners, profitable 23-20 as Garrett Greene got here off the bench in the second quarter and willed the Mountaineers to the victory, not secured till Casey Legg’s second game-winning subject objective of the season.

WVU had two video games left, and to develop into bowl eligible, they needed to win each of them, however eventual Big 12 champion Kansas State put collectively a workmanlike 48-31 victory behind again up quarterback Will Howard.

The season ended with WVU taking benefit of the struggling Oklahoma State Cowboys, as soon as No. 6 in the nation however ending at 7-5, 4-5 in the Big 12, after a 24-19 loss to WVU.

Freshman Jaylen Anderson rushed to the forefront with two lengthy TD runs and 155 speeding yards whereas Greene and Nicco Marchiol gave the Mountaineers quarterbacking that allowed them to complete at 5-7.

WVU had misplaced seven straight instances to Oklahoma State.

Days after the season ended, WVU introduced that Lyons had been fired and Brown would return for the 2023 season.

That similar day, Nov. 3, defensive sort out Dante Stills was named to the All-Big 12 defensive team for the second straight 12 months and heart Zach Frazier was named to the all-conference offensive team whereas extensive receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton earns second team honors and declares he’s bypassing his remaining 12 months of eligibility to enter the NFL draft.

The Mountaineers closed out the 12 months by filling holes in the early signing dates, with the prize recruit being Rodney Gallagher, a proficient two-sport star from close by Laurel Highlands High in Uniontown.

“Rodney was probably as integral as a recruit that we’ve had here in my tenure,” Brown stated. “We handled him like an area participant the complete time. It was integral that we went and obtained him. It was most likely as pleasing a recruiting course of as I’ve ever been concerned with.

“He’s the pride of Uniontown, Laurel Highlands High School. He’s going to bring a big group. Every time I’ve been to a basketball game, it’s standing room only. Every time I go to a football game, and I’ve seen a number of them, it’s standing room only I think we’ll have some Rodney Gallagher effect here, too.”

Brown additionally aimed to enhance his go rush, which was decimated by the line of defense being nearly worn out by transfers and graduations.