Players to Watch: West Virginia Mountaineers

The Mountaineers run an aggressive brand of football, blitzing from all parts of the field on defense and playing a smashmouth version of the air raid that loves to run the ball but can play with tempo when they need to. Let’s take a look at a few of the impact players for the Mountaineers:

Quarterback Skyler Howard, No. 3

Coming out of Brewer High School in Fort Worth, Texas, the 6’0”, 207 pound Howard didn’t have a lot of football opportunities except to go to Stephen F. Austin, where he was told he’d be a running back. Insistent on playing quarterback, he transferred out to a junior college in California and did enough to merit an offer from at least one Power 5 program.

Head coach Dana Holgorsen laughed last week talking with a few ESPN reporters when asked how they stole Howard out of Big 12 country, “Well,” he explained  “we got him because we were the only ones who offered him.”

While he’s not likely to beat out Mahomes, Rudolph, Russell or Mayfield for a spot on the all-conference team, it’d be a sincere mistake to perceive him as a game manager.

A senior dual-threat player, Howard has blossomed in his third year in the system. He averages 303.5 passing yards and two touchdowns to .67 interceptions per game. Currently ranked in the top 15 in most statistics involving a quarterback (yards per pass attempt, passing yards per game, completion percentage, passing efficiency and total offense), Howard will be a load for the Cowboy defense on Saturday.

Wide Receiver Shelton Gibson, No. 1

The junior from Cleveland, Ohio is the primary threat when the ‘Neers need a big play. He led the team in receiving last year with 887 yards and nine touchdowns and is on pace to beat those numbers this year. The Army All-American had offers from Ohio State, Tennessee, Auburn and Nebraska, but chose to lead the air raid in Morgantown.

He’s currently No. 5 in the conference with over 80 yards per game, is a fantastic deep threat and  leads the league with over 20 yards per catch.  

According to Coach Holgorsen, “That guy can track the ball like I have never seen. Not only can he track it, he catches it well over his shoulder, but he tracks it and somehow he always finds another gear.” Electric with the ball in his hands, he’s the Mountaineer kick returner as well and that pushes him to No. 21 nationally in all-purpose yards.

Defensive End Noble Nwachukwu, No. 97

Stop me if you’ve heard this story before, son of Nigerian immigrants winds up playing Texas high school football, Big 12 team takes a chance on his development and he winds up an All-Big 12 talent? Nwachukwu played football at Wylie High in east Texas (across town from OSU receiver Marcel Ateman who was just a year younger) and the WVU staff took a chance on him, boy has it paid off.

A disruptive force, he led the team with 8.5 sacks last season and is having a solid fifth year leading the Mountaineer line. Tabbed preaseason All Big 12 and at the end of 2015, #97 is a difference maker on the edge.

Cornerback Rasul Doulas , No. 13

Another great human interest story, Douglas was one of seven in a single-parent home that worked hard to make it from a junior college just an hour outside of New York City. He thrived there, earning NJCAA All-American First Team and a four-star ranking as a recruit.

Stepping in for now-Carolina Panther Daryl Worley who finished second in the Big 12 in interceptions last year is redshirt senior Rasul Douglas, who happens to be No. 2 in the league in interceptions as well (No. 13 nationally). He’s a great example of how West Virginia can blitz from anywhere as he has a couple of tackles for loss on the year and is third on the team with 23 tackles.