MOUNTAINEER FOO TB ALL
17
spring outlook
OFFENSE QUARTERBACKS
Lettermen Returning: 0 Non-Lettermen Returning: Chris Chugunov (r-So.), Will Grier (r-Jr.), Cody Saunders (r-Fr.) Additions (0) Lettermen Lost (2): William Crest, Skyler Howard Starts Returning (0) Starts Lost: Howard (13) • Jake Spavital begins his first year as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach … he returns to WVU after stints as offensive coordinator at Texas A&M and Cal • The Mountaineers will have to replace one of the top career passers in WVU history in Howard … in 2016, he threw for 3,328 yards and 26 touchdowns and ran for 463 yards and 10 touchdowns … for his career, he finished with 7,302 yards and 60 touchdowns and ran for 1,105 yards and 16 touchdowns
• Grier (6-2, 204) transferred from Florida and sat out to complete NCAA transfer requirements … as a redshirt freshman in 2015, he started six games and passed for 1,204 yards and 10 touchdowns • Redshirt sophomore Chugunov (6-1, 203) was Howard’s backup in 2016 … he played in three games and completed 2-of-5 passes for 15 yards
• Saunders (6-2, 209) redshirted as a true freshman
2
RUNNING BACKS
Lettermen Returning (3): Justin Crawford (Sr.), Kennedy McKoy (So.), Martell Pettaway (So.) Non-Lettermen Returning (3): Jashawn Banks (r-Fr.), Lorenzo Dorr (So.), Brady Watson (r-So.) Lettermen Lost (1): Rushel Shell III Additions (1): Tevin Bush (Fr.) Starts Returning: Crawford (4), McKoy (2) Starts Lost: Shell (8) • Tony Dews returns to Morgantown as the running backs coach after serving as the wide receivers coach at Arizona (2012-16) … he was tight ends coach at Pitt (2011), wide receivers coach at Michigan (2008-10) and at WVU (2007) … worked as a graduate assistant coach at WVU from 1999-01 • The Mountaineers return three of their four running backs, led by Crawford (6-0, 202), who finished with 1,184 yards and four touchdowns and had 14 catches for 68 yards and a touchdown • WVU has to replace Shell, who finished with 514 yards and five touchdowns and Howard had 463 yards and 10 touchdowns
• The running backs registered nine 100-yard plus rushing performances in 2016, and Shell, Crawford, McKoy (6-0, 201) and Pettaway (5-9, 208) each had at least one game with 100 or more yards.
• Crawford is the returning rushing leader in the Big 12, finishing No. 4 in rushing
• McKoy was WVU’s third leading rusher with 472 yards and four touchdowns and Pettaway had 260 yards and one touchdown
FULLBACKS
Lettermen Returning (1): Elijah Wellman (r-Sr.) Non-Lettermen Returning (2): Elijah Drummond (r-Fr.), Matt Vucelik (r-So.) Lettermen Lost (0) Additions (1): Maverick Wolfley (Fr.) Starts Returning: Wellman (4) Starts Lost (0) • Wellman (6-1, 241) returns for his final season as the team’s starting fullback … he finished with 14 carries for 44 yards with a long of 11 yards and had two catches for eight yards
TIGHT ENDS
Lettermen Returning (1): Trevon Wesco (r-Jr.) Non-Lettermen Returning (2): Matt Bejzak (r-Fr.), Nathan Green (r-Fr.) Lettermen Lost (1): Michael Ferns (r-Jr.) Additions (0) Starts Returning (0) Starts Lost (0) • Wesco (6-3, 263) played in 10 games in his first season at WVU in 2016 … He finished with one catch for six yards and a touchdown
• Stone Wolfley (6-4, 246) moved from tight end to defensive end