#16 West Virginia Mountaineers

Team MVP: Rasheed Marshall is a quarterback who can be very hot or very cold so getting him to be consistent will be the key to the Mountaineers season. Marshall is a quarterback who likes to run although he improved as a passer in 2003. Marshall needs to top the 1,729 yards he passed for a season ago and create a more balanced attack.

Quarterback: We talked about Rasheed Marshall as being the MVP for this football team. He is now a senior and has two years as a starter under his belt. While the team needs Marshall to be successful his backup Charles Hales is a quarterback of the same mold. Hales likes to run and the offense does not have to change its look if Hales needs to enter the game.

Running Back: While losing a running back like Quincy Wilson is not easy it may be a position where the Mountaineers upgrade in 2004. Kay-Jay Harris is a big bruising back with plenty of speed. While Harris is 6-1 he runs like a smaller back and does not give the defense much of a target to hit with his low-to-the-ground running style. Jason Colson will see time as a third down back or even as a fullback with Harris in some sets although West Virginia does not use a fullback that often. With a couple of breaks Harris could be a Heisman dark horse.

Wide Receiver/Tight End: Although they are not a passing team, West Virginia possesses one of the most talented big play receivers in the country in junior Chris Henry. Henry only caught 41 passes last year but those passes went for a whopping 1,006 yards and 10 touchdowns. That comes to an average of 24.5 YPC. This could be his last year as a Mountaineer as the NFL may be calling Mr. Henry a little early. Miquelle Henderson is a great compliment and possession type receiver for West Virginia but he has had problems staying healthy. The Mountaineers need to get tight end Josh Bailey more involved in the passing game for 2004.

Offensive Line: This team was one of the top rushing offenses in 2003 and with Marshall back and a talented Harris running the ball, the Mountaineers get a break with their offensive line. All five starters from last season are back so this is probably the strength of the team. The line averages 294 pounds and is very mobile. This is probably one of the five best offensive lines in all of college football and they do it without and big standouts, they are just deep at every spot.

Defensive Line: The defensive line is the weakest link on the defense for the Mountaineers. Ben Lynch returns at the defensive end position coming off of a campaign where he registered 64 tackles and 13 went for a loss. Jason Hardee and Ernest Hunter join him as the three down lineman for the Mountaineers. West Virginia will also see Warren Young in the lineup quite often but it will be the linebackers doing most of the damage.

Linebacker: Adam Lehnortt and Scott Gyorko lead a linebacking corps that ranks near the top of the conference with Temple. Lehnortt made 139 tackles last year and with five sacks he showed he can apply some pressure on the blitz. Gyorko is a player with NFL potential in the secondary because he is smaller at 210 pounds. Look for Kevin McLee and newcomer Marc Magro to get some action as West Virginia moves between 3-4 and 3-3-5 sets.

Secondary: The secondary is not the best in the conference but it is probably the deepest talent wise if many of the kids play to their potential. Adam Jones is the leader at cornerback and strong safety Mike Lorello is the only other returning starter of the bunch. Freshman Vince Beamer looks like someone who can contribute early and is a rising star in the program.

Special Teams: Special teams are always solid in Morgantown. The coverage and return games are in good shape as Adam Jones should be one of the top returners in the conference. Brad Cooper is the weak link at kicker, his 3-10 mark on field goals beyond 30 yards was atrocious.

Final Thoughts: With Miami (Fla.) and Virginia Tech gone it looks like West Virginia is the odds on favorite to win the Big East. Last year they lost only one conference game and that was one they blew late against Miami (Fla.) by a score of 22-20. This team could be going to a bowl on New Years Day.

--DJ Boyer