Oklahoma Schedule Preview: Meet the West Virginia Mountaineers

As September creeps nearer, AllSooners previews each sport on the 2022 schedule.

Oklahoma’s 12-game common season schedule options six house video games, 5 away video games and the annual neutral-site Crimson River Showdown.

After a house check towards Baylor, the Sooners journey to Morgantown to tackle the West Virginia Mountaineers.

West Virginia Mountaineers 

• Nov. 12, at Morgantown, WV
• Head Coach: Neal Brown
• 2021 report: 6-7, 5-4 Massive 12

Key Gamers

QB JT Daniels

Daniels was a extremely touted quarterback recruit who has struggled to seek out his footing on the faculty degree. After transferring from USC, he couldn’t appear to remain wholesome at Georgia. A contemporary begin in Morgantown could possibly be precisely what the sign caller wants.

Over the course of his profession, Daniels has thrown for 4,840 yards, 32 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. With the offensive line returning intact and the expertise surrounding him, Daniels could possibly be in line for a breakout season.

The offense will look lots completely different for West Virginia this fall, however Daniels brings loads of curiosity and pleasure. If the contemporary begin helps him dwell as much as his recruiting hype, look out.

RB Tony Mathis Jr.

West Virginia appears to all the time have powerful, quick operating backs and it’s no completely different in 2022. Leddie Brown graduates, however Mathis will lead a really gifted and well-rounded operating again steady.

Mathis rushed for 312 yards final season in a restricted function, and performed robust in the direction of the tip of the 12 months. He had a 100-yard efficiency towards Kansas in late November.

WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton

Ford-Wheaton had a number of 100-yard video games final season and appears to be probably the greatest receivers within the convention this fall. He’s recorded 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns over the course of his profession and might be a simple goal for his new quarterback to seek out.

At 6-foot-3, Ford-Wheaton has a large catch radius and makes contested catches commonly. He ought to obtain loads of quantity on the offensive finish for the Mountaineers.

DL Dante Stills

Stills has had an exceptional profession at West Virginia and opted to return for one more season. He has a formidable quantity of expertise and manufacturing, enjoying in 47 video games, together with 26 begins.

He has 19 sacks and 43.5 tackles for loss on his profession. Stills needs to be probably the greatest defenders within the convention this season and might be a nightmare to sport plan towards. He’s seen it all around the course of his lengthy profession in Morgantown, and may also help the Mountaineers chase new heights in 2022.

2022 Oklahoma Schedule

The rundown

The Mountaineers are certainly one of 2022’s largest wildcards within the Massive 12. Not many individuals are certain what to anticipate. West Virginia had excessive expectations and received some massive video games below Dana Holgorsen, might this be the 12 months that Neal Brown establishes himself in Morgantown?

West Virginia went 6-7 final season, and has been to bowl appearances in every of Brown’s final two seasons. This could possibly be the 12 months the Mountaineers make that bounce.

The offense has an opportunity to be electrical with the addition of offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, who heads over from USC. The moment-impact switch is Daniels, who additionally frolicked at USC earlier than transferring to Georgia.

“I am excited what he can carry,” Brown stated about Harrell at Massive 12 Media Days. “He is been an awesome employees member. I feel we will see the advantages. The most important factor for me is he is acquired an awesome really feel on sport day. In order that’s one thing that I feel goes to be an enormous constructive, and it will be not just for our gamers however for me, nice really feel on sport day, so I am trying ahead to it.”

The Mountaineers have an opportunity to be a fairly full workforce if issues go the correct approach. The protection was already comparatively stable a season in the past and added fairly a little bit of switch portal expertise. The playmakers are on the offense, and with Harrell calling performs, the Mountaineers can get again to electrical offenses of years previous.

“We expect this defensive unit has the chance to be the perfect that we have fielded to this point,” Brown stated. “We’re by no means going to lose what makes West Virginia particular, and that is a toughness. We actually attempt to mirror the mindset of our state, and West Virginia, it is a blue-collar group that goes to work, and it is actually happy with their heritage.”