Defense shines in spring game
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — For a program with a whole system based largely on offensive production, a lopsided spring game in favor of the defense may not be the best harbinger for the upcoming season.
But West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said he isn’t worried about the inconsistencies on offense that led to a 42-10 win for his defense Saturday at Milan Puskar Stadium — using a scoring system that rewarded defensive plays as well as traditional offensive scores. In fact, Holgorsen said the defensive success was to be expected.
“If it wasn’t like that right now, we’d be in trouble,” he said. “[The defense] has a lot of experience. … Getting us in a place defensively is something that we’ve obviously focused on around here for three or four years. We’ve got great defensive continuity with our coaching staff. We have 15, 16 guys that have started games. We’re developing a lot of depth on that side of the ball.”
Senior safety KJ Dillon attributed the defense’s dominance to having the invaluable consistency of second-year defensive coordinator Tony Gibson. At the time of his hiring, Gibson was the Mountaineers’ fourth defensive coordinator in as many seasons.
“This is the first time that we get to do things twice,” Dillon said. “Last year, we put the defense in, we were really learning it. … But now we don’t really have to learn anything new. We just have to polish up on things. Just really be good at what we do.”
Holgorsen said his offense could take some cues from the defense in improving and establishing more stability. But that becomes a tough task when pretty much every position has an arsenal of players that could emerge as a No. 1. Four players netted double-digit rushing yards with the same story on the receiving end, and five players took reps at quarterback.
Junior Skyler Howard is Holgorsen’s pick for starting quarterback at this point, going 9 for 22 with 121 yards, including a 48yard pass that set up the offense’s only touchdown, a 1-yard rush in the first quarter.
Howard said he performed just average and was disappointed in the offense’s five penalties for 40 yards as well as its inability to tally more first- and second-down yards to extend the drive.
“Obviously, it wasn’t a very good day,” Howard said. “It goes on with the continuity part of it and just really being on the same page.”
While Howard seems to have locked down the starting spot for now, his main competition, freshman William Crest Jr., won’t just be waiting around. He accumulated stats in the spring game as a quarterback, going 3 for 5 with 31 yards, as a receiver with 31 yards on three receptions, and on the rush with 12 carries for 47 yards.
Holgorsen said Crest wants to play wherever, regardless of position, which has made the spring season a fun experiment.
“He’s one of our better football players,” Holgorsen said. “We’re going to continue to … figure out what he does best, whether that’s playing receiver, running back, quarterback, punt returner or kick returner.”
With several positives and negatives to take from the scrimmage, Holgorsen said he wants his players to take the next month off from football before a hard summer workout.
“We’re a far cry from where I hope to become ... when we start playing games,” Holgorsen said. “[But] I was pleased with the amount of work we’ve got done and think we’re going to be a pretty good football team come September.”