Transfer Grier fits in fast at QB

Coordinator to be new play-caller

West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen sees quarterback Will Grier’s limited resume as a positive.

Grier joins the Mountaineers for the 2017 season after transferring from Florida, where he played in six games as a freshman in 2015.

A 6-foot-1 junior, Grier has “got the locker room ready to roll,” Holgorsen said.

“He gets them out there and watches film with them and throws a lot of stuff with them. He controls the huddle. He does everything right.”

After leading Florida to a 6-0 start, now Grier gets to prove himself again.

Big 12 media voted him the league’s top newcomer in 2017.

Grier admitted using an over-the-counter supplement that led to his suspension at Florida, and he wasn’t ruled eligible by the NCAA until this summer. Holgorsen wanted Grier because 2016 was quarterback Skyler Howard’s senior season, and there was no heir apparent on the Mountaineers.

Grier threw for 1,204 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions with the Gators. He had six touchdown passes over a span of three quarters in two games, including 271 yards and four touchdowns against Mississippi . But he isn’t the only new aspect of West Virginia’s offense. For the first time, Holgorsen won’t be handing play-calling duties. That responsibility falls to offensive coordinator Jake Spavital, who returned to WVU in January. In Spavital’s only season as Cal’s offensive coordinator, Davis Webb threw for 4,295 and 37 touchdowns last season. Spavital was West Virginia’s quarterbacks coach in 2011 and 2012 when Geno Smith set numerous school records. “I felt like it was just a good time to turn some things over to him to take some of that off my plate and do some other things within the program that I think will help us keep on that upward swing,” Holgorsen said. Solid depth at running back should take some of the pressure off Grier and Spavital. Justin Crawford is the Big 12’s top returning rusher after compiling 1,184 yards last season, including 331 against Oklahoma and 209 against Baylor.

On defense, sophomore linebacker David Long, who started 10 games last season, will miss at least the first month of the season (knee). but redshirt freshman linebacker Brendan Ferns and junior safety Dravon AskewHenry. Both missed the 2016 season with knee injuries.