Poll: Which Position Does WVU Football Need to Make Top Priority for 2024?

After an 8-4 regular season, the hope for WVU football fans is that 2023 is just a step in trying to make the Mountaineers a national contender again. But in order to make that a reality, there’s still work to do.

Garrett Greene emerged as the true leader of the team in his first season as the full-time starter quarterback when healthy. Jahiem White eventually joined CJ Donaldson to form a thunder and lightning combination at running back with more depth behind them. Freshman receivers like Traylon Ray and Rodney Gallagher should be even better as sophomores. The offensive line was one of the best units in the country no matter who was out there and the secondary showed up in big moments.

All that is true for 2023, but what positions still need improved for 2024 based on either performances from this season or what will be lost before next year?

Should the focus of the offseason be about finding depth at linebacker above all else? Ben Cutter did step up when called upon and Trey Lathan should bounce back, but not much else will be left in terms of experience WVU can rely on. Lee Kpogba will be a big loss, not only just for his aggressiveness on the field, but also his veteran leadership.

Or instead, does West Virginia need to prioritize retooling the secondary more? Beanie Bishop proved to be a difference maker as a transfer addition, but where could WVU turn without him? Aubrey Burks had his season interrupted by a scary injury during a game and still contributed, but maybe those PFF grades will convince him to test the NFL. Either way, the secondary does need to be deeper or it will need the depth there to do more.

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Ray and Gallagher are nice young pieces to keep building around, but the receivers did let down the quarterbacks far too often as a whole.

The offensive line is losing Zach Frazier, and his loss speaks for itself, but he won’t be the only departure. Doug Nester will leave a hole and Wyatt Milum could maybe depart as well. An offense that relies so heavily on the ground game must have an offensive as strong as possible.

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If not one of those positions, special teams could obviously use assistance, especially in the return game. This is usually filled by death guys from all over the roster, but giving up two returns to one opponent in a single game can’t happen again. Opponents used return yards to set up their offense all season, most notably in the worst loss on the road against Houston.

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