WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Notes, Quotes

The Sports Xchange

September 18, 2018 at 10:57 pm.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

–QB Will Grier completed 21-of-26 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns in the Mountaineers’ 52-17 win over Youngstown State on Sept. 9. He found seven different receivers in notching the 10th 300-yard passing game in 13 starts. Grier threw touchdown passes of 11, 24, 33 and 40 yards, finished with five plays of 20 yards or more, three of 30 yards or more and a long of 40 yards in the win and has completed 20 or more passes in 10 of 13 games as the quarterback at West Virginia. He has thrown five touchdown passes a school-record four times. He’s on the short list of legitimate Heisman Trophy candidates for a reason.

–RB Kennedy McKoy saw his role increase in the win over Youngstown State, carrying the ball 11 times for 76 yards and a TD and catching a pass for another 11 yards. McCoy has had his share of carries over his first two years, and now has 15 totes for 94 yards and a touchdown, and two catches for 25 more and a TD over West Virginia’s first two games. He’s recorded double-digit carries in nine of his 24 career games, so he’s no stranger to being a workhorse but it remains to be seen if West Virginia decides to use him as its featured back. McKoy has enough speed to break off long runs, and his physicality on contact is unmatched. He’s not afraid to pass protect either, an absolute necessity for a running back who plays for coach Dana Holgorsen.

–WR Marcus Simms flashed his brilliance last season despite being the Mountaineers’ third receiving option and with an improved role should really flourish in 2018. Simms led the team with nine catches for 119 yards against Youngstown State and now has 11 snags for 159 yards in the first two games. With a greater volume this year, expect Simms’ numbers to spike. He is an excellent special teams player for the Mountaineers as well, returning both punts and kickoffs and ripped off a 26-yard KO return as part of his 53 total return yards against Youngstown State.

–DE Ezekiel Rose played two seasons at the junior college level before transferring to West Virginia in January 2017, but the wait was worth it. After competing for playing time and earning some snaps last year, Rose will be a key fixture in the Mountaineers’ front seven this fall. He led the squad in sacks last season with five, but the senior will need to improve on those numbers to be a real force. He did not record any statistics against Youngstown State after having two tackles, including one for a loss, against Tennessee.

–S Kenny Robinson, who played in 11 games for West Virginia as a true freshman and was sixth on the team in tackles, picked right up where he left off in the season opener, recording four tackles against Youngstown State after tying for the team-high with nine stops versus Tennessee. Stats aren’t the best measure for a college defensive back, but Robinson shows up when you watch the tape, too routinely making decisive tackles with textbook technique. Robinson sets himself apart with his ability to make plays and is not afraid to mix it up in the run game as well.

SERIES HISTORY: Kansas State leads West Virginia, 5-3, including 3-1 in games played in Manhattan, Kansas.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “I don’t think there’s a whole lot of difference, honestly. Everybody wants to compare the new-school, old-school way of this game with Kansas State and West Virginia. There’s a lot of similarities that I see. They’ve been on the forefront of a lot of scheme things offensively, defensively, and especially special teams-wise. I’ve copied a lot of their stuff.” — West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen, on the contrast in styles between West Virginia and Kansas State.

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