WVU Geared Up For Spring Game
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While the college football season is commonly referred to as being in-season or out of season, the work never really stops.
West Virginia's Blue-Gold spring game is scheduled to begin on Saturday at 1 p.m. The event marks the end of spring practices each year but, despite there being more than 100 days between now and Week 1, there is still much more to be done for the Mountaineers.
The spring is a time for growth, and that's what head coach Neal Brown has emphasized will be the focus after the clock strikes zero Saturday -- at least until summer work begins in late May.
"We have a scouting department here that Matt Jansen leads and he'll do an independent evaluation on anybody that may play on offense, defense or special teams," Brown said. "Then, our coaches will do position evaluations, and then we'll sit down with every player -- the position coach, myself -- and we'll give them feedback. The feedback's really, really important; everybody craves it regardless of whether it is a player or employee."
Absorbing feedback and making adjustments are necessities in the college game, arguably more so in the spring. Currently, the Mountaineers are looking to replace a handful of contributors, such as linebacker Tony Fields and defensive lineman Darius Stills, leaving question marks up and down the roster.
Offensively, the biggest questions appear to be coming from the line of scrimmage. Offensive line coach Matt Moore has been tasked with replacing two departed starters from a season ago, but he will have depth to work with up front for arguably the first time in his tenure at WVU.
Among those question marks include where Doug Nester, a Spring Valley graduate and Virginia Tech transfer, slots in. Nester isn't the only one with the potential to crack the Mountaineers' starting five, meaning Moore will be watching closely during the spring game.
"What I've tried to do here is not just develop left tackles or left guards," Moore said. "I've really worked hard to develop guys who can play at least four of the five positions ... I'm constantly moving people around."
Spear Tykee Smith, who received a handful of All-American honors last season, was viewed as a foundational piece in the Mountaineers' secondary before he announced his transfer to Georgia earlier this month. Through the spring, safeties coach Dontae Wright has often turned to Scottie Young to fill the void.
In replacing Smith, the Mountaineers are looking to replace the team's fourth best tackler from a season ago. Early results are promising for Young, who was Arizona's third leading tackler during the 2019 season prior to his transfer.
"He's had a great spring playing both the spear position and also learning the free safety position," Wright said. "He is a terrific football player (and) has unbelievable instincts. He's one of the leaders of our defense."
Spear and the offensive line are just two areas that will be watched closely on Saturday, and likely heavily scrutinized for weeks to come. The performances will not only lead to growth, but also signal a step closer to the fall.
Many of the current questions lingering around the program will most likely be answered come the Mountaineers' season opener at Maryland on Sept. 4. Yet, as Brown alludes to, the work to answer those questions never stops.