Lindy’s Sports recently released its 2023 college football preview magazine and West Virginia is projected as dead last in the Big 12 according to its preseason rankings.
Lindy’s has West Virginia ranked 77th among the 133 FBS teams, 66th among the 69 Power Five teams, as well as the aforementioned last place Big 12 ranking.
Here’s what the crew at Lindy’s Sports had to say about West Virginia this season.
In the entire list of FBS teams, they say “Hard to imagine the seat cooling much this season for Neal Brown.”
In the individual conference sections, they state some good news, bad news, and their call.
They have the good news as “The offensive line returns four starters, including center Zach Frazier.”
The bad news is “Lack of experience at skill positions and defensive line is concerning.”
They have their call as “Things not looking up for Neal Brown after being given another year in Morgantown.”
Alongside the team rankings is all the different player rankings. West Virginia’s Zach Frazier was listed at third among all FBS centers for 2023, as well as the center on the First-team All-Big 12 team.
“Veteran interior lineman has piled up postseason honors for two years,” the crew at Lindy’s Sports said.
Neal Brown made an appearance on the first page of the magazine at second on their list of top six coaches on the hot seat for 2023. Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher was the one coach ranked ahead of Brown on the list.
“Do the math: That’s 5.5 wins a season. The Mountaineers’ worst four-year stretch in almost half a century (1977-80: 18-27),” the crew at Lindy’s Sports said of Neal Brown’s 22-25 record at West Virginia.
Lindy’s listed West Virginia edge rusher Oryend Fisher as their top sleeper among the 2023 Big 12 recruits.
“He will need time to physically develop, as well as hone his technical acumen, but Fisher’s 76-tackle, 13-sack senior season showed just what he’s capable of flying off the edge,” the Lindy’s Sports crew said of Fisher.
This is a pivotal season for coach Neal Brown and the West Virginia Mountaineers. As the Lindy’s Sports crew put it on the West Virginia page of the magazine, “Wren Baker threw his full support behind Brown, but also made it clear that the win-loss record of the last four years is not acceptable moving forward.”
Player talent is there. Is coaching there? Lot depends on qb play and playcalling. DBs have to cover and tackle for a change. If NB goes, hire some WV guys, such as Mike Compton, Anthony Becht and Pat White.
These guys didn’t see Garrett or Nico play at the end of the season. Looking forward to this year.