You lose a coach who has led you to two BCS bowls in three years, a running back who earned All-American honors as a sophomore, your top receiver and virtually your entire secondary plus your two top defensive linemen, you would think a team was in a rebuilding season.

Not at West Virginia. Expectations remain high, built off a victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl under new coach Bill Stewart, who replaced Rich Rodriguez in as messy a coaching divorce as any school has ever had, and off the return of quarterback Patrick White for his senior season.

Offensively, the Mountaineers have the same type of speed that Rodriguez made part and parcel of his offense in White, running backs Noel Devine and Jock Sanders and wide receiver Brandon Hogan on offense along and an ...More