30 days, 30 legends: Nos. 5-1

July is coming to a close, which means we are wrapping up our list of the top 30 WVU Football players of all time. If you have been following along on social media, you are in the loop and have hopefully weighed in. If not, here are the final five players on the list: No. 5: Darryl Talley, No. 4: Tavon Austin, No. 3: Sam Huff, No. 2: Major Harris, No. 1: Pat White. Not everyone agrees, but that is the point. Stay tuned for a full recap on the final day of the month. Read more: 30 days, 30 legends: Nos. 5-1.

List so far

No. 30: Anthony Becht
No. 29: David Sills V
No. 28: Zach Frazier
No. 27: Canute Curtis
No. 26: Grant Wiley
No. 25: Dan Mozes
No. 24: Chris Henry
No. 23: Gary Stills
No. 22: Owen Schmitt
No. 21: Will Grier
No. 20: Karl Joseph
No. 19: Aaron Beasley
No. 18: Amos Zereoué
No. 17: Avon Cobourne
No. 16: Pat McAfee
No. 15: Jeff Hostetler
No. 14: Bruce Irvin
No. 13: Adam “Pacman” Jones
No. 12: Noel Devine
N0. 11: Stedman Bailey
No. 10: Bruce Bosley
No. 9: Marc Bulger
No. 8: Chuck Howley
No. 7: Geno Smith
No. 6: Steve Slaton

No. 5: Darryl Talley

Darryl Talley is one of the most feared linebackers in program history, and his No. 90 is one of seven retired numbers at WVU. He finished his career with 484 tackles, which was the most by any player when his career ended. Talley was also a consensus All-American in 1982, his senior season. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 and into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

The Buffalo Bills drafted Talley 39th overall in the 1983 NFL Draft. He played 12 seasons in Buffalo and never missed a game. He played in four Super Bowls and is the all-time leading tackler with 1,137. Talley became the 20th member on the Wall of Fame in Ralph Wilson Stadium in 2003.

No. 4: Tavon Austin

Tavon Austin is the most electrifying playmaker in WVU history and one of the most versatile players college football has ever seen. He remains the only player in NCAA history to score a touchdown four different ways in a single season (reception, rush, kick return, punt return). He is WVU’s career leader in all-purpose yards, with 7,286 yards. Austin is also the career leader with 3,413 receiving yards and 288 receptions. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.

The St. Louis Rams drafted Austin 8th overall in the 2013 NFL Draft. He played five seasons with the Rams and nine years total in the league. He had 29 total touchdowns (16 receiving, 10 rushing, three punt returns).

No. 3: Sam Huff

Sam Huff started his career at guard and moved to tackle for his final two seasons. He helped lead the Mountaineers to a 31-7 record and a Sugar Bowl appearance over his four years. He was a four-year letterwinner and helped form one of the best offensive lines WVU has ever seen. Huff was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 and into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980. WVU retired his No. 75 in 2005.

The New York Giants drafted Huff in the third round of the 1956 NFL Draft. He switched to middle linebacker and became one of the most feared linebackers the game has ever seen. Huff was a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-team All-Pro. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.

No. 2: Major Harris

Major Harris was the most electric quarterback of his era and redefined the quarterback position. The ultimate dual-threat playmaker, who made defenses look foolish before the term “dual-threat” was common language in college football. He led WVU to its first-ever undefeated regular season and to the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame for the national championship. He became the first player in NCAA history to rush for more than 2,000 and pass for more than 5,000 in a career. Harris was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1999 and into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009. West Virginia retired his No. 9 in 2021.

Harris was drafted in the 12th round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Raiders, but decided to sign with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He also spent time in the Arena Football League and Professional Spring Football League before retiring in 2003.

No. 1: Pat White

Pat White is the greatest player in WVU history and the record that proves it is unbreakable. He is the only quarterback in college football history to start and win four bowl games, all of them BCS bowls. He earned MVP in all four of those appearances. WVU finished 35-8 with White as the starting quarterback. He is second all-time in WVU history with 4,480 rushing yards, 47 rushing touchdowns, and 10,529 total yards. He was a two-time Big East Offensive Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007. White was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2018, and his No. 5 is set to be retired in the 2026 football season.

How to follow along

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Download the WV Sports Nation app and follow along by reading our coverage of WVU Athletics. The history of WVU Football was built one great player at a time. This is their month.

Author

Trent Conner

Trent Conner is a skilled writer with years of experience covering various sports. Based in West Virginia, he provides insightful analysis and expert predictions, with a focus on West Virginia University athletics. Trent stays on top of the latest trends and is passionate about delivering engaging and informative sports content.

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