WVU Football has two practices left in its spring window. One of those is the highly anticipated Gold-Blue Spring Festival. Read more: What to watch for in WVU’s spring game.
Saturday is the last real opportunity for the players to impress the coaching staff on the field. After April 18, the team will solely be conducting summer workouts, in which the coaching staff has limited access with the team.
That’s why the spring game is so important for every player on the team. It’s a chance to show they have improved throughout the spring session and are ready to make an impact in a West Virginia jersey.
Storylines to watch
With that being said, there will be plenty of storylines to look forward to when the Mountaineers take the field at noon Saturday. That includes plenty of players vying for a starting job or just ready to prove they are the real deal in front of the West Virginia faithful.
Leader of the defense?
One thing’s for certain about this West Virginia team: they are virtually brand new for a second season in a row.
There are not that many experienced returners that the coaches can turn to on either side of the ball. However, the defense does have a few exceptions.
I expect this to be an opportunity for Ben Cutter to show he’s ready to lead this defense. The North Carolina native is entering his senior year with the Mountaineers, who he has spent his entire career at.
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Cutter has been a consistent mainstay on the defensive side of the ball for WVU. Now in his senior year, it’s time for him to take that next step and be the leader that the Mountaineers need.
If not him, look for Ashton Woods to take that jump. Woods enters his second year with West Virginia after starting his career at North Carolina.
Who will step up in the WR room?
West Virginia no longer has Cam Vaughn to lean on when the offense gets stagnant and needs a big play. He’s already down in Miami playing for the 2025 National Championship runner ups.
Instead, the Mountaineers will need to figure out who they can trust in a revamped wide receiver room.
Jaden Bray will have to be the leader. When healthy, he has the ability to be the guy for the Mountaineers. However, history has shown that isn’t always in the cards for Bray.
Whether Bray can stay healthy or not, WVU will still need to get more production out of its receiving core compared to last season. And the spring game should be able to answer some of the questions as to who it may be.
Keep an eye out for two high-profile transfers that came from elite schools: Taron Francis from LSU and Prince Strachan from USC.
Both Francis and Strachan did not play much for their respective schools last season, but a fresh start in the Mountain State could be all they need to get going. Francis, in particular, is who I’m excited to see. He is still just a redshirt freshman and the former No. 1 WR from the state of Louisiana.
Keon Hutchins is another guy to watch after coming off a highly productive season at Northwest Mississippi Community College last season. As a sophomore, he finished with 35 catches for 667 yards and six touchdowns.
QB battle
Now when it comes to who will be throwing them the ball, the question on everyone’s mind: will it be Scotty Fox Jr. or Michael Hawkins Jr.?
Both guys have impressed head coach Rich Rodriguez throughout spring practices. Fox has shown improvement in decision making and confidence. And Hawkins has proven to be the calm, steady presence in the pocket that he showed in stints at Oklahoma.
They both will have their chances on Saturday, likely each starting at some point for either team. And while they won’t be able to get hit, it will be a good opportunity for both to showcase they deserve to be the starter.
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Rodriguez’s recent presser confirmed that he and the coaching staff has reduced the play count for both the offense and the defense. Likely that will still be the case on Saturday, which will allow both quarterbacks to play more carefree.
Since they won’t have to worry as much about a ton of different playcalls, both Fox and Hawkins will be able to just play and show what they can do.
Top guys proving they deserve the recognition
On the flip side, Rodriguez has already confirmed a handful of positions that have a clear leader.
One of those is Ryan Ward in the tight end room. The North Carolina transfer returns for his second year with the Mountaineers and is more than ready for his bigger role this season.
He didn’t play much last season, so the spring game will be vital for him to prove to the fans and to himself that he is ready to lead that group.
Another group that should be no shock as to who its leader will be is the running back room. And that leader will be none other than Cam Cook.
At this point, everyone knows who Cook is and how he plays after watching his dominant performance last season. Instead, the spring game will just be an opportunity for many to watch him in person for the first time.
There’s a lot of hype swirling around him, and for good reason. A good performance in the spring game will only strengthen those expectations.
Stay tuned
WV Sports Nation will be at the game live to provide you in-depth analysis on how everyone fared.
Stay up to date with all things WVU Football and every other Mountaineer sport at wvsportsnation.com.
