Is WVU Really a Run First Team?
WVU Head Coach Dana Holgorsen keeps calling WVU a ‘Run First Team’. Let us look at the statistics for this season that are published at www.cfbstats.com.
Passing:
Name Att Comp Pct Yards Yards/Att TD Rating
Skyler Howard 188 111 59 1566 8.3 15 148.96
William Crest 15 8 53.3 53 3.5 0 83.01
Total 203 119 58.6 1619 8.0 15 144.08
Receiving:
| Name | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | |
| 1 | Shelton Gibson | 23 | 540 | 23.48 | 6 |
| 2 | Jovon Durante | 18 | 264 | 14.67 | 3 |
| 3 | Daikiel Shorts Jr. | 19 | 234 | 12.32 | 2 |
| 4 | Jordan Thompson | 11 | 176 | 16 | 0 |
| 5 | Wendell Smallwood | 18 | 106 | 5.89 | 0 |
| 6 | David Sills | 2 | 64 | 32 | 1 |
| 7 | Rushel Shell | 6 | 54 | 9 | 0 |
| 8 | Devonte Mathis | 6 | 47 | 7.83 | 0 |
| 9 | Ka’Raun White | 2 | 40 | 20 | 0 |
| 10 | Gary Jennings | 4 | 28 | 7 | 0 |
| 11 | Jacky Marcellus | 1 | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| 12 | Elijah Wellman | 3 | 14 | 4.67 | 2 |
| 13 | William Crest Jr. | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 |
| 14 | Donte Thomas-Williams | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 15 | KJ Myers | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 16 | Cody Clay | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| 17 | Stone Underwood | 1 | -4 | -4 | 0 |
| Total | 119 | 1619 | 13.61 | 15 |
Rushing:
| Name | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | |
| 1 | Wendell Smallwood | 101 | 678 | 6.71 | 5 |
| 2 | Rushel Shell | 88 | 312 | 3.55 | 3 |
| 3 | Skyler Howard | 77 | 189 | 2.45 | 2 |
| 4 | William Crest Jr. | 15 | 51 | 3.4 | 1 |
| 5 | Donte Thomas-Williams | 14 | 43 | 3.07 | 0 |
| 6 | Jacky Marcellus | 4 | 13 | 3.25 | 0 |
| 7 | Nick O’Toole | 1 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 8 | Team | 2 | -5 | -2.5 | 0 |
| Total | 302 | 1294 | 4.28 | 11 |
When I look at these stats, I’m wondering where the ‘run first’ comes from. Is it because it has a starting QB who lacks accuracy? Or is it because of the efforts of Wendell Smallwood? Maybe WVU is a ‘run Smallwood’ first team.
Smallwood won’t be around next season, so will WVU become a ‘pass first’ team again? Smallwood is currently the only productive running back playing.
If you look at the top 6 receivers you see some really good numbers, but Jordon Thompson and Wendell Smallwood will no longer be on this list next year for they are both seniors.
So in your opinion, is WVU truly a ‘run first’ team?
