West Virginia Mountaineers football: Difference between revisions

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The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents

Early years (1891–1920)

The West Virginia University football program traces its origin back to November 28, 1891 when its first team fell to Washington & Jefferson 72–0 on a converted cow pasture.^[5] Despite its humble beginning, West Virginia enjoyed a 25–23–3 overall record prior to 1900, which proved to be a fruitful century of Mountaineer football. The early 1900s brought about early successes for the program, namely during the 1903 and 1905 seasons when WVU posted records of 7–1 and 8–1 respectively.^[4] WVU produced a 6–3 record in the 1904 season, despite losing to Penn State, Pitt, and Michigan by a combined score of 217–0.^[6] The 1908–20 period produced the four-year head coaching tenures of C.A. Lueder (1908–11) and Mont McIntire (1916–17, 1919–20), representing the longest coaching tenures during this early period of Mountaineer football. Lueder's Mountaineers produced a 17–13–3 record, while McIntire's teams produced the most success of any Mountaineer team prior to 1921, compiling a 24–11–4 record including an 8–2 finish in 1919.^[4] That same Mountaineer team also produced West Virginia's first ever Consensus All-American and potential College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ira Errett Rodgers.^[5] Rodgers scored 19 touchdowns and kicked 33 extra points for WVU in 1919 season, leading the nation with 147 total points. Rodgers also threw 11 touchdown passes that season, an unheard of feat at the time and a Mountaineer record until 1949.^[7]

Spears and Rodgers era (1921–1931)

The Mountaineers enjoyed their first period of success during the 1920s, coinciding with the successful coaching tenures of

The Mountaineers continued their success under Spears in posting subsequent one-loss seasons in 1923 (7–1–1) and in 1924 (8–1), with Spears departing the program for Minnesota thereafter. Ira Errett Rodgers replaced Spears and the Mountaineers posted an 8–1 record in 1925. After a 6–4 finish in 1926 and a 2–4–3 record in 1927, the program produced a 8–2 finish in 1928.^[4] Rodgers's first tenure as West Virginia coach ended with records of 4–3–3 in 1929 and 5–5 in 1930.^[4]

Neale, Tallman and Glenn era (1931–1939)

Taking over for Rodgers in 1931 was

Marshall Glenn picked up right where Tallman left off, leading West Virginia to an 8–1–1 record in 1937. The season concluded with an upset of Texas Tech in the 1938 Sun Bowl.^[10] Running back Harry Clarke led the way for the Mountaineers that season, rushing for a then school record 921 yards and 10 touchdowns.^[11] Glenn's success was short-lived, however, as subsequent WVU teams posted losing records of 4–5–1 in 1938 and 2–6–1 in 1939, leading to his ouster.^[4]

Kern, Rodgers, and DeGroot era (1940–1949)

West Virginia experienced a lag in success during much of the 1940s, producing only three winning seasons while witnessing the split coaching tenures of Bill Kern (1940–42, 1946–47) and the second appearance of Ira Errett Rodgers (1943–45).^[4] Under the direction of head coach Dudley DeGroot in the 1948 season, the Mountaineers returned to prominence with a 9–3 finish, adding another Sun Bowl victory to its resume with a 21–12 defeat of Texas Western (now known as UTEP).^[12] Despite that successful first season at the program's helm, DeGroot resigned after a disappointing 4–6–1 finish in 1949.^[13]

Art Lewis era (1950–1959)

When Art "Pappy" Lewis became West Virginia's head coach in 1950, he remarked that it was the job that he had always wanted.^[13] Known by his peers as an exceptional recruiter and by his players as a father figure, Lewis established a family-like atmosphere within the Mountaineer football program.^[13] Lewis's Mountaineer teams held true to form, experiencing their most consistent success during the 1950s as it ever had previously. After forgettable campaigns in 1950 and '1951, the 1952 season brought WVU its first winning season since 1948. The Mountaineers finished with a 7–2 record, highlighted by a 16–0 upset victory of No. 18 Pitt in Pittsburgh.^[14]

Beginning with the

Despite finishing with a modest 6–4 record in 1956, West Virginia won its fourth consecutive SoCon title with a 5–0 record in conference play.^[18] The 1957 season resulted in a 7–2–1 record and a 3–0 mark in Southern Conference play. Although the Mountaineers once again compiled an undefeated SoCon record, they were not awarded the conference championship, as VMI earned the title with a 9–0–1 overall record and 6–0 record in SoCon play.^[19] In 1958, the Mountaineers had their first losing season in eight years, but their 4–0 record in SoCon play earned them a 5th conference title in six seasons.^[20] The 1958 season was the final season that West Virginia would win a conference championship under Lewis's tenure. The Mountaineers finished 3–7 in 1959, losing the final five games of the season by a combined score of 24–140.^[21] Lewis resigned as head coach afterward. Despite the program's drop off in success in his final two seasons as coach, Lewis produced 58 victories overall during his tenure at West Virginia, placing him fourth overall in the program's history.^[22]

Corum and Carlen era (1960–1965)

After Lewis's departure, the program hit an all-time low in 1960 under first-year head coach

It appeared that the

The

Under the direction of

In the wake of Frank Cignetti's firing, the West Virginia Athletic Department determined that a full rebuild was in order.

The 1982 Mountaineers experienced similar success. Sparked by their come-from-behind upset victory over No. 9 Oklahoma to open the season, the Mountaineers finished with a 9–2 record, remaining ranked in the AP poll throughout the season en route to a Gator Bowl berth with Bobby Bowden and Florida State. Despite its Gator Bowl loss, West Virginia once again finished the season 9–3 and ranked 19th in both final polls. The team also produced the program's first Consensus All-American since 1955 in senior linebacker Darryl Talley. The Mountaineers won their first six games at the outset of the 1983 season, attaining a No. 4 ranking in the AP Poll. With a 41–23 upset loss to 1983 in week 8, however, West Virginia's hopes of an undefeated season collapsed. WVU lost three of its final five regular season games before defeating Kentucky in the Hall of Fame Classic to finish the season at 9–3. It was the third consecutive season for WVU to finish ranked, coming in at No. 16 in both the AP and Coaches Polls. Quarterback Jeff Hostetler led the offensive attack with 2,345 yards passing and 16 touchdowns, while Kicker Paul Woodside received All-American honors in converting 21 of 25 field goal attempts and all 37 of his extra point attempts en route to a team-leading 100 points.^[37]

Although the

After four consecutive seasons of bowl berths and finishes in at least one of the polls, West Virginia went on a two-year drought in 1985 and 1986, finishing those seasons with records of 7–3–1 and 4–7 (Nehlen's first of only four losing seasons) respectively. The shortcomings of those seasons came to a head in 1987, where the Mountaineers endured a season of growing pains and near-misses. Despite a 1–3 start, West Virginia rallied to finish the regular season at 6–5 with four of its five losses coming by deficits of 5 points or less. Freshman quarterback Major Harris led the way for the Mountaineers, compiling 16 total touchdowns and providing glimpses of what was to come in his illustrious collegiate career.^[39] The season culminated in a 35–33 loss to No. 11 Oklahoma State in the Sun Bowl, a game in which the Mountaineers led 24–14 at halftime and lost on a failed two-point conversion attempt with 1:13 remaining.^[40]

The 1988 edition of the Mountaineers achieved an undefeated regular season, compiling 11 wins for the first time in its history. The success of the regular season culminated in West Virginia's first and only trip to a National Championship Game in its history, where the No. 3 Mountaineers met No. 1 Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. Notre Dame went on to win 34–21 and claimed the national championship. West Virginia finished the 1988 campaign ranked No. 5 in both the AP and Coaches Polls. Major Harris compiled 610 yards rushing, 1,915 yards passing, and 20 total touchdowns on the season.^[41]

Coming off of its first ever 11-win season and with junior Major Harris returning to lead a potent offense, West Virginia entered the

West Virginia entered the

The 1993 season was WVU's final season with double-digit victories during Nehlen's tenure as subsequent Mountaineer teams failed to recapture that level of success. After posting a 7–6 record in 1994 and a 5–6 mark in

Overall, Nehlen posted a 149–93–4 record during his tenure at West Virginia, making him both the longest-serving and most successful head coach in Mountaineer history.[22] While his coaching tenure contained numerous successes, Nehlen's time at WVU also included its share of shortcomings as his Mountaineer teams often struggled against ranked opponents and in bowl games.^{[Note 1]} However, as the man responsible for shaping the Mountaineer football program and bringing it to national relevancy in his 21 seasons in Morgantown, Nehlen was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005. Most importantly, his tenure laid the foundation for the program's most successful and prominent era.^[46]

Transition from Nehlen to Rodriguez (2001–2004)

After Nehlen's retirement, WVU named Rich Rodriguez as its first new head coach in 20 years. Rodriguez's tenure began ignominiously, as the 2001 edition of the Mountaineers finished 3–8, its worst record since 1978. The failures of 2001, however, set the stage for the emergence of the most successful era in Mountaineer football history.^[4]

The 2002 season represented the biggest single-season turnaround in program history. Despite a 5–3 record through the season's first eight games, the Mountaineers reeled off four consecutive victories, including upset road wins over then-ranked rivals Virginia Tech (No. 13) and Pitt (No. 17). West Virginia finished the regular season at 9–3 overall, with a 6–1 conference record for second place in the Big East, and a berth in the Continental Tire Bowl with Virginia. Despite losing its bowl game, West Virginia finished with a 9–4 record and was ranked in both the final Coaches (No. 20) and AP (No. 25) polls for the first time since 1993. The momentum generated from the 2002 campaign was short-lived as the Mountaineers stumbled to a 1–4 record early in the 2003 season. In similar fashion to the previous season, West Virginia rebounded and recorded seven wins in a row, including upsets of No. 3 Virginia Tech and No. 16 Pitt. The Mountaineers ended the regular season at 8–4 with a 6–1 conference mark, earning them a share of their first Big East title since 1993. West Virginia earned a trip to the Gator Bowl for a rematch with rival Maryland. The result for the Mountaineers was a near duplicate of their 34–7 defeat to the Terrapins earlier in the season, as they fell 41–7 and finished the season 8–5.

In contrast to 2002 and 2003, the 2004 season may best be remembered for what the Mountaineers failed to accomplish. West Virginia, ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll to begin the season, carried an 8–1 record through its first nine games. The Mountaineers collapsed in the final two games of the regular season, however, losing to No. 21 Boston College and to Pitt. West Virginia squandered its opportunity to win the Big East outright, leading to a four-way tie for first place and the BCS Fiesta Bowl nomination going to Pitt by tiebreaker. The disappointing season drew to a close with 30–18 loss to Florida State in the Gator Bowl, giving WVU an 8–4 record.^[47]

WVU at its height in the Big East (2005-2007)

The

The Mountaineers once again posted 11 wins in the 2006 season, narrowly missing out on another Big East championship after losses to Louisville and South Florida.^[51] West Virginia remained ranked in the top 15 in both polls throughout the season, earning another New Year's Day bowl game as they met Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl. The Mountaineers came away with another 38–35 victory, winning consecutive bowl games for the first time since the 1983 and 1984 seasons. Additionally, center Dan Mozes and running back Steve Slaton earned Consensus All-American honors. Slaton's 1,744 yards rushing set the WVU single-season rushing record.^[52]

The 2007 season may well be regarded as the most infamous season in West Virginia football history.^[53] The Mountaineers attained a preseason ranking of No. 3 and had national championship aspirations. WVU raced to a 10–1 record, including a 66–21 victory over UConn to secure its fifth Big East title and its second BCS bowl appearance. The Mountaineers rose to as high as No. 2 in the AP Poll and No. 1 in the Coaches Poll, needing only a victory at home over a 4–7, 28-point underdog Pitt team in the 100th installment of the Backyard Brawl to secure its second ever National Championship Game appearance. That victory did not come, as the Mountaineers suffered a devastating 13–9 defeat.^[54]

Bill Stewart era (2007–2011)

The fallout of the Pitt defeat reached beyond national championship implications for the program, as it culminated in the departure of Rich Rodriguez to Michigan.^[56] Rodriguez left prior to West Virginia's meeting with No. 3 Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. The Mountaineers rebounded, posting a 48–28 victory over the heavily favored Sooners. Long-time assistant coach Bill Stewart, named as interim head coach for the game, received a five-year contract to become West Virginia's 32nd head coach.^[57] The Mountaineers concluded the 2007 season with an 11–2 record and were ranked at No. 6 in both of the final AP and Coaches Polls.

The Mountaineers transitioned into the Bill Stewart era in the 2008 season. WVU amassed a 9–4 record and a second-place finish in the Big East, closing the season Meineke Car Care Bowl victory over North Carolina and a No. 23 ranking in the AP Poll. The bowl victory was West Virginia's fourth in a row, giving Pat White a postseason record of 4–0 as a starting quarterback.^[58] During Week 13 of the 2008 season, White set the NCAA rushing yardage record for quarterbacks with a 200-yard performance in a 35–21 win over Louisville.^[59]

The 2009 season culminated in another nine-win campaign and second-place finish in the Big East for the Mountaineers. WVU ended its two-year losing streak in the Backyard Brawl with an upset victory over No. 8 Pitt. West Virginia's season concluded with a loss in the Gator Bowl to Florida State in Bobby Bowden's final game as a head coach.^[60] The 2010 season brought the program its third consecutive nine-win season. Nonetheless, the season was ultimately a disappointment for the Mountaineers. Despite assembling arguably the strongest defense in program history (surrendering only 176 total points, an average of 13.5 per game) and having a talented offense, West Virginia struggled with consistency all season.^[61] The Mountaineers lost to No. 15 LSU, Syracuse and UConn by a combined 14 points, while the Mountaineer defense did not surrender more than 23 points scored against in a single game throughout the season. WVU's loss to Connecticut in Week 9 came back to haunt the Mountaineers as they lost out on a BCS Bowl bid by virtue of a tiebreaker to the Huskies.

End of Big East membership (2011–2012)

Prior to West Virginia's

The onset of the Dana Holgorsen's head coaching tenure brought about heightened expectations for the program as the Mountaineers entered the 2011 season as the odds-on favorite to win the Big East title.^[64] The Mountaineers finished the regular season with a 9–3 record (5–2 in Big East play) and a share of its 7th Big East title.^[65] The Mountaineers were the only Big East team ranked in the final BCS standings (No. 23), earning the BCS bid by tiebreaker and an Orange Bowl berth against ACC champion No. 14 Clemson.^[66] In its first Orange Bowl appearance, the Mountaineers soundly defeated Clemson 70–33 and set an NCAA record for points scored in a bowl game.^[67] The Mountaineers finished the season at 10–3 and ranked No. 17 in the AP Poll and No. 18 in the Coaches Poll.

From 2002–2011, the Mountaineer football program yielded its most prolific era to date, producing a 95–33 record.^[4] During that span WVU participated in ten bowl games, finished ranked in at least one of the AP or Coaches Polls on seven occasions, won six Big East Conference titles, and produced three BCS bowl game victories.

In the midst of continued college football

Despite starting its inaugural season in the Big 12 at 5–0 and climbing into the top 5 in the AP and Coaches Polls after upsetting No. 11 Texas in Austin, WVU lost six of its final eight games en route to a 7–6 finish. The season culminated in a loss to rival Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl.^[70] The season ended WVU's run of 10 consecutive seasons with at least eight victories.

The 2013 season brought WVU's first losing campaign since 2001. After a 4–5 start and an opportunity to secure bowl eligibility with two victories, WVU faltered in its final three games to finish 4–8.

The Mountaineers rebounded in the 2014 season, posting a 7–6 record against a schedule featuring five opponents ranked in the top 15. WVU raced to a 6–2 start, highlighted by an upset of eventual Big 12 champion Baylor, only to lose four of its final five games. The Mountaineers returned to a bowl game in 2014, losing to Texas A&M in the Liberty Bowl. WVU returned to the eight-win plateau in 2015 season, posting a 7–5 record during the regular season and winning the Cactus Bowl, to finish at 8–5.

In the 2016 season, the Mountaineers finished in second place in the Big 12 and finished the season with a 10–3 record, the ninth season in the program's history with at least ten victories. The Mountaineers accomplished a 7–2 run in conference play during the regular season. The season culminated in a loss to Miami in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Prior to the conclusion of the regular season, Holgorsen and WVU agreed to a five-year contract extension.

In 2017, WVU finished in a tie for 4th place in the Big 12 and a final record of 7-6. The season concluded with a loss in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. The Mountaineers started the season 7-3, only to lose their final three games after a season-ending hand injury to quarterback Will Grier.

Championships

Conference championships

West Virginia has won or shared a conference championship on 15 occasions, ten outright and five shared, including eight Southern Conference (SoCon) titles and seven Big East Conference titles.^[71]

† Co-champion

Regional championships

The

]

Season	Coach	Region	Record
1988	Don Nehlen	Eastern	11–1
1993	Don Nehlen	Eastern	11–1
2007	Rich Rodriguez	Eastern	11–2
2011	Dana Holgorsen	Eastern	10–3

Bowl games

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2018)

West Virginia has participated in 37 bowl games throughout its history, compiling a 15–22 record. The Mountaineers endured a dubious string of post-season futility from 1987 to 2004, losing 11 of 12 bowl games including eight consecutive losses between 1987 and 1998. As of 2012, however, WVU has won five of its last seven bowl games. Of those 32 bowl appearances, the Mountaineers have participated in 12 "major" Division I-A/FBS bowl games,^{[Note 2]} including three BCS Bowl Games, one Bowl Coalition Game and one National Championship Game.

† National Championship Game

‡ Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, BCS or CFP / New Years' Six bowl game

Head coaches

The West Virginia Mountaineers have had 33 head coaches throughout the program's history. With 149 victories, Don Nehlen is first overall in the program's history, followed by Dana Holgorsen (61 wins) and Rich Rodriguez (60).^[22]

Rankings

West Virginia has finished a season ranked in at least one of the

At the conclusion of the 2016 regular season, the Mountaineers were ranked 16th by the College Football Playoff (CFP). West Virginia finished the regular season ranked seven times in the final rankings of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), a predecessor to the CFP. The Bowl Coalition, a predecessor to the CFP and BCS systems, ranked WVU 3rd in its final standings at the conclusion of the 1993 regular season. As of the end of the 2017 season, the Mountaineers were 45–113–2 against opponents ranked in the AP Poll.^[73] WVU has been ranked in the AP Poll at some point in 39 of their seasons since the inception of the program.^[74]

Facilities

Since 1891, the Mountaineers have played their home games in

The Mountaineers have played their home games at the second incarnation of Mountaineer Field since 1980. The bowl-shaped stadium is located on the Evansdale section of the WVU campus. Originally constructed with an east-west configuration of the seating areas and a capacity of 50,000, subsequent seating additions at the north and south ends of the facility increased the capacity to over 63,000 by 1986 through the 2003 season. Suites were first introduced to Mountaineer Field in 1994, with 12 suites being constructed in the first row of the press box on the stadium's west end. General admission seating in the north end zone was replaced with 18 suites in 2004 to create the "Touchdown Terrace" section, while four additional suites were added in the south end zone in 2007. The construction of Touchdown Terrace in 2004 brought the stadium's capacity to 60,000, where it currently stands.^[76]

As of November 29, 2003, the stadium has been named "Milan Puskar Stadium" in honor of Milan Puskar, the founder of Morgantown-based Mylan Pharmaceuticals, in recognition of his $20 million donation to the University.^[77]

Due to Mountaineer Field's capacity and the relatively smaller populations of West Virginia's largest cities, it has been suggested that Morgantown becomes the largest "city" in the state on game days due to the influx of spectators at the stadium.^[78][79] Crowds at Mountaineer Field have earned the reputation of being loud and boisterous, creating a hostile atmosphere for opposing teams.^[80][81]

The largest crowd to ever attend a game at the stadium was 70,222, set on November 20, 1993.^[82]

Milan Puskar Center

Also constructed in 1980 was the "Facilities Building" (now the Milan Puskar Center) to house the program's football offices. Originally located south of Mountaineer Field, in 1985 the facility was connected to the stadium when a 10,000-seat expansion enclosed the South end zone bowl.

The Puskar Center underwent significant renovations in 2012 and 2013, aimed specifically at improving the weight room, the aesthetics of the facility's interior, lounge space for the football players and upgrading the coaches' meeting areas.[84]. Further renovation of the Puskar Center in 2015 culminated with the construction of a new team meeting room for the players and coaches. The structure has 162 theater-style chairs to seat an entire football team, as well as support staff and personnel. The room is also utilized for the head coach's weekly news conferences during the season, as well as media interviews with players and other coaches.^[85].

Further renovations to the Puskar Center are planned for the future as part of WVU's master plan for athletic facilities.^[86]

Practice fields

The Mountaineers utilize two facilities for indoor and outdoor football practices, the Caperton Indoor Practice Facility and the Steve Antoline Family Football Practice Field.

The Caperton facility opened in August 1998. The indoor space is equipped with a 90-yard FieldTurf playing surface with seven yards of safety zone surrounding the entire field. Total length from wall to wall is 105 yards, with more than 75,000 square feet of practice room. Located behind the Caperton facility is the Steve Antoline Family Practice Field, a FieldTurf facility previously consisting of two grass fields. The Antoline facility consists of a full length 120-yard field along with an adjacent 60-yard field.

Traditions

See also:

WVU Band Traditions

The theme song of West Virginia University, John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" has been performed at every home football game pregame show since 1972. In 1980, John Denver performed his hit song during pregame festivities to a sold-out crowd at Mountaineer Field. His performance marked the dedication of the second incarnation of Mountaineer Field and the first game for head coach Don Nehlen.^[87] After every home win, WVU players and fans link arm-in-arm and sing along to a recording of the song.^[88]

Pregame show

Performed by the

Hail, West Virginia."^[89] The band also performs "Take Me Home, Country Roads" as well as Aaron Copland's "Simple Gifts."^[89] The fans participate in several cheers during the pregame show, notably chanting "W-V-U" to the roll of the band's drum line prior to the playing of "Fight Mountaineers," as well as chanting "Let's Go Mountaineers" in between playings of "Hail, West Virginia."^[90]

WVU students encompassing the "Mountaineer Maniacs" section and fans alike participate in several chants during WVU home games. The "Let's Go...Mountaineers" chant, with the east end of the stadium shouting "Let's Go..." and the west end responding with "Mountaineers," is the most popular amongst those in attendance.[91] West Virginia fans also participate in the "1st Down" and "3rd Down" cheers. The "1st Down" cheer can be heard at both home and away games prior to the announcement of a Mountaineer first down. Mountaineer fans raise their hands and hold a cheer of "OH!" in unison until the first down call is made by the public address announcer. Following the call, the fans lift their arms up and down three times to a chant of "W-V-U," clap and then signal to the end zone chanting "first down!"^[92][93] The "3rd Down" cheer is similar, with Mountaineer fans raising their arms and waving three fingers upon the announcement of "third down" by the public address.

The Mountaineer

WVU incorporated the Mountaineers nickname in 1905 after the coining of West Virginia's state motto, "Mountaineers are Always Free." Prior to 1905, the team was referred to as the "Snakes."^[94] The Mountaineer mascot first appeared at WVU sporting events during the 1934–35 school year and has been a fixture ever since. The Mountaineer is selected each year by the Mountain Honorary, composed of members of West Virginia University's senior class.^[95] The Mountaineer's costume is tailored to fit each winner, and male Mountaineers customarily grow beards during their tenure to go along with the coonskin cap and rifle, although the beard is not a requirement for the mascot position.^[95] The mascot is modeled after the Mountaineer bronze statue located in front of the Mountainlair student union building on the WVU campus. During football games, the Mountaineer mascot will fire his musket upon the team's entrance prior to kickoff, at the conclusion of each quarter and following every score.

Gold Rush, True Blue and Stripe the Stadium

Introduced by head coach

In contrast, WVU designates one home game per season as a "True Blue" game where the fans in attendance are encouraged to wear blue throughout the stadium. The Mountaineer players wear their all-blue uniform sets for these particular games.[98]

The fan tradition of "Stripe the Stadium" has been in place since the Mountaineers joined the Big 12 Conference in 2012. Fans are encouraged to wear a designated color for their respective seating section. Fans in even sections of the stadium and students in the lower section of the student section are asked to wear blue. Fans in odd sections and students in the upper section of the student section are asked to wear gold. The result is the stadium appearing to be "striped" in blue and gold".^[99]

Mountaineer Mantrip

Instituted during the 2011 season by head coach Dana Holgorsen, the Mountaineer Mantrip is a part of West Virginia's gameday traditions and a recognition of the significance of

The walk begins when the team is dropped off at the corner of the WVU Medical Center and Don Nehlen Drive prior to game time. They are accompanied by the Mountaineer mascot, the Pride of West Virginia Marching Band, and the Mountaineer cheerleaders. WVU students and fans line the path to create a tunnel-like effect for the passing team members.^[100] When the team reaches the east end of Mountaineer Field, they stop to rub a 350-pound mounted chunk of coal donated by Alpha Natural Resources from the Upper Big Branch coal mine.^[101]

A new feature at the completion of the Mantrip was introduced during the 2018 season. AAfter players and coaches have reached Mountaineer Field and touched the mounted piece of coal, they turn and wave toward the parents and patients inside

Beginning in 1970, the Mountaineers donned the program's first official logo—the WVU "state outline"—on their helmets through the 1979 season and have reintroduced the logo as part of a "throwback" helmet since 2013.^[103] West Virginia used a white helmet with the state outline logo from 1970–72, a gold helmet with the same logo from 1973–78, and reverted to the white helmet and state outline logo in 1979 and again in 2013.

The "Flying WV" is the trademark logo for West Virginia Mountaineer football, adorning the team's helmet and uniform. It debuted in 1980 along with the current gold and blue color scheme as a part of a football uniform redesign by head coach Don Nehlen, and has since become one of the most widely recognized logos in collegiate athletics.^[104] In adopting the Flying WV logo on the team's helmets, Nehlen wanted to create a distinct image for the football program that could be easily identified. When Nehlen began his tenure as head coach in 1980, he initially had difficulty in distinguishing between WVU and its opponents while watching game film.^[104] The logo itself was created by sports artist John Martin, brother of then-Athletic Director Dick Martin. John Martin's primary inspiration for the logo was the depiction of mountains created with the combination of the state initials 'W' and 'V'.^[104][105] The surge in the logo's popularity led to its adoption as the official logo of West Virginia University in 1985.^[104]

Since 1980, West Virginia's standard uniform has consisted of a dark blue jersey (home) or a white jersey (away) with gold pants and a dark blue helmet adorned by the gold "Flying WV" logo on both sides.^[94] West Virginia's uniform scheme has also included a gold helmet, white helmet, gold jersey, dark blue pants, and white pants at various stages throughout its history. WVU also added a gray uniform and helmet combination to its rotation exclusively for the 2012 season.^[106]

WVU introduced new uniforms for the 2013 season. The helmets, jerseys, and pants each feature blue, gold, and white primary color sets, creating 27 different possible uniform combinations. The reintroduction of the gold and white helmets to the uniform scheme marked the first time each have been used since the late 1970s.^[107] All of the helmets feature a matte, non-glossy paint finish and the "Flying WV" logo adorned on each side. WVU introduced a white throwback helmet during the 2013 season, featuring the 1970s "state outline" logo.

The Mountaineers wore a Nike Pro Combat uniform or the 2010 season edition of the Backyard Brawl. The uniform was specifically designed to pay tribute to West Virginia's coal mining industry. The jersey and pants consisted of a shade of white accented by a layer of coal dust, along with accents of university gold that referenced canaries utilized in coal mining. The helmet also implemented the coal dust accent, along with a yellow line down the center designed to embody the beam of light emitted by a miner's headlamp.^[109] West Virginia also donned the Pro Combat uniforms later that season for the Champs Sports Bowl.

Rivalries

Marshall

The Friends of Coal Bowl between West Virginia and the Marshall Thundering Herd has also been noncompetitive, as Marshall has never beaten the Mountaineers in twelve meetings. There is considerable doubt for the future of the Friends of Coal Bowl as the final game of the series was played in 2012 and there are no plans to renew the series.^[110]

Maryland

The Mountaineers and Maryland Terrapins have met on a semi-annual basis since 1919, recently rekindling a cross-border rivalry that was once the longest continuous non-conference series for these geographical neighbors.^[111] The Mountaineers lead the series 28–22–2 through the 2018 season.^[112]

Penn State

Much less competitive was the one-sided series between West Virginia and Penn State. They met annually from 1947–1992. At one point, from 1959 to 1983, Penn State had won 25 consecutive meetings between the two. The series ended in 1992 with Penn State commencing Big Ten Conference play in 1993. On Sept. 19, 2013, the schools announced that they would renew the series with two games in 2023 and 2024.^[113] Penn State leads the series 48–9–2 through the 2017 season.^[114]

Pitt

In terms of competitiveness, intensity and longevity, the Backyard Brawl with the

Syracuse

West Virginia also enjoyed a long-standing rivalry with the Syracuse Orange. The schools have competed annually from 1955-2012, with the 1993 addition of the Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy being awarded to the victor. The significance of the trophy resides in the fact that Ben Schwartzwalder was a West Virginia native, former WVU player, and legendary head coach at Syracuse. While Syracuse holds a 33–27 lead in the series, WVU has won eight of the last ten games between the schools. Much like the status of the Backyard Brawl, Syracuse's departure from the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference and WVU's joining of the Big 12 Conference casts doubt over the future of the series.^[115]

Virginia Tech

The Mountaineers also once enjoyed a fierce rivalry with their Appalachia counterparts, the Virginia Tech Hokies. The schools once competed on an annual basis from 1973 to 2005, doing so as Big East Conference rivals starting in 1991. Beginning in 1997, West Virginia and Virginia Tech competed for the Black Diamond Trophy, symbolizing the Appalachian region’s rich coal heritage.^[116] While West Virginia held a 28–22–1 advantage in the series, Virginia Tech won nine of the last twelve meetings between the schools. Since the Hokies departed the Big East for the ACC in 2004 and ended the series in 2006, the rivalry has been dormant. The rivalry was renewed with a neutral-site game in 2017, and with a future set of games for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. West Virginia leads the series with Virginia Tech 28–23–1 through the 2017 season.^[117]

Individual awards

Heisman Trophy candidates

West Virginia has produced seven Heisman Trophy candidates. Major Harris is the only Mountaineer to be considered as a finalist for the award, garnering consideration in the 1988 and 1989 seasons.^[118][119]

National award winners and finalists

A total of 20 Mountaineer players and coaches have been finalists for numerous

A total of 39 Mountaineers have been recognized as First-Team All-Americans by various media selectors. Among those selections, eleven have achieved Consensus All-American status. Of those consensus All-Americans, four were unanimous selections.^[38]

Conference award winners

During WVU's 18-season tenure in the Southern Conference, a total of seven Mountaineers were recognized with superlative conference honors. Art Lewis received Coach of the Year distinction on consecutive occasions (1953 & 1954) while Bruce Bosley was named the SoCon Player of the Year and Jacobs Blocking Award winner in 1955.^[120] During WVU's 21 seasons in the Big East, a total of 12 Mountaineers were recognized with superlative conference honors. Don Nehlen (1993) and Rich Rodriguez (2003) were unanimous selections for Big East Coach of the Year, while Todd Sauerbrun was the unanimous selection for Big East Special Teams Player of the Year in 1994 and Amos Zereoué was the unanimous selection for Big East Rookie of the Year in 1996. Tavon Austin was WVU's first Big 12 Conference award recipient, garnering Co-Special Teams Player of the Year honors in 2012.

All-Conference selections

Southern Conference

From 1950 to 1967, West Virginia competed in the Southern Conference. During their 18 seasons in the SoCon, a total of 35 Mountaineers were recognized as First-Team All-Southern Conference selections.^[120]

Big East

The Mountaineers competed in the

Since joining the Big 12 Conference in 2012, 15 Mountaineers have been recognized as First-Team All-Big 12 selections.

Awards from within the program

Retired numbers

West Virginia has retired three jersey numbers. It is the highest possible accolade to achieve within the Mountaineer football program.^[121]

Mountaineer Legends Society

Introduced in 2016, the West Virginia University Mountaineer Legends Society is the second level of recognition for the WVU football program. The Legends Society program replaced the retirement of a jersey number, which had previously served as the second form of recognition. Jersey number retirement remains the highest attainable honor for the WVU football program.

Honors include addition into the team's Legends Park outside of Mountaineer Field and in graphics on column wraps around the stadium’s concourse in a "ring of honor" configuration.

To be eligible, a coach, player or administrator must meet the following criteria:

• The individual must have demonstrated consistent and unique national excellence in his collegiate football career, his accomplishments must be significant on an individual and team basis and, in general, must have made a noteworthy contribution to the history of the football program.
• The individual must first be inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame.
• If the individual is a former player or coach, he must accomplish one of a certain set of milestones.^[121]

The following individuals have been inducted into the Mountaineer Legends Society for their contributions to the Mountaineer football program:

WVU Sports Hall of Fame

The West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame is the first level of recognition for past members of the Mountaineer football program. Former athletes, coaches and administrators are eligible for selection 10 years following their association with WVU athletics. It is the first step of recognition for former players, coaches and administrators. ^[122] The following individuals have been inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame for their contributions to the Mountaineer football program:

College Football Hall of Fame inductees

The National Football Foundation, overseer of the College Football Hall of Fame, recognizes ten individuals as WVU inductees.^[123] Conversely, the Mountaineer football program recognizes 13 individuals as inductees.^{[124] [Note 3]}

Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees

Two Mountaineers hold the distinguished title of

Among the numerous Mountaineers that have participated in the NFL, a total of 32 have received all-star or Pro Bowl recognition.

Current coaching staff

• Head Coach

Vacant

• Assistant Coaches

Doug Belk - Cornerbacks

Marquel Blackwell - Running Backs

Matt Caponi – Safeties

Tyron Carrier – Receivers

Dan Gerberry - Tight Ends/Fullbacks

Tony Gibson – Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers

Mark Scott – Linebackers, Special Teams

Bruce Tall – Defensive Line

Joe Wickline – Offensive Line

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of January 5, 2017.^[148]

Notes