Did New Coordinator Finally Unlock WVU's Offensive Potential?
WVU Offense Struggles Early
In 2022, The West Virginia University Mountaineers started the season with an offense that was among the worst in the Power Five.
Former coordinator Graham Harrell's offense averaged just 17 points per game through the first six games of the year.
After getting shut out in the first half against Texas, head coach Neal Brown made the decision to fire Harrell and promote receivers coach Gerad Parker.
WVU Offense Finds Success Late
With Parker at the helm, the Mountaineers averaged 31 points per game over the final seven contests.
This improvement was largely due to the emergence of quarterback JT Daniels, who threw for over 2,100 yards and 16 touchdowns in that span.
Additionally, the running game improved significantly, averaging over 150 yards per game in the final seven games.
Did the Coordinator Make the Difference?
It's difficult to say for certain whether the change in coordinator was the sole reason for the offensive improvement.
However, there are some factors that suggest that Parker may have had a positive impact.
First, Daniels played his best football under Parker's guidance. The quarterback's completion percentage, yards per attempt, and touchdown-to-interception ratio all improved significantly.
Second, the running game became more effective under Parker. The Mountaineers averaged 4.6 yards per carry in the final seven games, compared to just 3.8 yards per carry in the first six games.
Parker's Impact on the Offense
- Improved quarterback play
- More effective running game
- Increased scoring output
Overall, it's fair to say that Parker's promotion had a positive impact on the West Virginia offense.
While it's impossible to say for certain whether he was the sole reason for the improvement, his contributions were certainly significant.
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