WVU irritated over low excitement: ‘People neglect us’

• Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Citizen WriterJul 10, 2024, 03:13 PM ET Close College football press reporter.
• Signed up with ESPN.com in 2008.
• Graduate of Northwestern University.LAS VEGAS– A year after being selected to complete last in the Big 12, West Virginia is still looking for more regard as a team and for its specific standouts.Last July, coach Neal Brown bristled at West Virginia’s place in

the 2023 preseason media survey, and the Mountaineers provided with 9 wins– their most given that 2016. After returning quarterback Garrett Greene, standout offensive deal with Wyatt Milum and others, West Virginia went up to No. 7 in this year’s preseason survey but do not appear in lots of nationwide top 25 lists.”I marvel and I’m not shocked,”Brown told ESPN at Big 12 media days at Allegiant Stadium.

“A great deal of these leading 25s came out and we’re not in it, and when I look at it, winning nine games in 2015 and taking a look at what we have returning, it does not make sense to me.” Brown included that there’s an” excited anticipation” around his group, which returns most of its beginning offense and a number of essential protectors. Greene had 2,406 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and just four interceptions as the Mountaineers’ starter last year, although he finished just 52.9 %of his passes and finished 47th nationally in pass efficiency.Editor’s Picks

1 Associated

Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders was noted as the quarterback on the preseason All-Big 12 league by the media. Milum, a second-team All-Big 12 choice in 2023 and an NFL draft prospect in 2025, is the only West Virginia player selected to the team.

“We have among the most vibrant players in the nation at quarterback, who I think is being really underestimated, if you take a look at his numbers compared to a few of the other quarterbacks in our league,” Brown said.Milum believes West Virginia is”one hundred percent “worthwhile of top 25 inclusion and will compete for the Big 12 title and its very first College Football Playoff look in the fall. Security Aubrey Burks stated an underdog mentality belongs to the program’s material, however Milum stated the external view of the program goes deeper.

“I just think individuals ignore us,” Milum said. “How do you win 9 games and are still seventh [in the preseason survey] with the returning players that you have returning? I just feel disrespected. Why? I don’t understand why. With the returning players that we have and the players we brought in, it does not really make much sense, however it is what it is, and we’re just going to go prove them incorrect.”

West Virginia gets an instant opportunity as it opens the season by hosting Penn State.

“That would absolutely just reveal everybody what we’re going to bring to the table this year,” Milum stated. “A top-10 win, that would absolutely make a statement for the very first game.”