The 2012 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season marked the Mountaineers' first season as members of the Big 12 Conference. In addition, the 2012 season was the first for the team since 1942 without a Backyard Brawl matchup against their top rival Pittsburgh due to their exit from the Big East Conference after the 2011 season. The Mountaineers were led by Dana Holgorsen in his second season as head coach. Joe DeForest and Keith Patterson served as co-defensive coordinators in their first season at WVU, while Shannon Dawson was elevated to offensive coordinator after serving as the team's receivers coach in the 2011 season. West Virginia played its home games on Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia.
West Virginia, entered the 2012 season ranked 11th in AP Poll and were projected to contend with Oklahoma for the Big 12 in their first season in the conference. The Mountaineers won their first five games of the season, which included a shootout win over #25 Baylor on homecoming, and a high-scoring affair with #11 Texas. The Mountaineers who had risen up to #5 in the AP Poll, went on the road to face the Texas Tech, a game which they fell behind 35–7, and would ultimately lose 49–14. The Texas Tech loss was the start of 5–game losing streak, which saw the Mountaineers fall completely out the AP Poll, and out of Big 12 title contention. The Mountaineers recovered and won their final two games, to finish out the regular season with an 7–5 record, 4–5 in Big 12 play to finish in a four-way tie for fourth place. They were invited to the Pinstripe Bowl where they were defeated by longtime rival Syracuse.
Preseason 2012 recruiting class
Big 12 media poll
Oklahoma (32), 396 West Virginia (7), 339 Texas 291 Oklahoma State, 267 (1), 260 Kansas State (1), 257 Baylor, 162 Iowa State, 121 Texas Tech, 116 Kansas, 46
Awards candidates
Heisman Trophy Tavon Austin Geno Smith
Fred Biletnikoff Award Tavon Austin Stedman Bailey
Walter Camp Award Tavon Austin Geno Smith
Lou Groza Award Tyler Bitancurt
Paul Hornung Award Tavon Austin
Lombardi Award Joe Madsen
Manning Award Geno Smith
Maxwell Award Geno Smith Tavon Austin
Davey O'Brien Award Geno Smith
Rimington Trophy Joe Madsen
Johnny Unitas Award Geno Smith
Coaching staff 2012 Coaching StaffHead coach Dana Holgorsen
Offensive coaches Bill Bedenbaugh - Offensive line Shannon Dawson – Offensive coordinator/Receivers Robert Gillespie - Running backs Jake Spavital – Quarterbacks Defensive coaches Joe DeForest - Defensive coordinator/safeties Keith Patterson - Co-defensive coordinator/linebackers Daron Roberts - Cornerbacks Erik Slaughter - Defensive line Special teams coaches Steve Dunlap - Special teams coordinator Support staff Ryan Dorchester - Recruiting coordinator Alex Hammond - Director of Football Operations Mike Joseph - Strength and Conditioning Coach Dave Kerns - Head Athletic Trainer Dan Nehlen - Equipment Manager Quincy Wilson - Assistant Director of Football Operations
Roster 2012 West Virginia MountaineersQuarterbacks Ford Childress – Freshman Travis Maraney – Freshman Paul Millard – Sophomore Logan Moore – Junior Geno Smith – Senior
Running backs Shawne Alston – Senior D'Vontis Arnold – Freshman Andrew Buie – Sophomore Ryan Clarke – RS Senior Cody Clay – RS Freshman Dustin Garrison – Sophomore Anthony Gutta – RS Freshman D. J. Hunt – Freshman Nate Majnaric – RS Junior Donovan Miles – RS Senior Chris Smelley – RS Freshman
Receivers Connor Arlia – Sophomore Tavon Austin – Senior Stedman Bailey – RS Junior Dustin Brown – RS Sophomore Dante Campbell – RS Freshman Sam Eggleston – Freshman Terrence Gourdine – RS Sophomore Will Johnson – Freshman Devonte Mathis – Freshman Ivan McCartney – Junior K. J. Myers – RS Freshman Ryan Nehlen – RS Senior Devonte Robinson – Freshman Jordan Thompson – Freshman J. D. Woods – RS Senior Offensive linemen John Bassler – RS Senior Jeff Braun -RS Senior Michael Calicchio – Junior Pat Eger – RS Junior Curtis Feight – RS Junior Mark Glowinski – Junior Russell Haughton-James – RS Freshman Brandon Jackson – RS Freshman Josh Jenkins – RS Senior Nick Kindler – RS Junior Marquis Lucas – RS Freshman Joe Madsen – RS Senior Tony Matteo – Freshman Tyler Orlosky – Freshman Adam Pankey – Freshman Quinton Spain – RS Sophomore
Defensive linemen Imarjaye Albury – Freshman Christian Brown – Freshman Will Clarke – RS Junior Trevor Demko – RS Sophomore Dozie Ezemma – RS Junior James Gayeski – RS Freshman Korey Harris – Freshman Garrett Hope – Freshman Eric Kinsey – Freshman J. B. Lageman – RS Senior Noble Nwachukwu – Freshman Kyle Rose – RS Freshman Shaq Rowell – Senior Jewone Snow – RS Sophomore Jorge Wright – RS Senior Linebackers Tyler Anderson – RS Junior Justin Arndt – Freshman Jared Barber – Sophomore Isaiah Bruce – RS Freshman Austin Copeland – Freshman Josh Francis – Senior Terence Garvin – Senior Troy Gloster – RS Sophomore Nick Kwiatkoski – RS Freshman Shaq Petteway – Sophomore Taige Redman – RS Junior Doug Rigg – Junior Curtis Smelley – RS Freshman Wes Tonkery – RS Sophomore Sean Walters – Freshman
Cornerbacks Terrell Chestnut – RS Freshman Vernon Davis – Freshman Brodrick Jenkins – RS Junior Nana Kyeremeh – Freshman Cecil Level – RS Senior Mikal Mayo – RS Freshman Pat Miller – Junior Brandon Napoleon – Freshman Ricky Rumph – Freshman Nana Twum Agyire – RS Freshman Anthony Vecchio – RS Sophomore Avery Williams – Sophomore Safeties Ishmael Banks – RS Sophomore Travis Bell – Junior Nick Cadwell – RS Senior Darwin Cook – RS Junior K. J. Dillon – Freshman Mike Hall – Freshman Jarrod Harper – Freshman Karl Joseph – Freshman William Marable – RS Junior Matt Moro – Senior Ishmail Showell – RS Freshman
Specialists Tyler Bitancurt – RS Senior () Jerry Cooper – RS Sophomore () John DePalma – Freshman () Josh Lambert – Freshman () Michael Molinari – RS Sophomore () Corey Smith – RS Senior ()
Key – Currently Injured – Current redshirt I* – Ineligible
Official Team Roster
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries
Marshall
Statistics MRSHWVU First downs 28 31 Total yards 545 655 Rushing yards 132 331 Passing yards 413 324 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 32:19 27:41 Team Category Player Statistics Marshall Passing Rakeem Cato 38/54, 413 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Kevin Grooms 5 rushes, 43 yards Receiving Aaron Dobson 4 receptions, 72 yards West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 32/36, 323 yards, 4 TD Rushing Shawne Alston 16 rushes, 123 yards, 2 TD Receiving Stedman Bailey 9 receptions, 104 yards, 2 TD
Vs. No. 4 (FCS) James Madison
Statistics JMUWVU First downs 15 28 Total yards 300 569 Rushing yards 188 121 Passing yards 112 448 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 35:31 24:19 Team Category Player Statistics James Madison Passing Justin Thorpe 6/13, 71 yards, INT Rushing Jordan Anderson 17 rushes, 75 yards Receiving Brian Barlow 2 receptions, 46 yards West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 34/39, 411 yards, 5 TD Rushing Shawne Alston 14 rushes, 62 yards, TD Receiving Stedman Bailey 13 receptions, 173 yards, 3 TD
Maryland
Statistics MDWVU First downs 18 19 Total yards 351 363 Rushing yards 46 25 Passing yards 305 338 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 30:44 29:16 Team Category Player Statistics Maryland Passing Perry Hills 20/29, 305 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Brandon Ross 20 rushes, 52 yards Receiving Stefon Diggs 3 receptions, 113 yards, 2 TD West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 30/43, 338 yards, 3 TD Rushing Andrew Buie 14 rushes, 33 yards Receiving Tavon Austin 13 receptions, 179 yards, 3 TD
No. 25 Baylor
Statistics BAYWVU First downs 34 33 Total yards 700 807 Rushing yards 119 151 Passing yards 581 656 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 26:05 33:55 Team Category Player Statistics Baylor Passing Nick Florence 29/47, 581 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Jarred Salubi 20 rushes, 75 yards, TD Receiving Terrance Williams 17 receptions, 314 yards, 2 TD West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 45/51, 656 yards, 8 TD Rushing Andrew Buie 25 rushes, 82 yards, 2 TD Receiving Stedman Bailey 13 receptions, 303 yards, 5 TD
At No. 11 Texas
Statistics WVUTEX First downs 26 21 Total yards 460 404 Rushing yards 192 135 Passing yards 268 269 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 29:14 30:46 Team Category Player Statistics West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 25/35, 268 yards, 4 TD Rushing Andrew Buie 31 rushes, 207 yards, 2 TD Receiving Tavon Austin 10 receptions, 102 yards, TD Texas Passing David Ash 22/29, 269 yards, TD Rushing Johnathan Gray 14 rushes, 87 yards Receiving Jeremy Hills 6 receptions, 67 yards
At Texas Tech
Statistics WVUTTU First downs 25 30 Total yards 408 676 Rushing yards 130 168 Passing yards 278 508 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 30:18 29:42 Team Category Player Statistics West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 29/55, 275 yards, TD Rushing Andrew Buie 21 rushes, 71 yards Receiving Tavon Austin 9 receptions, 99 yards Texas Tech Passing Seth Doege 32/42, 499 yards, 6 TD, INT Rushing Sadale Foster 10 rushes, 82 yards, TD Receiving Jace Amaro 5 receptions, 156 yards, TD
No. 4 Kansas State
Statistics KSUWVU First downs 24 18 Total yards 479 243 Rushing yards 146 88 Passing yards 333 155 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 33:08 26:52 Team Category Player Statistics Kansas State Passing Collin Klein 19/21, 323 yards, 3 TD Rushing John Hubert 16 rushes, 52 yards Receiving Tyler Lockett 9 receptions, 194 yards, 2 TD West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 21/32, 143 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Dustin Garrison 9 rushes, 54 yards Receiving Tavon Austin 6 receptions, 34 yards, TD
TCU
Statistics TCUWVU First downs 17 21 Total yards 405 338 Rushing yards 126 78 Passing yards 279 260 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 33:18 26:42 Team Category Player Statistics TCU Passing Trevone Boykin 12/29, 254 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing B. J. Catalon 15 rushes, 39 yards Receiving Josh Boyce 6 receptions, 180 yards, 2 TD West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 32/54, 260 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Andrew Buie 10 rushes, 40 yards Receiving Tavon Austin 11 receptions, 101 yards, TD
At Oklahoma State
Statistics WVUOKST First downs 26 21 Total yards 479 443 Rushing yards 78 151 Passing yards 401 292 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 33:10 26:50 Team Category Player Statistics West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 36/54, 364 yards, 2 TD Rushing Andrew Buie 15 rushes, 53 yards Receiving Stedman Bailey 14 receptions, 225 yards, TD Oklahoma State Passing Clint Chelf 22/31, 292 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Joseph Randle 21 rushes, 74 yards Receiving Josh Stewart 13 receptions, 172 yards, 2 TD
No. 13 Oklahoma
Statistics OKLAWVU First downs 30 31 Total yards 662 778 Rushing yards 108 458 Passing yards 554 320 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 32:14 27:46 Team Category Player Statistics Oklahoma Passing Landry Jones 38/51, 554 yards, 6 TD, INT Rushing Damien Williams 22 rushes, 92 yards, TD Receiving Jalen Saunders 7 receptions, 123 yards, TD West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 20/35, 320 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT Rushing Tavon Austin 21 rushes, 344 yards, 2 TD Receiving Stedman Bailey 13 receptions, 205 yards, 4 TD
At Iowa State
Statistics WVUISU First downs 24 24 Total yards 475 396 Rushing yards 239 234 Passing yards 236 162 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 32:07 27:53 Team Category Player Statistics West Virginia Passing Geno Smith 22/31, 236 yards, 2 TD Rushing Shawne Alston 19 rushes, 130 yards, TD Receiving Tavon Austin 6 receptions, 99 yards, TD Iowa State Passing Sam B. Richardson 13/31, 162 yards, 3 TD Rushing Sam B. Richardson 18 rushes, 119 yards Receiving Josh Lenz 4 receptions, 48 yards, TD
Kansas
Statistics KUWVU First downs 13 32 Total yards 274 647 Rushing yards 157 240 Passing yards 117 407 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 30:45 29:15