Five West Virginia players to watch
By Chris Bengel
Sep 6, 2014; Morgantown, WV, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers safety Karl Joseph (8) drops into pass coverage against the Towson Tigers during the second quarter at Milan Puskar Stadium. West Virginia won 54-0. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
No. 1 Karl Joseph
Much like 2014, West Virginia has a very talented defense. Thanks to dominating performances against Georgia State and Liberty, the Mountaineers currently are ranked No. 24 in the FBS, only allowing 298 total yards-per-game. The Mountaineers secondary is one of the big reasons for their stout defense as they rank No. 23 in the nation against the pass. They’re only yielding 154.5 yards through the air per contest.
Safety Karl Joseph is one of the most talented defensive backs in the country. Joseph is a ball-hawking safety that has a knack for laying the big hit and snagging an interception or two. After all, Joseph recorded three interceptions against Georgia Southern in West Virginia’s season opener. Prior to 2015, Joseph only had four interceptions during his first three years in Morgantown. Joseph is a great tackler that has the ability to run down any opposing player in the open field. This is the type of safety that is going to be playing football on Sunday next year. Maryland’s offensive line is talented, but they’re going to have to be on their heels when trying to keep Joseph away from their skill position stars.