West Virginia’s extra week before facing Texas Tech should help the coaching staff get organized, but it may also force them to prepare for a different kind of quarterback situation than the one they expected.
The Red Raiders could be dealing with more than just Will Hammond. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Florida State transfer Tommy Castellanos is expected to receive “an uptick” in snaps for Texas Tech’s game later today against Arizona.
That matters for WVU because Hammond has already shown a knack for putting the ball in danger. He has eight big-time throws this season, but also 13 turnover-worthy plays, per Pro Football Focus, and that does not include the six interceptions he has thrown.
Texas Tech has not exactly lived on deep shots, either. The Red Raiders only attack downfield 15.5% of the time, which makes Hammond’s mistakes even more notable. By comparison, WVU’s Mike Hawkins Jr. has thrown 20+ yards 30% of the time and has only two interceptions, one coming on a tipped ball against Oklahoma State.
Hammond’s issues have also come in a specific game script. Most of his turnovers have surfaced when defenses have chosen coverage over pressure. Four of his six interceptions have come without a blitz, and 11 of his turnover-worthy plays have come in those situations as well.
Castellanos brings a different profile if Texas Tech leans his way. He has been limited to five games this season, but he’s no stranger to bouncing around - UCF, Boston College and Florida State before landing at Texas Tech, his fourth school. He has also had ball-security problems of his own, throwing 13 interceptions in his first year as a starter at Boston College and nine more last year with the Seminoles, not counting other throws that could have turned into turnovers.
What Castellanos adds is juice on the ground. Hammond can run, but Castellanos is a different level of athlete in that phase. He rushed for more than 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023, and his college resume now includes 2,049 rushing yards and 26 rushing scores.
West Virginia’s defense has had its share of problems this season, especially against quarterbacks who can extend plays or make things happen with their legs. If Castellanos gets a real workload against Arizona, it should at least give Zac Alley more to study before the Mountaineers see Texas Tech.
In Other News...
West Virginia Will Relive Its Roster Chaos In A Painful Way
West Virginias mens basketball roster churn has become a familiar part of the programs recent story, and the effects are about to show up on the schedule in a very personal way. Over the past four years, the Mountaineers have dealt with heavy turnover, with coaching instability helping drive a wave of departures that sent several former players elsewhere.
Now those exits are circling back. Amani Hansberry, Miles Powell and Thomas are among the former Mountaineers set to face West Virginia in upcoming games, turning ordinary nonconference or league dates into something more charged for a program still trying to steady itself. For a team that has already lived through so much roster upheaval, seeing familiar faces on the other bench is another reminder of how much has changed. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginias New-Look Roster Is Drawing Serious Big 12 Buzz
Ross Hodge is about to get his first real look at a West Virginia roster that looks a lot different from the one Mountaineers fans saw a year ago. With Niagara on deck to open the season, the early buzz around this group has centered on the blend of transfers and freshmen, a mix that should give West Virginia more depth and athleticism than it had before while also forcing the new coach to sort out how all the pieces fit.
That uncertainty is part of why the national conversation has been interesting. College basketball insider Jon Rothstein has already thrown some optimism behind West Virginias NCAA Tournament chances, which says plenty about the ceiling people see in this roster, even with so few returning players in the mix. The talent appears to be there, but the real question is how quickly a team with this much turnover can turn promise into something more concrete. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Faces A Nonconference Test That Could Define Its March Hopes
West Virginias nonconference slate is about to get a lot more revealing, and it starts with a stretch that should tell the Mountaineers plenty about where they stand. The Player Era Tournament in Las Vegas, plus neutral-court matchups with North Carolina, Pitt and Wake Forest, and a home date with Virginia Tech, give the program a chance to stack quality wins before Big 12 play begins.
It is the kind of schedule that can sharpen a team quickly, but it also leaves little room for slippage. With several ranked opponents on the docket and opportunities for rsum-building victories, the Mountaineers can make a strong early case for the NCAA Tournament if they navigate nonconference play with about three losses or fewer. [Read more 🡒]