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Big 12 teams have feasted often on West Virginias defense since the Mountaineers entered the league in 2012, and this season could spell another long one for a unit that must find nine new starters.In a pivotal year for embattled coach Dana Holgorsen, the Mountaineers return plenty of playmakers on offense, leaving it up to defensive coordinator Tony Gibson to keep that side of the ball from becoming the teams weak spot.The challenge got a lot tougher when junior safety Dravon Askew-Henry, the lone returnee among the top six tacklers, was lost for the season with an injury to his left knee sustained during practice Wednesday. Askew-Henry had started all 26 career games.This is a tremendous loss for our football team, Holgorsen said in a statement Friday. Without a doubt Dravon was one of our leaders on and off the field.All three linebackers and four of the five starters in the secondary are gone. Senior Nana Kyeremeh is the most experienced returning cornerback with one career start.The good news is the backups from a year ago were part of a 3-3-5 formation that came up with some stops after the Mountaineers got knocked around in their first three seasons in the Big 12. Despite allowing an average of 45 points over a four-game conference losing streak, West Virginia allowed the fewest touchdowns (33) and had the most interceptions (23) among Big 12 teams in 2015.Last year there was a lot of optimism because of what we had coming back defensively, Holgorsen said. This year there is not quite as much optimism but we have equally as much coming back offensively. That kind of made us mad offensively last year and it makes us mad defensively this year. I think there is a little bit of a chip on our shoulder and we are anxious to put in the work to get us to game day.West Virginia has shored up the secondary with four junior college transfers along with Iowa graduate transfer Maurice Fleming and Miami transfer Antonio Crawford, both at cornerback.One defender looking for a breakout season is third-year starting lineman Noble Nwachukwu, who recorded team highs in sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (13).When he gets one on one with anybody in the country I think he is good enough to beat them, Gibson said.On offense, quarterback Skyler Howard will have a veteran line and wide receivers to try to feed off the momentum of last years Cactus Bowl, when he threw for a bowl-record 532 yards and five touchdowns in a 43-42 win over Arizona State.Other things to know as West Virginia battles for respectability in the Big 12:RUN IF YOU CAN: Gone is Big 12 rushing leader Wendell Smallwood, leaving most of the running responsibilities to senior Rushel Shell, who will look to reach 1,000 yards for the first time since transferring from Pittsburgh after his freshman season. Holgorsen will also have to lean on freshman Kennedy McKoy and junior college transfer Justin Crawford.NEW BLOOD: The Mountaineers made wholesale changes among their coaching staff. The newcomers are former Texas assistant Joe Wickline as offensive coordinator; wide receivers coach Tyron Carrier, an offensive graduate assistant at Baylor last year; ex-Miami Dolphins assistant Blue Adams at cornerbacks; and former Arizona assistant Matt Caponi with the safeties. Former standout wide receiver Stedman Bailey is joining the team as a student assistant coach.KEY GAMES: Among West Virginias seven home games are dates with perennial league contenders TCU on Oct. 22, Oklahoma on Nov. 19 and Baylor on Dec. 3. The season could hinge, though, on an Oct. 29 visit to Oklahoma State.PREDICTION: The Mountaineers arent expected to challenge for the Big 12 title but might have to make some noise in order to save the job of Holgorsen, who is 36-28 in five seasons. WVU could ride a solid start over the first five games and hope to become bowl eligible for a fifth time under Holgorsen. A 7-5 finish sounds about right.SEASON OPENER: Missouri, Sept. 3, in Morgantown. The Tigers beat the Mountaineers 34-31 the last time the teams met in the 1998 Insight.com Bowl. The Mountaineers have lost five straight against Southeastern Conference opponents. Padres Jerseys 2019 . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. Cheap Padres Jerseys . A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne. https://www.cheappadresjerseys.us/ . Cote was eligible to become a free agent Feb. 15. Cote helped running back Jon Cornish run for a league-high 1,813 rushing yards en route to being named the leagues most outstanding player. Custom San Diego Padres Jerseys . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. San Diego Padres Gear . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Brett Frantz knocked down six 3-pointers to finish with 18 points and Youngstown State ran past Division III Westminster College of Pennsylvania Tuesday night.Frantz led six Penguins in double figures. Youngstown State got 36 points in the paint, another 20 off its fast break, and its bench outscored the Titans 46-34.Braun Hartfield converted 9 of 11 from the line and grabbed eight rebounds for the Penguins (3-3), who were 32 of 61 from the field (52.5 percent), including 11 of 24 from beeyond the arc.ddddddddddddCameron Kane Johnson scored 13 points to lead Westminster, which shot 23 of 70 from the field (32.9 percent), including 9 of 28 from distance. Jarret Vrabel added 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds.Vrabels jumper with 15:55 left in the first half got the Titans within two, 10-8, but Youngstown State answered with a quick 8-0 run to open a 10-point lead. ' ' '