Blake Sims will be the likely starter for Alabama in Saturday's game. (John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
West Virginia vs. No. 2 Alabama
KICKOFF: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
GAMEDATE: 8/30/14
SITE: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Ga.
TV: ABC/ESPN2
SERIES: First meeting
KEYS TO THE GAME
Blake Sims or Jake Coker?
Alabama coach Nick Saban said the competition for the starting nod at quarterback is ongoing as the Crimson Tide begins to put the final touches on preparations for the season opener against West Virginia.
A senior, Sims served as AJ McCarron’s backup the last two years after playing running back in 2011. He was 18-of-29 passing for 167 yards and two touchdowns in 2013.
Sims’ edge is that he “has more familiarity with the system, more comfortable in doing the things that we do and has done a really good job,” Saban said.
Coker, a junior transfer from Florida State, backed up Heisman winner Jameis Winston last season, playing in seven games and going 18-of-36 passing for 250 yards. He gained immediate eligiblity after picking up his degree at FSU in May.
His disadvantage: He’s not as familiar with Alabama’s system and terminology as Sims.
“We’re just trying to get him more familiar so he can play with the rhythm that we need to play with offensively,” Saban said.
West Virginia, meanwhile, has settled on Clint Trickett has its starter at quarterback. A Florida State transfer, Trickett played in eight games as a junior last year, completing 123 of 233 passes (52.8 percent) for 1,605 yards. He had has many interceptions (seven) as he did touchdown passes.
Coach Dana Holgorsen is trying to downplay the meeting with the Crimson Tide as just another game, saying he believes competing in the Big 12 has prepared the Mountaineers for such big games.
Other than Baylor and non-conference rival Maryland the Mountaineers were not overwhelmed last season, despite a woeful 4-8 record. Seven of its nine Big 12 games were decided by 12 points or less.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Mountaineers
–QB Clint Trickett was one of three quarterbacks who started for West Virginia last year and the job is his to lose this season. His overall numbers were mediocre, but the 6-5 Trickett did have his moments last season, leading the Mountaineers to one big-game victory, 30-21 over Oklahoma State.
–RB Wendell Smallwood must have felt like a huge load was lifted off his shoulders when he was cleared in July of charges of intimidating a witness involved in a murder case in his native Delaware. Now he has a clear shot at increasing his workload after finishing second on the team with 894 all-purpose yards as a freshman.
— CB Daryl Worley will be tested immediately against Alabama’s fine receiving corps. He only started five games last year as a freshman, but he still finished among the team leaders in solo tackles, tied for sixth most with 36 unassisted stops.
— S Karl Joseph started every game last year, posting 68 tackles and returning an interception for a touchdown. He was named to the preseason All-Big 12 team.
Crimson Tide
— WR Amari Cooper is one of the top receivers in the country and considered a high NFL draft pick going into his senior season. Despite often being the target of double coverage, he finished 2013 with 45 receptions for a team-high 736 yards.
— RB T.J. Yeldon is Bama’s big-play threat in the running game and enters his junior year averaging 6.1 yards per carry in his career. His 2,343 rushing yards rank 12th in school history.
— WR Christion Jones was third on the team in receptions with 36 for 349 yards and also served as the primary punt and kickoff returner. He averaged 14.0 yards running back punts with two for touchdowns and 28.7 on kickoff returns with one for a score.
— SS Landon Collins had two interceptions last year, returning one 89 yards for a touchdown. He also is a demon on special teams coverage, credited with 10 tackles on punts and kickoffs in 2013.
