Can you feel it? Can you feel that certain something in the air? That almost palpable sense of energy and anticipation that is starting to coalesce around the Mountaineer football team?

True, our historic Orange Bowl victory is only a few weeks old, the basketball team is still in the midst of league play and we’re not even half way through winter yet… but Mountaineer Nation can’t wait until September.

70 points? Are you kidding me?

All season long, we’ve seen hints and clues of what this offense was capable of. We knew it was a group of players, combined with an aggressive system, that could light up the scoreboard like nothing else we’ve seen in Morgantown.

We knew that if everything fell into place, and our boys played up to their full ability, then we could see something special. But 70 points? And with plenty of touchdowns left on the field out of pity for our opponent?

Granted, Clemson is from the ACC, and they seemed to give up after the initial onslaught, but putting 70 points on any team is an amazing accomplishment. And it bodes well for next year…

We all know how things are shaping up on offense. While it’s true that we’re losing a few weapons, this is definitely going to be a year in which we “reload” instead of “rebuild.”

Take a look at the following list of players:

Geno Smith – Jr.
Tavon Austin – Jr.
Stedman Bailey – (r)So.
Ivan McCartney – So.
Ryan Nehlen – (r)Jr.
Dustin Garrison – Fr.
Andrew Buie – Fr.
Shawne Alston – Jr.
J.D. Woods – (r)Jr.

Yep, all of these guys are coming back. As I mentioned in the Targets and Catches article, the Austin/Bailey/McCartney trio made up 62% of our receptions this year and 67% of our total receiving yards.

In fact, when the Mountaineers take the field next season, we will be returning 78.4% of our total receptions and 77.2% of our total receiving yards from 2011.

Add to that list an ever-improving stable of incoming freshmen recruits which includes multiple talented receivers such as Deontay McManus (4 star), Devonte Mathis (3 star, out of “WVU South” aka Miramar High School) and Darreall Joyner (an absolute speed demon, also out of the Miami area).

With this many weapons on the team, the big question becomes – what kind of offensive line will we have next year. After all, we all know that without an adequate O-Line, this offense simply won’t work.

As you probably remember, our offensive line had its ups and downs during the 2011 season. But, regardless of what anyone says, our linemen did their job when it was all on the line. This much-maligned group of “hogs” put up with the constant sniping and criticizing that was flowing out of the fanbase (myself included) and “did work” when all the chips were on the table.

For that reason, I have complete faith in O-Line coach Bill Bedenbaugh, and I fully believe that next year’s offensive line will be more than just “ok.”

Joe Madsen will return for his senior year at center, and Jeff Braun will be back as well. Josh Jenkins (who, if you recall, was a 5 star recruit) will retake the field after redshirting a year and Quinton Spain (a 4 star, by the way) will be just a redshirt Sophomore.

So there are four solid, experienced linemen who will have another year of the airraid offense under their belts. You’ve also got Pat Eger and Cole Bowers who have both seen significant playing time, as well as a few others who have game experience.

While I know it’s rare for freshmen to get much playing time on the O-Line, we’ve also got Tyler Orlosky (4 star) and Tony Matteo (3 star) coming in as a new recruits.

So, we’ve got the weapons, and we’ve got a decent O-line. And, maybe just as important, we’ve now got confidence in the system. Holgorsen, himself, said that it took most of the season to get the entire team to buy-in to the system and start playing as a cohesive group. Putting 70 points on the board against the ACC conference champs will do wonders for the team’s poise and conviction that, if they play hard and listen to their coaches, then they can do some pretty amazing things.

Defensively, we will be young but talented… and I’m not sure things look as bleak as some folks would have us believe. (More on the defense in a follow-up article in the near future.)

In terms of conference play, I think we’ll be set up for success regardless of which way the courts rule. If we return for another year in the Big East, I fully expect us to run the table. If we play in the Big 12, then it will certainly be tougher. However, I think the conference is shaping up to be just tough enough to keep us on our toes… it’s certainly winnable – with Baylor’s RG3 heading to the NFL, Texas still rebuilding, Weeden and Blackmon leaving Ok. State, and Oklahoma being not quite up to its usual standards.

2012 is shaping up to be a huge year for the Mountaineers! It’ll be time for spring football before we know it, and then just a few short months before the Fall season gets underway.

I can’t wait!