7 Best West Virginia Mountaineers Football Players

The West Virginia Mountaineers have won 15 conference titles since the program was founded in 1891. 

You can now place football bets on the Mountaineers to win a conference title or a game at the BetMGM online sportsbook.

Before exploring the Mountaineers college football odds, see my list of the best players the program has had. 

7 Best West Virginia Mountaineers Football Players

1. Pat White

The “Pat White era” (2004 to 2008) of West Virginia was arguably the most successful for the program. During this time, the Mountaineers won two conference titles.

He was also 4-0 in bowl games, including a 2-0 mark in BCS bowl games. He was the first quarterback to go 2-0 in BCS bowl games. 

He finished his career with 6,049 passing yards (sixth), 56 passing touchdowns (fifth), 4,480 rushing yards (second), 47 rushing touchdowns (second), 10,529 total yards (second), and 103 total touchdowns (first).

White set dozens of records for the Mountaineers, including two Big East Offensive Player of the Year nods. He was a three-time first-team All-Big East recipient and MVP of the 2007 Gator Bowl and 2008 Fiesta Bowl. 

In his final game, the 2008 Meineke Bowl, he threw for 332 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He added 21 carries for 55 yards in a 31-30 win over North Carolina. 

2. Steve Slaton

Slaton played alongside White from 2005 to 2007. 

A running back, Slaton finished his time with the Mountaineers, totalling 3,923 rushing yards (fifth), 50 rushing touchdowns (first), and 4,775 all-purpose yards (fourth). 

He holds the single-season rushing record with 1,744 yards in 2006. Additionally, he’s tied for the single-game rushing touchdowns record with five in 2005 against Louisville. 

Slaton was a unanimous All-American and first-team All-Big East. 

3. Major Harris

Harris played quarterback for West Virginia from 1987 to 1989. 

He finished with 59 total touchdowns (eighth), 5,173 passing yards (10th), 41 passing touchdowns (ninth), and 7,334 total yards (seventh). 

Harris held the total yards record until the turn of the century. 

He was a first-team all-American, third-team All-American, two-time ECAC Player of the Year, and two-time first-team All-East. 

He’s enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

4. Tavon Austin

During Austin’s playing days at West Virginia from 2009 to 2012, there was arguably no one more explosive. 

Considered a wide receiver, Austin was what I’d refer to as an offensive weapon.

While at West Virginia, he caught 288 passes (first) for 3,413 yards (first) and 29 touchdowns (third). He also had 7,286 all-purpose yards (first) and holds the single-game rushing record with 344 yards in 2012 against Oklahoma. In that game, he set the single-game all-purpose yards record with 572. 

Additionally, he holds the top two single-season all-purpose yards records, with 2,910 in 2012 and 2,574 in 2011. 

As a kick returner, he had 2,407 return yards and four touchdowns. He also returned 34 punts for 433 yards and a touchdown. 

Austin won the Jet Award and was a two-time first-team All-American, Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, Big East Special Teams Player of the Year, first-team All-Big 12, and first-team All-Big East. 

5. Bruce Irvin

After playing just two seasons at West Virginia after transferring from Mt. San Antonio, Irvin posted 22.5 sacks (fifth). Of those 22.5, 14 came in 2010, which ranks third in the single-season record books. 

He was a second-team All-Big East and an honourable All-American by SI.com. 

6. Stedman Bailey

Bailey played three seasons for the Mountaineers from 2010 to 2012. 

He caught 210 passes (second) for 3,218 yards (second) and 41 touchdowns (first). 

He set single-season records in receptions, yards, and touchdowns in 2012 with 114 catches for 1,622 yards and 25 touchdowns. 

Bailey also holds the single-game record in receiving yards (303) and receiving touchdowns (five). 

He was a first-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12. 

7. Geno Smith

Smith was the Mountaineers starting quarterback from 2010 to 2012 and posted program records in total yards (12,004), passing yards (11,662), and passing touchdowns (98). He also ranks second in total touchdowns, just one shy of White with 102. 

Smith holds single-season records in total touchdowns (44), passing yards (4,385), passing touchdowns (42), and total yards (4,356). 

In 2012, he threw for 656 yards and eight touchdowns against Baylor, both single-game records. 

He was first-team All-Big East, second-team All-Big 12, and second-team All-Big East.