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The Mountaineer football team picked up its 17th commitment for the class of 2023 when Macon, Georgia, offensive lineman Johnny Williams IV announced his verbal to òòò½ÊÓƵU on Tuesday via social media.

The 6-foot-7, 315-pound product of Northeast High School selected West Virginia over offers from numerous Power 5 programs, including Arizona State, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Louisville, N.C. State, Oregon, Syracuse and Virginia.

The three-star prospect took an official visit to òòò½ÊÓƵU this past weekend, and a couple of days later he pulled the trigger on his commitment.

Williams helped Northeast High to a 9-4 record and a spot in the quarterfinal round of Georgiaòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Class AA playoffs last season. The Raidersòòò½ÊÓƵ™ offense averaged 221.6 rushing and 162.7 passing yards per game in 2021, as well as 25.5 points per game.

Williams is the second offensive line commit for West Virginiaòòò½ÊÓƵ™s class of 2023, joining Cooper Young (6-5, 300 lbs.) of Downingtown West (Pa.) High. òòò½ÊÓƵU also now has three verbals from Georgia high school prospects, including not only Williams but also running back Jordan Louie and defensive lineman Jordan Benton.

Of the Mountaineersòòò½ÊÓƵ™ 17 commits for the class of òòò½ÊÓƵ™23, six of them have come in the last week.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. òòò½ÊÓƵ” Former Mountaineer running back Robert Alexander passed away at his home in St. Albans on Tuesday night. He was 64 years old.

Alexander was the most highly-rated football recruit ever produced by the state of West Virginia, as he was the No. 1 prospect in the country in the class of 1977 coming out of South Charleston High School.

òòò½ÊÓƵ a senior for the Black Eagles in 1976, Alexander rushed for over 300 yards in five of his nine games, totaling 2,177 yards and 34 touchdowns on the season for an average of 241.9 yards per game. Under head coach Homer Criddle, SCHS finished 6-3 that season.

For his career, Alexander amassed 5,872 rushing yards and 92 TDs. He won the Kennedy Award, presented to the stateòòò½ÊÓƵ™s top prep football player, in both 1975 and òòò½ÊÓƵ™76, and was a three-time Class AAA first-team all-state selection. He was named the national high school player of the year by Parade Magazine as a senior.

Robert attracted recruiting offers from basically every major college in the country, including not only òòò½ÊÓƵU but also USC, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Pitt and a multitude of others. He ultimately signed with the Mountaineers.

Alexanderòòò½ÊÓƵ™s early years at òòò½ÊÓƵU were marked by frustration and injury. Playing in a split-back veer offense employed at the time by head coach Frank Cignetti, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound running back struggled to live up to the lofty òòò½ÊÓƵ” and probably unrealistic òòò½ÊÓƵ” expectations placed on him, as he was a member of teams that never rose to the .500 level. He gained 426 yards on 95 carries as a true freshman in 1977, 328 yards on 84 carries as a sophomore in 1978 and then 681 yards on 118 carries as a junior in 1979.

Don Nehlen was hired as òòò½ÊÓƵUòòò½ÊÓƵ™s head coach prior to the 1980 season and brought with him the I formation as his base offense. That system was much better suited to Alexanderòòò½ÊÓƵ™s skills, and he responded with 1,064 rushing yards on 204 carries under Nehlen in the 1980 season. He also caught 31 passes for an additional 329 yards in his senior campaign.

At the time, he was just the fourth Mountaineer running back to total over 1,000 rushing yards in a single season, along with Garrett Ford, Sr., in 1966 (1,069), Bob Gresham in 1969 (1,150) and Artie Owens in 1974 (1,130) and òòò½ÊÓƵ™75 (1,055). In addition, Alexander was the first òòò½ÊÓƵU running back to catch more than 20 passes in a season.

On a 1980 West Virginia squad that also featured the likes of Fulton Walker, Walter Easley, Oliver Luck and Darryl Talley, Alexander helped lead òòò½ÊÓƵU to a 6-6 record, snapping a streak of four straight losing seasons.

For his Mountaineer career, Alexander rushed for 2,474 yards. That mark was the second-best in West Virginia history at the time of his graduation and remains 10th today.

Alexander was selected in the 10th round by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1981 NFL Draft and spent three seasons (1981-83) with the Rams. He played in 24 games during his time in L.A., mostly on special teams, though he did garner eight rushing attempts for 31 yards. Alexander also spent one season in the USFL, rushing for 27 yards in 1985 with the L.A. Express.

After four seasons at West Virginia, running back Leddie Brown is taking his 2,888 rushing yards with him in his attempt to earn a spot in the NFL.

òòò½ÊÓƵUòòò½ÊÓƵ™s returning running backs donòòò½ÊÓƵ™t combine for 20% of Brownòòò½ÊÓƵ™s career total while in a Blue & Gold uniform.

Thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s the dilemma facing West Virginia as it tries to replace one of just seven Mountaineers all-time who have rushed for more than 1,000 yards in two separate seasons.

Running backs returning òòò½ÊÓƵ” Jaylen Anderson (RFr.), Owen Chafin (Jr.), Justin Johnson (Soph.), Tony Mathis (Jr.), Markquan Rucker (Soph.)

Departing òòò½ÊÓƵ” Leddie Brown (Sr.), Aòòò½ÊÓƵ™Varius Sparrow (RFr.)

Newcomers òòò½ÊÓƵ” Lyn-J Dixon (Jr.), Syòòò½ÊÓƵ™Veon Wilkerson (Soph.)

Certainly Leddie Brown departs West Virginia as one of the best backs in school history.

His 2,888 career rushing yards are the sixth-most ever for a Mountaineer, and everyone above him on that list is already a member of the òòò½ÊÓƵU Sports Hall of Fame òòò½ÊÓƵ” Avon Cobourne with 5,164 yards, Pat White with 4,480 yards, Noel Devine with 4,315 yards, Amos Zereoue with 4,086 yards and Steve Slaton with 3,923 yards.

Brown was West Virginiaòòò½ÊÓƵ™s leading rusher in each of the past three seasons, gaining 446 yards as a true freshman in 2018, 367 in 2019, 1,010 in 2020 and 1,066 in 2021.

He posted 12 100+ yard rushing games in his career, including a 195-yard performance against Kansas in 2020.

A first-team all-Big 12 selection in 2020 and an honorable mention choice this past season, he also caught 86 passes for 604 yards in his four collegiate seasons, and his 32 career touchdowns are the ninth-most in òòò½ÊÓƵU history.

Obviously, Leddie leaves West Virginia with big shoes to fill, but òòò½ÊÓƵU is not without options.

A 5-foot-11, 206-pound sophomore-to-be, Tony Mathis had a strong second half to the 2021 season.

A product of Cedartown (Ga.) High School, Mathis gained 14 yards on four carries in three games for òòò½ÊÓƵU in 2019, maintaining his redshirt that year. He then had 55 rushing yards in six games in 2020.

A preseason injury slowed him through the first six games of òòò½ÊÓƵ™21 (25 yards on nine carries in that span), but once he returned to full health, he began to provide quality backup time behind Leddie.

Mathis gained 231 yards on the ground in òòò½ÊÓƵUòòò½ÊÓƵ™s final six regular-season games, including a 118-yard effort at Kansas in the regular-season finale.

Then, when Brown opted out of the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Mathis got his first career start and responded by grinding out 56 yards on 13 attempts while also catching five passes for 24 more yards.

Mathisòòò½ÊÓƵ™ combination of power and balance makes him hard to knock off his feet, and heòòò½ÊÓƵ™ll seek to permanently fill Brownòòò½ÊÓƵ™s starting role in the future. Mathis will have plenty of competition for that job, though.

The most experienced of the competitors at the running back position has never played a snap yet at West Virginia.

Lyn-J Dixon spent the past four years at Clemson but transferred to òòò½ÊÓƵU and enrolled at the start of the spring semester on Jan. 10.

The 5-foot-10, 188-pound speedster from Butler, Georgia, was a four-star prospect and rated the No. 10 running back in the country in the class of 2018 coming out of Taylor County High School, where he rushed for 5,174 yards in his prep career.

His time at Clemson started with a bang, as he ran for 547 yards and five TDs as a true freshman in 2018, averaging 8.82 yards per carry.

He added to that as a sophomore, when he again was the top backup to Tiger All-American Travis Etienne.

Dixon gained 635 yards on the ground that season on 104 attempts.

His opportunities started to diminish in 2020, though, as he ran for 190 yards on 42 carries and then had 48 yards on 10 attempts in three early-season games of 2021 before sitting out the rest of the season to maintain his redshirt.

He has two seasons of college eligibility remaining, and now will attempt to rekindle his career at òòò½ÊÓƵU.

A big-play threat (1,372 yards and 13 TDs on 208 attempts in his Clemson career), Dixon can definitely use his experience and ability in the Mountaineersòòò½ÊÓƵ™ rotation.

The experience in West Virginiaòòò½ÊÓƵ™s backfield diminishes after Mathis and Dixon.

Justin Johnson is next in line in terms of game action, as the 5-foot-11, 195-pound native of St. Louis carried the ball 24 times for 90 yards as a true freshman at òòò½ÊÓƵU this past season.

He got most of his work against Long Island, when he rushed for 42 yards on 10 attempts. With Leddie out of action in the bowl game, Johnson rotated with Mathis against Minnesota, running the ball five times for 35 yards against the Golden Gophers, which included a season-long 15-yard gain.

He caught two passes in 2021 for nine yards.

Jaylen Anderson also is expected to compete for time in the Mountaineersòòò½ÊÓƵ™ running back rotation.

The 5-foot-11, 218-pound product of Perry (Ohio) High didnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t get enrolled at òòò½ÊÓƵU until mid-September of 2021, thus missing the developmental time West Virginiaòòò½ÊÓƵ™s other true freshmen gained in summer workouts and preseason practice.

Having rushed for 3,517 yards as a four-year starter at Perry, earning first-team all-state status as a junior and senior, Anderson did not see any game action last season as a true freshman at òòò½ÊÓƵU and redshirted.

A four-star prospect coming out of high school, heòòò½ÊÓƵ™s expected to be a major contributor with the Mountaineers, probably in 2022, though he is going to be behind Mathis, Dixon and Johnson in terms of college game experience.

West Virginia also has a pair of returning walk-on running backs who will battle for spots on the depth chart.

A product of Spring Valley, Owen Chafin (5-9, 202 lbs., Jr.) has spent the past three years with the Mountaineers, though the engineering major is still awaiting his first game opportunity.

Fellow walk-on Markquan Rucker (5-11, 208, Soph.) did see action in four contests this past year after redshirting as a true freshman in 2020.

A three-time first-team Class A all-state selection at Tyler Consolidated, Rucker rushed for a TCHS record 4,470 yards in his Silver Knight career.

This past season at òòò½ÊÓƵU, he not only saw special teams work in four games, but he also carried the ball twice against LIU for six yards.

West Virginia also added Syòòò½ÊÓƵ™Veon Wilkerson (5-7, 201, Soph.) to the running back position in January as a walk-on.

A graduate of Good Counsel in Olney, Maryland, Wilkerson attended Delaware State the past two years and was the FCS programòòò½ÊÓƵ™s top rusher in each, netting 848 yards for the Hornets in 2021 and 262 in a five-game season in òòò½ÊÓƵ™20.

Seeing significant playing time at running back as a walk-on has been a rarity at òòò½ÊÓƵU, but Wilkersonòòò½ÊÓƵ™s past college success, albeit at the FCS level, makes him an intriguing prospect.

Obviously Leddie Brown leaves the Mountaineers with huge shoes to fill at the running back position, but òòò½ÊÓƵU is not without replacement options as it moves into 2022.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Graham Harrell, who was the offensive coordinator at USC the past three years, is West Virginia University's new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach,

òòò½ÊÓƵU football coach Neal Brown made the announcement of Harrell's hiring on Monday afternoon.

Brown also announced additional changes to the offensive staff that will include Gerad Parker as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, and Chad Scott, the run game coordinator and running backs coach.

"I have followed Graham's playing and coaching career for quite some time, and there's no question he is a talented coach with a bright future," Brown said. "He has a successful track record as a play caller, has done an outstanding job of developing quarterbacks and is a proven winner. His character, competitiveness and positive energy is a great fit for our program. He brings Power 5 coaching experience and an extensive knowledge of the Big 12. I know he is looking forward to getting started, meeting our staff and players.

"Since the end of the season, I have spent time reflecting on the program, and take responsibility, knowing we have to be better offensively," Brown said. "I've been serving in a dual role as the offensive coordinator and head coach, and we need to bring in another voice for the offense. Having Graham as the offensive coordinator and working with Gerad as the No. 2 lead in the offensive room, as he has done, will make us a better, more-efficient offense and move us in the direction we need to head. In turn, that will allow me to be a more effective CEO of the Mountaineer football program."

Harrell comes to òòò½ÊÓƵU after serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at USC for the past three years (2019-21).

"I am excited to join Neal Brown's staff at West Virginia and become a part of the Mountaineer football program," Harrell said. "This program has a long and successful history with a lot of tradition, and I have so much respect for the state of West Virginia, its people and their values. I believe this is a great fit for me and my family as Neal and I know or have worked with a lot of the same people. I grew up in the Big 12, played in it, and I look forward to getting back to competing in it. I can't wait to get to know our players and help this program make its mark."

In 2021, USC led the Pac-12 and was No. 17 nationally in passing offense (298.3) and red zone offense (.902), No. 20 in third-down conversion percentage and No. 24 in total offense (443.9). Receiver Drake London was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on several All-America teams.

In 2020, USC's passing offense ranked No. 11 nationally (first in Pac-12) at 319.3. Quarterback Kedon Slovis made All-Pac-12 first team while ranking in the top-20 in completions (first at 29.5), passing yards (sixth at 320.2), total offense (No. 13 at 310.7) and completion percentage (No. 18 at .670), all tops in the Pac-12. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown also was an All-Pac-12 first teamer.

In Harrell's first year at USC in 2019, the Trojan offense averaged 455.4 total yards (335.8 passing) and 32.5 pointsòòò½ÊÓƵ”significant improvements from 2018, when the figures were 382.6, 249.1 and 26.1òòò½ÊÓƵ”while ranking in the top-25 in completion percentage, passing offense, passing efficiency, total offense, third down conversions and first downs. The 2019 Trojans also set school season pass marks for total passing yards (4,365), completion percentage (71.0%), completions (365) and attempts (514).

Under Harrell's tutelage, true freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis was a Freshman All-American first teamer and the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, completing a school-record and NCAA freshman record 71.9% of his passes for a USC frosh record 3,502 yards with 30 TDs, including a school-record 515 passing yards against UCLA (one of a USC record four games with 400-plus passing yards), to rank in the top-20 in completion percentage, passing yards, completions, passing efficiency, passing TD and total offense (his 167.9 passing efficiency rating was a USC record).

Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who won the 2019 Pop Warner College Football Award and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff and Witten Awards, was in the top-20 in receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs.

Prior to his three-year stint at USC, Harrell produced back-to-back top-25 offenses, while the offensive coordinator at North Texas.

After inheriting an offense that ranked in the nation's bottom 25 in scoring, passing and total offense in 2015, he helped the Mean Green improve statistically in each category in 2016, including by 9.6 points per game. Then in 2017, North Texas was No. 19 nationally in scoring (35.5), No. 21 in passing (291.9) and No. 24 in total offense (455.1), and quarterback Mason Fine set school season records for passing yards (4,052) and TDs (31).

In 2018, UNT ranked No. 12 in passing (306.8), No. 20 in total offense (460.5) and No. 26 in scoring (34.6), with Fine throwing for 3,793 yards and 27 touchdowns with just 5 interceptions, wide receiver Rico Bussey Jr. catching 68 passes for 1,017 yards with 12 TDs and running back DeAndre Torrey scoring 15 TDs on the ground. Fine was the 2017 and 2018 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, while Bussey Jr. was an All-Conference USA first teamer in 2018. Tight end Kelvin Smith, who played as an attached tight end and in the slot, completed 27 and 29 catch seasons in 2017 and 2018 to rank among the top receivers on the team.

North Texas also rushed for more than 150 yards a game in 2017 and 2018. UNT won 9 games each in Harrell's last two seasons and qualified for bowl games all three years that he was on staff (2016 Heart of Dallas, 2017 New Orleans, 2018 New Mexico) after UNT only played in one bowl the previous 11 seasons.

Harrell came to UNT from Washington State, where he worked for head coach Mike Leach as the outside receivers coach in 2015 after serving as an offensive analyst in 2014. The 2015 Cougars led the nation in passing offense (389.2), won eight games and won the Sun Bowl.

Harrell was a record-setting quarterback for Leach at Texas Tech from 2005-08, finishing his career with an NCAA-record 134 touchdown passes, the second-most career yards in NCAA history (15,793) and the third-highest career passing average (351.0). He also set NCAA career marks for pass completions average (31.2), as well as most games gaining 400-plus passing yards (20), games gaining 400-plus total yards (21) and seasons gaining 4,000-plus total yards (3). His career average of 486.3 passing yards against Texas was an NCAA record against one opponent. In each of his three seasons as a starter, his passing yardage figures placed in the top-25 all-time at the FBS level (21st in 2006 with 4,555 yards, second in 2007 with 5,705 and sixth in 2008 with 5,111) and he was the first player with a pair of 5,000-yard passing seasons.

In 2008, he was an All-American first teamer, finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting, won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, was a finalist for the Walter Camp and Davey O'Brien Awards and was a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete. His 5,111 passing yards led the nation and he threw 45 touchdowns with only nine interceptions while completing 70.6% of his aerials. Texas Tech went 11-2, including a victory over No. 1 Texas, and played in the Cotton Bowl in 2008.

Harrell played for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2009, served as a quality control assistant at Oklahoma State for several months in 2010, before heading back to continue his NFL career. He played three years with the Green Bay Packers (2010-12), including on the 2010 Super Bowl XLV championship team and had a brief stint with the New York Jets in 2013.

He played for his father, Sam, at Ennis High, throwing for Texas career records of 12,532 yards and 167 touchdowns. He led Ennis to the state Class 4A title as a 2001 sophomore. òòò½ÊÓƵ a senior in 2003, he set state records for season passing yards, completions and touchdowns (4,825, 334, 67).

Inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame in 2020, Harrell earned his bachelor's degree in history from Texas Tech in 2007.

Harrell, and his wife, Brittney, have a 6-year-old son, Hawk and a daughter, Mia. Harrell's brother, Clark, played quarterback at Tulsa (2007) and Abilene Christian (2008-10); Clark and his other brother, Zac, are now high school football coaches in Texas.