2024 WV Team Preview: Morgantown Mohigans

For a discounted subscription to view all of our content, use Code PRZWV30 at checkout for 30% off!   The Morgantown Mohigans lost a talented senior class to graduation after last season and will be searching for some new faces to step up in 2024 and take on bigger roles at the varsity level. They'll likely rely heavily on their Wing-T run game this season as they break in a new quarterback and return one of the top running backs in the state. The unknowns heading into the new season shouldn't make you discount this version of the Mohigans as they likely had many talented athletes waiting for their turns and are ready to showcase what they can do this season. They have a nice mix of winnable games and top teams in the state on their schedule this season which could quietly allow them to be a host team come playoff time, especially after the late reshuffling of classifications.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2024 TEAM SCHEDULE</h2>   08/30 (A) Parkersburg 09/06 (H) Bridgeport 09/13 (A) South Charleston 09/20 (H) Connellsville (PA) 09/27 (H) Buckhannon-Upshur 10/04 (A) Wheeling Park 10/11 (H) Martinsburg 10/18 (A) Parkersburg South 10/25 (A) Hedgesville 11/01 (H) University 11/08 (-) Open   2024 Record Prediction: 7-3 2023 Record: 7-4   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">PLAYERS TO KNOW</h2>    Morgantown returns the top specialist in the state in our eyes and an early leader for the Fulton Walker Award as the top special teams player in West Virginia. Stire made his commitment to the home Mountaineers in July as a PWO with real potential to eventually earn a scholarship in the future, especially with the expanded scholarship roster changes that are coming. He can do it all for the Mohigans and handled all punting and kicking duties as a junior excelling in each phase of them. Stire is as complete of a specialist prospect as you're going to find in West Virginia and a very versatile athlete who you can trust to execute any kick or punt situation.   Stire will be a must-watch this season if you appreciate the special teams side of the game as our #1 kicker in the 2025 class.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/aidanstireshop/status/1816519985923264792 </div></figure>     2025 Morgantown RB [player_tooltip player_id='854471' first='Aaron' last='Thomas'] had his breakout year for the Mohigans in 2023 and should expand on the numbers he attained last season. As a junior, Thomas rushed for just under 650 yards and 15 touchdowns and also caught 16 passes for 192 yards and another score as a versatile player. We got to see him live last season in likely his best game of the season against bitter rival University in the MoHawk Bowl, and Thomas was clearly one of the best athletes on the field that night which featured some highly-ranked prospects. His recruitment has been way too quiet based on his social media activity and is a prospect every D2 in the state should be after this year. Thomas has a nice combination of speed and power and can turn the corner and get to the edge or run strong between the tackles and shed first and second defenders.   We anticipate him hitting the 1,000-yard rushing mark with a healthy senior season and seeing his recruitment ramp up.      Morgantown received a pair of talented defensive backs via rival University this off-season in the Blunt brothers with older brother [player_tooltip player_id='1113237' first='Kylan' last='Blunt'] being the first one to know. The Mohigans needed some new DBs to step up in 2024 after losing some talented ones to graduation, and Blunt could slide right into one of their safety positions. Free safety appears to be his best position which he played at University as someone who can patrol the backend of the defense. The older Blunt isn't the biggest athlete but doesn't shy away from contact and has shown he enjoys coming down and laying a big hit on receivers but will also break down in the open field and make a tackle.   We'll see what his role is with his new team this season but is a prospect that D3 and D2 programs should be following this fall.      We've overlooked 2025 Morgantown TE/DE Brady savage to this point but he's firmly on our radar now heading into his senior season. Savage has been a valuable role player on the Mohigans' state championship-winning basketball squad but his potential as a football prospect may be even greater. He's a long and athletic defensive end at 6'3 210 who didn't have TE film but may play more this season after a graduation loss to their previous starter with potential for the position too. Savage is a tenacious high-effort player with a motor that doesn't stop until the whistle blows. He has obvious athletics off the end with good lateral and vertical quickness off the line. Savage plays in space well and showed willing physicality for the position that can set the edge well even with a frame that hasn't been fully filled out yet.   Savage is an intriguing football prospect who is worthy of college looks in that sport and may just be his best future if he's interested in playing it at the next level.      Morgantown loses their entire primary starting offensive line from the 2023 season and will need a new group to step up in 2024. 2025 OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id='1264085' first='Akir' last='Johnson'] appears to be ready to take on a full-time role as a senior and got some varsity time as a junior last season. He's a big athlete who could start on both sides of the line with real potential as a DL too. Johnson doesn't currently have any offensive line film which makes him mostly an unknown at this time, but he's already receiving college interest before his senior spotlight with Waynesburg extending him his first offer this summer. Johnson has a basketball background as well and is a quality athlete which gives him a lot of upside as a big-man football prospect.   If Johnson can produce a solid senior season and put more on film, he has D2 potential and should earn more college opportunities this year.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/akirjohnson66/status/1798761216074191269 </div></figure>     Another rising senior big-man for Morgantown who should earn more varsity reps in 2024 is DL [player_tooltip player_id='1226831' first='Armstrong' last='Siakam']. We saw Siakam in person at the PRZ WV Combine this off-season and he flashed some things as a junior on the JV team which leads you to believe he can one day develop into a college player. D3 programs should be following Siakam this season to see if he can carve out a varsity role but is a prospect worth taking a chance on and developing for a few years who could one day blossom at the next level.   He's a name to tuck away for later as we wait to see what he can do on the varsity team as a senior.      Another lineman who saw some spot duty as a junior who should have a much bigger role in 2024 is [player_tooltip player_id='1312875' first='Dylan' last='Shinkovich']. Shinkovich is a big athlete in the 6'3 260 range with a lacrosse background that gives him athletic upside on the football field. Film is limited of him right now but you can see him sliding right into their starting group this season after getting some run there as a junior. Shinkovich's size and athleticism should make him a perfect fit for their Wing-T system and looks like a classic Morgantown offensive lineman who will be plug and play.   Shinkovich will likely have the opportunity to play football at the next level if he doesn't prefer lacrosse and is an under-the-radar prospect to know this season.      The younger Blunt brother who made his way across town to join up with rival Morgantown for his junior season is [player_tooltip player_id='1113237' first='Kylan' last='Blunt'] who has a high ceiling as a prospect with a lot of potential and upside. He's a longer athlete than his older brother in the 6'1 range and played corner for the Hawks last season. Blunt could likely make a smooth transition to safety as well and might be where he best fits in the future, but we'll see how Morgantown utilized him this season. His length creates matchup problems for opposing receivers and is a trait he can further utilize as a longer DB. Blunt attacks downhill well and is a physical player just like his older brother. He's a quality athlete who can cover ground quickly and plays well in space too.   Blunt is far from a finished product but exudes potential which has placed him among the top defensive backs in this class early on.      2026 Morgantown DL [player_tooltip player_id='1138540' first='Zevon' last='Shipman'] has huge potential which placed him as a Top 5 defensive lineman in his class at this stage. Shipman is incredibly strong for his age who recently hit a PR squat of 500 pounds at 15 years old. That power and strength translate to the football field showing he's a force at the line of scrimmage and can control it as a young player. Shipman can push his man backward consistently and can take on double teams without being overmatched. He's very stout at the point of attack and was a very good run-stopping interior defensive lineman as a sophomore last season. Shipman has good hand use and puts himself in a good position to make plays at the LOS consistently.   We're excited for him to take another step forward this season as a junior with a bright future coming.      A JV player from last season that could see increased time at the varsity level is 2026 DB [player_tooltip player_id='1139034' first='Zaiiden' last='Lockett']. He flashed some good things on his sophomore JV film that make us think he can develop into a varsity starter as soon as this season.   Here's what we recently said about Lockett in our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/07/2026-prospects-new-to-the-top-150-pt-1/">2026 rankings New Additions article</a>:   "We're looking for 2026 Morgantown DB [player_tooltip player_id='1139034' first='Zaiiden' last='Lockett']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/zaiiden-lockett/"></a> to have a bigger role on the Mohigans' varsity team this season after seeing some spot duty at safety and on special teams as a sophomore. Lockett posted his sophomore film since our spring rankings update, and we like the potential he showed as a young player in 2023. He'll debut as a Top 15 DB in the 2026 class for now with the potential to climb higher once he sees more of a starting role in the future. The first trait we liked about Lockett when evaluating his film was his effort on special teams. That's always a telling sign when watching film to see who is putting in high effort in all three phases of the game and not just on offense and defense. Lockett is also always around the ball and made several interceptions and fumble recoveries last season on varsity and JV. He appears to be a strong safety prospect who has the athleticism to play on the back end or creep into the box and play closer to the line of scrimmage."      Another standout JV player for the Mohigans last season who could earn himself some varsity opportunities in 2024 is 2026 RB/LB [player_tooltip player_id='1324981' first='Rhys' last='Wells']. He flashed on both sides of the ball as a sophomore on their younger squad and appears to have natural instincts for both positions. We'll see if Wells can emerge as a standout varsity player this season but are confident he will in time.   Here's what we recently said about Wells in our <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2024/07/2026-prospects-new-to-the-top-150-pt-1/">2026 rankings New Additions article</a>:   "Another primarily JV prospect as a sophomore who we expect to have a varsity role as a junior in 2023 is Morgantown RB/LB [player_tooltip player_id='1324981' first='Rhys' last='Wells']. The Mohigans also graduated a talented 2024 class and will look for some athletes like Wells to play more this season. Wells has the potential to move to RB in our rankings in the future whose size and athleticism may better fit that spot, but he debuts in the 2026 Top 150 as a linebacker prospect. He's an athletic prospect with quick feet and showed breakaway speed at the JV level on film. Wells plays with a high motor and great effort on both sides of the ball while trying to make a big play on any given snap."     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">OTHER PLAYERS TO KNOW</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1586799' first='Alex' last='Himes'] - QB | 2025   [player_tooltip player_id='894627' first='Brayden' last='Parks'] - OL | 2026 Watch List   [player_tooltip player_id='1238323' first='Blake' last='Buffington'] - OL | 2026 Watch List   [player_tooltip player_id='1111466' first='Konnor' last='Mott'] - OL | 2027 Top 60   [player_tooltip player_id='1272611' first='Alex' last='Harris'] - TE | 2027 Watch List   [player_tooltip player_id='923337' first='Maddox' last='Twigg'] - QB | 2028 Watch List

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