Milum

MORGANTOWN — Despite the disappointment of the 6-6 Big 12 football season that just ended for West Virginia, leading to the dismissal of head coach Neal Brown, the middle-of-the-pack Mountaineers claimed two top individual honors.

The league coaches saw fit to name Wyatt Milum, the senior offensive tackle who seems destined to be a first- or second-round NFL choice, as the Big 12’s Offensive Lineman of the Year while linebacker Josiah Trotter was named the league’s Defensive Freshman of the Year.

The award for Trotter is a bitter reminder of just how good he is a day after he announced on social media that he will enter the transfer portal in the wake of Brown’s exit.

In addition, Milum, from Kenova, and defensive lineman TJ Jackson II were named to the 2024 All Big 12 team by the 16 head coaches.

Milum is the third Mountaineer to win the Lineman of the Year award (Yodny Cajuste, 2018; Colton McKivitz, 2019) and the first outright winner. He has played in 47 games, started 43, and has been used on 2,951 snaps over his four-year career. This season, he has helped WVU rank No. 9 among Power 4 schools in rushing yards per game (192.7). WVU is one of two FBS schools with three players with at least 600 rushing yards. In 2023, he helped the Mountaineer rushing attack claim the No. 1 spot among Power 4 schools, averaging 228.9 yards per game

Milum also has not allowed a sack in 34 of the past 36 games that he played, including not allowing any over the past two seasons. He was named a semifinalist for the Outland Trophy, given to the nation’s best interior lineman.

In 2024, Milum did not allow a quarterback hurry and only seven pressures. PFF College lists Milum as its No. 3 offensive tackle in the nation, grading out at 90.1. His 84.2 run-blocking grade is No. 6, and his pass-blocking grade (89.8) is No. 4. The offense has run for at least 140 rushing yards in 26 of its last 28 games since 2022.

West Virginia is tied at No. 10 nationally with 83 rushes gaining 10-plus yards, tied for No. 8 with 128 missed tackles forced on runs, No. 14 with 1,647 rushing yards after contact and No. 19 with 141 rushes gaining a first down.

Jackson played in all 12 games in 2024, starting nine after transferring for the 2024 season. He finished the regular season with 38 tackles, including 20 solo stops, 6.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. He is currently No. 1 nationally in run defense grade (90.6) by PFF College and tied for No. 25 nationally (82.3) among edge rushers overall. He is currently ranked No. 5 in the Big 12 in sacks. He had a season-high six tackles against Pitt, Kansas and Arizona and finished with at least one tackle for loss in eight games. He also had at least one sack in six games. His top performance of the season was at Pitt. He finished with a career-best four tackles for loss, tying him for fourth-best in school history and the most in a game since 2018.

Trotter, WVU’s first Big 12 Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year, played in all 12 games and started 11. He was the nation’s leading freshman tackler with 92 tackles, including 36 unassisted tackles, assisted on a sack, four tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and an interception.

He also was WVU’s second-leading tackler and was the team’s leading tackler in five of 12 games this year. He finished with four double-figure tackle games and had a career-best 12 tackles against Iowa State and Cincinnati. He also recorded at least one tackle for loss in three games, had a season-high 1.5 tackles for loss at Cincinnati and registered an interception at Oklahoma State.

Sixty-nine players were recognized on the two all-conference football teams announced today.

West Virginia’s honorable mention choices include tight end Kole Taylor, offensive lineman Nick Malone, offensive lineman Tomas Rimac, kickoff/punt returner Preston Fox, defensive lineman Sean Martin and Trotter.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was the Offensive Player of the Year, Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter was the Defensive Player of the Year and Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham was the Chuck Neinas Coach of the Year after leading the Sun Devils to this weekend’s Big 12 Championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after being predicted to finish 16th in the preseason poll.

Arizona State will face Iowa State in the championship game.