West Virginia will have plenty of offensive question marks next season with the losses of quarterback Geno Smith and do-it-all wide receiver Tavon Austin. Now, it will move forward without another playmaker: wide receiver Stedman Bailey.
As a surprise to practically no one, Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen said Monday that the Pinstripe Bowl against former Big East foe Syracuse would be Bailey’s last game in a WVU uniform. Bailey is a redshirt junior and was Smith’s high school teammate at Miramar (FL). The two signed with the Mountaineers in 2009.
Bailey finished the 2012 season with 106 receptions for 1,501 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns. It was his second straight year of over 1,000 receiving yards. Bailey had two games this season with over 200 yards receiving and one game with over 300 yards receiving. He was also a finalist for this year’s Biletnikoff Award.
Austin got a lot of the hype -- rightfully so -- for his versatility and speed, but Bailey was perhaps the most sure-handed receiving on WVU’s roster and oftentimes made Smith look good with his receiving skills.
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