MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Leaving West Virginia was the last thing Mike O’Laughlin wanted to do. But when Dana Holgorsen departed for Houston in January, he realized it would be foolish to not consider looking elsewhere. In the Big 12, there’s no guarantee an offensive coach will have much use for a tight end.
“There was a couple-week period where you didn’t know who was going to come,” O’Laughlin said. “The biggest concern for a tight end is what offense they’re going to run.”
As a precaution, O’Laughlin entered the transfer portal. When the Mountaineers hired Neal Brown, the decision felt justified.