Perhaps because the economy is in such good shape and the decision-makers are tired of delivering good news, the Wall Street Journal has an interesting technique it’d like to share with you about projecting success in college football.

Last season, eight of the top 10 teams in the final Associated Press poll began the season with at least 65 combined career starts by their offensive linemen, including title-game participants Florida and Oklahoma. Two of 2008’s biggest surprises, Utah and Ole Miss, had more than 80 starts of experience, enabling them to improve dramatically on offense. Conversely, Georgia, Missouri and Clemson — three preseason top-10 teams that disappointed — were green up front, with fewer than 40 starts each.

Elementary! And how does that shape the coming season? Not well if you’re one with the Mountaineers.

WVU’s starting offensive line hasn’t been this inexperienced since the coaching transition from the retiring Don Nehlen to Rodriguez in 2001, when senior guard Brad Knell of Poca brought the only 12 returning starts to the Mountaineer big ‘uns.

The ’09 numbers would be skewed even more toward greenness had senior center Mike Dent not suffered a season-ending neck injury and missed the final four 2008 regular-season games and Meineke Car Care Bowl victory, turning the job over to then-sophomore Eric Jobe.