Dana Holgrosen said yesterday he’ll probably only use two true freshmen on offense this season, and if you’ve seen Jovon Durante run or if you’ve seen Gary Jennings in a uniform, you’d understand why those receivers are going to be in line for playing time. There’s also the fact that they, along with junior college transfer Ka’Raun White, are coming while a group of players like Lamar Parker and Ricky Rodgers aren’t progressing like players in their situation normally might and Devonte Mathis and Vernon Davis aren’t creating the sort of space you’d expect from veterans.

(It’s worth noting, however, that WVU signed nine players on offense in the recruiting class. Two are quarterbacks. Four are offensive linemen. One is a tight end. Even in extraordinary circumstances, it’s possible none of those kid would play. WVU is far from any sort of extraordinary circumstances, though one quarterback might be a backup this year, if even as a third.)

Defensively, there aren’t many needs, either.

David Long is expected to be a really good linebacker. I mean, people are already thinking about lining up Xaier Preston, Al-Rasheed Benton and Long at linebacker next fall. But he’s not needed this season. Not even on special teams, though, who knows? That might happen. He’s good. But a lesson was learned last year from playing Preston very sparingly on defense and essentially diminishing his true freshman season. No one wants to repeat that for Long unless it’s a necessity.

Tyrek Cole has great ball skills and he’s taken a bunch of special teams reps. But his situation is not dissimilar because even with a good camp he’d be a backup cornerback. (The whereabouts and ultimate fate of Rasul Douglas might alter this one way or another, too, but he has a redshirt season to use.)

So, Tony Gibson, how many of these kids who a year ago were starting their senior years will be playing as they begin their college careers? Perhaps just two, and the situation is such that there isn’t even a great need for redshirt freshmen, though the latter might affect the former.

Williams is a freshman safety from Pompano Beach, Florida. Shuler is a freshman defensive lineman from Longwood, Florida. Fields is actually a redshirt freshman from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, but has only recently emerged as a genuine threat to play.

“If we had to play a game right now, Kevin Williams is traveling,’’ Gibson said. “Are we going to use him? Maybe special teams and five or 10 plays [to start with].”

The other two are in a three-way fight with another redshirt freshman, Tyree Owens, for playing time along the defensive line. According to Gibson, Fields has gotten the most early-camp reps. Owens, Gibson said, has days when he looks like he’s ready and others when he’s a freshman. And Shuler’s elevation into that group is largely based on potential. He’ll get more work as practice ramps up this week.

“But at least one of those guys is going to have to play,’’ Gibson said. “They might all play.’’

That Gibson and his staff are already zeroing in on potential newcomers who might break into the playing rotation isn’t unusual, even though the team has only been in full pads for a handful of practices.

“We can’t wait until game week and say, ‘Is this guy ready or not?’ ’’ Gibson said. “We have to know that going in.’’

Williams isn’t a great surprise. He was a he-might-be-ready name on signing day, and his high school film had drawn some K.J. Dillon comparisons. Shuler is a brow-archer, if only because he’s a freshman defensive lineman who might look more like an end and grow into a tackle, but he’s always shown a way to use his size, length and skill to affect plays. (The 0:42 mark … big man with a big motor.)

Adam Shuler photo/Orlando Sentinel